“No.” He shook his head. “I can handle it. Won’t take long,” he said, and without meeting her gaze, he disappeared downstairs.
While he worked, she paced in her kitchen, right near the cellar door, stressed and worried over the reason for his bleak look. He was trying to shut her out. It was painfully obvious. She needed to reach him. Get rid of the clouds. Tell him how she felt. Tell him about the baby.
The sound of his footsteps on the stairs ten minutes later halted her pacing. But not her worry. Or her determination. They needed to talk.
“Done,” he announced, still not meeting her gaze.
Dammit.
Careful of the toolbox he gripped tight, she stepped close and curved her palm around his rough jaw, forcing him to look at her. “What is going on?”
His expression was…not there. Lacking. Blank. Like he refused to feel. Refused to let anyone in. Even her. Or maybe especially her.
Like maybe she’d gotten to him and he didn’t want her to…
Kaydee swallowed past the lump in her throat and tried again. “Leo, talk to me. What’s wrong?”
Her heart ached, not for herself, but for him. A man who’d broken through her walls, stripped away her shield, and made her want a long-term relationship, made her open up and feel. Deeply. For him. And she did. So very much.
“Let me help,” she said. “Let me in.” The muscles in his jaw rippled under her hand as if he was clenching his teeth. She lifted her free hand and placed it over his heart. “Whatever this is, we’re in it together. Learning to open up, commit, give, take.” She almost said “love” but didn’t want to overload him with too much, too soon. “And I happen to like what this is, and I know you do, too.”
Instead of denying it or pushing her away, he kicked one of her kitchen chairs out and put his toolbox down, then put his hands on her hips and backed her up until she hit the counter behind her.
“Leo,” she said breathlessly.
He shook his head, planted his hands on the counter on either side of her, caging her in, then leaned close and covered her mouth with his, as if he couldn’t help himself. She sighed. It felt so damn good to touch him, embrace him…and she did, sliding her hands up around his neck to hold the back of his head while he plundered.
The kiss was different than his other ones. He left out the teasing, tasting, and warm-up. This was all raw need and desperation. It felt more real than any kiss she’d ever experienced in her life.
But something was wrong. His whole body was tension-filled. Not all of it in a good way. The muscles in his neck were rock hard, knotted, and he was warm, almost too hot. And when he broke the kiss, he closed his eyes. “I shouldn’t be here. And I sure as hell shouldn’t have done that.”
Chapter Nineteen
“Why?” Kaydee touched Leo’s face again. It seemed to be the only damn way to get him to look at her. His eyes opened, and she found his gaze stormy. Troubled. Her heart lurched. “Did I do something?”
“What?” His brows crashed together. “No. Absolutely not. You’re great. Sweet. Honest. Perfect. I’m the one who’s…” His voice trailed off, and he pushed away to turn his back on her.
Something deep within her quivered.
And she didn’t feel like she was any of those things. “No one is perfect, Leo. I’m far from it.” She moved close to place a hand on his back. “And I really wish you’d tell me what’s wrong.”
“Bad week.”
Something more was going on. She could feel it. “Is there anything I can do?”
“No.” He moved out from under her touch. “I don’t want to draw you into my mess.”
Dammit. She was right. Something was going on.
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years,” she said, stepping around to face him, “it’s that problems are easier solved when shared. I’ve learned that the hard way.”
She smiled, but he shook his head.
“Forget it. It’s not your problem and I’m not sharing.” He strode to the chair and grabbed his toolbox. “You deserve better,” he said, and turned toward the doorway.
She shot in front of him and pressed her palm on his chest. “Youare better for me, Leo. You taught me to open up. That it’s okay to make connections. To live a little. Take chances. I took one on you, and I’m glad I did. So glad.” All of a sudden, emotions swirled inside her and closed her throat, cutting off her profession of love.
“Yeah, well, you shouldn’t,” he growled. “I’m toxic, Kaydee. I’ll end up letting you down. I let people down. It’s what I do. I don’t want to. Hell, I certainly don’t plan to, but it’s only a matter of time.”
