Page 212 of Mountain Daddy

I hold her tighter as the rope of despair loosens from around my neck.

If she’s letting me stay. If shewantsme to stay…

Maybe there’s hope that I haven’t broken everything.

Maybe I’m not too late.

I want to tell her I love her. Want to tell her I’ve loved her this whole time.

Beg her to believe me.

But that’s just it. I need her to believe me when I say it.

And I don’t think she would right now.

I poisoned the trust she had in me, and I need to earn it back.

So instead of telling her how much I love her, I press my lips to the top of her head.

Chapter 130

Kendra

I holdmy breath as Luther kisses my hair.

It’s moments like this… actions like this… that made me fall for him in the first place.

Luther straightens, and his hold on me loosens.

I step back, clearing my throat. “Just sleep. But you can… get comfortable.”

Even with my eyes adjusted to the dark, I still can’t make out his expression, but I see that he doesn’t move.

I sigh. “You don’t have to sleep in your jeans, Luther.”

When I take another step back, Luther lifts his hands to the front of his shirt.

I wait as he shrugs off his flannel and drops his jeans to the floor.

Then his hand finds mine, and he walks with me to my bed.

He climbs on first, lying where he’s lain before. And when he stretches his arm out, I crawl into the opening.

Luther pulls the blankets up to my chin, then wraps his arm around my back, holding me against him.

With my front flush with his side and my head on his chest, I breathe him in.

I listen to his heart as it beats beneath his ribs.

And I relax.

Then, with the man I dream about holding me tight, I finally find sleep.

Chapter 131

Luther

Kendra’s bodygoes soft against mine as sleep pulls her under.