Page 26 of The Chemistry of Us

The effect he had on me.

Taking a deep breath, I opened my mouth and murmured, “I’ve never met my parents.” My eyebrows rose, surprised by my revelation. I finally admitted my truth out loud.

“Who are you living with?”

“My fosters.”

He jerked back, his face full of shock.

Whatever. I was used to people not understanding, so I just kept confessing. “I’ve moved from one place to the next ever since I could remember, but these are the first fosters who have been loaded. I guess they can’t have kids or something. The truth is, they’re probably just using me to appeal to their rich friends. If that makes any sense.”

I mentally checked off the whole “we’re doing it to save the children” mark on my bingo card.

He nodded.

“I didn’t really have time to process the severity of the situation or this world that I was suddenly thrown into where money wasn’t an issue. They even gave me my own bank card, saying I needed to use it for whatever I wanted. I’ve lived with them for the past year, and I still feel as lost with them as I did with my first family.” I left out the guilt part—the guilt I felt that my friends in foster care didn’t have this opportunity when I did.

“I see.”

“Do you?”

He tugged on the end of my hair. It was painfully sweet. “I see you.”

“This doesn’t bother you?”

“Why would it bother me?” He frowned.

My confession felt heavy and way too sad to say out loud, but I wanted to tell him. “I’m basically a charity case.”

“So.” He grinned and tipped my chin toward him. “You’re Cinderella?”

I chuckled. I couldn’t help it. He totally got me without even trying.

“I’ve never told anyone this.” I paused, needing a second to gather my thoughts and muster the courage to stay with him.

His stare never faltered. He just sat there patiently listening to every word, never interrupting me. I instantly looked down when I felt him gently place his hand on top of mine in the sand. It was a soothing gesture to reassure me. Maybe to show me he cared.

A little part of me…

Soared for the first time in months.

CHAPTER 10

TRU

Ifelt a real connection with another human being. With a guy who didn’t even know me. My eyes were fixated on his hand that never left mine. In the dark, our hands were one, extensions of each other.

His rough, calloused fingers were so comfortable resting over mine that I wanted to turn my hand over to feel him. When he reached over and lightly grazed the side of my cheek with his other hand, my heart fluttered, and my stomach dropped.

Was I imagining this? Was this happening to me?

His fingers once again moved to tug on the ends of my hair that framed my face. This simple yet meaningful gesture was the first crack in the wall I had built up against him. His knuckles grazed my cheek again, and I nervously licked my lips, peeking up at him through my lashes.

“You’re no one’s charity case, Tru. You’re actually the opposite. They’re lucky to have you. From where I’m sitting, you’re nothing but gold. Shining brighter than the stars in the sky.”

It was exactly what I wanted to hear. Nobody had ever said anything remotely close to that. Never in my wildest dreams didI think it would come from the mouth of the man I needed to stay away from the most.

I smiled. “It’s pretty out here.”

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