Her gaze bored into his and she said softly, “Jagger, baby,you hungry?”
“I’m okay, Arch.You tired?”
She didn’t answer him again.
She urged, “Talk to me.”
He wanted it the other way around.
He wanted her to talk to him, tell him how it felt to lay itout for Elijah.How it felt to be around Shanta when her grief was so fresh andraw.
About anything.
He wanted her to give whatever she needed to him so he couldtake it from her.
He just didn’t think he should ask.
“Jagger, baby,” she shifted one hand to wrap it around theback of his neck, the other she moved to wrap around his throat, “talk tome.”
He heard the words, but he didn’thear them.
Because it seemed like all the blood in his body all of asudden had rushed to his head, his vision had blurred, and his mind had blankedof everything.
Except her hand at his throat.
His voice didn’t even sound like him, it was jagged andharsh, when he demanded, “Take your hand off my fucking throat.”
She did this immediately.
But he was lost.
Gone.
Blind, he couldn’t even fucking see.
Couldn’t think.
What the fuck?
What the fuck?
Christ, he had to get out of there.
He hadto go.
He moved.
She got in front of him, hands to his chest, saying sharply,“Jagger!”
“I’m takin’ a walk, be back,” he forced out.
He moved to the side, losing her.
She got in his way again, hands flat on his chest, but thistime she put weight into them.“Jagger, what’s happening?”
He tried to lose her, failed.
God.
