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Close to me. Just like that, tears welled up in his eyes and started rolling down his cheeks. Well, that’s embarrassing.
Kat collected one on the tip of her finger. “What’s the matter? It’s all right, I’m here.”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. I’m not upset.” He reached around her and wiped his eyes on the back of his hand. “I haven’t cried since Mum died. God, what the hell is wrong with me?”
“The last time you cried was when your mum died?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“When was that?”
“About fifteen years ago.”
“Damn.” Her eyes turned watery. “That’s just sad.” She sniffed. “Now look what you’ve done. You’ve set me off again.”
Sterling chuckled, and rested his forehead against the side of her face. His throat constricted. “I’m sorry, I can’t seem to stop.”
For a while, they held each other and sniffled intermittently. Finally, Sterling straightened, his eyes dry, and Kat dabbed hers on his shirt.
“What a pair we are,” she said.
I love you.
He didn’t say the words. Just nodded. “It’s getting late—should we get you into bed? You must be tired.”
She smiled. “Yeah, that’s a good idea, but…” She trailed off awkwardly.
“I’m not inviting myself to join you,” he assured her. “Unless you want me to. But would you mind terribly if I grabbed a spare blanket and slept on the sofa?”
“So you can keep an eye on me?”
“So I can be here if you need me,” he corrected.
He thought she might turn him down. She was Kat-the-Independent, after all. But she searched his eyes for a long moment, and all she said was, “Go for your life.”
