“When you texted me and I didn’t answer.”

She slowly nodded and I felt like such an asshole. I ran my hand through my hair as I turned more toward her, our bodies dangerously close. I reached out, my eyes on hers as I took my finger and slowly pushed up the leg of her shorts to expose the barely healed scar.

“And what about this?”

She pushed her shorts back down and her eyes watered over. She glanced toward the door as if she was contemplating running.

“You don’t have to hide from me, Sarah. You never did before, and you don’t have to now.”

“That’s from a long time ago.” She wiped at a tear as she struggled not to break down.

“Please don’t ever do that to yourself again. Please . . .” Her eyes met mine and my heart stopped.

“Okay,” she whispered. Her bottom lip quivered and I knew she was trying so hard to be strong.

I reached out and ran my thumb over her lip and her breathing stuttered. I wanted to lean over and kiss her, but I forced myself not to. I would be whatever she wanted me to be for her, as long as she didn’t shut me out.

“Sarah, I want to know what is hurting you. Why you are hurting yourself.”

“I want to tell you. . . .”

“You can tell me anything.” I ran my thumb over the back of her hand and she began to relax a little. She closed her eyes, breathed in deeply, and began to speak in a quiet, shaky voice.

“I never really felt safe at home after my mom married Phil. He would always make inappropriate comments, hug me just a little too long. I didn’t know what to do. He was my stepfather.”

My mind raced as Sarah began to tell me everything she’d endured as a child. Part of me had always suspected abuse given the few details she’d let slip about her past and the way she behaved around Derek, but never to this magnitude. It made perfect sense now why she reacted the way she did to Derek’s behavior. I cringed as I thought of the first time she was alone with me in my room and I’d wanted her so badly. She was probably terrified of me.

“I will fucking kill him.” I knew it wasn’t what she needed right now, but I couldn’t fathom that no one had tried to protect her.

“It’s over, E. He can’t hurt me anymore.”

 “But he is still hurting you. Everything you do is a direct result of your past, of what happened to you.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore.”

 “Where is he?” I couldn’t hide my anger and I knew I was squeezing her fingers too tightly.

“I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to my mother in years . . . or my sister.”

“Do you think they are still together?”

 “I don’t know. Even if they aren’t, I don’t think I could ever go back there. When I left . . . I left for good. I never looked back. I cut all my ties to my old life, cut everyone out completely and just fled. . . . I never wanted to be reminded of him in any way again. . . .”

“You don’t have to.” Her eyes met mine for a brief second, and I knew she understood just how far I was willing to go to protect her.

“People always talk about a house with a white picket fence.” She shook her head. “We hid a lot of secrets behind that fence.”

“Why didn’t you tell someone?”

“Who would I tell?” Anger flashed in her eyes. “My mother knew I hated Phil. I wanted them to break up from day one. I doubt she would have even believed me.”

“I believe you.”

“You’re different.”

“I’ve been called worse,” I said with a laugh, and she smiled. It was a small victory and I hated that she was with someone who didn’t give a damn about her feelings. “Why haven’t you told Derek?”

“Embarrassed, I guess. Or maybe just scared. Scared he’d freak out, not be able to handle it.” She was fighting back tears now. “I’m just . . . I’m scared to be left alone.”

Again I had that nagging thought that Sarah would hate me for keeping the truth about Derek from her, but I couldn’t hurt her any more. Not now. I just couldn’t, even though I knew it was only a matter of time before she caught him in the act again.

“Have you ever thought about finding your real dad?” I didn’t want to press her, but there had to be someone she could turn to. Derek obviously wasn’t that person, and I knew once she left here with him, I’d probably never see her again.

“He’s been gone since I was six, E. If my mom couldn’t find him, he doesn’t want to be found.”

“Whatever happened between him and your mom is between them. You can still have a relationship with him.”

“Oh, like your relationship with your dad?”

“Things with my dad are different, Sarah. He blames me for my brother’s death and used me as a punching bag.” It wasn’t fair to ask her to do something that I wasn’t willing to do myself, and I honestly am scared that he won’t want to see me. It is hard to put yourself out there for someone and be rejected.

“I know. I’m sorry. I’m just saying time can change things. You never know.”

“Maybe you’re right. If I could talk to him man-to-man, I might be able to put some of this shit behind me. You could do the same, you know?” The thought of being able to move past what had happened seemed like a dream. My father and I couldn’t make up the years we lost, but it would be nice to have a family again.

She sighed loudly as hers eyes darted everywhere but to mine. “He left with the neighbor lady and never looked back. It doesn’t even matter. I have Derek.”

I struggled against asking again why she was telling me all of her secrets and not him, but I didn’t want to hurt her more.

“If he is what makes you happy, then I am happy for you, Sarah.” I couldn’t bring myself to let go of her hand even though the contact was becoming almost painful. “But I think you should tell him about what you went through.”

“I can’t. He wouldn’t understand.”

 “If he loves you, he would.”

She looked over at me again and I knew she could see what I was feeling written all over my face.

Chapter Twenty

SARAH

I HAD THOUGHT ABOUT telling Derek about my childhood a million times, but I always just assumed it would cause him to run. I wanted to believe that it would just be too much for him to handle, but deep down I often wondered if he did really love me. It scared the shit out of me that I was able to open up to E, something I could never do with Derek. E said himself if Derek loved me, he would react the same way E had, and I wanted to know how much E really cared for me. He didn’t judge me, didn’t try to pull away. He just listened.

