“Part of forgivin’ me, Sky, is lettin’ this shit go. You gonna let this shit go?”
She studied him, knowing he was right, but still, not sure she was capable of it. Then again, if she didn’t at least try to get past it, they’d never have a start—a real start—at a second chance. “I’ll try. That’s all I can give you.”
“I can work with that.” He kissed her softly on the lips. Then he took her hand and led her upstairs.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Skylar was staring at the ceiling, Shades warm body pressed against her, both their bodies sweaty from the bout of sex they’d just had. They were lying in his bed, on the sheets she’d totally noticed were new, the square folds still in them giving it away, and he’d confessed the whole story. She thought it was sweet, him wanting to do that. For her. For them. Then her eyes dropped to the wall facing the foot of the bed, and she frowned at the item nailed into the wall. Were those her…?
Oh. My. God.
She sat straight up in the bed and turned to look at him, her mouth hanging open.
His arms were folded behind his head, and he too was staring at the object nailed to the wall. Then his eyes came to hers.
“What?” he asked, all innocent.
“Are those my panties?” she practically shrieked.
He grinned. “Yup.”
“Yup? Is that all you have to say? Yup?”
He shrugged, his hand coming up to catch the chain of his rosary that still hung around her neck, and he gave it a little tug to remind her. “You kept a souvenir. Only fair, I got one, too. And before you get all pissed, take note, babe, they’re the only pair up there.”
“Why are they nailed to your wall?”
“They’re up there so I can look at them every night when I hit this pillow and every morning when I open my eyes and remember what a sweet, pretty girl I once had and how big I fucked that all up. They’re up there to remind me of everything I lost due to my fuckin’ that all up.”
Not exactly flowery words, but from him, they were full of meaning because he meant them. Every word. And that was as sweet as she could want. She was still going to make him take them down, but for now, she settled back beside him.
His arm came down and pulled her tight against his side. She felt him press a kiss to the top of her head, and then his head dipped, his mouth coming to her ear.
“Ain’t gonna fuck up again, pretty girl. Those days are fucking done.”
Her arm came across his gut and she squeezed. “Okay, Shades.”
He squeezed her back. “Okay, sweetheart.”
&n
bsp; They both must have drifted off, because the next thing Skylar knew, Shades was shaking her awake, the rumbling sound of pipes shaking the windows in the building as a pack of bikes rolled onto the lot.
“Fuck. We got company,” Shades growled, his voice deep and gravely from sleep. Then he added, “Lift up, babe, my arm’s asleep.”
She moved, and he pulled his arm free and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He stood up, pulling his jeans on.
“Were you expecting them?” Skylar asked, clutching the sheet to her chest as she sat up.
He turned, doing up his pants, and his eyes dropped to where her hand was fisted. He shook his head. “Stay here.”
“Shades—”
“I wanna know you’re up here naked in my bed, waiting for me to come back.”
“How long will you be gone?”
“Long as it takes to get rid of ‘em, babe.” He leaned over her, his fists in the bed and dropped a soft kiss on her lips.