Page 36 of Traded

He brushes my cheek. I stay where I am as he leans against the truck beside me, slipping his hands into his pockets. “You shouldn’t have to. Deal with it, I mean. That’s why I’m sorry, Ro.”

He presses his arm against mine, and I slowly lean into it. “Guess this must be pretty weird for you.”

Oh, fuck. I’m a masochist. The words crawl up my throat, and I let them out rather than swallow them to sit with everything else. “What does it feel like? The scent match?”

You need help, Rosie.

Jonas inhales. I look up at him. He’s styled his curls differently today, and he’s wearing a cologne I don’t recognize.

I already regret asking before he opens his mouth. He runs his hands over his hair before yanking them away, his palms opening and closing as if he doesn’t know where to put them.

“Like a wall,” he says finally.

I snort despite myself. He nudges me, but he’s smiling. “You know I’m no good at this stuff. But it was immediate. Sledgehammer to the chest shit. She walked in, and I took one breath, and Iknew.It was like everything inside me moved around and there she was, right in the middle of my heart. Like she’d always been there. I felt sofull. Content, I guess?”

Fuck. Fuckity fuckfuck.

“Ro?” Jonas pales when he bends to look at my lowered face. “Shit. I’m sorry. You asked.”

And I got exactly what I asked for. “You couldn’t have lied?”

He wraps me up in his arms before I can argue, resting his cheek against my hair and ruining my carefully assembled hairstyle. I can’t find it in me to care all that much. “You’re there too, you know. You’re always gonna be there.”

But not in the middle.

Not anymore. The space beneath my ribs feels strangely hollow.

How ironic. Jonas’s chest is full, but I’ve got room to spare.

I stare at the asphalt until the blur clears. Turning away before I whip out a pad and pen and make him draw an exact location of my current presence inside his chest, I swipe over my face. “We need to talk about your socials plan.”

“Uh.” His eyes light up, even if his brows are still furrowed. “Sure. Right now?”

“Yep.” I smooth down my dress and nudge him out of the way. “You wanted to, right?”

“Yeah…” He stays where he is, looking more suspicious by the second. “But… Are you sure you’re good?”

“Yep.” I climb into my seat and force a smile. “Let’s go. You need at least three posts next week for the Cheetah campaign. We can start with those.”

“Good.” He sprints for the other side, sliding in. “Great.”

He whistles the rest of the drive in between offering feedback on my clipped suggestions.

And I try not to drown.

Chapter twelve

Unreasonably Reasonable

Jonas gives me a thumbs up, but his eyes don’t stray from the door. “It’ll be fine.”

I don’t know who he’s reassuring. Certainly not me.

“Call if you need us.” He shifts on his feet. I can almost taste the need. He rocks forward before stopping himself. “I should go.”

Yes, because watching his desperation to get to his new heart’s desire is ratcheting my anxiety up tenfold. My dress is little more than dust and sweat at this point.

Not the impression I wanted to make.