A/N: I've taken the liberty of adding a few facts into this story that is only revealed in S2 once we meet the witches. However, for the purposes of this story, our main characters don't know of their existence.
Also, please note that the story's rating has changed to M due to explicit sexual content.
Thanks to everyone who've been reading, reviewing, favouriting and following.
"Are you picking anything up?" Nick asked.
Having split up into teams of two to ensure greater coverage in order to search for Salazar, Jeremy and Nick were scouring one half of the woods close to where the stolen car had been found while Clay and Elena tackled the other. Being careful to avoid any cops that might still be lingering close by, they were relying on their superior senses as well as their knowledge of the area to keep tabs on any unexpected arrivals.
"Nothing," Jeremy replied inattentively. Reaching into his back pocket he checked his phone for messages. It was already after 3pm and he hadn't heard a word from Kate.
"Considering how distracted you are, you'd probably miss a plane if it fell out of the sky right about now," Nick said sardonically, coming to halt.
Jeremy stopped beside him but didn't say anything. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong and it was making him uneasy.
"What's going on, Jeremy?" Nick asked, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets. "You haven't stopped looking at your phone since we left the car twenty minutes ago."
They were standing beside a copse of tall trees, the woods eerily silent save for the wind rustling through the rapidly shedding foliage. All around them were signs of the coming winter months; the once crisp green leaves now a majestic array of golds, oranges and reds that fell to the ground at regular intervals to form a lush carpet beneath their feet. Jeremy loved the outdoors and relished every opportunity to be at one with nature, but at that moment he hardly noticed its unspoiled splendour.
"It's Kate," he admitted. "She was supposed to call me to let me know when to collect her, but I haven't heard a word."
Nick's lips twitched. "She's a doctor. I'm sure she's just busy."
Jeremy shook his head. "No, something's not right."
At his serious tone, Nick sobered. "Do you think something's happened to her?"
"I don't know. I just have a bad feeling."
Nick regarded him keenly. "Are you ready to admit that you're in love with her?"
Jeremy glared at the younger man in annoyance before resuming their trek. "Drop it, Nick."
"Seriously, Jeremy. I saw the way you look at her. Heck I saw the way you kissed her," Nick pressed, following closely. "You worry about her non-stop and you've even moved in with her to protect her. Most importantly, you've told her about us and she's still alive." He paused for a second. "You've never done that for anyone."
"You're being fanciful," Jeremy said dismissively, rounding a corner and striding briskly up a steep incline.
"Guess the denial's still going strong then," Nick muttered.
Jeremy stopped abruptly, irritated. "Why are you pushing this?"
"Because I believe that everything happens for a reason. My parents were forced to live apart even though they never stopped loving each other," Nick said emotionally. "There's a lesson to be learnt there."
Taken aback, Jeremy asked, "What are you talking about?"
Nick exhaled sharply before running a hand through his perfectly coiffed hair. "I found my Mom. I met her, I talked to her."
Shocked, Jeremy stared at him, his gaze eventually softening when he looked at Nick's tortured expression. He knew how badly he'd always wanted to know his mother. "Nick-"
"She loved my dad and she loved me, Jeremy. She knew. She knew what Antonio was," he said softly, his eyes suddenly filled with grief. "And she never told anyone."
Jeremy reeled. "How?"
Nick swallowed. "She saw him transform once. After she knew the truth she understood that my dad needed to take me away, to keep both of us safe. Her only stipulation was that he send her a picture of me once a year. When she didn't receive one this year, she knew something had happened to him."
Antonio had never told Jeremy. Stunned, he absorbed the knowledge that his best friend had deliberately deceived him. All those years together, and not once had Antonio mentioned that Lily knew the truth about them. Jeremy had always thought that they'd shared everything. Apparently not this.
"Your father never told me," he said, sad that Antonio had not trusted him enough.
Nick shook his head. "My dad loved you like a brother, Jeremy. He didn't tell you as much for my and my mother's protection as for your own."
"What do you mean?"
"You're the alpha. If he'd told you the truth, what would you have been forced to do?"
Jeremy leaned back against a tree, staring unseeing into the distance. He would have had to ask Antonio to kill Lily. The fact that his friend had been unable to confide in him made Jeremy feel a great deal of guilt, but also an overwhelming shame. As much as Antonio hadn't wanted Lily to die, he hadn't wanted Jeremy to have to live with the knowledge that he'd asked his best friend to kill the mother of his son and the love of his life. It could very well have driven a barrier between them that they might never have been able to overcome.
