I expected him to change his mind. It was too far. I met his gaze. Up close, his icy blue eyes were more intense than I remembered. It was hard to breathe with his scent surrounding us in the car.
“I am. You think this will help Brandon? I trust you.”
Relief flooded through me. I wouldn’t have to make this trip alone.
He started the car. “You don’t drive at all, do you?”
I shook my head as he backed out of his parking spot and we headed for the exit.
“Did you drive before the accident? Were you a comfortable driver?” He glanced sideways to see my answer.
I waggled my hand back and forth to indicate so-so. The lines by his eyes crinkled and some of his tension eased.
Christopher took a deep breath. “I haven’t changed my mind. You’re off-limits. I feel shitty about sleeping with you then ending things. I’m not a one-night-stand kind of guy. I was interested in more and you deserve better. It sounds silly, because we only spent a few days together, but I miss you. I’ve never told my secret to anyone else. It was satisfying to not hide who I am or what I can do. Can we try being friends?”
I nodded, thankful that he’d addressed the issue. It made my heart ache that we were nothing more than friends, but this was better than not seeing him. It would have been an endless road trip with nothing but bad radio or silence.
The drive could have been awkward with the one-sided conversation, but once the ice was broken, it wasn’t. Christopher chatted about how much he liked my exhibit and what he’d learned from the display. He’d never heard of several of the hominids like Ardipithecus ramidus, Australopithecus anamnesis,Kenyanthropus platyops, and the various species of Paranthropus. I was impressed with his memory. His job focused on methods of preserving artifacts, not the displays themselves.
His driving was smooth and comfortable, and the trip was uncomplicated. I forgot to be nervous about not talking. Being with him was the same as before—he put me at ease. I’d never had to work so hard to maintain the image of a rigid brick wall for so long. I rubbed my temples, hoping to ease the tension.
We stopped at a McDonald’s for lunch.
“This ok?” he said. “We can be quick and get back on the road, but I need to stretch.”
I nodded.
Before Christopher stepped out, he took a breath. “I know what you’re trying to do. To keep me from hearing your thoughts and what you’re feeling.” He glanced at my face to see how I was taking his comments.
I wanted to hear what he had to say, so I kept a neutral expression.
“It works, but it’s too much. It’s a strain. You won’t be able to continue all day. You don’t need to. We’re going to be together all weekend and while I don’t know your exact thoughts, I know you. Your thoughts won’t hurt me. Besides, I can guess most of them.”
I raised an eyebrow in query. Daring him to tell me.
“You missed me too, and your feelings haven’t changed.” His face was kind as he spoke. “Mine haven’t either, but we’re adults and we just have to cope. If you admire my ass again when we walk inside, I’ll know from the expression on your lovely face, not because I read your filthy mind.” His eyes twinkled and his dimple flashed.
I blushed. I’d admired his ass at the hospital but thought I’d been discreet.
“I’m your friend. I won’t ravish you, even if I admire the way your skin glows in a certain light or the look in your beautiful brown eyes when you’re teasing me. Please Lizzie, just be yourself. Can you do that?”
I released the image of the bricks with relief. I kept only the small mound at the heart of my mind that I never opened. Christopher spoke his mind like no one else. Even if we were just friends, this was something I appreciated. I wasn’t good with empty talk or social situations. I liked his straightforward honesty.
“You talk a lot.”
He laughed out loud, the first genuine one I’d heard in forever.
His laugh warmed me inside. I hopped out of the car and texted him my usual order, knowing he wouldn’t mind. I inhaled the aroma of the parking lot, a crispy deep-fried smell that meant one thing. My mouth watered at the thought of the salty fries.
As predicted, lunch was quick, and we got back on the road. My headache dissipated with the lowered shields and food. It wasn’t long before I fell asleep.
Chapter 10
It was late afternoon when I woke, my heart racing. I was sweaty and my stomach clenched with sharp pains. I’d dreamt about Eric and the first time he’d hit me. We’d been married for a month. I’d been late, as usual, for dinner downtown after work. He’d simmered and been abrupt at the restaurant, but waited until we arrived at home to release his anger.
He’d smacked my face without warning and split my lip—the sharp sound, the sting of my mouth, and the coppery taste of blood. Nobody had assaulted me before, and I hadn’t known what to do. In my dream, Eric and Brandon had merged into the same person. He looked like Brandon, but Eric lurked beneath his skin, staring from his eyes—watching my every move. When he’d shoved me into the bedroom, forcing me to apologize from my knees, it had been Eric’s voice coming from Brandon’s mouth.
“Need me to pull over?” Christopher said with a sideways glance.
