Cash’s dark expression vanished. “Great. Thanks.” He left without another word.
Smith stared after him, confused.
Erin rejoined him. “Everything good?”
He patted the seat next to him. “It is now. What the hell? I thought you’d fallen in.”
She blushed and scowled. “First of all, you do not ask a lady what she was doing in the bathroom.”
“But you’re no lady,” he teased.
She grinned. “No, I’m not, am I?”
“You look pretty happy about that. What am I missing?”
She ignored the question. “Secondly, I saw you two sitting together and figured you needed time to talk. So, I got a coffee.” She held up a cup he hadn’t noticed. “Everything okay? Cash seemed nice.”
“He’s an asshole,” he said bluntly. “But he was okay. Was giving me a ration of crap about listing him or Reid as my emergency contact people.”
Her eyes widened. “You know, that’s a great idea. And me. Put my number down.” She paused. “Would it be okay if I listed you in my phone as an emergency contact?” She flushed. “I have my mom and dad down, but they’re kind of far.”
“Stupid question. Of course.” He took her phone from her and plugged in the info. Then he did the same to his phone with her number. When finished, he saw her watching him. “You okay?”
“Today, all I could think was that you’d come and make everything better.” She didn’t seem pleased about that. Instead she seemed…worried. “Is that a lot to live up to?”
“I don’t understand.”
“Is that an unrealistic expectation? I mean, I don’t want you to have to make my world right. It’s just, you’re always so strong and capable. Do you feel like I’m pushing you to be something you’re not?”
“Where the hell is this coming from?”
Erin looked sad and worried, and that fear triggered his own. Did he do something wrong? Had he failed her in some way?
Afraid of Tilly being hurt, he’d had a mini panic attack on his drive over, freaked the fuck out that she might die and leave him alone. Smith didn’t know how he’d handle Tilly not being there. For all that he’d only come to know her the past eight months, Tilly felt like family. He liked her, damn it. And he wanted her to be around. She gave as good as she got, and she never minded if he was crabby or late or just quiet.
And now he had Erin, a woman who made his heart sing. He liked being with her more than anything. He didn’t feel the need to imagine himself as better than he was, because around Erin he felt as big and strong as his heroes. She made him feel that away.
When she’d mentioned getting closure with Cody, fear had nearly stolen his ability to speak. He didn’t want her getting back together with the loser. Knowing she had history with the guy she’d onceloved, he didn’t want her seeing him or talking to him. Not until Smith could convince her that she would never find anyone better than Smith Ramsey at her side.
He needed time to woo her, to get her to want to accept his key as more than a means to use his kitchen, but as a step to moving in together. To being a permanent couple.
He’d thought about it a lot. He’d never had a woman matter so much to him. In just a few short weeks, she’d come to mean so much.
He forced himself to sound calm. “Erin, I don’t understand.”
Neither did she.Erin knew she shouldn’t have mentioned anything, not now, with Tilly in the hospital and them both on edge. But fear for Tilly, needing Smith so badly, and her talk with Cody had scrambled her thought processes. And now she felt like an idiot.
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean anything by it. I just don’t want to be a burden. And today, I kind of felt like I need you a lot more than you need me.”
“That’s bullshit,” he said, his voice so low she had to lean closer to hear him. “You’re fucking awesome. I love being with you, and I’d be with you more if you didn’t freak out so much at us being together.”
“What? That’s not true.”
“You looked like a startled deer when I handed you my key. I knew if I moved the wrong way, you’d take off on me.” He sighed. “I’m happy when you’re with me. I’m glad you found Tilly when you did. She was in shock. She could have died, you know.” He glanced away, cleared his throat, and continued. “I don’t know how it happened, but I care for the old bat. Don’t tell her I said that.”
She felt so much for him right now, seeing him vulnerable. “I won’t.”
“I want to see her as soon as we can. You know, to let her know not to worry about anything.”
