Page 77 of Golden Touch
CHAPTER 32
NASH
Whoops. I’ll probably be deaf from this day on. “Damn, pussycat,” I say, as she whirls around. “Great lungs, babe.” It comes out sounding flip, but the truth is that I’m plenty angry.
I can’t believe she was going to do a runner.
The screaming stops, but now there’s cursing, instead. And vague threats. Then she falls silent, pressing a hand to her heart as she catches her breath. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“That’s my line,” I growl. “Were you even going to say goodbye?”
A guilty expression crosses her face, followed quickly by sadness. And now I feel like a dick. “How did you know?”
“The goodbye sex. Plain and simple.” I roll my shoulders, trying to let go of my anger. “Most times, you try to keep a tight leash on yourself. Doesn’t always work, but you try. You don’t laugh too hard or show me where it hurts. And you sure as hell won’t admit that it makes you happy when I walk into the room.”
A flicker of surprise, but then she shuts it down. Like always. And she turns to face the steering wheel. “What good would it do?” she asks quietly. “I know it’s not cool to run off without saying goodbye. But I didn’t want the argument. And you’re leaving,too, you know. In just a few weeks, right? Let’s not make this a bigger deal than it is.”
Well, damn. My heart gives an unfamiliar stab. It’s been a long time since a woman mattered enough to make me this unhappy. But that’s what’s happening here, and lying about it won’t do either of us any good. “Look, I’m trying not to be a dick, but you’re selling us short.” I put both hands on her shoulders. “You can sneak your suitcase into the car and drive out of here if you want to. I can’t stop you. But it’s a dick move to say you never noticed how it is between us. I’ve been drawn to you since before we even met. And I think you feel the same, even if you’re too afraid to say so.” I run my thumbs along the juncture between her neck and shoulders, and she shivers at my touch.
“I’m not afraid,” she lies. “I just don’t see the point. You always say how you can’t wait to go back to Boston.”
“It’s Boston, Livia. Not the moon. And when’s the last time you heard me say I wanted to go back?”
She has to think for a second, and I get it. Because it snuck up on me, too. In spite of all the drama, I’ve been enjoying my time in the brewery, and enjoying my time with her.
“I don’t remember,” she admits.
“Yeah, me neither. But it wasn’t recently. And if you leave right now, you’ll never know what might have happened between us. What if it’s something great?”
“It’s already great,” she says in a small voice. “Like a gift that was delivered to my doorstep by accident. But sooner or later— No, who am I kidding? It will be sooner. You’re going to get sick of the bullshit that follows me everywhere.”
Thinking that over, I dig my thumbs into her shoulder muscles, and she lets out an undignified groan.
“I’m not trying to minimize your troubles,” I say as her body turns to jelly under my hands. “But you don’t get to decide how I feel. Would you put up with that from me?”
She makes an unintelligible noise and sinks a little further into the seat.
“Sorry, I couldn’t hear that.”
“Your damn hands are magic,” she grumbles.
“Just repaying the favor. You had me pretty relaxed this morning. Just saying.”
She sighs.
“So what’s it going to be? Am I getting out of this car so you can gun it to the state line right now? Or are you going to help Benito?”
Livia pulls out of my grasp and turns to face me again. “You don’t understand. I’m not a coward, and this was never an either-or situation. I have a thumb drive of files, and I was going to pass it to Benito. But you wouldn’t have to be involved.”
That shuts me up for a second. “I don’t think of you as a coward, Livia. You’re one of the bravest people I know. If that weren’t true, I wouldn’t be sitting here—” I swallow roughly, because this is unusual for me. “—actually begging you to stay.”
She blinks.
We’re both surprised. But that’s what it’s come to, hasn’t it?
“I was never running away fromyou,” she says. “You know that right? I’m trying to get away from Razor. If I stay, I have to help Benito catch him. Otherwise, I’m just a sitting duck.”
“I know it’s bad.” I reach up and cup her soft face in my hand. “And if I really thought it was safer to run, I wouldn’t be selfish. I’d kiss you goodbye and wish you luck. Do you trust me?”
