Read Online Under His Care by Kelly Favor - Free Book Online Page B

she was leaving through the front door, Red came up beside her. “I’m going to give your proposal some real thought, Kennedy. It’s a lot to digest, but I’m looking forward to having another conversation with you about it in the future.”
    He put a hand on her arm briefly and gave it a squeeze.
    Kennedy glanced backward and gave Red a smile. “Thanks, Red. I’m sorry I’m just a mess today. But the idea is still a good one, I think. And there’s data to back it up—I can put something together for you in the next few days.”
    She caught a glimpse of Easton as she was talking to Red, and it made her even more nervous. She started to hurry out the door even faster.
    “Drive safe, Kennedy!” Nicole cried.
    “Yup,” she waved, starting almost to run now.
    But before she got to her car, Easton was next to her, easily keeping pace. “Are we not even going to talk?” he asked. “You’re seriously going to just drive out of here without so much as a conversation?”
    Kennedy spun on him. “I just got sick,” she said, finally meeting his intense gaze. “What do you want from me, Easton?”
    His eyes blazed. “I’d love nothing more than to bring you back to my house and take care of you, if you’d let me.”
    She wanted nothing more than to say yes to his offer. She missed his home so much, and missed sharing it with him—sharing his bed, his life. But after the way he’d treated her, she couldn’t trust him.
    And now there was a new possible wrinkle. Of course there was no way she was pregnant, but what if? What if she was? She had no confidence that Easton would support her in that situation. He hadn’t even stepped up to the plate when his father was being a jerk, so how could she expect him to step up when it came to a much more serious problem?
    “That can’t happen,” she told him, trying to open her car door.
    “Kennedy, wait,” Easton said, putting his hand on the door and holding it shut. His voice was emotional now, and his body was so close to hers that he was practically touching her.
    Kennedy wanted his touch. His hand on her cheek would be like heaven, but it was nothing more than a fantasy. She couldn’t have what she wanted because Easton wasn’t willing or able to give it to her.
    “There’s no reason to wait,” she said, trying once more to open the car door.
    Easton kept his hand on it, and now his breath was on her ear as he leaned closer. “I love you,” he said. “I’d do anything for you.”
    She turned to look at him. “Fine,” she said. “Call your father right now and tell him that you love me and you can’t believe he treated me like crap.”
    Easton hesitated. “He wouldn’t even know what the hell I was talking about. My Dad was half in the bag that night.”
    “You see?” she said, shaking her head. “You won’t do it.”
    “I’ll do it if you want. You want me to hurt my father? That makes you feel good?” he said, his voice tinged with disbelief and anger.
    “I wouldn’t have truly made you go through with it,” Kennedy told him softly. “I just wanted to see if you’d do it if I asked. But you showed me, yet again, that you aren’t ready to put me first.” She tried to open her door again, and this time, when he tried to hold it shut, she glared at him. “There’s nothing left to say. Now let go of the goddamn door, Easton.”
    He pulled his hand away, his eyes wounded. “This isn’t right, Kennedy. You know that you feel the same way I do.”
    “Don’t be so sure,” she said, and that was just to hurt him. Because she did want to believe him, but when she considered the fact that she might be pregnant, a fear welled up deep inside and wouldn’t let go.
    He won’t be there for me when I need him, and I can’t risk more pain.
    It was easier to hurt him and make him go away first.
    Easton stood there, his shoulders slumped, his eyes vague and distant, as she got in her car. She tried not to even look his way, but it was difficult,