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He laughed, shaking his head. “Can’t figure you out.”
“Do you wanna figure me out?”
His humor faded, and he sat back in the booth, staring at her in an inspecting manner.
“I wanna make sure I’m not bringing someone unsafe back to my house, around my people.”
“You think I’m dangerous?”
“I don’t know you, Marissa.”
The idea of her being a danger to him was comical, but she understood his concern. He didn’t know her or what she was capable of. She glanced down at the table. Caden was a protector of those close to him, she gathered. Yet another quality to elevate her attraction, which made what she said next disappointing.
Give him the out.
“I understand. Look, your offer was super nice, but I can stay at the hotel and…”
He leaned forward and held up his hand. She immediately stopped speaking when his brows furrowed. “Not what I’m saying.” He paused. “Gimme something.”
“What do you mean?’
“You.” He pointed across the table. “Give me something about you.”
She drew in a deep breath and bit her lip. It had been years since she’d spoken of herself. Human interaction and contact had been so limited, she was out of practice. She knew what he was doing, which spiked her own anxiety. Telling Caden anything about her life from the past two years would only make him even more wary about inviting her to stay with him.
“Babe?”
She bit back a smile. Babe. It was a term of endearment. And sweet.
She glanced up to his soft brown eyes. “Anything. Like where were ya headed?”
Give him honesty, he deserves it.
She racked her brain. What was the name of the little city? She drew a blank. “Nowhere in particular, but I saw a cool little town in Tennessee I was considering.”
The confusion registered in his expression.
“Where do ya live?”
She twitched her nose. “Here and there.”
“Oh, fuck me,” he snapped.
This wasn’t a good sign. He was probably seconds from bolting and reneging his offer. The place to stay she’d understand, but for some reason unexplainable to her, she didn’t want him to think she was crazy or dangerous. For the first time in years, she felt herself wanting to talk about her past. Not all of it, but enough.
He shifted in his seat, and she blurted her first thought. “I’m lost.”
He jerked his head and scowled. “Lost?”
“Not location-wise, just…” She sighed. Why was this so damn hard? She licked her lips. “Ya know what?” She forced a smile. “Just forget it. Um, I should go.” She moved to the edge of the booth, and his hand shot out, gripping her wrist in a gentle but firm hold.
“You’re lost. Tell me why,” he whispered. She closed her eyes, trying to remember the last time someone spoke to her in such a concerned, sweet tone. Too long ago to recall.
She glanced up through her lashes. “I’ve been on the road for about two years, which I know probably sounds nuts and sketchy. But I’m not, I promise, which also probably doesn’t mean much since you don’t know me.” She bit her lip and glanced up. She felt an overwhelming desire to tell him the truth, give him a little glimpse of her. My past. “My parents died two years ago, car crash, they died on impact.” All of them. A sharp pain stabbed at her heart, and her throat grew thick, as though she had something lodged in her windpipe.
“Riss.” His tone was so soft.
“I’m not trying to get your pity, Cade. I just want you to know I’m not some crazy person.” She drew in a deep breath. “I’m on the road by choice. I left home because I couldn’t bear to be around all those memories. I was suffocating there. I didn’t know how to be me anymore, which sounds crazy, I’m sure.” She didn’t feel crazy, but to others, it was probably how she appeared. She glanced around the diner. “My entire world changed in one day. I lost everything, and I couldn’t be the person I was supposed to be anymore. I just didn’t wanna be me anymore. I just stopped caring, ya know. So yeah,” she snorted. “I left, packed up all my stuff, got on the road, and I’ve been here ever since. Just kind of drifting around.” Marissa took a deep breath and sank into the cushion of the seat. Two years of not sharing anything with anyone, and in a matter of minutes, she was giving him her past. She stared down at the table, unable to comprehend what had just happened. Why him?
