“This is crazy,” I whispered. “Isn’t it?”
“Yes,” he admitted easily.
His hands dropped from my face and then clasped my hand. We were silent as we walked together. I loved the quiet with him. The stillness.
“Muddy wanted me to stay for dinner,” I said finally.
“I should drive you back then.”
I shook my head. “No, I told her I couldn’t have dinner with the family.”
“Why not?”
“Because I wanted to have dinner with you.”
He squeezed my fingers.
“When I told her that she invited you, too, Brooks.”
“Why?”
“Because she’s not just your boss anymore,” I said. “You’re my . . . whatever you are.”
“What do you want me to be?”
“Jesus, Brooks, it hasn’t even been twenty-four hours since we’ve met.”
“And yet we’ve already kissed and slept together.”
“Actuallyslept,” I stated.
“You groped me,” he pointed out.
“I didn’t mean to,” I muttered in embarrassment. “I was unconscious.”
“I liked it, Freckles,” he said with a deep laugh, but then sobered. “This doesn’t happen to me. I don’t meet someone and immediately want to know everything about them.”
“It doesn’t happen to me either,” I admitted.
He raked a hand through my hair. “I don’t even have to be talking to you. Just sitting next to you—being with you . . . that’s enough. But I don’t do casual. I want you.”
I shivered at the boldness of him, of the way he’d commanded the kiss.
Now was the time to tell him. Now was the time to tell him that I was a virgin. He’d been brave and divulged the truth. But I didn’t want him to look at me differently; I didn’t want to give him another reason to think he wasn’t good enough for me.
“Are you scared?” Brooks asked me when I didn’t reply.
I looked at him dead in the eyes. “Yes.”
“Of what?” he asked. “Tell me.”
“I’m terrified this isn’t real. I’m terrified this is all in my head. I’m terrified that because my life is utter chaos, this is all projection. I’m tired of thinking. I’m tired of worrying. I’m just tired, Brooks. I’m so tired.”
He cradled my cheeks in his hands and peered into my eyes.
“I know, baby,” he said softly. “I know.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
