"Is that right?"
I giggle. "That's right."
He digs his fingers into my ribcage, and I snort. "Please... Don't—" I gasp.
"My, my, how ticklish you are, little Red."
"All the better to laugh with you, Mr. Claus." I chuckle, then scream, as he tickles my armpits. The laugher wells up my throat. I wriggle around, try to avoid him, but he leans his weight on me.
I howl.
He laughs louder. He holds me captive under him, proceeds to tickle me until I lose my breath. "Stop... No more..." I pant, "Please."
He pauses and his chest heaves. He glares at me, takes in my features. "You're the most beautiful present I have ever received for Christmas," he whispers.
My heart literally melts in my chest. Okay, not literally, but I mean, come on... That was bloody unexpected. I cup his cheek, urge his face closer, "I am still waiting for my gift."
"Oh?"
I nod, "Tell me what happened when you were kidnapped."
He blinks, then his features shutter.
Hell, me and my big mouth. Why did I have to go spoil that perfect moment? He pulls back, shoves off the bed and glances around the room.
I sit up, "Weston, I'm sorry."
He spots his pants and steps into them. Shit, he’s leaving... After all that? He loves me. He'd made love to me. Hell, he'd taken my ass... And damn him... It had taken courage to allow him to do that... I'd enjoyed it...but honestly, it had been a leap of faith to trust him with that... And now...what? He decides to up and leave? And why the hell am I apologizing?
He heads for the door. I jump up on my knees; the bloody sheet is wound around me... How the hell did that happen? "Weston stop right there."
He reaches the exit.
"Stop," I yell. "You can't just leave."
He pauses, then turns to glare at me with that look of superior disdain that I hate.
"Don't tell me what to do," he growls.
Argh! I throw up my hands, "You and your stupid dick-headed ideas."
"Didn't see you complaining earlier when I had you pinned on said dickhead," he snaps back.
"Don't change the topic."
He opens his mouth to speak.
I hold up my hand, "What did I say, to get you all hot under the collar, huh?" I scowl. "What's wrong with my asking you about the incident that clearly impacted you so much you're having nightmares to this day?”
He draws himself up to his full height, which only draws my attention to the width of those beautiful shoulders, those eight—no ten-pack abs—ten pack? I mean, who has a ten pack? Is that even a thing? Apparently, yes, I have the evidence right here in front of me.
He widens his stance, "You can't see it, can you?"
"What?"
"You're so involved in your emotions, your need to find out all my secrets. You have no idea how much it hurts to bring it up, do you?"
"If we are..." I pause. Say it. Should I say it? Whatever. I have nothing to lose, except my future... Yeah, fine, if I can't say what's on my mind with him, then this, whatever is between us, is worth nothing. I draw in a breath, "If we are going to have a future, then I need to know about this."
"That's where you are wrong."
My heart begins to race.
Don't say it. Don't say it.
"I said I loved you," he rolls his shoulders, "doesn't mean we have anything keeping us together."
Turning, he leaves.
47
Weston
Nice one. Get right to the heart of it, twist her guts and deliver her a sucker punch. You're a piece of work, you know that? Fuck! I stalk out of the apartment block. My bare feet hit the sidewalk. Huh? I'd forgotten to put on my shoes, apparently. I drop my shoes on the concrete, reach for the socks. And, of course, I've forgotten them. I shove my feet into my shoes—take a step forward, the backs of the shoes bite into my heels. Great, I’m sure to get blisters. Good. I deserve that...and more, much more for what I just did. What the fuck happened there? She asked me a simple question and I freaked. Not that I hadn't discussed the goddamn incident with the Seven in the years since—and with the shrink my mother had insisted I see. I'd hated it then...but they'd taken no shit from me. Good for them. I thought I'd dealt with the aftermath of what had happened...but apparently, not.
First, I'd frozen when my mother had collapsed...
Then the realization that I love her—fuck! I