Almost Midnight (Shadow Falls: After Dark #3.5)(74)

Did this wanting mean she forgave him? Yes. A little. Maybe. Oh, hell, she wasn’t even sure.

“I’m coming home in a couple of weeks.” His words came so low and so close to her lips, she could almost taste him.

And she wanted to taste him. She’d missed his kisses, his warm mouth, his tongue against hers. His hands touching her in intimate places. Her knees felt weak. And she wanted more. She wanted him.

So attentive to his mouth, and the desires running through her, it took her a second to hear the words he’d said.

Her breath caught. “You are? You’re coming home?”

He nodded. And each slight shift of his head brought his lips to her cheek. The nearness made her dizzy.

Recalling why he’d come here, why he broke up with her, she cut her eyes up at him. “So did they help you?”

“Have I turned into a lion and mauled the guy in the next room yet?” A touch of mirth sparked in his eyes.

“No,” she said and while she got his humor she realized the old Perry might have done just that. He had a hard time dealing with emotions.

“Do you know how much I want to maul him?” he asked.

“Probably as much as I wanted to kick your butt for breaking up with me.” She got a little more resolve then. As badly as she wanted to wrap her arms around him and tell him everything was okay, she didn’t.

It wasn’t okay. You couldn’t hurt someone like that and just expect them to forgive you. Well, not immediately. Time. Maybe in time.

“Do you still love me?” he asked. The side of his face pressed against her temple.

She considered how to answer that. “I do.” She couldn’t lie. “But I’m still hurt. And all that hurt is mixed up with the love and I’m confused.”

“Then I guess I have some making up to do when I get back.”

She nodded and let herself feel his closeness. It felt wonderful. Too wonderful. And she felt too weak to fight it off. “You should probably … I’m tired. And tomorrow I have to…”

“I’m going to be there tomorrow at your competition.”

“Tomorrow is just the practice. The real competition is on Wednesday. But it’s not open to the public.”

“Then I’ll sneak in,” he said.

Being a shape-shifter, he could do that.

“I’ll be there,” he said.

All of a sudden she wasn’t sure if she was ready for him to leave. She swallowed. “I’ll call tomorrow and see if I can have them put your name on the list. You won’t have to sneak in.”

“Good,” he said and his body brushed a little nearer. So close her breasts came against his wide chest. “Can I kiss you?” he whispered. “Just one. One little kiss.”

Air left her lips. The exhale sounded like a sigh.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” He smiled and then that smile and those wonderful lips met hers.

She wasn’t even sure who ended the kiss. If it was her, or him. Probably her, because the magic of it had started to fade and the hurt that he’d caused slowly rose to the surface.

He reached up and put a palm on each of her cheeks. His forehead lowered ever so slightly and he studied her eyes.

“I’m so sorry I hurt you,” he said. “And I know you don’t believe me, but I did it because I do care. And I’m going to do everything in my power to fix this.”

She inhaled and words slipped out before she could stop them. “I’m not sure you can fix this.”

“Watch me,” he said with determination.

She didn’t say anything. Part of her wanted to believe him. Okay, most of her wanted to believe him. But the hurt from her heart, and not just the Perry hurt, but Daddy hurt, swelled up inside her.

“What else is wrong?” he asked, his gaze soft, caring, and all-knowing.

She swallowed, felt the knot in her throat, and didn’t think she could talk. He always did that. It was as if he could read her by looking into her eyes.

“Are you worried about the case? I’m not going to let anyone hurt you, if that’s what it is.” He used his thumb to brush a tear from beneath her lashes. “Della told me all about the threat. I’m sure Burnett is all over it, and now I am, too.”

She shook her head. “It’s not just that.”

“What else?”

“Do you remember Tabitha, the girl—”

“The one you went to preschool with and caught spying on you at Shadow Falls?”

Miranda nodded, a swell of emotion tightening her chest when she realized he remembered. How many guys remembered the little details of their girlfriend’s life?

“She’s my half-sister.”

“Damn,” Perry said. “So your dad had an affair with her mom when your mother was pregnant?”

Miranda had to swallow before she could tell him the truth. Or at least, the truth Tabitha had told her. “She’s older.” She took a step back and swiped at a few tears lingering on her cheek. “She says that her mom and my dad were married. That my mom is … the one who had the affair.”

“Oh.” He frowned. “Have you asked your parents?”

“I called my dad, but he didn’t answer, and I didn’t leave a message. I didn’t know how to ask him.” She swallowed another painful lump down her throat. “My mom is on her way here.”