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I leaned forward, ready to spring into action at any second if necessary.
Natalie looked up from her book, her eyes widening. “Joey?”
I felt somewhat relieved that the man was someone she knew, although that relief was short-lived and quickly replaced with all-consuming jealousy. There was something intimate about how they looked at one another, and once he was close enough to her, my suspicions were confirmed. He wrapped her into a hug, his arms curling low on her waist and looking as if he didn’t want to let her go. He kissed her cheek. “It’s been forever,” he said.
“It has,” she agreed, giving him a smile that made my stomach tie up in fucking knots.
“What’s been going on with you?”
My jealousy further reared its head when the man took a seat at her table. I couldn’t take my eyes away from him, sizing him up. He looked around Natalie’s age, and I supposed he was handsome—with his shoulder-length hair and neatly trimmed goatee. He had a slim build, and I shamefully imagined how easy it would be to knock him the hell out.
“Oh, kind of a lot actually,” Natalie answered with a sigh and then proceeded to tell him all about the things going on with her father. The guy—Joey—listened, riveted and completely enamored with her. I felt my annoyance illogically rising, especially as he reached out and to rub her shoulder, consoling her. He then began to hold her hand, and I envisioned slicing that fucker’s hand clean off his arm.
Get a grip, Colt, I thought to myself. But it was no use. The jealousy I felt couldn’t be contained, and I knew my stare must have been burning a hole in the side of Joey’s face. After a while, he finally noticed me. His eyebrows shot upward, startled. He then leaned in and whispered into Natalie’s ear.
She turned her gaze toward me, and I heard her mutter the word ‘security.’
Joey’s expression relaxed and he gave me a wave that I couldn’t bring myself to return.
Realizing that I probably looked like a complete asshole staring so intently at the two of them, I tried to force myself to read the book tossed haphazardly in my lap. But once again, it was no use. I kept straining my ears, trying to hear their conversation. I kept glancing their way, wondering if he was touching her, and feeling that horrible pang of jealousy every time I heard her giggle at something he said.
I couldn’t have been more relieved when he finally got up to leave. They exchanged phone numbers before giving each other a far too long hug goodbye.
Once he was gone, Natalie sat back down and glanced my way.
Forgetting that I needed to keep my professional distance, I found myself storming up to her table. “Who was that?” I asked, the annoyance clearly detectible in my voice.
Natalie stared at me, her eyebrows raised. “My ex,” she answered after a pause.
“Doesn’t look like he still wants to be your ex,” I said bitterly.
“Well, it’s not like things really ended badly between us. He just transferred to another school and the long-distance relationship was too hard to keep up with. We sort of just fell out of touch rather than officially broke up.”
My heart plummeted. “So…you still like him?”
She shrugged her shoulders. Then she looked me square in the eyes, clearly challenging me. “I don’t know. Why?”
That question was so loaded, I didn’t know where to begin. I wanted to tell her right in that moment how badly I wanted her. I wanted to tell her that no one could protect and provide for her the way that I could. I wanted to tell her that if I got to make love to her for every night for the rest of our lives, it still wouldn’t be enough.
I wanted to tell her that if I couldn’t have her, no one else could.
But I had no right. I had answered her honestly the first night at the safe house. I had no idea what we were if anything. Mostly our relationship was a distraction, to both of us.
I sat before her, my hands clenched in my lap and literally biting my tongue, trying to hold back words that I would never be able to take back if I dared let them out of my mouth.
“Why, Colt?” she asked again. There was no doubt she was challenging me this time, and I had to wonder if she already knew the thoughts going through my head.
As I had far too many times, I thought about the feel and taste of her skin.
“Because,” I said, trying hard to keep my voice steady, “I need to know who I have to keep my eye on. For safety measures.”
She looked away from me. “Joey isn’t dangerous.”
I grumbled. He was the most dangerous person we had encountered, as far as I was concerned. He posed the danger of permanently ruining my chances with Natalie. He posed the danger of making me realize once and for all that if I didn’t officially make my move and let my feelings be known, I would never have a shot…
“What’s wrong? What are you thinking?” Natalie asked.
“Too much,” I said, standing from her table.
