Drawn Deep (Afternoon Delight 2)

“Give her some space and go after her once you’ve both had time to cool off.”

“Shouldn’t I let her come back to me when she’s ready?”

Brad chuckled. “Good luck there. Kim doesn’t come back for anyone. She’s as stubborn as a goat and as ornery as a boar when she’s mad. She’d wait out God himself.”

“Herself,” Sara corrected in the background.

Michael had to grin. “Yeah, well, I’m stubborn too. Maybe she just hasn’t met her match yet.” Or doesn’t realize she has.

“Like I said, good luck. And keep me posted. Text next time, though. I might be otherwise…engaged.”

“Thanks. You and Sara enjoy your honeymoon.”

“We will.” Furious whispering erupted on Brad’s end of the line. “Hey man, wait. We have a surprise for Kim. Maybe you should tell her. If you guys get back together, that is.”

“What surprise?” Michael asked warily.

“It involves Telly. Our new apartment in Laramie is pet-free.”

Michael smiled. At least one good thing had happened tonight. Telly would be sticking around.

A few minutes later, he clicked off the call and took one last glance out the window at the dark, silent street.

God, where was she? Was she okay? If she hadn’t shown up by morning, he was going out to look. She could be hurt somewhere. He refused to take that chance.

Not with her.

At the sound of the door opening and closing, he turned around. And stared at Kim.

Wet, bedraggled, absolutely beautiful Kim.

“It rained,” she said with a sniffle, rubbing the sleeve of her gown over her ruddy, mascara-smeared cheek. “Turns out I don’t melt but sometimes I run.”

Her lame attempt at a joke only made him frown harder as he moved forward to wrap her in the blanket he grabbed from the sofa. “You’re freezing. Let’s get you out of those damp clothes.”

Instead of arguing or firing back a snappy comeback, she just leaned against him. “You’re still here. Why did I know you would be?”

His hands stilled with the blanket halfway around her. “Because you correctly pegged me as a sucker?”

“No. You take care. That’s just what you do. I don’t want you to get stuck taking care of me. You deserve more than that.” She shook her head, her gaze drifting to the blanket resting on her shivering shoulders. “It’s happening already.”

“Taking care of someone you care about—and who cares about you in return—isn’t a chore. It’s a gift. And who’s to say you don’t take care of me too? That’s what a relationship is supposed to be. Give and take.”

“Yeah. I’m getting to that.” Her sigh stirred her wet hanks of hair. “I drove around and guess where I ended up? Your house,” she said before he could guess. “I saw the sign.”

“Yes.” He tucked her blanket closer to her throat. “If you’re going to say I should’ve told you—”

“No. If you’d told me before, I would’ve run faster. Part of taking care is knowing how to deliver the truth in the best way for the other person. Not necessarily for you. I’m sure you wanted to tell me right away.”

He shifted his feet, more than a little surprised she’d guessed that. “Yes. I did.”

“But you waited, for me. Because you knew that instead of being proud of you for taking a big step, I’d make it all about me and shove you away.” She cupped his hand, squeezing lightly. “Smart cookie.”

“It would’ve been a natural reaction. I kept dropping hints about moving in here…”

“Hints I’ve been wanting to take you up on.” She met his gaze squarely. Not shying away in the slightest.