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“Me… my baggage. You don’t even know that half of it,” I admit.
He quarks an eyebrow and I know that I just opened the door on that one, but he’ll have to settle for getting his answers another time.
Then, as if he read my mind — which, honestly, at this point, I wouldn’t put it past him — his expression shifts. His shoulder roll back and he stands straighter, acceptance in his eyes.
“You’re right. I don’t,” he states.
My heart squeezes tightly in my chest. I didn’t think he’d actually believe that line, but I guess he did. And now my job here is done. I accomplished what I came to do, and Bodhi sees reason.
It’s over.
My eyes well with tears, because, shit, this hurts a lot more than I thought it would. It’s not even like we were dating or anything, but fuck. Is it really over? He’s just going to let it end like that?
“I don’t know the half of it,” he says, taking a step forward and sliding his warm palm across my cheek, angling my head back to look up at him.
Relief shoots through me. I should have known. Bodhi doesn’t let anything go that easily.
Especially not something he wants.
“But you’re going to tell me everything, in your own time,” he continues. I nod, knowing that I’ll have to, if only to make sure he’s aware of what he just jumped into. I need him to be able to protect himself if the time comes, because I don’t think I could take being responsible for…
I squeeze my eyes shut, not wanting to think about the possibilities. Hot tears track down my cheeks, and I feel Bodhi swipe them away with the pad of his thumb.
“I’m not going anywhere. Please get that through your pretty, thick head,” he says, and I know that he means it.
I nod, chuckling past the emotion caught in my throat.
“I don’t care what baggage you think you have, Princess. We all have baggage. We all have problems. That’s life.”
“Yeah,” I say, biting my lip to keep it from trembling anymore.
“I have my own demons, and I’ve been an absolute asshole for the last couple of years. But then I met you, and it was like the sun coming out again after a really long time,” his eyes start to water. I reach up and grasp his arm, hold him as he holds me.
“Please don’t make me go back into the dark again,” he says, and his whispered words do me in.
“Bodhi,” I whisper his name and lean into him.
He wastes zero time sealing his lips to mine with a hungry, all-consuming kiss that has my heart racing. My arms circle his back and I pull at his hoodie, holding onto him, unwilling to let go as my head tells me I shouldn’t be rejoicing.
He nips at my lower lip, sucking and biting and tasting. I’m breathless and lightheaded by the time he pulls away.
Resting his forehead against mine, he draws in a deep breath.
“Now, since we have that issue worked out, can we please go inside and sleep? It is way too early, and I’ve only had a handful of hours of sleep.”
I stiffen at his proposal, at the thought of us being together in his bed a little too much for me, even at this moment. He must see it in my eyes, because he’s rushing to clarify with his next breath.
“We can sleep on the couch. Don’t worry; I’m not going to try anything,” he says, and with those dark circles under his eyes, I believe him.
“Okay,” I concede with a soft smile, thinking that a short nap wrapped up in the arms of this man is exactly what I need.
Chapter 32
I wake to the feel of Keaton scooting her body back against mine, her ass pressing firmly against my hardening cock.
“If you keep that up, we’re going to have a problem,” I say, my voice still thick with sleep.
“Sorry,” she says, turning her head around to look up at me in mock innocence.
