Love Always, Kate (12 page)

My nipples had never been so hard.
I was sure they were poking through my bra. The word was on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t get it out. I nodded against his throat.

His lips pressed against my face, my neck, my lips. When I shuddered, he held me tighter. He hesitated then, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. I kissed his
eyelids and they opened, conflict brewing in his azure irises, and I didn’t know why.

“Damian?”

With a small shake of his head, the clouds parted. “Shhh. It’s okay.”

He rose up a little and gently pushed me onto my back. His stare focused on me for a few seconds, waiting. I extended my hand and brushed my fingers down his cheek. He kissed them as they passed over his lips.

His eyes undressed me first, then he moved down on his knees, straddling my legs. I swallowed, both anticipating and dreading what was coming next. Every inch of me wanted to be against him, yet there was something almost embarrassing about letting him see me naked. Already, I felt exposed.

The ache for him won out.

Damian slid the dress down over my hips. I watched as his eyes danced over my body. The corner of his mouth curved up, and he leaned down, pressing his lips over my stomach. He moved to the side and sat up long enough to drop my dress on the floor.

Starting at my feet, he
worked his hands over my legs and my outer thighs, then circled back up. At my knees, he looked up. My mouth went dry. He held my gaze for a few seconds, breathing deeply, before he dropped his eyes again. Gently, he separated my legs. My breath caught. I couldn’t decide whether to close my eyes or watch him.

Ever so slowly, he ran his fingers up my inner thighs. The feeling was new and exciting. I reached my arms over my head and gripped the pillows in my fists. Whatever noises I let out made Damian smirk. When he reached
the elastic between my legs, I tilted my head back. He moved his hands up over my hips, grabbing hold of my underwear at my hips.

Damian leaned down, kissing me right above the band. I gasped again. His tongue rolled from one hip to the other, then began to delve lower. I squirmed under him, unable to hold still any longer. He chuckled.

He kissed me on top of the cotton panties I now wished were silk. Lower and lower until I held my breath, and my eyes rolled back.

“Mmm
,” Damian hummed.

I let out the breath in a soft squeal.

His mouth began to climb up and over my stomach. When his lips reached the bottom of my bra, he glanced up. He tilted his head to the side in question. I nodded, and his smile grew wider.

He dipped his hands under me, and I arched my back. His lips pressed between my breasts as the hooks loosened behind me.

Again, he paused before he unclasped it completely, this time longer than before. I watched as the muscles in his chest tightened. Was he holding his breath? When he opened his eyes, they met mine. He pursed his lips together and glared at the candles on the nightstand.

His struggle was starting to scare me. I scanned the floor for what I’d seen last time, but all I saw were the pieces of clothing that used to be on our bodies. No matter his reasons, I didn’t think I could go through with it if Damian was so unsure.

“Damian?” My voice cracked.

His attention shot back to me. “
Kate—I’m sorry. I…I can’t do this.”

He slipped his arms out from under me and rolled off the bed. My arms automatically covered my chest. Facing away from me, he tilted his head up to the ceiling. His fists loosened
, and he ran his fingers through his hair, clutching handfuls of it at the top.

I watched his back as he walked to his dresser and yanked out a t-shirt. Expressionless, he tossed it to me
, barely seeing me. His blue eyes seemed duller; the fire had burned out.

“You can put that on.”

I stared at him, my lower lip trembling. With his shirt in my hand, I drew it to my chin and clenched it too tight. I fought the tears back; I couldn’t let him see me cry. I’d allowed myself to let go in front of him, and he’d…

“I’m sorry,” he
said again.

The muscles in his jaw
tightened as he made his way to his private bathroom. He slammed the door, and I heard the shower.

I sat up and re-hooked my bra. Holding the t-shirt to my nose, I breathed in Damian’s aroma.
Alone, I allowed the drops to pour down my cheeks and onto the cotton in my hands.

Moments later, I jumped at the sound of Damian swearing and something smashing the bathroom mirror.

Chapter 13

I didn’t know if I should run to him, stay where I was, or creep downstairs and curl up on one of the sofas. My
gaze stayed glued to the closed door. Other than the running water from the shower, no noise crept into the bedroom.

I slipped off the bed and gathered up my dress. Clutching it for a moment against my chest, I ended up draping it over a black chair. Out of the corner of my
eye, I noticed a notebook on the dresser. I glanced up at the closed door, paused, then grabbed the notebook and a pen and hopped back in bed, sliding the blankets over my bare legs.

Since I didn’t have my actual diary with me and I desperately needed the escape, I figured I’d jot down my thoughts on paper and transfer it later. My mind couldn’t wait until I got home to get everything out.

December 18

Dear Diary,

I
couldn’t imagine a better Christmas date. Well, before it began.

The night started like a dream. When he walked toward me singing, I
could barely wait until he finished to throw my arms around his neck. He looked so gorgeous with the top button of his shirt undone. I’ve never seen his eyes so bright. I wanted to drink him in.

