Page 17 of And Then There Was Us
“No.”
“Ever been?”
“No, Bree.” He stepped forward, and she stepped backward. “Bree.” He glanced away and ran his hand through his hair. “All I wanted was to get to know you without my career hanging over our heads. That’s all. It’s so hard to be normal when people know who I am.”
“So you’re someone important?” She crossed her arms.
“No. I’m not.” He stepped closer. “I’ll tell you who I am, but please don’t judge me by it, and don’t…change. You’re so sweet and kind and good.”
“I’m pretty sure I can remain the person I’ve been for the past twenty-eight years even if I know who you are.”
“Are you sure? Because I really enjoy spending time with you, and once you know who I am, you might see me differently.”Like everyone else I’ve ever met.
“Hugh, why would I do that? You are who you are.”
Hugh didn’t know what drove him to take her face in his hands, or to look her in the eyes and ask, “May I just kiss you once before you know who I am?” but when she nodded in agreement and he lowered his lips to hers, he was glad he’d done it. Kissing Bree was the sweetest thing he’d ever experienced. Her lips were soft and full, her tongue tentative, then a minute later, eager, but not too aggressive, and she made the sexiest little moans that he wasn’t sure she realized she’d even emitted. He wrapped his palm around the base of her neck and deepened the kiss, slowly loving her delicious mouth, and then her delicate hands were on his waist and every bit of him hungered for more as she ran her fingers up his back and their bodies came together. They kissed until they had no fresh air in their lungs. Every breath of his became hers, and when they came away, Hugh was numb, breathing hard and fighting the desire to take her in another greedy kiss.
“Thank you.” He kissed her forehead and moved to open the trunk of the car so he could show her his racing jacket.
“Wait.” Bree grabbed him by the back of his shirt. Her fingers trembled against his skin. “You’re really worried that it’ll change how I see you?”
He shrugged. “I hope not, but I wanted you to know me for who I am before you knew me as what I do for a living. But…”
“And you’re not going to tell me that you’re something bad? Someone I should be afraid of?” She closed her eyes. “Wait. That’s a stupid question. If you were, you wouldn’t tell me.”
He leaned his forehead against hers. Her perfume wafted up at him again and he nearly lost his voice. “Bree, you don’t know me, and I barely know you. And I know you have no reason to believe or trust me, but I promise you that I will not ever lie to you, even if I worry that it’ll hurt you. I think honesty is one of the most important things a person can promise someone, and I promise you honesty.”
“Hugh, this is so unfair.” She put her hands flat on his chest.
Her touch felt so good, so right, so different from that of the grabby, forward women he was used to being with. He placed his hand over hers just to feel the realness of it.
“I want to know who you are because I can’t protect my daughter unless I know who I’m involved with. I respect your worry about things changing, and you’re right, I don’t know you, but I think for Layla’s sake, I have to risk things changing. I have to know who I’m with to protect her.”
Hugh’s heart swelled in his chest. He nodded, unable to find words to express how beautiful that love for her daughter made her appear. He opened the trunk and took out his racing jacket, emblazoned with the logos of his sponsors, and his black driving gloves. Without a word, he handed them to her.
She ran her fingers over the logos, along the sleeves, and she traced the number thirty-two on the left breast. Then she took the gloves from Hugh and placed them on top of the jacket. She spread her petite hand over one enormous glove and smiled when her fingers reached just past the indentation of the second knuckle.
She looked up at him, then back down at the jacket. “This is supposed to mean something to me, and I get that, but, Hugh, my life is work and my daughter. I’m not sure what gloves and a jacket like this really mean. I know I sound stupid, but I’m not. I guess I just live in this tiny bubble of first grade, board games, and making ends meet.”
Hugh didn’t even try to fight the urge to reach out to her. He folded her in his arms and pressed her to his chest. “I really like that about you.” When they drew apart, he put the jacket and gloves back in the trunk and withdrew the latest issue ofRacingmagazine, then placed it in her hands.
She looked down at it, and he watched her eyes narrow. She blew out a long breath as she ran her fingers over the image of his face. She squinted, her mouth set in a serious line. Then she looked up at him and touched his cheek before looking at the magazine and running her finger over the image again, as if she were comparing the contours of his jaw.
“So, this is you?” she said quietly.
“That’s what I do, not who I am,” he clarified.
She nodded. “It’s dangerous, right?”
“You could say that.”
“And this is why we haven’t seen you around, right? You travel a lot, to race?” Her fingers were still running over his image.
“Yeah.”
She nodded. “I’m glad I know.” Worry lines stretched across her forehead. “I know about the race track, but honestly, I’ve never been. I don’t have time to breathe, much less follow any sort of sports, but there are entire bars in town that cater to the fans. Restaurants too.”
“I know. I purposely avoid them.”
