steps made it to her, taking her hands in his and holding tight. “Shhh, Josie. Stop apologizing for something you didn’t do. This was on me as much as you. It’s my fault for making assumptions when you’ve been nothing but kind and honest.”
She swallowed deeply, still feeling her face heat with blush but unable to take her eyes off him. Everything about him called to her. Broad, muscular shoulders and chest. Hair as inky as the darkest night. Deep brown eyes so dark it was hard to distinguish the pupil from the iris. Tanned skin with a dark beard shadow. Full lips that she was sure would offer a taste as addictive as any drug. You’re so beautiful to look at it almost hurts.
“Funny, but I was just thinking the same thing about you.”
She gasped, realizing she’d spoken out loud. “Uh…”
“Oh, no. No backing away. No more excuses or either of us making assumptions.” He squeezed her hands still held by his. “But what I really want to talk about is your previous experience. I want to know who made you feel like you aren’t gorgeous.”
She tried to tug her hands back but he held tight, leading her back to the sofa. He sat first, and when she would have moved to the other side of the sofa, he pulled her gently down next to him. “It’s not interesting—”
“It is to me. And anyway, I confessed my adolescent tribulations. Come on, Josie. Share.”
She sucked in her lips as she thought for a moment. Share? What have I got to lose? What could be worse than him thinking I was bothered by his heritage?
“You talked about not fitting in while in high school. I felt that way long before. I was shy. Quiet. I was always the smallest in my class. I preferred reading instead of running around. I mean, I love being outdoors, but I wasn’t athletic. Even in elementary school, I was the last one to get picked for a team. It always felt so horrible to be the last person standing on the side of the field, watching the team captains decide who was going to have to take me.
“I was called Skinny Minnie. My hair was a bit redder, and my front teeth were too big so I was called Snaggletooth. You know, by the time we get out of elementary school and into middle school, cliques have already been formed, and I definitely wasn’t one of the popular ones. And starting high school was even worse. By then, I was used to the taunts. Geek. Nerd. Bookworm. Loser.”
His hand flexed, squeezing hers, and she once again looked down at their connection. Large against small. Tanned against pale. Strong against… strong. If there was one thing she’d learned over the years, she was not weak.
“You know teenagers can be assholes, right?”
She laughed and nodded. “Yes, they can be. I suppose you know that better than anyone.”
“It was easier when I was in school overseas. So many different nationalities of students were in the schools that I didn’t stand out. But yeah, it was different in high school. You know what’s weird? My paternal grandmother was born in Italy and immigrated as a small child. But both my maternal grandparents were born and raised in this country. So were their parents, and their parents before them. And yet it was the Native American and Hispanic part of my heritage that caused the most insults toward me.”
Now, it was her turn to squeeze his hands, her heart aching for the young man who’d felt the sting of word darts flung toward him. “I am so sorry, Cobb. My petty high school drama pales in comparison.”
He dipped his head to stare into her eyes, and she couldn’t have looked away even if she’d wanted to. “Nobody’s feelings are petty, Josie. And your pain is every bit as valid as mine was. Tell me more. I want to know when the Josie that was made fun of became the strong Josie that is sitting in front of me now.”
She sighed and relaxed into the cushions next to him. “You don’t look like the kind of man who watches chick flicks, but the Cinderella theme is pretty heavy in those movies. The geeky girl gets asked out by the gorgeous guy, usually because it was a bet that he wanted to win. But in the movies, they become friends, and by the end, she’s had a makeover and is gorgeous. Very