Her Kind of Man (6 page)

He glanced away from her, shifted in his seat. “Do you think Isaac'll use this information to threaten your father's career?”

“God, no,” she replied, waving a hand of dismissal. “I never told him about that. But he doesn't need proof of wrongdoing to manipulate me. He knew exactly what to use to make me cower in fear. His last name is enough to get him whatever he wants in that town. His father is the governor's spiritual advisor.” Kent's phone blared from the other side of the room. When he made no move to pick it up, she asked, “Aren't you going to get that?”

“No,” he answered. “They can wait. I'm concerned about you right now.”

“It's fine. It's probably Syd. You should call her back.” She scooted to the edge of the couch, but turned back to him before she got up. “I'm sorry I never told you. It wasn't because I didn't trust you, I—”

“What?” he said with a frown. “Don't apologize to me for not telling me your business. That's not how we do. You mentioned that you'd only told Syd before you told Isaac. Did your parents never find out?”

“Eventually. My mother actually walked in and caught her.”

“I'm sure they were devastated.”

“They were. Especially my father.” Her dad had practically raised his sister after their parents died. He'd given her everything in life, from a college education to her first car. When he found out what she'd done, he was heartbroken.

“He probably wanted to kill her.”

A chill ran up Allina's spine and she rubbed the back of her neck. “By the time he found out, she was already dead,” she said, her voice flat.

He frowned and she knew what was coming next. “So your aunt died in jail?”

“No,” she said. “You understand why I'm scared, right?”

He pulled her into his side. She relaxed into him, took in his smell. Kent always smelled like a fresh shower, no matter what he'd done for the day. It amazed her how comforting that smell was.

Rubbing her shoulder, he said, “I do. As much as I hate it, I get it. He sounds like the type who doesn't take no for an answer.” He brushed his lips against her forehead and she let out a heavy sigh of relief. “But I'll take care of him,” he added, a hard edge to his voice.

She lifted herself up and peered into Kent's eyes. “What do you mean?” She shook her head rapidly. “I don't want you to do anything that will get you in trouble.”

“No worries,” he said, giving her a quick smile. “I know what I'm doing.”

“But, Kent, he—”

“Is a punk?” he interrupted. “I can't stand men who bully women. Sometimes all it takes is a man to get that through to a punk. So…” Kent rubbed her back. “Don't worry about it. I'm going to handle it. Tomorrow, we'll deal with the preacher man. Right now, you rest. You can stay here as long as you need to.”

The room descended into silence and Allina tried to relax. Isaac was still in Ohio and Aunt Laura was long gone. There was no reason to ever speak about her again. Allina prayed that Isaac was just issuing idle threats. After all, he couldn't know what had happened all those years ago, the circumstances surrounding her aunt's death—or the fact that her mother had killed her.

K
ent held Allina in his arms for what seemed like hours. It was a first for them—him holding her, being so close to her. Aside from a hug here or there, he'd purposefully kept her at arms-length physically. It was why, through their entire friendship, he'd never allowed Allina to just chill with him at his house. Not after eleven o'clock.

Because there
was
something there, an underlying feeling that scared the shit out of him. He'd been around enough women to recognize when someone wanted him, and he knew how Allina felt about him. But knowing that only strengthened his resolve to
not
acknowledge it or even let on that he could even possibly reciprocate her feelings.

In the process, he'd probably hurt her feelings numerous times and ultimately pushed her straight to the fucking pastor in the first place. But he had his own baggage, his own past to deal with. His reasons for not risking his place in Allina's life—as her friend—were valid, considering his history with women. Maybe it was the example his parents had set? Or the talk that he'd had with his father about the love of a good woman making the toughest man stronger? But he wasn't afraid of, or closed off from, relationships. He just wasn't good at them. Inevitably, he always disappointed the women he became involved with, spent too much time working to pay attention to them, forgot a stupid anniversary…or just got tired of them invading his space. He was impatient, didn't have time to play silly, bullshit games, or coddle anyone's feelings. Not good relationship material.

Women came easy to him, though, and he'd had his share. And he'd had enough ass thrown at him from chicks who wanted his money. Kent wasn't rich, but he lived comfortably. Allina would say he had multiple streams of income because he had a day job, owned a business, and had invested part of his inheritance very well.

