“They’re just miles,” he said, retrieving a mug from a cupboard.
He couldn’t even look me in the eye. Something dark was definitely brewing in that head of his, and for once, he was the one trying to shutmeout. But I wouldn’t let him, just as he’d never let me. “This is about the marks, isn’t it?”
He paused and let his hip fall against the counter. “Iamneeded in New York. If not for you, I would’ve been there almost the entire past two weeks.” He scratched the back of his neck. “But thebruisesdo concern me.”
“They’re nothing to be concerned about,” I said as patiently as I could.
“Maybe they don’t hurt,” he said. “But they’re there because I lost control. Sometimes I’m so consumed with you, I . . .” He shoved a hand in his hair and shook his head. “I don’t think straight. When I saw the evidence of that on your body, it hit me hard. I could go overboard, Olivia.”
I crossed the kitchen and placed my hands on his chest. “I trust you. I’d be more concerned if you didn’t lose yourself in me, and frankly, it hurts that you want to be away from me.”
He set down his mug. His hands slid under my hair and clasped around my neck. “You know I don’t want that. But the only thing I want more than to be with you is to know you’re safe.”
“So why do you have to go away?” I asked. “Couldn’t I meet you there on Friday?”
His hesitation was all the confirmation I needed. Hewaswilling to put distance between us instead of hearing the truth. I slipped out of his grasp and walked out of the kitchen.
“Where are you going?” he called after me.
“Work.”
“Olivia,” he said, but I ignored him and headed for the shower.
The drive to work was predictably quiet as I agonized over what this could do to us. If David tried to throw cold water onto our sex life, where would that leave us?
When he pulled up to the curb, I kept my eyes down on my hands.
He leaned in and kissed my cheek. When I didn’t respond, he said, “Come on. I know you’re upset, but I need a better send-off than that. I won’t see you for a few days.”
“That’s not my fault,” I said.
After a moment of silence, he said, “Look. I’ll think about changing your flight from Miami to New York on Friday, all right? I just need a night to myself to think through this. To get a clear head.”
So it was okay forhimto need space and figure this out without me? Maybe it was childish of me, but I wasn’t going to go along with his plan. I tore my gaze from my lap and looked at him. “I’m going to Miami.”
He drew back. “What?”
“If you want to throw away your ticket, that’s fine. But I don’t see why I should have to.”
“Why would you want to go without me?” he asked.
“Because I was looking forward to it, and everyone else is going, and . . . and it wouldn’t be fair to Gretchen if I ditched her.”
And because I know you won’t want me to go without you.
“Olivia, be reasonable,” he said. “Don’t just go because you’re upset with me.”
“I’m not.”
“Yes, you are. You’re picking a fight with me. Don’t test me.”
Don’t test me . . .
It was turning out to be his favorite thing to say, and incidentally, in the wrong situation, something that pissed me off. “You can’t order me around,” I said. “I’m supposed to be your partner, not your plaything.”
His eyes widened. “Iknowthat. We are partners. And I’ll take you to Miami whenever you want, but—”
“That’s not the point,” I said.
