Rylan holds out his hand to me. I look down at it, then up at him. “I’ve given you a lot of time, sugar. Now give me some. Give me a chance. I can prove to you I won’t walk away. I’m not scared of you being a single mom.”
But I’m scared.
I look back down at his hand, the implications so strong that taking it would mean giving in. My heart thumps, and words spoken to me in the darkness of an alley as a man lay dying flood my mind.
“Do it for love next time.”
I swallow as my eyes mist over. I lick my lips, then pull my bottom one through my teeth. He’s so good to Oly. He wants to protect me. Maybe he’s strong enough to save us.
I reach for his hand.
“Just this once. I’m going to give you a chance,” I say so softly I don’t think he hears me. But he leans forward and kisses my forehead in a soft kiss, just like he did at the grocery store.
“I’ll never hurt you. I promise,” he swears.
I slide my hand into his, feeling the calluses and the firm grip. He doesn’t realize it’s me who’s going to hurt him.
CHAPTER
FOUR
KODIAK
We pull up to my house, and I look into the back seat. Oly is sound asleep, her little head tipped forward. It looks so uncomfortable, but she’s young, so it probably doesn’t hurt her as much as it would me or her mom.
I turn back and see Marnie taking in my house. Looking at it, I take it in like a stranger would. The large two-car garage is up front, and there’s a third garage door to the side with a tall opening for my work truck or a trailer. The covered porch wraps around to the back.
I worked hard for this land on the small lake and to build a home I’m proud of. But honestly, if she doesn’t like it, I’d sell it in a heartbeat to get her whatever she wants. When I built the house, I never thought I’d want a family. Now I’ll have an instant one, and I’m okay with that. But is a three-bedroom home going to be big enough for us? I can always add on. It’s what I do, and I’m good at it.
I want to ask her what she thinks of her new home as soon as I can talk her into moving in, but I don’t want to scare her away. I’m at a place she isn’t yet.
“So, it’s true, just put them in a car and they sleep?” I snicker at the thought.
“She didn’t sleep very well last night. Neither of us did.”
“Everything good?” I hate the thought of her struggling to sleep. “If you want to take a nap too, I can get you settled and keep an eye on Oly for you.”
I fold my arms over the steering wheel and lean on it, taking her in. I want to lay her out on my bed and taste every inch of her.
“I’m good.” She doesn’t really answer the question. “I don’t need a nap. You can take me home if you have things you need to do.”
“I only have you and Oly to take care of. Wait there.”
I get out and walk around the truck to her side. Opening her door, I take her hand and help her out of the truck. When she’s standing before me, I cage her in between the door and my body.
“I’m going to kiss you now,” I warn her before lifting her chin and leaning down.
I’ve been wanting to taste her lips for so long now that it feels like forever. My lips glide across hers, and she gasps at the soft contact. I can’t stop myself. I grip the back of her head, where her hair is contained in a bun, and hold her chin as I dive into her open mouth. My tongue glides along hers, and when she moans, I press my body closer, holding on to her as I consume her. Her sweet taste bursts along my taste buds, and I can’t get enough of her.
Her arms wrap around my waist, and her hands slide up the back of my cut. I pull my mouth from hers, and her eyes remain closed. Her lips are swollen from my kisses. Her face is flushed, and her breathing is labored. She’s the sexiest sight I’ve ever seen.
“Sugar, we are going to go inside with Oly. If she stays asleep, we’ll explore this some more. If she wakes up, you can help me get things ready for the barbecue in a couple of hours.”
I pause as her eyes focus on me. The pupils blown wide as she stares up at me.
“Okay?”
“Yes.” Her voice is huskier than normal as she drags out the single word.
