She winced. No, that wasn’t the problem. Her issues with opening up and letting someone close were the real problem.
“But I wasn’t going to be able to live with myself if I didn’t try once more. If I put myself out there, I thought you’d see that you could jump because I would catch you.”
“Rather than letting me go splat,” she commented before she could think better of it.
“Right. Wouldn’t want that pretty face to get squashed.”
She grimaced. Pretty? Her? Hardly.
“What was that?”
She wouldn’t meet his eyes. “Nothing.”
“Uh-uh, there’s no lying, remember?”
Groaning, she threw her head back against the arm of the sofa, scooting down so she was lying on her back. Then she wouldn’t have to look at him as she said it.
She should have known better. He picked her up and settled her on his lap, re-tucking the blanket around her, treating her as though she was precious.
Tears filled her eyes and she had to blink them back.
“Hey,” he crooned. “What’s the matter? Why are you upset?”
“I’m just not used to this.”
“Being held on someone’s lap?”
“That, and everything else. Being touched, I guess. With gentleness.”
“Someone touched you who wasn’t gentle?” he bit out.
“No. Nothing like that.” Well, not in years. “I just don’t get touched except for the occasional handshake or when someone brushes past me in the supermarket.”
He tensed. “When was the last time someone hugged you?”
“Oh, well, actually, I lied. I have been touched recently. Kiesha hugged me. Think Isa did too. Definitely not Cleo or Juliet. She was just joking when she said her brother would re-do her house so I could stay there if I was in a wheelchair, right?”
He grimaced. “No. She wasn’t.”
“Why does everyone seem so scared of him?”
“We can’t talk about it. And don’t say his name too often, he’s like Rumpelstiltskin. He’ll just appear.”
She burst into laughter. Then she saw that he wasn’t joking.
Holy hell.
“All right, when was the last time you were hugged before coming here?”
“Umm.” She had to really think about that. “I think when I graduated from college.”
“Jesus. Right, first rule.”
“There are rules?” she asked.
“For you, there are.”
“Okay. What is it?” Taking off her shoes before walking in? Cleaning up after herself?