Page 305 of The Trouble With Bad Boys

Kain saw more than I explained. “But that’s not why your hand trembled, is it?”

A memory of how Dennis had acted when he got drunk flashed before me. “He turned into a monster when he was drunk. He pushed me around and tried to strangle me. I escaped before it got worse.”

“He what?” Anger edged in Kain’s voice.

“Grandpa doesn’t know about that part. Nobody does . . . except you. He only knew about him being married.” I didn’t know why, but I felt comfortable telling Kain. Maybe it was his caring eyes, or maybe it was the way he still held my hand. “I was ashamed that I didn’t see the truth sooner. Ashamed that I let my guard down. I was raised better than that.”

“It’s not your fault that he’s an asshole. Don’t blame yourself.” His jaw tensed. “My father was an asshole and he abused my mother horribly. He broke her figuratively and literally. When I found her . . .” He paused and inhaled a breath. “He didn’t deserve to live.”

I reached across the table for his hand. “I’m so sorry to hear about your mom. Where’s your father now?”

“Dead.” His eyes hardened.

It was strange how this moment had brought us closer. It was supposed to be a simple dinner. But this date had turned into something more. I told my secrets to a guy on our first date. Was that normal? Regardless, sharing that secret liberated me.

His expression softened, and he tightened his grip on my hand. “It is not your fault that your ex is a violent alcoholic and a liar.”

In that moment I believed him. The sincerity of his words cut through me. Meeting Kain was exactly what I needed to propel myself forward. Not only did he lure out my desire to date again, but he also inspired me to see things clearly.

“I kicked him in the balls before I escaped his apartment and called the cops. His family had connections, and he didn’t stay in jail for long.” I lifted a shoulder, recalling my disappointment in the justice system. “I remember the look on his face when my foot landed on his crotch. That was pure luck though.”

Kain grinned. “I’ll teach you some self-defense moves. The next time any man lays a hand on you without your permission, you’ll know how to defend yourself. I mean it.” His gray eyes held mine captive.

A muscle twitched in his jaw. “You wear your emotions on your face.” With my free hand, I brushed the spot where his muscle ticked and trailed down to the dimple that had captured me from the beginning.

He squeezed my hand. “Then you should know how I feel about you. I’ve wanted this date for so long. It was all I thought about. I wanted to come into your flower shop every day just for a chance to talk to you. But I didn’t want to seem like a stalker.”

Was it wrong of me to find his admission adorable? Not the stalking part, but the portion about wanting me that badly.

“I’ll take you up on that self-defense course. Are you going to be my teacher?”

“I’m the only one allowed to show you all the moves, babe.”

Laughter burst from me.

He stared at me for a long moment.

“What is it?” I retracted a hand and patted my face in case I had another smear of food on me.

“I love it when you laugh. That’s all I want to hear from you, all I want to see on your face from now on.” Then he leaned in and kissed me. The gentle kiss packed more power than I expected. That simple kiss sealed the deal for me. He pulled back and scanned my face. “Scratch that. I also want to see desire on your irresistible face. Desire for me.”

After we finished dinner, my body still hummed and my heart still erratic from the potent kiss. The sensations continued as we shared a brownie with two scoops of ice cream.

How did Kain steal my heart in only a few hours at dinner? It took exceptional skill, ease, and charisma to seduce my heart into falling into his hands. He was a masterful criminal. I laughed at the thought.

“What’s so funny?”

I told him about Grandpa stealing Grandma’s heart, and she’d called him a criminal for it.

“Ooh . . . I get it now. To be honest, I was worried when he invited me over for lunch. I overheard him muttering about finding the ‘perfect criminal.’ I had no idea what he meant. Those words coming from a grandfather concerned me.”

Joy sparked in my heart. I could almost see the event unfold in my head. A big bulky man standing next to a wise old man muttering illegal thoughts.

“And you still went to lunch after that scary clue? You should have stayed away. It would’ve been safer for you.”

He shrugged, and sarcasm splashed on his face. “I had a perfect heart to steal. The best way to commit a crime is to be at the center of it.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re more dangerous than you put on. You know I had doubts about us.”

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