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My eyes drop to her backpack. “Where are you staying?”
“Some motel,” she says, waving her hand dismissively.
“Which one?” I press. If she were staying at a motel, why is she carrying her belongings around Blue Haven with her?
“I don’t know.”
I push my hair back and gaze up at the night sky, feeling like I’m going to regret these next words. “Do you need a place to crash?”
Silence greets my question, and when I look back at Lily, she looks like she’s about to cry.Shit.I didn’t mean to upset her.
“It’s fine. Seriously, if you need somewhere to stay until you figure out your next move, it’s no big deal. We’ve got a spare room.”
“I can’t ask you to do that. You barely know me.”
“I’m not going to let you sleep on the beach. It’s nearly winter. What kind of guy do you think I am?”
“What about your family or friends? How would they feel? I don’t want to put anyone out.”
“It’s just my brother. He won’t care.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course. Come on. Let’s go.” I lead her over to my bike, and she takes her cap off, stuffing it in her bag. “Have you ridden before?”
“Yeah, my…” Her voice trails off, and she swallows visibly, dropping her gaze again. “Yeah, I have.”
So many questions. Instead of asking any of them, I pull the spare helmet out of the storage compartment, and step towards her to place it on her head. I help her with the straps, checking it’s secure before pulling on my own and climbing onto the bike.
Lily climbs on behind me, her arms tightening around my waist as she pulls herself closer. The feeling of her warm body pressed up against mine is foreign, yet familiar at the same time. She’s slightly shorter than Ellie, but her hold on me is firm and confident.
The bike roars to life underneath us, kicking up gravel as we take off into the night.
HAVING LILY WRAPPED around my body as I drive towards my house is like a new form of torture. I haven’t been touched by anyone since Ellie, and my body feels like it’s been jammed into an electrical socket. Every nerve is sparked, and my veins are on fire.
The house is dark when I pull into the drive. Lily unravels herself from my body and slips off the bike, leaving me feeling cold and empty.
“This is your house?” she asks after removing her helmet.
“Yeah.” I run a hand through my hair, dropping my gaze. “It’s not much, but it’s home.”
“It’s perfect,” she says with a smile. “I really appreciate you letting me stay. I promise I’ll be out of your way when I figure out where I’m going.”
“Do you like pancakes?”
“Huh?”
“Pancakes. Do you like them?”
“I guess.” A crease appears in the middle of her forehead, and I have to stop myself from leaning in and pressing my lips against it.Jesus fucking Christ. Get a grip.I turn away from her, adjusting myself before I really scare the poor girl.
“Come on.” I take her hand, slipping her bag over my shoulder before leading her up to the house. My heart is racing like a teenager sneaking in his latest hook-up. What the hell is wrong with me?
Lily stops short before we reach the front door, though, tugging her hand from my grasp. “Are you sure your brother won’t care? Maybe I should just find some–”
“It’s fine, Lily. I wouldn’t have offered if it wasn’t.”
She worries her bottom lip as she looks up at the house, and it’s so damn sexy I have to turn away. I groan inwardly. Damn, Zeke’s pre-fight superstition of not rubbing one out the week before a fight is coming back to bite me in the ass right now.
