“Tell me, and I’ll be the judge of that.”
I stiffen. “I don’t have to tell you shit.”
“You do while you are working for my grandmother.”
“My secrets don’t affect my job. I am not here to harm her, only support.”
He tilts his head like he’s processing the cadence of my words. “And I have found my first truth.”
I relax. Now he can back off. “Good, now move. I won’t be intimidated by an asshole with trust issues.”
“Also a truth.”
“What are you, a human lie detector?”
“Near enough.”
My gaze falls to the bandage on his shoulder. There’s a dark stain gathering underneath it. “You need to change your dressing.”
“Youneed to change my dressing.”
“I thought you could do everything one handed?”
“You are the cause of the damage, Cleo. You can take responsibility for fixing it.”
“Fine. But you’ll need to back up. I can hardly redress it while you have me pinned to the kitchen counter.”
He chuckles, stirring the hair on the crown of my head. His thumb grazes the edge of my little finger, setting off sparks of sensation that whisper up my arm and prickle the back of my neck. Oh no, not after months of no libido. I cannot lust after Fox Alderidge. “I’m not touching you, Cleo. If I was pinning you, you’d feel every inch of body against yours. I’m merely cataloging your responses. I’m observant. Remember that when you spill lies from your pretty lips.”
“Well, observe me from a distance.”
“But I wouldn’t be able to see the flutter of your pulse in your neck as you lie.”
Joke’s on him—I’m a master at shielding my body’s responses. I had to be in order to survive, and I can draw upon it again. I dig deep, pushing down any swelling panic into that place buried inside of me. My hands unclench from the counter, and I drop them to my sides as I draw in a steady breath.
Fox’s lips twitch. “You think you can fool me?”
I know I can. “Perhaps.”
“You just got more interesting,Cleo.” He drawls my name out in a heavy Southern accent, emphasizing he knows even my name is bullshit. I one hundred percent need to run. He will put my history together soon. Helen knows I’m lying and has let me keep my secrets, but her grandson is a different beast. He won’t stop until he knows everything.
“I’m not even the slightest bit interesting,” I counter.
He pushes away and steps back, taking his heat with him. He runs a hand through his hair like he’s wrestling with his own demons. “I’ll grab a shower, then you can replace the dressing.”
“Okay,” I breathe.
His hand digs into his back pocket, and he pulls out a small business card. He offers it to me. I take it with a frown. “What’s this?”
His lips twitch. “The name of a great therapist. You know, since I’m responsible for your new nightmares. Perhaps you can discuss that stalker fantasy with him. Or with me, if you’d prefer—the choice is yours. Don’t be embarrassed.” He winks. “Bill me.”
My mouth falls open as he spins on his heel and disappears out of the door. He heard me ranting in the shower? My mind replays my words.Fuck.
CHAPTER 17
FOX
The things you don’t say speak louder than the words you let loose.
