“Strung up could be hot, so let’s not totally rule that out.”
I enjoyed his joke before saying, “Okay, come on. Let’s get this stuff inside. We have plenty of work to do.”
We brought in the supplies and groceries, and Ty noticed the box of paperbacks and DVDs at the back of the trunk, abutting the front seat.
“Action/adventure novels?” He picked through the titles.
“They were at one of the thrift stores I stopped at. You can always find them real cheap, and they pass the time.”
“I’ll check them out. Curious to see what’s in your head.”
The way he said it, I knew he meant more than what I read.
He sifted through the DVDs. “Flashdance,The Cutting Edge,The Hunt for Red October,First Blood? Did you have to time travel to find these?”
“Whatever. They were in bargain bins. We don’t know how long we’re gonna be holed up here, so just be appreciative we have things to occupy our time.”
“I know some other ways to occupy time,” he offered, his determined expression on me, not letting up.
I stifled a growl that rumbled within me, the part of me that would have been more than eager to take him up on that. It seemed that despite being thrown off by our night, he was finding his way back to his usual self.
“Okay, Horny,” I teased, grabbing the last of the bags. “Just bring that box in, and then I have something else I need help with.”
“Horny? I prefer Pretty Thing. But if you want to go with Horny Pretty Thing or Super-sexy-studly Pretty Thing, those are fine too.”
“Definitely not nearly as catchy.”
Every moment reminded me that if I was going to be stranded in the woods with someone, I was glad it was with Ty.
After we loaded everything into the cabin, he asked, “So you sure you don’t need help with any of these trap things?”
“I’m good in that department, but we should go ahead and reach out to your family and friends so you can explain why you’re staying in Boystown a little longer.”
“Maybe I could have done that anyway.”
“That wasn’t really how we left it, was it?” I asked, recalling him storming off just before we were jumped.
“Not exactly.” His smile diminished as he seemed to be thinking about the same thing. “I could have just about gone back home after the way you tried to pass me off to Joey.”
“I wasn’t trying to pass you off to him, Ty. I was trying to do the right thing. Through all of this, as much as I enjoy spending time with you, I know…well, knew…that my life was too complicated for anything else.”
His gaze drifted off, and he nodded. “I can see that now.”
No clever comeback, no playful response. Just sadness in his expression, which convinced me I’d been right all along—that it would have been better if I hadn’t let him in, if I’d kept him at bay, something that would have prevented him from ever being roped into my messy world. Something he only had a taste of so far.
I was so stupid to have believed I could have him, even if just as a friend. In my heart, I knew somehow this would all come back to bite me in the ass. I’d just hoped to have a little longer before it did.
“I’ll get you a phone and the Wi-Fi set up so you can get in touch with everyone, keep them from worrying about you.”
He nodded, like he was too busy considering what we’d just discussed to give it much thought.
I knew what he was thinking. He was regretting we’d ever met. That what he’d believed was a fun flirtation had changed everything in his life. Even worse, put him in danger.
I could fix it. I could make it right, but it would take time.
* * *
I letTy use my phone so he could reach out to his family and friends. I coached him some on what he could and couldn’t say, listening carefully to his call to his mom and Jesse and Eric to ensure he didn’t offer anything that might rouse suspicion or help anyone who might have wound up with the information to track us.