At dinner
we danced, my head resting on his shoulder; I didn’t want to let him go. I could have stayed there forever. I loved how he smelled, how he held me, how his lips pressed against my scalp. Why did it have to end?

I don’t understand.
I was ready, and he was…

I forced the tears back and stole a peek at the bathroom door. The shower was still running.

My stomach had an unfamiliar ache.
Sobs began to sneak out, and I lost control. Not wanting Damian to hear, I hugged a pillow to my chest and cried into it.

I took a few deep breaths and
lifted my head.

What stopped him? I thought I was doing everything he wanted. He said…

I scanned the bed. A lump formed in my throat as I envisioned our bodies tangled over the sheets. I closed my eyes, allowing the hurt to fill me. It burned, searing holes in my stomach. Chemo never made me feel this bad.

I gripped the pen again.

I opened up, and he rejected me. I thought that maybe, after tonight, after everything…that he might love me
too.

The lacy bra invaded my mind again. Nothing made sense. I couldn’t justify the bra on the floor with what happened tonight and still believe that he cared about me. But what I’d seen in his eyes couldn’t be faked.

He didn’t want me.

I didn’t want to think about it anymore; it hurt too much. Numbing the pain would be easier. How did Damian take care of his? Oh, yeah—empty bottles sat on his nightstand.

I threw the blanket off and knelt to peer under his bed: shoes, clothes, books, junk. The thought crossed my mind to dig it all out. I’d probably find some
girl’s underwear I could throw in his face.

I
searched the nightstands and came up with empty beer cans. In the far corner of his closet, I found empty bottles of Templeton Rye and Jim Bean.

He had to keep full bottles somewhere in his room. Where were they?

My body shivered. Frustrated, I sunk to the floor beside Damian’s bed. Even if I’d found a full bottle, I probably couldn’t have done it anyway.

Or maybe
I could have.

I don’t know.

Curling my legs to my chest, I rested my head on the pillow, avoiding the sight of the bathroom door. The shower stopped, and a minute later the door opened. I didn’t glance up.

His footsteps drew closer. Was he surprised to still see me there? Disappointed? Never mind, I didn’t want know.

When I didn’t acknowledge him, he walked to the other side of the bed. I heard a drawer open, some shuffling, then it closed. He tossed a towel on the bed. My heart pounded as I heard him come back around and then sit next to me on the floor. He wore only a pair of pj pants. Without hesitating, he wrapped his arm around me and hugged me next to him.

He kissed the top of my head. “I’m so sorry,
Katie.”

Conflicting voices shouted in my head.
Don’t call me Katie! Just hold me and kiss me and show me you care.

“Come on,” he
said, standing. “I’ll show you the guest room.”

He offered his hand, but I didn’t take it. I didn’t want to touch his skin and have to deal with the consequences. By the
look on his face, my gesture stung. Good.

I followed him down the
hall, staring at the floor and walls; anywhere but his glistening wet body in front of me. Every time I caught sight of his naked back, the pit of my stomach tightened and fresh tears began to sting my eyes.

The guest room was at the far end of the hall, six doors down from Damian’s. Good, I’d be that much farther away. I swept past him and climbed into the king size bed, which was decorated in ocean blue—the color of Damian’s
eyes. The darkness would soon blot out the reminder.

I rolled away from Damian. I couldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing how much he’d hurt me. He was still in the room. My fingers gripped the soft blue comforter, and I tucked it up around my neck. I curled myself into a ball with my
eyes squeezed shut, listening for him to leave.

Instead, the bed sank next to me. The
tears I’d been fighting dripped onto the pillow. At the same time, I wanted him to leave
and
hold me close. The confusion made me want to throw up.

He sat beside me, not moving, not speaking, not touching me. I tried to hold my breath and stop the whimpers I didn’t want him to hear. The more I fought the inevitable, the tighter I gripped the blanket. Why wouldn’t he just go?

Minutes passed like hours. The soft sounds of sobs faded away, and my eyelids began to drop. I felt Damian’s lips next to my ear.

“Good night,
Katie,” he whispered and kissed my cheek. “I…” He sighed. "Oh, Fuck," he said under his breath.

He hesitated as he rose, then scooted off the bed. I waited until I heard the door click before I rolled on my back and
stared at the ceiling. The pain overwhelmed me again, and without Damian’s presence, I allowed my cries to echo off the cerulean walls.

I could smell Damian all over me. The scent filled me and made me long for him. I yanked his t-shirt off my body, wadded it up, and held it in my arms. I don’t remember how long I
cried before I finally drifted to sleep.

~*~

When I awoke the next morning, my body felt warmer. I could still smell Damian, but I no longer had his t-shirt clutched to my chest. My eyes hurt from the night before, and I wondered how I was going to make it through the day. Would I be able to say anything to him?

