You
definitely
don’t want to be with me.”
No response.
“Noelle would be better suited to what you’re looking for,” she said since she couldn’t tell whether she’d convinced him. “I can call over there to see if she’s working. She’ll think she’s died and gone to heaven if you walked in and asked to take her home. Especially if she felt she was stealing something from me.”
“I may not be able to give you a future, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want meaningful contact, just like you do. Let me hold you tonight. Please,” he added softly.
They were both getting wet. Eve wrapped her thin sweater tightly around her as she blinked against the rain. “But this is crazy. I may already be pregnant....”
“I told you, I have birth control. So being together now won’t make that situation any worse.”
“Still—”
“Do you
want
to be with me?” he asked. “Be honest.”
She was reluctant to say yes, although that was the truth, so she said nothing. But he understood what her silence meant.
“Then don’t send me away. And stop talking about women like Noelle. My life feels empty enough already.”
* * *
Rex held his breath, hoping he’d managed to persuade her. He needed something to fight the sense that he was constantly drifting. Eve could offer him a respite. He knew that. He felt a connection with her similar to the one he’d felt with Laurel. But Virgil’s sister had come into his life too soon, when it was still a mess, when
he
was a mess and couldn’t seem to vanquish his demons.
“Well?” he asked.
She was still standing there in the rain, gaping at him.
“I don’t know what to say. Except for last night, I’ve never...engaged in a temporary arrangement like this. I’m not even sure I can...meet your expectations.”
“What expectations? It’s not as if you suddenly have to perform like a porn star. I want one honest engagement. That’s it. Then, tomorrow, I’ll do what’s best for both of us and leave you alone.”
She rubbed her arms, trying to ward off the cold. “Why is that best?”
“I have certain...practical concerns, reasons I need to keep moving.”
“Are you wanted by the police?”
“No. I can promise you I’m not a criminal.” He’d been in WitSec at one time, but he’d left when they couldn’t provide the protection he needed. He found he was better off living by his wits. No one was more motivated to save his own skin than he was.
“Then what?” she asked.
“Call it wanderlust.” He had to tell her
something
she’d believe, or she’d keep questioning him, or wondering silently. “Anyway, I’ll never be the kind of man you need.”
She’d agree if she knew his background. He struggled every day to overcome everything he’d done and been. That didn’t make him a good romantic candidate for anyone, especially such a nice girl. She deserved someone as uncomplicated and innocent as she was, not a man with the baggage he carried. Not someone who hadn’t spoken to his family in years. Not an ex-con, ex–gang member, ex–OxyContin addict. He doubted she’d even let him in the house if he told her. He didn’t look like a man who’d have those kinds of skeletons in his closet, which was lucky for him. He probably wouldn’t have been able to start his bodyguard business and be so successful at it otherwise.
“So what do you say?” he asked.
When she nodded, he released his breath.
I have one night,
he told himself. One night to pretend he was as normal as anyone else.
* * *
She was really going to do this.
Eve’s heart threatened to pound right out of her chest as Brent Taylor swung her into his arms to save her feet from the sharp rocks and carried her across the yard. This had to be the craziest, riskiest thing she’d ever done—particularly with her parents at home and asleep in their house just a hundred yards away. But it was also exciting. The smell of Brent’s skin, that hint of aftershave or deodorant or
definitely
don’t want to be with me.”
No response.
“Noelle would be better suited to what you’re looking for,” she said since she couldn’t tell whether she’d convinced him. “I can call over there to see if she’s working. She’ll think she’s died and gone to heaven if you walked in and asked to take her home. Especially if she felt she was stealing something from me.”
“I may not be able to give you a future, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want meaningful contact, just like you do. Let me hold you tonight. Please,” he added softly.
They were both getting wet. Eve wrapped her thin sweater tightly around her as she blinked against the rain. “But this is crazy. I may already be pregnant....”
“I told you, I have birth control. So being together now won’t make that situation any worse.”
“Still—”
“Do you
want
to be with me?” he asked. “Be honest.”
She was reluctant to say yes, although that was the truth, so she said nothing. But he understood what her silence meant.
“Then don’t send me away. And stop talking about women like Noelle. My life feels empty enough already.”
* * *
Rex held his breath, hoping he’d managed to persuade her. He needed something to fight the sense that he was constantly drifting. Eve could offer him a respite. He knew that. He felt a connection with her similar to the one he’d felt with Laurel. But Virgil’s sister had come into his life too soon, when it was still a mess, when
he
was a mess and couldn’t seem to vanquish his demons.
“Well?” he asked.
She was still standing there in the rain, gaping at him.
“I don’t know what to say. Except for last night, I’ve never...engaged in a temporary arrangement like this. I’m not even sure I can...meet your expectations.”
“What expectations? It’s not as if you suddenly have to perform like a porn star. I want one honest engagement. That’s it. Then, tomorrow, I’ll do what’s best for both of us and leave you alone.”
She rubbed her arms, trying to ward off the cold. “Why is that best?”
“I have certain...practical concerns, reasons I need to keep moving.”
“Are you wanted by the police?”
“No. I can promise you I’m not a criminal.” He’d been in WitSec at one time, but he’d left when they couldn’t provide the protection he needed. He found he was better off living by his wits. No one was more motivated to save his own skin than he was.
“Then what?” she asked.
“Call it wanderlust.” He had to tell her
something
she’d believe, or she’d keep questioning him, or wondering silently. “Anyway, I’ll never be the kind of man you need.”
She’d agree if she knew his background. He struggled every day to overcome everything he’d done and been. That didn’t make him a good romantic candidate for anyone, especially such a nice girl. She deserved someone as uncomplicated and innocent as she was, not a man with the baggage he carried. Not someone who hadn’t spoken to his family in years. Not an ex-con, ex–gang member, ex–OxyContin addict. He doubted she’d even let him in the house if he told her. He didn’t look like a man who’d have those kinds of skeletons in his closet, which was lucky for him. He probably wouldn’t have been able to start his bodyguard business and be so successful at it otherwise.
“So what do you say?” he asked.
When she nodded, he released his breath.
I have one night,
he told himself. One night to pretend he was as normal as anyone else.
* * *
She was really going to do this.
Eve’s heart threatened to pound right out of her chest as Brent Taylor swung her into his arms to save her feet from the sharp rocks and carried her across the yard. This had to be the craziest, riskiest thing she’d ever done—particularly with her parents at home and asleep in their house just a hundred yards away. But it was also exciting. The smell of Brent’s skin, that hint of aftershave or deodorant or
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