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He stayed there breathing heavily while the flush of pleasure she’d just felt washed away, and embarrassment replaced it.
“I didn’t mean—”
“Be quiet,” he gritted out.
She did. Tidying her clothes and stepping back and out of his way as he stood there, doubled over in agony.
“I’ll leave you. I mean, we shouldn’t walk back in together, anyway.”
“Birdie,” he growled. “Shut up.”
“Right. Sorry.” She went to pass him, but a large hand grabbed her wrist.
“Stay.”
“Okay. If you’re sure.”
She stood there with him while the pain subsided and he could straighten.
“You’re not walking back alone,” he said when he could speak.
“It’s the lodge grounds and safe.”
He tugged her so their eyes were inches from each other. “You are not walking about at night alone, Birdie, and that goes for in Lyntacky too. You shouldn’t have been at the Gray Dog that late either.”
“Sawyer,” Birdie said in the tone she used when her parents were arguing or, as they liked to call it, debating with her. “I’m an adult and not your concern.”
“Let’s go.” He walked, and as she was attached to him, she walked too.
There was tension between them again now. A tension that told her he was regretting what they’d just done, as she was.
When the lodge came into view, she pulled her hand free.
“I’m sorry for what I did back there to your… ah, but thanks,” she said quickly. “For all of it. You may have gotten me here by blackmailing me, but it’s been an amazing trip.” And that came out wrong because now it sounded like she was thanking him for the sex.
“It has been good,” he said.
They walked up the front steps.
“I’m going to bed, Sawyer. You go back to your family, and this”—she waved her hand about—“is done with. Onetime thing,” she said as much for him as herself.
Those lovely chocolate brown eyes studied her.
“I need you to promise me something, Birdie.”
“What?”
“If you need anything, you call me. I can give you money to—”
“No!” The word exploded from her, far louder than she’d meant it to. “No thank you. I have people I can turn to. But thanks. What we talked about, please keep it to yourself. My family can take care of this, Sawyer. Really, don’t worry.”
“If you have people in your corner, then why are they letting you talk dirty to Murray and gamble in a place the Bandits drink at?” His expression hadn’t changed. He still looked the same as he always did. Controlled and unemotional.
Well, lucky him. Birdie felt all over the place. Like she’d woken up with this head on her shoulders and someone had switched it out and now she had the brain of a preschooler.
“My life is not your business, Sawyer, and I don’t want anyone else knowing it.”
The silence that settled between them was heavy with tension.