"I don't blame you. I know why our rules exist and I accept that your insistence on strict adherence is what's kept us alive, but my mom never told anyone. She loved my father too much. So when I realise that I grew up without a mother for nothing, it makes me think that there has to be a better way. For all of us. As wolves, if we're lucky, we're probably going to live for more than a century. That's a really long time to be lonely."
Nick's words hit Jeremy squarely in the gut. He hadn't realised he was lonely until he met Kate. "It's not that simple," he replied unevenly, his emotions in turmoil.
"Not even you can control love, Jeremy. No one can."
"I'm alpha-"
"But that's not all that you are," Nick reasoned vehemently. "You're also a man. Flesh and blood and you deserve to be happy. Right now, that happiness is staring you right in the face and you're going to turn away from it?" Nick sounded incredulous. "They say wolves are cursed, Jeremy, but I can't help thinking that we've been cursing ourselves. Love, real love, comes along once in a lifetime. It did for my parents and they were forced to spend their whole lives loving one another from memories. Don't make the same mistake."
Perhaps it had been easy for Jeremy to expect his family to give up the people they loved without question because he'd never felt that strongly towards anyone. He'd never been in love. He'd expected Clay to give up Elena, he'd demanded that Logan walk away from Rachel…but now, when there was someone in his life who he cared a great deal about, he finally understood why it was so incredibly hard.
"I'm sorry. About Lily," he said sincerely.
Nick shrugged, giving him a small smile. "There's no going back." They remained silent for moment before Nick glanced at Jeremy's phone. "Why don't you call her?"
Jeremy looked down at the large touch display on his mobile device. He needed to know if Kate was alright or he was likely to lose his mind. "Give me a minute."
Nick stepped away while Jeremy dialled, frowning when the call went straight to voicemail. Next he tried the hospital. Eventually he got through to Nurse Reynolds. After a brief conversation, he disconnected.
"What is it?" Nick asked, sensing Jeremy's unease.
"She left work two hours ago."
Concerned, Nick stepped closer. "Where would she have gone?"
"I don't know." Restless, Jeremy shoved his phone into his back pocket. He had to get into town. "I'm going to head back. Stay here and keep tracking." Overhead, storm clouds were gathering.
"Are you sure you don't need my help?"
"No, I'll be fine. There's no way Salazar could have gotten to her so quickly. He's too far from town and in too bad a condition to move about undetected." Even as Jeremy said the words, he prayed that he wasn't wrong. "Call Clay and tell him to pick you up. I'll get in touch later."
He barely heard Nick's, "I hope everything's okay," as he sprinted back towards the Land Rover.
Jeremy's nerves on edge, he sped down the highway, completely disregarding the speed limit. If anything happened to Kate…
For his entire life he'd lived believing that what he had was enough to make him happy. Stonehaven, his career as a painter, his pack. Then he'd met Kate and suddenly he'd realised what he'd been missing – the reciprocal affection of someone other than his family, the challenge of a strong, independent, intelligent woman, the rush of desire for someone who wasn't merely a means of slaking his manly needs, but a person he wanted to get to know, who he wanted to know him. The strangeness of his newfound wants and needs were unsettling to say the least. Giving them any credence would only complicate his life in ways he couldn't even begin to contemplate. But when he thought about having to let her go when Salazar was found and pretending that he'd never known her, that she'd never swept into his life like a whirlwind and disrupted the very foundations of its calm predictability… Jeremy couldn't imagine a greater torture.
Thirty minutes later his car ground to a halt outside Kate's house, not sure if it was a good sign that her Mini was still parked in the driveway. Vaulting across the fence, he used the spare key she'd given him that morning to let himself in.
"Kate!" he called, swiftly assessing the empty lounge and kitchen before heading towards the back of the house. Relief mingled with fear when her scent got stronger the closer he got to her bedroom.
Pushing the door open, Jeremy stopped in his tracks when he caught sight of her. With hair still damp from the shower, Kate stood in the center of the room, the sliver of red terrycloth wrapped around her body barely sheltering the essentials. Her legs, long and shapely were completely exposed to mid-thigh, as were the silky smooth skin of her shoulders and arms. Her breasts, pert and round, were scarcely covered, his imagination running wild as he envisioned what lay beneath the scrap that some would deign to call a towel.
