Chapter 12 #2
“I didn’t assault him. I removed him.” He steps closer, and I instinctively step back. “There is a difference, Bambi.”
“Is there?” I’m shaking now, adrenaline and anger and frustration coursing through me. “Because from where I’m standing, you just assaulted someone and claimed me like I’m some kind of property.”
“You are mine.” He says simply. “We both know it.”
“Oh my god. You’re insane, and we are not having this conversation here.” I snap.
“Fine. Where would you like to have it? Your bedroom? Because I have very fond memories of that location.”
My face burns. “Stop.”
“Why? You started something yesterday, Bambi. Did you think I’d just forget about it?”
“I didn’t start anything. You’re the one that kissed me.”
“And you kissed me back.” He says, his voice low in my ear. He takes another step forward, backing me up against the shelves. “You climbed on my lap. You dry-fucked me until you soaked through those cute little shorts. And you moaned my fucking name like it was a prayer.”
“Shut up.” I whisper desperately, my eyes darting to make sure no one can hear us.
“You showed me your tits.” His voice drops even lower, intimate and devastating. “Not because I forced you. But because you wanted me to see them. You wanted me to remember them.”
“That’s not—”
“And now you’re standing here pretending yesterday didn’t happen.
” He sinks his teeth into his bottom lip, and I swallow hard.
“But I can see it in your eyes, Bambi. You’re thinking about it too.
About how good it felt. About how close you were.
And I bet if I slipped my hand between your legs right now, it’d come out glistening. ”
He’s right. And I really fucking hate that he is.
“You need to leave.” I force out.
“Why? Afraid of what you’ll do if I stay?”
Yes.
I’m about to tell him to go to hell when I notice movement on the other end of the aisle. It’s Fallon. She’s rounding the corner
Fuck.
“Get out of here.” I hiss, trying to shove him away.
My fingers press against his stomach, which is disturbingly solid, and the maniac actually smiles at me, like he knows what I’m thinking.
“Bambi, if you wanted an excuse to touch me again, you could’ve just asked.”
I let out of huff of frustration and yank my hands away. “You’re ridiculous.”
He flashes a smile as his eyes gaze at something behind me. “And we have company.”
I turn around to find Fallon standing in front of us with a pint of Ben & Jerry’s in her hand and suspicion written all over her face.
Her gaze lands on Echo and sharpens immediately. I watch her take in his expensive suit, his good looks, and the way he’s still standing way too close to me.
“Dahlia…” she says softly, keeping her eyes locked on him. “Who is this?”
I open my mouth, but my brain has completely short-circuits.
Echo steps forward and extends his hand like some kind of gentleman. “I’m Echo,” he says smoothly. “You must be Fallon. I’ve heard so much about you.”
When? I want to scream. When have you heard about her?
Fallon hesitates, her eyes flicking to me for confirmation. When I don’t immediately object, she slowly shakes his hand.
“Funny.” She says, her grip lingering just long enough to make it pointed. “Because she’s never mentioned you.”
Echo’s mouth twitches.
Shit. Echo’s unpredictable, and who knows what the hell will come out of his mouth.
“I did.” I blurt, jumping in before he can say anything else. “He’s the guy who helped me the night I was mugged.”
“Oh.” Fallon says, her posture relaxing a fraction. “That was you?”
Echo glances at me, and there’s clear amusement in his eyes. “Yeah. I suppose it was.”
“Well, thank you for that.” Fallon says, wrapping an arm around my shoulders to not so subtly pull me away from him. “There are way too many assholes in this world. It’s good to know there’s at least one good guy out there.”
Good.
If only she knew.
“Well, it was nice seeing you again.” I say, flashing Echo a polite smile. “Fal, you ready to go?”
Fallon eyes me for a second, then nods. “Yeah… sure.”
“Why don’t I walk you two out?” Echo offers. Before I can say anything to refuse, he reaches out and grabs both of our grocery baskets.
“Oh, you really don’t have to—” I start.
“It’s no problem.” He replies, already walking towards the checkout. “Besides, I’d love to get to know Fallon better. Any friend of Bambi’s is a friend of mine.”
