Summer Secrets - Barbara Freethy [72]
Lord, she was pretty. Her long blond hair spread across the covers like it had been prearranged for a photo session. She wasn't wearing anything sexy; a long-sleeve, gray knit T-shirt could be seen where the covers had slipped off. Still, she was gorgeous, her face like one of the porcelain dolls his mother collected, not a blemish or a wrinkle marring her skin. She looked like an angel.
A deep ache centered in his gut. He wanted her so much it was painful just to look at her. It had always been this way. He couldn't remember a time when he hadn't been fascinated by her, when he hadn't wanted to spend every minute of every day talking to her or looking at her.
It had all started out so innocently. They'd met in kindergarten. He could still remember sitting at her table, watching her color. She'd always liked to color. And she'd been so careful to stay between the lines.
As they grew up, their friendship deepened, despite the fact that they had different personalities. He'd always been active, energized, unable to sit anywhere for very long. Ashley could sit for hours if she had a good book or something to draw on. The rest of the world could be spinning around her in utter chaos, but there was always a peacefulness about her. Maybe it was that peacefulness that had called to him. With Ashley he could relax, he could be himself. He lost some of the nervous energy that made it impossible for him to stay on track.
When she'd gone to sea with her dad and sisters, he'd felt like someone had cut off his right arm. He hadn't realized until that moment that he was in love with her. Oh, sure, they were only fifteen and no one thought it was anything more than a crush or an infatuation, but he'd always known it was more. He'd dated other girls while she was away, but no one had ever made him feel the way she did. And he'd thought she'd felt the same.
He frowned, remembering her recent confession. She had kissed his brother. That was something he hadn't known, something he wished he didn't know now. When had that happened? And why?
It didn't make sense. Jeremy had loved Kate. He wouldn't have fooled around with Ashley. There must have been something else going on. Maybe someone had had too much to drink or something.
Oh, hell, it didn't matter now, anyway, he thought, running a hand through his hair. It had been eight years. And he wasn't really all that interested in the past; he was more concerned with the present. He'd held Ashley in his arms last night. She'd turned to him for comfort, and even though he still didn't know exactly what had gotten her so upset, he'd been grateful that whatever it was had driven her back into his arms.
He'd tried to stay away. He'd tried to make a new life for himself. He'd dated every kind of girl he could find. A few had made him laugh. A couple had made him horny. But none had really gotten under his skin the way Ashley had.
Shaking his head, Sean moved farther into the room, wondering if he should wake Ashley or just go. But he didn't want to go. He wanted to talk to her. He wanted her to trust him with whatever was bothering her. He hadn't realized how messed up she was until last night. He'd known there was something going on with her and the water, but there was obviously more that was wrong, and he wanted to know what it was. She'd always been cautious but never so afraid, so fragile. He wanted to help her. He wanted to take care of her. He wanted her to lean on him the way she'd once done.
He sat down on the bed beside her. Ashley moved slightly, murmuring something in her sleep. He put a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes flew open. Startled by his presence, she hit her head on the headboard as she hastened to sit up.
"Easy there," Sean said. "Everything's cool."
She tucked her hair behind her ear in a self-conscious gesture as she came fully awake. "What time is it?"
"Almost