“You’re staring.”
He blinked. She’d looked up, her eyes bright with amusement.
“I brought lunch.” He held up the bag like evidence, and her whole face lit up.
“You did?”
“You mentioned you were working through your break.” He moved closer, navigating around the boxes. “Thought you might appreciate food that wasn’t from a vending machine.”
“Victor Jackson, are you trying to take care of me?”
“I’m trying to ensure my patient maintains proper nutrition.” He did his best to keep his voice professional, but the corner of his mouth twitched.
She laughed and patted the floor beside her. “Well, Dr. Jackson, your patient accepts your professional concern. Sit.”
He sat, hyper-aware of how close they were. Close enough to smell the vanilla scent of her shampoo. Close enough to see the faint freckles across her nose.Close enough to touch.Hyde pressed forward, and Victor felt his hands begin to enlarge. He curled them into fists, breathing deeply until the transformation receded.
“You okay?” she asked softly.
“Fine. Just—” He pulled the food from the bag, needing something to do with his hands. “It’s been a long morning.”
She accepted the sandwich he handed her, but her eyes stayed on his face. “You’re doing the thing.”
“What thing?”
“The thing where you pull away emotionally, even though you’re sitting right next to me.”
He went still. “I’m not?—”
“You are.” She carefully unwrapped the sandwich. “Your shoulders go up, your jaw gets tight, and you stop looking at me directly.” A pause. “It usually happens when you’re fighting Hyde.”
The observation was uncomfortably accurate.
“He’s more active lately,” he admitted.
“Because of me?”
“Because of everything.” He opened his own sandwich without seeing it. “You. The calls. The—” He stopped.
“The kissing?”
Heat crawled up his neck. “Yes.”
She took a bite of her sandwich, chewing thoughtfully. When she swallowed, she said, “Is that why you’ve been keeping your distance? Physically, I mean. We talk every night, but you barely touch me when we’re together.”
“It’s safer that way.”
“For who?”
The question hung between them, and he set down his sandwich, his appetite vanishing.
“For you. For everyone.” He stared at his hands—normal human hands at the moment, but capable of so much more. “The more time I spend with you, the harder it is to maintain separation. And if I lose that separation?—”
“You become your father?” Her voice was gentle but firm. “Victor, we’ve had this conversation.”
“And my position hasn’t changed.” He looked at her finally, needing her to understand. “My father spent years proving he was safe. He had protocols. Suppressants. Contingency plans. And it still wasn’t enough.”
“What happened? After that incident at the town gathering?”
