It can’t hurt to indulge for a bit, as long as no one sees us. Right?
A minute or two later, we’re outside walking on the path that runs through the developed part of the property. Harrison saysif we went in the opposite direction from where we are now, it would lead to Hayden’s house.
Harrison clears his throat. I’m sure he’s about to bring up that we slept together again last night.
“Please don’t go back to Brandon’s.”
I stop, and he does likewise. Turning my body to him, I open my mouth to speak, but he beats me to it.
“You have options, Bets.”
I look at him for a second, and I wish he were right, but he’s not.
“I know you mean well and that you want me to be safe. I appreciate that—I do. But it’s a Saturday morning in a small town. It’s not like there are endless rental opportunities. And I have reasons I have to live in Aron Falls or Meadow Creek. I have to look ASAP, and I’ll probably need to stay at the trailer until I find something that fits my needs.”
He walks again, still holding my hand, and I assume he sees the logic in my explanation.
“You can stay with me.”
I was wrong.
I shake my head. “That’s very kind of you, but… I can’t.”
“Why not?” He truly doesn’t understand.
“Okay. Well, first, you’re one of my bosses. The last thing I need is for my colleagues at work to think I slept my way into my job.”
“It’s nobody’s business,” he says with a huff.
“Yeah, well, that doesn’t keep it from happening. People will talk.”
“I’ll fire anyone who speaks a bad word about you.” He’s so matter-of-fact about it that I break out in laughter.
“That’s not an option.”
I glance over at him in time to see him shrug.
“Agree to disagree.”
“Okay, well, even if that wasn’t an issue, I won’t take advantage of you like that. Last night was awful enough.”
We come to a stop again, and I immediately realize how that sounded.
I turn to him. “I didn’t mean about the… You know.” Because I’m in complete dork mode, something in me thought it was a good idea to take my index finger and gesture back and forth between our groins. And now he’s smirking.
“No worries there. I knew it wasn’t possible that you were talking about the mind-blowing sex we had.” I feel my cheeks heat. “Unless you’re an amazing actress, there’s no way you’d use the word ‘awful’ to describe it.”
His smirk disappears, and a shroud of seriousness falls across his face.
“And you weren’t taking advantage of me by staying at my house after everything that happened. It’s what anyone would do for someone they care for.”
I’m stunned.
“What did you say?” I whisper. “Y-you care about me?”
Harrison tilts his head and stares at me for a few seconds. Then he takes a step closer to me, cups the left side of my face with his large hand, and rubs the pad of his thumb, achingly slow, back and forth across my temple.
“Bets?” His gaze fixes on mine, as if he’s trying to understand me by looking into my soul. “Of course I care about you. I’m sorry if I’ve done a poor job of making that clear. I thought I was being obvious.” His voice is hushed and so tender that my chest aches.
