Page 168 of At the Edge of Surrender

Then I’d fallen asleep in the safety of his arms for the secondnight in a row. After I’d exposed myself in a way I never exposed myself to anyone.

Tentatively, I spread my hand out over the mattress, searching the spot next to me where I remembered he’d been.

My palm glided over the black, silky sheet. It was still warm, the pillow ruffled and dented from his head.

My teeth clamped down on my bottom lip as I was washed in a wave of affection so significant and severe that I felt as if I might float away. Chest stretching tight and belly tingling.

A ridiculous smile fluttered at the edges of my mouth.

I should fight it. The quickening inside me.

But I didn’t want to.

Not right then.

Not when this man made me feel truly seen for the first time since I was seventeen.

This sweet, terrifying, beautiful man.

My sister’s words echoed through my mind.

She deserves to have a father like him.

I understood it now, why she would have believed it, but what I didn’t understand was how she’d known it. How she’d known it when he had been nothing but a vacation hookup.

He barely even remembered her.

How had he made that much of an impact?

I blew out a sigh then pushed myself upright, sitting up on my right hip with both hands planted on the bed as I listened to the muffled sounds echoing from downstairs.

That tugging remerged in my heart, a prodding of my spirit, and I slipped out of bed, pulled on my shorts that were still on the floor, then tiptoed to Kane’s door, all covert-like as I popped my head out into the hall to make sure I was in the clear before I raced on bare feet to my room.

I used the restroom, washed my hands, brushed my teeth, then tied the mess of my hair up into a casual knot on top of my head.

Hair that smelled like him.

Spice and temptation and the most masculine things.

A shiver rocked my spine, and I shoved it off and tried to gather myself as I padded back out the door and into the hall.

Sounds from below rose to meet my ears. The clank of silverware and the tinkling of a giggle and the low, mesmerizing roll of laughter.

My belly shook.

I was in trouble. In so much trouble because I felt myself teetering on a ledge. So close to falling. A fool who was starting to believe this man would be there to catch me when I did.

Steeling myself, I crept downstairs, keeping my footsteps light. I hit the bottom landing and edged along the wide passageway toward the voices that increased in volume the closer I got to the kitchen.

I stopped at the entryway and peered in.

Kane was again at the island, this time cutting fresh fruit.

Wearing a fitted black tee, locks of shiny brown hair a mess, the most magnificent grin on his even more magnificent face.

The man was so handsome the sight of him sent an earthquake rolling beneath my feet.

My foundation rocked.

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