Page 35 of Rebel Moon

“No one’s ever been worthy of introducing to y’all.”

“Yeah, I get that,” he said. “The guys are a rough crowd. Protective of you.”

“How come you never bring anyone around?”

“Same reason, I guess. The road doesn’t leave much time for romance. Sometimes I think the great love of my life are the boys in the band.”

“Wouldn’t be the worst thing,” I said.

“I wanted to say something about the other night—when you asked me to kiss you. You remember?”

I cringed and covered my eyes with my hand. “Yeah, I remember.”

“I thought maybe you took it as rejection, but that wasn’t it.”

“What was it then?”

“Respect. You and I may not always see eye to eye, but you have my respect. And that means I don’t kiss you when you’re at your most vulnerable. But I wanted you to know, I wanted to. Very badly.”

“I did take it as rejection.”

“Figured. You and me—we’re real quick to assume the worst in people.”

I thought about that for a second. He was right. I most often mistrusted someone until they proved without a doubt that their intentions toward me or the situation were good. It was a way to keep myself safe from hurt or betrayal. “I guess that’s another reason I haven’t found anyone. It takes me a long time to trust. Too long, probably. Men usually don’t care to stay and work toward it, so I have no use for them. I don’t waste my time.”

“It’s exhausting, isn’t it? Keeping yourself safe from harm, twenty-four-seven. At least it is for me.” He swept his thumb over my cheek. “Maybe it’s okay to let our guard down every once in a while. For the right person.”

“Maybe.”

“Regarding that kiss—could I have a raincheck? If you still want one, that is.”

“I do,” I whispered.

He took my face in both his hands and looked at me one more second—giving me the time to tell him no—which I had no intention of doing.

His kiss was not at all similar to anything in my past. It was slow and sure, but passionate too, sending sparks and shivers from head to foot. I’d never felt anything quite like it. I wanted it to go on forever and ever.

The ice pack slid off his ankle onto the floor. Neither of us reached for it.

9

KNOX

December 6

Cookie Making with Mama Moon

Crisp · Clear skies

Supper: Meatloaf · Oven Roasted Potatoes Buttered Corn · Fresh Sourdough bread from Mama Moon’s starter

Iwoke up to my ankle throbbing like a bass drum and a knock at the door. I’d fallen asleep with Madeleine still next to me, but somewhere in the night she must have slipped out and gone to her own cabin. I reached out to the spot where her head had indented the pillow to prove to myself that she had truly been here with me, kissing me senseless, then falling asleep curled into my side.

“Yeah, who is it?” I asked, voice like gravel.

“It’s Luci. Madeleine sent me. Can I come in?”

I sat up, rubbing my eyes. “Hang on.” Gingerly, I got out of bed, making sure to keep weight off the injured ankle, and hopped to the door on one foot. I managed to open it to see Luci standing there, a knit of concern in her brow, and what looked like a medical bag in her hand.