Page 93 of At the Edge of Surrender

An overwhelming force that sent unfound need skittering through my veins.

He darted a tattooed arm around me, the corded muscles rippling and flexing as he reached in to grab a package of cheese.

His mouth dropped to the shell of my ear, the words a breath. “Another time, then.”

Then he was gone.

I sagged forward.

I didn’t know if it was in disappointment or relief.

I slammed the door shut with my hip and strode back to the island, grumbling, “And that time will be exactly never.”

He only chuckled one of those tempting sounds, and he hiked a shoulder to the left of him. “Glasses are in that cabinet.”

I opened it, grabbed a plastic cup for Maci, and filled it half full, before I popped the cap to my seltzer and poured it into a glass.

I carried them over to the round table on the far side of the island.

Maci came bounding back in just as Kane moved to a different cabinet and pulled down three plates.

“All done!” she shouted as she flew in, the pigtails I’d put her hair into this morning now a disaster and falling out on one side.

“Perfect time, Angel Face. Dinner is ready.”

“IfoughtI could smell it.”

She ran straight to the table and climbed into the spot where I’d placed her milk.

No anxiety or feeling like she was out of place or didn’t belong.

While I ran my hands up my arms, having no clue what to do with myself.

“Utensils are in that drawer right there if you want to grab them,” Kane said, as if he’d read my thoughts and knew I needed something to do with my hands.

I grabbed three sets of silverware, plus a few of the napkins that sat to the side of it, then took them back to the table. By the time I got there, Kane was maneuvering three plates in his hands, setting one in front of Maci, one in my spot, and another for him.

“Voilà,” he said with a flourish of his hand.

Maci clapped from where she sat on her knees, also waving her hand and mimicking, “Voilà!”

Kane laughed and ran a palm over the top of her head and down the back.

I nearly wept.

Never so torn.

My emotions never so at odds.

He plopped down into his seat. “Let’s eat.”

“Because you’re a starvin’ marvin like me?”

“That’s right. From all the playin’ you had me doing today. Think I could eat a horse.”

“Eww,” she giggled with an adorable scrunch of her nose. “Doncha know the lady died when she swallowed the horse?”

“Ah dang, I totally forgot about that. Guess I’m just gonna have to eat these fajitas, then.”

---