--
I'd planned to stay up, working with Gabriel, until Ricky returned. But while it was barely past ten, I was exhausted, and I think "someone" texted to tell Ricky I was falling asleep on my laptop, because at 10:15 I got a message from Ricky telling me he'd be another hour at least, and I should go to sleep. Rose was leaving the front door unlocked so he could take the sofa without disturbing anyone.
I texted back to say I wanted him to wake me when he got there. His response wasn't exactly a refusal, but when I woke after midnight, I was alone in Rose's guest room.
I found Ricky in the parlor, sitting on the sofa, lost in thought. Troubled thoughts, his face pensive and half shadowed. The breeze from the open front window ruffled his hair, a tendril tickling his cheek. Normally he'd brush it back, but he just sat there, his gaze fixed on the window, a haunted look in his eyes.
Gabriel and I weren't the only ones stuck on this roller coaster. Ricky was just better at hiding it and more comfortable being the guy in charge of cheering everyone else up. As I stepped into the room, the floor creaked, and he was on his feet, ready for trouble. Then he saw me.
"Tonight didn't go so well?"
He frowned, as if not sure what I meant. Then he shook his head. "Nah, it was fine. Routine shit. How are you holding up?"
"Managing. I'm more worried about you right now. You were a long way away when I came down, and it looked like you'd settled in for a night of that."
He made a face. "Just thinking about some stuff."
He came to me and one hand went around my waist, the other to the back of my neck. He pulled me in for a sweet and gentle kiss. When it broke, he stayed there, his hand against the back of my neck, his face an inch from mine. His eyes closed and he gave a shuddering sigh. Then he kissed me again, something else there this time, a caution that spoke as much of uncertainty as tenderness.
"What's wrong?" I said when the kiss ended.
He hesitated, then took my hand and tugged me over to the sofa. We settled in together, me
on his lap, turned to face him.
He cupped my chin, pulling me in for another slow kiss. Then he held me there, so close I could see nothing except his eyes.
"You know I'd never do anything to hurt you," he said. "Never."
"Okay . . ."
"I've made a mistake, Liv. A huge one. At the time . . . At the time, it seemed like exactly the right thing to do. The only thing to do. I was so worried about you, and all I wanted was for you to be safe."
"What happened?"
"I was . . ." He inhaled. "It was after--"
A throat clearing cut him short. Gabriel stood in the doorway, still in his dress shirt, tie off, pen in hand.
"I didn't hear you come in," he said. "I was working in the kitchen hoping to speak to you."
"We're going back to my place," I said. "You two can talk in the morning."
"It can't wait," Gabriel said. "Ricky?"
I started to protest, but Ricky cut me short with a squeeze of my hand.
"He's right," he said. "Go on back to bed."
"But--"
"You're tired. I'm out of sorts and keeping you up. We'll talk later."
"You'll come get me?"
"I will."
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN