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The softness in his expression made me want to curl up against him like a cat. What was wrong with me? I had to get a grip.
“It was nice to meet you, Rumor,” Sebastian said, reminding me he was here. I had forgotten so easily.
How was it that King could walk into a room and immediately become the center of attention? Everyone else seemed to fade away when he was there.
Turning my gaze back to his, I smiled. “It was nice to meet you too. And thanks for the book recommendation.”
He nodded his head, and King’s hand touched my lower back. It was a miracle I didn’t shiver under his touch.
“Later, Sebastian,” King called out to him as he led me to the door.
“You sure you were ready to go? I could wait for you if you wanted to look some more.”
I shook my head. “No. That’s okay. I was about to leave and give Sebastian alone time, deciding on what he wanted to read.”
“That was nice of you, but Sebastian can go do actual work. Like he’s supposed to be doing. He doesn’t have time to be reading.”
I tilted my head back and looked up at King. He leaned forward then and opened the front door, not taking his hand off my back in the process. I did the best I could not to try and smell him because that would be weird.
“Can’t say you’re wrong about it being a pretty day,” he said once we were outside. “Feels like spring.”
We had another week before it was officially spring, but he was right. It did feel as if it was already here. I loved spring. The green trees, the flowers, the new life. It had always made me happy, growing up.
“As a kid spring, seemed like a hopeful time.” I said the words without thinking.
“What kind of hopes did you have as a kid?” King asked me.
I hesitated, not sure how much I should share, but decided saying it to someone would feel like a release of sorts. And I trusted King. It had been a very long time since I had trusted anyone. Even Hill had worked to gain my trust, and I’d been cautious. Never telling him too much. Afraid if he knew, he’d never accept me. Want me.
“Oh, you know, to have a family. Somewhere to belong.” I tried to say the words lightly but heard the heaviness in my tone.
King’s hand on my back flinched, but he said nothing. I wished I could take it back. That wasn’t the kind of thing he’d expected to hear. I’d overshared. Made it awkward.
“You’ll have that one day. I swear it.”
There was a fierceness in his tone. It almost made me believe him. Forget the facts. The truth I was pretending wasn’t waiting for me. If only his words held the power to make my wish come true.
• sixteen •
“This shit gets messy.”
Rumor
As sunny as it had been the past few days, it made the suddenly dark sky and cold wind that was blowing seem out of place. The wood-burning stove had been going since I had started it this morning. The house had been freezing when I woke up.
I walked into the living room to listen to the local weather report while wrapped in a blanket. The kitchen was much warmer, but the television was in here.
A storm was coming this way, and I wanted to think I had faced worse things than a storm alone. I didn’t want to be a wimp, but the more the weather forecasters warned that it was going to be a strong one, the more nervous I seemed to be getting.
I glanced over at my phone and considered calling King. I hadn’t seen him since he’d brought me back from Maeme’s two days ago. He had said to call if I wanted a ride to her house, and I was starting to think maybe I did.
Chewing on my lower lip, I debated if I should or not. Maeme hadn’t called me or driven down here. She must not be worried about it. Maybe I should just turn off the news and read. Forget about the weather, and it would blow over soon enough. If I fell asleep before it hit, then I could sleep through it.
The gravel crunching under tires caught my attention, and I hurried back to the kitchen just in time to see King stepping down out of his truck. I wasn’t sure if I was more relieved or excited to see him. I hurried to the door to unlock it and get it open by the time he reached the top step.
It was almost unfair the way the man made a pair of boots, jeans, and a brown leather jacket look so good. I tried not to gawk at him and kept my eyes on his face. This thing I had developed for him was getting out of control. I knew better than to feel anything for a man.
“Storm’s coming,” he said as he walked toward me, carrying a brown paper sack in his left hand.
