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“Speaking of guards,” I started, a grin spreading over my face when she froze above me. “What’s up with you and Beau? You finally giving in to his charms?”
“Nothing.” She turned her head this time, blocking me.
“Um, hmm.”
“Hey, I’m the one who asked first. So, you spill, and then maybe if there’s something to tell, I’ll share.”
Huffing, I wanted to hide my face, but I couldn’t, or I’d get dye all over me. “He’s just someone who was nice to me. Nothing else to tell. Now, your turn.”
“Oh, no. One, the Delgados aren’t just nice. Two, he called you Ojos de ángel, which isn’t something to snuff at, and three, I saw the way you went all gooey for him even if you were malnourished. So… start spilling.”
My face was beet red. Fuck, I forgot how observant Nat was. “You know, sometimes I forget how criminal you were.” I pursed my lips, lifting my chin.
“Nice try at diverting, but try again. This isn’t a bake sale. We both have skeletons in our closets, so carry on.”
Sighing, I didn’t know why I avoided talking about him; it just made it feel real if I did, and after being burned last time, I didn’t know if I was ready to open up my heart to someone new.
“He was kind to me. He ensured I got food at times and would step in and divert Darren if he was being too rough. He watched me, and it made me feel not so alone. Stocke was the only one who talked to me, helping me not forget I was a person. When he brushed my hair, I started to fall a little for him. But it doesn’t matter. We’re Romeo and Juliet waiting to happen, if it was based around side characters.”
“Hold up, you’re not a side character. So, if you want to go all Shakespearean with the hottie guard, then do it. And well, damn, I kind of like him too now, so I guess I won’t shoot him if he ever shows up.”
Laughing, I reined in the urge to shake my head, not wanting to smear dye all over my forehead. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll never see him again, and I want to make things right with Lark and Seb. After the whole Darren fiasco, I just want to move on and put other people behind me.”
“That’s fair, hun, but you’re also you, and denying part of your heart won’t end well. Just don’t completely shut him out if it happens.”
“You taking your own advice there?” I asked, lifting my eyebrow this time.
“It’s different for me. You know this.”
“No, the only thing I know is how you like to pretend that because Mason was a douche, all guys are douches, and well, that’s just not true. You’ve been ignoring Byron’s affections for years, and if I’m not imagining the sparks I saw between you and Beau, it seems he’s now been added to the list. So, tell me, why are you running?”
“That’s not—”
“Try again,” I inserted, cutting her off.
Nat rolled her eyes, concentrating on the section of hair she was on. “I just don’t want to bring anyone into my crazy. Mason isn’t a threat at the moment, but that could always change, and I have to put Lily first. Fuck buddies are just easier.”
“You fucked Beau!” I gasped, my eyes widening. Nat’s head whipped up, her face going red.
“What, no, I didn’t say that, I—”
“Oh my God, you so did. How was it? Is he big? I bet he’s big! He seems like the type to know how to handle a woman, you know, the kind that will pick you up and throw you over his shoulder and then take you back to his room and fuck you hard against the table.” I fanned myself, the thoughts making me feel something below for once.
“I, uh, what? Oh, hey, look, we’re done.” She moved back, taking off her gloves and tossing them into the trash. Picking up her phone, she set a timer, avoiding eye contact the whole time. “I’ll come and check once the timer is done.”
“Nope.” I stuck my leg out, blocking her exit. “This is the spill and share space. You started it by making me share, so now you gotta spill.”
Nat gave me a look, and I debated dropping my leg, afraid she might try to jump it in her panic to avoid this topic. But I held steady, determined to get her to quit running for once. Nat liked to bottle everything up, feeling it was better to avoid the things that made her scared. And when she did decide to face things, she’d rely only on herself. I wanted her to know she could come to me, that as family, we helped one another instead of conning like she’d been raised.
Blowing out a breath, she looked up at the ceiling, her hands on her hips. “Fine, I like him, but I just don’t know how to deal with it. So, I avoid him, and he keeps trying to pursue me. There’s this heated back and forth and sometimes it ends up between the sheets, or like you said, up against something. I’m just scared because the last time I got involved with a Mascro… well.” She grimaced, looking at me. Standing, I took her hands.
“Mason was a dickwad, and he’s my brother, I can say that. I’m happy you met him though, because it brought us together and gave us Lily. But now, he’s made his choices. I wanted more from him, but he didn’t want it for himself. So, that’s on him. You’re a beautiful and wonderful woman, and Beau, he’s a good one. The only thing you should be scared of is losing him. If another woman was to walk up and kiss him, what would you do?”
Her eyes narrowed as she looked at me. “I know what you’re doing.”
“And?” I asked, smiling.
She rolled her eyes, her shoulders dropping. “I’d walk up to him and kiss him, claiming him.”
