Page 46 of Receiving His Mercy
“Ahh, but I wasn’t a lady. I was just the annoying kid that your cousin let follow her around.”
He cupped her chin gently, tilting her head back so he could stare down at her. “I’m so sorry I was a dick.”
“No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. You don’t have to keep apologizing. Really. I got over it a long time ago.”
Well, sort of. She still seemed to feel something for him and lord, she wished she didn’t.
“What happened in the last twenty-four hours? Where have you been?”
“Travis.” Her eyes slid from him. “What . . . what are you doing here? Why do you care? And please don’t say it’s because of Lacey. Because I don’t really believe you.”
If he was watching out for her because of his cousin, then a text once or twice a month would suffice, right? Maybe asking her to coffee, even. Although she wasn’t sure that was his scene.
But demanding that she not take public transport at night. Constant texts wanting to know if she was all right and where she was . . . it didn’t add up.
If this was just due to guilt over the way he’d treated her years ago, she needed to know.
Because the more time she spent with him, the more she found herself wanting him. Even though he had the ability to prick at her temper more than anyone else.
Travis sighed. “That excuse isn’t working?”
“Nope. So if this is about guilt . . . I need to tell you that you should let it go. Because there’s no reason to keep feeling like you owe me something.”
“Got to admit, I think that’s part of it. I feel like shit for what I did.”
“Please don’t. Let it go. And you don’t need to obsess over my safety, okay? I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time. I’ve got this.”
He frowned. “I don’t like that.”
“Travis—”
“Just because youcantake care of yourself doesn’t mean that youshould. I’m guessing that is tiring as hell.”
It was.
“Don’t you take care of yourself?” she asked.
“Of course. But that’s different.”
“Why? Because you’re a man?”
“No, because taking care of others gives me a sense of . . . I don’t know. Not good at happy mumbo-jumbo shit. It just makes me feel right. And I can’t look after others if I don’t look after myself. Plus, I’m not alone. I’ve got my brothers. Got friends. If I need help, it’s there.”
“I was always jealous of your large family. And of Lacey for having you all. You treat her like a little sister.”
“That’s what she is to us.”
She sighed. “That’s so nice. I would have loved that.”
12
Travis eyed her for a long moment.
Was she getting warmer? It felt ridiculously warm in here, yet she was still wearing that hat.
He knew he should give her an answer to her question about why he was here. Why he cared so much about her safety. But the truth was he wasn’t entirely sure.
Maybe it’s because you care about her?
