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“It’s not just about you,” I barked at him. “You’ll be putting me at risk, too.”
That sobered him up, his eyes narrowing.
“Orson won’t do anything to you,” Elijah promised, moving toward me, but I threw up my arms to avoid his touch.
He was probably right; Orson’s dick had been hard for me for so long. He likely wouldn’t do anything, but I didn’t want to lose his trust—and I sure as hell didn’t need Elijah playing protector to me. Not now.
“Are you worried about Orson?” Elijah demanded as I turned to leave again.
I ignored him, but he grabbed at my hand. A thousand fire jolts flew up my arm, and it took everything to pull away again.
“I’m worried about you!” I fired back. “Just stay put.”
I slammed out of the shed again, almost sprinting back to the house where I could compose myself in peace.
Now what?
* * *
I couldn’t sleepall night. Every two minutes, I found myself at the bedroom window, peering into the yard. But I couldn’t see any movement inside the shed from my house, nor did Elijah make a sound that I could hear.
Before dawn, I crept into the shed to allow Elijah into the house under the cloak of darkness to use the washroom and leave some food for the day while I did my runs.
He looked like he hadn’t slept much, either, a small, annoyed scowl on his face when he looked at me.
“I feel like a caged pet,” he griped, following me back to the house.
“You know your options,” I told him evenly. “No one’s forcing you to stay there.”
He grumbled something under his breath, but I didn’t bother asking him to repeat himself as I led him through the creaking screen door, head darting around toward the neighbors for potential witnesses.
I’d have to be cautious of that now, of prying eyes watching my comings and goings. These were things I’d never considered before. Disconcerted, the pull between wanting to grab him and embrace him, grateful that he was there in front of me fused with the fury of his rejection acrid on my tongue. I barely knew what to do with my hands, sure I was going to succumb to the willpower of grabbing him and smothering him with kisses the way my golden arch was propelling me to do.
Securing the screen and solid door in my wake, I nodded toward the bathroom on the main floor for Elijah to use.
“You’ve done all right for yourself,” he said, eyes trailing over my ancient furniture.
“Shut up, Elijah,” I snapped. “I did what I had to do.”
He blinked, apparently hurt by my response. “I’m not kidding. It’s nice,” he said. “I remember; you always wanted something small and cozy. You hated how ostentatiously I lived.”
Heat crept through me, the waft of a conversation sneaking into the recesses of my mind.
“I would be happy with a white picket fence, a little fireplace, and a couple of dogs,”I heard myself giggle.“I don’t know why you need a gold-plated dining room table.”
I shook off the memory. We weren’t that couple anymore.
“Yeah, well…” I nodded toward the bathroom again. “Hurry up. I have to get to work.”
He didn’t move, his eyes fixed on me.
“Is he really working you that hard?” Elijah asked. “You look tired, frazzled.”
I threw my hands up to ward him off. “No, you don’t get to do this, Elijah,” I insisted. “You don’t know me, not anymore. Either use the bathroom or get back out to the shed.”
He continued to stare at me for a moment longer, sadness tinging his eyes.
“Did I do this to you?”
