King Sized Beds and Happy Trails (Beds Series) by Becca Ann, Tessa Marie Page B

but she says it reminds her of Big Red gum, which her dad used to carry around in his pocket.
    “I have nightmares sometimes. A-about him.” She stops twisting her ring as she brings up her hand. “About the night he gave me this.”
    I gulp. “What kind of nightmares?”
    “Just stupid stuff, I guess. Like, he forgets me at the carnival. Or he tells me he’s not my real dad , and that’s why he hates me. Or instead of a ring, he gives me a goldfish that dies within a week. Or he leaves without giving me anything. No ring, no goldfish, nothing. Just tells me, ‘Well, kid. It’s been fun, but my life will be better without you.’ And he disappears, and I wake up holding my hand, making sure I still have this stupid mood ring.”
    “It’s not stupid.”
    “Yes, it is.”
    I let out a small laugh. “No. It’s not.” Taking her by the hand, I run a finger over the smooth ball resting on her pinky. “You wouldn’t have kept it if it didn’t mean something to you.”
    She shrugs. I chuckle again. Girl is stubborn.
    “So, what does it mean to you?” I caress the back of her hand. I don’t know how girls keep their skin so soft. It’s like I can’t help but touch it. Even when I was tickling her before, she’s so soft, breakable, and sexy as hell. And here I am getting turned on by just feeling her hand. I pull away and clear my throat, so I can concentrate on her answer and not what’s going on in my chest. “You, uh, never told me.”
    “I didn’t know you wanted to know.” She nudges me with her elbow and starts twisting the ring again. “I guess it means a lot because it’s the one thing that quiets the voice in my head.”
    “You have a voice in your head?” I laugh.
    “Shut up!” There’s a punch in the shoulder, which is harder than normal, but I blame that on her not being able to see much either. “I’m not going to tell you if you’re going to make fun.”
    “Sorry, sorry. Go ahead. I’ll be nice.”
    “What I meant was, when I look at it, I think maybe I wasn’t the reason he left. That he did love me, even if it was just a little bit.”
    What ? “Why would you think you’re the reason your dad left.”
    “Because I am.”
    I reach over and tap the light on. I have to see her face, because she has to be pulling my leg. After she’s done rubbing her eyes, I pull her hands from her face, looking into her deep brown irises. There’s no joke behind them. She’s not even crying about it. It's as if she’s been told she’s the reason behind her dad leaving so much she believes it. Not only believes it, but accepts it.
    “Shit.”
    “What?”
    I’m not responsible for any of my actions. When it comes to her, I can’t help myself. I yank her down on my chest, holding her tight against me as we rest on the pillows. “I don’t care what you think or what your mom said, but you are not the reason.”
    She lets out a breath, soaking my nostrils in cinnamon. “You didn’t know him, Ry.”
    “I know you . And you weren’t the reason.” I grab her pinky. “I know I’ve given you crap about this, but if this is what keeps you from thinking your dad didn’t love you, I don’t want to see you ever take it off.”
    She squeezes my middle, but I can tell she still doesn’t believe me. And it sounds like we’re done talking about it. She’s quiet and her breathing starts to slow. I think she’s drooling on my shirt too. I run my hand up and down her back, lost in thought.
    How can this girl think that nobody loves her? Not even her own father. I get the mom thing. I’ve seen what she’s dealt with there. Was her dad worse?
    I don’t think so. S he would’ve said something about it. I always figured he left because of her mom, but Lex thought it was her this whole time. When we first told each other about our MIA dads, she said something like that, but I didn’t think she was serious.
    I wrack my brain to that first conversation, which I usually try to block out. The