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“Before I came here, I mean. I have Uncle Willy and my best friend, Indie. They’re really the only people who would worry if I was tired or hungry or anything.”
“Not your family?” he asked gently.
“Not really. Mum never really fussed over us. She was more about hardening us up than coddling us. And Dad, well, I don’t know. Half the time he seems to clock out. My brother and sister . . . well, sometimes I don’t think they like me too much.”
“I’m sorry. I know what it’s like to be at odds with your family.”
There was such sadness in his voice that she felt it deep inside her. She wondered what pain he held inside him? On the outside, he seemed to have it all-together. He was gorgeous, intelligent, charismatic.
But she knew better than anyone how easy it was to hide your pain behind a smile.
“Do you have siblings?” she asked.
“No. I don’t.”
“At least you didn’t have to share your toys, huh? My sister hated sharing with me.”
A contemplative look filled his face. “I don’t mind sharing.”
Holy monkeyballs.
Need filled her and she licked her lips. A small smirk crossed his lips as though he knew how his words affected her.
Something crackled between them. Hot and electric.
Was it wrong to feel this way? She knew that around here people accepted that to be involved with more than one man was not only possible but natural. But those men usually formed a harem . . . from what she knew they wanted to share.
But what about Jameson? She remembered Ian telling her that he and Jack would share a woman. And hopefully Jameson too. But that he didn’t think he wanted that anymore.
“You need to get some sleep, Shortcake,” Jameson said gently, breaking the spell that had developed between them.
“Oh, right.” She glanced over at Uncle Willy. “He really will be all right, won’t he?”
“He’s doing a lot better,” Jameson said.
That didn’t really answer her question. She took in a deep breath.
“You care about him a great deal,” Jameson said.
It wasn’t a question, but she nodded. “I love him. He’s one of my favorite people in the world.” She blinked rapidly, trying to keep her tears at bay.
“We’re taking excellent care of him.”
“I k-know.” Her voice wobbled and she sucked in another breath. She stood. She needed a moment. No way was she breaking down in front of Jameson.
“Come here,” he said quietly as she tried to walk past him to the bathroom.
She shook her head. “I just . . . I just need a minute.”
“Sweetheart. Here.”
Unable to help herself, she glanced up at him and it was like something was pulling her toward him. She stepped closer to where he sat on a chair in the corner. As soon as she was close enough, he drew her down onto his lap.
Any pretense of fighting this pull disappeared and she sunk into him, tears slipping from her eyes.
“That’s it, let it all out. It’s not good to keep it in.”
She wanted to ask him if he ever let all his pain out. But she wasn’t that brave. Maybe she wasn’t a very good friend.
