Page 46 of Trial By Fire
He stares at me blankly.
"Kace, school's starting soon. She needs to be enrolled."
He runs a hand over his face and rubs hard.
"Ah, you're right. I'd kind of… I don't know. Lost track of time and tried to ignore it, hoping Pam would come back."
"And if she doesn't?"
"Court and…petitioning for guardianship, I guess."
So he's thought about it. Some, at least. "Look, I'm sorry to bring up a touchy subject. I just spotted the back-to-school supplies when we picked up the balloons, and it…made me wonder. Getting through the paperwork will take time, so you might need to get started?"
Kace looked sad and torn and more than a little angry.
"Yeah, I know. I'm afraid getting guardianship might make Madi's moods worse, though."
"Because it'll be proof, to her at least, that you don't think her mom's coming back," I whisper.
"Yeah."
"Oh, Kace."
A low rumble sounds outside.
"I hear Gabe rolling in," he says. "Looks like things are about to start."
"Pain scale?" I ask as I peek out the window and see Gabe's Wrangler turning into the driveway.
"Four. Nausea scale," he shoots back.
"One," I say as I swing round to survey my work. The little ritual had started during our hospital visits and kept on once Kace had come home. Now it's a thing we do fairly regularly, if only to get a quick update or grin out of the other.
As for the party… I'd picked up pizzas and chips and drinks along with the cakes. Easy and simple. One of Dani's little friends is expected to attend, but Madi only asked if she could invite Bronwyn.
I feel for the teenager, and I wonder how well she will make friends once school begins. Madi is a hard worker, loves books, but she isn't outgoing or overly friendly. She's so guarded; she makes it difficult to get close to her. Not that I blame her. I can only imagine what she's been through, and after being abandoned by her mom, she's probably afraid of opening herself up to anyone again. I know I am.
I take a last look at the table set up and whirl round, remembering I need to grab the ice bucket from the freezer and bump nose to chest into Kace. I suck in a breath and jerk my head up when he wobbles unsteadily on the crutches and winds up quickly releasing them to catch himself by bracing his hands on either side of my hips against the counter to get his balance. I grab his upper arms, remember his burns, and quickly shift them toward his rock-hard abs instead. "Oh, my gosh, I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?"
My question is forgotten when I see the way he's looking at me. Not like a man in pain but one suddenly face-to-face with something he seems as torn up about as I feel.
Time stops. I vaguely hear Dani opening the door and ordering Madi to come with her to greet the first guests, but I pay them no mind due to the rush of blood past my ears. The house goes quiet, like we've been sucked into a void and our own world once the door shuts behind them. All I can do is stare up at Kace. The warmth of his body seeps through the T-shirt to my fingertips, and my heart pounds against my chest.
I watch, mesmerized, as his gaze lowers, and then his head moves toward mine, and I lift up on my toes, holding my breath, raising my face, even as I order myself to end the insanity before it can begin.
To walk away.
To run from this. Him, with his big, strong body, protectiveness and his heart of gold.
From wanting more than I'm allowed to want. Allowed to have.
I've screwed up my life so much already. I can't mess up his. How can I?—
His lips close over mine. Gentle and purposeful at first. Heady enough that I'm lost to everything. To him and the feel of his lips. The tenderness and warmth as he deepens the kiss, and I realize it's everything a kiss should be. Breath and touch and racing heartbeats. Gentleness and caring and all things sweet and tantalizing.
One of his hands tangles in my hair, his thumb in that tender spot just beneath my ear, rubbing softly. Adding to the moment and the rush and the?—
Pop!
