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“No, not really.”
“Are you ready for me to let you go?”
I sucked in a breath. “You can try.”
The second he took his hands off me, I crumbled, falling into his chest. He caught me easily, bracing an arm around my upper back, the other across my butt.
“You weren’t ready,” he admonished.
“I thought I might be.” My head rested on his chest, his heartbeat steady against my cheek. “I wasn’t sure until you let me go.”
If I’d been in a better place, I wouldn’t have been melting into Lachlan’s firm embrace. But I didn’t think anyone could fault me for allowing myself this moment of indulgence. Being held by him blocked out the world until there was only the weight of his arms, the solid warmth of his chest, the soft cushion of his middle, and the scent of motor oil, the outdoors, and Lachlan. The last of my panic began to ebb in the cave Lachlan created for me with his body.
He sighed. “Don’t take chances like that.” His forehead came down on the top of my head for half a second before he straightened. “I’m driving you home.”
“I can probably walk if you give me a minute or two for my legs to start functioning again.”
Ignoring me, he hauled me over his shoulder like he’d done last week, except slightly more gentle. This time, I hung off him like a rag doll, since my mini panic attack had sapped all the energy and most of the fight out of me. I even let him tuck me into his truck without a fight.
He climbed in on the other side but didn’t start the engine. His fingers strangled the steering wheel so hard it squeaked.
“Who was that guy?”
My head lolled toward him. “My high school boyfriend’s brother.”
“He hurt you?”
“Oliver? Or my ex?”
His jaw worked back and forth. “Either.”
“Not Oliver.”
“What’s your ex’s name?”
“Nate, but don’t worry about righting the trespasses he committed against me. He’s dead.”
Lachlan’s exhale was sharp and jagged. “Fuck. Dead? And his brother…what’d he want?”
My lips formed an obscenely sweet smile. “To catch up, of course. He and Nate could have been twins.”
“And that sent you into a panic attack.”
“It wasn’t full-fledged.”
His hands squeezed the wheel again. “I’d hate to see full-fledged if that wasn’t it.”
“You would. It’s ugly.” I reached out and patted his clenched hand. “Thank you for being there. I didn’t think I knew where I was going, but maybe in the back of my mind I did. Maybe I went to you because I knew I’d be okay once I got there.”
His hand opened to envelop mine as he released a heavy sigh. “You don’t have to thank me, Elsa.Don’tthank me.”
“Fine. I take it back. You’re unthanked.” My mouth twitched.
His mouth twitched back. “Better. Are you ready to go home?”
My fingers wiggled in his hold. “If you’re ready to let go of my hand.”
He held on for another beat, then placed my hand in my lap carefully, as if he was handling fine china. I guessed it was sort of nice to be handled that way once in a while.
