Say It's Forever (Redemption Hills #2)(47)

The edges of that seductive mouth quivered, and she hugged her arms across her chest like she could block this out. “And we already established it doesn’t change things, though, does it?”

“Doesn’t it?”

Attraction blurred the lines.

Whipped and lashed and curled, rising around us like a dark, dark storm.

Her tongue darted out to wet her lips. “My daughter is and will always be my first priority, Jud. It’s clear you have a problem with that.”

Agony staked through my chest. Yeah, it’d hurt like a motherfucker when I’d first seen that precious thing come flying out the door. When my mind had gone there, taunting me with that penalty I could never fully pay.

But I thought the wall that had gone up between me and Salem might have hurt worse.

I forced the brittle words from my tongue. “I was just surprised.”

Her face pinched. “And you are a liar.”

Nerves rocked me back, and I rushed an agitated hand through my hair, blinking toward the ground like it would hold an answer.

A reason.

“I’ve got shit, Salem. Dark, ugly shit.”

The fuck did I think I was doing? But the confession had slipped out before I could think better of it. A proclamation I shouldn’t offer.

But there it was, hovering in the deep, summer night.

Bare and raw.

Salem’s jaw clenched against it, that scar dancing on her gorgeous face. “Isn’t that true of us all?”

My throat tightened, the words gravel, “Not like mine.”

Guilt clutched and clawed, and still, I stood there, a criminal looking for vindication.

“I don’t know what you want from me,” she finally said.

Girl so stunning. A mystery. Perfection.

“Want to paint you.” It came out on the urging of my fingers.

I’d officially lost it.

Her brow curled, and her voice turned to an accusation. “You want to paint me?”

“Think you’re the beauty I’m always trying to capture.”

That stormy gaze flashed through a million things. Adding up. Like she was back to standing soaking wet in my living room, and she was asking about those paintings.

I’d shut it down then, unable to answer the questions she’d wanted to ask.

But tonight, I didn’t know how to stop from inviting her in.

“Jud…”

“Come home with me, Salem.”

Reservations sent her skating a step back.

“As friends,” I clarified.

Salem all but rolled her eyes. “Seriously?”

“Just…wanna be with you. Don’t want to take you home yet.” I eased forward, and my voice lowered the closer I got. “Hated the last three days, Salem. Fuckin’ hated the way you looked at me. Hated that I hurt you. Hated that things were tense between us. Just fuckin’ hated it.”

My fingertips brushed her chin.

“Jud…”

“Please.”

Thunderbolt eyes struck me hard. “My heart can’t take falling in love with you, Jud.”

“Who said anything about love, darlin’?” A hint of a smile twitched the corner of my mouth, soft and real and wishing all of it could be different, and Salem smiled, too.

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Tell me somethin’ I don’t know.”

She blinked up at me, and those tender fingertips found the thrumming at my chest. “That I like you…too much.”

My hand covered hers, pressing it close to my chest. “Think I like you too much, too.”

Her smile turned somber. “We’re a mess, Jud.”

“Yeah, a beautiful fucking mess, and I wanna show you what that looks like to me.”

Her attention turned to the empty street where her adorable daughter had gone. This little girl who’d stolen a chunk from my soul. Her eyes the color of her mom’s and her spirit the drumming of faith.

“She’ll be fine with Trent and Eden,” I promised. “My brother might look like an asshole, but he’s got the best heart there is. Dude would take a bullet to protect the innocent, and I promise you, your daughter is included in that.”

Meant that literally.

She set that gaze back on me. “I don’t trust easily.”

I squeezed her hand in mine, brought her knuckles to my lips.

Tried to ignore the flames and the fire.

Tried to calm the roaring of possession that went sailing through.

The protectiveness that surged at the memory of her fear.

This girl was in trouble.

I knew it. Knew it to my soul.

And I was the fool who wanted to wrap her up and guard her from whatever that was.

“You might not be able to trust me, baby, but you can trust them.”

Her voice was wry when she said, “Charmer. And you want me to go home with you?”

“Just sayin’ it straight.”

She hesitated. “I think what I’m afraid of is I might not be able to trust myself. There’s something special about you, Jud.”

My chest fisted. “Nah, baby, think it’s the other way around.”

For a second, we stood there gazing at each other while the world spun on around us. People filtered in and out of the restaurant, cars zipped by on the street, and the heavens twinkled with the lush expanse of stars.