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.“And your lips are, too.”I glanced at the house.“Do you want to come inside?”His gaze followed mine, then returned to me.“I thought you wanted to keep us a secret.”“Well, no one’s around yet,” I answered.“And it’s not that I want to keep you a secret, Kane.” That wasn’t entirely true.I just didn’t want him knowing about me.He shifted his weight, and it moved him closer to me, crowding me against my car, and I found I liked it very much.“I thought maybe you’d want to have dinner with me.At Brax’s place.Olivia’s mom sent a ton of food with me and no way can I eat all of it by myself.” He ducked his head, watching me.“You’ve no meetings.No homework.No fundraisers to attend.Right?”A smile tugged at my mouth.“Right.” My body leaned closer to him.“Can I meet you over there in an hour? I’d like to clean up a little.”Kane’s eyes smiled, and he bent over and sniffed my head.“You do smell a little smoky.” The corners of his mouth lifted.“I like it.Even your cheeks are rosy.You must’ve had a good visit home.” He winked.“I’ll see you in an hour.”“See ya in a few,” I said, and watched Kane as he shoved his hands in his pockets and started the walk back to Brax’s apartment off campus.He glanced over his shoulder at me once, and I saw the whites of his teeth as he flashed me a smile.I waved and headed inside.Quickly, I shed my clothes and showered, washing the wood smoke from my hair and body.Something was making me ache inside; it was an unfamiliar feeling, accompanied by dread.I knew what it was, actually.Only I didn’t know what to do about it.The Dare.I wanted no part of it now.Kane was not Dare material.Other than the fact that I wished like crazy he’d stop wasting his life running numbers.I still planned on convincing him to do something else with himself.But the Dare? Now that I knew him? He was above that.Above fraternity and sorority pranks and humiliation.It was stupid.And I was stuck.And despite the humility Olivia and Macie had endured, did I really, truly care a lick about the Kappas? I didn’t.And it all seemed so childish now.Part of me wondered if I should just tell him.But I quickly squashed that idea.He’d think I was an idiot for not only participating in it, but for thinking it up.I’d have to figure out something else.After I dried my hair and applied light make-up, I pulled my cream cashmere sweater dress from my closet and slipped it on, along with a pair of matching socks to wear beneath my black leather boots.Wearing my hair down, I tucked it behind my ears, gathered my coat, keys and purse, and headed to Brax’s apartment.For a change, my mood felt light.Never had I returned from Belle House after Thanksgiving, or any time, really, to be greeted by someone like Kane.Never.I was usually filled with terror.Guilt.Now? My heart raced at the thought of being alone with Kane McCarthy, shaded from view, just the two of us.Worry niggled my brain, though.Would he see things I didn’t want him to see? See me with those dark, wise eyes? I almost wondered if they contained super human powers.I shook the feeling off, deciding to treat myself for once to something I’d never had: companionship.I parked in front of Brax’s studio apartment, and before I made it to his front door, Kane had stepped out, grabbed my arm, and pulled me inside.The door hadn’t even shut before his mouth was there against mine, seeking and tasting, and his hands loosened my coat and purse and dropped them onto the table by the door.Then his arms went around me, slid down to my waist, and pulled me against him as his lips moved over mine.My hands eased up his chest and found their way around his neck.I couldn’t help the groan that escaped my throat, and he swallowed it down and deepened the kiss.Sensations rocked me, heated my insides, and I thought I’d melt into a puddle right there on the spot.Then, with a final sweep of his tongue, his lips over mine, he pulled back.His coffee eyes were shining, deep pools of liquid glass.“Hey there,” he said, smiling.I smiled back.“Hey yourself.”“You wanna sit?” he asked, inkling his head toward the sofa.“Sure,” I answered, and Kane laced his fingers through mine and tugged.I couldn’t help the gasp of pain when his big hand squeezed my palm.“What is it?” he asked, then looked at my hand.Turned it over.Then he grabbed my other hand and did the same.“Harper,” he said softly, and he gently ran his thumb gently over my blisters.He looked at me.“What did you do?”Panic.Fear.“I um,” I hesitated.“I helped chop some firewood.” I gave a soft laugh.“Kind of a Belle family tradition.” I found his gaze, and it watched me closely.“We all take turns.”Silently, he led me over to the sofa.A single candle in a mason jar sat on a big square coffee table, and the scent of maple and apples rose in the air.I sniffed, liking it.We sat down.He gathered my hands in his.“Next time wear gloves,” he said.“Do you want me to doctor them?”I smiled.“They’re just blisters, Kane.I’ll be fine.” I sniffed the air, trying to push his attention away from my injured palms.“That candle smells so nice.”“Olivia’s touch,” Kane said.“She’s good for my brother.Real good.”I looked around.I’d been in the apartment a couple of times before.“I think the trophy count is doubled since the last time I was in here,” I noticed.“He really loves it.”“Lives it and breathes it,” Kane answered.“Ever since we were kids.” He laughed lightly.“The first thing he ever said to me, when we met, was, Do you like baseball?”I looked at him.“When you met?”Kane’s eyes softened.“Yeah.” He drew back a little.“You didn’t know we were foster brothers?”Fosta brothas.“I did, yes.Olivia told me.But I didn’t know how old you were when you met.” My mind whirled then, full of questions I had no right asking.Especially since I avoided my own.Somehow, I couldn’t help myself.“What happened to your parents?”Kane studied me for a moment, those profound eyes searching mine.Seeking trust? Avoiding fear? I thought for a moment he wouldn’t answer me, and I regretted putting him on the spot.I’d have hated it.I’d have balked.Instead, he held my hand, stroked the top of my knuckles with his thumb.He looked down, then back at me, and I knew then he’d decided to trust me.I couldn’t decide if I cherished that, or despised myself for it.“Are we still playing the question game?” he asked, surprising me.“I answer one, you answer one? The truth and only the truth?”Slowly, I nodded.And prayed he asked the right things.His gaze dropped to our hands again, and he breathed.“You know how some kids turn out exactly like their dad or mom?” He looked at me.“I vaguely remember my mom.She…left us.A long time ago, before I was five.But one thing I know for damn sure.I’m nothing like my father.”The resentment in his voice shifted his features into something harsh, something much, much older.Something I wasn’t used to seeing in gentle Kane McCarthy.I waited for him to continue.Squeezed his hand, sank closer to him.“My father was a drunk, evil bastard,” he continued.“The kind of scumbag who should’ve never fathered children.” He shook his head, wouldn’t look at me.“Any excuse he could find to beat me or my sister, he was all over it.”My heart started slamming in my chest.“You have a sister?” I asked quietly.His eyes sought mine.“Katy.”I swallowed past the lump in my throat.“Do you get to see her very much?”A soft sigh escaped Kane’s throat, and the smile he turned on me was sad, winsome, and vague.“As often as I can.”“What about your father?” I dared ask.I couldn’t seem to help myself.I wanted to know more.All.Everything.“Prison.” He breathed again, squeezed my hand.Another winsome smile.“Your turn
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