“You were gone,” he said simply. His voice was rough, and she knew it was hard for him to speak. “I came back and you were gone.”
Grace felt bad. She did. But he had to know the reasons. He had to know why she’d left.
She got to her knees and pulled him closer. So close that she could count the thick lashes that framed his beautiful eyes.
“Look at me, Matt.”
He took a second or two, but he looked her in the eye and made no effort to hide his pain.
“I was hurt. You shut me out this morning. You shut me out after one of the most incredible nights I’ve ever spent with someone. You just…” She had to push away the lump in her throat. “It felt like I meant nothing to you. That what we shared was nothing.”
He shook his head and opened his mouth, but Grace pressed her fingers to his lips. “Let me, okay? That woman. That Delilah. She means something to you. And I don’t expect you to reveal all your deep dark secrets to me. Not yet. Not when we’re just trying to figure things out.” She had to stop. Had to gather her thoughts so that when they spilled out of her mouth they’d make sense.
“You said you wanted us to know each other. You said that we’d try, but Matt, you’re not trying. You’re not and I…I don’t want to feel like I’m in this alone. I want to know you. I want to know why you’re so hurt. And I want you to know me. Maybe if…” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Maybe if we’re lucky or if it’s meant to be, we’ll get past all this stuff and we can figure out the future together.”
Oh. God. Had she said too much? Given too much away?
He didn’t flinch at her words or look away. In fact he moved closer until only a breath separated them.
“There’s a lot of shit, Grace. A hell of a lot of stuff that you don’t know.”
“I don’t care.”
“You should.” His voice was full of pain and she shook her head viciously—so much so that pain fell across her in waves and she winced.
“Don’t push me away, Matt. Let me in.” His mouth was so close—too close—and she swept a small kiss across his lips, holding him close with her hands. “Don’t you want to let me in?”
He nodded—didn’t speak—but that was enough for Grace. She groaned and claimed his mouth once more. This time kissing him with all the passion and want and need that pulsed in her body. She kissed him until she had to stop because she couldn’t breathe—because she felt as if she was coming apart.
He gazed into her eyes and she wondered if he saw what it was that made her chest so tight she could barely speak. She wondered if he knew how much she loved him. If he knew that the unspoken words were alive inside her, waiting for the right moment. Waiting for her to not be afraid.
“Come on,” she whispered. “Let’s go.”
Matt got to his feet. She grabbed a fresh cloth from a pile on the counter and ran it under warm water. Then she carefully cleaned the blood from his hands. First one and then the other. His fists looked brutal and her bottom lip quivered.
“I’m good,” Matt said. He grabbed her chin and forced her to look up at him. “You’re back, so I’m good.”
“Okay.”
He slipped his hand into hers and without grabbing his coat or anything else, the two of them walked back to the house. Grace let Rosie out while Matt grabbed her bag and headed upstairs to shower. It wasn’t particularly late, but she was exhausted and once she had Rosie settled, Grace joined him.
She walked into the shower and let the hot water wash over her as she pressed her cheek against his chest.
“Thank you,” Matt said quietly.
She looked up at him. “For what?”
“For being here.” He held her tightly, his hard body trembling under the water.
There was no big confession. No big reveal. Grace still had no idea who Delilah was. Still had no idea what the demons were that he faced, or rather the demons that he’d left behind. But as the hot water washed over the two of them, she was content to bathe in the tenuous connection that they did have. There was truth in that connection. She felt it. She knew it was worth something.
And for now that was enough.
24
The plan was to head up north by noon. Matt checked his watch. They were going to be late.
“It’s not Matthew’s fault.” Dory slipped out of her boots, a pained expression on her face as she attempted a smile. “Only my sister would find a way to ruin a day that isn’t even half over.”