“I’m okay. I’ve been taking care of myself for a really long time. I’m used to being on my own. You don’t have to worry that much about me.”
“Yes, I do. Because someone should. And I want to.”
The force of that statement ripped through her. Violet worried about her, and Josh did sometimes too. Gladys did when Audrey lived with her once upon a time. But it wasn’t the same.
“I want it to be me who cares for you, Audrey.” His eyes were pleading. “So promise me,” he whispered. “Please.”
He was begging her to let him in.
“All right, Theo. I promise.”
She nudged away some of the gauze concealing his mouth, revealing those plush pink lips again. When she ran her thumb across one of them, they parted with a sharp inhale.
“I miss these,” she whispered. She tried to let her hand fall away, but Theo’s shot up to catch it. He turned it over and pulled her palm to his lips, his eyes never leaving hers—until they briefly dipped to her mouth.
She’d forgotten how dark they could be.
How heated.
How intense.
His lips lingered on her skin for as long as his eyes lingered on hers, and Audrey’s breath stilled.
Her heart was pounding so fast, she could hear it in her ears, a constant, low thrum quickening with every shallow breath shuddering across her lungs. Theo suddenly seemed so tall, so wide. Sometimes she forgot when they were at the café, sitting across from each other at the table with their coffee. She forgot how long his legs really were. She forgot how, despite the tremor in his hand, his forearms were corded with thick, hard muscle, how broad and strong his back was. She forgot how he radiated heat until he’d fully wrapped her in his arms. She forgot how he smelled warm and woodsy, like fresh cedarwood and pine, juniper and bergamot, and she forgot how bright and alive and vibrant he tasted whenever he kissed her.
But she couldn’t forget now.
Audrey’s mouth went dry.
She swallowed.
Theo’s eyes dipped down to her throat, and then next to her trembling hands. When did they start shaking? She hadn’t noticed.
He wrapped his own around the one he held and pressed it to his chest, leaning forward and closing his eyes as he touched his forehead to hers.
He didn’t need to say anything.
His heart was racing just as fast.
Theo drew in several deep breaths before finally opening hiseyes. “I’ll let you unravel me later,” he whispered. And then, a pained laugh. “God knows I already have, sweetheart.”
He drew back with a shake of his head. But the next look he gave her shot molten heat straight through her core.
“I hope you know how hard it is not to ruin that pretty makeup of yours before we even get to the party.”
His voice had dropped so low, it was almost a growl.
A promise, in and of itself.
Audrey wasn’t entirelysure how they made it out of that alcove and onto the train, but they managed it in the end.
She told Theo all about the secret dumpster diving activist group she was a part of while they rode to campus, and how they documented corporate waste around town on anonymous social media accounts.
“It’s a little bit of a financial thing, because we do keep a lot of what we find if we can use or resell it, but we also give a lot away, especially when it comes to food. We try to feed as many unhoused people as we can, and corporations and grocery stores toss out perfectly good food every day—the café included.”
“Is it illegal? Doing the dumpster diving?” he asked. The look he gave her was pointed, but not at all accusing. He’d leaned forward and was studying her intensely.
Audrey wavered. “Uh…well, it’s questionable at best. It’s not illegal unless you’re trespassing. And…sometimes we are. I hope you don’t judge me for that.”
