“I’m not brave.”
“Yeah you are. Bravery’s standing your ground even though you’re afraid.”
She wanted to ask him what he did for a living, but thought she knew. “Are you a Marine?”
Again, he smiled, his dark eyes full of secrets she wanted to learn the answers to. “Navy.”
For some reason she couldn’t picture him on a ship or aircraft carrier. “Pilot?”
Another shake of his head, amusement in his gaze before it dropped to where he held the ice pack against her elbow. “I’m training to be a SEAL.”
A SEAL? Her eyes widened.
Movement in her peripheral vision made her turn her head. A group of men at a table across the room were calling Luke over, and she suddenly realized she’d taken him from his friends.
Withdrawing her arm from his gentle grip, she cleared her throat. “Well, I should be going. I’ve disrupted your evening enough—”
“They can wait.”
Emily met his eyes and stilled. “I feel badly for keeping you away from your friends.”
“They can wait,” he repeated, and for the life of her she couldn’t come up with a single excuse to go.
“I’ll drive you home when you’re ready to leave.”
She laughed. “Do people always do what you 54
Absolution
say?”
His slow smile set her pulse racing. “Usually.”
He withdrew his hand and settled back in his chair.
“Finish your ice water, Emily, and talk with me a while. You’re safe with me.”
Even then she’d felt the truth in his words, Emily mused, fingers absently touching the fine scar beneath her left ear. How tragic that the breaking of that promise had wounded him far more deeply than her. That damn tiny scar was an everyday reminder of why she’d lost him. No matter what she’d said or done to convince him otherwise, he was too afraid of what he’d done to her that day in the kitchen, and he’d never come back. Deep down, she knew time could never heal some wounds. She closed her eyes against the sting of tears.
“You still up?”
Her eyes sprang open to find Rayne standing in the doorway. “Yes.”
Her son crossed the room and seated himself on the edge of the antique desk. “How you doing, gorgeous?”
She smiled at the charm he used so naturally.
Like his father did when he put his mind to it. “Fine.
Just tired.”
“You sure you’re up to this tonight?” His eyes were full of concern.
“I’m sure.” She patted his knee. “Where’s Christa?”
“Out with Bryn. We thought we’d go out for dinner and give you some space.”
They were all so thoughtful. “Don’t leave on my account.”
“Want me to stay?”
“No-no, I’ll be fine.” Tilting her head back, she admired him in silence. “I ever tell you how proud I am of you?”
“Once or twice.”
55
Kaylea Cross
“You’re an incredible man, Rayne.”
“If I am, it’s because you made me that way.”
And he’d stay perched on the desk all night if necessary, ready to intercede on her behalf and protect her from Luke. But she didn’t need protection from him, and she never had. Only neither father nor son seemed to understand that.
Emily nudged his leg. “Go. Meet up with your girls and have a good time.”
He leaned down and kissed the top of her head.
“Call me if you need me.”
“I will.”
As he left the room he paused, and the slight tightening of his features told her Luke had arrived.
She had mere seconds to tuck her feet beneath her and steel herself before he appeared at the study’s threshold. The sight of him hit her in the chest like a punch. Larger than life, way too handsome for words, with bittersweet chocolate eyes that had seen too much. The part of her that yearned to heal him filled her until it hurt to breathe.
Fighting not to fidget, she forced a smile. “Hi.”
She could be civil, at least.
“Hi,” he responded, glancing around the room for a moment before meeting her gaze. The look in his eyes made her lungs tighten. He remembered what had happened here. The
“Yeah you are. Bravery’s standing your ground even though you’re afraid.”
She wanted to ask him what he did for a living, but thought she knew. “Are you a Marine?”
Again, he smiled, his dark eyes full of secrets she wanted to learn the answers to. “Navy.”
For some reason she couldn’t picture him on a ship or aircraft carrier. “Pilot?”
Another shake of his head, amusement in his gaze before it dropped to where he held the ice pack against her elbow. “I’m training to be a SEAL.”
A SEAL? Her eyes widened.
Movement in her peripheral vision made her turn her head. A group of men at a table across the room were calling Luke over, and she suddenly realized she’d taken him from his friends.
Withdrawing her arm from his gentle grip, she cleared her throat. “Well, I should be going. I’ve disrupted your evening enough—”
“They can wait.”
Emily met his eyes and stilled. “I feel badly for keeping you away from your friends.”
“They can wait,” he repeated, and for the life of her she couldn’t come up with a single excuse to go.
“I’ll drive you home when you’re ready to leave.”
She laughed. “Do people always do what you 54
Absolution
say?”
His slow smile set her pulse racing. “Usually.”
He withdrew his hand and settled back in his chair.
“Finish your ice water, Emily, and talk with me a while. You’re safe with me.”
Even then she’d felt the truth in his words, Emily mused, fingers absently touching the fine scar beneath her left ear. How tragic that the breaking of that promise had wounded him far more deeply than her. That damn tiny scar was an everyday reminder of why she’d lost him. No matter what she’d said or done to convince him otherwise, he was too afraid of what he’d done to her that day in the kitchen, and he’d never come back. Deep down, she knew time could never heal some wounds. She closed her eyes against the sting of tears.
“You still up?”
Her eyes sprang open to find Rayne standing in the doorway. “Yes.”
Her son crossed the room and seated himself on the edge of the antique desk. “How you doing, gorgeous?”
She smiled at the charm he used so naturally.
Like his father did when he put his mind to it. “Fine.
Just tired.”
“You sure you’re up to this tonight?” His eyes were full of concern.
“I’m sure.” She patted his knee. “Where’s Christa?”
“Out with Bryn. We thought we’d go out for dinner and give you some space.”
They were all so thoughtful. “Don’t leave on my account.”
“Want me to stay?”
“No-no, I’ll be fine.” Tilting her head back, she admired him in silence. “I ever tell you how proud I am of you?”
“Once or twice.”
55
Kaylea Cross
“You’re an incredible man, Rayne.”
“If I am, it’s because you made me that way.”
And he’d stay perched on the desk all night if necessary, ready to intercede on her behalf and protect her from Luke. But she didn’t need protection from him, and she never had. Only neither father nor son seemed to understand that.
Emily nudged his leg. “Go. Meet up with your girls and have a good time.”
He leaned down and kissed the top of her head.
“Call me if you need me.”
“I will.”
As he left the room he paused, and the slight tightening of his features told her Luke had arrived.
She had mere seconds to tuck her feet beneath her and steel herself before he appeared at the study’s threshold. The sight of him hit her in the chest like a punch. Larger than life, way too handsome for words, with bittersweet chocolate eyes that had seen too much. The part of her that yearned to heal him filled her until it hurt to breathe.
Fighting not to fidget, she forced a smile. “Hi.”
She could be civil, at least.
“Hi,” he responded, glancing around the room for a moment before meeting her gaze. The look in his eyes made her lungs tighten. He remembered what had happened here. The
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