Page 78 of Such a Good Girl

His eyes grew wary. “You sure are protective of her all of a sudden.”

“Of course I am, Joey! But that’s not really any of your business, is it?”

“I was just asking because you told me to keep an eye on her.”

“No, I told you to keep an eye on Kajah. Not Kaylee. You stay the fuck away from Kaylee. She has nothing to do with your job.”

“Right, but…. Never mind. On it, boss.” He shuffled away like a kicked puppy, only adding to my irritation.

I rolled my eyes and kept walking, searching for Kaylee. I found her sitting alone at the bar, nursing a glass of red wine.

“Hey,” I said. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, sure,” she said. Something in her eyes told me everything was not, in fact, okay.

“Spill it,” I said, sitting on the stool next to her, gesturing to the bartender to get me my usual shot of bourbon.

“There’s nothing to spill,” she insisted. “I was coming back to the table but saw that you were talking to Kajah alone. I just didn’t want to interrupt.”

“Interrupt?”

“You were laughing together. Looked like you were having a good time.”

“I most definitely was not having a good time,” I answered wearily. I wasn’t going to tell her what Kajah said, what would be the point in that?

“You’re both gorgeous. I could see you two together.”

I groaned, shaking my head. “God, no.”

“Why not? Look at her.”

“What? Kaylee, what the hell are you talking about?”

She glanced away, and I could see the pain in her eyes. This just wouldn’t fucking do. I needed to put a stop to this shit right away.

“Look at me,” I insisted, grabbing her chin and pulling her gaze my way. “Listen to me, this is important.”

She nodded, her eyes glistening.

“Kaylee, you are the only one in this entire city that I have eyes for. The way we have fun together? The way you trust me? Those things are everything to me. The way you look at me like you actually see the real me? Nobody looks at me like that, Kaylee, nobody. As for who’s gorgeous and who’s not — let me tell you something I should have told you a long time ago. When I look at you, Kaylee, do you know what I see?”

She shook her head, glancing away quickly before looking back at me questioningly.

“I see sunshine,” I whispered.

“What?”

“Your face is like looking at sunshine. It warms my heart. It makes me so happy. It’s so beautiful, so bright, so stunningly filled with light that it’s like sunshine pouring straight into my soul. I can’t get enough of it. It radiates.”

Her lips parted in surprise and a little gasp of pleasure escaped. A soft smile spread across her face, tears springing to her eyes.

“I think that’s the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to me.”

“It’s the most beautiful sunshine I’ve ever seen.”

“Are you trying to make me swoon, West Foster? Because this is how you make me swoon.”

“I’m just being honest with you, Kaylee,” I said, grabbing that beautiful, sunshiny face and kissing her full on the mouth. “I meant every single word.”

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