she brushed her hands down her shorts, blowing out a long, slow breath. “We should head back.”
“Tally—”
“It’s been a strange morning, hasn’t it? We should head back.”
“If that’s what you really want.”
The rustling of him packing everything up came from behind her. She didn’t look over her shoulder, but felt his eyes on her nonetheless. If she stared into those deep, brown eyes again, she’d be a goner. She might do something totally insane like throw herself on top of him.
She didn’t want to be just a way for him to connect with his past. She wanted to be something more. The realization was like jumping out of an airplane without a parachute. Too risky, even for her.
Their trek downriver was made in silence. Birdie’s backyard was deserted. Tally hoped the girl didn’t get in too much trouble for messing up her pretty dress or walking off with two strangers.
She led the way to his Defender, but his hand hit the passenger door handle the instant before hers, leaving their fingers tangled.
“Tallulah.” The way he whispered her name added to her confusion. Exasperation, amusement, worry, but she couldn’t discern anger or the hint of a shattered ego. “I don’t want things to be weird between us.”
“They’re not weird.”
Things were weird. Even her voice sounded weird, all high-pitched and squeaky. The fact she hadn’t taken her hand off his was weird. The wish he’d turn her around and press her up against the cab launched things beyond weird. Thank goodness he wasn’t telepathic.
“Sure, not weird at all.” His hand flexed under hers as the door unlatched.
She hopped into the cab and pulled the heavy door shut. In the five seconds it took him to circle around and join her, she cast around for something normal to say. Before he even got the truck started, the words poured out. “Saturday should be fun. Delmar’s band is surprisingly good, and Old Rufus will pull his smoker out. His barbeque is still the best in the parish. Sawyer even said something about the church ladies selling pies.”
The engine rumbled to life. “I got used to hot tea, but never stopped craving a good pulled pork sandwich. What time?”
“People start gathering around five, but the sun goes behind the trees around six and cools things down. That’s when I’ll close up and head down.”
“Sounds like fun. I’ll meet you at the gym, and we can walk down together.” Nash backed out, and she almost asked him to drive down their old street, but it would only make her sad. They turned onto the parish road that led toward her apartment.
Once there, she didn’t immediately hop out, but took a careful look around the parking lot. It was instinctive now. Seeing nothing, she heaved a sigh and opened the door. He caught her arm.
“Let me see your phone.” He dropped her arm and held his hand out.
“Why?”
“So I can put my number in it.” She handed it over. His thumbs worked with dexterity, considering how big his hands were. “If you won’t call the police, I want you to call me if you see Heath lurking or if you get scared. You can even give me a call if you get bored or lonely. Promise me.”
He held her phone between two fingers, but when she went to grab it, he jerked it out of her reach. “Promise me.”
“Fine. I promise.” It was a promise she didn’t intend on keeping. She would handle Heath on her own.
His eyes narrowed as if he were actually telepathic, but he let her pull the phone from his fingers. She slid out of the truck and kept her head down on the jog up the stairs to her apartment. He had backed up but idled at the curb. He wouldn’t leave until she was safely inside. Her annoyance disappeared under the flooding warmth.
She unlocked her door and went straight to her front window, peeling the curtains back and waving. After waiting for a few more heartbeats, he drove off and she watched until his taillights disappeared. She stepped back out her front door,
“Tally—”
“It’s been a strange morning, hasn’t it? We should head back.”
“If that’s what you really want.”
The rustling of him packing everything up came from behind her. She didn’t look over her shoulder, but felt his eyes on her nonetheless. If she stared into those deep, brown eyes again, she’d be a goner. She might do something totally insane like throw herself on top of him.
She didn’t want to be just a way for him to connect with his past. She wanted to be something more. The realization was like jumping out of an airplane without a parachute. Too risky, even for her.
Their trek downriver was made in silence. Birdie’s backyard was deserted. Tally hoped the girl didn’t get in too much trouble for messing up her pretty dress or walking off with two strangers.
She led the way to his Defender, but his hand hit the passenger door handle the instant before hers, leaving their fingers tangled.
“Tallulah.” The way he whispered her name added to her confusion. Exasperation, amusement, worry, but she couldn’t discern anger or the hint of a shattered ego. “I don’t want things to be weird between us.”
“They’re not weird.”
Things were weird. Even her voice sounded weird, all high-pitched and squeaky. The fact she hadn’t taken her hand off his was weird. The wish he’d turn her around and press her up against the cab launched things beyond weird. Thank goodness he wasn’t telepathic.
“Sure, not weird at all.” His hand flexed under hers as the door unlatched.
She hopped into the cab and pulled the heavy door shut. In the five seconds it took him to circle around and join her, she cast around for something normal to say. Before he even got the truck started, the words poured out. “Saturday should be fun. Delmar’s band is surprisingly good, and Old Rufus will pull his smoker out. His barbeque is still the best in the parish. Sawyer even said something about the church ladies selling pies.”
The engine rumbled to life. “I got used to hot tea, but never stopped craving a good pulled pork sandwich. What time?”
“People start gathering around five, but the sun goes behind the trees around six and cools things down. That’s when I’ll close up and head down.”
“Sounds like fun. I’ll meet you at the gym, and we can walk down together.” Nash backed out, and she almost asked him to drive down their old street, but it would only make her sad. They turned onto the parish road that led toward her apartment.
Once there, she didn’t immediately hop out, but took a careful look around the parking lot. It was instinctive now. Seeing nothing, she heaved a sigh and opened the door. He caught her arm.
“Let me see your phone.” He dropped her arm and held his hand out.
“Why?”
“So I can put my number in it.” She handed it over. His thumbs worked with dexterity, considering how big his hands were. “If you won’t call the police, I want you to call me if you see Heath lurking or if you get scared. You can even give me a call if you get bored or lonely. Promise me.”
He held her phone between two fingers, but when she went to grab it, he jerked it out of her reach. “Promise me.”
“Fine. I promise.” It was a promise she didn’t intend on keeping. She would handle Heath on her own.
His eyes narrowed as if he were actually telepathic, but he let her pull the phone from his fingers. She slid out of the truck and kept her head down on the jog up the stairs to her apartment. He had backed up but idled at the curb. He wouldn’t leave until she was safely inside. Her annoyance disappeared under the flooding warmth.
She unlocked her door and went straight to her front window, peeling the curtains back and waving. After waiting for a few more heartbeats, he drove off and she watched until his taillights disappeared. She stepped back out her front door,
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