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“Smartass, before that.”
“Err.” I look away from his knowing gaze and I’m suddenly exhausted. “Can we talk about all that tomorrow?”
His eyes soften, and he touches my cheek again. “Or even the day after. Take your time, Kerry. It’s okay.”
No, it isn’t, but… I glance down at the letter I set on the table. Should I? He’ll know more about me than anyone besides Carter… I take a deep breath and straighten my spine. “Here, I want you to read this.” Trevor’s eyebrows arch in surprise when I hand him the letter and then I flee to my bedroom upstairs. But of course I’m mentally re-reading Carter’s words as I go, wondering how Trevor is reacting to them.
Sweetpea,
I know you’ll want to kick my ass for not telling you, but listen up first, okay? The odds are worse than what I’m telling everyone. They’re pretty much nil. And I’d rather remember people as they are, not faces filled with pity or grief. Plus, I’ve got a few last places I’d like to visit before I kick the dust of this place off my boots.
There’s just one exception to that - you. You need to stop hiding yourself away, Kerry. God knows I’m not suggesting you start throwing dinner parties, but let one or two people in. For me. I want to see you laughing and having fun. Maybe even go all out and take a lover. Try it, you might like it.
I’m sending you Trevor to help with that. The kid has had a thing for you since he laid eyes. Go easy on him.
He’s practically a legend in certain circles for never touching a woman (or a man). They say he channels all that pent-up energy into martial arts. Except there’s a rather revealing tattoo fueling the rumors of a broken heart. That’s all extra drama. I know my little brother and he wasn’t old enough to treat you right until recently. Don’t tell him I said that. Or that I think he’ll be good for you. He’s a decent man, Kerry. Let him in.
Love,
Carter
5
Kerry
Hiding out in my bedroom until it’s time for bed makes me feel like a teenager again, avoiding my mother. Only Trevor isn’t trying to manipulate me for his own gain, so that means this is all on me. I toss and turn for a couple of hours, practically feeling him thinking on the floor below.
But Trevor has let me be. I didn’t even hear footsteps on the stairs after I handed him the letter. And now I feel bad.
Finally, I fling on a summer robe and tiptoe downstairs in the dark. The light in the den is off, so I call out softly so I don’t wake him if he is asleep. “Trevor?”
Instantly, a lamp snaps on and I’m suddenly speechless. He’s sitting up in the bed, his chest bare except for the intricate swirls of a tattoo rising from his abdomen. His dark eyes squint into the bright light.
“Kerry? What’s wrong?”
I try to get my mouth to work, but it’s gone dry and the words have fled, anyway. Swiftly and with grace, I wouldn’t have thought possible getting out of a sofa bed, Trevor is by my side. At least he’s wearing pants. I’m not sure I’d survive seeing him completely naked right now.
“Kerry? Sweetheart, you’re scaring me.”
That makes me smile. I doubt much of anything scares him. “No, I… I think I just needed to say I’m sorry your brother didn’t fight harder to spend more time with you.”
He pulls me into his arms and rests his chin on the top of my head. “I suspect he’s trying to make up for that right now.”
We stand like that for a long moment until I yawn. Then suddenly I’m air-born and Trevor is tucking me into the sofa-side of the bed before turning off the light. The bed dips dangerously while Trevor arranges himself on the diagonal. And then I’m back in his arms, my palms flat on his chest. “Wha…?”
“Just sleep, Kerry.”
“I can’t. Not with a robe on,” I complain. Trevor chuckles and somehow expertly extricates me from the folds.
“Better?” he asks.
I nod, except now I can feel his heat against the bare skin of my arms. Somehow, though, the weight and solidity of him has me relaxing without another word.
When I wake up to the early dawn light filtering through the blinds, we’re rearranged into a seamless bundle of limbs. Something hard is poking my thigh, and it takes me longer than it should to figure out what it is.
When I do, my eyes fly to Trevor’s face. He’s watching me, still half-asleep but with a soft smile playing on his perfect lips.
“Morning, sweetheart,” he says softly.
