“I’ve seen the photos.”
I dart her a surprised glance. “When?”
“The ones in the main house. There’s one that sticks with me. You’re all on a boat, but you’re off to the side. Everyone is celebrating, but you look lost. I wanted to give that little boy a hug.”
My throat is thick. “If only that little boy knew he had a Katie to look forward to.”
She slips her hand into mine and squeezes.
“In my heart, I’ve been the odd one out. I fuck things up. And I refuse to be the person who fucks Prince Bourbon up too. That’s why I haven’t pushed to announce myself as CEO, even though I want it so badly that I lie awake thinking of ways to make it better.”
“I don’t see you that way,” she says fiercely. Her gaze is blazing.
“It’s okay.” I give her a small, sad smile. There’s no way she likes me after this. She’ll see me the way my family does—a mess. Not someone who can be counted on. Not a partner.
“Tristan, you don’t understand.” She frowns at me. “I like you. Exactly how you are. I like you for your faults.”
“I almost decked a guy for dancing with you,” I say dryly, but my heart is pounding in my chest at the determination in her gaze and the hard set of her jaw. This is Bailey mad, and I like her mad. I like her angry and protective and loyal, and I like that I get to be the one she wants to protect.
“Yeah, and I liked it.”
“You what?” My laugh scrapes from my throat.
“Of course I liked it. I’ve never had anyone who wanted to do that for me before, Tristan. Just you. If that’s being selfish, or rebellious, I’ll take it every day.” She flattens her palm over my heart. “You don’t understand. I was drowning when I came to Crownhaven. You were a lifeline for me. That first day and every day after. You don’t see how people smile at you, sometimes just because you smiled first. You walk into a room and the lights get brighter. People stand taller. Youseepeople. You think I don’t know how you tip 200 percent every time we go somewhere or how you ask people howthey are and listen to the answer? How you make small talk with every damn person you come across? And those stupid novelty t-shirts and the birthday gifts and your invasive way of making sure people are okay—no, butreally okay?”
“Katie.” I can barely get her name out.
“I’m not done.”
“Yes, killer.”
Her hand presses to my chest, pushes me flat to the wall. “You have to like yourself, Tristan Prince. Because I like you, and I won’t stand for anything less.”
My heart throbs against the wall of my chest.
“You like me?”
“So much. I feel electric when I’m with you, like I can do anything. In awe of myself. You give me confidence and it drives me so crazy that you don’t see how amazing you are and how happy you make people. How happy you make me—”
My mouth is on hers before she finishes the words.
51
KATIE
Tristan’s lips are bruising in their intensity before he breaks the kiss to take a ragged inhale. I nip at his bottom lip. A soft curse slips between his teeth and into the space between us.
“Fuck. Katie.”
“I know.”
He kisses me again, hard and deep, and I dig my fingers into his chest. His hand is on my hip, his palm hot against my hipbone, his thumb digging in. His fingers contract as I kiss him back, like he can’t decide whether to push me away or pull me closer.
“I told myself I wouldn’t do this.” His voice is rough. He breathes against my mouth shakily, his chest shuddering under my palm.
My stomach pinches. “What do you mean?”
“I told myself that I would wait. I told myself I’d take things so slow with you. Slow enough that you’d be addicted to me.”
