Page 28 of Free to Breathe
“Unfortunately, I see you a lot these days. You’re going to have to be more specific than that.”
Taking a deep breath, I step closer to the table where she’s just capped off the air gun. I place one hand on top of hers, forcing her to lower it down to the table. Infuriated mud-brown eyes lift up to mine. “Corinna, I had to get a CT scan on my shoulder for work.”
Any antagonism in her features leeches from her face. “No,” she whispers. Her eyes hold mine for a few more seconds before they start darting around the room. Everywhere but at me.
“Yes.” I capture her chin to hold her face steady. “What happened?”
“Nothing you need to worry about,” she immediately responds, trying to yank her face away. I apply the smallest amount of pressure and she stills.
“It’s serious enough to have a sibling-only dinner though? Isn’t it?” My hand leaves her jaw and trails down her neck to trace her collarbone. “Why keep everyone else out?”
“Maybe I want to introduce them to someone,” she snaps waspishly. Corinna has never dealt well with being backed into a corner.
“Princess, the only man you’re ever going to introduce them to like that is me. And it’s high time we both stop playing games and admit it.” I wait for her reaction to my admission of the attraction that’s always simmered between us. The attraction that even her sisters have recently slammed in my face.
It’s not the one I expect.
Corinna stomps over to the back door and flings it open. I’m surprised the crash doesn’t shatter the glass. “After everything you did to me? After everything you said? Do you really think…of course you do! All you fucking men think you need to do is snap your fingers and any woman will drop their panties at your feet. Guess what—not this woman. Not anymore. Now get the fuck out of my kitchen before I tell the rest of the family what actually happened all those years ago to make me hate you as much as I do.”
I’m frozen in shock. Of all the things I expected, this was the very last on the list.
“Now!” she screams.
Woodenly, I move toward her. Her face is turned away. “Corinna,” I whisper imploringly.
“I am not kidding in the slightest. Get. Out.”
“Damnit. I have to know what I saw. Something’s wrong and you’re not—” I demand, even as I begin to cross the threshold.
“It doesn’t matter what you saw. It sure shouldn’t matter to a man who never gave a damn about me,” she spits at me.
Right before she slams the door in my face.
Standing outside the glass-paned door, I get my own anger under control. Suddenly, I hear a loud crash from inside the kitchen. I start to head back in, but I realize she’ll never open up to me right now.
She’s drowning in the pain she’s in. If she won’t let someone in to pull her from the water, I’ll dive in headfirst to save her.
Tomorrow, there’s no escaping me, Corinna.
I back slowly away so I don’t alert her to my presence. Tomorrow’s soon enough to have it out.
As for what she said, not give a damn about her? What a crock of shit.
15
Corinna
After my encounter with Colby last night, I’ve barely slept. I stumble down my extra-wide stairs from my enormous master suite in desperate search of coffee.
Someone might die faster than I will if I can’t find it.
Sliding open the repurposed barn door that hides my pantry, I lean against the jamb. There it is. Caffeine. Thank God my housekeeper stocked me back up. As I’m reaching for the pod of goodness that my industrial-strength Keurig will turn into a magic elixir to restore my humanity, I give my eternal gratitude for Mindy and her understanding of my crazy schedule.
I pad on bare feet to the maker of all wonder and drop the industrial-size K-Cup in to brew my pot of coffee. Waiting for the water to heat, I make my way over to my Sub-Zero refrigerator to take out homemade salted caramel sauce and a pitcher of cream both in their perfectly arranged glass containers. This luxury of mine may not guarantee a good day, but at least it starts it out the right way.
Without knowing what my test results are going to be, that’s about all I can do anymore—guarantee my day starts out as delicious as I can make it.
After scooping a healthy amount of the gooey sauce and pouring some cream into my mug, I heat it in the microwave for a few seconds. I finish stirring just as the beeps indicate my coffee is ready. As the dark brew splashes into my mug, the combination of the steam and the aromatic smell jostle me further awake. I lift the mug to my lips and embrace the first sip. Leaning against the counter, for this moment, in the heart of my home, I feel bliss.