“You understand . . .” An unasked question was in my words.

E nodded, his free hand running over my cheek and trailing over my jaw. “I do.”

My heart thudded in my chest as the pad of his thumb ran over my lower lip. I felt my body leaning toward him as his gaze dipped to my mouth and back to my eyes. He pressed his forehead against mine, his eyes falling closed as mine did.

I felt emotionally exhausted. Spilling my secrets had been too much. “What are you thinking?” I whispered.

“You don’t want to know.” He laughed and shook his head.

I smacked him on the arm and pulled back from him. “You are such a perv.”

“I don’t get many complaints,” he joked, and suddenly I remembered. He was with Donna. All of a sudden, I’d never felt so exposed to anyone.

I was struggling not to let myself give in to what I was feeling. Every time he touched me, his fingers brushed against me, it ignited a fire inside me that spread clear down to my toes. I had never felt that with anyone before; my fear and guilt from my past had usually drowned out any other feelings for anyone.

“I’ve missed you.” The confession slipped out as I stared into his sad blue eyes. The corner of his mouth pulled into a smile, revealing one of his dimples. His arms slipped around my neck and he pulled me to him. I didn’t try to pull away.

“Is this okay?” he whispered into my hair as he hugged me. I could only nod because the feeling of him pressed against my body was overwhelming. I spread my fingers out over his sides, sighing as my palms flattened on the straining muscles of his back. “You have no idea how much I missed you, Sarah. So much.”

I closed my eyes and inhaled the unmistakable scent of E, Polo Sport and whiskey, as his chest rose and fell quickly against mine. I could feel his heart hammering in his chest in time with mine.

“Do you know how hard it is to stay away from you? I’ve been dying to pull you into my arms since the wedding.” His voice broke as he whispered his confession.

“You can’t say things like that.” The guilt of what I was feeling was killing me inside, but I didn’t have the strength to pull back from him. For a brief moment I was released from my cage.

“I’m sorry.” His lips moved against my cheek. He slowly pulled his body away from mine, and I immediately regretted what I’d said.

Without thinking I put my leg over his lap so I was straddling him. He groaned at the more intimate contact. I rested my forehead on his and my mouth fell open as my breathing increased. He never made a move to kiss me, but somehow this felt more intimate.

We sat perfectly still like this, enjoying the high of being so close. I could feel how much he wanted me as he pressed against my center. I brought my hands to his chest and placed my hand over his heart as it thumped against my fingertips. His hands moved up my thighs and the tips of his fingers slipped just under the edge of my shorts and over the thin scar I had put there.

“Sarah . . . ,” he growled, and I felt it through every inch of my body. I slowly opened my eyes, my breathing embarrassingly loud in the quiet room. “If you keep panting like that, I’m not going to be able to keep my hands off you.”

I looked into Eric’s eyes. The intensity of his gaze made me realize that I was getting in too deep. “I shouldn’t be here.”

His fingers slid to my hips and he held me firmly against him. My body sagged and my lips brushed over his as he spoke. “Stay with me. Just let me hold you.”

“You know I can’t.”

“Just for a little while longer.”

I moved my face so we were cheek to cheek and his heavy breaths blew across my ear.

The phone in the room began to ring and E’s fingers slid into my hair.

“Ignore it,” he panted.

I let my mouth fall open slightly, wishing that I could let go and take what I wanted.

Eventually, the noise stopped and E’s fingers continued to stroke my hair. “I want you.” His whispered confessions sounded deafening in the quiet space.

“E . . . don’t do that.” I didn’t want more guilt to carry around with me. I was already carrying more than most could handle. I was buckling under the weight.

“I won’t ever cross that line if that’s what you want from me. This is enough.”

I nodded, unable to respond as a lump formed in my throat. I could just be friends with E. It was better than the alternative, not having him in my life.

The phone rang again and his body grew rigid as he stared at me with wanting and sadness in his eyes.

“It could be important,” he groaned.

I only nodded, unable to form any coherent words. I pulled my body from his, and I was overcome with embarrassment and regret the moment we broke contact. I was going to be sick. What had I done? I had let E get close to me and Derek would never forgive me.

“What?” E asked angrily as he answered the phone. His eyes flicked to me and he rubbed his hand over his forehead. “How long?” After a pause he added, “Thanks, man.” Before he hung up the phone, his eyes danced over my body.

“What is it?” I asked, registering the sadness in his eyes.

“They guys are on their way back. . . .”

 “Oh.” I was suddenly feeling overwhelmed with panic. “I should . . . I should go.” My eyes searched the room, unsure of what had come over me.

“You don’t have to.” He took a step in front of me, his hands taking mine. I stared down at where he touched me and slowly looked up to meet his gaze.

“E . . .” There were no words. I was a horrible human being. E and Derek both deserved better than what I was giving them right now—I was a shitty girlfriend to Derek and a shitty friend to E. I deserved to be alone and ashamed.

He let go of my hands and took a step back, the look of lust replaced with a hardened mask as the muscles in his jaw flexed under his skin.

I could only nod once at him and hurried out of the room and down the hall to mine.