Page 220 of No Need to Run
“Would lying make you feel better?”
He exhales sharply. “Probably not.”
“Then there’s no point.”
He doesn’t say anything.
I can almost hear the gears turning in his head.
Trying to understand me.
Poor Drew.
He still thinks some things can be filed neatly away.
A box for normal.
One for dangerous.
Another for attraction.
And of course, a box for fear.
He doesn’t realize I fit in all of them.
“Do you want me to leave you alone?” I ask.
The question slips between us, quiet and dangerous.
His head turns fast. “No.” His eyes widen slightly, like he surprised himself.
I don’t smile.
But I want to.
Instead, I keep my voice calm. “Okay.”
He looks away, jaw flexing. “I mean… no. Not exactly.”
“Not exactly?”
“I don’t know what I mean.”
“I think you do.”
He glances at me again. “You always say things like that.”
“Because they’re true.”
His gaze lingers on me, then drops again to my mouth.
This time, he doesn’t hide it quickly enough.
My pulse warms.
I let him look.
Then I turn into his driveway.
