Page 56 of Trailer Trash

She squirms harder each time. Like a trigger on a gun, I use it to my advantage.

“I don’t want you to leave me, Harlow.”

The words are certain and firm.

She blinks, like she didn’t hear me correctly. “We’re not together, Killian.”

“That’s not what I mean. Don’t quit.”

This time, I pinch and hold the knot of flesh and she tries to escape, but I won’t let her. I move on top of her, caging her in.

“Say you’ll stay.”

“You like forcing words out of my mouth.”

“Mm-hm.”

She pouts and whines. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but I want to go on that date with Jaxson.”

Yeah, that’s the last fucking thing I want to hear.

But I don’t show it.

“Date him.”

I leave out: But he won’t be fucking you.

She squints. “If we’re being honest? If I never dated Evan, you would be...” She takes a deep breath. “Never mind. You are my patient, Killian. I need you to understand that and respect boundaries. You’re an addict and...”

She drones on about shit that doesn’t matter. Apparently, I still need to figure out how to get her to look at me differently than a patient or her ex.

I interrupt her blabbering.

“It’s easy, Harlow. Don’t drink around me, and I won’t flirt with you anymore. Go on your date. Have fun. I just want you to help me stay sober.”

She flutters her lashes.

Good, Killian. More.

“Staying sober is important to me.”

I almost crack a smile, but succeed.

“It is?” she whispers, her tone skeptical.

“Yeah. At dinner, I didn’t drink.”

“Right,” she replies, squinting.

“So we’re good? We’ll keep our hands to ourselves.” But I pinch her clit, making her burst into laughter.

Drunk-Harlow’s so awesome.

But I remove my hand from her pants.

Her body seems to relax a little. “Will you seriously back off?”

“Of course,” I answer easily.