AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She groaned, dropped her head back, staring up at the stars. “God, this is so embarrassing.” Another breath, her chin dipping back down, her cheeks pink, her eyes still damp. “You’re good looking. You’re smart and funny. I…” She bit her lip. “My default position when it comes to guys is ice, and normally that’s fine. It works because I freeze them out and any interest is stymied right off the bat.”
Okay, um.
There was a lot happening in that statement.
First, that she thought he was attractive and had used that as her motivation to push him away.
Second, why her default position was to ice men out.
Thatwas what had his stomach churning, what had him tucking away the fact she was attracted to him to process later.
“Did someone hurt you?”
She froze, rocking back slightly against the frame of the car. “What?”
And—fuck—there was panic in her eyes.
Which meant that—fuck—someonehadhurt her.
“Raven.”
She jerked, nearly fell off the bumper, barely catching herself on the hood.
“Sweetheart,” he whispered.
Her throat worked.
“Look at me, baby.”
She shook her head. “I need to go.”
That was the last damned thing they needed. Not when they were finally getting somewhere. “You don’t need to go, sweetheart. You need to stay.” He leaned closer, wove their fingers together. Partly because he needed to touch her, but also because he needed her to know he was there for her. “And you need to tell me who hurt you.”
Her throat worked.
Her hand convulsed in his.
She exhaled.
Then pressed her lips flat again.
The waves in the distance, the wind gliding along their skin, whipping back her hair.
“I don’t really think it’s any business of yours who hurt me,” she said after a long moment, fire in her tone.
Fire was better than ice.
“It isn’t,” he said and watched her relax just in time for him to add, “Except for the fact that you owe me.”
She swiveled to face him, expression thunderous. “Excuse me?”
Thirteen
Raven
Irritation bubbled up in her veins, washed over her skin, heating it, tightening it, scalding up the back of her throat, carrying angry words that would wound.
She wanted to let them loose.
