Release: New Adult Sport Romance (Fire and Ice) by Violet Vaughn Page B
Authors: Violet Vaughn
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knife block and hold it in front of me. Tensed, I’m ready. And then I realize what I’ve done. The knife trembles in my hand as I back into the corner and sink to the floor.
Kaleb is frozen with shock. Eggs are on the floor between us. The acrid odor of melting plastic is in the air as vinyl stick-on tiles melt under the pan. His eyes are wide with a hint of fear. He whispers, “Lori?”
I slowly put the knife down on the floor. I can’t speak. My hands quiver, and I stare at them. Oh God, what have I done?
A calm voice breaks through. “Babe. It’s okay.”
I look over at him. Why can’t I stop shaking?
“I’m sorry. It hurt. I…” He shakes his head and his brow furrows. His voice is a whisper. “I would never hurt you.” He gets down on the floor slowly, as if I’m a scared kitten. “Can I come closer?”
I nod my head, and he inches toward me. “Tell me if you need me to stop.” Egg sticks to his knee. I hold up my hand, and he stops. He sits up and says, “I’m right here. You come to me when you’re ready.”
I burst into tears and scramble over to him. He takes me in his arms and holds me like a fragile thing. I hang on to him like a woman drowning and let myself sob. He strokes my hair without a word.
When I’m done, Kaleb takes my hand and turns it over to reveal the burn. My palm is red with a big blister. It should hurt, but I’m too numb to notice. He talks to me like I’m a child. “C’mon, honey, let’s put that under water.” With a soft grip, he stands and pulls me up. He limps as he walks me over to the sink and turns on the faucet. I put my hand under it and look down at his toe.
“Do you think I broke it?” I peer up into his eyes.
“No. It’s fine.”
I suspect he’s lying. I watch him clean up the mess as I stand at the counter helplessly. Kaleb puts the pan on the stove and turns off the water. He moves slowly and doesn’t touch me. How does he know?
“Would you like me to get first-aid supplies from the bathroom for you?”
I shake my head and say, “You know, don’t you?”
“I don’t. I can guess. But I can never really know, can I?” Concern clouds his face, and the urge to cry grows in me.
No, you can’t. Not unless you’ve lived with the threat of wondering when someone will kill you. “I’ll go bandage this hand and get dressed for work. Sorry about the eggs. Help yourself to anything you want.” I escape to the bathroom.
* * *
The ride to the mountain takes forever. Kaleb offers to drive me, and I accept. If only to be near him a little longer before he decides I’m too damaged. I’m on the verge of tears, and know I’ve screwed up the best thing that has ever happened to me. He talks on and on about nothing to make me feel better.
I look over at him and force a smile. “Hey, I know you have to work tonight. I can get Casey to give me a ride home so you have time to go back to your place before going to The Bike Shop.”
“You sure? I don’t mind.”
“I’m sure.” Because by the end of today when you realize what just happened, you’ll be ready to run far away from me. I look out the window at the snow-covered world. Ski trails wind down Breckenridge like tinsel as we head up the access road to Peak 8.
We pull into the parking lot, and Kaleb parks his Subaru. It’s a beautiful blue-sky day, but I don’t feel it. He turns to me and reaches for my hands. I let him take them. “Are you all right?” he asks.
No, I’m not. I’ll never be all right. “Yes. I’m fine. Look at it outside. It should be a great day.” I put on a big smile, and he buys it.
He takes my face in his hands and kisses me on the top of the head. “You’ll always be safe with me. I would never let anyone hurt you, Lori.”
If only I could believe that. I want to. I reach up for Kaleb and kiss him with desperation. He thinks it’s passion, and I let him. For me, it’s so much more. It’s hanging on to the hope I can be happy for a little
Kaleb is frozen with shock. Eggs are on the floor between us. The acrid odor of melting plastic is in the air as vinyl stick-on tiles melt under the pan. His eyes are wide with a hint of fear. He whispers, “Lori?”
I slowly put the knife down on the floor. I can’t speak. My hands quiver, and I stare at them. Oh God, what have I done?
A calm voice breaks through. “Babe. It’s okay.”
I look over at him. Why can’t I stop shaking?
“I’m sorry. It hurt. I…” He shakes his head and his brow furrows. His voice is a whisper. “I would never hurt you.” He gets down on the floor slowly, as if I’m a scared kitten. “Can I come closer?”
I nod my head, and he inches toward me. “Tell me if you need me to stop.” Egg sticks to his knee. I hold up my hand, and he stops. He sits up and says, “I’m right here. You come to me when you’re ready.”
I burst into tears and scramble over to him. He takes me in his arms and holds me like a fragile thing. I hang on to him like a woman drowning and let myself sob. He strokes my hair without a word.
When I’m done, Kaleb takes my hand and turns it over to reveal the burn. My palm is red with a big blister. It should hurt, but I’m too numb to notice. He talks to me like I’m a child. “C’mon, honey, let’s put that under water.” With a soft grip, he stands and pulls me up. He limps as he walks me over to the sink and turns on the faucet. I put my hand under it and look down at his toe.
“Do you think I broke it?” I peer up into his eyes.
“No. It’s fine.”
I suspect he’s lying. I watch him clean up the mess as I stand at the counter helplessly. Kaleb puts the pan on the stove and turns off the water. He moves slowly and doesn’t touch me. How does he know?
“Would you like me to get first-aid supplies from the bathroom for you?”
I shake my head and say, “You know, don’t you?”
“I don’t. I can guess. But I can never really know, can I?” Concern clouds his face, and the urge to cry grows in me.
No, you can’t. Not unless you’ve lived with the threat of wondering when someone will kill you. “I’ll go bandage this hand and get dressed for work. Sorry about the eggs. Help yourself to anything you want.” I escape to the bathroom.
* * *
The ride to the mountain takes forever. Kaleb offers to drive me, and I accept. If only to be near him a little longer before he decides I’m too damaged. I’m on the verge of tears, and know I’ve screwed up the best thing that has ever happened to me. He talks on and on about nothing to make me feel better.
I look over at him and force a smile. “Hey, I know you have to work tonight. I can get Casey to give me a ride home so you have time to go back to your place before going to The Bike Shop.”
“You sure? I don’t mind.”
“I’m sure.” Because by the end of today when you realize what just happened, you’ll be ready to run far away from me. I look out the window at the snow-covered world. Ski trails wind down Breckenridge like tinsel as we head up the access road to Peak 8.
We pull into the parking lot, and Kaleb parks his Subaru. It’s a beautiful blue-sky day, but I don’t feel it. He turns to me and reaches for my hands. I let him take them. “Are you all right?” he asks.
No, I’m not. I’ll never be all right. “Yes. I’m fine. Look at it outside. It should be a great day.” I put on a big smile, and he buys it.
He takes my face in his hands and kisses me on the top of the head. “You’ll always be safe with me. I would never let anyone hurt you, Lori.”
If only I could believe that. I want to. I reach up for Kaleb and kiss him with desperation. He thinks it’s passion, and I let him. For me, it’s so much more. It’s hanging on to the hope I can be happy for a little
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