Page 222 of Red Marked

My skin crawls under his hand, and I keep my breathing slow.

“Say something,” he says.

“It’s a lot.”

“It is.” He kisses a spot behind my ear. “It’s everything. I’ve never been this happy in my life.”

He rolls away, and the bed dips and bounces as he gets up. I hear him stretch. Then his hand is on my shoulder, turning me over. He’s standing over me in his boxers with his hair sticking up on one side, grinning down at me.

“Come on. Get up, sleepyhead. I’m making you breakfast.”

He takes my hand and pulls me out of bed and doesn’t let go of it all the way down the hall.

The kitchen is full of sunlight. He’s opened the sliding door to the back deck, and the air smells like cut grass. The porch swing is moving in the breeze.

“Would you look at that.” He stands in the doorway with his hands on his hips, breathing it in. “Not a cloud. That’s what I’m talking about. It’s our first proper morning together, and the sky puts on a show.”

He pulls out a stool at the kitchen island and taps the seat, and I sit.

“Right.” He claps his hands once. “What does my girl feel like eating?”

“I’m not really hungry.”

“You have to eat.” He says it lightly, but there’s an edge. “You barely touched dinner. Come on, Star. Name it. You can pick anything.”

He opens the refrigerator and stands in the cold light, looking in.

“I want to take you to your folks,” he says. “I want that so badly, babe. I keep picturing it. Your mom in complete disbelief. Koda standing in the doorway with his mouth open.” He shuts the door and turns. “But I need to know you’re with me first. All the way with me. On board with us, with the life we’re going to have. I need⁠—”

“I am with you and on board.” I say it before he’s finished. “I am. Jett, please. Please take me to see them. I’ll be whoever you need me to be. I’ll say whatever you want me to say.”

He looks at me for a while.

Then he smiles. It’s sad and fond, and it makes my stomach turn over.

“You told me I was lying yesterday. You said you know me well enough to be able to tell,” he says. “Ditto, babe. I can see that you’re lying, and it hurts me.” He comes around the island and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “It’s okay. You’ll mean it, in time. I know you will. And then we’ll go. I’d hate for you to miss out on any more time with them. You’ve missed so much already.”

“I won’t tell them anything.” My voice cracks. “Never. I swear on my life, Jett. I would never put them in danger. You know that. You know me.”

“I do know you.” He nods slowly. “And I know that’s true. You’d cut your own tongue out first.” He runs his thumb along my jaw. “That’s good, sweetheart. Because your mom’s a talker.” He taps his own chest. “And Koda’s what, nineteen? Kids that age are careless. They drive too fast. They swim out too far.” He gives my jaw a little squeeze and lets go. “Let’s not put any of them in a position where they know something they shouldn’t. I’d never forgive myself.”

He walks back around the island.

I feel sick.

“Now, let’s talk about breakfast.” He’s pulling things out of cabinets. Flour. A mixing bowl. “How about pancakes? I still do the buttermilk ones. Or I could do waffles? I finally bought a proper iron. What about some French toast with that thick brioche you used to steal off my plate?” He points a whisk at me. “Eggs Benedict. Say the word, and I’ll do the hollandaise from scratch. I’ve gotten really good at it.”

I look at the whisk.

My mouth is dry, my throat is tight, and if I put anything in it, I think I’ll be sick. He’s waiting with his eyebrows up and that easy grin.

“Pancakes,” I say. I need to play his game.

“Pancakes.” He points the whisk at me again, delighted. “Good choice. But let’s have coffee first. I know you can’t function without a hit first thing.”

He goes to the machine on the counter. He’s tamping grounds into the handle when my cell phone rings. It’s coming from my purse, which is on the far side of the counter.

Jett stops what he is doing and looks at the purse.