Finding a woman who was on his level, someone who could talk to him about anything from the stock market to conspiracy theories to the NFL playoffs, appealed to him. Even though she fit the bill, that person couldn't be Allina. They'd been friends too long to ruin it over a failed romance. And she was too important to him, too good, to take a chance on something so uncertain. Despite the long-lasting enduring love his parents shared, he'd seen the dark side of love as well.

His mother had once told him it was the Smith charm that made otherwise sane, independent women lose their minds. She would know. She loved his father with everything in her, and he loved her desperately. When he died a few years earlier, Kent didn't think she would make it. Apparently Mama was right about him, though. Watching your girlfriend throw herself off a building because you'd hurt her feelings was awful. The guilt alone had eaten him up.

Allina had been there for him after that. Prior to that, they'd been cool with each other, only bonded through their common relationship with Syd and the rest of the crew. As they'd spent more time together, their friendship deepened, and it became more about their connection to each other than the people who connected them.

Then it was…more. Still, there was no reason good enough to change what made them Kent and Allina—acceptance and a comfortable, genuine friendship. Complicating it with love and expectations would undoubtedly disrupt the ease they had with one another.

But now she was sleeping in his arms, in his shirt and his shorts—after midnight.

Tracing the outline of her cheek, he took in the soft lines of her face, the flush in her skin. She had come to him, shared her deepest secret with him, after everything. He couldn't deny that made him feel good, to know she trusted him. He didn't like that she'd been hurt in the process, but he was glad that she hadn't ended up Mrs. Isaac Hunter.

Yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that she was holding back. He wouldn't push her to tell him. Obviously, she had her reasons for keeping whatever it was under wraps. It wasn't as if that would change anything. No matter what she told him, he would always be there for her. That was a given.

His attention drifted back to her, the rise and fall of her chest as she slept. She'd been through more in her life than most people. Her childhood wasn't church all day on Sundays, Wednesday night Bible study or choir rehearsals like she would have him believe. It was dark, twisted, perverted.

If her aunt were still living, he was sure he'd confront her. The woman had taken Allina's innocence and terrorized her for years. Thinking back, he realized her experience affected everything she'd done up until that point. The way she seemed to close herself off to new people, how she always seemed on guard, and even how committed she was to God.

Kent understood why Allina acted the way she did. She'd had enough heartbreak to last a lifetime. Now she had to deal with Isaac. One day soon, Kent would meet the minister face-to-face. The man had threatened to kill her. The thought of anything happening to her chilled him to the bone. Because a life without her was not something he was prepared to live.

Sighing, he finally stood, lifting her into his arms. She nuzzled her face into his neck and his skin tingled. The soft scent of his soap on her skin was driving him crazy. Carrying her through the house, he wondered if he'd have the self-control to just deposit her in the guest room and leave her. Already, he was tempted to watch her sleep, stay with her through the night, and fight every demon or nightmare she had.

After he entered the second bedroom, he paused. Shaking his head, he snickered at the argument he'd had with his mother about even buying a two-bedroom condo. He'd told her time and time again that he was comfortable with one bedroom. Hell, he'd actually wanted a loft. What the hell did he need extra space for? His brothers, if they needed to, could crash on the couch. Any woman he deemed important enough to bring home would share his king-sized bed. But Mama was more pragmatic. She'd insisted to the point where he agreed just to shut her up. Shifting Allina in his arms, he realized two bedrooms had been a good idea. He'd never admit it to his mother though.

Scanning the room, he took in the neutral colors. He'd given Mama free rein to decorate the space. The queen-sized bed sat in the middle of the room with pillows and a comforter that looked like something right out of a magazine. A dresser lined the wall next to the door, a chest sat in the corner, and a flat-screen television was mounted to the wall across from the bed. It looked like a hotel room. There was nothing of him in there, and he could count on one hand the number of times he'd actually stepped foot in it. The cleaning service he'd hired took care of it every week so he knew it wasn't dusty. That's all that mattered to him.

Kent stepped over to the bed and gently set Allina on the mattress. He tossed a pillow on the floor and pulled back the heavy comforter. There was a small alarm clock, a box of Kleenex, and a lamp.

Once again, he let his gaze wander over Allina's still body. A desire to climb into the bed and wrap his arms around her washed over him and he shook it off.
What the hell?
Had he missed her so much that he was reduced to ogling her sleeping form?

“Kent?” Her raspy voice jarred him from his thoughts.

