Page 211 of The Night Shift
I glance up. “If you’re going to kick me, I’d appreciate it if you stayed away from my face.”
She shakes her head. “I’m not going to kick you.”
My fingers work slow circles into the arch of her foot. Holly goes quiet for a second, then breathes out, “This is all my fault, isn’t it?”
“Well, I suppose you could’ve gone with shorter heels.”
“No, you came to me,” she clarifies. “You wanted to tell Parker before the wedding. I forced you not to. If we’d just told him before the wedding, then —”
“Then maybe it would’ve gone worse.”
Her voice drops. “I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry about, Holly.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Neither do you,” I say simply. “What’s done is done. We can’t go back and redo it, and even if we could, who’s to say it wouldn’t blow up worse?”
“We should’ve told him.”
“Maybe.”
“That’s not comforting.”
“I’m not trying to be comforting. I’m trying to be honest.”
She studies me. “Okay. Then be honest. Do you hate me for this?”
My fingers still against her ankle. I look up at her, stunned. “Hate you?” The mere notion is appalling. It scrapes against everything I know to be true. “I hate that I hurt Parker. Hate that I hurt April. And I hate that it’s eating you alive.” I kiss the inside of her thigh. “But you? I could never hate you, my love. Never.”
A subtle hint of pink colours her cheeks. “What were you and April talking about?”
I collect her heels, placing them gently on the edge of the table, out of harm’s way. “She was just telling me what a good person you are.”
“So, she was drunk.”
“Maybe a little.” I kick off my own shoes and lower myself back down. “There was also something about you having the softest heart in the world.”
“She must’ve taken one of those gummy edibles again.”
“It’s possible.” I slide her foot into one of my shoes, which is comically loose for her. I tighten the laces enough that it shouldn’t fly off. Then I repeat the process for her other foot.
“Did she say anything about Parker? Is he all right?”
“You’reworried about Parker? The world really must be ending.”
Her face tightens. “He’s family. Of course I’m worried about him.”
“So, April was right then. Youarea good person.”
“Sure. We’re world famous, me and my unshakable moral compass.”
“Ah, yes. That’s one of the first things that attracted me to you. Your immaculate sense of right and wrong.” I kiss her inner thigh again, a bit higher this time. “I also like your hair, and your face, and your ass.”
She kicks me square in the chest.
I fall back with a low laugh, catching my balance with my good arm.
