[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.A scream offrustration rose up inside her, and she barely clamped it down.ýÿWhat the hell do you want? You want me to bleed andpour my heart out? I donýÿt see you eager to do that for me.ýÿýÿOne thing at a time, kitten.Talk to me.ýÿýÿFine.Here it is: I have no idea if this means anything toyou.ýÿ She gestured to the bed.ýÿEvery day, I pour my heart into mybody, hoping youýÿll get the message.I love you!ýÿAs soon as the words were out, she put her hands over hermouth, wishing she could take them back.Above her, he stiffened.His eyes narrowed.ýÿA few weeks ago, you loved Jesse McCall.ýÿýÿA few weeks ago, I was a girl who didnýÿt know thedifference.But donýÿt worry, I know you have some big, bad pastthat keeps you from really giving a shit about me.Youýÿll protectme andýÿýÿýÿI love you, too.ýÿShock pinged through her body, like pure voltage from alive wire.A thick rush of joy followed.Had she heard that right?ýÿWhat?ýÿHe sighed, smoothed her hair from her face, then leaned inand kissed her so gently, Kimber damn near wept.ýÿI love you.I wish I wasýÿbetter for you.My personal lifeand my head, theyýÿre fucked up.Sometimesýÿýÿhe paused,swallowedýÿýÿI hate sharing you.ýÿWow, that was a firstýÿand a surprising one.Kimberblinked.Then stared.Heýÿd wished Luc was absent from their bed.Secretly, sheýÿd had the same wish.She had a ton of affection forLucýÿbut it wasnýÿt love.ýÿThen donýÿt.I would love to be alone with you, just us.Please.ýÿA long sigh.Shaky.ýÿI canýÿt.This is the only way I can bewith you.ýÿBut why? Kimber bit the inside of her cheek.Maybeýÿmaybe if she tread carefully here, he would tell her hissecret.Maybe sheýÿd finally understand what was holding him backfrom simply being with her.ýÿIf you could tell me whyýÿýÿýÿIt wouldnýÿt matter.ýÿýÿMaybe youýÿre wrong.Weýÿre both accepting a situation wedonýÿt really want for a reason I donýÿt understand.Itýÿs possible thatDECADENT ýÿ Shayla Black (S.Bradley) - Berkley Heat ýÿ October 2, 2007 ýÿ ISBN0-425-21721-3 Page 160if we just talkedýÿýÿýÿItýÿs complicated, and you playing shrink isnýÿt going tochange a damn thing.Iýÿm justýÿwired this way now.ýÿ He shruggedlike it didnýÿt matter, but the anguish in his frown told her that itmattered very much.ýÿTake it or leave it.Your choice.ýÿThat was it.His way or the highway.He wasnýÿt openingup.The past would not be a topic of discussion.Deke was shutting her out.Kimber turned her back on him, rolling to her side.Sheresisted the urge to curl up in a ball and cry.High highs, followedby low lows.Deke loved her, but wouldnýÿt confide in her.Hecouldnýÿtýÿor wouldnýÿtýÿstop sharing her with his cousin.Neither moved, and she could feel him staring at her back.The moment ached.Kimber had no idea what to say.To do.The shrill ring of the phone in the background burst into thetense air between them.Still, they didnýÿt move an inch.ýÿSomeone going to get that?ýÿ Luc sounded annoyed as hepadded into the kitchen with damp feet and a towel around hiswaist.ýÿHello?ýÿHe paused, listened, nodded.As Kimber watched, the wetstrands of his inky hair clung to the strong width of his shoulders.Finally, Luc turned.Kimber sat up and looked right past Deke,over at Luc.ýÿItýÿs for you, sweetheart.Logan.ýÿNodding, she made a show of rising from the bedcompletely naked with both of them looking on.If Deke intendedto continue sharing her, then she had nothing to hide from eitherman.Theyýÿd seen it all, touched and tasted it all.Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Deke bend andretrieve her little white robe.He tossed it in her direction.With apointed glance, she let it fall to the ground.ýÿWhy bother?ýÿHis face tightened.Kimber didnýÿt feel any hollow triumph.She didnýÿt feel anything but despair as she grabbed the phone.ýÿHi, Logan.ýÿýÿHi.Good news, little sister.Dadýÿs conscious! And heýÿsperfect.ýÿAnother jolt to the system.This one the best.From low tohigh again.Something must have shown on her face because Luc wasright beside her, holding her hand.Deke wandered closer, hovered.ýÿWhen?ýÿ she asked.ýÿAbout twenty minutes ago.Theyýÿre going to run moretests on him today.But if all goes well, he could be out in a fewdays.ýÿýÿOh myýÿ Oh, wow.ýÿ She couldnýÿt hold the tears back.ýÿThatýÿs amazing! Iýÿm soýÿ God, thanks for calling me.Can I talkto him?ýÿýÿThey just took him away to do an MRI.He should be freein a few hours.Weýÿll call back then.ýÿýÿI canýÿt wait.Iýÿm so thrilledýÿýÿ She sobbed into the phone.ýÿWait, sis.No crying.Thereýÿs more.ýÿýÿMore?ýÿ God, could she take it? She felt splintered by theemotional divergence.How would she hold herself together?ýÿWeýÿre pretty sure we nailed the asshole with the bomb.ýÿýÿWhat?! You caught him?ýÿýÿYep.ýÿ Loganýÿs cheer pepped up his voice in a way sherarely heard.ýÿWeýÿd seen this asshole casing the hospital a fewtimes in the past ten days.This morning, he was sniffing aroundthe halls.He snuck into Dadýÿs room dripping weapons.Hunter wasin the corner and surprised him before he could empty his thirty-eight into Dadýÿs head.ýÿKimberýÿs heart all but stopped.ýÿOhmigod.Is he in custodynow?ýÿýÿAbsolutely.Hunter is down with the police.At themoment, heýÿs denying the bomb, but heýÿs been made
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]