“Bushel?” He raised a dark brow.
“I have a select few,” Lani lied. “I’m not all chatty and involved in stuff that doesn’t concern me. I move around, that doesn’t lend itself to connections.” She was saying the words quietly so no one would overhear, but it was hard. Lani could feel the fear rising and with it the need to shriek. Fear of forming connections, fear of not wanting to leave, fear of being found byhim.
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why do you move around?”
“I like it.”
“From where I’m standing, it doesn’t seem to make you happy.”
“You don’t know that.” This was why she avoided people; they tended to want to know stuff about you, personal stuff.
He studied her with those all-seeing eyes. The eyes of a man who could read people and did so every night in his bar. A dangerous man who was a lethal combination of sex appeal and honesty.
“How can living in your car and moving from one town to the next make anyone happy? People are important to have in your life. Connections, shared moments, friendships.”
“Not for me.”
He rocked back on his heels, hands in his pockets, looking at her, and she felt trapped. Like her feet were stuck to the ground.Run,Lani.
“You sure about that? Because I think you’re lonely. I think you’re also scared and running. I’m not sure why and what from, but I’m sure I’m right.”
The fist squeezing her chest was so tight she could barely breathe. Lani made herself laugh. It came out a wheeze.
“Th-that’s ridiculous.”
“No, it’s reality.”
“I’m happy with my life just as it is, Noah Harris. Not all of us need people to complete them. Some, like m-me, enjoy our own company, so stop trying to unravel how I work. I have nothing to fear, and I’m definitely not running from anything.”
“So you’re completely content with your life then?”
She nodded.
“Lucky you. I don’t know many people who have it all going on.”
“Well, I do,” she snapped. And it was a lie, because Lani’s life had fallen apart years ago and she wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to put it back together.
Chapter Seventeen
Noah watched the expression on Lani’s face move from fear to sadness. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“You didn’t.” The words sounded choked, which told him tears were next.
“Hey,” he touched her arm. “I’m sorry, I’m just worried about you. Plus, there’s that chemistry between us that’s pretty strong.”
“No, it’s not,” she said slowly, as if she was convincing herself as well as him. “No chemistry, we just scratched an itch.”
“Oh, there definitely is chemistry.”
“I have to go to work. Mrs. C has an appointment.”
“Running only works for so long.”
Her eyes widened, the fear back, and it made the hair on the back of his neck stand. She was definitely running from something.
