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The waiter stops by our table a few seconds later and I use his welcome interruption to gather my composure. It’s fleeting. After taking our orders, the man leaves to retrieve our wine, quickly returning. He sets them in front of us and excuses himself until our meal is ready.
The air between Hayden and I takes on an electrical charge once we’re alone.
I smooth out my hair, trying to hide my fidgeting by wrapping a long curl around my finger. He watches me with an intensity that makes it nearly impossible to breathe properly. I reach for my wineglass and take a sip, hoping the alcohol will relax me a little.
Hayden tilts his head. “You’re nervous.” It’s not a question.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Why is a mouse nervous around a cat?”
He smirks at me, making my heart flip in my chest. “I prefer to think of you as a little bird.Mylittle bird.”
“Either way, you’re the predator in this simile.” I shrug. “I just hope you don’t plan on putting me in a cage.”
“It’s for your safety. And others’.”
“Others?”
He nods. “If they touch you, I’ll… Let's just say, I’d rather they didn’t.”
“This conversation isn’t convincing me to agree to your terms.” I take another sip of my wine. Okay, it’s almost a gulp. When dealing with Hayden, I find that liquid courage helps me be more bold. “Maybe you should take me to my apartment after dinner.”
“I could, but none of your things are there.”
“What the hell?”
His lips thin with displeasure. “Language, Calista.”
“What did you do?”
“Your personal effects are at my home. The furniture was donated to the shelter you used to volunteer at. Hopeful Hearts, right?” When I nod, still fuming, he continues. “If you decide to return to your apartment, it’ll be a new one in a different location, and it’ll be fully furnished.”
I down the contents of my glass and set it on the table with a quiet thud. Leaning forward, I glare at him. “I appreciate you wanting to keep me safe, but this ismylife, Hayden. You can’t control every aspect of it.”
His hand shoots out and grasps mine where it rests on the table. It’s so quick I don’t have time to react before he’s tightening his fingers and bringing my knuckles to his mouth, never breaking eye-contact with me. He presses a kiss to each one and then a final one on the palm of my hand, letting his lips linger until I’m squirming in my chair.
“Your life is all I care about, and I’ll do whatever it takes to preserve it, Callie. Even if that means pissing you off.”
“But what about the agreement?”
“The seventy-two hours was an excuse to give you time to come to terms with everything. Because you are going to give me what I want. I won’t leave you alone until I know you’re protected.”
I try to jerk my hand back, but he maintains possession of me by gripping me tighter. As if to soothe my temper, he strokes my knuckles with his thumb. Leisurely. Back and forth until I stop fighting him.
“Give in, little bird. Let me take care of you.”
I swallow hard, captured by his gaze. The determination in his voice. “I let my father take care of me and then I was destroyed when he died. Don’t you see how risky this is for me?”
“I’ll give you financial security, if that’s what it’ll take to get you to say yes.”
“I don’t want to be a charity case,” I say between clenched teeth.
“That’s not how I see you, and you know it.”
He releases me when the waiter arrives with our food. I fold my hands in my lap and bow my head, keeping my attention on the delicious meal sitting in front of me. My stomach grumbles softly, and I pick up my fork to eat, paying I don’t stab Hayden with it for driving me crazy. The fact that I’m having these types of thoughts might be a direct result of being Harper’s best friend.
