Page 15 of Worth the Wait

“No.” His eyes are serious as he sets Disco down and stares at me.

“I’m so stupid.” I laugh, but there isn’t an ounce of humor in the sound.

“You did nothing wrong.”

“I wish you’d stop saying that to me. Obviously I did something to someone and they...I don’t know what they did.” My voice wavers. Hating hearing the sound, I add a touch of my typical sass to cover it up. “I mean, I get that most people are in love with me, but stalking takes it to a whole new level.”

“It’s not funny, Des. Nothing about this situation is.”

“Yeah. Yeah. But how do I know this isn’t on me? Have I met him at Hooligan’s and accidentally led him on...so he’s hurt?” Would that justify why some stranger broke into my house and watched me sleep? “Let’s hope whoever it was got his rocks off and has now moved on to the next person.” If I keep saying it, then maybe I’ll believe it.

“We don’t know enough to even say that, and regardless, Des, this isn’t on you. He broke the law and is definitely high up there on the creep-factor record so...quit saying that, because it’s not funny.”

I pick up Disco and set him in the basin. “You’ll be happy to know I’ve sworn off men from here on out.”

“That’s funny,” he says and turns the water on for me.

“You doubt me?”

“I doubt a lot of things about you right now, but mostly that this isn’t bugging you.”

“It’s not. I’m fine.”

“I could get you a security guard if that would let you sleep better at night.”

And draw more attention and more town gossip and more just everything I don’t want?

“I started taking self-defense classes. Does that make you feel better and get you off my back?”

“You did? I know a guy who⁠—”

“I did. Can we now get back to normal life where we don’t have to talk about this every time I see you?”

He falls silent, and I hate that its return has me looking up to meet his eyes. “Desi.” The compassion in his voice...so goddamn sick of it. My vulnerability turns into anger.

“Drop it, Malone.” We wage a visual war of wills—where he wants to do his job to protect and serve, and I want to forget it ever happened. “Thank you for looking out for me, but he’s long gone.”

I hope.