He puts me gently down in the bathroom.
He brushes my hair back from my face with a tenderness that’s not exactly new but still makes my chest ache. Even though he told me what he wants, I know he’ll respect my decision.
If, after he tells me everything, I still want to leave, he’ll let me go. No question.
This morning, after crying half the night, I thought for sure I had to leave. I thought it was my only real adult decision.
Now, in his arms, I can’t escape the glaring fact that it’s thelastthing I want.
Cutting him short just means hacking up our hearts, and if they’re going to hurt, it should only happen naturally.
The steamy showerchases away all the bad thoughts that followed me upstairs.
Kane joins me after pulling my luggage back up. He takes the bar of soap and washes me in a way that feels reverent.
“So, breakfast might be late today,” I say as he massages soap bubbles into my chest.
“Yeah,” he says. “Worth it, though.”
“Better hope the kids agree.”
“They’ll barely notice.” He brushes my wet hair back from my face and maneuvers himself so he’s standing under the blast. I take the soap from him and start rubbing it across his tan skin.
Broad shoulders, firm pecs, and ridges forming a six-pack. Or maybe it’s an eight-pack?
I count them as I go, letting my fingers trace his ridges and valleys.
Yeah, definitely eight bullets in this human gun.
I’ve hooked up with men who were built before, sure, but they spent half their lives in the gym.
Body sculpting was their life.
For Kane, it’s just who he was. The warrior he still is at heart.
I love that.
“I’m sorry,” he says as I wash his neck.
“For which part?” I grin up at him, the water from the shower dampening my eyelashes.
“Funny girl.”
“I know I am.” I press a kiss to the damp curve of his shoulder. “But what are you apologizing for?”
“When I thought my shit would blow up your life, I panicked.” His warm hand clasps the back of my elbow. “Yousaid I’m the one running, and you were right. Ididtry to run by pushing you away. But that hasn’t gotten me anywhere.”
I want to argue back.
It got him here in the first place. Running away brought him to Maine, and to me.
And it was also going to take him away from me again.
One deep look into his eyes tells me that’s not what he’s thinking right now though.
“When my last relationship burned up, it wasn’t the only problem,” he says. “I had to walk away from her and my company.”
Finally, the mysterious OptiSynth.
