Jared teased the underside of her toes with the pad of his index finger, smiling at her reactions to the light, tickling touch. Then he turned those mesmerizing eyes on her and gave her just the hint of a smile. “You struck a chord saying that, you know?”
“I did?”
“You did. I promised myself after Jasmine was gone from my life that I could get by without trusting a woman that deeply ever again.”
“You loved her?”
“Yeah. Dumb, I know. I mistook passion for love. I let her earn my trust with words instead of actions. You earned my trust with actions. And I do like that we’re the first men to really know the real you. I don’t care what came before.” He rose and moved down to sit on the tile in the spot Kendry had vacated. “The Presley Ann I know deserves trust. Last night was special.”
“For me, too,” she whispered as she reached up and stroked the cleft in his chin. His pale gray-blue eyes focused so keenly on hers left her feeling bared, not only physically, but emotionally as well, and she spoke the words in her heart. “I trust you, too.” And I love you.
Jared smiled and held a hand out to her. There was slight teasing in the crooked tilt of his smile and the warmth in his eyes, and she wondered if he could read her mind. Why was it so hard to say the words in her heart? Maybe because for the first time the feelings were real and held such power that she didn’t trust herself to say them?
Her heart wobbled as she rose in the tub. Her chest, and her heart, had that feeling of catharsis, as though she’d had a good, ugly cry. Jared lifted the sponge from the tub and squeezed water over her shoulder to rinse the suds away and then wrapped a towel around her. When she stood before him, looking up, she knew that if he asked, if they asked, for her to stay the day she’d do it. Gladly. She’d never cared for that out of control feeling but with them it was different.
Jared tugged the pins from her hair and then wrapped his hands around the back of her head, holding her as if he was afraid if he held too tight she’d disappear. He kissed her. A touch so light that grew into something so powerful it encompassed both of them. Her heart ached as it pounded.
I love you.
He groaned as she traced her hands up his abdomen and over his bare chest, lightly skimming his nipples with her palms. The masculine sound was suddenly blotted out by Whit’s fussing. That was his, “I’m done waiting for food” call, and she knew it would only get more insistent the longer she kept him waiting.
Jared released her and grinned as he stroked her jaw. “Duty calls?”
Struck by the fact she didn’t worry he might find the interruption just a little too inconvenient, she nodded. “Like clockwork.”
He grabbed a shirt from the closet and pulled it on as she dressed, and then surprised her by asking her to show him how she tied on the sling, and she allowed him to help her fix the festive red fabric into place. He stroked the portion of it resting over her breast and said, “We’ll talk more soon.”
Her breast tingled under his touch and she nodded without saying a word.
“Let’s get you fed, kitten.”
Chapter Ten
Presley Ann was chatting with Veronica Stinson as she carried the armload of clothing over to the register. She’d just spent the last half hour helping Veronica shop for her brothers, who were coming for a Christmas visit that day. It was her first of hopefully many sales of the day.
Each step made her heels ache, but she tuned out the pain that she couldn’t help as she chatted with Veronica. “I hope your brothers like what you picked out for them.”
Veronica nodded. She sighed and rested her purse on the counter and said, “I’m more nervous about the visit itself.”
“Why? If you don’t mind me asking.”
“I’ve never been close to Jesse and Barry, because of family issues. I think we were all hoping that could change. This is the first time I’ve seen them since the binding ceremony last Christmas. Their schedules got crazy, and mine tends to stay that way.”
“Will Hank and Travis be there?”
Looking relieved, Veronica said, “Yes, thank goodness. Otherwise I’m afraid we’d just sit there, looking uncomfortable. When we were growing up, they had two close friends, Phil and Gord Maxwell, who bullied me mercilessly, but Jesse and Barry defended them and told my parents I was a drama queen. They weren’t good brothers but I hope that can change. Last Christmas they promised me that it would.” With a shrug, she added, “I guess we’ll see.”
Presley Ann patted her shoulder and said, “I hope it all turns out for the best, and I’m glad you’re giving them a second chance. Redeeming yourself with people you hurt can be a very powerful thing.”