sp; He leaned across me and for a second I thought he was going to kiss me in front of Hunter, but instead he wrapped his hand to the boy’s shoulder, pulling the three of us into a group hug.
“All right. You two stay put and I’ll drive.” He grinned.
I let my shoulders relax for the first time all night and let Kane take the wheel.
Fifteen
Kane
After we dropped Hunter off at the home and Julie was convinced there was no way he could escape his room she buckled into the front seat next to me.
I pulled away from the curb.
She closed her eyes and sighed. I felt her hand tangle through mine and looked down at her delicate fingers. “Thank you.”
“For what? Chauffer duty?” I laughed.
“You can drop the act. I know you care about him.” She eyed me.
I squeezed her hand in mine. “I do. I was just trying to lighten the mood. Heavy isn’t my thing.”
“You did heavy pretty well tonight.” Her eyes opened and her gaze drifted toward me.
God, we had been in the middle of a crisis. A child had been lost. But the way she looked at me now there was only one thing I could think of. I turned left at the next light instead of right.
“Wait, my apartment is the other way,” she argued.
“I know. But I think it’s time someone looks after you for a change.”
She shook her head. “I can’t. We can’t.”
“It doesn’t have to be the way it was at Catch.” I couldn’t believe I was saying the words.
“I don’t know, Kane. I’m trying to make good choices. I want to do things that are good for Hunter.”
“And you don’t think that includes me?” I couldn’t deny the slice of pain beneath my ribs. This was a fucking wakeup call.
“I didn’t say that. It’s just, you made it clear what kind of man you are. I’m not judging. I swear I’m not.”
“You don’t have to explain. I know exactly what I said to you. But things are different. Two people can’t go through what we went through and have them stay the same.”
She sighed. “I think I believe you.”
“How about something to eat? Maybe something to drink? A back rub?”
She giggled. “The Sharks quarterback gives out backrubs or do you think I’m that naïve?”
“I’m hoping you’re that naïve, baby.” I winked.
“Well, I’m not. I think you should take me home.”
Did she realize it didn’t matter where we went I’d want the same thing? I had to kiss her. To touch her. To soothe the hurt from the night away from her. I wanted to be the kind of man that could that for her and I don’t know when in the hell something like that mattered to me.
“After tonight you still don’t trust me?” I questioned.
“You’re not the one I don’t trust,” she whispered.
Fuck. My cock hardened at the words. She wanted me. She wanted the same thing. But I had to prove I could be the kind of man who wasn’t a sex addict. I could respect her. I could take her home and take care of her. It wasn’t about sex. It was about her.