She dropped her gaze to the floor, and reached down to twirl one of the thick strands on the shag rug beneath her. “I’m sorry,too.”
“What for?” He hadn’t expected her to apologize; he honestly didn’t know why shewould.
Still hiding her eyes from him she said, “For what I said. About being blind. I was trying to hurtyou.”
He processed her admission. “Because I hurtyou.”
She bobbed her head up and down, shoulders drooping. The dejected look was more than he could stand. King reached for her, knowing he shouldn’t, unable to stop himself. When their hands had touched earlier a bolt of awareness had shot through him. He’d tried to dismiss it as simply being because he hadn’t touched a woman since Trinity, but there was something more beneath the surface of Laura. And damn his soul, he wanted to find outwhat.
He cupped her elbow, absorbing the shock that shot straight to his groin. And then slid his hand up her arm, and gently tugged her to him. When she let him, he let out a breath he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding. King pulled and turned, shifting so that he propped his back against the wall and set her in his lap. He palmed her head, savoring the satiny texture of her still damp hair, and laid her against his shoulder. She stretched her feet out to the side and he snaked his other arm around herwaist.
She shifted, snuggling her cheek against his shoulder and in the process, wiggling her very perfect ass against his lap. King laid his head back against the wall and looked up, praying she didn’t accidentally bump up against his raging hard-on. He was here to give her comfort, not freak herout.
Thankfully, she finally settled in, her soft side melting across his flesh. “Thank you.” She reached up and toyed with the top edge of hisbandage.
“For what?” Her hair smelled fresh, clean from its recent washing. She smelled like vanilla. And something else, somethingsensual.
“For apologizing. I think we’re all very emotional about this, understandably so.” She stopped picking at his bandage and now slid her fingers back and forth over his flesh just above it. That small touch made him think about doing things to her. Things he hadn’t thought about doing with anyone since Trinity. God, had it really been fiveyears?
Maybe that explained it, he wasn’t a machine. Or a saint. Any man would be aware of a woman as gorgeous as the redhead in his lap. “I’d say that’s putting itlightly.”
“Did you just make a joke?” She smiled at him, breaking the contact between her cheek and hischest.
King instantly missed that touch and put her head back against him. “I don’t joke.” Although he was trying to lighten the mood a little; the rawness put him on edge. He’d been on ice for so long, this little bit of warmth was giving him a third-degreesunburn.
He needed to steer the conversation away, but he didn’t want to leave her. Not yet. “Tell me more aboutFaith.”
The child had piqued his curiosity. She hadn’t seemed the least bit frightened of him, or anyone for that matter. After everything she’d witnessed today she should be a mess, but if anything, she seemed completelyunfazed.
“She’s a mess,” Laurasaid.
“Seemed like she held it together pretty good today. How old is she? Five?” Faith’s head reached to about the height of his upper thigh, she couldn’t be much older thanthat.
“She’s seven. But she’s small for herage.”
Almost the same age as Hope would have been. The thought planted a hard knot in his throat. Again, the image of Hope filled his mind, laughing as she ran to him and threw her arms around him. Christ. He didn’t know if he was ready for this. If he could handle the memories and staysane.
Laura started doodling circles and shapes on his right shoulder, drawing his attention down to her. She glanced up at him, wary but…trusting. Scrubbed clean he could see every freckle, every curve. She was perfection. He’d forced her to come here, fought with her, and here she sat, strong and vulnerable at the same time. His mouth started moving before his mind could catch up. “I had adaughter.”
Her hand stilled. “Had?”
He blew out a breath and tipped his head against the wall, staring up at the ceiling. “Yeah, her name was Hope. She would have been eight years oldnow.”
* * *
Laura’s breathcaught at the savage look of raw pain on his face. Should she ask? Could she? She didn’t have any right to pry. “Whathappened?”
“She was killed, along with my wife. I’d been undercover in an op busting a terrorist ring and they discovered myidentity.”
Her hand went to her mouth as tears pricked her eyes. “OhGod.”
He continued as if she’d not spoken. “I almost stopped them, butcouldn’t.”
“I’m so sorry.” Although that was totally inadequate. He’d lost his family; there were no words that could ever measure up to something like that. The agonizing pain she’d felt when she thought she’d lost her brother had devastated her. But to lose achild?
“Yeah, me too. Christ, I don’t know why I told you that. It’s been five years and I haven’t toldanyone.”
Tentatively, she reached up and tilted his face down to hers, marveling at how soft his thick black beard was. “Thank you for telling me.” He stared at her long and hard and in that moment, she knew he waslost.
