Chapter Seventeen
“Can I ask you something?” Zane queried as they entered Sweet Dreams hours later.
“Sure. Come to the kitchen. I’ll make tea.”
The foyer was dark except for a lone lamp on the reception desk. Wren and Noah must have gone to bed. After setting his boots on the shelf beside Clara’s, Zane followed her and tried to formulate his question as he draped his jacket over the back of a chair. “You were really nervous on the way to the ranch, but when it was time to come home, I thought I’d have to drag you away, kicking and screaming. What changed?” He paused. “It’s none of my business, but I’m curious.”
“No, it’s not any of your business.” She looked serious, until she chuckled.
“You’re teasing me.” He grinned when she turned from filling the kettle to look at him.
“Yup.”
“Well?” God, she was beautiful when she smiled like that. Her entire face lit up. It was all he could do to keep his hands to himself and not draw her into his embrace. “Does it have anything to do with the enormous hug you gave Sue? I wasn’t spying. I noticed it as I came into the kitchen before supper.” He’d also noticed the tears in her eyes and the huge grin on her face as she bolted into the dining room.
“It does.”
The minx was going to make him drag it out of her. “And?” He stepped toward her.
“What kind of tea did you want?”
“Come on, Clara, don’t make me force it out of you. I’ll tickle you.” He wiggled his fingers menacingly.” She clapped her hands under her arms as if protecting herself. She must be ticklish. He’d been guessing.
“What changed?” He was pushing the limits of their friendship and had gone way beyond their business relationship. He couldn’t help himself, she fascinated him. His behavior was totally inappropriate, but she wasn’t objecting. He’d back off in a second if he thought she wanted him to.
“The truth is, I was hugging Aunt Sue because she had welcomed me to the family. It’s been a long time since I was part of a family. My dad doesn’t count because … well because he’s a jerk.”
Zane nodded but didn’t speak, sensing she wasn’t finished.
“Not everyone would welcome a virtual stranger into the family.” She waved her hand airily. “I know, I’m family. But being related doesn’t mean you’re a family. Family is a thing of the heart, it’s more than genetics. You know that.”
Boy, did he ever. An abusive drunk, his father hadn’t been big on anything beyond punching out his emotions and finding his next drink. “The relationship between my father and I was always strained. He was a puncher. Nothing I did was ever enough. I wasn’t broken up when he died, that’s for certain.”
She placed her hand on his shoulder, her gentle touch brought comfort and helped push away the demons that still haunted him. Clara Everett was good for his heart and soul. If only he wasn’t leaving.
“I’m sorry, Zane. It sucks when families are broken. There’s never an excuse to beat a child. I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
Clara’s arms stole around his waist, and she pressed her face into his shoulder while hugging him. Warm and soft in his arms, she fit perfectly. Zane looked down at her. He couldn’t see her face, but he heard a sniff. She wasn’t crying over his past, was she? He was done crying a long time ago. He’d moved on after some counselling.
“Hey, are you crying?”
“Nope.” She gave a hiccupping sob that cut right through him.
“You are,” he whispered, turning her face upward and stroking her cheek. He wiped away a tear. “My past doesn’t bother me anymore, don’t let it bother you.”
She nodded, blinking away a tear. He could almost count the thoughts running through her head and the emotions shining in her eyes. Dammit. He wanted to kiss her.
He shouldn’t.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
“Sorry,” he murmured as he lowered his head.
“Oh.” She tilted her head upward, and rose on her toes, meeting him halfway.
Her soft lips brushed his, sending a jolt of arousal and a sense of certainty racing through him. It was the most perfect kiss he had ever shared. Whoa! She nearly knocked him on his butt with a simple kiss. He could kiss her forever.
“Wow.” She dropped down from her toes and grinned. “You pack a punch.” Her cheeks pinkened and she looked away.
