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He lost himself in her sweetness, kissing her until his head swam, being kissed by her until he couldn’t feel the floor beneath his feet.
Nothing existed but Tasha.
He would have kissed her forever if, behind them, someone hadn’t cleared his throat.
* * *
Tasha felt lightheaded, not just from that glorious kiss, or from realizing Daniel’s friends had been standing in her shell of a living room watching them for who knew how long.
No, she was dizzied by the miracle that Daniel didn’t hate her.
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She’d worried about his reaction for so long and so hard, convinced he’d think the worst of her. The fact that he hadn’t was like drinking champagne bubbles so fast they went straight to her head.
He hadn’t walked away from her in horror. He hadn’t withdrawn the help he’d offered.
Instead, he’d said her family’s crimes weren’t her fault.
Then he’d dazzled her with his kiss.
She still didn’t feel she deserved his unconditional acceptance. Nor did it feel right to love anything half as much as she loved Daniel’s kisses.
She had so much to make up for—and so much more courage to find within herself. Which was why she had to step away from him now, though every cell in her body craved his closeness. It was why a kiss that beautiful could never happen again.
But at least she wasn’t living under a cloud of lies anymore.
Now, she had another test, another act of bravery. She had to face his friends’ reactions to the truth. Evan certainly hadn’t been pleased when he’d found the damning evidence about her father and brother. He couldn’t be anything but furious to find her wrapped so cozily around Daniel.
As though he could read her mind, Daniel tightened his hold on her, not allowing even an inch of space between them.
“It’s not their business,” he said softly. “It’s your story and your right to keep it to yourself.”
“I need to tell them everything, just like I told you.” She’d been weak for so long, she had to step up now, no matter how scary it was.
“We’re heading down to the big house to get some dinner and wondered if you two wanted to come along.” Sebastian’s comment was the world’s most subtle way of saying, It would be nice if one of you told us what the hell is going on.
Tasha’s heart was beating like hummingbird wings, but she pushed the words out. “I’ve just told Daniel who I am and why I’m here. Now I want to tell all of you.” She looked straight at Evan. “You’re his best friends, and I know how much you care about him. I didn’t set out to hurt anyone—”
“Tasha.” Daniel’s voice was warm and gentle. “They’re not going to judge you for what your family did.”
But she couldn’t let him speak for his friends. Without further preamble, she told them everything, exactly as she’d told Daniel.
When she finally took a breath, Evan closed the distance to stand in front of her. “I spent the past hour up on the roof knowing there had to be more to your story than what I found online. But it was my own history that made me paint things in black and white, without even knowing what the hell I was talking about.” His eyes were shadowed, anger with himself marring the curve of his mouth. “Forgive me for being an ass, Tasha.”
Before she could tell him he didn’t need her forgiveness for anything—who could blame him for wanting to protect his friend?—the others chimed in.
“We never thought you were anything but good,” said Will.
From Matt, “You don’t owe us explanations. Ari and Noah will love you.”
And a heartfelt, “Come here and give me a hug,” from Sebastian, who, with his arms gentle and accepting around her, whispered, “Sorry we interrupted right when things were getting good between you and Daniel.”
The Mavericks were the men she wished her father could have been. The men she wished her brother actually was.
All the while, Daniel stood tall beside her, believing in her.
His unconditional acceptance—and that of his friends—blurred her eyes with tears all over again. She’d dropped her guard and nothing bad had happened. She’d told the truth, and they hadn’t snarled like rabid dogs the way Eric had.