Glancing up when she heard the door opening, Kate yelped, clutching her hands to her chest. "Jeremy! What the hell are you doing scaring me like that?"
Jeremy's slack jawed expression turned grim as he remembered how frantic he'd been for the past hour. "What are you doing home when you were supposed to call me when you were ready to be collected?"
Planting her hands on her hips, Kate glared at him. "Well, it's not every day that you discover that you're about to die. I figured I might as well enjoy one last afternoon of freedom before being forced into an early grave."
Huh? "What are you talking about?"
"What am I talking about?" she echoed, clearly incensed. "How about the fact that you conveniently forgot to mention that humans who know about your habit of changing into a wolf, get axed!"
Jeremy sighed heavily. Shit. "Where did you hear that?"
"Elena. But does it even matter who it came from? You should have told me!" Kate admonished, walking towards him.
"What exactly did you expect me to say?" Jeremy demanded, stalking forward to meet her halfway, his own temper rising to meet hers. "It's not exactly the kind of thing you drop into casual conversation!"
"Oh! But telling me you're a werewolf is?"
Jeremy prayed for patience. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you, but that does not excuse the fact that you placed your life in danger by directly ignoring my request. I was worried when I didn't hear from you."
Kate rolled her eyes at him. "Now you're worried? Really? Afraid that Salazar may kill me before you get the chance to?"
A low hiss escaped as he exhaled sharply. "That is not funny."
"Do I look like I'm laughing?" They were now toe to toe.
Jeremy was furious, his earlier fear and worry colliding into one hot mess. "You were reckless and irresponsible."
"What do you care?" Kate countered carelessly. "Salazar would have done you a favour!"
"That's enough!" Jeremy grasped her arms, his eyes locking with hers. Chests heaving, they glared at one another, both of them equally irate.
Then, without warning, everything changed. Anger melted into awareness, irritation into want. Tugging her against him, Jeremy noticed how flushed her skin was, how her movements had caused the towel to dip even lower, the curve of one rosy areola bared to his hungry gaze. He noticed the way Kate's eyes darkened as his head swiftly descended towards her, her lips parting to receive the full thrust of his tongue as he kissed her with wild abandon.
She clung to him, her arms winding around his neck, her fingers sinking into his hair. He felt her body bow into his as she lifted herself onto the tips of her toes, bringing them into even closer proximity. One of his arms wrapped around her waist, holding her prisoner against the hard length of his torso, while his free hand cupped her chin, angling her head so that their mouths could better align. The kiss was sensual, desperate, an explosion of heated emotion.
Gasping for breath, Jeremy wrenched his lips from hers. "Dammit, Kate," he breathed raggedly, his voice a raw whisper. "Do you have any idea what was going through my mind when I couldn't get hold of you?"
"I'm sorry," she said breathlessly, as she sagged against him. "Elena's words frightened me. Then when I had a moment to think things through I became angry. I guess I was just being defiant when I asked my boss to drop me at home instead of calling you as promised."
Jeremy pulled back, his thumb caressing the smooth underside of her jaw. "So you didn't walk?"
Kate smiled sheepishly, her lips pink and swollen. "No."
Sweet relief coursed through his veins.
"Jeremy?"
Kate's eyes were like luminescent pools of green, everything inside of him wanting to drown in their beauty. "Yes?"
"You're not going to kill me, are you?" She was looking at him squarely, her voice trembling slightly.
Gently, Jeremy's hands cupped her cheeks, wondering how he'd ever thought himself indifferent to her. "I should," he confessed in a whisper. "As alpha, it's my duty. If anyone else in my pack was in this predicament I would tell them to do it and if they couldn't, I would do it myself." He closed his eyes, resting his forehead against hers. "But I can't."
"Why not?" she asked softly, her hands wrapping around his wrists to keep him from moving away.
"Because…" His throat clogged with emotion. He'd spent a lifetime running away from emotional entanglements, but he didn't want to run anymore, not if it meant losing one of the best things that had ever happened to him. "Because I love you." Kate was his match, his mate, the person he'd waited a lifetime for and never thought he'd find. Had never even imagined was out there.
Her eyes misted. "You do?"
Jeremy's lips curled into a smile. "Believe me, I tried not to."
"Shhh," Kate said, laughter tumbling out of her as she placed a finger across his lips. "You're ruining it."
He kissed the digit. "If anything ever happened to you…" His words trailed off, a shudder running through him at the thought.
