Read Online Risking It All by Jennifer Schmidt - Free Book Online Page B

sorry,” she mumbled.
    “Can I come in?” he asked. She stepped aside to let him enter and closed the door, pressing her back against it as she kept her eyes on the floor.
    “Christ, Kennedy, you can’t even look at me.”
    Warily, she lifted her eyes to meet his. He looked hurt and angry.
    “I’m not mad at you,” she told him. “And I can look at you.”
    “Why are you ignoring my calls?”
    Kennedy shrugged, pushed away from the door, and headed to the kitchen.
    “I guess I was embarrassed,” she said, trying to think on the spot as she filled the kettle with water. “I feel like I took advantage of you because I was pissed off at Brooks.”
    “I thought it had nothing to do with Brooks,” he reminded her.
    Kennedy swallowed, grateful her back was to him so he couldn’t see the truth on her face.
    “I didn’t think it did. I was wrong.” She placed the kettle on the stove and turned on the burner. “I’m sorry.”
    “So that kiss was all about . . . Brooks?”
    Kennedy nodded, and he stayed silent for a few minutes.
    “Have you talked to him?” he finally asked.
    “He’s called.”
    Kennedy sensed his agitation. “Have you talked to him?”
    “No.”
    “Are you going to tell him what happened?”
    “I don’t think . . .” She swallowed and then shook her head, knowing there was no point in lying to Memphis since he would know anyway. “No, I’m not.”
    “About any of it?”
    She frowned.
    “The only thing that happened was the kiss.”
    “I’m not just talking about the damn kiss,” he snapped. “More than just that kiss happened and you know it.”
    Finally, she turned to face him.
    “Nothing more than the kiss happened,” she said, denying the way her body had reacted to him. 
    Memphis grumbled a string of curse words under his breath and looked away, shaking his head.
    Kennedy folded her arms over her chest. “What’s your problem, Memphis?”
    He looked back at her and glared.
    “What’s my problem? Kennedy, what the hell is your problem?” His voice grew louder with each word. “What the fuck are you doing with him? He treats you like shit and you just sit back and fucking take it. You’re better than that; you’re not this person.” He waved his hand in her direction. “The woman I know wouldn’t let some man walk all over her and continue to break promises and make her feel like she wasn’t worth it.”
    Kennedy’s eyes widened and her lips parted, but she made no sound. Memphis’s voice was so loud she was afraid the neighbors would come to investigate. She was at a loss for words. He had never raised his voice to her before, had never gotten angry at her in all the years they’d known each other. Yes, she had frustrated him in the past, and she was sure that pissed him off, but not once had he shown it.
    His eyes met hers and the hard lines on his face softened.
    “I’m sorry,” he said repentant. “I just hate that you let him treat you like a doormat.”
    “Wow. You don’t have a very high opinion of me, do you, Memphis?” She turned to face the stove again so he wouldn’t see her tears, and removed the whistling kettle from the burner.
    She knew he was right and she hated it. She hated it even more that Memphis saw her as that woman. It was one thing for her to know that she let Brooks get away with treating her like she didn’t matter; it was another for other people to realize it as well. 
    “Kennedy.” He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist as he rested his chin on top of her head. “You know that’s not true.”
    She leaned against him, relishing in the feeling of his arms wrapped around her. Her head told her to step away—being in his arms, especially at that moment, was a very bad idea. But her body fit nicely against his and his arms had always been her safe place. She didn’t want to step away.
    She placed her hands on his forearms, holding him the only way their position allowed.
    “I