Page 56 of Fighting For You
And last night?
Last night, I’d gone to bed with the taste of her on my lips and the memory of her body against mine seared into my mind. I’d had a glimpse of heaven, and it’d given me a kind of hope I’d not dared to feel in years.
I was still grieving my grandmother, but I’d been grieving. In some ways, it felt like I’d spent the last half a decade mourning losses and walking in the hazy dusk that is grief.
Until…
It sounded so stupid—like a fairytale or something—butthe assignment with Jess had woken me up. Being shoved into her space, touching her hand when we posed as a couple… it’d served as the slap across my face and forced my mind to step into the sunlight.
“You are having some serious thoughts, aren’t you, big fella?” Kenny’s grin could be heard from a mile away.
I turned with my coffee-filled mug and eyed him where he stood just inside the break room.
“Not gonna tell me? Fine. I’ll just have to guess.” He tapped his chin in a poor actor’s rendering of a thinking man, then he snapped. “I know. You’re thinking about kissing Pop in a dark corner of the hotel last night?—”
In the split-second between when I realized he somehow knew what’d happened to the words exiting his loose lips, I’d slipped my coffee onto the nearby counter and got in his face enough that he knew not to finish the sentence.
“Do not say another word and do not repeat what you just said.”
Amusement flickered across his face. “No kissing and telling then, eh? How chivalrous.”
“What did he say?” Luc asked from the doorway. “Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s merited, but could we ease up, gentlemen?”
I shoved Kenny away and he winked at me, evidently not at all fazed by my threats.
“It’s fine. Beasty doesn’t realize that weallsaw him and Jess kiss and make up last night when we left the ballroom and spotted them in their sexy little corner.”
The swallow of coffee went down hard. Kenny slapped my back as though that ever actually helped someone when they were sputtering against a bad drink.
“I would’ve thought you’d be happy about this, butsomehow, you seem grumpier.” Kenny laughed and shared an amazed look with Luc.
Adam and Dorian filed into the room, as well. I greeted them both with nods and stepped farther away from the coffee maker so they could fuel up.
“What a nice little morning reunion,” Adam said, grinning at all of us.
“Damn, man, you look like you had a nice start to your day.” Kenny wiggled his brows.
I shoved the idiot, and Adam shook his head in disapproval. “None of that.”
Kenny shrugged, and Adam rolled his eyes.
“We were just hoping to get details on Beast’s evening.” There went the damn brows again.
Interest flashed over Adam’s face, but then he sent me a look while speaking to Kenny. “A story I’m sure he’s just itching to share with your gossipy butt.”
His expression said enough—he had something to tell me but not in front of the child. Luc ushered Kenny out of the room and Stone took a seat at the small table and sipped his coffee, wonderfully at ease.
“I saw Pop this morning. She seemed… I don’t know.” He and Stone exchanged glances.
“You saw her, too?” I asked Stone.
He nodded, his silence confirming Adam’s statement.
“Did she say anything?” I pressed, needing to understand his concern and get a sense of what might be going on with her.
Had she not been glad we’d kissed? Did she regret it?
Had I read everything completely wrong?