Kate shook her head. "Nothing's going to happen to me. I'm here," she said, taking both his hands and kissing each of his palms adoringly in turn before placing them over her heart. "And I love you."
Her heart full to bursting, Kate looked up at the man she'd fallen head over heels in love with despite knowing things about him that should have sent her heading for the hills. He was the half human, half wolf leader of an entire species unknown to humanity, a man feared and respected in equal measures. He was also an intensely private, deeply loyal and fiercely loving soul who try as she might, she had not been able to remain indifferent to. She loved him and she regretted nothing. Even after Elena had told her the truth, she hadn't truly believed that Jeremy would ever hurt her. She'd just been angry that he hadn't been completely honest from the beginning.
"You shouldn't," Jeremy said, sounding tortured.
Kate wound her arms around his neck. "Try and stop me."
Jeremy's eyes met hers, light and love blazing so clearly from their depths that it took her breath away. Leaning down, his lips gently touched hers.
The kiss was nothing like their previous one. This time it was gentle, exploratory, each of them savouring the caress and marvelling at the reciprocation of their affections. It didn't take long though before the kiss became more heated, more passionate. Kate's hands moved to Jeremy's chest, her fingers hastily undoing the buttons of his dark waistcoat before she pushed it off his shoulders and got to work on his grey shirt. When she'd unbuttoned it completely, she spread it wide, pushing herself against the hair roughened surface of his chest.
Kate was in heaven, her body heat rapidly spiralling out of control when she felt Jeremy hook a finger into the front of her towel, loosening the knot with an expeditious tug. The towel melted away, his large hands cupping her swollen breasts, testing their supple weight in his palms before his thumbs skimmed across the surface of her nipples. She jerked in reaction and Jeremy groaned, his tongue plunging into her mouth, rubbing deliciously against hers.
Her knees weak, Kate pushed deeper into his hands, her body no longer capable of holding her upright. Interpreting her motions correctly, Jeremy scooped her effortlessly into his arms, carrying her the short distance to the bed before depositing her gently onto the soft covers. Tumbling backward, Kate watched as Jeremy shrugged out of his shirt, his expression almost feral as he stalked towards her, crawling across the sheets until his body covered hers. There was something in the way he moved, something about the ferocity of his countenance that reminded her of a predator stalking its prey. What should have been frightening was instead heady and intoxicating, her sole wish at that moment to be caught squarely in his clutches.
Her breath suspended as he loomed over her, his eyes raking over every inch of her naked body. She could feel herself blush, feel the rush of desire that pooled in the pit of stomach at the hot intensity of his gaze. Reaching up to touch him, Kate slid her hands up his muscled arms and across his shoulders, revelling in his steely strength. Jeremy's mouth descended towards hers again and she lifted her head, eagerly meeting him halfway. Their tongues danced together, their breaths mingling, their lips giving and taking in equal measure. The sensitive tips of her breasts rubbed against his chest, the delicious friction causing her to gasp out loud. Without giving her a moments respite, Jeremy's lips trailed down the side of her neck, his tongue dipping into the shell of her ear before continuing their descent towards her aching breasts.
Kate's fingers tangled in his hair, her eyes falling shut as she felt the wet heat of Jeremy's mouth on her nipple, his lips tugging deeply, his tongue lapping relentlessly against the sensitive peak. The sensation was exquisite, her moans of pleasure echoing around the room. Teasing her mercilessly, he moved from one breast to the other, tasting her at his leisure, driving her crazy with want.
When she thought she couldn't take anymore, she breathed his name as his hands travelled lower, across her stomach and further down towards her thighs, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. She could feel her sex throbbing almost painfully, her hips pushing upward against Jeremy's straining erection still contained within his jeans. Kate's passionate cries turned to shallow pants when his fingers skimmed across her clit, her hands reflexively tightening in his hair, her mouth dropping open to drag much needed oxygen into her lungs. The waves of mounting pleasure was too much, rising within her at an alarming rate, threatening to wash away her sanity.
"Please," she begged, not recognising her own low pitched whimpers when Jeremy inserted one long, slender finger into her hot, slick passage. Her inner walls tightened around him, drawing a groan from him, his soft beard tickling her nipples as his lips continued their persistent torment.
