Page 62 of For Fox Sake

Ten heartbeats later, the door swings open.

“Hey.”

Damn he looks good. He’s wearing jeans slung low on his narrow hips and the same dark blue T-shirt he wore when I came over to fix the stove, and he’s never looked more enticing.

Even though his eyes are tired, his face tight with strain, something in me relaxes at the sight of him. It’s like the chaos of the past week stills, and a puzzle piece slots into place. At the same time, the concrete walls I’ve been fortifying around my heart shift, a crack stretching over the surface.

“Hi,” I manage to get out.

“Do you want to come in?”

“I can’t. I left Ari watching TV and I...” I don’t have to explain.

He crosses the threshold and a whiff of his scent—just simple soap and aftershave—reaches into my midsection and tugs.

I step back and cross my arms over my chest.

He doesn’t say anything. He waits, devouring me with those deep brown eyes, his gaze a caress against my skin.

To my horror, my eyes burn and my face heats, the crack in the dam around my emotions fracturing.

A sob bursts out of me. My hand claps over my mouth.

Then his arms are around me, solid and warm, and all the barricades I’ve erected and strengthened over the past week dissolve in the face of his comfort.

Chapter Seventeen

Jake

She’s falling apart in my arms, and I’m helpless to do anything but hold her and wait. I wish I could take all her pain into myself, but I can’t.

I rub her back, press my lips against her hair and murmur nonsense while she shudders and shakes and sobs in my arms. I know these tears are about more than my revelation last week, but I still wish I had the power to remove the sting of my lies, along with everything else.

I bet she hasn’t cried since it happened. She wouldn’t want Ari to witness this.

My body aches for her.

We stand on the porch for a while, until her tears subside and her shoulders stop shaking and she pulls away, wiping at her face. “This is so embarrassing.”

I clench my hands at my side so I don’t give in to the urge to reach for her, or brush her hair away from her face, or pull her back into my arms. I don’t have the right.

Her eyes widen and she turns her gaze across the street. “Oh no. I have to get back.”

“Do you have any time to talk before I leave?”

She swallows. “Ari wanted to watch more of The 10th Kingdom. Can you come over now? Maybe we can talk when she goes to bed? Unless you have to pack or something, I understand if?—”

Relief swells through me, leaving me almost lightheaded. “Now is great. Perfect. I just need to grab my shoes.”

She nods. “Okay. I’ll leave the front door unlocked.” With a weak half smile, she jogs down the porch steps.

In a daze, I grab my shoes and keys and follow.

Pushing open her door, I follow the sound of murmured voices into the living room.

I stop in the doorway. “Hey, superhero.”

“Jake!” Ari leaps from the couch and runs to me. I lift her up and her little arms immediately wrap around my neck and squeeze.

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