Page 28 of Katherine's Last Hope
“She’s beautiful. Are you two still close?”
Frowning, he took a step forward and tilted his head to the side. “She died when I was in middle school.”
Guilt and shame smacked Katherine upside the head. “I’m so sorry. How did I not know that?”
“There’s a lot about me you never knew.”
She patted the bed beside her, waiting for him to sit before speaking again. “I was an idiot. A silly girl caught in her own world. I’m sorry about your mother. I understand how hard it is to lose your mom. Especially so young.”
“Hmm,” he said, the sound noncommittal.
“What is it?”
“No, you’re right. A part of what we experienced is very similar.”
“And the other part?”
He turned to face her, his lips swished to the side as if uncertain he could confide in her.
Wanting to be there for him in the same way he’d been there for her, she rested her hand on his hard thigh. “Tell me. Please.”
“When my mom died, I was left with a shitty father and asshole of a brother. I had no one to comfort me. No one to care for me. I was all alone. I’m glad that part of our story differs.”
More shame burrowed into her gut. “I can’t imagine how hard that must have been. Losing your mother was difficult enough. My family can be a pain in the ass sometimes, but they’re always there. Always supporting me in every way possible. Even if they’re over protectiveness can be a little much sometimes. I hate that they aimed it at you earlier.”
He shrugged and a rested a hand on top of hers. “It’s great you have them, and them looking after you doesn’t bother me. They should be on guard as far as I’m concerned.”
The gravelly tone of his voice hitched her breath. “Oh really? Why’s that?”
He lifted their joined hands. “Something tells me they’re as terrified of this as I am.”
She frowned, trying to make sense of his words. “And what do you have to be afraid of?”
“You.”
Caught off guard, she blinked twice, trying to decipher his response. “What do you mean?”
“I’m going to be honest with you, because it’s the only way I know how to be. Something is building on my end of this thing. It’s surprised the hell out of me, and I’m not sure what it means. But I know I could fall hard for you. You hold all the power here. And as much as I hate to admit it, you could destroy me.”
She couldn’t stop her mouth from dropping open. She’d never had a man hit her with so much truth, been so vulnerable so quick. With Theo, they’d met in grade school and been joined at the hip since before she could remember. Their love had grown from something sweet and innocent into something strong and real. It had never been this out of nowhere, slap you in the face kind of attraction.
Her mind whirling, she tried to erase the smack-gobbed expression off her face. “Trust me, I’m scared too. I never expected to feel anything for anyone after Theo died—never wanted to. I had my chance and loved every minute of it. Why should I be special enough to find that kind of happiness more than once?”
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, letting his fingers linger along her jawline. “Everyone in this life deserves to find as much damn happiness as possible. Even someone like me.”
The fact he still saw himself as less-than gutted her. “Especially someone like you. You’ve taken in me and my son, determined to keep us safe. You’ve been my rock the last couple of days. Heck, you’ve went head-to-head with not only my dad and brothers but my grandpa.”
He grinned. “He told me to leave you alone if I planned to hurt you.”
“And what did you say?”
“I’d rather die than hurt you.”
His words were like a healing balm on her battered heart, and she knew deep down to her toes he meant it.
Her gaze flicked to his mouth. His parted lips drew her forward like a magnet. She didn’t want to wait for him to make a move, didn’t want to sit and wonder what it’d be like to kiss him. Before she could talk herself out of it, she pressed her lips to his and an explosion of stars burst behind her closed eyelids.
His palm cradled her jaw, his touch tender, and he moved his mouth slowly over hers.
