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I set her down on the counter in the bathroom and turned the shower on hot.
“Get out of your clothes and get in the shower.”
She didn’t even argue with me. She pulled her shirt over her head, and my damn knees nearly buckled at the sight of her in a bra.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
“I’ll, um, get you some clothes and set them on the counter for you. Coffee or tea?”
“T-tea, p-please.”
I handed her a towel before stepping out of the bathroom. I searched through my drawers and found a pair of sweats from my Marine Corps days and a T-shirt. She would be swallowed up in them, but she’d be warm. Next I found a pair of wool socks. Knocking on the bathroom door, I heard her in the shower.
“Kyns, I’m going to put this stuff right on the counter.”
“Okay.”
Her voice was barely a whisper. I cursed and shut the door, making my way to the kitchen to get some water on for her tea. I didn’t have any food in the house except for a loaf of sourdough bread, some cheese, and fruit my mother had given me. While the water heated in the kettle, I got a fire going in the fireplace, then made her up a plate with the bread, cheese, and fruit. I poured the hot water into the cup and put the tea bag to the side.
I walked into the living room and found Kynslee curled up on the small sofa. Her hair was up in the same towel I had given her. She still looked cold as she held her hands in front of the fire.
“Are you warmed up?” I asked, setting the plate down on the coffee table and handing her the hot mug and the tea bag. “I sort of remember you only like to steep your tea for like a nanosecond.”
She laughed, but it sounded like it was an effort to do so.
“More like forty seconds. No more, no less.”
I rolled my eyes and sat down. Seeing her dressed in my clothes made my cock harden, and I had to sit in a way that hid my obvious arousal. She was freezing and my damn mind was going to all the ways I could warm her up if she’d only let me.
She took a few sips of tea and ate some bread and cheese while I sat there silently watching her. Her eyes met mine, and I had to force myself to remember to breathe.
“Want to tell me why you’re here? Is Heather okay?”
“Heather’s fine. Passed out on her sofa. I almost left her on the damn floor but figured if it was me in that condition she would at least get me to the couch.”
I smiled. “Probably.”
“She’s going to be pissed, but I called Kenny and asked if he could stay with her tonight. I didn’t feel right leaving her alone.”
I laughed and she tilted her head, giving me a small grin. “What’s so funny?”
“You know Kenny has a massive crush on Heather, right? Always has.”
Her eyes went round with shock. “Shut up!”
“Nope, he’s always liked her.”
Covering her mouth, she shook her head. “Well, maybe her vision will come true tonight after all.”
I shrugged, not knowing what her vision had been and not caring to ask.
“So, back to the point. Why you’re here after walking through the pouring rain and getting lost.”
Kynslee chewed on her lower lip and stared into the mug before she cleared her throat and looked at me.
“I didn’t mean what I said earlier, Miles.”
Drawing my brows in, I watched her intently. This was her show, and I was going to let her do the talking first, so I waited for her to go on.
She cleared her throat. “When I said I didn’t need you and that I’ve been fine without you here, or that everything was fine before you showed up…”
My heart raced faster. The moment she had tossed those words out I felt a piece of my heart break away. If she had been trying to hurt me, she did a helluva good job at it.
“I haven’t been fine since the day you left for the Marines, if you want the truth.”
A strange feeling washed over my entire body, and I slowly drew in a breath. All those years I’d wondered if I had done the right thing leaving her here and now I had my answer.
She kept talking. “It’s true. I couldn’t marry Jack because I couldn’t give him my heart.”
I swallowed hard, then whispered, “Why not?”
Her green eyes met my blue, and I felt transported to the day I first laid eyes on her. The day I swore she would always be a part of my life. I think I had fallen in love with her instantly; I just didn’t know what love was at such a young age.
