“Shh, come on, baby.” He tips me back until I’m in his lap. Then he rocks me. “I got you.”
Shame constricts my air flow and tears pour down my face. If he wanted me gone before, he will certainly want me out of here now that he’s seen my worst side.
“No one likes a weak girl, Grace. Stop crying or I’ll give you something to cry about.”
I clutch Dean fiercely, practically strangling him while I sob.
Dean rocks me back and forth, petting my hair and telling me it’s okay.
But it’s not okay. Here I am having a menty b and I hate that he’s witnessing it.
“I’ll leave,” I say, hoping that’ll make this better. He probably regrets the day he met me and all the days and nights after. “I’m so sorry for all this.”
When Ipush away to get up, his embrace tightens. “Give me a minute more.”
I’d give him all the minutes of my life if he asked.
Nicole’s right. I’m in love with him.
And now that he’s seen the messy side of me, he probably thinks he’s dodged a bullet.
“I heard you scream, and it scared me to death.” He buries his face in the crook of my neck, hand threading in my hair. “Fucking hell, woman.”
I melt into him even more. It feels good to be held like this. No one’s ever done it before. “I’m sorry I scared you.”
“I’m sorry I asked you to leave. It was stupid. I’m a fucking idiot, Grace. The minute you walked out, I…” He pulls back and cups my cheeks. His gaze shows terror and… something I don’t know. “I think I’m falling in love with you.”
And that’s why that look is something I don’t know. No one’s ever looked at me the way Dean does.
If he’s telling the truth, then…what do I really have left to lose? “I think I’m falling in love with you, too. I thought that’s what you heard me talking about last night with Nicole and that’s why you wanted me out of here. I didn’t think you’d be mad about dumb, dirty boots.”
“I should have handled that whole thing more maturely. I’m so sorry.”
When he kisses the top of my head, I relax a little.
“Same.” I sniffle. “And, for the record, I also love your dumb, dirty boots.”
He chuckles lightly against my ear, still rocking me. “Shit, you’re shivering.” Dean rubs his hands upand down my arms. “You left your coat at the cabin but…” He looks at my tank top. “Where is your sweater?”
I have no clue.
“My anxiety attacks make me hot.” Does he want to deal with someone who has those? “I haven’t had them in a while, but this is the second one in a week.” The first was just before I booked my cabin here.
His eyebrows pinch together. “I did this to you, didn’t I? Fuck.” He holds me tight again. “I’m so sorry, Grace. Truly. I didn’t mean to make this happen.”
“It’s not you. It’s me.” I tuck some hair behind my ear and sniffle again. “I talk to myself a lot. Sometimes the voice isn’t happy me. It’s critical me. Or worse, my mother.”
Dean listens with a devastating expression.
“She’s a horrible person,” I say. “I’ve left her behind physically, but she’s not out of my head yet.”And she might never be,isn’t said, but I think he hears that part, anyway.
“Well, I can help make sure your head only tells you nice things.” He lifts my chin, so I keep eye contact with him. “And if you feel yourself getting too caught up in negativity, just come out here and scream again. But warn me first so I don’t think you’re getting eaten by a bear.”
Relief blows over me. “Does that mean I can stay?”
“Do you still want to?”
I nod.
