I smile despite how exhausted I am. “The barman, the one who served you drinks all night. What were you thinking, Kane?”
He sighs, and his head falls back against the seat. “I just wanted to….”
“You wanted to what?”
He turns toward me, his eyes filled with a sadness that makes my breath catch in my throat. “I wanted to forget you.”
I chew on the inside of my cheek, hating myself for making him feel that way. The guy took me in, even fought Blake for me, got rid of him and out of my life, and all I can do is hurt him.
Not able to deal with the look of grief on his face any longer, I open my door, and walk around to his side to open his. I help him get his seat belt off, and he turns toward me and starts to stand but wobbles on his feet. “Here hold on to me.” I put my arm out to him to grab hold of. He takes it, putting most of his weight on me. I don’t know how I manage it, but I get him into the family room, where I let him fall onto the couch. “I’ll go get you some coffee.” I go to turn away, but he keeps me still by pulling on my arm. I turn back to him. “What is it?”
His green eyes look deep into mine, his scruffy jaw making him look unbelievably sexy, and those lips… God, his lips look perfect.
“Thank you,” he says, and I smile.
“You’re welcome, Kane. Now, I’ll go fix you some coffee, then it’s off to bed.”
He grunts, then his head drops between his legs and I hurry to the kitchen, returning with a glass of water. “Here, drink this, your coffee is almost ready.”
He looks up again and takes the glass of water out of my hand. “Thanks.”
I watch him swallow every bit of water, and I find my gaze transfixed on his throat—even the way he swallows is sexy. He hands the empty glass back to me then removes his cut, placing it on the couch beside him. He’s wearing a fitted V-neck white Henley—delicious—andI don’t realize I’m staring until he says, “Babe, you okay?”
“Oh. Uh, yeah. I’ll just… go get you that coffee.”
He smiles as if he knows he’s getting to me but doesn’t say anything. It was pure torture not kissing him back before, but it needed to be done. I needed him gone. But right now looking at him this way, makes me realize how much I’ve missed him.
I return with a strong brew in hand and leave it on the coffee table in front of him. “It’s hot, make sure you drink it. I’ll go get you some blankets so you can sleep here on the couch.”
He looks down at the couch and pushes his hands down into the cushions. “Looks comfy, thank you, but I can go and stay at a motel if you prefer. You don’t have to do this, Charity.”
I wring my hands in front of me, knowing that I should drive him to a motel, but at the same time wanting so much for him to stay. “No, it’s the least I can do for you.”
Before he can reply, I walk to my parents’ linen cupboard, where I know my mom keeps all the spare blankets, sheets, and pillows. I grab one of each, then walk back to the couch and stop in my tracks when I spot Kane removing his shirt. He’s now dressed only in light blue jeans and revealing his perfectly muscled chest and back. He throws the shirt to the ground then removes his boots. Trying to act unfazed by it all, I head over to the couch and move his shirt to an arm of the couch, then place the sheet over the cushions. When I stand, he’s unbuckling his jeans, and is about to remove them when I shout, “Stop!”
He freezes, his eyes widening. “What? What’s wrong?” He’s swaying on his feet so I move closer and hold him upright, then help him sit back down. His fly is undone, and I can see his black briefs low on his waist, his happy trail leading my gaze from his belly button to under the seam. Sweet Jesus.
“Drink your damn coffee,” I say determinedly, waving at the coffee still sitting untouched on the table. “It’s going to go cold.”
He takes a sip and scrunches up his face. “Shit, woman, this is strong.”
“Yeah, well, you need it. Okay, so here’s your blanket and pillow—” I lay the pillow down at one end of the couch. ”—and if you’re okay and don’t need anything else, I’m going to head to bed, it’s been a long night.” He takes another sip, wincing again at its taste. He hands the cup back to me then falls onto his back, shutting his eyes. “Kane? You need anything else?”
His hand moves up to cover his eyes, and I watch him for a few minutes—the way his mouth opens with each breath, his chest rising and falling, all the way down to his open jeans, the bulge of his cock standing out underneath his briefs. I lick my suddenly dry lips—what I would do to have one more taste of him. But I won’t. I won’t let myself fall for him again. I can’t. Right now, my heart is broken, and there’s no room for anyone or anything else.
I gently place the blanket over him, then turn off the light and head upstairs to my room. Removing all of my clothes except my panties, I slide into my childhood bed, no energy left to even shrug my favorite sleep T-shirt on. Once my head hits the pillow, I’m out like a light.