Then suddenly Jeremy shifted away and she protested, her arms reaching for him even as he moved beyond her grasp. Relief flooded through her as she watched him divesting himself of the last of his clothing. Completely naked, he was glorious. Through a haze of desire, Kate admired the smattering of dark hair that fanned across his impressive torso, the hard muscle and sinew in his arms and legs making him a flawless study of pure masculine beauty. Within seconds he was back, his hips settling perfectly into the cradle of her thighs.
Their breathing ragged, their eyes met, love and desire raging between them. With extreme tenderness, Jeremy bumped his nose affectionately against hers and her heart turned over, the gesture so sweet and reverent. Trailing her fingers up the side of his body, her arms settled around his shoulders, holding him against her, close to her heart.
Sliding one hand down the outer curve of her thigh, his mouth seized hers in a dizzying kiss at the exact moment that his hips plunged forward, his thick shaft sliding deep inside of her. Kate's hips rose to meet his powerful thrust, her body stretching to accommodate his considerable size. Together they set the pace, their bodies instinctively finding a rhythm that pleased them both. Mindless with pleasure she writhed in ecstasy, welcoming the weight of Jeremy's body as he thrust repeatedly into her wet heat. Slowly the tension that had been steadily building inside of her reached breaking point, each sublime lunge forcing her closer to that elusive precipice. With a sharp tug on her nipple, Jeremy pushed her over the edge, her entire body engulfed by the intensity of her orgasm. Kate clung to him, her mind incapable of coherent thought as waves of pleasure continued to crash through her, the feeling indescribable.
It wasn't long before Jeremy followed. Shuddering against her he called out her name, his groan of release echoing in her ear as he, too, climaxed.
Coming down from the high, he rolled them onto their sides, tucking her head beneath his chin before he pulled the covers up and over them. Kate had never felt so sated, so contented, so loved.
She must have wondered a hundred times, thousands probably, what it would be like to make love with Jeremy. She could say with absolute certainty that not even her best imaginings had ever come close to the real thing. She'd thought she'd known how much she wanted him, how badly she wanted to be near him, to touch him, to be touched by him. But again, she'd been wrong. She'd wanted it far more than she'd realised, craved his embrace with a desperation that would have scared her if she wasn't sure that he felt the exact same way. Though nothing in life was ever guaranteed, at that moment Kate knew with an astonishing clarity that she'd never feel about anyone else the way she felt about Jeremy.
Snuggling against him, she felt him kiss the top of her head, her eyes drooping drowsily as she fell into a dreamless sleep.
Sometime later Kate woke to the sound of a phone ringing. She could feel Jeremy behind her, his arm clamped around her waist, holding her against him. His body was like a furnace, heat radiating off him and seeping into her. With a curse he gently disengaged from her before hopping out of bed and making a beeline for the offending noise. Staring groggily at his naked form as he reached into his jeans pocket, she couldn't stop her eyes from travelling down the impressive length of his body. He really was incredibly well made.
"Nick?" she heard him answer, walking towards the bedroom door. Outside she could hear the rain coming down in torrents. Glancing at the bedside clock she could see it was just after 8pm. "No, everything's fine. Yes. Sorry, I meant to call you but I was a little...uh…preoccupied."
Jeremy gazed back at the bed just as Kate sat up, holding the covers to her chest. His eyes locked with hers and she could feel her face flush, her stomach breaking out in a flurry of butterflies. Silently his bare feet made their way back towards the bed.
"That's okay. Tell Clay I'll call him in the morning," he said, before disconnecting and placing the phone on her dresser. Sitting down on the side of the bed, he pushed her hair back from her forehead. "I didn't mean to wake you."
"That's alright. Is everything okay?" Kate asked, leaning into him.
"Yes. Nick was with me when I tried calling you earlier. I said I'd contact him once I found you." He paused, his eyes raking over her body appreciatively. "Clearly I became distracted."
Kate blushed a pretty pink. "Come back to bed. It's cold."
Jeremy slid in beside her and gathered her into the circle of his arms, her head resting on his chest. Burrowing closer, she sighed contentedly. "Did you find anything more on Salazar?"
"We found the car but nothing else. There are signs that indicate he headed into the woods and in his current condition he couldn't have gone far. We're close," Jeremy assured her.
A comfortable silence descended around them as they listened to the sound of the rain as it hit the rooftop. "Jeremy?"
"Hmmm?" He was absently running his fingers down her spine.
She shifted her head to look at him. "When is your birthday?"
His eyes popped open. "What?"
Kate grinned. "Mundane, I know, but I just realised that I know the most important thing about you and yet I don't even know when you were born."
