I couldn’t help it. It was probably indecent—no, Iknowit was indecent kissing her in front of her father like that, but trying not to touch Quinn was like trying not to breathe.
I just couldn’t do it.
She mumbled something incoherent, the faint taste of alcohol on her lips from the mojito Georgette had demanded she have. Standing up, I turned toward her dad. “Ready when you are, sir.”
Another smack to the shoulder. Another silent shudder through me. Fuck, I needed that whiskey at this point. The mojito I’d guzzled down hadn’t done a damn thing.
Ihated following peoplealmost as much as I hated being in new places. Thankfully, Quinn’s dad never stopped talking, so it was easy enough to follow his voice. Only problem was he walked fast, which led to me bumping into shit. Another thing I hated.
There was a lot of shit I couldn’t stand about being blind, but at the end of the day there wasn’t anything I could do about it. So, silently seething, I made my way behind him down what I think was a hallway leading to an open room. Our footfalls echoed louder here, and the sound of his voice traveled further. Yep, a room then. The darkness in the left side of my vision was just a tad bit…warmer. if I had to guess, there was a wall of windows somewhere over there.
“It’s a nice view, isn’t it?” Carl Decker’s voice drifted off to my right, like he was walking away from me. I took a couple slow steps towards him.
“I’m sure it is,” I replied, clenching my jaw. I wasn’t sure if he was just oblivious or being a dick? Maybe a bit of both. He seemed aloof, reminding me of a cat kind of. Off in his own world and thoughts, but briefly coming around to interact when he wanted. He had just enough charm to not be obnoxious, but there was a steely edge to him beneath it all. He was probably a damn good businessman.
“Ah, damn, I’m sorry. I keep forgetting.” At least that sounded genuine.
I waved him off. “It’s fine. I’m used to it.”
“You get around really well, though, you know. How come you don’t have a dog or one of those canes?” he asked over the clink of glasses.
I shrugged, hating how vulnerable I felt. Anxiety rippled and swelled in my chest like a rising tide. “I got a dog back at the bunkhouse, but he ain’t certified or anythin’. I only take him places I know they ain’t gonna give me shit for it. I tried a cane before, but the urge to hit somethin’ or someone with it was too strong, so I figured out how to deal without it.”
“I can imagine how tough it must be.”
I just nodded, a muscle feathering in my jaw. There was no way he could possibly understand what I was going through, andthere was no point bothering trying to explain the depth of it. Better to just let it go.
Silence descended for a moment, before the sound of footfalls headed my way. “Here, try this.”
I reached out hesitantly, my hand bumping into his for a moment before settling on the glass of whiskey. “Thank you, sir,” I replied, taking it from him.
He clinked his glass against mine. “To Quinn.”
I nodded, wondering how she was doing out there all alone with Georgette. She hadn’t mentioned it, but I got the distinct feeling she didn’t like her. Hell, I didn’t like her, so I wasn’t about to judge.
“To Quinn.” I tilted the glass to my lips, enjoying the burn all the way down. Well, damn. Shit was good.
Carl’s chuckle was low, full of disbelief. “You’re supposed to sip it.”
“I’ve never been one for goin’ slow.” All my life I’d been like a bullet out of a gun, a home-run hit—going, going, gone. Since the accident, I had to take almost everything slow. Something that killed me a bit more inside every day. But some habits just died hard.
“Well, I hope you slow down with Quinn.”
I stilled, immediately regretting my choice of words.Well that was stupid, Hux.I opened my mouth to respond, with what I had no idea, but it didn’t matter. Her dad cut me off before I could get a word out. Probably for the best.
“What are your intentions with her?”
I blew out a breath, nodding for a moment as I tried to gather my thoughts. “Look, sir, I honestly don’t know. I haven’t known her long, but I like how I feel when I’m around her. I like her company. I don’t really plan my life out the way I should and think about the long run. It ain’t me, and with my current condition, it’s just best to take it one day at a time. I know she’sheading back to California at the end of all of this, and I have no intentions of leavin’ Texas.” I shrugged. “But as long as she'll have me, I’m at her mercy.”
A huff, and then, “I think that’s one of the most honest answers I’ve ever gotten in my life. Most would have just blown smoke up my ass and told me what they thought I wanted to hear.”
“I ain’t one for doin’ that, sir.”
“Well, I appreciate the honesty.” The air shifted and the ice clinked in his glass. “Well, damn,” he hissed out a moment later. “That does have a nice bite to it when you drink it like that.”
My brow quirked up, my lips curling at the corners.
“Look, I can’t say I’m particularly happy about the situation, but in the end, it isn’t about me, it’s about her.” He exhaled loudly, his cologne mixing with the scent of alcohol on his breath. “Please don’t hurt her.”
