Page 58 of Harvey

“Okay.” Pushing away the plate, he propped his elbows on the shiny counter. “You and this Michael person. Silas told me he was a childhood friend. Friend or sweetheart?”

Her tapered brows lifted as she continued to eat her sandwich.

“You already know that you are the only man for me.”

“It does not mean you did not have a guy. Was it him?”

“Yes.”

Her answer floored him; for the second time today, he felt jealousy churning in his gut.

“Really?”

“Yes. We grew up together and did everything together until he moved out of the neighborhood.”

“You didn’t keep in touch?”

“No. We had separate lives.”

“Did you learn everything about kissing from him? If that was the case, he was a lousy teacher.” The minute the words were out of his mouth, he felt like an ass and a jealous one at that. Pushing away the half-eaten sandwich, he pushed away from the counter. “I am going to bed.”

Kendra watched him leave the room, a thoughtful expression on her face. Refusing to react, she serenely finished her sandwich.

*****

He spent the time pacing the length of his room. Who the hell did she think she was? He thought angrily, questioning him like a damn criminal. He might make love to her every chance he got and was unable to keep his hands off her, but that did not give her the right. She did not own him.

The six-year-old boy inside him reared up. She was going to leave; as soon as he opened up to her and allowed himself to start caring or show that he cared, she would leave him. Dragging his fingers through his hair, he sat on the edge of the bed.

He had behaved like a jealous fool downstairs, and it needed to stop. He did not care if she went back to him or if she allowed him to touch her- if he touched her, if he tried to kiss her- closed his eyes, flopped back down on the bed, and closed his eyes wearily.

These internal battles were making him exhausted.

He stiffened when footsteps sounded inside the bedroom. He had been so caught up in his thoughts that he had not heard her come in.

He did not move, not even when the bed was depressed, indicating that she was sitting next to him. “I am in love with you.” The quiet voice and the declaration had him going rigid. “I want this marriage to work, Harvey.

I know you have difficulty displaying your feelings, and I am not asking you to bring me flowers or even that you remember my birthday and our wedding anniversary, but I am asking to be given a chance. And I will patiently wait until you realize you love me too.”

“You don’t know what the hell you are saying.” He whispered hoarsely, not daring to accept what she was offering. “I am not cut out for marriage or anything else that comes with it.”

“That might be the case- “She touched his muscular thigh and smiled when he jumped reflexively. “But I am willing to learn and to teach you. We could learn together.”

Clamping a hand over hers to push her off, he started to move it off his thigh, but he closed his fingers over hers and held it there.

Turning his head, he stared at her. She was unshakable and robust. He had thrown some pretty heavy stuff at her, and she had not broken under the weight. He had never met anyone like her before, except perhaps the woman who had folded him into her arms and whispered that she would make things right for him.

He had thrown things at her, too, and she had kept coming back, telling him that she loved him and that he deserved to be loved.

Tugging hard, he pulled her next to him, his body twisting so that he was facing her. She met his silver eyes squarely, her expression showing all the love she had in her heart for him.

“Do you know what you are getting yourself into?” he asked her roughly.

“I have a pretty good idea.”

“I am going to hurt you.”

“I suspect as much.” She nodded.

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