Her lips press into a thin line. “It’s nothing I can’t handle.”
Yeah. That’s what I thought.
Whether or not I think she should have to deal with this on her own doesn’t matter.
And I can’t exactly throw a punch the way I want to right now.
Still, my instincts roar with the need to do something. My jaw locks so tight it aches.
Aspen frowns, worry lining her forehead. “How’d you know . . . about Jeremiah? We’ve been careful not to advertise that we were . . . whatever we were doing.”
Her use of past tense does something to me.
I square my body to face her, dropping my head until her focus is glued to me and nowhere else.
“You’re not easy to miss, Aspen.”
“What?” she huffs.
It’s almost like she doesn’t get it—doesn’t see what I see.
She doesn’t tiptoe around me. She doesn’t flinch.
She doesn’t back down, but she doesn’t push.
“I couldn’t give a fuck about him, but I notice you. Andhemadeyouuncomfortable. All you have to do is pay attention and you can see as much.”
“And you’ve been paying attention?”
I lean in closer. “Since the moment we met.”
The corner of her mouth twitches as shakes her head and asks, “It’s the helicopter, isn’t it?”
Somewhere along the line, this girl learned that making herself small made everyone else’s lives easier. From the doctor, to the quip about the helicopter, it’s in everything she says and does. And here I am, pushing on the part of her that always gives—her need to fix things.
“No.” I’ve never said the word with so much conviction, but she needs to hear this—hell, she deserves to.
Her gaze lifts to mine, something softer breaking through.
“It’s you.”
I hesitate just long enough for her to feel the edge of what I’m about to say.
“You walk into a room and everything else just . . . drops off.” My hand tightens on the island. “The noise, the bullshit, none of it matters.”
Somehow, this woman makes my demons go quiet.
Her mouth opens and closes, lost for what to say.
Her lips part slightly. “What?”
I drag a hand over my face, already in far too deep with her. “Don’t believe me? I can keep going.”
Her nod is small, like she’s not sure she’s ready to hear what I have to say. I’m not sure I’m ready to tell her, but I want her to know.
“You’re sharp.” Voice rougher than I intend, I swallow hoping to smooth it out. “Always a step ahead. You aren’t put off by my attitude.”
Her throat bobs.
