It took longer than he would have liked, but Kane was nothing if not patient. He stood in the shadows, the coolness of the night air a welcome respite from the stuffiness of the ball room. She did not look over his way when she finally managed to make her temporary escape.
He’d always thought Rebecca was a beautiful woman, but in the light of the brilliant full moon she was breathtaking. Her honeyed hair glowed an iridescent silver; her skin captured the light and intensified it, making it appear as if it was radiating from within. In the silken sheath she wore, she could have been a goddess. A goddess who, in this moment of perceived solitude, had the saddest eyes he had ever seen.
How had he ever thought he could let her go? How could he have allowed himself to believe she would be better off without him? She was too kind, too afraid to hurt other’s feelings, even when she was miserable. And she was miserable. Beneath the tranquil smiles and soft words, she was hurting as much as he was.
The thought gave him courage. She needed him, to care for her when she would not do it for herself. To protect her from all this bullshit. And he could do that. He could definitely devote the rest of his life to caring for Rebecca, to loving her more than anyone else ever would. And if he had to change his ways, somehow, he would find a way to do the impossible. For her.
*
Only when she had reached the edge of the balcony, out of the spill of lights from the inside, did Rebecca allow her shoulders to slump. She stared out upon the valley below, taking deep, cleansing breaths. Thankfully, she would be leaving soon. She’d spoken with everyone; she had the memories of their smiling faces to take with her. She was glad she’d told Aidan to keep it a birthday party and not a going away party. There would have been too much sadness, and she simply couldn’t bear any more of that.
Rebecca might not have allowed herself to get too close to any of them, but that was just the way she was. She did like them. And she would cherish her memories of them when she was gone. She’d even had a chance to dance with Kane, something she never would have imagined. He’d actually held her close against him. On purpose. While he was awake. And it had been better than anything she could have dreamt of.
For those few minutes, her entire world had consisted only of him. Against her better judgment, she’d melted into him, letting him take control, just one last time.
Because when she was in Kane’s arms, everything was right with her world.
Rebecca sighed. It had only been a dance, but it was one she would never forget. It had been heavenly. She closed her eyes and shivered in the icy air. Even out here she could sense his presence...
“Nice party.”
She started at his voice. She tried to turn around, but his large hands on her shoulders prevented her from doing so. Rebecca tried to contain the trembles that ran through her at his touch, at the warmth she felt at her back. “Yes, it is.”
Kane chuckled softly, the sound like the chuffing of a great big bear. “And you hate every minute of it.”
She thought about refuting him for a moment, then sighed. She couldn’t pretend with Kane. Didn’t want to. It seemed pointless. He’d always been able to see right through her. “Yes.”
With only the slightest pressure from his fingers he leaned her back against him, so that her back rested against his chest. She could feel his heart beating. It was, predictably, like the rest of him. Strong. Steady. Demanding and purposeful. His arms slid beneath hers; his hands clasped around her waist.
She allowed her hands to cover his, melting backward into all that hard, living marble. Her mind told her she should not be doing this, surrendering to him like this. It would only hurt more later. But her heart had always had more of a say in what she did than her head. If this was all he could offer, she’d take it, for as long as she could get it. She’d lock away the memory of it, keep it for those times she questioned what she really wanted in life. Because this – this was the best birthday present of all. To be with him, if only for a little while.
The seconds stretched into minutes. It was just the two of them upon the balcony, the lights of the valley stretched out far below. The band had returned and was playing again, a sweet, romantic song that drifted out through the glass panels. Rebecca had no desire to move away from him. In his arms, not even the wintry air could chill her. He was strong and warm and solid, and when he was near, nothing else could touch her. He was Kane. And whether he knew it or not, he held her heart and her soul.
“I got you something,” he said finally.
“A present?” she asked softly.
“Sort of.”
“What is it?” she asked, trying to keep her voice casual.
Another chuff. “Close your eyes.”
“Kane –“
“Close your eyes.”