I needed to remind myself of that every day until this charade was over.
“Here we are,” he announced when the car rolled to a stop. Not a moment too soon. Silence mixed with his musky cologne hadn’t done wonders for my thoughts. I needed a cup of cocoa, Millie’s hugs, and my favorite BTS song.
Unaware of my scattered brain—because really, how could he know—Tristan poked the button to turn off the engine then shot me a quick sideways glance. “Don’t move.”
He was out, rounding the car a few beats later.
I opened my door before he reached me. With all the weirdness going on inside my brain and body, I didn’t want this man doing anything sweet for me.
“I would’ve done that,” he said when I stepped into the night.
I smiled. “You don’t need to. There’s no one here to impress.”
“Not why I wanted to do it.”
For my own sanity, I pretended not to hear him. “Good night, Tristan.”
With that, I headed for my apartment building. I’d taken five steps when I heard theboop-boopof Tristan’s car and three more before he fell into step next to me.
“What are you doing?”
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed him shove his hands into his pockets. “Walking you to your door.”
I shook my head. “You don’t need—”
“Not up for debate.”
I came to an abrupt halt. Crossing my arms over my chest, I glared at him. “Just like that?”
“Just like that.” He threw my words back at me with a stupid crooked smile. “Now, would you like to give me the death stare a while longer or are you ready to go inside?”
Stubborn asshole would stand there all night to prove his point. And if I weren’t so desperate to get away from him, I would call his bluff. Another night maybe. Unfolding my arms, I headed for my building. Tristan fell into step with me.
Silence stretched between us. It was welcome and comfortable while managing to freak me the hell out at the same time. How could I be on edge and completely at peace in his presence all at once?
“So,” he drawled after a while. “Was tonight okay?”
I stopped in front of the building but instead of going in, I faced him. When our gazes connected, I knew he wasn’t asking about the dinner. He wanted to know whether I was comfortable with the amount of touching and invading of personal space he’d done after our little bathroom incident.
I wasn’t.
But that was on me, not him.
Nothing about the way his hands had skimmed over parts of my skin had been sexual; my traitorous body had simply chosen to interpret it that way.
So I lied, “It was.”
Something delicious and so utterly forbidden sparked in his eyes. Or maybe my mind was playing tricks on me. I didn’t want to find out.
Curling my fingers around the cool metal of the handle, I pushed into my building. And since I couldn’t help myself and just had to sneak a peek at him over my shoulder, I didn’t see the person in front of me.
We collided with a resoundingoof.
“I am so sorry,” I said. It took a moment, but when the woman looked up and I realized who she was, my heart almost stopped beating. “Mrs. Humphreys, what are you doing here?”
A smile touched her lips. “Unscheduled visit. It’s my second one this week.”
“Second one?” It was impossible to keep my voice steady.
