Page 9 of The Confidant

“When does he leave?” Poe asks with the slightest hint of mockery.

My eyes widen at his question. He’s gotten braver since Damon walked away. Like he thinks we’re in a private bubble at the counter, and Damon won’t hear him. Or he doesn’t care if he does.

“Bold man,” I whisper as a grin creeps up on me.

“Uh, when I’m ready to,” Damon has the grace to laugh over it. He’s got a great sense of humor. It helps get me through my darker days. I’m not easy to work with, and Damon is the only one who’s stuck it out with me.

“Be nice,” I tease Poe softly. “He’s my best friend.”

“Good.” The firm word makes Damon scoff behind me. We both ignore him, our eyes steady on each other.

Did he think Damon was my boyfriend? Is that what all the crankiness was about? My heart flutters at the thought.

“I’m liking this boldness you got going on,” my grin can’t be stopped. “It looks good on you. Just like everything else.”

He’s gone from a hot mess to absolutely hot in a few days. I think I might have had a hand in it, and it gives me the warm fuzzies all over. I can feel Damon's surprised stare at my blatant flirting.

“You never asked,” his voice drops to a whisper, and his eyes flit between mine.

I know what he means as soon as he says it. The scars. I didn’t push for details.

“I never will, cher,” I assure him, my grin fading. “Some things don’t need a discussion. And they aren’t to be gossiped over like nothing.”

His expression goes somber, his stare somehow becoming more intense. “That’s experience talking.”

“I know a few people,” I hedge, my eyes dropping away from his.

I don’t consider my personal scars an experience like his or Asher’s. Mine are self-inflicted, not an act of aggression. I can admit that I have some experience with his type of trauma, but not anything else.

I’m not spilling the secrets of the little brother that might not have made it to age ten while I was worried about boys and if my boobs would show up.

Shame and guilt hit me all over again. My old friends are coming for a visit, and I’m hoping they don’t decide to overstay their welcome this time. I never liked the way antidepressants made me feel. I’d rather stay off them for a bit longer, if possible.

“Hey.”

My wandering attention returns to him, a little miffed at the interruption of my wallowing in self-pity that I don’t deserve.

He doesn’t say anything else, holding my attention with just his eyes and his silence. The feelings take a back seat as I study him. Something about that emerald and blue gaze makes a connection click inside me. It soothes everything while shaking me up at the same time.

The bell above the door gets ignored this time. My brain is too busy racing around chasing its tail to comprehend it. Is he…

Damon hops up in a rush to run a hand over his hair. A woman, for sure.

“I’m looking for Addie?” A woman asks in a taunting tone.

Another Ash handoff? She seems the type. One of his yoga class ladies, based on her casual exercise outfit.

I bite my lower lip and keep quiet. Poe’s eyes go to my lips and linger. Darken.

“She’s with a client right now,” Damon assures her with a bright smile. “How can I help you?”

“I have a card? I was hoping to get a flower for myself.”

Poe turns, breaking our connection. She eyes him with a subtle smile, and he stares back. She isn’t shy about it, the usual type that Ash sends my way. Usually, I don’t mind the blatant flirting that will follow the look. This time, it sets my teeth on edge.

“Hi,” she starts off small and gets closer to Poe as she hands Damon the card.

Poe doesn’t answer, giving her the same thorough once-over he gave me when he walked in. I try to be subtle about backing away from him, the moment gone in an instant. That connection broke as soon as his eyes turned away.

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