Briar had sat next to him and was talking about some doctor at work and something the guy had done to piss her off. Holden could barely pay attention.
Suddenly, Malcolm grabbed Clara and dragged her into the hall.
Fuck no.
Holden shot to his feet and crossed the diner, weaving through the customers and ignoring Briar calling him from behind.
He stepped into the hall to see Malcolm’s fingers still closed around Clara’s wrist, and his face too damn close to hers.
“Clara—”
“Everything okay here?” Holden asked, interrupting Malcolm and putting every ounce of effort into using his words, rather than his hands like he wanted to.
Malcolm stepped back, eyes wide, as if Holden had caught him doing something he wasn’t supposed to.
Clara frowned. “We were just talking. You don’t need—”
“It’s okay,” Malcolm said quickly. “I should get back to the group.”
The doctor slipped around Holden, but he barely spared him a glance, his entire attention on Clara. “Him?”
The frown on Clara’s face deepened. “Him what?”
“You’re gonna have sex withhim?”
Her chest rose on a sharp inhale. “Shh.” She pushed Holden deeper into the hall before whispering, “First of all, that’s rude. There’s nothing wrong with Malcolm. Second, it wouldn’t be your business if he and Ididdecide to sleep together.”
She started to slip past him, but he gripped her wrist and stopped her. “Youmadeit my business by starting this conversation.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry about that. You’ve made your feelings for me perfectly clear. I don’t know what I was thinking.” She swallowed and stepped back. “I respect the fact that you see me as a sister, soyouneed to respect the fact that I can talk to whoever I want, whenever I want.”
He could have laughed. Hell, he almost did. “You think I see you as a sister?”
“Of course. You call me family. Other than looking out for me at running club and protecting me from scary doctors, you don’t seem to want anything more to do with me. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
“I don’t want you dating him.”
She stopped, frustration all over her face. And something else. Disbelief?
Not a surprise. He had no fucking right to dictate who she dated, and they both knew that.
“Excuse me?” she whispered.
He said it again, slower this time as he inched closer. “I don’t want you dating him.”
“You’re unbelievable. You know that?”
“Clara—”
“No. Don’tClarame. I put myself out there for you—more than once. I took risks and allowed my heart to be trampled on. You’ve turned me down, and yet you stand there and tell me that you don’t want me to date someone? And not just anyone. A great guy. A greatdoctor. A man who’s kind and friendly and—”
“He’s not for you.”
“Who the hell areyouto tell me who is and isn’t for me?”
“I know you.”
“No. You don’t. You know parts of me. But not that part.”
