Page 113 of I'll Keep Her Safe

“Quite the opposite.” My heart jumps at the intensity in his voice, and he lifts me off his lap, pushing to his feet. “This is how much I’m not having second thoughts, baby.” He motions to his lower left leg, where there’s a new tattoo.

I gasp. Because it’s not just any tattoo; it’s bright red and orange poppies, wreathed around his entire calf and shin.

“Wyatt,” I breathe, tears springing to my eyes. He’s got both his mom and his daughter engraved on his skin, but I never dreamed I’d be there too. “It’s beautiful.”

“Poppies, for Poppy.” He strokes a hand gently over my hair as he speaks. “The colors remind me of you. Your lips and your hair, your bright, passionate nature. I would have gotten you right here”—he motions to his heart—“but it never occurred to me to keep that spot free.” His voice softens. “I never imagined I’d feel this way about a woman and want her there permanently. Never imagined you.”

Tears spill from my eyes as he lowers himself back onto the sofa, pulling me onto him again. His thumbs wipe my tears away, and our lips meet, hungry from days apart. We make quick work of our clothes before I sink onto his length, sighing at the satisfaction of him filling me again. It only takes a few moments before we surrender to our release.

Then we snuggle on the sofa enjoying the closeness of each other, Wyatt stroking my shoulder, Sugar curled at our feet.

“Was it good to see Bailey?” I ask at last. I want to know what they talked about, how their time was together, but I’m still nervous that maybe she hasn’t forgiven me.

“It was.” Wyatt kisses my temple. “We had a really long talk. And”—he chuffs a small laugh—“she already knew the truth about her childhood.”

I sit back enough to meet his gaze. “What do you mean?”

“Her mom let it slip a few years ago that it wasn’t my choice not to be involved. That it was because she hadn’t told me.”

I blink, absorbing this, and it makes me see everything Bailey’s ever said about her father in a new light. What a great dad he is, how much she loves him. She knew he was honorable all along, that he would have done the right thing, given the chance.

Brushing Wyatt’s hair from his forehead, I drop a kiss there. “How do you feel about that?”

“Relieved. Like a huge weight has been lifted from me.”

I study him, the warmth in his amber eyes, the gray threaded through his beard, the tiredness in his smile. My heart softens, knowing that he and Bailey discussed the truth of her childhood. He needed that. I know he did.

“And Bailey…” I begin, then hesitate.

“She’s good. She’s working far too much, but she’s good.” He cups my cheek, stroking it gently with his thumb. “She said that if we make each other happy, then that makes her happy.”

I smile, closing my eyes and leaning into his palm. I want to believe him, but if that’s true, why hasn’t she reached out to me?

“Have you thought any more about the Kurt plan?” Wyatt asks.

A grin tugs at my lips. He’s going to love this.

Pushing to my feet, I retrieve my phone from the counter and hand it to him, showing him the footage. His jaw unhinges as he watches, shaking his head.

“Jesus,” he keeps muttering, each time it seems as though Kurt couldn’t possibly say anything worse. The video ends, and he glances up at me. “What did his boss say?”

I cringe. “I haven’t shown him yet. And I’m wondering…” I trail off, trying to put my thoughts into words.

The truth is, I don’t want to tear Kurt down. Not because I care about him (I don’t), or because he doesn’t deserve it (he does), but because that’s not who I am. I’m not the same as him.

“Poppy…” Wyatt begins, as if disappointed to see me backing down.

“I’m not like him,” I say. “I don’twantto hurt him like he wants to hurt me.”

Wyatt softens. “I know, baby.”

“Even though he deserves it… I wouldn’t feel good about tearing him down.”

A weary exhale gusts from Wyatt. “You’re a better person than me,” he mutters.

I huff a laugh, knowing that’s not true at all.

But there’s something else there, I realize. Fear. Of what he might do if I ruin his career. I hate that hestillhas that hold over me.

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