Page 77 of Blindsided
Kori studies our joined hands for a moment before meeting my gaze. “That I’m ready to move forward. That I don’t want to go back to the life I had before.”
“And where does that forward path lead?”
She smiles. “I don’t know yet. But I’m excited to find out.”
It’s not the declaration I might have hoped for, but it’s honest. And after a lifetime of deception and half-truths from those closest to me, honesty feels like the most precious gift.
“Me too,” I tell her, meaning it completely.
“We'd better get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a long day,” she says, stifling a yawn behind her hand.
She stands, gathers our cups, places them in the sink, and begins washing them.
I watch her from across the kitchen, the simple domesticity of the moment striking something deep within me. Before I can overthink it, I move behind her, close enough that I can smell the faint vanilla of her shampoo. My hands find her waist, and I feel her tense for just a second before relaxing back against me.
“You missed a spot,” I murmured against her ear, though the cups are perfectly clean.
Her breath catches. “Did I?” Her voice has that husky quality that makes my skin prickle with heat.
I turn her slowly to face me, our bodies pressed together against the counter. Her eyes are dark, pupils wide as they search mine. I brush a strand of hair from her face, letting my fingers trail along her cheek.
“Kane,” she whispers, my name sounding like a question and an answer all at once.
I lean in, my lips finding the sensitive spot just below her ear. She shivers, her hands gripping my shirt. When I pull back to look at her, her cheeks are flushed, lips parted.
“We should...” she starts, then stops, swallowinghard.
“Should what?” I ask, tracing the line of her collarbone with my thumb.
She takes a deep breath. “We should get some sleep.” Before disappointment can fully form, she adds, “Together. I want you to stay with me tonight.”
I raise an eyebrow, and she laughs softly.
“Just sleep,” she clarifies, her hands flat against my chest now. “I’m not... I… what we did earlier felt amazing, but I’m just not ready to take things further. I don’t want to be alone, and I don’t want you to be either.”
Relief and something warmer flooded through me. This isn’t about sex—it’s about trust. And that means more than any physical release could.
“I’d like that,” I tell her, pressing my forehead against hers. “Just being near you is enough.”
She smiles, and it reaches her eyes this time, crinkling the corners in a way that makes my chest ache. “Good. Because I’ve been told I snore.”
“I’m sure I can handle it.”
I take her hand and let her lead me toward her bedroom, thinking that for the first time in years, I might actually get a good night’s sleep.
Chapter 28
Kane
As the first rays of sunlight spill across the bedroom floor, Kori awakens beside me, stretching like a cat. “I should shower before the others wake up.”
I nod, reluctant to let go of her but knowing we need to prepare for the day ahead. “Kori?”
She pauses at the doorway, looking back at me with those warm brown eyes that see right through me. “Yes?”
“Thank you. For everything.”
Her smile is soft and genuine. “No thanks needed.”
