"Doesn't make it less true."
Heat crept up my neck. The road stretched out in front of us, dark and winding as we climbed toward the mountain. The silence between us wasn't uncomfortable, but it was charged. Like we were both waiting for something to break. Part of me wanted to fiddle with the radio but I refrained.
"You go to a lot of these art things?" Killian asked.
"Only when my boss makes me," I said. "What about you?"
"Not usually."
"So why were you there tonight?"
He glanced at me, his expression unreadable in the dim glow of the dashboard. "Told you. Curiosity."
"About art?"
"About you."
There it was again. That directness that made my stomach flip. "You don't even know me," I said, my voice quieter than I intended.
"I'm working on it."
I didn't know what to say to that. Didn't know if I should shut this down or lean into it. The truth was, I liked the attention. Liked the way he looked at me like I was something rare. Something worth pursuing. Even if it scared me a little.
We pulled up to my cabin, and Killian killed the engine. For a moment, neither of us moved, sitting in silence.
"Thanks for the ride," I said.
"Anytime."
I should have gotten out. Should have said goodnight and gone inside and locked the door behind me. But instead, I heard myself say, "You want to come in for a drink?"
In the dark, I could see his eyes widen just a bit. "You sure?"
No.
"Yeah," I said. "I owe you one."
Killian's mouth curved into that slow, dangerous smile. "Just one?"
Once we got inside, I poured us each a glass of whiskey I'd been saving for a night I felt like celebrating. I’d brought it with me from North Carolina and hadn’t thought about it until five minutes before hand.
Killian stood in my living room, taking in the space with that same careful attention he seemed to give everything. "You've made it yours," he said.
"It's my aunt’s place," I said, handing him the glass. "I haven't done much."
"Still." He took a sip, his eyes never leaving mine."It feels like you."
"And what do I feel like?"
"Temporary." The word hit harder than it should have.
"That's kind of rude," I said, but there was no bite in it.
"It's honest." He set the glass down on the coffee table and stepped closer. "You're not planning to stay."
"I just got here."
"Doesn't mean you're staying."
