Been There Done That (Leffersbee #1) - Hope Ellis Page 0,95

close. With me on the counter, our height disparity was nearly eliminated. There was no missing the banked heat in his eyes, the way he ever-so-slightly bit his lip when his gaze moved over my face and settled on my mouth. I couldn’t ignore how stark fear leaked into my bloodstream and set my heart on a new, galloping pace. But I also couldn’t turn from the concern, the deep abiding love I’d always had for the boy who became this hardened man.

“I know it’s been a long time. Things haven’t been easy between us. But I want you to know . . . I’m always your friend. I’ll always care. Whatever’s wrong, I understand if you’re not comfortable telling me or wanting me to know. No matter what, even if I’ve wanted to kill you recently, I’m here for you.”

His chest lifted. His throat worked. His hand came to a rest against my face. I leaned into it, sighed when his thumb traced a coarse trail against my cheek. My grip on the hem of his T-shirt tightened, exerted more pressure, pulled him farther into me. I gathered the courage to meet his eyes and lost my breath at the raw need, the wanting, in his eyes. His hands slid around my sides and crushed me to him. Relief overcame me when, finally, his mouth lowered to mine.

Nick

I didn’t know how to be gentle or gentlemanly now that I was here with Zora in my arms, finally, after all this time. After years of yearning for her, of dreaming of this moment, wishing for the day, for the moment that would bring her back and make me whole again, here I was.

Her mouth was soft and warm. I took all she offered, followed the shy invitation of her tongue, and claimed her taste. Her hands slid around my neck, branded me with cool fire, urged me closer. She pressed the round softness of her breasts against me until I was painfully hard and desperate. I was desperate to feel all of her against all of me, to be inside her, to possess all of her, all distance, barriers, secrets removed.

Secrets.

Oh yeah.

The fire alarm erupted with an ear-splitting shriek.

Thank God. I pulled away, worked to reclaim control.

Zora hissed.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s okay. My foot—”

So much for displaying my competence. I managed to further mangle her foot and burn our breakfast in the process.

In the time it took to air out the kitchen and get Zora resettled at the kitchen table, I’d decided.

No more putting if off. I had to tell her what happened. Not telling her and acting on my ever-deepening feelings was deceitful.

I had to tell her the truth.

Now.

I turned her chair to face me square on and captured her hands in mine. A sick, queasy feeling twisted my stomach as something like apprehension entered her eyes. God, I was so close. I prayed this moment, this revelation, didn’t set us back again. “I need to tell you what happened that night.”

Her eyes got big. “What night?”

“The night I left.”

She took an audible breath. Seeing the slight tremble in her hand as she pushed her hair behind her ear made me feel like a dick.

I should have done this sooner. But in truth, there really hadn’t been a good time.

“So, something happened before you gave me the letter? You weren’t just planning to disappear the whole time?”

It hurt that she’d ever believed that was a possibility. “Never. I never would have left you, or our plans, if I could’ve helped it.”

“Then what happened?” She wrapped her arms around herself, a self-soothing gesture that almost broke me. I hated that I was the thing that could break her.

But it was time. Time to tell her the truth about the past, if I ever wanted any chance of a future with her.

I gripped my water glass, played a mental edition of Jenga with my thoughts. Where do I start?

“I took my mother to Michigan after her first drug overdose here in Green Valley.”

She leaned forward, her eyes huge in her head. “Overdose? What? What happened? Were you with her?” She closed her eyes. “I’m sorry. Only answer if you can, if you don’t mind telling me.”

I shrugged. “It’s simple and short.” Now you’re lying to yourself. “Won’t take long. You remember those days, when Mom was disappearing, not calling? Lost for days?” I closed my eyes against the memories. That time in my life had demonstrated the remarkable elasticity of the human heart,