Page 99 of Mr. Dangerous

"Yeah, but who? Why?" I threw my hands up in the air. "I get it when I was seventeen. But why the hell wouldn't Mitch have told me what wasgoingon?"

"Maybe he didn't get thechance."

I thought of Mitch’s quiet urgency in the dim sum restaurant. I hadn't given Mitch much opportunity tospeak.

"I'm glad you told me now," I said, by way of reconciliation. It bothered me to see Kate looking distraught. "You did what you thought was right. I'm not madatyou."

"Good.” She lunged forward suddenly to hug me tight. For a second, I was surprised by her slender arms around my waist. Then I squeezed her back. "I've never been able to stand having you madatme."

"Me either," I said, "Even though I gave you plenty of reasons to be mad in highschool."

She tilted her head to look up at me, the corners of her almond eyes crinkling. "We're older andwisernow."

"Older, anyway," I said. With all the mystery surrounding my father— then and now— I needed to get wiser in ahurry.

Kate pulled my shoulders down hard and planted her lips on mine. My hands tightened automatically on her waist, holding her body against mine, as her soft, warm lips partedagainstmine.

I took in Kate's eyelashes resting against her chiseled cheekbones, the little scar above her eye from a lacrosse accident that no one else would have noticed, and even though kissing her was wrong, I couldn't push her away. I couldn't hurt her all overagain.

She let her hands slip away as she took a step back. "Just to see if it still feelsright.”

I nodded, because I didn't know what to say to that. I didn't want to disappoint her. But there was only one girl in Newport for me. Even if that girl didn’t exactlylikeme at themoment.

But like andloveare two differentthings.

A pained look crossed her face. "I hope you find what your family needs," she said stiffly. "I hope you allare...safe."

"You be safe too,"Isaid.

The words seemed like so little between us after all ourhistory.

Kate nodded and headed for the door. Her shoes were soundless on the rug, but she left the door open behind her. I could hear her clicking away when she reachedthetile.

God.Damn.It.

I felt like I'd made a mess of that. Of Kate's feelings. Of what I owedNaomi.

I felt like I'd made a mess of the last tenyears.

---