“Well, the closest dealership sells Nissans. We could go check them out first.”
“Let’s do that,” he agreed.
Five hours later,I was a bit shell-shocked. Rhys surprised me when we pulled into the Nissan dealership. Since I knew he would want a larger SUV, I parked near a group of Armadas. Within ten minutes, a man came out of the building behind the lot and introduced himself as Chris. I watched with concern as Rhys walked up to the white Armada with all the bells and whistles. Chris looked as though he wanted to turn cartwheels as Rhys circled the vehicle. I could feel the glee radiating from his body.
As they talked, I sidled toward the window and took a peek at the sticker. When I saw the asking price, my eyes nearly popped out of my head. He was looking at an SUV that cost more than my last three vehicles combined. Chris headed back into the building to get the keys and I stepped up next to Rhys.
“This is probably the most expensive SUV on the lot,” I murmured.
Rhys looked down at me and smiled. “You think so?”
He seemed completely unconcerned and, considering he lived in a tiny rental home, I worried that he wouldn’t have the funds for a vehicle like this.
“And the sales guy is practically salivating at the idea of you buying it.”
“I know,” Rhys replied, his grin growing wider. When he saw the worry on my face, he tilted his head. “I’ll make sure he gives me a good deal.”
Considering he’d told me that he’d never bought a car before, his words did nothing to soothe my concern. I had enough experience to know that haggling over a sticker price rarely ended up well for the buyer. “Okay,” I said reluctantly. I decided to wait and watch.
The test drive was hair-raising, to say the least. Rhys seemed determined to test the vehicle’s ability to handle turns at top speed. At one point I thought the SUV was up on two wheels. To my shock, Chris didn’t say a word, though I did spot a few beads of sweat along his hairline. As Rhys made his way back to the dealership, he wove in and out of traffic so quickly that my stomach felt as though it were about to flop out of my body. I bit my bottom lip hard to keep myself from screaming in panic. I nearly sobbed in relief when I saw the dealership a block away and my heart was still pounding when we returned to the lot. Negotiations began in earnest then. The longer I watched Chris and Rhys interact, the more suspicious I became.
There was something slightly off about Rhys. I’d been so distracted by his blinding good looks before, but now that I wasn’t the focus of his complete attention, I was beginning to notice things about him.
When Chris spoke, he listened intently, which I’d come to expect. However, even after the salesman stopped speaking, Rhys still seemed to be listening to something. He was also very in tune with what Chris was thinking and feeling. The longer I watched him, the clearer it became.
Rhys was some sort of telepath. I wasn’t sure if he could read thoughts or emotions, but I knew he saw beyond the surface.
At the realization, I had to fight the urge to curl up into a ball in the corner or maybe find another place to live. It was highly likely that he knew how attractive I found him. He had to. My private feelings were out there, whether I liked it or not.
I was in a daze for the rest of the process, barely paying attention as Rhys negotiated with Chris over the purchase price.
Now, he was following me back to our street and I had no idea what to do. I felt as though my trust had been betrayed. But I also understood why he would keep it to himself. Even among the supernatural community, telepaths and empaths were considered outsiders and avoided. It was dangerous for anyone to know our secrets or to understand our innermost thoughts.
I should know. I’d been on the receiving end of suspicion and even disgust.
As I pulled into the driveway, I was struck with an epiphany. If I began avoiding Rhys because of his abilities, I was no different than the witches, vampires, and shifters that shunned me. He didn’t ask for his gifts, and if he was anything like me, he probably thought of them as a burden.
I didn’t want to be that kind of person. I wanted to be the kind of person I often wished to meet. Kind, compassionate, and accepting. Even with my abilities, I did the best I could to avoid invading someone’s privacy. I didn’t know Rhys very well, but he struck me as that type of person as well.
I needed to give Rhys a chance to do the same.
When I pulled into my driveway and parked, I got out of my car and watched Rhys turn his new SUV into his own drive. He climbed out and walked across the street toward me. My heart beat a little faster in my chest as I watched him. His walk was smooth and loose, as though he were in complete control of his body and he knew exactly what it was capable of. The underlying confidence in his every move was sexy.
He smiled as he approached me. “Thanks again for helping me today. I didn’t realize driving a car was so much fun.”
I found myself returning his smile. He sounded so sincere and serious. “It wasn’t a problem. Honestly, I’ve never been on such a short car shopping trip. Usually it turns into an all day event.” Then I comprehended exactly what he said. “You didn’t realize driving a car was so much fun? Haven’t you driven before? How did you talk them into letting you drive without a license?” I asked, my eyes wide.
Rhys laughed. “I recently learned an expression.Money talks. When Chris found out I was planning to pay cash today, he was willing to…overlook a few things.”
“Oh my God,” I gasped. Well, that certainly explained the test drive and the fact that I’d been strongly tempted to throw myself out of the SUV every time we stopped at a red light. I had to bite back the urge to recommend that he practice his driving skills. Or take a driving class.
He continued to chuckle. “I’ve ridden enough to learn a few things. But I’m glad you came with me today.”
“I am too,” I replied. I was also glad he hadn’t gotten into an accident. He might be indestructible, but I certainly wasn’t.
“I appreciate it. I’ve never—” He stopped speaking before he finished his thought.
I understood then that Ava had been right. It was unlikely Rhys knew anyone well enough to call them a friend. I might spend a majority of my time alone, but I did have friends and family. I had people in my life that cared about me and were willing to do things for me. Somehow I got the impression that Rhys did not. I didn’t need empathic abilities to see that Rhys wasn’t used to people helping him.
