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Was I completely wrong that I wanted that to apply to me? That I’d know who he was completely—this man who asked me to stay?
This man who was promising me forever?
To surrender all this pain and grief and loss?
Asking me to allow him to hold a piece of it?
Kane’s boots ate up the floor as he came our way, and he dropped a kiss to the crown of Maci’s head. “Sorry to keep you waiting, Angel Face. I had to search around for the blanket in that mess of a closet.”
“Sounds like you should do a better job of cleanin’.” Maci shrugged one of her shoulders.
Another low toll of laughter. “Guess I’d better, hadn’t I?”
Emerald eyes found mine. Sparks and light. Stealing sanity and breath.
He took a slight step in my direction, covering me whole, the man a landslide. I shook when he reached out and ran his thumb across my brow, his voice both deep and tender when he murmured low enough that Maci wouldn’t hear.
“You’re frowning awful hard.” Concern flitted across his features. “Don’t be sad, baby. In the middle of all the sadness, I think this might be a good day.”
I saw what he was pleading for. For me to do this with him. To be at his side. And I wanted to be.
“I’m not sad, Kane,” I whispered back.
At least not over this.
I wanted this for them. They both deserved it. The fullness of who they were.
Maci slammed the lid shut on the basket. “Time to go, lovey doves.”
Surprise jolted me back.
“Lovie doves?” I didn’t even mean for it to drop from my mouth as a question.
She hopped off the stool. “You love my Mr. Kane because you give him so many kisses, just like my auntie Raven gives my uncle Otto so many kisses.”
I didn’t know if it was horror or embarrassment that hit me first.
How had she seen that? I’d made sure we’d been careful. Thatwhatever was happening between me and Kane was happening behind closed doors.
But I realized it’d been getting harder to keep it that way.
The covert brushes of his hands. The times when he’d grab me when he thought we were alone and kiss me into a needy puddle, growly promises dripping from his mouth about what he was going to do to me when he really got me alone.
Kane set his big hand on her shoulder, but he remained looking at me. “That’s because I really like giving your auntie Em all the kisses. All the kisses in the world.”
Maci giggled, while I struggled to stand.
To stand beneath what was clearly on his face.
The plea that was written there.
Stay. Stay. Stay.
I grabbed the handle to the basket. “We’d better get going then.”
“Yay! It’s about time, you slowpokes.” Maci started for the big sliding door that led out back.
“Let me take that,” Kane rumbled near my ear, his hand going to the handle.