With a heavy heart, Alexandra tiptoed down the hallway and tapped quietly on Kimberly’s bedroom door. No answer. She cracked open the door. All the bedroom lights were on and her mom was asleep beneath thecomforter.
As she started to leave, Kimberly stirred. “What a nice surprise. What brings youby?”
A shiver flew down her spine. She needed to tell Colton about Mom’s erratic behavior and memory blips. And she needed some damnedanswers.
Alexandra sat on the edge of the bed. “Just wanted you to know how much I loveyou.”
Kimberly smiled. “My sweet angel. Are you here for the weekend? Be sure to visit your brother and Crockett, too, while you’re in town.” Her eyes flutteredclosed.
Unable to tear herself away, Alexandra watched her mom sleep while her heartwept.
At some point, Crockett caressed her back. She’d no idea how long he’d been standing next to her. “The nurse is here,” hesaid.
After debriefing the caregiver on Kimberly’s volatile and confusing behavior, she and Crockett left. Once outside, she took in the night sky.Shouldn’t Mom be getting better?Was her reaction from mixing alcohol with her meds?Alexandra had too many questions, but no answers. Frustration replacedsadness.
Ever the gentleman, Crockett opened the passenger door to his truck and she climbed in. “Guess you’re stuck with me for another night,” she said after he’d pulled onto the main road. “I’ll call the roommate finder in the morning and request a newsearch.”
“Alex—”
“Don’t. I appreciate everything, but it’s best that I not stay with you while I’m in town. You’re already helping me follow up on some insane hunch. And yes, I know I’m probably wrong about the club. And you’re probably right about rejuvenation. Who isn’t rejuvenated after sex? And so what if some employee got smacked around by her employer? How is that even my problem? It’s not.” She massaged her shoulder, but the knotted muscles wouldn’t release. “I have no idea what’s happening with my mother. I have nowhere to live. Colton asked me to come home, which I was happy to do. Then he flies out of town for work and you’re stuck babysitting me. When are those two going to treat me like an adult?” She pounded her fist on the door handle. “Ouch!”
Crockett turned off the busy road and parked in a quiet, residential neighborhood. He leaned over and clasped her injured hand in his. “Where does ithurt?”
“Everywhere.”
He dotted her palm with tender kisses, massaged the side of her hand where she’d smacked his door handle. “Better?” He stared into hereyes.
She slammed her eyes shut, but an avalanche of emotions flowed over her, smothering her under itsweight.
“Look atme.”
Her eyes fluttered open. “It stillhurts.”
“Where?”
“I can’t tellyou.”
Moving in a small circle, his thumb caressed her skin. “Yes, you can,GG.”
Her body tensed. “No, Crockett.Don’t. I’m not that person anymore. Goth Girl doesn’texist.”
Her hand throbbed. Somehow, Crockett knew the exact spot and he kissed it. A soft, tender gesture that contradicted the intensity in his eyes. Her breath caught while blood whooshed through her. She wanted him. On her. In her. Desperate to forget reality, she needed the ecstasy to swallow herwhole.
Breaking eye contact, she wiggled her hand away. Screwing at the club in a masked disguise was one thing, but she had to keep her physical and emotional distance from this powerhouse of aman.
“Tell me where it hurts.” His deep voice plucked her from her angst and she turned to facehim.
“My heart.” The truth. Her next breath came a little easier. “It’s breaking for my mom. I’m dying inside and yet I’m supposed to act like everything is okay. Well, it’s not. She won’t talk to me, won’t let me in. It’s a Mitus thing. You wouldn’t understand. And don’t think you can kissthatproblemaway.”
“Trust me to do that and more.” He cupped her chin in his hand and tipped her face towardshim.
Panicked by his intimate words and loving touch, she jerked away. “Please, can we drop this? I don’t want to talk. I want to fuck. Isn’t that what we’re doing together?Fucking?”
On a growl, he dropped her hand and steeled his back. His height and width dwarfed her. Gripping the steering wheel, he stared straight ahead, then threw the gearshift intodrive.
“Wait.” She pressed her hand on his thigh. “I’m sorry. That was me venting. You’ve been wonderful. Amazing, really. Thank you for everything, Crockett.” Her rueful smile was her feeble attempt to shove away thesorrow.
“Goddammit, Alex.” He shoved the gearshift back into park. With his hands clutching both sides of her face, he leaned over and kissed her. One worshipful kiss that shorted her brain and turned her insides into moltenlava.
