She smiles briefly, but it’s sort of a sad smile. “Carter, this doesn’t change anything.”
Jesus. Did she read my mind?
“Okay,” I say. Not because it’s okay with me—it’s definitely not—but because what the hell else am I supposed to say? Am I supposed to beg her to stay? Purposefully delay her car repairs?
Well…
I internally chastise myself for even thinking about the latter option, while simultaneously internally high-fiving myself for it. I’m not that much of an asshole, but I’m also willing to be if it gives us more time together.
After all, she claims this doesn’t change anything, but she’s still in my bed. That’s got to mean something.
“So if this doesn’t change anything, it won’t matter if we know stuff about each other.”
Her brows lift. “Like what exactly?”
“I saw you in my car today. It looked like you were coming back from White Plains.”
In an instant, her entire demeanor changes. No longer is she basking in post-coital glow. She sits up, pulling the sheet around her. “Are you keeping tabs on me?”
I’m taken aback by her defensiveness. “Tabs? No. I said you could use the car and I meant it. I was on a towing job and was surprised to see you out and about. Sorry if I overstepped by prying. It wasn’t my intention to make you feel uncomfortable. Seriously, forget I brought it up.”
Guilt crosses her face and she eases back down onto the pillow. “No,I’msorry.” She shakes her head. “My ex was always grilling me on my whereabouts. I guess what you said just triggered me. Of course you’d mention seeing me in your car. I’m not trying to hide anything. I went to the bank to make sure I had enough cash to cover the repairs.”
Triggeredher? Alarm bells go off in my head. There are so many things I want to ask her right now. But I fear any one of the questions on the tip of my tongue would have her fleeing my bed, and that’s the last thing I want. But her ex keeping tabs on her is a huge red flag. Is hestilltrying to keep tabs on her? My suspicion that he’s the one she’s running from grows even deeper.
Silence surrounds us as I stew in anger. Thankfully, she doesn’t pick up on it. Or maybe she simply assumes I’m still reacting to her brusque assumption.
She tucks an arm under her pillow. “My turn now. Tell me about your tattoos.”
A grin tugs at my lips. “You like my tattoos, huh?”
She shrugs. “I’m not exactly opposed to them.”
“Butyoudon’t have any.” I reach over and brush a stray hair off her forehead. “I definitely would have seen them.”
“Maybe I just haven’t had a chance to get one yet.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t get one in college just to further piss your dad off.”
She chuckles. “Yeah, that would have done it.”
“I got the one on my back right after we bought the shop. My early-to-mid-twenties were tough. I went through some rough times trying to make ends meet as a mechanic when our shop used to be a Goodyear. My mom had recently passed. And I was navigating single fatherhood.”
“What is the significance to you?”
“When I saw the design, it made me think of freedom. Which is exactly what I needed. Freedom that would come when I was no longer working for someone else. Freedom to control my own life and dictate my future. Maybe even freedom for my mom, because although she loved us fiercely, she never found her own happiness.”
“That’s sad about your mom. But honestly, there have been days I thought the very same thing about mine.” She nods to my leg. “And the tattoo on your calf? Can I see it up close?”
I turn and hold my leg out. When she touches the small tattoo, a zinger goes straight to my dick.Down boy.
Having zero clue what her fingers are doing to me, she continues to trace the elements of my ink. “A compass and a green ribbon. What’s CEC?”
“I’m actually pretty proud of this one. I designed it myself. The compass is pointing north. The green ribbon above it represents CP awareness. And the CEC on the ribbon is Christian’s initials. He’s always been my true north, and that’s what this one means to me.”
Her eyes connect with mine and she sighs. “I’m not sure I’ve ever met a better father than you.”
I can’t stop the smile that’s taking over my face. “Wow…” I take a second to process her acknowledgment before whispering, “Thanks.”
