“What do you think I’m gonna say or think?”
“That I’m a freak,” she whispered.
Shock stabbed him in the gut. She really thought that?
“Baby—”
“I don’t do it all the time,” she told him quickly. She’d wrapped her arms around herself defensively. “It’s just when I hear his voice, telling me that I’m a slut or worthless or—”
“Who?” He couldn’t stop himself from grabbing hold of her arms then cursed himself as she let out a scared cry.
Easy, man.
“Baby, who said those things to you?” Who the fuck did he have to kill?
Her eyes were wide, swimming with tears. It killed him to see her like that.
“I-I don’t want to tell you.”
He frowned, not liking that. “Babe, if I’m gonna help you I need to know what the fuck is going on.”
“I dreamed of one day telling you everything. But I’m a lot braver in my dreams. Never intended for you to know about this, though.” She waved her hand at her thigh. “Wasn’t ever going to tell you that he haunts me, even before he died.”
“Babe, who?” His gut clenched with dread.
“Your grandfather.”
She braced herself.
He’d deny it. Of course, he would. He wouldn’t believe her. She’d let him down. He thought she had betrayed him. He loved his grandfather.
He stared at her and she couldn’t read his expression. “My grandfather.”
“I know you might not want to believe me, but he. . .he. . .” she gulped. “I need to tell you all of it. Will you listen now?”
He nodded. She couldn’t read the look on his face, but at least he wasn’t calling her a liar and storming out.
“Yeah, I’ll listen to whatever you have to say.”
Thank God.
“I’ll just go get my robe.” She made to move but he grabbed her hip, holding her still. “No.”
“But I. . .I can’t do this naked!”
Without a word, he whipped off his t-shirt and pulled it over her body. She slid her arms into the holes. The scent of him surrounded her. The t-shirt warm from his body heat. And her eyes sort of glazed over as she took in his cut body.
The man was gorgeous. Even in her state, she had to take a moment to admire him. There was no other choice.
“Sugar, my eyes are up here.”
She glanced up quickly, totally embarrassed she’d been caught staring.
“Like what you see?”
“You know I do.” She rolled her eyes. “How do you not just stand and stare at yourself in the mirror all day? That’s what I’d do if I had a body like that.”
He laughed. Then he sobered. “Jesus, babe. Got back to town today, dying to see you, absolutely exhausted after the hell of the last few days only to find some asshole has been stalking you. I had to watch you hold it together by the skin of your teeth, bring you up here to take care of you the best way I know how only to find you been fucking bruising yourself because my bastard grandfather has done something fucked-up to you. What he’s done I don’t know and that’s screwing with my head, big time.”