Page 190 of Her Wicked Plan

“You told me.”

I must have forgotten.

“What did you want to talk about?” I ask, although I know the answer.

Veronica sighs. “I was going to ask if you thought about my… idea.”

My eyes scan over to the guard by the door. He isn’t paying attention to us; his nose is in his phone, probably playing a game or watching some video. Why would he have to do his job when a patient is out here with their doctor?

When I return my eyes to the woman beside me, she stares at me. Her doe eyes shine with hope, but a slight hint of anxiety wants to swim to the surface.

I slide my gaze over her pale face, the freckles popping out intensely against the contrast of her skin.

You’d think her skin would have grown color with it being summer, but Veronica barely steps foot outside. The fresh air she does intake is the air that flows through my open office window.

I trail my eyes from hers, dropping to examine the slope of her nose and the fullness of her lips. I want to kiss her.

You could if you ran away with her. The devil on my shoulder says.

Dismissing the tiny voice and the thought of sweeping her into my arms, I nudge my head to the side for her to follow me. I walk down the path and around the corner.

A large hedge separates two parts of the garden: the place we just came from, where the colorful flowers bloomed, and the spot we stand in, surrounded by vegetables grown for meals.

The guard isn’t in our sight anymore. Now, it’s only us. Two people roaming a garden. The thought of kissing her jolts back into my head, and knowing there aren’t eyes on us, I let it take over.

Wrapping my hand around the nape, I tug her into me and kiss her softly. Veronica’s body relaxes at my touch, melting like the wax of a lit candle. One kiss. One simple kiss that leaves us both wanting more, but this is not the place.

“Vee, I care about you.” I force myself to take a step back. “So fucking much.”

Her mouth shuts tight. The glow of her skin, the relaxation from my hold, has now dimmed out and stiffened. “You’re saying no.”

My eyes fall to the ground between us. I wet my lips, inhaling a deep breath before I meet her gaze again. She is stone, putting up a wall before me that I worked so damn hard to tear down. “If I said yes, I’d be risking my job and...”

“You’re already risking your job by being involved with me.” Her arms stay at her sides, although I don’t miss the twitch in her wrists.

“I’d be risking way more than just my job.” I reach out for her to comfort her, but she steps back. My heart twists in pain at her pulling away from me. “I’d be risking everything, Veronica.”

Her face flinches as if I just slapped her. The only time I ever call her by her name is during our real sessions because those aren’t intimate. “And I’m not worth it.”

Shaking my head frantically, I attempt a step in her direction. To my surprise, she doesn’t move. “I’m not saying that. I could go to prison for helping you escape.”

“That’s if we get caught, Leo.” She folds her arms across her chest to act as a shield.

“The chances of us getting caught are much higher than getting out of here with no one seeing.”

“But I have a plan. I planned this all out to ensure we wouldn’t get caught.”

I can’t say I’m surprised by her honesty. “I’m sorry, Vee.”

Again, I test out the waters, reaching my hand forward, and my fingertips graze her arm before she shoves it away. “Don’t touch me.”

“Veronica, I⁠—”

“I’m trying hard here to contain my anger, Leo,” she admits. “If you touch me, then it will all burst out of me, and I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Okay.” I hold my hands up in defense. “I won’t touch you, but please hear me when I tell you I am sorry.” Chewing on her bottom lip, she nods.

Her hands are now curled into fists, holding back from hitting something. Holding back from hitting me.