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“They’re at the office Christmas party. What part of a Christmas party says this isn’t a Christmas movie?”
Her hand slid from my shoulder. Her face was all attitude as she waited for me to respond.
I shook my head. “I think I’m going to need more proof.”
“More proof,” she muttered, plopping against the back of the couch. She crossed her arms over her chest, but within minutes she was drawn into the action.
And I sat there, drawn to her.
7
LEE
Something thudded against the back door, and I peered up from where I was tying the laces on my boot. Kelly stood there in the mudroom, arms wide and palms pressed to the jamb on each side, staring out the screen door into the bright afternoon sky.
“You alright?” When she didn’t respond, I stood and went to her. My hands were drawn to her, itching to touch her. To hold her. Instead, I settled them on her shoulders. “What’s going on?”
“I’m not going.” She spun in her place, forgetting, it seemed, that I was there. She bounced off my chest and nearly fell backward into the door before I grabbed her by the coat and yanked her toward me.
Her eyes were wide, her lips parted in surprise, her fingers wrapped around my wrists like she was ready to pry them off. To fight and scratch and maim if I so much as tried to make a move.
“We already talked about this. We decided you’re going.”
“Yeah? Well, I changed my mind.” She shook me off and slipped around me, stomping toward the kitchen.
With a sigh, I zipped up my vest and tugged on my beanie. I reached for the handle and got exactly what I expected before I could push the door open.
“Where are you going?” She was standing in the doorway between the kitchen and the mudroom, arms wrapped around herself as she trembled and shook.
“Your parents’ house. They invited me over for Christmas Eve dinner and—”
“You can’t leave me here alone!”
I extended my hand to her and she eyed it like it was poison. “Then come with me.”
Her pretty blue-green eyes darted to the door—to the world outside this house I was beginning to realize she was terrified of.
We’d already discussed this trip. We’d been talking about it for the past week. The O’Connors wanted their daughter home for Christmas, and I was determined to see that they got their wish.
Kelly’s chin wobbled as I shifted my weight toward the door. “I can’t.”
I’m not sure which of us moved first. The moment I heard her voice break, I was moving to her, scooping her up before her forward momentum could toss me through the door she was so terrified of stepping through.
“You can.” The words tumbled straight out of my mouth and onto the skin of her neck, and every fiber of my being screamed when my lips touched her, demanding the kiss I’d been withholding since she noticed me watching her instead of the movie this morning.
Against my better judgment I let my lips linger at her neck as I whispered soothing words against her skin. ”You can do this. You’re strong. You’ve overcome so much. It’s just one small step, and I’ll be right here with you.”
Kelly tilted her head and my lips coasted along her throat.
“You got this, Kelly. You got this.”
“Lee.” She struggled against me, and I immediately, but reluctantly, put her down. Kelly turned her face to mine. Hooked her arm around my neck and pulled me to her. Pulled, until I was so stooped over, it hurt my aching back. ”I don’t want to go.”
Pain coursed through me—my back, my chest, my fucking heart. I hurt for her. I hurt because of her. More than two weeks on the floor beside her bed had left me feeling like I’d been run over by a Mack truck, but I pushed that particular pain aside.
For her.
“It’s okay,” I promised, breathing through the strangling sensation that was pinching my throat. “Everything will be okay. I’ll be with you the entire time. I won’t let you out of my sight.