I heard a sigh beside me, and my
eyes flew open. They drifted to the black chair in front of me, where my red dress hung from the night before. The blanket sitting around my hips was black, not blue. Suddenly, I felt naked, realizing that I was only wearing my bra and underwear.

What in the world?

Wide-eyed, I peered down to where one of Damian’s arms was draped around my bare stomach, the other dangerously close to my breasts. I sucked in a mouthful of air. Damian pulled me closer to him, his nose nestled in my neck.

I didn’t know how to respond. He’d damaged my pride, and I hadn’t forgiven him. Sure, I was happy to be tucked next
to him again, but I still hurt. Really hurt.

Gently, he rolled me onto my back. My lashes fluttered open, allowing his blue
eyes to wash through me. He propped his head up on one hand. Leaning in, he brushed his lips lightly over mine. I lay there frozen.

Without dropping his
gaze over my barely-dressed body, he drew the black blanket up over me, making me feel less self-conscious. My mind cleared, but only a little.

“Damian,” I started.

“I have something for you.” He twisted and reached down beside his bed. He handed me a leather-bound book with a red satin bow wrapped around it. “Merry Christmas.”

I held it, staring at the slightly worn edges.

A few moments of silence surrounded us before Damian spoke. “It’s
my
journal.”

I swallowed, still gripping the leather.

He sighed. “You said it helps you, so I thought maybe I’d give it a shot.”

“I can’t read this.” I shook my head and handed it back.
He didn’t take it. “It’s your personal thoughts, and I—”

“Read it. Please,” he urged, running his fingers over my cheek. “I know you’re upset, and I … Damn it!” he muttered as he swept a
hand through his hair. “I just…please read it.”

“Okay,” I replied, still not convinced. I had never let anyone read mine; it was too revealing.

He nodded. “The roads have probably been cleared off by now. I’ll take you home.”

His legs swung over the side of the bed. He grabbed a pair of jeans on the floor and pull
ed them over his boxers, standing to zip them. A lump formed in my throat as I stared at the way they hung low on his hips. He snatched a t-shirt from the closet and slipped it over his head. Glancing at me, he said, “I’ll wait for you downstairs.”

I stopped him before he could open the door. “Damian?”

He twisted around, pain overshadowing the gleam in his eyes.

“How did I get here?”

“I waited for Dad to get home and go to bed. Then I brought you in here with me.”

“Oh.”

“I’ll see you in the kitchen.” He closed the door behind him.

~*~

I tucked Damian’s journal, bow still on, inside the drawer of my nightstand. No matter how tempting it was to sneak a peek, I couldn’t. Some things were better left unknown. I feared what was inside.

I took a book with me to my treatment on Monday. Brennan was there, just finishing up. He
smiled at me when I tousled his hair.

“Mom’s taking me to McDonald’s for supper.”

I laughed. “Gourmet food at its finest.”

“Bye,
Kate,” he said, running out after his mother.

“He seems happier,” I observed as Leslie hooked the central line to the IV.

“I introduced him to the Commons today. He and another little boy played video games all afternoon.”

I
grinned.

“You used to enjoy hanging out in the Commons,” Leslie noted.

I shrugged. “It’s quieter in here.”

“And gloomier.”

“Easier to read.”I held up my book.

“Hmmm.” Leslie put her hands on her hips. “Apple or orange?”

“Orange.”

“You want Damian to bring it in?”

“Oh, uh.” I paused.
Crap.
“No, that’s okay. I’m sure he’s busy.”

Leslie’s
eyebrows rose. I cut to my book.

“I’ll be right back,” Leslie
said, sweeping out the door.

I
glanced up when I heard the door close. My shoulders relaxed, and I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the chair. Gossip would be circling the nurses’ station within seconds. Why did she have to ask that?

The door opened.

“Thanks, Leslie,” I muttered, sinking deeper into the chair.

“I’m never too busy to bring you anything,
Kate.”

My
eyes shot open. Damian stood in front of me, arms crossed with a hint of anger written on his face. I dropped my gaze.

Damian sat in the chair beside me. It hurt that he hadn’t called the day before, and I still hadn’t forgotten Saturday night.

“Look, Kate, there’s only so many times I can apologize,” he said. “Have you read it yet?”

I shook my head. “Why can’t you just tell me?”

He shifted uncomfortably. “I can’t.”

I glared at him. “You can’t, or you won’t?”

“It’s not that easy,” Damian said, his voice rising.

“Sure it is. Don’t make things hard.”

“It
is
hard, Kate! That’s something you don’t seem to understand.”

“Then I guess you need to enlighten me.” I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned back, challenging him.

Damian rose to his feet. “Life doesn’t always fit into your candy-filled boxes. You’re so fucking scared of the tough shit that you minimize it and brush it off your shoulder like a speck of dirt. Real life doesn’t work that way.”