“Donuts,” she replies, and I grind my teeth.
“I know that. What did you eat after?”
She shakes her head. “Just donuts.”
Christ Almighty.She hasn’t eaten since breakfast?
“Why didn’t you eat?” I ask, frustrated.
Briar shrugs. “I forgot.”
Forgot to eat?I have nothing to say so I just shake my head, staring out the window and letting silence fall over us.
After a little while, I feel her fingers graze my chin. I look back down. She’s looking up at me, her eyes glassy, studying me.
“You haunt me.”
Her fingers move higher and I don’t stop them, allowing her fingertips to trace lightly along my jawline and trying to ignore just howgoodit feels. “Your hair, your eyes…” Her fingers move back down to my mouth. “She got your smile too. It’s not fair.” Briar’s brow furrows and she scowls. “It’s not fair that the best part ofme, looks likeyou.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” She’s not making any sense. Briar continues on as if she hasn’t heard me, her eyes distant, lost to her thoughts.
“These eyes. Can’t get away from these eyes.”
I stare at her, as she searches mine. I want to tell her she’s haunted me too, but I don’t. Instead, I say nothing.
She sits up, and I watch her eyes drop to my mouth. She leans in but at the last second, I pull back—away from her. She’s messed up in the head, drugged, not aware of what she’s doing.
“Sorry. Not interested.”
For a second, something flickers in her eyes—hurt, maybe—but it’s gone before I can be sure.
She sinks back against the seat, quiet now, her hand slipping away from my face.
For a while, she drifts, half-asleep, drifting in and out of consciousness. I keep an eye on her breathing, counting her respirations, ensuring her chest continues to rise and fall.
The SUV comes to a stop and she’s out cold. I circle around, opening her door and scooping her up and into my arms once again. She doesn’t wake, even as I carry her up to the apartment, trying not to focus on the way she nuzzles her cheek into my chest.
As gently as I can, I lay her down on the bed. And for a moment, I just stand there, taking her in. She looks almost peaceful like this, sharp edges gone, the defiance she wears on her face whenever she looks at me is muted. Her lips are parted as she inhales in and out, soft and pink against the soft gold of her skin.
She’s beautiful.
Too fucking beautiful.
A strand of dark hair lies across her face and I brush it back with the backs of my knuckles, barely skimming the soft skin of her cheek.
Briar’s lashes flutter, her eyes open—a startling blue, even in the dim light. They lock onto me and sharpen, dark and burning.
“I hate you.”
The corner of my mouth ticks up, the ghost of a smile on my face when I reply, “I hate you too, love.”
45
A ONE NIGHT STAND ISN’T A FAIRY TALE
BRIAR
Then…