Jeremy shifted uncomfortably. "You might be sorry you asked."
She raised a brow in amusement. "It can't be that bad. You're what? Early forties?"
He shook his head slowly. "Wolves age a lot slower than humans do."
Surprise registered on her face. "Oh. Well, then how old are you?"
He hesitated. "I…uh, I was sixty eight this past May."
Kat's jaw dropped, incredulous. "No way!"
"It's not that old," he stated defensively.
She raised herself onto an elbow, one hand touching the soft bristles on his cheek lovingly. "Hey, I happen to like older guys."
"Really?" Jeremy asked sceptically.
Kate tried to hide her amusement at his insecurity. "Actually, there's just this one older guy in particular. I really like him." She leaned down and kissed him soundly on the lips. "I wouldn't care if you were a hundred and sixty eight. Your age is not important to me. But-wow!"
Jeremy couldn't stop smiling. "When's your birthday?"
"February 14th," she said, wrinkling her nose in distaste.
"St. Valentine's Day."
"I hate the commerciality of it. Although when my father was alive he'd make sure that he was always the first man to give me a rose on my birthday." Her tone brightened as she remembered her parent fondly. "He did that every year, without fail until he died."
"That's a wonderful memory," Jeremy said.
"Hmmm. What about your parents?" she asked, curiously, realising that Jeremy had never mentioned them. "Are they still alive?"
He tensed. "No, no they're not."
She placed her hand across his heart. "I'm sorry."
Jeremy shook his head, his free hand reaching up to play with her fingers. "Don't be. I barely knew my mother. I was taken from her as a child and raised by my grandfather. He was a good man and he treated me well."
Kate frowned. "What about your father? Where was he?"
Jeremy was still for a moment before he quietly said, "Malcolm hated me from the moment I was born. I wasn't what he wanted." He lifted her hand and kissed her fingers. "He was a cruel, heartless man who thrived on the pain and suffering of others. The more he could inflict, the happier he was. He was also incredibly brutal. I remember as a child, when he was angry, he'd backhand me with his left hand and when he was feeling particularly mean, he'd use his right." His fingers curled around hers. "He wore a ring on that hand." Kate shuddered at the description, her throat constricting with tears. Everything inside of her wanted to throttle Malcolm Danvers with her bare hands. "As I grew older, he just hated me more because I was nothing like him. A few years after he became alpha I challenged him and won. We could never reconcile after that."
"That's awful," Kate said softly, horrified.
"It wasn't so bad. For the most part I spent my childhood with my grandfather. When you're born a wolf, your enhanced senses develop over time, with the first change occurring in your late teens to early twenties. For me it happened at nineteen." The pain in Jeremy's voice made her want to wrap her arms around him and never let go. "My first change was at Rushford Lake. My father tied a rock around my neck and threw me in the water. He wanted me to experience the feeling of death as a boy and as a wolf. I can still feel the black water, swirling around me, choking me…"
Tears fell from the corners of her eyes and trailed down her cheeks as anger and indignation rose within her. What type of person did that to their own child? Her heart ached for the boy Jeremy had once been and the cruelty he'd suffered at the hands of a man who should have loved and cherished him. Kate hugged him tight. She was surprised and pleased when he reciprocated, accepting her comfort.
"Where is he now?"
Jeremy exhaled. "He's dead. Elena killed him."
She felt a pang in her stomach. "Are you sorry?"
She could feel him shaking his head. "No. If she hadn't managed it, I would eventually have done so myself."
"I'm glad he can no longer hurt you."
"Hey," Jeremy said, tilting her chin up. "There's no need to cry. It's all done and dusted. I'm fine."
Her eyes searched his, knowing that couldn't possibly be true. "Physical scars may heal overnight, Jeremy, but there are other wounds that take much longer," she said softly.
He rolled them over until she was on her back, with him hovering above her. Gently his fingers dried her tears. He was so tender that it made her want to bawl her eyes out. "I've never told anyone that, other than my family." There was a wealth of vulnerability in his tone.
"I'm glad you told me," she said sincerely, her heart squeezing painfully in her chest. She loved him so much.
"So am I."
Reaching up, she pulled his head down to hers, kissing him with all the love and tenderness she could muster. Jeremy Danvers was always taking care of everyone else, carrying the weight of so much responsibility on those broad shoulders. It was high time that someone took care of him for a change, made him a priority and Kate was determined to be the one to do so.