One King's Way
Page 28
Glaring at me, Craig sat up, straddling me so I couldn’t move out from under him. He crossed his arms over his chest, the muscles in his biceps flexing. “What the fuck does that mean?”
“It meant what I said. You’re a sweet talker.”
He grunted. “Last time I checked, according to you that’s not a good thing.” His anger suddenly melted into weariness. “I thought we were done with the whole bit where you don’t believe me when I give you a compliment?”
“I do believe you.” And I did.
“But?”
“No but.”
“Rain.”
“Craig.”
“Fuck.” He ran a hand through his hair. “You’re the most exasperating woman I’ve ever met.”
“Not true. You’ve just not stuck around long enough to discover the exasperating side of women. We all have that side. Just like men have their obtuse side.”
Craig ignored my teasing, his eyes narrowing. “I’m not having the conversation again, Rain.”
“What conversation?”
“The one where I tell you that I’m not messing around here. That I plan to stay as long as this lasts between us.”
And that was exactly the problem. To me it sounded like he was only going to stick around until we hit a road bump, whereas I was willing to stick around beyond the arguments and inevitable issues that would arise. And that was really the problem. I was a romantic. He was a realist.
And I was falling for Craig. I was. I couldn’t help myself.
Which meant that I could think of him with forever in mind, knowing we’d face problems and that I’d fight for him. I’d fight to get through it.
I could promise him forever.
But he couldn’t promise me forever.
He said he was a realist . . . but what if he just didn’t feel the same way as I did?
“What is going on in that head of yours?” He braced his hands at either side of my head again and leaned down so our noses were only inches away from each other.
Melancholy was sweeping quickly over me. “I’m thinking our tea and coffee will be getting cold.”
“Liar,” he whispered against my lips. “What are you really thinking?”
I turned my head away from his. “I’m thinking you don’t get to know what I’m thinking all of the time.”
He grasped my chin and gently turned my head back so our eyes met. I saw a mingling of anger and frustration in his gaze.
“You don’t like that,” I whispered.
“No,” he said back. “I don’t like it.”
I did. I liked it. It meant that I was still in control of what I was allowing myself to give him. I was being smart because this man would hurt me worse than any who had come before him. I may have been falling in love with him, but that love was mine to give how I saw fit. And as far as I was concerned he wasn’t a safe bet. I was not putting any of my cards on the table just yet.
“I don’t like it,” he repeated, a stubborn set to his jaw.
I tilted my chin out of his hold. “Tough shit.”
Craig was so surprised by my words he didn’t make a move while I rolled out from under him to sit up and grab my tea. I felt the heat of his stare on the back of my head.
“Did I do something?”
I felt a little ache in my chest at his confused, sad question. Looking over my shoulder I found him still sitting where I’d left him, but this time his expression was troubled. It was like he was wounded but trying to hide that he was.
That ache in my chest worsened. I gave him a soft reassuring smile. “No. I’m just tired.” I reached for him, trailing the back of my fingers down his arm. “I’m being a cranky bitch.”
He sighed and then moved across the bed toward me. He wrapped his strong arms around me, pulling my back against his chest. His warm lips touched my cheek. “Liar,” he breathed, his teeth nipping at my earlobe. “But I’ll let you keep your secrets. For now.”
Before I could respond his phone started ringing. Closest to it, I grabbed it from the table and handed it to him. Still holding on to me, he read the screen and smiled. “Maggie,” he said.
His sister. The one at university.
“Hiya, darlin’,” he answered. I could hear the faint murmuring of her answer. “Why did you not tell me you were coming?” Then more murmuring. “Aye, of course. I’m bringing Rain though.” I raised an eyebrow, wondering what I was being brought to. Craig laughed. “Well it had to happen some time.” More murmuring. “You’ll find out today . . . Okay. See you then.” He hung up and edged around the bed to face me, grinning. “That was Maggie.”
I smiled. “So I gathered.”
“She’s home with Mum for a few days. Wants to catch up. I thought you might like to come meet her.”
“Today?” I frowned. “I’d like to . . . but I can’t stay for long. I have work to do.”
“Just for lunch, then?” He slid an arm around me, hauling me up against his chest. “You’re two of my favorite people. I really want you to meet each other.”
That was nice. More than nice actually. I found myself melting. Damn willpower. “Okay. I can do lunch.”
