Page 82 of See It Through

“Far.” I got up and joined her at the island, cupping her nape to draw her near. “This is better.”

She set down her glass to spread her fingers on my chest. “I’m really happy for you, Rem. Thank you for sharing your passion with me.”

I cocked my head, alarm bells sounding in the distance. “You don’t sound all that happy.”

“I am, promise. I’m just tired and thinking about the drive home.”

“You don’t need to go home. Stay here.”

She turned her head and yawned, but I could’ve sworn it wasn’t real.

“If I stay here, we both know I won’t rest. Plus, my medicine’s at home, my clean clothes…I’m gonna go.”

I tensed, prepared to fight her. “Why?”

“I just told you.” She raised herself on her toes and pecked my lips. “I need a good night’s sleep. When I’m here…”

She didn’t need to say her nights with me were often interrupted by my nightmares. The thing was, they’d lessened over time and with having her beside me. But that wasn’t her cross to bear; it was mine. If she didn’t want to spend her nights comforting me, she shouldn’t have to.

“I get it.” I touched my lips to her forehead, then let her go. “Go home. I’ll see you in the morning.”

She untangled herself from me without a second’s hesitation, gathering her things and stuffing her legs back into her jeans. With her hand on the doorknob, she turned back to me and offered a wave.

“Don’t stay up all night editing pictures,” she said.

“Yeah,” I replied, gripping the edge of the counter hard enough to crack it. “Drive carefully, Hannah.”

One curt not, then she disappeared out my door, leaving me wondering what the hell had just happened. How had we gone from being wrapped up like two octopuses to spending the night apart?

Hannah withdrew from me; I knew that much.

This was my first time opening up like I had, but maybe I’d come on too fast, too strong, and she wasn’t ready for it. I’d be disappointed if that were true, because there was nothing Hannah could share with me I couldn’t handle. I’d thought she was in the same place with me, but what did I know?

I guessed I read her wrong. And standing here in this quiet, empty house sure as hell didn’t feel good. Not good at all.

Chapter Thirty-two

Remington

Two days had goneby, and I’d barely seen Hannah. I’d caught her at the end of her day yesterday. She’d been sweet as always, giving me kisses and winding her arms around me, and she’d come inside, but not for long. When I’d asked her to stay awhile, she’d claimed to have plans with Phoebe.

Maybe that had been true. Hell, given their relationship and how close they were, it probably was, but I was uneasy about her sudden absence. It was like she’d given herself over to me then stolen herself away without a single warning.

My thoughts kept coming back to me overstepping. That had to be what it was. I’d made her uncomfortable with how much I’d shared. Too much, too soon.

It hadn’t felt soon. Sure, I’d only been in Sugar Brush a few months, but we weren’t building this thing between us on nothing. We had a lifetime of history to mount our relationship on—shared roots I’d tried to kill but hadn’t seemed able to.

The feelings I’d developed for Hannah were unexpected. Unprecedented for me when it came down to it. But I had welcomed them. Let them bud and blossom, sensing if I did, beauty would come of it. There was just no damn way I’d been wrong about her feeling them too. No damn way.

Either something else was going on, or I was being a needy, paranoid ass and would be better off taking a breath and relaxing. Two days without my girl wasn’t the end of the world and sitting around going over and over what had taken place between us wasn’t helping anything.

So I drove into town and parked outside her place. Her lights were on. She was up there and not with me. Didn’t feel right.

I had no game plan when I got out, climbed her steps, and knocked on her door, but I wanted to see her, so I was here.

It took her a while to open up. When she did, she didn’t look exactly thrilled. She still looked gorgeous, her long hair draped over her shoulder in a thick braid, wearing men’s boxers and a white tank, but tired too. There was a blankness in her gaze that had alarm shooting up my spine.

“Hey.” Her eyes flared on my face. “This is a surprise.”