Page 74 of Out of the Blue

My anger tries to seep out of my veins, but I put an end to that shit. I raise my chin. “Damn straight.”

He holds out his hand. “God, I love how feisty you are.”

Don’t give in just because he used the “l” word.I skewer him with my side-eye.

He smiles, his kissable lips pulled upright. His tongue trails over his teeth.

I crack my knuckles.

He tugs on his dreads. “You’re more tempting than flan.”

A picture of my favorite dessert tantalizes me. My arms drop. “This isn’t fair,” I murmur.

“Tell me about it,” he quips.

With effort, I re-stiffen my spine. “Don’t ever do that to me again. I gave you my word.” My voice only trembled a tiny bit.

He has the decency to drop his gaze. “I was stupid. I know he wasn’t aware of, well, me. I jumped to the wrong conclusion and I’m sorry.” He raises his face toward mine, offering puppy dog eyes. “Forgive me?”

Forgive him? I should shake him, yet all I want to do is wrap my body around his, banged up and all. I remain strung out between the warring emotions for an extended moment before I allow his words to enter my soul. My shoulders are the last thing to fall. “Jerk.”

“Kiss me.”

I scan all the wires attached to his body, and his cast sticking out from underneath the blanket. Yet, I can’t refuse him. Shaking my head, I lean over and place my lips on his, in a tender meeting.

Pulling back, I tug on one of his dreads, then roll the chair over. I have so many questions. “How did Braxton take it?”

He pushes against the pillows, and this time I help him adjust. “Better than I had expected, actually. He asked about my mother.”

I shrug. “Makes sense.”

“Whatever. I don’t want to form a relationship with the guy. I only want his kidney.”

I snort at his last statement. “Sort of like saying you don’t want to dance, you just want to have sex, huh?”

He turns, but not before I catch a grin lurking around his lips. “It’s the truth. I told him that.”

“And then he asked for info about your mother?”

He kicks his good leg. “Whatever. I made it clear to him I don’t need him in my life.”

“Maybe he wants you in his?”

Turning his head, he catches his bottom lip between his teeth. He’s angry, for sure, but a deep-seated need to be a part of his father’s life—maybe even be accepted into it—peeps out. No matter who his father is. I sympathize with his feelings and can’t begrudge him for wanting more.

Trent swallows. “I’m so happy you came back to me. I was an asshole for sending you away. Please forgive me.”

A quick temper, I understand. Jumping to the wrong conclusions, I get that too. Thinking I betrayed him, stings. But his apology goes a long way toward fixing it. I grab his hand in mine and kiss the top. “Don’t do it again.”

He flips his hand and cups my chin. “You got it.”

I relax into his palm. “So, you’re taking his kidney, huh?”

“Yeah. Thought it was better than to leave you here without me.”

I smile. “My big, bad protector.” I roll my chair closer to him. “Tell me about how it went down.”

He shrugs. “Sara came in first and got me to thinking. She actually told me she wants to get to know her ‘third child.’” His eyes develop a glossy sheen. “Then I told him I’d take him up on his offer, if it was still available.”

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