Page 47 of The Thinnest Air
“Like I said, anything is possible,” he says, taking a seat in a weathered recliner that’s clearly seen better days. Cupping his hands over his mouth, he releases a heavy breath. “I keep asking myself ... what if he knew? What if he knew all along, and he was waiting for the right moment to ...”
He doesn’t finish his thought.
He doesn’t need to.
“He’s pointing the finger at you right now,” I say. “He thinks you had something to do with all of this.”
“And I’m pointing it right back.” His words slice through the small space we share, his eyes locked on mine.
“There’s also the possibility that neither of you had anything to do with this and you’re both wasting your time pointing fingers.”
Ronan sighs.
“What did you like about my sister?” I ask.
“What?”
“Just answer the question.”
“Everything,” he says, sinking back in the chair, his gaze fixed on the darkened TV screen across the room. “I could tell you how kind and thoughtful and funny she was, but I’m sure you know all of that. Guess the thing that drew me to her was how she had this childlike sense of wonder when she was with me. The way she looked at me. The way she touched me. She said I made her feel brand-new. In a weird way, when you boil it down, we had something special. The world kind of stopped when we were together, and that’s something you don’t find every day.”
Any other guy would’ve focused on her looks, the hot sex, the thrill of sneaking around.
But he dug deeper.
I give him a pass.
For now.
CHAPTER 21
MEREDITH
Twenty-Three Months Ago
I tug my clothes on as Ronan kisses me, my pants unbuttoned and my shirt half-bunched beneath one arm. We step backward, stumbling and giggling in the darkness of his cozy house, his hands returning to all the places they’d known the hour prior.
“I have to go,” I say for the tenth time between kisses, my lips pressed against his as I speak.
His hands circle my waist, pulling me closer. “I wish you could stay.”
Me, too.
I always wish I could stay.
A month ago, I ran into Ronan at a little café on the corner downtown. He had the day off. And I was running menial errands to fill the void of an empty, rainy day.
We spent the afternoon together, and it was innocent enough until we found ourselves dashing through a puddled parking lot in a torrential downpour.
One moment we were running, the next he was pulling me under an awning, holding me close against him.
And then he kissed me.
Tender. Unrushed. His hands in my hair.
One taste of Ronan on my tongue was all it took.
Now here we are. Me in his living room. His scent covering my body, his eyes claiming every square inch of me.
