Page 30 of Damned
“You’re telling me. Kee-rist, I’ve never told anyone what I just told you.” Lifting his arm, Kruze swiped his free hand over his forehead, pushing his hair out of his eyes. “Not even my brothers know what happened. This is a gawddamned first, Bree. Shit. Sorry I dumped on you.”
“Is that what you did, dump on me?” she asked, her voice so damned timid. “It felt more like you trusted me with a tiny broken part of you, Kruze. That you knew your truth would be safe with me. That, maybe, you’re tired of keeping this awful pain locked up in your” —she tilted her head— “teapot.”
That almost made him smile. Him, a teapot, really? Instead another tear slithered out of his eye. Kruze couldn’t understand why he’d opened up like he had, but Bree was spot on. He did trust her. He just hadn’t realized it until now. “You sure know how to cut through the chaff and get to the heart of things, don’t you?”
“I don’t like to waste everyone’s time with big words and flowery bullshit.”
He liked the way that word rolled of her lips. “You should cuss more. Not saying it’s right, but sometimes cussing’s a good way to blow off steam.”
Dropping her lashes again, Bree shook her head. “Decent people wouldn’t read my articles if I used profanity.”
“I’d like to read some of your articles,” Kruze admitted. “If you don’t mind, that is.”
“I’d love that. Maybe then you’ll see that not all journalists are dirtbags.” Bree was still sitting on his lap. She was calm and teasing him. Sharing did help.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” Kruze bumped foreheads with her. “Just your work for now. Later we’ll see about any others.” He inhaled a deep cleansing breath, then breathed it out, surprised he actually felt better. Maybe even a little lighter. There might be something to group therapy after all. “Seems to me you have a passion for journalism.”
“I do. At least I did.” Her voice trailed away.
Kruze took hold of Bree’s head, making her look into his eyes again. “I’ll tell you a secret my mom told us three boys years ago. Just working any old job for a buck creates stress in your life. But working your ass off for something you love and believe in, is different. It’s called passion, Bree. Always choose to live passionately. Once you understand the difference, everything else comes easy.”
He stilled, not sure where to go from there. He’d shown her all of his. It was time for Bree to show hers.
