“Her ass?”
“No.”
Pecan strokes his chin. “Her tit?”
My jaw works. “Her shoulder.”
They share another look.
I burst upright and walk off my fury. “I KNOW. I know it’s crazy. I know it’s irrational. You don’t have to say?—”
“That you sound like a psycho?” Callan inquires.
I continue striding. “Well aware.”
“Never seen you be this possessive before.” Pecan flops back onto the mattress. “Probably because she’s the first woman you’ve ever given a fuck about outside of your mom and grandma and Mel and Ma.”
Neither man says anything.
Nor do I.
My pace falters.
My shoulders hunch. “She shouldn’t have to deal with my bullshit. It’s not on her. It’s me. My problem.”
“Denny doesn’t agree.”
“I told her I just needed some space.”
“Five thousand miles isn’t enough, huh?”
“Fuck off, Pecan.”
“I appreciate your logic, even if he doesn’t,” Callan mock-whispers, earning himself a glare from me.
“I’m scared, all right?” I burst out.
“Of what?”
For the longest time, I can’t get the words out. Then, I croak, “Losing her.”
I cut across the room to the window and stare at the snow that’sgently tumbling to the ground. I love snow. How quiet it is. How silent the world is when the white’s all-encompassing.
I have so many good memories of snow, even if they’re few and far between because I grew up in the sweaty ass crack of the US. But there’s no comfort in it now. Building snowmen with Mom when we went to visit Grandma. Traipsing through it to sleigh down the hill on the land behind Gran’s house…
“I know getting too possessive will push her away. I know it’s a vicious cycle. I’m trying to break it.”
“By ignoring her frantic calls?”
“I told her I was okay and that I’d ring her tomorrow, Callan,” I snarl.
“She must have figured out you were lying. Wouldn’t be too hard. You look like you could headbutt a concrete wall and expect it to fight back.”
Pecan snorts. “I like the imagery.”
“Why do you think you’ll lose her?” Callan rubs his temple. “As far as I can see, she’s crazy in love with you. Plus, she’ll only be gone another two weeks. It’s literally been a month since you last saw her. How is this even a problem?”
“She never said it, all right?!”
