“I can’t accept this,” she says finally, her voice barely above a whisper, but her grip on the key tightens instead of loosening, her knuckles whitening.
“You can,” I counter gently, reaching out to brush my fingertips against her wrist, feeling her pulse jump beneath my touch. “And you already are.”
She glances up at me, and there’s that fire in her eyes, the one that makes my heart rate kick up a notch. “You’re making it really hard to maintain my independence here, Haynes.”
“I know,” I admit. “But I’m not trying to take it away, I promise. I’m just trying to make sure you have options.”
Her lips press together, and I can see her weighing everything in her mind. The practicality versus the pride. The need versus the want to stand completely on her own.
“Fine,” she says after what feels like an eternity. “But I’m filling the tank whenever I use it.”
I hold up my hands in surrender. “Deal.”
She lays the key on the counter behind her and then gestures toward the door with a quick nod of her head. “Can we go eat now before you hand me more things I don’t need but have a hard time saying no to because I know you mean well and you’re not trying to be an overbearing dick? At this rate, I’ll have a small island in the Pacific and joint custody of your firstborn by the end of dessert.”
I mean…mothering my firstborn is not an idea I would frown upon.
I toss my head back in laughter. “Damn, you caught me. I was saving the deed to my vacation home for bedtime.” I take her hand in mine, feeling something electric pass between us. “Come on. I’m starving, and the sooner we eat, the sooner I can show you the litter of puppies I got you to keep you company.”
“Shepherd?” It’s her turn to tug my hand as I head out the door.
I turn back. “Yeah?”
“It was you, wasn’t it?”
I tilt my head. “What was me?”
“Portland Pantry. Kyler’s sister. You asked her to do that, didn’t you? You stocked that pantry full.”
My shoulders fall as I swallow the lump in my throat. “Are you mad?”
She silently shakes her head, but her eyes soften as she stares at me. “I’m not mad. I…I can’t thank you enough. For all of this. For everything. I’ll never be able to repay you.”
“I’m not asking you to. I’ll never ask you to. That’s not why I did it.”
“Why did you do it?”
I inhale a deep breath and cup her cheek in my hand. “Because you mean something to me. And because it was the least I could do and when you told me about it I wanted to help.”
“So why didn’t you just tell me?” Fuck me, she almost looks hurt that I kept the truth from her.
“Because I didn’t want you to think I was flinging money around. And I didn’t want you to think I was trying to buy your affection. That’s not me. That’s not the kind of guy I am. But I am the kind of guy who wants to take care of people. Everyone deserves to eat. I wasn’t about to let it go once you told me about it. That would’ve made me an inconsiderate asshole especially when I have the means to help.”
She stares at me for a quiet few seconds and internally I panic not being able to read her mind. “I’m sorry, Sutton. I really didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“You didn’t.” She shakes her head. “You’re….” She exhales a soft breath. “You’re incredible and I appreciate you more than you could ever know. Thank you for what you did for all those families. And for me.”
She reaches up on her tip toes and places a chaste kiss on my lips. Her warmth pressing against me like a cozy hug.
“Always.”
16
SUTTON
There are few things in life more offensive than a cold shower. Especially when you’re standing under it naked at seven-thirty in the morning. I stand here for a full ten seconds, staring at the shower handle like I need a master’s degree to make it work.
Nothing happens no matter which way I turn it. It’s still freezing.
