Holding Strong
Page 104
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He resented her more than anything, but didn’t want to argue semantics.
Cherry’s voice, her posture, her expression all softened. “So what happened?”
The complete and total faith humbled him. In that moment, he knew the truth. He more than adored Cherry Peyton, more than lusted for her.
He loved her.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“DENVER?” HE WAS so quiet, so still, it worried Cherry. “You okay?”
Looking a little dazed, he nodded. “Yeah.”
Did his voice sound funny? She leaned closer. “You’re sure?”
“Positive.”
Then why were his biceps bunched under her hand? Why did he keep swallowing? Hoping to soothe him, she rubbed his shoulder—and gave herself a thrill. She couldn’t touch Denver without reacting.
Get your mind off sex, she ordered herself—a very tall order when it came to Denver. She licked her lips and made a magnanimous offer. “If you’d rather not talk about it right now, I can wait.”
He checked the rearview mirror, the side mirror, then turned a corner. “It’s okay. I was just thinking.”
“About?”
His eyes narrowed. “How special you are.”
“Oh.” A little flustered, she sat back. “Really?”
“You don’t know? Because girl, you are seriously a cut above the rest.”
The flattery almost made her forget what they were talking about. But Denver hadn’t forgotten.
“Pamela tried to kiss me on the mouth, but I dodged her. When I told her to stop, she said no one would ever know.” He rubbed the bridge of his nose, the back of his neck. “When I reminded her that she was married to my father, she guaranteed me that Dad wouldn’t find out, so how could he be hurt if we played just a little?”
“She missed the point that you’d know.”
He drew in a shaky breath. “She figured I’d be all over it, like she was somehow irresistible or something.”
“She misjudged you.”
“I shoved her away, not to hurt her or anything, but I was so damned shocked I just reacted. She landed on the floor, buck naked, sprawled. Swear, I tried not to look. But she started scrambling, grabbing for me while I was just trying to get away. She made a lot of...promises.” He glanced at her uncomfortably. “Things she’d do and stuff. Like she thought that would sway me.”
There wasn’t a single thing funny about what he described, but Cherry could almost see it as a comedy sketch. A young superhunk, a desperate woman offering herself. Nakedness. Rejection and confusion.
And to think she’d been embarrassed over how she’d looked when meeting Pamela for the first time. She wasn’t one to judge, but God knew, Pamela wasn’t in a position to be judging anyone, either.
Though she was curious about the kinky things Pamela offered, Cherry decided not to ask. Encouraging Denver, she said, “Go on.”
“She trapped me by the damned door and at that point, with me being pretty blunt, she went from hoping to convince me to begging me not to say anything.”
Oh no. Cherry’s heart broke for him. She remembered conversations they’d had, how he hadn’t wanted to talk about his family. “You told your father anyway?”
“Not at first. Dad was so damned happy with her, and other than sending me pleading looks Pamela acted like nothing had happened.”
“But you couldn’t?”
His jaw tightened. “I didn’t want to talk to her. Hell, I couldn’t even bear to look at her. Things got...tense. I tried to hide it, but I know Dad noticed.”
Cherry watched him check the mirrors again, impressed that even while dredging up an ugly part of his past he remained vigilant. Such a remarkable man, even more so than she’d ever realized.
“Waiting to tell him what happened was a mistake.” Disgusted, he said, “She told Dad that I hated her, that I’d been mean and disrespectful. She claimed I would do anything to get rid of her.”
Disbelief widened her eyes. “He believed her?”
“He said he’d been watching me, that he could see the animosity every time I looked at her. I knew...” He squeezed the wheel, drank in a deep breath. “I knew it’d be useless but I tried telling him the truth anyway.”
“Oh God, Denver, I’m so sorry.”
“He kicked me out. Told me he wouldn’t believe my lies. He said I should stay gone until I’d grown up enough to apologize to Pamela.”
