The Unseen Read Online Free PDF

crossed her arms over her chest, her jaw looking tight and determined and a little out of focus.
    The distress in her voice made his gut lurch. He looked up to see tears streaming down Rebecca’s face. Acting manly and tough was no longer an option. “You’re right, it was. All a lie, I mean. And you’re right about the drinking. I was so miserable once you left, I didn’t know what to do with myself. I’m sorry.” His speech slurred and his body felt numb and heavy, like it belonged to someone else.
    The room shifted on its axis and Rebecca’s emerald green eyes widened as he lost his center of gravity and fell forward. He reached for the wall, trying to steady himself. The last thing he remembered was hearing Rebecca’s distressed, “Oh, no.”
     
     
     

Chapter Four
     
     
    Kent awakened to a knock and Rebecca’s voice.
    “Kent, it’s me.”
    He clawed himself loose from the sheets. One nightmare after another had intruded on his drunken sleep. Nightmares where Rebecca shouted at him, walked away, said she’d never forgive him or disappeared by the time he awakened.
    He leaped from the bed, stumbled to open the door and stared at Rebecca, rubbing his sleep crusted eyes. My beautiful Bec. “Sorry I was so incoherent earlier. Thanks for not leaving me on the floor.”
    She angled her head and plucked at her chin, studying him more like a science project than a future husband. “You were a mess at the time—I couldn’t just leave you lying sprawled out on the floor. I mean I’ll have to say I was tempted after—”
    “Wait, Bec, before you say anything else, there are some things I really need to say. First, I want to apologize for what happened.”
    “You already did. Well, sort of.” Her eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m the one who came back. It wasn’t like you chased me down.”
    “I know. But it wasn’t because I didn’t want to. It’s just that everything got so complicated. I hope somehow I can say this so it makes sense.”
    Tears rushed to her eyes and she brusquely wiped them away with a sleeve.
    Kent knew he was blowing it. He had to apologize for the lies and his insensitive behavior before the woman he loved turned her back on him for good.
    Ever since she’d stepped into his world, his life had sharper edges around it. The urge to pull her into his arms made his hands tremble—every voluptuous inch of her body pulled him in like a magnetic field. But he couldn’t touch her—not now—not after the awful things he’d said.
    He hoped she hadn’t closed herself off from him completely so she’d see the emotions warring inside of him—fear, guilt, love, and regret—because she’d always been able to read him. But he knew he couldn’t count on her reading him anymore and that he’d have to let her really see inside his heart. “I’m sorry, Bec. I never meant to hurt you like this. I lied to you. I pretended that our relationship didn’t matter to protect you.”
    “Why couldn’t you have said all this before. Now—”
    “Because I knew if I did, you’d stay. And you have to get out of here before it’s too late. I’m heading out in the morning with a group of Vietnam Veterans and local militia who know the area well—I’m telling you, the study area is going to turn into a war zone.”
    She gazed at him with her enormous green eyes, her long lashes wet with tears. Instead of anger, he saw immeasurable suffering. I caused that . . . His chest felt so tight, he found it hard to draw in a breath.
    “I know how serious this is, Kent. That’s why I want to be with you.”
    “But why would you want to be there with me after—” He glanced away, unable to finish and sighed. He recalled how he’d made love to her that last time—fucked her, really—leaving her wanting and hiding his feelings behind a self-preserving mask.
    As much as he wanted to pull her into his arms and bury his face in her soft, cascading hair, he didn’t