He went ten years without looking at me, and now it’s like he can’t stop.
I lived my whole life without feeling his eyes on me, and now his gaze is like a hot iron on my skin.
“What?” I ask, trying to control my breathing.
It’s not a panic attack. It’s not. You’re not going to panic. They will find this guy, and you will be okay.
There are so many things happening.
The tension all night has been thick, but it was with my chaperone instead of my date.
There’s someone out there making such serious threats toward me that my brothers and Sam are about to literally hunt the guy down.
And my body is hot. All I can think about is how fucking badly I want Sam.
“Why’d you tell him you don’t want a relationship right now?” he asks.
My eyes narrow. I suspected he could hear at least part of our conversation.
I shrug. “Can’t a girl just want to gain some experience without hoping for a diamond ring in the end?”
Ocean eyes wash over me. My tongue feels too big for my mouth. He’s standing in his big kitchen, arms crossed over his chest. He took his cowboy hat off when we walked inside. He’s only wearing his boots, Wranglers, and a pale blue T-shirt. I want to see if the bruises under his shirt have finally healed. I want to lick his entire body.
“You need to be careful. Someone might try to take advantage of you.” His expression gives nothing away, but his voice drops lower, with a definite hint of something dark.
Maybe I’m okay with that. If it’s the right guy.
I stare up at him, slowly taking another sip of water. He watches me, his eyes never straying away.
“Can we watch a movie together?” I ask. “After I change.”
He nods. “Let me check your room first.”
He follows me up the stairs. I wait by the door while he goes into my room and looks inside the closet and the bathroom. He comes back out, dipping his head toward me to indicate that it’s safe.
“I’ll be right out here.”
“You don’t have to wait outside my door like a guard dog.”
“I’m a good guard dog.”
I turn away as my lips curve up, slowly shutting the door.
18
SAM
Icatch the corner of her smile as she shuts the door. I pull my phone out of my pocket, seeing that I have a message from Red. It must have come in right before we left for her date.
@redreads
If this date doesn’t go well, I need to find some other way to gain experience. I’m tired of being the girl who reads about life and never goes out to live it.
I exhale. I can’t keep lying to myself and pretending I don’t know who Red is. As I’m debating how to respond to her, she sends another message.
@redreads
Sorry. I know this isn’t your problem. I’m just frustrated.
