“I told you before, sweetheart, you are never a bother. I meant it.”
Overwhelmed with feelings, an insane need to hug him like Bre had done a short time before slammed into me and I moved closer. Huntley’s eyes widened but he opened his strong arms as if knowing exactly what I needed. I wrapped my arms around his middle, allowing my head to rest on his broad chest.
Slowly and very gently he hugged me back and I basked in the warmth of his embrace.
I didn’t know it could feel this way.
A content sigh escaped and I heard Huntley let out one of his own.
“Thank you for trusting me to hold you,” he choked out.
Tears trickled down my cheeks as the sheer velocity of what was transpiring took hold. I was letting him touch me.His strong arms had me in their grasp and he could probably do whatever he felt like but all he wanted to do was hold me tenderly.
And Itrustedhim.
With reluctance, I pushed away from his chest and he released me, dropping his arms. When his gaze met mine, his green eyes gave me a pleading, needy look as one of his hands raised ever so slowly up between us but he paused, not touching me, just waiting.
I nodded in approval and at a snail’s pace, he brought his palm to my face. Then, with more tenderness I knew existed, he wiped the tears from my cheeks with his calloused thumb.
“Don’t cry, Warrior. I know it’s a lot but you’re so strong.”
He gave me a sweet smile and once again dropped his hand. “Go in there and eat with your kids. Text me later.”
In a shaky voice, I simply replied, “Okay.”
“Or call,” he told me, his smile widening. “I like to hear your voice.”
My insides went a bit mushy at that confession.
“I could probably manage that,” I told him before opening the door and stepping inside. “Bye, Huntley.”
After he said goodbye, I shut the door and pressed my back to it, taking in some much-needed breaths. The day had been a whirlwind and it wasn’t over yet. Looking through the big open living space into the dining area, my kids were staring at me.
“We have a lot to talk about,” I said as I strode toward them. “But first someone tell me what Huntley said when he picked you up.”
Lennon and Bre both laughed.
I better brace myself.
Chapter Ten
HUNTLEY
I’d heldRiver once before, but it wasn’t the same.
The night I had pulled her from her house that was in flames and carried her in my arms, I was doing my job.
But this time, it was different.
When she went willingly into my embrace, even initiated it, and I held her, it was more than I had ever imagined it would be.
My Warrior felt like home in my arms.
Chapter Eleven
RIVER
“He what?”my sister screeched.
