AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He puts a hand on my leg, lips drawn together with wide-eyed sympathy. “Mari, you’re not ready for that yet. I’m sorry. You have to stay down here a while longer. Once I know I can trust you, once you actually want to be here with me, maybe then things can change.”
“I understand,” I lie. The tears in my eyes are real, though. He brushes one away with his thumb, and it takes all my strength not to flinch or bite it off at the knuckle.
“I’m doing this for you, Mari. I know you don’t really understand it, but I love you. I want you to be safe. Healthy. Happy again.”
I bite my bottom lip, looking down. “I guess I would feel safer if I could learn more about you.”
He gives me a hesitant look. “What do you want to know?”
“Can you tell me where we are?”
He shakes his head, taking another bite of his spaghetti. “We haven’t left South Carolina. I’ll tell you that much. That’s all you need to know.”
“And…and you’re a teacher?”
He nods. “Correct.”
“Will you tell me whose house we were at before? Not this one?”
“No, not this one,” he confirms. “But it doesn’t matter whose house it was. I only borrowed it so I could meet you.” He turns toward me more. “I just want to know you, Mari. Really, really know you. And I want you to know me, too. We’re more alike than you think.”
“How so?” I press, avoiding the urge to pull away when he scoots a bit closer.
“Well, we both live in Charleston. Do you think that’s a coincidence?”
Thousands of other people also live here, but I don’t point that out. “No, I suppose not.”
“And we both love horror movies. And reading.”
“True.”
“I know you don’t see it yet, but we were meant to meet each other. I believe that. I was meant to find your books and then, someday, to find you.” He chuckles to himself. “We’re soulmates, Mari. Tried and true. Don’t you see that?”
“I do.” I look down. “And I know you’ve taken good care of me. The grape candies, all of my favorite movies. It’s like…” I lift my eyes to meet his. “It’s like you know me better than anyone else.” The lie is heavy and bitter on my tongue. I was known so well by the man I loved. Declan knew everything there was to know about me, from the way I like my tea to the words I needed to hear in every situation. No one could ever compare to the sort of connection we had.
“I know you better than he did?” he asks, reading my mind.
“He?” Of course, we both know whom he’s talking about, but I refuse to answer. I can’t betray him with that lie, even if he’d never hear it.
“Your husband.”
I look away again, running my plastic fork through the spaghetti. “It was just different.”
He grabs my arm, his grip too tight. “I know you more than him, Mari. More than anyone. Tell me you know it, too.”
His grip tightens, and I send up a silent prayer,Forgive me, Dec. Please.“Yes,” I squeak. “Of course you do. Better than anyone.”
His lips part into a wide grin, and I stare at the green fleck of oregano in between two of his teeth. He leans forward, and before I realize what’s happening, his lips meet mine with a hungry kiss.
I pull back—practically leap away, really—and he stares at me with an expression that sends chills to my core. Pure, unfiltered fury.
“I’m sorry. I just… I haven’t been able to brush my teeth down here.” The lie comes easily on a shaky breath. I wipe away his kiss slowly. “I’m really sorry, Chris.”
“Obviously, you aren’t ready yet.” He stands, theyetin his words a promise this won’t be the last time he tries. Then, he closes his laptop, ending the movie early, and stalks out of the room.
When I glance down at the bed, I’m grateful, at least, he’s left both containers of spaghetti for me.
CHAPTERTWELVE
