Sassy Ever After: Kiss My Sass (Kindle Worlds Novella) by Serena Pettus Page B
Authors: Serena Pettus
Ads: Link
in the house anyway?” Okay, it came out kind of dick-ish, but he was majorly stressing about how he was going to break this news to her. She’d seemed excited at the possibility of Matt being in the area. Could it be she loved him?
Luke wasn’t sure how this was going to play out in the end, but he knew that he couldn’t possibly endure trying to woo a woman who was hung up on his dead best friend. Christ, if his mate was in love with Matt, then could she ever love him too?
He settled her on the cushions, offering her a sheepish smile. “Sorry about that. I’m just nervous.”
“Well, if that’s the case, then the news can’t be good.”
Luke looked to Benson as he walked through the room with grocery bags and continued on into the kitchen. Thanks to his enhanced hearing, Luke didn’t miss Benson’s whispered, “Gently, man.”
Was there really any way to do this gently? Hell, if he were giving this information to a man, he’d just lay it on him. Like ripping off a bandage. Women were different though, more delicate and easily broken. Emotional.
“Listen, I get that you guys are probably friends of his, I can pick up on the whole military vibe. What you need to understand is what we had was a fling . Yes, there’s a baby between us now, but I never intended to hunt him down for money or anything. Keeping her was my decision. I only wanted to give him the chance to know his daughter and be in her life if he wanted to. If he sent you two to tell me that he wanted to continue on as a bachelor, then just come out with it. I’m a big girl, I can take it.”
Her face was set and determined, it was her eyes that gave her away. Luke could see the fear of rejection lurking. Maybe it was that Lilly could potentially grow up without a father that played a part in it, but Luke could see through her bravado.
Sitting on the coffee table in front of her, he uttered the words he knew would destroy all the hopes she was harboring of Matt’s return. “He was killed in the line of duty, Ashe. You were never contacted because you weren’t listed on any of his paperwork with the military. He had told me about you and the baby, and I promised that I would come find you and make sure that the two of you were all right.” Luke sighed, scrubbing his hand over his face. “I’m so sorry.”
She just sat there, her face blank, eyes unblinking, and it was scaring the shit out of him. He could scent a sea of emotions within her, but there was no outside indication of which one might win. Anger, sorrow, love and worry all swirled around her like an emotional storm.
Benson came back into the room with a glass of ice water, handing it to Luke with a nod towards the silent woman before him. “Ashe, here, take a drink of this.”
“Is that vodka?” she asked, her voice falling flat.
Luke was taken aback. “Uh, it’s water.”
She shook her head and finally looked at him. Her eyes were welling up with tears and his gut clenched. “Water’s not going to cut it,” she sobbed.
He couldn’t help it. Luke put the glass down on the table and scooped her into his lap again, cradling her and rocking gently as she cried, morning the loss of her former lover and the father of her child. There was nothing to really say that would make any part of the situation easier, so he offered the only kind of support he could.
Lilly, obviously sensing her mother’s distress began to whimper from her swing. Ashe sat up in Luke’s lap, and then rose to stumble over and collect her child. He let her go, but was ready to catch her should she need it.
Seeing her with Lilly in her arms, knowing that she was his mate, and holding the last living piece of his best friend did something to Luke. He couldn’t explain it, but he felt at peace. Like he and his wolf were finally… home .
Only, it was just the most fucked up homecoming in history.
When she came back over and reclaimed her place on the sofa, she took the afghan off the back and
Luke wasn’t sure how this was going to play out in the end, but he knew that he couldn’t possibly endure trying to woo a woman who was hung up on his dead best friend. Christ, if his mate was in love with Matt, then could she ever love him too?
He settled her on the cushions, offering her a sheepish smile. “Sorry about that. I’m just nervous.”
“Well, if that’s the case, then the news can’t be good.”
Luke looked to Benson as he walked through the room with grocery bags and continued on into the kitchen. Thanks to his enhanced hearing, Luke didn’t miss Benson’s whispered, “Gently, man.”
Was there really any way to do this gently? Hell, if he were giving this information to a man, he’d just lay it on him. Like ripping off a bandage. Women were different though, more delicate and easily broken. Emotional.
“Listen, I get that you guys are probably friends of his, I can pick up on the whole military vibe. What you need to understand is what we had was a fling . Yes, there’s a baby between us now, but I never intended to hunt him down for money or anything. Keeping her was my decision. I only wanted to give him the chance to know his daughter and be in her life if he wanted to. If he sent you two to tell me that he wanted to continue on as a bachelor, then just come out with it. I’m a big girl, I can take it.”
Her face was set and determined, it was her eyes that gave her away. Luke could see the fear of rejection lurking. Maybe it was that Lilly could potentially grow up without a father that played a part in it, but Luke could see through her bravado.
Sitting on the coffee table in front of her, he uttered the words he knew would destroy all the hopes she was harboring of Matt’s return. “He was killed in the line of duty, Ashe. You were never contacted because you weren’t listed on any of his paperwork with the military. He had told me about you and the baby, and I promised that I would come find you and make sure that the two of you were all right.” Luke sighed, scrubbing his hand over his face. “I’m so sorry.”
She just sat there, her face blank, eyes unblinking, and it was scaring the shit out of him. He could scent a sea of emotions within her, but there was no outside indication of which one might win. Anger, sorrow, love and worry all swirled around her like an emotional storm.
Benson came back into the room with a glass of ice water, handing it to Luke with a nod towards the silent woman before him. “Ashe, here, take a drink of this.”
“Is that vodka?” she asked, her voice falling flat.
Luke was taken aback. “Uh, it’s water.”
She shook her head and finally looked at him. Her eyes were welling up with tears and his gut clenched. “Water’s not going to cut it,” she sobbed.
He couldn’t help it. Luke put the glass down on the table and scooped her into his lap again, cradling her and rocking gently as she cried, morning the loss of her former lover and the father of her child. There was nothing to really say that would make any part of the situation easier, so he offered the only kind of support he could.
Lilly, obviously sensing her mother’s distress began to whimper from her swing. Ashe sat up in Luke’s lap, and then rose to stumble over and collect her child. He let her go, but was ready to catch her should she need it.
Seeing her with Lilly in her arms, knowing that she was his mate, and holding the last living piece of his best friend did something to Luke. He couldn’t explain it, but he felt at peace. Like he and his wolf were finally… home .
Only, it was just the most fucked up homecoming in history.
When she came back over and reclaimed her place on the sofa, she took the afghan off the back and
Similar Books
