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I nod. “She passed away two years ago.”
Cue the blurred vision again.
Kyle lifts the tray from my lap and places it on the floor on his side of the bed.
I go to wipe away the tears, but Kyle takes my hand, intertwining his long fingers with mine. I hold my breath as he brings my hand to his lips, kissing my knuckles. With his other hand, he wipes away one of my tears. And then another.
I lay my head against his shoulder, feeling safe and comforted. The rational voice at the back of my mind screams out for me to remember that Kyle is not someone I can afford to fall for. But my heart isn’t listening at the moment.
“You’re an enigma, Riley Martin,” Kyle murmurs, his lips brushing against my forehead.
“How so?” I whisper. My eyelids fall closed.
“I can’t figure you out,” he admits. “Part of me doesn't want to because then I’m afraid I won’t be able to trust you.” He sighs and leans back, making himself even more comfortable in the bed.
I take that as an opportunity to lay my head against his chest. His heartbeat is so strong and its rhythm is like a lullaby, drawing me deeper into sleep.
“You have to trust somebody … sometime,” I mumble, not even sure it’s loud enough for him to hear.
He grunts. “The last person I trusted betrayed me, and it almost cost my family too much.”
I’m not sure I hear him correctly but I’m too tired to ask him to repeat himself. It’s like a dream when his hand begins stroking my hair.
The last thing I remember hearing is Kyle saying, “And I think I like you too fucking much to be unaffected if you betrayed me.”
I like you, too, is my last coherent thought before sleep pulls me under.
CHAPTER16
Kyle
When I awaken, the next morning, it’s with the full knowledge that I did not sleep in my bed the night before. My second thought is to wonder why the hell I’m surrounded by about ten pillows.
Soon after, though, the scent of vanilla hits my nose and memories from yesterday before come flooding back. I become well aware that I’m laying in Riley’s bed, my arm draped over her waist. Almost, protectively.
She’s still sleeping, peacefully, and I take the opportunity to study every part of her. Riley’s so fucking beautiful. From her smooth, even brown skin, her pert nose, and full kissable lips. The amount of time I’ve pictured kissing or sticking my cock between those fucking lips is, honestly, obsessive at this point.
I trace my thumb over the side of her cheek, noting the pillow marks that reside there. I hope that means she had a goodnight’s rest. I hated seeing her in pain yesterday. Even though the pain seemed to have subsided by the evening, I caught her flinching whenever she would move her head too quickly or laugh.
“Where the hell did you come from?” I whisper, still running my thumb along the ridge of her jawline.
“Los Angeles,” she mumbles, her eyes still closed.
A chuckle spills from my mouth.
“Did I wake you?”
Her eyes slowly open and it’s like a punch in the gut. All of the air escapes my lungs. This is the second time I’ve woken up in a bed with this woman beside me, and we both have all of our clothes on.
Not the next time.
That promise comes out of nowhere, but I don’t even try to refute it. I’m damn sure the only reason Riley isn’t naked right now is because she was too ill for me to do anything with her yesterday.
“No, not really.” She goes to sit up and squeezes her eyes shut.
“You’re still hurting.” I’m up in a flash, taking her head between my hands, looking her over.
“No. It’s a lot better. Just the residual dizziness and light throbbing.”
