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“Did he say something to you? Anything inappropriate?”
She continues to push the food around the plate. “It’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing.” This time, my words come out through clenched teeth.
“Typical comments.”
“He hit on you?”
She peeks up at me through her lashes. “Yeah.”
I nod, but I don’t say anything. My hand fists on the table. Whatever he said is more than what she’s letting on. “Has he made more passes since you arrived?”
“A few.”
A moment of silence passes, and then she places her fork down. “You done?”
I nod because anything I say at this point would come out strained, and she’d misinterpret me as being short with her.
I grab the tray of food and the utensils. “Let’s go.”
She shakes her head in confusion before standing. “Where?”
“I’m walking you back to your hut.”
She stands, crossing her arms over her chest. “Maybe I’m not ready for bed,” she challenges.
“Princess, it’s late. It’s time for you to get your beauty sleep.”
“I’m princess again, not Mal?”
“Well, you are being difficult.” I shrug, as though that should be obvious.
I watch as the fight bleeds out of her, and a yawn escapes her lips. She’s not just tired. She’s exhausted.
She rolls her eyes. “Fine. You’re right.”
I smirk, steering us toward the path. I drop the plates in the appropriate bins and turn my head toward her. “Wow. How do those words feel coming out of your mouth?”
“Bitter. Like sucking on a lemon.” She grins.
“After you.” I reach my hand out in gesture, and when she steps up, it accidentally brushes her arm.
She darts off like I lit her on fire, and I follow quickly behind her.
I trail her, watching her carefully step over the fallen leaves and rocks.
Night has fallen on the island, and the farther we walk into the cover of trees, the darker it gets.
As we walk, I pull my phone from my pocket to shine a light ahead. It doesn’t take us long to get there; it’s only about a five-minute trip, but neither of us speaks. I’m thankful for the silence because I’m still trying to wrap my brain around the phone call I overheard and how it’s changed my feelings toward this woman.
Only a few days ago, I wouldn’t have cared who hit on her. Now I’m enraged not just that he did, but that she was made to feel uncomfortable.
Since when do I give a fuck?
You always did, to some extent.
When we get to her hut, she goes to walk inside, but I reach out my hand and stop her. My fingers lightly grip the exposed skin on her upper arm.
“Listen, Mallory.” She looks at me over her shoulder, but what she must see in my eyes has her turning fully.
My hand slips from her skin. “I don’t want you walking alone.”
“Okay.”
I’m taken aback by her quick agreement. That’s unusual.
“No, I mean it. If you want to go somewhere, just don’t go alone.”
“How am I—”
“I’ll go with you. Just tell me where and when, and I’ll go with you.”
She stares at me for several moments, eyes sweeping over my face and landing on my eyes. She must find whatever she was looking for because she nods.
With that settled, she turns around and goes inside without another word.
What the fuck, Pax?
Attaching myself to Mallory Reynolds will not end well for either of us.
23
Mallory
@Stargossip: Rain is in the forecast . . . oh, wait . . . that’s just the tears of Stefan having to work with amateurs.
@TacosandHairclips: That’s just rude . . .
@Bitchpleaseme: @TacosandHairclips What the hell does your handle even mean?
@TacosandHairclips: @Bitchpleaseme Wouldn’t you like to know . . . stalker!
@Deathtothesystem: I’d be crying, too. What terrible casting. Someone needs to be fired!
A knock on the door jars me, and I almost fall over.
“Who is it?” I yell out, struggling to pull my leggings up.
I bounce around, wrestling the black tights into submission.
Luckily, I win the battle. The last thing I need is to be caught on my hands and knees with my pants around my ankles. Especially if it’s who I think it is.
As kinky as it sounds, Paxton, the ass, would never let me live it down. He’d torture me about it for as long as we’re stuck on this island together, and Lord knows I don’t need to feed him more fuel.
“Paxton. You ready?”
His voice alone has my heart beating a little faster. A vision begins to play in my mind. I was wrong. He doesn’t make fun of me. Instead, he gets on his knees behind me, spreads my legs apart, and—
“Mallory?” The reminder that Paxton is just outside my door is like a bucket of cold water on my hot and dirty thoughts.
“One minute,” I reply, needing to get myself in check.
Kittens. Sauerkraut. Popsicles . . .
Nope. That last one does not help.
My mind conjures all sorts of inappropriate things.
