“I’m good, doll. Thanks.”
“Okay.” She fiddles in place, looking unsure for some reason. “Well, I guess I should let you get to bed. I know you’ve had a long day. I…um… I’ll just be in my room studying if you need anything.”
“You running off so soon? I was hoping you’d keep me company for a bit. But if you need to study, I won’t stand in your way.”
I like spending time with her. It makes me feel better having her near. Talking to her chases away all the shitty thoughts thatcreep in. The girl is getting to me. One day with her and I already feel something stirring inside that empty cavity where my heart used to live.
She takes a seat next to me on the couch, and it’s not close enough. But any closer and she’d be on my lap. I shift to face her, pressing my leg up against her thigh. Feeling warmed over by the touch of her smooth skin.
“Was everything okay earlier?” Her soft voice sounds worried. “You seemed upset.”
I was caught off guard by my past, and if it weren’t for her nervous little ramblings, I never would’ve been able to pull myself from those horrible memories. But her sweet smile made me forget, and I was able to breathe again within those walls.
“That place brought back some memories is all.”
“It did?”
I hadn’t gotten into what happened with Davis and Kara when we were talking earlier. Didn’t want to taint our time together. It feels better talking about my brothers on the field, sharing stories about Scar and Hawk and the others who had my back. Talking about the family I was born into just stirs all the unwanted feelings.
“That place is where I proposed to my ex-wife.”
“You were married?”
She shifts away from me, looking surprised, and I don’t like it. I don’t want her thinking I was trying to keep anything from her.
“It’s hard to talk about. That’s why I didn’t mention it earlier.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. You don’t have to tell me about it if you don’t want to.”
“Nah, babe. I want you to know me. This part may be the ugliest part though.”
Her hand reaches out and her fingers close around mine, locking us together. It’s the tiniest gesture, but she has no idea how much it means to me. Never in all the moments of the shit that went down did any of my family offer me comfort. Not even my goddamn mother who chastised me for my choices, who blamed me for my brother’s betrayal.
“We met back in high school.” I squeeze her fingers, rubbing my thumb at the base of her wrist and letting the soft feel of her skin calm my nerves. “Kara was the captain of the cheerleaders, and I was the star quarterback.” At the time, we made sense. Though, looking back now, we really didn’t. We were like apples and lemons. Two totally different people with very different values. I valued honor, honesty, and loyalty. And she valued herself.
“We both came here for college. I ended up proposing our junior year.” I knew as soon as I graduated, I was going to be signing up for the army, so I wanted to make sure I locked her down before I got deployed. “It was at that restaurant where I got down on one knee.”
“I’m so sorry, Rogue. You didn’t have to stay tonight. I didn’t mean to stir up any pain for you.”
“No, doll. There’s no need for you to apologize. And I’m glad I stayed. You managed to make me like that place again.”
I thought it was sweet how she took care of me. Her thanking me for serving our country is something I’ll never get over. She has a big heart. It’s apparent in everything she does. And shines in that pretty smile.
“Why did you guys split up?”
“She started fucking my brother while I was deployed overseas.”
“No!” Her pained gasp has me squeezing her hand tighter. It’s the reaction I had wanted from my parents. Instead, theyboth shook their heads at me, tsking me for my negligence toward my marriage. “That’s awful, Rogue. I’m so sorry.”
“You’re sweet, Izabelle. You know, every time I’ve spoken of this in my past, I’ve felt this rage running through my veins, but I’m not feeling that way with you.” It’s just like I’m retelling a story I heard along the way, not a nightmare that I lived.
She scoots in closer, her leg now resting on top of my thigh. I want to pull her into my arms, but I don’t want to press my luck. We hardly know each other. But that sure isn’t how I feel.
“I hate your brother.”
Damn, I want to kiss her.
“You and me both, babe.”
