American Made (Against the Tides #2) by Katheryn Kiden Read Free Book Online

hospital and the nurses did it, I find myself relaxing into his touch. I wait for him to start yanking and my head to begin pounding, or for him to give up and leave me to it, but he doesn’t. 
    “Where the hell did you learn to do this? Are you secretly a woman?”
    Maybe he has a daughter, but wouldn’t he have said something if he did? Probably not. I mean we haven’t really talked about anything major like that. The biggest thing was about my arm and leg and that wasn’t a bomb like “I have a kid” would be.
    “If you weren’t hurt right now I would bend you over and slap your ass for that. Then I would prove that I’m one-hundred-percent male.” Again, my body heats simply because of something he said. The way I reacts to him is confusing the hell out of me. Usually when my body wants something, my mind reminds me that it’s a stupid idea. This time, though, my mind is completely on board. When he finishes up with the brush he rips the elastic off the handle and ties my hair up. “To answer your question, I have a younger sister that I used to help get ready when we were younger. When our mother got sick it was hard for her to help so I did it. After she got better and took back over, the skills stuck with me.”
    “Thanks.” I almost ask him to keep touching me and telling me about his family, but I don’t. That’s too far out of my comfort zone right now and I’m already so far past it that I’m afraid to move. Then his words hit me and I figure he’s simply feeling sorry for me because I’m hurt.
    “Shit,” he mutters. “I have to get to work.”
    I nod, waiting for him to leave so I can try to figure out what the hell is going on with me. He doesn’t move, though. Instead, he shifts my hair over my shoulder and leans into me. His breath rushes out against my skin.
    “You’re not weak, Emerson. Gettin' hurt doesn’t make you weak and I think that scares him because he knows how close he came to losin’ you. That’s why he’s bein’ an overprotective ass.” I close my eyes as he talks and try to let his words sink in but I know differently. Despite what he says I know I’m weak, I just have to figure out how to become strong again without help. “Just because I only met you last night doesn’t mean I can’t read you… I know you don’t believe me, but it’s true, and sooner or later you’ll see that.”
    I will not have a mental breakdown in front of him. I refuse.
    “You’re gonna be late,” I remind him.
    “Mhm, but I don’t care. I’m havin’ a hard time leavin’. I just met you and all I wanna do is find out when I can see you again before I kiss you goodbye. This isn’t who I am, Emerson. I’ve never been like this so I don’t know what to do about it.”
    Turning my head, I avoid eye contact and press my lips to his. He cups the back of my head and deepens the kiss that was just meant to be what I gave him so he would leave, but it turns into so much more. I finally force myself to pull back. “What you do is leave and go to work without thinkin’ about it because this isn’t who I am, either.”
    Finally, he takes the hint and steps toward the door but it doesn’t last. Walking back over to me, he presses his lips against my ear before whispering, “I will see you again. Soon. Not because I just wanna fuck you, but because I wanna get to know you. I don’t care how much of a pussy that makes me. It’s true. I’ve never wanted that so I need to know why I want to with you. I’m not gonna fuck you for stupid reasons like Knox said. I won’t fuck with you like that.”
    Having him so close is scrambling my thoughts so I say the only thing I can get my mouth to push out and I hate that it sounds so breathy when I do. “OK.”
    “Oh, something else you should know.”
    “Hmm?” He presses his lips just below my ear and it drives me crazy. I want to jump him right here and now but I stop myself. When he presses his mouth back against my ear, I feel his