He rolled his eyes at her and asked, “So where does the part about Memphis and Crash come in, then, huh?” Just mentioning their names felt like he was sitting in an ice bath.
“You don’t believe me? They were right. Everyone felt I never made an attempt to heal the breach between me and my brothers, and I pretty much let crap slide unless it involved me taking up for someone else.”
“For instance?” he growled.
“Anyway,”—Ginny went on as on as if he never spoke—“Trudy was on her honeymoon, so she asked Sex Piston, who was at work, so Sex Piston sent Killyama to see me.”
“Do me a favor and just finish bashing my head in or get to the fucking point!”
“I will if you would try to be more patient.”
Reaper spread his legs wider in the water so her ass would sink, and he could propel her off him without hurting her.
“I thought Killyama came to talk to me to put me off you. She wasn’t. She wanted me to be prepared so I wouldn’t fail.”
“Fail at what?”
“At getting my man! She thought I would have better luck landing Kaden’s jet than landing you without her help. She’s probably right. I’m not the type of woman you usually go for. I love you, but I’m not eating lettuce three times a day just to get rid of my pouch.”
What in fuck did this have to Killyama spilling his secrets?
Confusion had him wanting to get her back on track right after he assured her that her body was just fine the way it was.
“I don’t fucking expect you ….”
“You don’t have to disagree with me to make me feel better. Killyama told me you workout a lot. We could be workout buddies. What do you think about that idea?”
Instead of trying to get away from her, Reaper pulled her closer to feel the softness of her body. “I think, Killyama’s been running her mouth too damn much. I like the way your body feels.” He hand swept over the contour of her stomach. “She told you the details about my kidnapping …,” he prompted her along trying to get her back on track.
“Yes.”
“What else did she tell you?”
“Are you going to try to jump out of the tub again if I tell you?”
“No.”
“Then she told me everything she knows.”
Reaper raised his eyes to the ceiling.
“I love you, Gavin.”
“Don’t feel sorry for me.”
“I’ve never, ever felt sorry for you.”
“I should have been the one to tell you in my own time, not Killyama.”
“I’m glad she told me. After Killyama told me, I went to the lookout and cried. Not for you, but because I was so angry at God for not helping you. I haven’t gone to church or prayed since, except the night you took off with Slate.”
Reaper lowered his gaze back down to her.
“I consider myself a strong woman, but hearing the pain and torture you went through coming from your lips firsthand”—tears brimmed in Ginny’s eyes—“I don’t … I’m not strong enough. Maybe if I didn’t love you so much, I could … but I’m weak where you’re concerned.”
Reaper slowly brought his hand to her cheek to wipe the tears away.
Ginny gave a hiccupping sound. “This is exactly what I didn’t want to happen. I’m not crying because I feel sorry for you; I’m crying because when you hurt, I hurt.”
“Stop crying, baby.” His started stroking her shaking shoulders. “I’m not hurting now, so there’s no need to cry.”
“If God granted me one wish, I’d give up having you as my soul mate … and die an old virgin, if He would just turn back time and undo your kidnapping.”
“You wouldn’t use that wish on your dad and sister?”
“No, I couldn’t. Besides, it wouldn’t work.”
“Why not?”
Ginny sniffed back her tears, then said the most beautiful thing that anyone had ever said to him.
“Because you’re all I’ve ever wished for.”
Chapter Twelve
Rolling over, Reaper felt an empty space next to him on the bed. Reaching out for Ginny to pull her closer to him, he opened his eyes to find an empty spot on the mattress.
Sitting up, he looked around the room, seeing the chair was still under the doorknob. He slung the covers aside and got out of bed to find the bathroom was empty as well. Going back to the bedroom, he saw the curtains fluttering from the wind in front of the patio door.
Sliding the curtain aside, Reaper saw Ginny staring out at the ocean, lost in her own thoughts. He then found his jeans laying on the floor and slipped them on before going outside barefoot to stand behind her.
“I told you not to leave my side.”
“Look around. Each bungalow has its own patio.”
Deciding it would be useless to rebuke her when it was his fault she’d been able to slip out while he was sleeping, he took a casual look around, taking in their surroundings.