“It was fun,” I said. It was a semi-lie. I enjoyed watching Rhys negotiate with the salesman and watching how animated he became when he haggled. The test drive and the process of buying the car, not so much.
He grinned. “You don’t have to lie.”
I recognized the teasing glint in his eyes and shot him a narrowed look. “Are you telepathic?”
Rhys shrugged. “Not exactly.”
“Where exactly do your talents lie?” I asked.
I watched as the smile melted off his face and felt a pang of guilt. I hadn’t meant to upset him, but his face revealed that I had. “I don’t think I want to tell you,” he replied.
Unable to stop myself, I reached out and touched his arm. I wasn’t prepared for the sharp buzz of awareness that shot through my body, nor the subtle swell of his emotions. When I touched him, I had a stronger sense of what he was feeling. He was still muted and difficult to read but it was no longer impossible to discern his emotions. “Why not?”
His eyes locked on my fingers as they rested against his skin. “You won’t want to talk to me anymore.”
His honesty surprised me and left me breathless, like a blow to my belly. “Rhys,” I whispered.
His gaze lifted to mine and I saw the pain there. I wasn’t used to this. The barrier between us meant that I couldn’t rely on the usual emotional cues to help me navigate our conversation. Instead, I was going on instinct.
“I’m not a good creature, Savannah,” he declared quietly. “I’ve done things. Hurt people.”
It was clear that it haunted him. I could feel the faint echoes of guilt and sadness resonate within him. Without thinking, I slid my hand down his forearm and laced our fingers together. “I don’t believe you’re a bad person, Rhys,” I replied. Tension wound tighter inside him, so I decided to shift the topic a bit. “Look, I’m starving. I usually eat lunch earlier than this. Do you want to order a pizza and hang out for a little while longer? You might be able to convince Satchel not to murder me in my sleep.”
Some of the pain cleared from Rhys’ expression and he hesitated for a long moment. Finally, he said, “I enjoy pizza.”
“I’ll even share my wine with you,” I offered.
Finally, his lips curved in a barely there smile. “If you insist.”
Satisfied that I had pulled him out of the dark place in his head, at least for the time being, I released his hand and gestured for him to follow me. “Let’s go inside. It’s hot out here and I’m starving.”
