Page 58 of Disobedient Pawn

“Except for punching me in the nose,” I teased.

“Well yeah, there was that, but that was an accident.” Myles’ face flushed red.

“And throwing hot coffee on me.”

“I get it, my track record is not very good, but I promise both of those were not on purpose. I just can’t seem to do anything right around ya,” he said.

There were a million things he could’ve said to try and win me over, but he struck a chord with that statement. I was the first person to hold my hand in the air and say I understood what it felt like to feel like I was failing no matter what I did. It sometimes seemed that the harder I tried, the more I failed until I was drowning and barely able to hold my head above water.

Myles lifted our joined hands, and the thumping of my heart rose with each inch closer my hand got to his lips. The kiss was so soft that I barely felt it on the back of my knuckles, but a piece chipped off the case my heart was sealed in. I didn’t want to like him. I didn’t want to like, love, or date anyone. Lizzy was right about that. My default was to hide away from the world and surround myself with books and my art, things that couldn’t hurt me.

“I mean it,” Myles whispered. Those amazing amber eyes lifted to find mine, and it was all I could do to draw a breath. “We better head in before I lay the seat down and keep you in the car instead.” He got out and jogged around the car to open my door. He made me laugh with his constant chivalry. I was suddenly thankful for the colder temperature as I stepped out of the car. It felt like the heat had been cranked on high.

As Myles and I approached the store, a couple walked out the front door. They seemed happy to anyone walking by, but the cool body language and how they stayed far enough apart not to touch said more than screaming would. There were also the dark looks they gave each other.

People-watching was a habit I’d picked up back home. I would sit outside my home and watch the neighbors from a distance. You could always tell which family members were fighting or who was in a dispute with the neighbors. Sometimes it was as easy as watching how they smiled.

“What are you doing,” Myles asked, and I whipped my head around to look at him.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re analyzing people, but why?”

My feet stopped like they had a mind of their own, and Myles jerked to a stop. “How do you know that?”

“I just do.” He shrugged. “I could tell by the way your eyes searched them. Like ya were inspecting a threat.”

“I didn’t think they were a threat, but I do watch everyone.” I stuffed my hands in my pockets and flicked my eyes to the door as it opened again.

Myles smirked at the two guys walking past. “Ya did it again. Ya may not have known what yer family does, but it’s in yer blood, trust me.”

I wasn’t sure that was a statement I was happy about. Did I really want criminal enterprise blood running through my veins and making me see the world differently than everyone else? My body shook as the sudden blast of warm air hit us, and I let the action carry all the questions I had away. This moment shouldn’t be filled with so many heavy questions.

Myles already had a buggy, and I giggled as he pushed it along and then stood on the back until it slowed and did it again. “You’re a goof,” I said.

“I just like to have fun. Come on and try it.” He held the handle of the buggy and smiled at me as he waited for me to try.

“I’m not doing that.”

“Ya know ya want to.”

“You don’t take no very well, Myles. Noooo.”

“If ya don’t, I’m going to sing at the top of my lungs as I follow ya around the store.” His smile was wicked as just the corner of his mouth turned up like he was daring me to challenge him.

“You’re determined to get arrested again?”

“Pfft…by mall cop? Not a chance. He’d let me go just by slipping him a hundred. They pay them like crap here. Now come on, let’s have some fun. Ya, look like ya could use a smile.”

“You’re crazy. You know that eh?”

Myles gripped my shoulders and laughed. “I love it when ya do that.”

“Do what?” I laughed at the exuberant expression that could brighten anyone’s day.

“When ya say eh, it’s so fucking cute. I just love your accent.”

“I like your accent,” I said before I could stop myself and immediately felt my whole body getting hot, which meant my face was red.