“Yes?” He focused on her closed eyes, then her plump lips.

“Thank you for everything,” she murmured. “You're always there for me. I should have listened to you.”

Allina's eyes opened and a few tears escaped the corners and drizzled down her face onto her pillow. He brushed a thumb under one glistening orb. “You know I'll do anything for you,” he grumbled, his voice hoarse.

“You could have turned me away, especially after my last visit here.”

Leaning down, he placed a tender kiss against her cheek. He clenched his hands together, resisting the urge to touch her or worse—kiss that mouth of hers.
Get it together, Kent
. Shaking his head, he willed himself to stop thinking about her lips against his. Finally he stood to his full height and pulled the covers over her.

“I'm tired.” She let out a slow, shaky breath. He knew she wasn't just talking sleepy tired.

“I know.” He rubbed the top of her hair, traced the wrinkle in her forehead with his thumb. “Get some sleep. We'll figure this out in the morning.”

Before he could walk away, she grabbed his arm. “Will you promise me something?” she asked.

Without looking at her, he asked, “What is it?”

“No matter what, you won't ever stop being my friend.”

Frowning, he met her concerned gaze. “Why would you ask me that?” There it was again, that feeling deep in the pit of his stomach that there was something else going on.

“You hate drama. I brought it to your doorstep.” Her eyes welled with fresh tears. “And it's not…”

Dropping to his knees, he took her hands in his. “Listen to me. Nothing will make me turn my back on you. Besides, this isn't what I would consider drama.” He smiled slightly. “Drama is when your brother sleeps with your other brother's ex-fiancée.”

She giggled. “Ouch.”

He grinned broadly, happy that he was still able to make her smile. Yes, the joke was at the expense of Morgan and Syd, but it was worth it to see the glow of real laughter in her eyes. Last year, around this same time, his family had almost been torn apart because Morgan and Syd wanted to be together. Syd had been engaged to his other brother, Caden. Den, as they called him, had broken her heart mere months before their wedding and she'd turned to Morgan for comfort. Unfortunately for Kent, he'd been caught in the middle between them. It was a sticky situation, especially since he actually didn't believe Syd and Morgan were that wrong. In fact, he'd even encouraged both of them to follow their hearts and secretly rooted for them to make it work.

“Allina, stop worrying about that. You're my girl; you know that.”

“I know. And you're my boy. I just can't say thank you enough. Thanks for letting me stay here.”

“Stop thanking me. You can stay as long as you need to. You trust me, right?”

She nodded. “Yes. I trust you,” she assured him, closing her eyes and snuggling against the pillow.

“Okay then. We're going to get through this.” He paused, taking in the long lashes against her cheeks. “We'll talk more in the morning. Get some sleep.”

“Not yet,” she said, opening her eyes. “Can I just say something?”

He nodded.

Seconds later, she said, “You know me. Better than most. Over the last few months, I wasn't sure our friendship would survive. The last time we spoke, it was…awful.”

Another reminder that he was an ass. Turning away, he replayed that conversation in his mind yet again.

“You told me I was a fool,” she said, biting down on her lip.

He wasn't someone who lost his temper a lot, but that night, he'd surprised himself.

“I was so angry,” she continued, tracing the stitches on the comforter. “At the time, I embraced it. Because that was the only way I could really walk away from you.” His eyes flashed to hers, surprised at her soft admission. “I told myself that what you said didn't matter. But at the end of the day, it mattered. You matter.”

“You matter to me, too.” Of course she did. More than she could ever know.

“And you were right,” she whispered, her voice thick. “Maybe if I'd just listened…” She hunched her shoulders. “Never mind. No sense in bringing up the past.”

“It's a good thing you didn't marry him. Maybe now you can start over, pick up the pieces and focus on what you want. That's always been a problem for you.”

Allina was a gifted seamstress, and her dream was to design gowns. He wished she hadn't been so willing to abandon that dream for Isaac, but the good news was she could still make it a reality. He was pretty sure Cali was still interested in going into business with Allina like they had planned before she'd started dating that clown.

Reaching out, she grazed his chin with her fingertips, and he almost forgot to breathe. Closing his eyes, he willed that
more
between them away.
She's better off
.

Standing up, he squeezed her hand. He needed to put some space between them. He eyed the door. “I have some work to do,” he lied. “Rest now.”

“Good night, Kent.”

“Night.”