the flush in her skin. She had come to him, shared her deepest secret with him, after everything. He couldn’t deny that made him feel good, to know she trusted him. He didn’t like that she’d been hurt in the process, but he was glad that she hadn’t ended up Mrs. Isaac Hunter.
Yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling that she was holding back. He wouldn’t push her to tell him. Obviously, she had her reasons for keeping whatever it was under wraps. It wasn’t as if that would change anything. No matter what she told him, he would always be there for her. That was a given.
His attention drifted back to her, the rise and fall of her chest as she slept. She’d been through more in her life than most people. Her childhood wasn’t church all day on Sundays, Wednesday night Bible study or choir rehearsals like she would have him believe. It was dark, twisted, perverted.
If her aunt were still living, he was sure he’d confront her. The woman had taken Allina’s innocence and terrorized her for years. Thinking back, he realized her experience affected everything she’d done up until that point. The way she seemed to close herself off to new people, how she always seemed on guard, and even how committed she was to God.
Kent understood why Allina acted the way she did. She’d had enough heartbreak to last a lifetime. Now she had to deal with Isaac. One day soon, Kent would meet the minister face-to-face. The man had threatened to kill her. The thought of anything happening to her chilled him to the bone. Because a life without her was not something he was prepared to live.
Sighing, he finally stood, lifting her into his arms. She nuzzled her face into his neck and his skin tingled. The soft scent of his soap on her skin was driving him crazy. Carrying her through the house, he wondered if he’d have the self-control to just deposit her in the guest room and leave her. Already, he was tempted to watch her sleep, stay with her through the night, and fight every demon or nightmare she had.
After he entered the second bedroom, he paused. Shaking his head, he snickered at the argument he’d had with his mother about even buying a two-bedroom condo. He’d told her time and time again that he was comfortable with one bedroom. Hell, he’d actually wanted a loft. What the hell did he need extra space for? His brothers, if they needed to, could crash on the couch. Any woman he deemed important enough to bring home would share his king-sized bed. But Mama was more pragmatic. She’d insisted to the point where he agreed just to shut her up. Shifting Allina in his arms, he realized two bedrooms had been a good idea. He’d never admit it to his mother though.
Scanning the room, he took in the neutral colors. He’d given Mama free rein to decorate the space. The queen-sized bed sat in the middle of the room with pillows and a comforter that looked like something right out of a magazine. A dresser lined the wall next to the door, a chest sat in the corner, and a flat-screen television was mounted to the wall across from the bed. It looked like a hotel room. There was nothing of him in there, and he could count on one hand the number of times he’d actually stepped foot in it. The cleaning service he’d hired took care of it every week so he knew it wasn’t dusty. That’s all that mattered to him.
Kent stepped over to the bed and gently set Allina on the mattress. He tossed a pillow on the floor and pulled back the heavy comforter. There was a small alarm clock, a box of Kleenex, and a lamp.
Once again, he let his gaze wander over Allina’s still body. A desire to climb into the bed and wrap his arms around her washed over him and he shook it off. What the hell? Had he missed her so much that he was reduced to ogling her sleeping form?
“Kent?” Her raspy voice jarred him from his thoughts.
“Yes?” He focused on her closed eyes, then her plump lips.
“Thank you for everything,” she murmured. “You’re always
Yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling that she was holding back. He wouldn’t push her to tell him. Obviously, she had her reasons for keeping whatever it was under wraps. It wasn’t as if that would change anything. No matter what she told him, he would always be there for her. That was a given.
His attention drifted back to her, the rise and fall of her chest as she slept. She’d been through more in her life than most people. Her childhood wasn’t church all day on Sundays, Wednesday night Bible study or choir rehearsals like she would have him believe. It was dark, twisted, perverted.
If her aunt were still living, he was sure he’d confront her. The woman had taken Allina’s innocence and terrorized her for years. Thinking back, he realized her experience affected everything she’d done up until that point. The way she seemed to close herself off to new people, how she always seemed on guard, and even how committed she was to God.
Kent understood why Allina acted the way she did. She’d had enough heartbreak to last a lifetime. Now she had to deal with Isaac. One day soon, Kent would meet the minister face-to-face. The man had threatened to kill her. The thought of anything happening to her chilled him to the bone. Because a life without her was not something he was prepared to live.
Sighing, he finally stood, lifting her into his arms. She nuzzled her face into his neck and his skin tingled. The soft scent of his soap on her skin was driving him crazy. Carrying her through the house, he wondered if he’d have the self-control to just deposit her in the guest room and leave her. Already, he was tempted to watch her sleep, stay with her through the night, and fight every demon or nightmare she had.
After he entered the second bedroom, he paused. Shaking his head, he snickered at the argument he’d had with his mother about even buying a two-bedroom condo. He’d told her time and time again that he was comfortable with one bedroom. Hell, he’d actually wanted a loft. What the hell did he need extra space for? His brothers, if they needed to, could crash on the couch. Any woman he deemed important enough to bring home would share his king-sized bed. But Mama was more pragmatic. She’d insisted to the point where he agreed just to shut her up. Shifting Allina in his arms, he realized two bedrooms had been a good idea. He’d never admit it to his mother though.
Scanning the room, he took in the neutral colors. He’d given Mama free rein to decorate the space. The queen-sized bed sat in the middle of the room with pillows and a comforter that looked like something right out of a magazine. A dresser lined the wall next to the door, a chest sat in the corner, and a flat-screen television was mounted to the wall across from the bed. It looked like a hotel room. There was nothing of him in there, and he could count on one hand the number of times he’d actually stepped foot in it. The cleaning service he’d hired took care of it every week so he knew it wasn’t dusty. That’s all that mattered to him.
Kent stepped over to the bed and gently set Allina on the mattress. He tossed a pillow on the floor and pulled back the heavy comforter. There was a small alarm clock, a box of Kleenex, and a lamp.
Once again, he let his gaze wander over Allina’s still body. A desire to climb into the bed and wrap his arms around her washed over him and he shook it off. What the hell? Had he missed her so much that he was reduced to ogling her sleeping form?
“Kent?” Her raspy voice jarred him from his thoughts.
“Yes?” He focused on her closed eyes, then her plump lips.
“Thank you for everything,” she murmured. “You’re always
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