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“It’s not you. Okay? I just can’t right now.” The pain in her eyes as she looked at the floor just put another stake in my gut, one I might use later if I had the chance.
“Sure.”
“I mean it.” She lifted her eyes, finally allowing me to see that she’d been crying. “I’m just too damaged.”
Fuck. Who was this freak?
“Who hurt you, Lily?”
I knew immediately I’d pushed her too far. “Nobody. Well, I found a guy I’d dated for a couple years going down on my best friend in my bed.” She laughed and while I believed her, that had nothing to do with the pain I’d seen in her eyes.
“Ouch.”
“Yeah. I’m not saying you were a rebound but before I get involved with anyone, I need to figure out my life.”
“Understandable.”
“Good.” She gazed at me sheepishly, her cheeks burning from slight embarrassment. I wasn’t going to break through the wall she had surrounding her. The truth was it was none of my business in the first place.
I adjusted the towel so it wouldn’t fall off then started to walk away. “I’ll make some coffee and breakfast.”
“Thank you for everything and I’ll take that shirt.”
As I turned toward her once again, she allowed me to catch the fact her expression was one of longing.
Who was I to act as if I wanted to get in the middle of some shit? As I’d told her before, I was no hero.
* * *
Lily
Damn it. He was without a doubt one of the hottest men I’d ever laid eyes on.
“Whew,” I whispered, my nipples aching. I wanted him all over again, but it was a terrible idea. The worst I’d had.
Losing control was stupid.
I had a sense he was suspicious about what I was doing in Montana. What was I supposed to tell him?
Oh, my father sold me to this notorious kingpin for unknown reasons? My future husband was a horrible man who kept me under lock and key? At least he hadn’t touched me intimately. That was the only saving grace but still.
That would go over well.
A horrid lump formed in my throat. I’d almost forgotten about the bruises because of the way Maverick had made me feel.
Wanted.
Needed.
I moved to the bathroom door quickly, but couldn’t take my eyes off him, feeling the same stirring of desire crashing into me. He was trying to be nice, and I’d shut him down. It was better this way. He didn’t need my crazy world dropped in his lap and I had no clue how to be normal.
Exhaling, a cold shiver sliced down my spine and when I tried to close the bathroom door, Sam almost slipped in. “No, baby. Go be with your daddy. Okay?”
The dog whined, which allowed me a smile, but I didn’t want to get attached to him either, even if his company the night before had allowed me to sleep.
After the nightmare.
One horrible, vicious nightmare.
