Page 24 of Spark

She’d told him she’d never gone after a guy she’d wanted, that she hadn’t gone after anything until she made the decision to move here. That she was used to game playing, watching, waiting for shit to happen.

He didn’t want her to feel that way with him. He wasn’t one of the assholes she’d dated in the past. He wanted her to tell him when she wanted or needed something from him. Because he’d give it to her, whatever it was. Any fucking thing. He wanted to be the first man she felt comfortable enough to do that with.

Shit, he wanted too many things when it came to this woman. More than he should after knowing her such a short time.

“You coming to my place, sweetness?” he asked, because she might have been learning to go after what she wanted, to ask for it, but he wasn’t going to risk that she might not.

She glanced at him and a small smile curled her lips. “I’d like that.”

Dex’s heart did another one of those weird somersaults.

He didn’t know what was happening between them. He just knew he wanted more of it, needed more. She made everything—fuck, just…better. He missed his old place and the guys from his unit, but when Hattie was with him, all that became background. Became bearable.

It didn’t take long to reach the garage, and he pulled into the parking lot, shut off the engine, and turned to her. “You gonna vanish on me again, Hattie?”

Her gaze dipped to his mouth. “How about I wake you before I leave?”

“Appreciate that. I’ll be giving you a ride home as well.”

“Okay, sounds good,” she said, that sweet smile front and center.

Dex didn’t want to make the same mistakes with Hattie as he had with Chloe. Chloe hadn’t asked for what she wanted from him, but he hadn’t either. In that, Dex and Hattie were both learning.

This thing between them felt too big, too important, to leave to chance. So he made himself say what had been on his mind. “I like you, Hattie. A lot. I want to get to know you, talk more, spend time together like we did tonight. Take you out on an actual date.” When he finished, she said nothing, just stared at him across the dark cab. Her eyes were wide, a look in them Dex did not like, not one bit. “What is it, sweetness?”

She chewed on the side of her lip for several long seconds. “I’m sorry. I think that maybe I should go home tonight after all.”

What the fuck? “Hattie—”

“I just remembered, I have some work to do…” She took out her phone and started tapping.

So much for being honest. He’d spooked her. Again. “We don’t have to go on a date. It was a stupid idea.” Now he sounded panicked and desperate.

That’s because you are.

The idea of Hattie walking away from him hit him in a way that he shouldn’t have been feeling after such a short time knowing her. But it did, it hit fucking hard.

“It’s not that…I just…I need to go home.” She smiled and it was false as hell, then climbed out of the truck. “My Uber’s five minutes away.”

“Hattie…”

She shook her head, the fake smile dropping. “Can we not talk about this? I’m just going to wait for my ride.”

“What did I do?” he rasped.

“You did nothing. You’re…you’re…” She swallowed thickly. “I just, I need to go home.”

She wasn’t going to tell him, but she looked panicked. His declaration had freaked her out. “At least let me drive you home,” he bit out.

“It’s fine. They’re almost here. You don’t need to wait with me.”

She was dismissing him.

What could he do? He couldn’t force her to want him, to want to spend time with him. And why the hell did it feel like she was tearing his heart out?

This made absolutely no sense. None of it.

Dex waited another minute, hoping, but she was obviously done talking. He couldn’t just stand there staring at her while she said nothing, so he strode to the garage and let himself in. Giving her the space she wanted while still being close enough to make sure she was safe.