Page 11 of Don't Let Your Mind Go There

Mom threw her hands into the air and sighed heavily. “I’m too tired to cook. I was so hopeful to find mushrooms and make a nice risotto with them.”

“So…if neither of you want to cook tonight, do we get to eat at the restaurant?” Ronan asked, smirking.

Mom and Dad looked at each other, both seemingly exhausted.

“Fine with me,” Dad said, sounding defeated.

“Yeah, whatever. Let’s have burgers,” Mom added. She wasn’t very happy with their decision, but she was on vacation too, and she didn’t have to stand in the kitchen.

“Awesome! I’ll go take a shower before dinner.” Ronan left the kitchen after kissing Mom’s cheek.

“A shower is just what I need,” she said, turning toward Dad with a gentle smile. “I won’t be long. I just want to eat and sleep.”

Dad put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer, kissing the top of her head, and whispering something I couldn’t hear to her.

I wished he’d be like that with me. And for the first time, I felt jealousy. I didn’t want to be jealous, but I couldn’t help it. Dad looked at me and raised a brow, and I frowned at him, wishing he would treat me the same.

Mom pressed a kiss to Dad’s lips, then she headed to their bedroom, leaving me alone in the kitchen with him. I kept looking at him, but he avoided my gaze the second Mom left the room.

“Seriously?”

“What, Tate?” He sounded annoyed.

“Why can’t you look at me?”

He lifted his gaze and raised a brow at me. “I don’t know what your problem is.”

“My problem is the way you act around me. First you almost kiss me—”

“Tate.”

“What? Am I wrong?”

“You’re being too loud,” he shot back, his glare darkening.

“I’ll whisper, then.” I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms.

“What you’ll do is stay quiet. Go to your room.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes, Tate, I’m being serious. You’re risking a lot right now.”

I furrowed my brows. I was angry and upset. How dare he treat me like this when all I wanted was to talk?

“Risking a lot like earlier in the woods?” I asked, my voice trembling. Shit, I didn’t mean to get emotional, but, apparently, it helped easing the tension between us.

Dad’s expression softened, and he lowered his gaze again as a heavy sigh left him. Taking a moment to think, he lifted his head to look at me again, and he took a step toward me, reaching for my hands. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to raise my voice. Sweetheart…look at me.”

I swallowed and bit the inside of my cheek before meeting his eyes. I didn’t mean to use this moment of weakness to my advantage, but how else would I get him to feel sorry for me?

“You know why I act this way, don’t you? I’m trying my hardest to protect you here. To protect us and what we have.” He kept his voice low, and he leaned in until his forehead rested against mine.

I closed my eyes and squeezed his hands. I needed to feel him more to realize that this was real. “I know, but you’re not protecting my heart if you keep pushing me away.” If he saw how much he was hurting me, maybe then he would be gentler to me.

“I’m sorry,” he repeated, sounding hurt himself. “I might exaggerate with my reaction in moments that are new to me, you know?”

I nodded, smiling gently. “I get it. I’m sorry too. I don’t want to make things hard for you.”

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