As if that reply displeased him, his eyes narrowed. “You told me about your parents.”

“Right.” It made her want to squirm, the probing way he watched her. “There isn’t anything more—”

“What about your brothers?”

A scalding wave of heat rushed over her and for one blinding second, she felt light-headed.

Denver wasn’t asking. He mentioned her brothers as if he...

He knew, and damn him, he dared to look at her as if she might be holding back? “You bastard.”

His brows went up.

The shout she’d intended came out as a hurt, pathetic whisper.

That wouldn’t do.

Throwing back the coverlet, she swung her feet over the side of the bed—and would have dropped if Denver hadn’t moved close to grab her shoulders. “Settle down.”

“Go to hell.” Remorse gave her strength to struggle, but not enough.

Not nearly enough.

He pressed her flat to the bed, sprawling out over her. When she shoved against his shoulders, he trapped her hands and pinned them down at her sides.

Looming over her, his eyes bright with concern, his hair dropping forward, almost touching her cheeks, he held her immobile. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

That calm tone infuriated her. “You know them!” Oh God, it hurt. Worse than anything she’d ever imagined.

Had she really been such a fool? Again?

“Of them, at least.” He raised her hands above her head so he could hold them in one of his. With the other, he tenderly tucked her hair behind her ears. “I didn’t like what I saw, and liked even less talking with them. But I have to say, you’ve thrown me for a loop.” Obvious restraint held him in check as he bent to lightly kiss her open mouth. “Tell me why they upset you so much.”

Panic ebbed beneath the sincerity of his words, leaving behind only a dull throb. She had a million questions, but first...she had to know. “Is that why you finally slept with me?”

He stared down at her with blank confusion. “What are you talking about?”

“Did they put you up to it?”

For what felt like forever, he contemplated her accusation. Concern drew his brows together, made his gaze more intrusive. “We had sex because we’d both gotten to the boiling point.”

“You didn’t want to!”

“I always wanted to, but I resisted.” He moved against her, settling in and getting comfortable. “You and I still have differences to work out, but that has nothing to do with the trio of idiots.”

Was that really how he saw them? They were idiots. They were also cruel and manipulative and a very real threat. Always.

Beginning to feel a little foolish, Cherry did a quick comparison between Denver and the trio. No, she couldn’t see them as Denver’s friends. She definitely couldn’t see them as cohorts.

Closing her eyes did nothing to salve her shame. “Will you let me go?”

“No.”

Her eyes popped open again.

“Not now,” he said. “Not tomorrow. Not for the foreseeable future. Anything else you need to know before you explain?”

Her mouth opened, but she had to think what to say. “I meant will you let me up—”

“The answer is still no.”

Resentment left her bristling.

“Sorry, girl, but I like you right where you are. Now talk to me.”

“Fine.” It seemed he only called her “girl” when sexually charged. “I don’t have any brothers or sisters.”

Doubt and suspicion tightened his mouth. “Cherry—”

“I don’t!” If he accused her of lying, she’d— Cough.

Damn. Her raised voice brought it on, and once she started coughing, she couldn’t seem to catch her breath.

Denver moved quickly to her side, then helped her to sit up. He stayed beside her, one hand bracing the middle of her back. “Slow, shallow breaths.”

When the fit subsided a little, he stood and walked out of her room but returned seconds later with a glass of water. Again he sat by her, causing the bed to dip so that she tilted into him. With his arm around her, keeping her close, he handed her the glass.

She sipped.

“The nasty cough is going to hang around a few days, so try not to screech at me anymore.”

Her glare, she hoped, was more effective than a screech.

But given his smile, maybe not.

He relieved her of the glass, looped both arms around her, and said, “I only met Carver, Gene and Mitty today.”