“Where are the lamps?” Laramie asks.
“On the mantel.” I turn around and, with the light of my cell phone flashlight, grab them and light both, which fills the room with a soft glow.
“It’s either ghost stories or bed,” Laramie suggests.
“Ugh. I vote bed if those are our only options,” McKenna groans.
“Fine. Party-pooper. You guys keep a lamp, and we’ll keep one.”
“I should probably go home and check on my grandparents,” McKenna says just as her cell phone rings. With the dim lighting, I watch as she pulls it out of her pocket and answers. “Hello.” She listens quietly. “Yes, the power just went out.” More listening. “Oh, okay. That makes sense. All right, I’ll see you tomorrow.” She taps her screen and lays her phone on the couch next to her. “That was Gram. I guess the alarm system on the house alerted them to a power failure. She called the electric company, and they’re saying five to six hours before power is restored.”
“We should go get them and bring them here,” I say immediately.
“Oh, they’re still in Jasper. They’re just going to grab a hotel room and make a night of it.”
“Well, you can’t go stay there by yourself.” My sister speaks up, and I make a mental note to buy her a really good Christmas present.
“I’m a big girl, Lara,” McKenna says gently. “I’ve been living on my own for five years now.”
“I don’t care. I hate the thought of you staying there all alone with no power.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Kenna,” I say, moving to stand next to where she’s sitting on the couch. “We’re not debating the topic of you taking care of yourself. However, you’re already here, and we’re all staying. You should stay.” My tone is gentle, despite a storm very similar to the one raging outside roaring inside me. I want her to stay. I want her in my bed, in my arms. I just… I need her to stay. I won’t sleep knowing she’s staying at her grandparents’ place all alone without power. Yes, she’s an adult, but damn it. I want her here.
“Fine,” she concedes.
“I’m going to go change.” Laramie stands from the couch on wobbly legs.
“I’ve got her. I doubt we’ll be back down,” Colby says, grabbing one of the oil lamps and leading my sister upstairs to the guest room.
“Come on. I’ll give you something to sleep in.” I hold my hand out for McKenna, and without hesitation, she takes it. I pull her with a little too much force, causing her to fall into my arms. That’s my cue to wrap her in my arms and hold her close. “I’m glad you’re staying.”
Tilting her head back, she peers up at me. “You sure you don’t mind me sleeping on your couch?”
Gently, I push her hair back out of her eyes. “You’re not sleeping on the couch, Kenna. You’re sleeping with me.” I press a kiss to the tip of her nose. Releasing my hold on her, I blow out the candles and lock up the house. I turn off the light switches so that the house won’t be bright when the power does come on. Grabbing the oil lamp, I place my hand on the small of her back and lead her upstairs to my room.
She doesn’t protest, and part of me thinks I’ve rendered her speechless. The other larger part hopes it’s because she wants to sleep next to me just as badly as I want her in my bed.
In my room, I dig out a T-shirt and boxer shorts for her to change into. “I’ll turn my head,” I say, handing them to her. “We only have the one light. I promise I won’t look.”
“It’s not like it’s not something you’ve never seen before,” she replies with a nervous laugh.
That’s where she’s wrong. I’ve never seen her before. And I know without a shadow of a doubt that woman… no, McKenna, would make all the difference. Swallowing hard, I fist my hands at my sides and will myself to stand with my back to her as I hear her changing.
“Okay,” she whispers.
Slowly, I turn to find her in my T-shirt. The boxers are still in her hands. “All set?” I croak.
“Yeah. This is long enough, so I don’t need these.” She hands me back the boxers. “Can I set my clothes here?” She points to the top of the dresser.
I want to tell her that she can clean herself out a drawer. Hell, I’ll buy McKenna her own dresser, but I refrain. “Sure.”
“Your turn,” she says, turning her back to me.
“I’m sure it’s not something you’ve never seen before,” I volley her words back to her.
“Something tells me this would be different.” She speaks my earlier thoughts aloud, and it takes every ounce of restraint that I have not to kiss the hell out of her.
Chapter 12
McKenna
I’m not drunk. I am, however, tipsy enough to be a little bold when it comes to Rip. I haven’t been able to think of anything but him since our dinner Thursday night. Then, when Laramie called telling me that we were getting together at his place tonight, well, I might have shaved and moisturized every inch of my body in anticipation. Not that I expect anything to happen between us. However, just the fact that there would be a small chance, I wasn’t going to risk it because I was too lazy to shave my legs or my lady bits.
“I’m good,” he says. His voice is thick and husky, and it’s making me want things that I know I can’t have—namely, him. Slowly, I turn to face him.
“Are you sure you want to share your bed? I can sleep on the couch,” I offer half-heartedly. We both know that I don’t want to sleep on the couch, and he said he wanted me here in his bed, but I still feel as though the right thing to do is to offer to take the couch again. You know, just to be certain. I’m going to be an attorney, after all. If I’m anything, I’m thorough. At least I should be. When I’m working, I’m confident and assertive, but when it comes to Rip, I revert back to that same little girl who was told she was a mistake and ruined everything. He doesn’t remind me of my father, not even close. Maggie tells me it’s because I want him to want me. Well, she said it’s because I want him to love me. Just like I wanted my father to love me. I won’t confirm or deny her theory.
“It’s not big enough for both of us.” His eyes bore into mine, and my body heats from not only his gaze but his words. There is no misunderstanding that he wants me close.
“Okay.” It’s a lame reply, but I don’t really know what else to say. I could ask him what’s going on. I could ask him why all of a sudden, now that I’m home, he’s lavishing me with attention. I could ask him if this is just a game. If I’m someone to just pass the time with, like a shiny new toy. I won’t ask any of those things for fear of the answer.
Instead, I’m going to soak up his time and attention so that when he does decide that whatever this is, is over, I’ll have the memories to keep me warm at night. Rip’s never been what some would call a player, but I’ve watched every girl in our high school practically throw themselves at him. He’s one of the good ones. The type of man that if you have the chance, you want to hold on tight and never let go. He’s going to realize that he can do better than a twenty-four-year-old attorney who is still in therapy from the shit her parents put her through. Granted, it’s every three or four months that I see her, but still. He can do better.