Stolen Heart - By Bennett, Sawyer Page 0,65
returning to a crazy idea that he had been mulling over. Now, it didn’t seem so crazy. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more it seemed like the right thing to do. He would go tell Carrick and Ava tomorrow of his decision. They would respect it. Hell, they’d be happy for him.
He walked back toward the balcony but a knock on his door stopped him. That would be Carrick or Ava. They were the only ones that came to visit him. Now he’d be able to go ahead and tell them about his plans to move to New York.
“Come on in,” Kieran yelled over his shoulder as he walked out onto the balcony. Leaning against the balcony, Kieran soaked in the setting pink sun. He’d miss that a lot when he was gone.
“Hello, Kieran.”
Kieran spun around, his heart pounding. And there she was. Annika. My Annika.
His gaze raked in her entire appearance. She’d let her hair grow a little longer but everything else was the same. She was wearing jeans, a plain white t-shirt, and Converse sneakers. She looked young and fresh.
“I hope it’s okay that I came here. I was just visiting my Aunt Mary.”
“Sure. Yes. It’s fine.” His tongue was tied and his brain was racing. How could one woman have such an effect on him?
She gave him a small smile and walked out to stand beside him at the rail surrounding the balcony. Leaning against it, she looked out at the setting sun. “I never get tired of seeing that sunset.”
Sunset? What sunset? Kieran was taking in the view that was all Annika.
“Marcus said you were looking for me…” Annika trailed off, waiting for Kieran to say something.
Kieran just stood there, gawking at her. His brain was blank and he couldn’t come up with one intelligent thing to say. He’d fantasized about seeing her again. He’d rehearsed what he would say. And now, all he could do was stare at her, his mouth slightly agape. He was such a dumbass and the silence turned awkward.
Annika’s eyebrows pressed together in what appeared to be consternation. “Um…maybe I should just leave. I’m not sure it’s a good idea to be here.”
That seemed to finally penetrate the fog in his head. “NO! Don’t leave. Of course, you’re welcome here. I’m sorry, it’s just such a shock seeing you here that I’ve momentarily lost all brain function.”
Annika chuckled. “That’s happened to me on occasion.”
Oh, how he’d missed that laugh. He didn’t see it often with her but he wanted to see it again…and again…and again. “Would you like a beer? Or something else to drink?”
“No thanks. I can’t stay long.” She looked down at her hands. He noted they were grasped onto the railing, her knuckles slightly white.
“So, where have you been the last few months?”
Annika turned her gaze to him. “Traveling.” She shrugged, as if the details of where she had been were irrelevant. “Trying to find myself. Trying to figure out what I’m supposed to do with my life.”
“Trying to figure out what to do with your life? Annika, you already know the answer to that. You help people. That’s what you do and you’re damn good at it. You help women like yourself. You can’t stop doing that.”
“Maybe.” But that was all she said on the subject.
Kieran ran his hand through his hair. Before he could say anything, Annika reached out and gently touched his arm. He felt like he’d been hit with a bolt of electricity. “I heard what you did with Mason and my father. There aren’t any words…” she trailed off as her voice cracked. “Just…thank you.”
Kieran covered her hand with his. He rubbed his thumb lightly her smooth skin. “I’m only sorry I couldn’t kill that bastard for what he did to you.”
“At least he admitted the truth. That was very freeing for me.” She paused and turned to look back to the horizon and the low setting sun. “My father has tried to contact me. He’s left messages that he’s sorry and wants me to come home.”
“How do you feel about that?” Kieran knew how he’d feel about it. He’d tell the man to go to hell. It was a little too late for apologies.
“I haven’t responded to him. Nor do I intend to. I wrote him out of my life a long time ago.”
Kieran was glad to hear there was no sorrow in that statement. It was just a statement of fact.
“Annika. I’m sorry I was such a