Don’t call me that in front of her, I want to scream. But it won’t matter. It’s already out there. And judging by the look on Fal’s face, she definitely heard it.
Shit. This can’t be good.
On our way to the checkout, Fallon talks the whole time, and Echo nods at all the right places and says just enough to make her smile. I can tell she likes him. And Fallon St. James doesn’t like anyone.
I hate that he’s good at this. That he knows how to slip into people’s lives so easily. And I really hate that even after knowing what he’s capable of, I’ve gotten used to having him around.
By the time we’re outside, the sun is lower, and the air is cooler.
Echo carries our bags to my car, pops the trunk, and loads the groceries without asking.
Fallon gives me a look when he finishes, wanting me to say something to him, but all I can do is shake my head.
She has no idea how much danger we’re in right now.
“Well, thanks for the help.” Fallon says, offering Echo a smile before climbing into the passenger seat. “It was nice meeting you.”
As soon as her door shuts, the energy between us shifts.
“I like her.” He says, his voice low so that only I can hear it.
“I don’t care.” I whisper back.
“You should. It’s important that your future husband and your best friend get along.”
My jaw visibly drops.
“You’re insane.” I say, shaking my head. “And you need to stop.”
“Stop what?”
“This.” I hiss, flinging my hand between the two of us. “You. Us. We aren’t a thing.”
“We are. You just haven’t accepted it yet.”
“I’m serious, Echo.”
“I am too.” He pulls back just enough to look me in the eye. “Yesterday wasn’t a mistake, Bambi. And you know it.”
“It can’t happen again.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re—” I struggle to find words that don’t sound completely insane. “Because this is wrong. All of it. You’re stalking me. You assaulted Josh. You—”
“Saved you from a panic attack and removed a man who wouldn’t respect your boundaries?” He asks, smoothly. “Yeah. Real terrible behavior on my part.”
“That’s not the point—”
“Then what is?” He cups my face, forcing me to meet his gaze. “Tell me, Bambi. What are you so afraid of?”
You. I want to say. I’m afraid of you. But not in a way that makes sense. I’m afraid of how badly I still want you even when you’ve made it clear to me how dangerous you are.
“I have to go.” I say instead, pulling away from his touch. “Fallon’s waiting.”
He lets me move past him, but before I can open my door, he stops it with his hand.
“When you think about me.” He says, leaning in close so that his warm, minty breath fans across my ear.
“Remember that I’m thinking about you, too.
Constantly.” His thumb strokes the side of my face.
“And Bambi, just so you know, the next time I get you alone, I’m not leaving until you admit what this is. ”
Then he steps back and turns away.
I climb into the car on shaky legs and don’t let myself look at him again as I put my keys in the ignition.
“So...” Fallon starts as soon as the car moves. “Bambi, huh?”
I roll my eyes. “It’s just a dumb nickname he gave me. It doesn’t mean anything.”
“I hate to state the obvious, but he’s hot.”
I don't respond.
“Like, unfairly hot.” She continues. “And clearly into you.”
“Don’t start.”
“D, that man was eye-fucking you like crazy.” She says, biting back a smile. “And you were totally eye-fucking him back.”
“I was not.” I say, even though I know that’s a lie. “Besides, he’s just a friend.”
Fallon nods slowly, but I can tell she doesn’t believe me. “Well, for what it’s worth, I like him. And I never like any of the assholes you date.”
Only because she doesn’t know him.
Fallon keeps talking about him on the rest of the drive home, but I’m only half listening. All I can think about is the feel of his hand on my face. The sound of his voice in my ear. And the promise in his words.
The next time I get you alone, I’m not leaving until you admit what this is.
The thing is, I know exactly what this is, because it’s all we’ll ever be. Friends. Anything more than that doesn’t work for me.
He can have my body. He can have my attention. He can even have this twisted attraction to him I can’t seem to shake. But I won’t fall in love with him. I can’t. So whatever this thing between us is, it ends before it becomes that. It has to.