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Like his place in Boston, it was devoid of the feminine touch

His front door sla around to face him “Falafel?” I held up the takeout cartons

“I already ate” He looked and sounded iun on the kitchen counter

“I went to the station, and Jeff said you’d be here” I felt nervous and aard Sighing, I put the cartons down on the coffee table and clasped my hands in front of me

Michael dragged his eyes down my body and returned to my face “That doesn’t explain why you’re here”

“I wanted to see if you were okay”

“Well, as you can see, I’m fine”

I flushed, unprepared for a snippy Michael “Should I go?”

He rubbed both hands over his face and groaned “No”

The need to reassure and comfort him superseded my uncertainty I took a step toward him “This isn’t your fault, Michael Freddie is not your fault He alas a creepy little fucker, and if he was capable of killing Stu, then he was always capable of killing Stu”

Michael nodded, his dark eyesover my face For a moment we stood in silence When he eventually spoke, it wasn’t what I expected to hear “I used to cos, and Kiersten didn’t want to know” The thought of hi I tried to hide froive her the details—I wouldn’t do that to her—but I wanted to talk Get rid of it so into bed beside her, reaching for her She’d push , and I’d think about you”

The air between us thickened His confession hitall the ti I’d tell you about ood and the bad, and you’d listen Really listen And then you’d wrap your arht out of me” Pain slashed across his expression “I never resented you soshe were you so you could kiss the bad right out of me”

Tears flooded my eyes Because I wished I’d been there too So much So much more than I could bear

Michael took a hesitant step toward ht now—if I told you I wouldn’t read too much into it, ould you say?”

Without hesitation, I crossed the rooth curled around ently across the soft palm of my hand Without a word, I let him lead me to his bedroom, and for one perfect moment, I silenced allI needed to do most