could help.” Lina stopped walking to give him such a look of utter disbelief that he felt the need to add, “Because you know, it’s not going to be easy to reach back there.”
* * *
“I ’m sure I can find someone to help me if the need arises.”
Kyle’s eyes literally glowed with suppressed... something, and Lina took some pleasure in that. The only person she would allow to rub salve on her back was Amy, with whom she was crashing these days. Her call two weeks earlier had led to meeting for coffee, which led to Lina pouring out her heart and telling her everything. A few hours later, she’d packed a bag and had been working and staying at the book store ever since.
But Kyle probably didn’t know that.
“The fuck you will.” His voice was a low warning, almost a growl. It sent a shiver of desire from the back of her neck straight down to the aching spot between her legs, and that pissed her off. She was already angry with her body for its betrayal, firing to life the instant he’d walked into Tiny’s. Thank God for the pain of the needle; it had kept her mind focused. She didn’t want to be attracted to him anymore. She didn’t want to feel like he was the missing part of her soul. The last two weeks had been hard enough.
“Something you want to say to me, Kyle? Did you forget some other totally insulting thing you feel the need to share? Or can you just call me a lying whore now and be done with it?”
He winced. “I never meant it that way, Lina.”
He actually managed to sound sincere when he said it. Calling upon her inner strength, Lina ignored him and crossed the street. Kyle followed. “Please, Lina. Let me do this for you. Please .”
Lina knew she had to be out of her mind, because she was actually considering it. Despite what he’d said that night at the lake, the thought of him running his hands over any part of her body was an offer she just could not pass up. If it was anyone else she would have grabbed the nearest piece of jagged rock or glass and shoved it right up his arrogant ass. But this was Kyle . And like it or not, she was hopelessly in love with him. If he was here, if he was offering, there was still a chance, right?
Damn , she hated her own weakness.
“Okay.”
“Okay?” Kyle seemed genuinely surprised.
“Yes. I – I would like some help. Can I come over to your place?”
“My place?”
“Yeah.”
She could practically see the wheels turning in his head, trying to reason out her request. Yeah, it had been bold to invite herself over like that, but getting him alone in his own environment might be the only chance she had. He cared for her; he wouldn’t be here, otherwise. She just needed to make him see that, too.
“Johnny doesn’t know, does he?” he finally said.
Lina didn’t answer, willing to let Kyle believe that was the reason she’d suggested his place. It wasn’t completely a lie. Johnny really didn’t know about the tattoos. Apparently every other man in town did, though, given the gawkers who’d started hanging out at Tiny’s. It was only a matter of time. Nobody wanted to be the one to run to her brother and enlighten him; it was a clear case of the messenger not wanting to be shot. No, forget shot. Johnny would rip out the messenger’s still-beating heart right from his chest and feed it to him before he died.
“All right. Want me to pick you up?”
“No. I’m having dinner with my friend Amy tonight. She lives fairly close to you, I’ll just walk.” She wasn’t about to tell him that he was the reason she’d needed to seek out sanctuary at Amy’s; he already had far too much power over her. Besides, it had been a smart decision. Amy needed the help and Lina liked working in the bookstore a lot better than the library.
He nodded, accepting that. Or maybe he realized she wasn’t going to say any more. “Text me when you’re ready to leave, and I’ll come walk you from Amy’s.”
Lina looked at him like he’d grown
* * *
“I ’m sure I can find someone to help me if the need arises.”
Kyle’s eyes literally glowed with suppressed... something, and Lina took some pleasure in that. The only person she would allow to rub salve on her back was Amy, with whom she was crashing these days. Her call two weeks earlier had led to meeting for coffee, which led to Lina pouring out her heart and telling her everything. A few hours later, she’d packed a bag and had been working and staying at the book store ever since.
But Kyle probably didn’t know that.
“The fuck you will.” His voice was a low warning, almost a growl. It sent a shiver of desire from the back of her neck straight down to the aching spot between her legs, and that pissed her off. She was already angry with her body for its betrayal, firing to life the instant he’d walked into Tiny’s. Thank God for the pain of the needle; it had kept her mind focused. She didn’t want to be attracted to him anymore. She didn’t want to feel like he was the missing part of her soul. The last two weeks had been hard enough.
“Something you want to say to me, Kyle? Did you forget some other totally insulting thing you feel the need to share? Or can you just call me a lying whore now and be done with it?”
He winced. “I never meant it that way, Lina.”
He actually managed to sound sincere when he said it. Calling upon her inner strength, Lina ignored him and crossed the street. Kyle followed. “Please, Lina. Let me do this for you. Please .”
Lina knew she had to be out of her mind, because she was actually considering it. Despite what he’d said that night at the lake, the thought of him running his hands over any part of her body was an offer she just could not pass up. If it was anyone else she would have grabbed the nearest piece of jagged rock or glass and shoved it right up his arrogant ass. But this was Kyle . And like it or not, she was hopelessly in love with him. If he was here, if he was offering, there was still a chance, right?
Damn , she hated her own weakness.
“Okay.”
“Okay?” Kyle seemed genuinely surprised.
“Yes. I – I would like some help. Can I come over to your place?”
“My place?”
“Yeah.”
She could practically see the wheels turning in his head, trying to reason out her request. Yeah, it had been bold to invite herself over like that, but getting him alone in his own environment might be the only chance she had. He cared for her; he wouldn’t be here, otherwise. She just needed to make him see that, too.
“Johnny doesn’t know, does he?” he finally said.
Lina didn’t answer, willing to let Kyle believe that was the reason she’d suggested his place. It wasn’t completely a lie. Johnny really didn’t know about the tattoos. Apparently every other man in town did, though, given the gawkers who’d started hanging out at Tiny’s. It was only a matter of time. Nobody wanted to be the one to run to her brother and enlighten him; it was a clear case of the messenger not wanting to be shot. No, forget shot. Johnny would rip out the messenger’s still-beating heart right from his chest and feed it to him before he died.
“All right. Want me to pick you up?”
“No. I’m having dinner with my friend Amy tonight. She lives fairly close to you, I’ll just walk.” She wasn’t about to tell him that he was the reason she’d needed to seek out sanctuary at Amy’s; he already had far too much power over her. Besides, it had been a smart decision. Amy needed the help and Lina liked working in the bookstore a lot better than the library.
He nodded, accepting that. Or maybe he realized she wasn’t going to say any more. “Text me when you’re ready to leave, and I’ll come walk you from Amy’s.”
Lina looked at him like he’d grown
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