Page 58 of Fighting For You
He stopped in front of me, towering over me despite my heels.
“Hey.”
What a way to jump in, huh?
It wasn’t like I’d been waiting to see him since the second he’d shoveled me into the car last night. It wasn’t like I’d had to force my focus to Jack and the job instead of letting it wander around and play in the memory of Jude’s lips and hands on me…Not helping, brain!
“Have a minute?”
His low, gruff voice sent a bolt of longingthrough me, and my stupid lashes fluttered like he’d run his massive hands through my hair.
“Sure. Where?”
If I kept my responses minimal, maybe he wouldn’t realize how embarrassed I was over my interpretation of the kiss and histhis should’ve happened a long time agothing.
Dark eyes nearly burning through me, he tipped his head to the side, toward the exit.Okay.Out of the very public, very busy lobby did sound like a good option. I would vote for a little more privacy than standing on the sidewalk, but maybe he just meant we should figure that out after leaving.
We walked out of the building side by side, the automatic doors sliding open and unleashing a blast of chilly fall air tinted with the scent of petrichor. It’d rained earlier, but the lows would drop to freezing overnight and it’d mean ice if the rain kept up.
He walked like he had a destination in mind, so I followed him past a dried-up fountain shut off for the season and around the side of the building. My breath caught at the sight of the little white chapel a stretch up the hill to the left, and the mountains looking vibrant with the fall colors that weren’t wrecked by the early snow.
“It’s so beautiful here,” I said, unable to contain the thought.
When he didn’t respond, I turned to see him staring at me.
“It is.”
My heart flipped. “So?”
“I—how was your day?”
I couldn’t hide the disbelieving laugh that escaped. “How was my day?”
He nodded.
I glanced around, feeling a little like I was on an episode ofPunk’d. “Um, good?”
He waited, apparently expecting a more thorough report.
“Jack’s great, and the fans were on their best behavior, so overall, it was an easy day. Seemed like everyone else was doing well, too. You?”
His gaze slipped up to the mountain peaks to the east of us as if drawing strength from them. “Good. And yeah, from what I’ve heard, no issues today.”
Internally, I screamedWhat are you thinking!!?Externally, I said, “Oh, that’s good.”
My training as an operator had come down to this—I didn’t need it to capture bad guys or find hostages or protect my assignment… I needed it to not lose my mind in the face of a man who drove me absolutely insane.
The awkward silence stretched and looped back around to stretch some more. It was the saltwater taffy of silences, bending around the bar that pulled it longer and thinner, never breaking.
He had more experience being silent than I did and proved it, because after what felt like several minutes, I broke. “So, uh, you wanted to talk?”
He nodded, eyes skating around us. I followed his gaze and realized he must’ve been confirming we were alone.
My pulse ticked up.
“I wanted to check in.”
I waited. There had to be more. I wouldmakethere be more by not barging in and taking over. Because of course I wanted to check in, too, but I wasn’t about to lay myself at his feet in a puddle of obviousness.
