“Did you tell the cops?”
“Yeah, I tried to file a report. But I didn’t even know the guy’s real name, and there was no security footage or anything, so…” I shrug.
“Shit, I don’t know what to say. I’m so sorry that happened to you.” He rubs his chin, concern written across his face as he gazes up at me. “You deserve to feel safe, wherever you go. You get that, right? You should be able to go into any bar, without some creep—” he breaks off, wiping a hand down his face as he straightens up. “Oh, fuck,” he mutters to himself.
“What?”
He gives me a pained look. “I had no idea, Cat. I would never have, well, you know.”
“Never have what?”
“The night we met. I totally hit on you.”
I stand, placing my hand on his arm. “It’s okay. You didn’t know.”
“But it’s the one place you go to feel safe, and I—”
“Idofeel safe there.”
“But then…” He growls to himself, frustrated. “Then I propositioned you, didn’t I? I basically talked you into having sex, and—”
“Hey. That’s got nothing to do with this.”
He wrings his hands, his brow pulled low as he surveys my face.
“Seriously. You didn’t talk me into anything. I made that decision for myself.”
“Really?” He looks unconvinced. “If I’ve ever done anything to make you feel uncomfortable, I’m sorry. I never—”
“Well, yeah. You make me feel uncomfortable all the time.”
His eyes widen in alarm and I laugh.
“Only because you call me out on my bullshit, Myles. But with the other stuff, no. I’ve never felt uncomfortable likethataround you.” It’s true, I realize. I’ve been alone with Myles in his apartment, with his pants down, with his shirt off, with his sly, cocky smile—all of this well before we had sex—and I’ve never once felt like he could do something to hurt me.
Well, not physically, at least.
He lets out a long, uncertain breath. “Okay,” he says at last. “But if I do, please tell me. I don’t ever want to make you feel—”
“Myles,” I say, chuckling. “Stop it. You don’t have to worry.”
He gives me a weak smile, his thoughts elsewhere. I can tell he’s mentally scanning his mind for anything he’s done or said to me in the past, and it makes me want to hug him.
“I’m aware that probably wasn’t the best way to respond to that—making it all about me.” He grimaces. “But I’m sorry, I don’t know what to say. I’ve never had a woman tell me something like that before and it just makes me want to punch something.”
“Me too.” I think of how angry I was after the taxi incident with Shane and how Myles nearly took a stiletto to the head because of it.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“It’s okay, really. Mostly I’m fine and I never think about it. I’m just more cautious now. I actually thought maybe I was getting over it, but after what happened with Shane—”
Fuck. I didn’t mean to bringthatup.
“What?” Myles stares at me, his features slowly hardening with realization. “Is there something you haven’t told me? Did he hurt you?”
“No,” I say hastily. “I mean, not really. He just kissed me in the cab, and it made me panic, but—”
“I’m going to fuckingkillhim.”
