“Where was your bedroom?”
“It was in Switzerland.”
A sound huffed out of me.Switzerland? “That’s where you live now?”
“That’s where I spent the winter. I was about to move on now that it’s spring. Hadn’t totally decided where I was going. And then I heard. I was… I’m not sure I’veeverbeen that angry. Keira, when I heard what they’d done, I lost it.”
“But two years ago you left this country, then acted like you lost my phone number and my email address.”
“When have you ever sent me an email, in all the time we’ve known each other?”
“Not the point!” My voice was rising, and I could feel tears building behind my eyes.
Therewas the anger I’d been searching for, but it didn’t feel good. Not one bit.
“You could’ve kept in touch. I thought we were close. That our friendship was important to you. Then you just disappear like I meant nothing to you? And don’t you dare say those group chats made any difference. They just reminded me you were willing to keep in touch with some people, but not me.”
He sighed. “You’re not letting me off easy, huh?”
“You’re the one who said you’re sorry. I don’t even know what exactly you’re sorry for.”
“No, you’re right. I’ve been a really shitty friend.” He’d had his gaze on his hands, but now he lifted his eyes to mine, piercing me right in the heart. “I do care about you, Keira. It wasn’t about you. It was about me.”
“Which is the worst, tired-out excuse known to man.”
“Would you believe me if I told you I was punishing myself more than I meant to hurt you? I never wanted to hurt you.”
“But you did.” I was trying and failing to keep my voice steady. “If you didn’t have enough reason to stay in Hart County, fine, but…”
“I left so I wouldn’t hurt you even worse.”
CHAPTER NINE
Dean
“Why in theworld would it have hurt me for us to stay friends?” Keira asked.
Because I wanted more than just your friendship.
I did not say that aloud.
Her pretty brown eyes blinked at me, waiting for an answer. I’d always been a sucker for those eyes. Long lashes, with a tiny mole beside the left one.
Once, I probably could’ve drawn a map to the freckles on her skin. I’d studied the curve of her lips and the slope of her nose.
I’d imagined kissing each one of those freckles that dotted her shoulders, following them down her spine to the dip of her lower back. Then around and up between her breasts. I’d wondered what shade of rose her nipples were, and how they’d respond if I sucked each one gently into my mouth.
Fuck.
I forced myself to look away, standing up to take a stroll around her living room instead. Pure avoidance. I was great at that.
“You know I was a Marine,” I said.
“Yes,” she replied softly.
“Once a Marine, always a Marine. That’s what they say. But it’s not so straightforward for me.”
“Okay.”
