Page 124 of Lace 'em Up

“What?” he asks.

I nibble at the corner of my mouth. “I?—”

Ignore it. Pretend I hadn’t heard it. Be happy with him admitting this isn’t fake.

That’s incredible.

Wonderful—

All of a sudden I’m pressed back against the trunk of a tree, pinned carefully between King’s big body and the bark, his hands cushioning my head and back from the roughness. He bends, puts his face in front of mine. “What, princess?”

I inhale, debate for a second.

Then figure…what the hell.

“I heard you on the phone, King,” I say. “It’s okay.” I shrug. “You don’t have to protect my feelings, I swear. I’m a big girl. It’s time that I move on and get my feet under me and?—”

His lips hit mine, stealing my breath in a kiss that leaves my heart racing. “What the fuck are you talking about, baby?” he asks again.

“I overheard you.”

His brows drag together. “When?”

“In the kitchen the other day,” I murmur. “I heard you on the phone with someone and you were talking about me.” I grind my teeth together. “Talking about us.”

That frown stays in place.

“And you said we were fake.”

His expression smooths out and then he’s pushing back, taking my hand again, drawing me back up the path. “My brother,” he says. “I told you his wife cheated on him and left him with the kids.” A glance over at me and I nod, completely befuddled at his change in demeanor, that he’s relaxed now. But then he goes on, “Jakob’s not exactly seeing straight when it comes to women right now.” A breath moving through that big body of his. “And I lied to him so I didn’t have to listen to him rant.” Another look. “And because I didn’t want to deal with what I was feeling.” His fingers squeeze mine. “What I am feeling.”

“King—”

“It’s scary,” he says, drawing me out into the sunshine and toward a bench.

I’m struck by the beauty of the valley in the distance, the beauty of his eyes as they meet mine.

“It’s scary and after what happened with my ex, after every fear of mine was validated—I’m not good enough, I’ll never be good enough—” He sits, drawing me down next to him. “But that fear is smaller than the fear of losing what you bring to my life.”

I shake my head. “I haven’t done anything, honey. I’m just?—”

“You made me feel,” he says, cupping my cheeks in his big, warm hands. “You made me realize that there’s more that I want. That there’s more I can have. But I think”—he shifts, pressing his forehead to mine—“I knew that from the moment I met you. It’s why I pushed your buttons so much. I was desperate to find something wrong with you.”

My heart lurches in my chest, throwing itself against my rib cage.

Throwing itself at this man.

Offering itself up on a silver platter.

“King,” I whisper.

His mouth hitches up. “I know,” he says softly, straightening slowly and reaching into his pocket. “I was delusional to even think that this was something else, that it was fake, that it might mean nothing. I’m clearly a dumbass.” He pulls his hands out. “Because I bought this weeks ago after Zeus ate?—”

“My bracelet,” I whisper.

“I know it’s not the same,” he says. “I just…” He takes my hand, peels open my fingers, then places the new charm bracelet gently in my palm. “I thought it might be something to remind you of the good your dad gave you.”

The beautiful view is hidden behind my tears.

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