Cherry gasped, getting angry on his behalf. “Of course you can’t do that!”
Cherry’s voice, her posture, her expression all softened. “So what happened?”
The complete and total faith humbled him. In that moment, he knew the truth. He more than adored Cherry Peyton, more than lusted for her.
He loved her.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“DENVER?” HE WAS so quiet, so still, it worried Cherry. “You okay?”
Looking a little dazed, he nodded. “Yeah.”
Did his voice sound funny? She leaned closer. “You’re sure?”
“Positive.”
Then why were his biceps bunched under her hand? Why did he keep swallowing? Hoping to soothe him, she rubbed his shoulder—and gave herself a thrill. She couldn’t touch Denver without reacting.
Get your mind off sex, she ordered herself—a very tall order when it came to Denver. She licked her lips and made a magnanimous offer. “If you’d rather not talk about it right now, I can wait.”
He checked the rearview mirror, the side mirror, then turned a corner. “It’s okay. I was just thinking.”
“About?”
His eyes narrowed. “How special you are.”
“Oh.” A little flustered, she sat back. “Really?”
“You don’t know? Because girl, you are seriously a cut above the rest.”
The flattery almost made her forget what they were talking about. But Denver hadn’t forgotten.
“Pamela tried to kiss me on the mouth, but I dodged her. When I told her to stop, she said no one would ever know.” He rubbed the bridge of his nose, the back of his neck. “When I reminded her that she was married to my father, she guaranteed me that Dad wouldn’t find out, so how could he be hurt if we played just a little?”
“She missed the point that you’d know.”
He drew in a shaky breath. “She figured I’d be all over it, like she was somehow irresistible or something.”
“She misjudged you.”
“I shoved her away, not to hurt her or anything, but I was so damned shocked I just reacted. She landed on the floor, buck naked, sprawled. Swear, I tried not to look. But she started scrambling, grabbing for me while I was just trying to get away. She made a lot of...promises.” He glanced at her uncomfortably. “Things she’d do and stuff. Like she thought that would sway me.”
There wasn’t a single thing funny about what he described, but Cherry could almost see it as a comedy sketch. A young superhunk, a desperate woman offering herself. Nakedness. Rejection and confusion.
And to think she’d been embarrassed over how she’d looked when meeting Pamela for the first time. She wasn’t one to judge, but God knew, Pamela wasn’t in a position to be judging anyone, either.
Though she was curious about the kinky things Pamela offered, Cherry decided not to ask. Encouraging Denver, she said, “Go on.”
“She trapped me by the damned door and at that point, with me being pretty blunt, she went from hoping to convince me to begging me not to say anything.”
Oh no. Cherry’s heart broke for him. She remembered conversations they’d had, how he hadn’t wanted to talk about his family. “You told your father anyway?”
“Not at first. Dad was so damned happy with her, and other than sending me pleading looks Pamela acted like nothing had happened.”
“But you couldn’t?”
His jaw tightened. “I didn’t want to talk to her. Hell, I couldn’t even bear to look at her. Things got...tense. I tried to hide it, but I know Dad noticed.”
Cherry watched him check the mirrors again, impressed that even while dredging up an ugly part of his past he remained vigilant. Such a remarkable man, even more so than she’d ever realized.
“Waiting to tell him what happened was a mistake.” Disgusted, he said, “She told Dad that I hated her, that I’d been mean and disrespectful. She claimed I would do anything to get rid of her.”
Disbelief widened her eyes. “He believed her?”
“He said he’d been watching me, that he could see the animosity every time I looked at her. I knew...” He squeezed the wheel, drank in a deep breath. “I knew it’d be useless but I tried telling him the truth anyway.”
“Oh God, Denver, I’m so sorry.”
“He kicked me out. Told me he wouldn’t believe my lies. He said I should stay gone until I’d grown up enough to apologize to Pamela.”
Cherry gasped, getting angry on his behalf. “Of course you can’t do that!”
