Page 129 of Mountain Daddy (Mountain Men #2)

Kendra

A creak filters in from the hallway.

I blink my eyes open.

I’m so tired I could hardly keep my eyes open as I brushed my teeth. But now that I’m in bed, I can’t fall asleep.

The creak sounds again.

I lift my head from the pillow.

I heard Luther leave as I was stepping into the bathroom. And by the time I’d come back out, the rest of the lights in the house were off.

I wait.

Then I hear my door handle turn.

I sit up.

The door swings open.

My curtains are pulled shut. It’s dark.

But I can see enough of his outline.

My pulse jumps.

“Luther?”

The tall, wide-shouldered man steps into my room and closes the door behind him.

“I’m sorry.” His voice is quiet. And broken.

I don’t think. I just climb out of bed and go to him.

“I’m so sorry,” he breathes.

I knew he was hurting, but his voice…

I can’t find my own. So instead, I reach out and place my palm on his chest.

Both his hands close over mine. Encasing it. Warming it.

“Looking back on my life, I’d do a lot of things differently.

But pushing you away…” Luther pauses, and I can feel his muscles move as he swallows.

“Hurting you is the last thing I ever wanted to do. I thought I was… Fuck, Kendra. I don’t deserve another chance with you.

And I’m not asking…” His fingers squeeze mine. “I just… Can I hug you again? Please?”

I’m glad it’s dark.

Glad he can’t see me as my features break.

Luther isn’t asking for forgiveness.

He doesn’t believe I’d give it to him.

He just wants to hug me.

I pull my hand free from his.

And his exhale sounds… defeated.

But then I step into him.

I lean against him.

And I rest my cheek over his heart.

His body hitches, then his arms gently wrap around me.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” He says the same thing he said before, only this time, his hand cups the back of my head as he holds me against him. “I need you to be okay.”

I close my eyes as I lean into him.

The anger and the pain are still there.

My dad is still there.

The situation between us is still there.

But Luther is here too.

He waited, and he came back. Because he wanted a hug.

I inhale his scent.

And I don’t know if this next part is a mistake or not, but I need the comfort just as much as he does.

“You can stay.”