Page 83 of Rocky Mountain Desire
“Tough. Tell me.”
She tilted her head and gave him a dirty look, but kept talking. “I would take off when I could, but I was only fifteen. Helen would disappear to spend time with you or her friends, but I could only organize so many sleepovers, could only hang out at the teen club for so long, and for some stupid reason my parents decided my whereabouts was closely tied to their fighting. Whoever had control of me had the winning hand.”
Matt dropped his lips against her cheek. “I had no idea.”
“You were busy with your family, and with Helen. And I’m sure she told you all sorts of things.”
That was true. “I was surprised when she said the two of you were going to open the quilting shop together. I always thought…”
Hope’s smile twisted. “That I was this spoiled creature who got away with murder?”
“Actually, no. I figured most of Helen’s whining was just that, whining, but I sure didn’t see the two of you working together well.”
She shrugged. “It might have been okay, but yeah, I would have had to be the one who caved in any argument. It didn’t help the stress between us that before Mom finally packed her bags, she gave me a bunch of stuff, and nothing to Helen. I think because I’d shared the items were important to me—Grandma’s old quilt rack, things like that. All Helen talked about was getting out of Rocky someday. And then it was Mom who left. Dad missed her more than he wanted to admit, and he started hitting the bottle.”
Another piece of the puzzle fell into place. “That’s why you don’t drink.”
“Damn right.”
Matt could have kicked himself. Why had they not had this conversation before? “Helen moved out, but you still lived with him?”
“Yeah, and then he died. I was the one who found him. Didn’t know he was dead at first, just thought he was dead-drunk like usual.”
He stroked a hand along her arm, all the way up to her neck. Caressing until he could cup her face. “He left you too, didn’t he? Not only physically, but mentally and emotionally—he checked out long before he was gone.”
“I think my family is cursed. We can’t keep it together. And that’s why even though you’re lying there looking so damn understanding, I think eventually you’re going to have enough of the crap and you’ll wish you’d never tried to be with me.”
Holy shit.“You really think I’m going to hightail out because your sister is making your life hell?”
“She made your life hell once before, and she seems damn good at causing trouble. Unless you’re some kind of glutton for punishment, I’m not sure why you’d stick around me waiting for more pain to come your way.”
“Doesn’t sound like you think much of me, Hope Meridan.”
She wiggled upright, indignation on her face. “It’s not you—I mean, I just said I wouldn’t blame you for leaving. You’re not a crazy bastard, why would I expect you to put up with me and my insane sister?”
Because he didn’t mind dealing with the craziness if it meant he got to be with her? Didn’t want her to have to deal with it on her own?
Because he’d fallen in love?
He pulled her into his arms and held on tight. “Remember what I said about relationships being work?”
Hope sighed. “You sure you want to keep hanging around me?”
“You sure you can put up with me being a demanding asshole at times?”
She cupped his face in her hands. “I like you as a demanding asshole.”
Really? He was about to find out if she meant it.
“I think there’s a bigger trouble than you being worried I might leave. I think you’re still curious if I’m thinking about your sister. Comparing you to her, that kind of thing.”
Her face tightened. She swallowed.
“You know what? I’m glad she came back from Calgary, even though we have to figure out what the hell is wrong with her. I probably wouldn’t have brought this up otherwise, if she hadn’t shown up. If she hadn’t been going out of her way to come between us. And this whole issue would have been hovering over us the entire time, like some damn ghost in the background.”
Matt grabbed her wrists and rocked her to a sitting position right between his thighs. He caught her by the back of the neck and forced their mouths together, his tongue possessive against hers. His teeth harsh, kisses demanding.
She answered him back like a wild creature, crawling into his lap and pressing her breasts to his torso.
