Page 40 of Tempt Me Forever

"It's personal information, Kimberly. Not too long ago, we agreed not to share any."

"Yes, but then you kissed me like it was your job in that staircase, so I think it's safe to say we've crossed some lines."

He smirked. "We have, haven't we?"

"So, tell me more. Wait, you said your sister is the reason you came back. Was it because she had your nephew?"

"Yes. Her husband left her."

I gasped. "Oh my God."

"She went into premature labor, and my nephew spent the first two months of his life in the NICU.”

I put a hand on my chest. "Drake, I'm so sorry. Is she all right?"

"She and the baby are healthy, yes. But my sister is having a really hard time."

"Oh my God. I bet." I gasped. "You know what we'll do? I'll interview you about your sister. And then I’ll find a present to lift her mood. What do you think about that?"

***

Drake

Ilooked her straightin the eyes. She was serious. I couldn't believe this woman. "I think I've never met anyone like you."

She bit her lower lip. "Okay, I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not."

"It's a compliment," I clarified.

We resumed walking at a slower pace. I hadn't intended to tell her anything about Michael, but it just slipped out.

"What are you smiling about?" I asked, noticing her lips inch up in one corner.

"I was thinking I might have been wrong about you. That's not something I admit often. I thought you were a grumpy bastard."

"I am. Make no mistake."

"Yeah, but I also thought you might have a stone or a hedgehog in place of a heart."

"A hedgehog?" I swear to God, sometimes it was hard to follow her.

"But I think you have a regular heart. It's in there somewhere, under a pile of stones and rubble."

"I'd have to contradict you on that."

"Oh, you’d like that, wouldn't you? For me to keep believing that you're some heartless monster," she said.

I frowned. "You thought I was a monster?"

"No, that's too strong a word." She waved her hand before pulling her beanie lower on her head. “Should have brought my scarf with me. My hair will look like shit. Tell me more about your nephew," she said as we turned to the left off Main Street. We were approaching the property now.

"He doesn't sleep. But other than that, he's not fussy. My sister has her hands full with him, and I have no idea what to do to make life easier for her."

This was the first time I'd admitted this to another soul. What was it about Kimberly that made it so easy to share my thoughts and fears and frustrations? I'd never been able to do that with a woman. I'd never wanted to either.

“Do your parents live nearby?”

“No, they’re in Oregon, where Suze and I grew up. We’re not terribly close. They have very fixed views about how things are supposed to work. They keep telling Suze she should get back with her husband. So I’m the only support she has.”

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