Page 36 of Spreading Her Wings

“You don’t have to go,” June said, glaring in Katie’s direction. “Tell the boy he doesn’t need to leave, Katie.”

Her shoulders sank, but when she opened her mouth to tell me to stay, I grabbed her shoulder. “No, really. I should get going. I left Logan with Pour Decisions by himself, and you know how that goes sometimes.”

Her small laugh was enough to make my stomach flip, sending flutters into my throat. She nodded without a word, but the disappointment on her face had eased. Some of the stressthat had weighed on her seemed to fly off, but not all of it. Her face was still partially twisted with anxiety, and her smile wasn’t as carefree as I had seen it.

It wasn’t the carefree smile I had completely fallen for. The one I knew I was going to have to see again.

As I made my way up the steps to the front porch of Katie’s house, my mind filled with images of the pain on her face at dinner; a dinner I had essentially invited myself to.Fuck.I took a deep breath and reached for the doorbell, but before I had hit the button or let out the lungful of air, the door swung open.

“What are you doing here, Auston?”

The disappointment was back on her face. She really didn’t want to see me? “Kitten, we need to talk.”

She sighed and braced herself in the doorway, leaning her shoulder against the frame and blocking me from entering. “Stop calling me that.”

“Not a chance.” I stepped towards her, not missing the slight wince in her features when I reached my hand out to brush her hair over her shoulder. “Why are you avoiding me?”

Katie threw her hands up in defeat, dropping her defensive posture. “Because we made a big fucking mistake! How are younotfreaking out right now?” Her voice was frantic, and I took another step closer to her, forcing her a step back from the threshold.

“I’m not freaking out because I don’t regret it. Do you regret it?” I asked, knowing she was going to agree to it. My spine stiffened in preparation.

“No,” she whispered. My breath caught in my throat.

“Then what’s wrong?”

The tears that had pricked at her eyes the night before returned, and one lone tear traced down her cheek to her upper lip where it threatened to drop. I reached my hand out, brushing it over her lip and catching it before it fell, using my other hand to wipe the wet line from her cheek. “I don’t want this.” Her voice broke with a small sob.

“Then tell me what you want.” I stepped closer to her, taking the first step into her house when her armor started to break.

She sighed, crossing her arms over her chest and taking another step back from me. “I don’t know,” she whispered.

“Yes, you do.” I took another step, forcing her back again, and I swung the door shut behind me. When it closed, she jumped. “Tell me what you want.”

“I don’t know what I want, Auston.”

I took another step, and she mirrored it, her back meeting the wall next to her entry table. Her shoulder rested against the wall, next to the intricate mirror hanging above the table holding nothing but her keys and a small stack of mail. Her breath hitched.

“Yes, you do, Katie.” I pinned my hand on the wall behind her. “Tell me what you want.”

She closed her eyes, dropping her voice to a whisper. “I can’t.”

“Why not?”

My face hovered just over hers, her sweet breath warm against my lips. “It’s not that simple.” The tears that continued to well in her eyes slid down her cheeks more quickly, and I pressed my forehead to hers.

“Open your eyes, kitten. Look at me.” When she did, her eyes were darker than normal, and they shimmered. Her lips quivered. “Tell me what you want.”

She dropped her head back against the wall. “I told you, Auston! I can’t!” Her voice broke in a sob.

I pressed my lips to her cheek, gathering the tears that fell on my lips. They were salty against my tongue, and I moved my mouth to her ear to whisper, “You’re going to tell me what you want, you know that?”

I traced my hand down her side to her hip and back up, cupping her tit. She whimpered, the tears still sliding down her cheeks. Katie shook her head.

“Come here.” I pulled her from the wall, holding her for a second before I turned her in my arms to face the entry table and tall mirror. “Look at yourself. Do you see what I see?”

“What do you see?” she asked, meekly lifting her eyes to meet mine in the reflection.

I shook my head. “No. Tell me whatyousee.”

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