His defeated nod brought an ache to her heart. “I’m just a regular old janitor. I can’t even remember how many times I’ve had to drag him out of the gutter. Dozens of ER visits, four ODs. I’ve cleaned up his vomit, wiped up his blood, stitched up his wounds.” Gage shook his head in visible disgust. “I tried to talk him out of going to work for Mitch, but Denny is a stubborn asshole and wouldn’t listen. But I’m done now. I promised myself that after I paid off his debt, I would never bail him out again. He’s on his own now.”
Skyler reached across the center console and touched his hand over the gearshift. She was beginning to understand where all his guarded intensity stemmed from, why he kept his emotions under lock and key and refused to speak about his past. Clearly he’d lived a hard life, sacrificing much of it for his younger brother.
“I’m sorry you had to see that.” His abrupt apology startled her, and when he gave her a sideways glance, the shamed expression on his face stunned her even more. “I know I was harsh on him, but there’s no goodwill left in me anymore. I must have come off as an asshole, though, and I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for. We all have our family stuff.”
He made a cynical noise. “I’m not sure I believe you have any ‘family stuff.’”
“Probably not as bad as yours, but I didn’t have the greatest time growing up, either,” she admitted. “My parents fought all the time, and I was constantly caught in the middle. My dad wanted them to go to couples counseling, but Mom refused, and eventually she cheated on him with another man. I lived with her and my stepdad after the divorce.”
“Did you still see your dad often?”
“He died of a heart attack a year after she left him.” Skyler fought a rush of sadness. “Mom died, too, about five years ago. Car accident.”
He lightly stroked her knuckles. “I’m sorry.” He hesitated. “Is that why you want to be a therapist? Do you think your parents would have stayed together if they saw one?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. I have considered treating couples once I get my license, but I haven’t decided yet.”
“I think you’ll make a great therapist,” he said gruffly.
“I hope so.”
He stopped at a red light, then glanced over again. “My place is up the street. Do you want to go there, or should I take you home?”
“No, let’s stay at your place.” She lived at least another fifteen minutes away, which seemed way too long to wait. Right now, she wanted nothing more than to slide into bed with Gage and spend the night in his arms.
He turned onto a pretty residential street and parked at the curb. His town house was tall and skinny like his brother’s, but it wasn’t split into apartments. He had three stories all to himself, but as she discovered a few minutes later, he didn’t seem at all interested in decorating. The house boasted bare walls, very little furniture, and no personal touches, reminding Skyler of her own minimalist style.
“Do you want something to drink?” He flicked on a light in the front hall. “Coffee, tea? Or maybe something stronger?”
“I’ll have whatever you’re having.”
She followed him down a narrow corridor to the kitchen, which was cozier than she expected. It had cherry-stained cupboards, black granite counters, and a large wooden table surrounded by four tall-backed chairs. She smiled when she noticed the rows of cookbooks on a shelf over the stove, and the dozen colorful mugs hanging from hooks next to the sink.
“I think I need the strong stuff.” Gage opened a cupboard and grabbed a bottle of Jack Daniel’s. “You sure you want some?”
“Yeah. I could use a drink.”
She accepted the shot glass he handed her and tapped it against his, then took a quick swig of whiskey. A small amount, but it still burned her throat and tingled in her belly. She’d been on edge ever since they’d gone to Denny’s house, but the alcohol relaxed her almost immediately.
Gage, however, didn’t look the slightest bit relaxed, not even after he drank a second shot. His shoulders were set in a rigid line as he dropped their glasses in the sink.
After a beat of hesitation, Skyler wrapped her arms around him from behind and rested her head between his shoulder blades. As expected, he instantly tried to sidestep, but she held on tighter. “Would you just let me hug you? You had a crappy night, big guy. You need a hug.”
He sagged into the physical contact. “I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not. You’re in pain.” She planted a kiss on the center of his back. Her lips touched the fabric of his shirt and not bare skin, but the soft peck still had an effect on him because he shuddered slightly. “I’m sorry about your brother, Gage. I’m sorry you keep having to sacrifice yourself for him.”
With a ragged breath, he turned around and kissed her. She tasted the alcohol on his lips, the desperation on his tongue. When he fisted her hair to pull her closer, she welcomed the delicious sting on her scalp. She loved his rough grip, the husky sounds he made whenever their tongues touched.
When he tried to deepen the kiss, she smiled and moved her lips away, gliding them along his strong jawline. She peppered kisses down to his neck, then licked his warm skin and experienced a rush of dizziness as his masculine taste infused her senses.