Things We Never Said (Hart's Boardwalk #3) - Samantha Young Page 0,43
are you? Despite the cop connection?”
He shook his head. “My dad is a lot like your mom. He, uh … he tried to crush my confidence my whole life. I guess he saw something in me he didn’t like very much, something that made him feel insecure. He tried to stop me from succeeding, but it only drove me to succeed at whatever I put my mind to. I worked hard at school, and I played ball. Gary’s dad was a fuckin’ nightmare, and he didn’t deal with that very well. Gary pulled a lot of shit he shouldn’t, and I was always there, trying to get him out of it. Dad liked that. He liked me in trouble.” The muscle in his jaw clenched, and I squeezed his hand. “I wanted to go to law school, but we couldn’t afford it. I was trying for a scholarship, but Gary broke into a liquor store, and I got caught trying to stop him. Gary told the cops I was there to stop him—so did a couple of idiot guys who were with him. The police believed me, let me go. But Dad told my coach, who was a hardass. He benched me. My math teacher, who I respected, and who was a Boston U alum, found out why and withdrew his recommendation offer. There was no way I was getting that scholarship. So, I graduated, and I did the next best thing, which was to apply to the police academy.
“That pleased my old man. ‘See,’ he said, ‘you ain’t no better than me.’”
“Michael,” I said, hating that for him.
He shook his head, his dark eyes blazing with determination. “It’s not going to stop me, Dahlia. One day I’ll make lieutenant. Then detective. And if I want to, I’ll go all the way to captain. Let him choke on that.”
“You’ll do it too.” I knew he would. “Absolutely.”
We shared a tender smile, and I watched the shadows lift from his eyes. “Gary said the same thing. At least I have him. He’s the one person who has always had my back.”
“I never realized when I called you that you’d understand so completely what I’m going through. I wish you didn’t. I don’t want that for you. Do you at least have a mom who’s like my dad?”
Just like that, the shadows came back. “No. My mom is a timid woman. She’s afraid of my dad.”
“Does he hurt her?” I was almost afraid to ask.
“Not anymore. Not since I got big enough to take the hits instead. I was worried when I moved out, but I think he knows, me being a cop now, I’d fuckin’ ruin him if he touched her again.”
Without thinking about it, I reached across the center console and wrapped my arms around him. Michael hesitated for a second but then his strong arms enveloped me.
I rested my chin on his shoulder and tightened my embrace, soaking in his warm strength and hoping he was soaking in mine. I was kind of awkwardly sprawled across him, but I didn’t care.
His voice was hoarse in my ear. “What’s this for?”
I pulled back so I could look deep into his beautiful eyes. “Because you deserve so much better. I hope you know that.”
Michael’s breathing stuttered, and he looked so young all of a sudden. He loosened his right arm but only to cup my cheek. Heat flooded me, and I realized that my impulsiveness had once again gotten me in trouble. “So do you,” he whispered. “You deserve everything.”
His eyes had dropped to my mouth, and his thumb was caressing my skin, drawing closer and closer to my lips.
My own eyes, with a will of their own, lowered to his beautiful mouth.
At the hitch of my breath, I knew when we both became completely aware of every inch of each other. My breasts were crushed against his chest and if I swung my right leg over, I could straddle him in seconds, so every part of us was touching.
I was suddenly so hot, I was burning up.
His mouth was millimeters away from mine. All I had to do was move a tiny bit …
Our lips brushed, and Michael’s arm tightened around me as we both let out a little gasp.
My lower belly flipped, deep, low, and there was a rush of slickness between my legs. I was desperate for his kiss, for his tongue against mine, but it was more. Never had I been so needful of someone. I wanted