Something inside her broke and she realized it was the barrier she kept between herself and everyone else. “I’m just tired of being judged for not being like everyone else,” she said.
It was the truth.
“Did I say something that made you feel that way?” Torin asked, his tone achingly gentle.
Nova shook her head.
“Then, who?”
She didn’t want to tell him. While Addie’s words hurt, Nova didn’t want to get her friend in trouble.
“I’d rather not say,” she hedged.
He studied her, his eyes turning a deeper shade of blue. “Addie.”
Torin turned toward the door and Nova grabbed at his elbow.
“No, Torin. Don’t be angry with her. I’m not angry.”
“Maybe not, but you’re crying,” he said. “And she shouldn’t make you cry.”
“She didn’t do it intentionally, Torin.”
“Nova—”
“No! I don’t want her to get in trouble for being honest about her feelings.” She took a deep breath. “Leave it alone.”
Their eyes locked in an epic stare down before he finally sighed. “All right. I’ll leave it alone. But you still need to get out of here. It’s cold and you’re wearing short sleeves.”
Nova shivered, but not from the cold. She’d definitely been wrong when she thought Torin was too rigid and uptight to be a very good guy.
“Okay,” she whispered.
He nodded and reached for the door handle.
Only to have it come off in his hand.
“What the fuck?” he asked.
“Oh, shit,” Nova whispered.
“What the fuck?!” Torin repeated, yelling this time. He tossed the handle to the side as he ranted, “I’ve been calling the damn repair people for a month now and they can’t get anyone out to me. I’ve told them repeatedly it’s a safety hazard but no one seems to give a shit. And now we’re locked in this goddamn cooler and you’re not even wearing long sleeves!”
“Torin, please calm down,” Nova said.
“Fuck calm!”
She reached out and touched his arm, her fingers landing on the skin revealed by his rolled-up sleeve.
It wasn’t the first time she’d touched him, skin-to-skin, since shaking his hand the night they had their first awful date, but for some reason, it set off a reaction inside her.
His flesh felt hot, and Nova couldn’t suppress another shiver. Damn, this was bad. She’d been trying to keep her distance, to shove down the attraction that wanted to flare up whenever they spent time together.
He stopped short, his head tilting down to stare at where her hand rested on his forearm.
“Take a breath,” she said. Then, she did exactly what she told him to do—she inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with air.
It also brought his scent. He often smelled of the sea, the crisp bite of the coast in the fall. Standing this close to him, there was no escaping it. Nova had always loved the sea.
