Only Her Smokejumper Firefighter - Cami Checketts Page 0,27
the back of her mind though. Once he heard what she’d done, who she’d been, would he run from her the way he had last night from her bedroom? His goodness was such a part of him that she feared he’d be repulsed by her. He’d be too kind to admit it, but she could never pin him into a relationship that wasn’t right for him. She loved him far too much to drag him down. But the good Lord had sent him to her on that icy canyon road and brought them together time and again. That had to mean something, right?
He stood and hurried toward her. His grin made him even more appealing. “Are you feeling better, love?” How characteristic of him to care about her.
“Yes.”
“Are you hungry?”
Only for his kisses. She shook her head. “Just thirsty.”
They walked to the kitchen together and she drained a glass of water and then he grabbed them each a Propel from the fridge. He looked … nervous, which didn’t fit his tough, take-charge personality.
“Did you know your name means ruler?” she asked. “It fits. You’re strong and brave and you could rule the world.” She wouldn’t mind him ruling her world.
He tilted his head down as they settled side by side on the couch. “It also means Lotus flower, so that’s manly.”
She laughed. “All your family names are flowers?”
“Yes. My mom was obsessed. You should’ve seen her flower gardens and baskets and hanging pots. We all loved to tease her about it. I miss her.”
“How old were you when she died?” She tucked her legs under her and turned toward him.
“Eighteen.”
“That’s rough.”
“I was old enough that it shouldn’t have mattered. It still does.”
She wished she could commiserate. Her dad had left her of his own volition and her mom had checked out of life afterward.
“My dad disappeared the day of her funeral,” Ren said. “Left us all and never came home.”
This news surprised her. He had a parent who didn’t care? That didn’t compute. “Why?”
Ren shrugged and took a swallow of his Propel. “Selfish, broken, I don’t know. Iris really needed him. We all tried to step in but it was really Grams, Cat, and Uncle Jay who got her through.”
“I kind of assumed your family was perfect.”
Ren shook his head. “Is anybody’s family perfect?”
“I guess not. You’re just so perfect that I couldn’t imagine your background wasn’t as well.”
“I’m not perfect.”
“Yes, you are,” she insisted.
He chuckled and traced his fingers along her neck. “You know what’s perfect?”
“No.” A tremor went through her at his gentle touch.
“This neck.” He lowered his head and tenderly kissed the curve of her neck. His lips trailed slowly up along her jawline and to her cheek. “This cheek is perfect.”
Mavyn couldn’t speak. Her body trembled with desire for him.
He worked his way across her cheek and tenderly kissed the side of her mouth. His lips hovered over hers. “These lips.” His warm breath brushed her lips. “They’re perfect.”
Mavyn dropped her Propel bottle on the carpet, threw her arms around his neck, and showed him exactly what her lips could do. When they pulled apart much later, they were both breathing quickly. Ren shifted her in his arms. “Tell me more about your family and your background.” It was a soft request, but she felt it clear through.
“It’s far from perfect,” she said. Picking up her Propel bottle, she took a long drink and then nervously rubbed at the plastic.
“It made you, so it must be closer to perfect than you think,” he said, taking her hand in his.
She smiled tremulously. “How can you be so good?”
“I’m not good. God is good, but I love you, so I only see the good in you.”
Mavyn’s pulse ratcheted up and she could not compute his words. He was good, better than good, and up until today she hadn’t thought God cared at all, but the most startling and unbelievable part of that sentence was … “You love me and can only see the good in me?”
Ren nodded, his blue eyes soft. “Yes, love.”
“But I’ve been horrible to you.” She stood and paced away from him. “I did worse than ditch you. I showed up with another man to make sure you didn’t chase after me.”
He stood as well. He was tough, perfect, and good. She was right back to certain she wasn’t worthy of him. But if that was true, why did God keep putting her in his path? It had to mean something. It had to. She’d