* * *
“Jesus Christ, how did you score her?” were the first words I heard out of Maggie Lanaghan’s mouth. She slapped her brother on the chest and grinned. “She’s way out of your league.”
“It meant what I said. You’re a sweet talker.”
He grunted. “Last time I checked, according to you that’s not a good thing.” His anger suddenly melted into weariness. “I thought we were done with the whole bit where you don’t believe me when I give you a compliment?”
“I do believe you.” And I did.
“But?”
“No but.”
“Rain.”
“Craig.”
“Fuck.” He ran a hand through his hair. “You’re the most exasperating woman I’ve ever met.”
“Not true. You’ve just not stuck around long enough to discover the exasperating side of women. We all have that side. Just like men have their obtuse side.”
Craig ignored my teasing, his eyes narrowing. “I’m not having the conversation again, Rain.”
“What conversation?”
“The one where I tell you that I’m not messing around here. That I plan to stay as long as this lasts between us.”
And that was exactly the problem. To me it sounded like he was only going to stick around until we hit a road bump, whereas I was willing to stick around beyond the arguments and inevitable issues that would arise. And that was really the problem. I was a romantic. He was a realist.
And I was falling for Craig. I was. I couldn’t help myself.
Which meant that I could think of him with forever in mind, knowing we’d face problems and that I’d fight for him. I’d fight to get through it.
I could promise him forever.
But he couldn’t promise me forever.
He said he was a realist . . . but what if he just didn’t feel the same way as I did?
“What is going on in that head of yours?” He braced his hands at either side of my head again and leaned down so our noses were only inches away from each other.
Melancholy was sweeping quickly over me. “I’m thinking our tea and coffee will be getting cold.”
“Liar,” he whispered against my lips. “What are you really thinking?”
I turned my head away from his. “I’m thinking you don’t get to know what I’m thinking all of the time.”
He grasped my chin and gently turned my head back so our eyes met. I saw a mingling of anger and frustration in his gaze.
“You don’t like that,” I whispered.
“No,” he said back. “I don’t like it.”
I did. I liked it. It meant that I was still in control of what I was allowing myself to give him. I was being smart because this man would hurt me worse than any who had come before him. I may have been falling in love with him, but that love was mine to give how I saw fit. And as far as I was concerned he wasn’t a safe bet. I was not putting any of my cards on the table just yet.
“I don’t like it,” he repeated, a stubborn set to his jaw.
I tilted my chin out of his hold. “Tough shit.”
Craig was so surprised by my words he didn’t make a move while I rolled out from under him to sit up and grab my tea. I felt the heat of his stare on the back of my head.
“Did I do something?”
I felt a little ache in my chest at his confused, sad question. Looking over my shoulder I found him still sitting where I’d left him, but this time his expression was troubled. It was like he was wounded but trying to hide that he was.
That ache in my chest worsened. I gave him a soft reassuring smile. “No. I’m just tired.” I reached for him, trailing the back of my fingers down his arm. “I’m being a cranky bitch.”
He sighed and then moved across the bed toward me. He wrapped his strong arms around me, pulling my back against his chest. His warm lips touched my cheek. “Liar,” he breathed, his teeth nipping at my earlobe. “But I’ll let you keep your secrets. For now.”
Before I could respond his phone started ringing. Closest to it, I grabbed it from the table and handed it to him. Still holding on to me, he read the screen and smiled. “Maggie,” he said.
His sister. The one at university.
“Hiya, darlin’,” he answered. I could hear the faint murmuring of her answer. “Why did you not tell me you were coming?” Then more murmuring. “Aye, of course. I’m bringing Rain though.” I raised an eyebrow, wondering what I was being brought to. Craig laughed. “Well it had to happen some time.” More murmuring. “You’ll find out today . . . Okay. See you then.” He hung up and edged around the bed to face me, grinning. “That was Maggie.”
I smiled. “So I gathered.”
“She’s home with Mum for a few days. Wants to catch up. I thought you might like to come meet her.”
“Today?” I frowned. “I’d like to . . . but I can’t stay for long. I have work to do.”
“Just for lunch, then?” He slid an arm around me, hauling me up against his chest. “You’re two of my favorite people. I really want you to meet each other.”
That was nice. More than nice actually. I found myself melting. Damn willpower. “Okay. I can do lunch.”
* * *
“Jesus Christ, how did you score her?” were the first words I heard out of Maggie Lanaghan’s mouth. She slapped her brother on the chest and grinned. “She’s way out of your league.”
