Long for Me Read Online Free PDF Page B

calling her name, heard him tell her to wait.
    She didn’t want to wait.
    She just wanted …
    His arms came around her, his voice a broken, ragged whisper in her ear. “Don’t go.”
    A sob ripped out of her, all the tears she’d kept pent up ever since she’d heard the truth.
    She hadn’t allowed herself to cry, because there was only one place, one person she’d ever felt safe with.
    And he’d abandoned her. Struggling against him, she tried to break free.
    He just hugged her tighter, one hand cradling the back of her head, the other a steel band around her torso. It might have been the only thing that kept the pain from ripping her apart.
    “Shh…” His deep, soft voice was a rhythmic murmur in her ear. “I’ve got you, Tink. I’ve got you.”

Chapter Four
    The sun turned the river to fire.
    Sprawled on the low-slung carved bench with her head on Guy’s chest, Chris stared out over the water, a dull headache pounding at the base of her skull. She didn’t know how long she’d cried, but it had been long enough that she almost felt ill from the headache.
    As though he somehow picked up on the pain, Guy’s hand trailed up her back and settled on the nape of her neck, his fingers digging into the muscles and slowly kneading away the tension.
    She groaned and turned her head, giving him better access.
    “You’re a mess of knots,” he said.
    “I’m a mess period.”
    “You’re not a mess.” He sighed, his chest rising under her cheek. “You’ve been kicked too many times lately, that’s all.”
    “I wish I could kick back.”
    He squeezed her neck lightly. “You can kick me. I shouldn’t have bailed like I did. Especially not after we…”
    Despite the hurt that still gnawed her, she found herself smiling. Looking at him through her lashes, she said, “I think the correct term would be fucked like minks . I read that in a book once. We fucked like minks. All night.”
    A chuckle rumbled out of him. “That’s the correct term, huh? Okay. I shouldn’t have bailed after we fucked like minks all night. I just wasn’t thinking. Besides, you said you just needed the night. I figured…” He shrugged. “The night was over. Thought that might make it easier on us both.”
    “Easy and I haven’t had a passing acquaintance in more than fifteen years. I gave up on easy the night my mom disappeared, Guy.” She sat up slowly, staring out over the river. She was quiet for a long moment and then she turned her head, staring at him. “Why would it get easier if my best friend just bailed?”
    He didn’t answer, a muscle pulsing in his cheek.
    “I guess you needed a break from it.”
    He had nothing to say to that.
    She jerked a shoulder in a shrug. “Hell, I would. I sure as hell wouldn’t want to look at me if I were you. I’m a needy little brat lately. And your dad…” She closed her eyes, shook her head. “It’s not your fault, you know. What he did. It’s not. Not at all.”
    “You’re not a needy little brat.” He cupped her face in his hands, his fingers pushing into her hair.
    She cocked a brow at him.
    Despite himself, he had to laugh. “Okay, maybe you are a needy brat. Sometimes. But that’s not it.” He sighed and lowered his head, pressed his brow to hers. “He’s why this happened. Why shouldn’t you want a break from the reminder? The memories? From…”
    Chris slid her hands around his waist. “But that would require needing a break from my best friend. I don’t want that.” She settled her head against his chest. “I need you, Guy.”
    * * *
    I need you .
    Words that could mean everything to him, if they only meant a little bit more to her. Or a little something else.
    He rubbed his cheek against her hair, staring out into the night. “I’m right here, Tink.” Right here. Where he’d always be, because he couldn’t cut himself away. “For whatever you need from me, whenever you need it.”
    Her hand fisted in his shirt, tugged, tangled.
    “I want him