Shelter You (31 page)
Authors: Alice Montalvo-Tribue
Dinner isn’t as uncomfortable as I thought it would be. Alex sits next to me and, thankfully, he seems normal, totally unphased by our hookup. Once the check is taken care of, I say my goodbyes to everyone and promise Elle to have dinner with her later in the week.
“Come on. I’ll walk you to your car.” Alex is standing right beside me. I’d rather he didn’t walk me
anywhere
. Being alone with him always seems to get me in to trouble but denying him would cause suspicion, and I’m not ready to admit to anyone what an idiot I am.
Reluctantly, I agree. “Alright, thanks.” He follows me out of the restaurant and as soon as we’re out of view, he grabs my hand, linking his fingers with mine. I look down at our joined hands, unsure of what to make of the gesture. It seems bigger than what we are, almost too intimate for us. Once at my car, I let go of his hand and open the door. I turn to face him but keep the door between us, using it as a shield. His eyes are dark, focused, like he’s trying hard to read my thoughts. I’m unsure of what comes next and slightly uncomfortable by the intensity of his stare, making me feel vulnerable. Needing to break the moment, I finally speak. “Thanks for walking me. Goodnight, Alex.”
His eyes never leave mine as he runs a hand through his hair. “I think you and I need to talk.”
“About what?”
He maneuvers around the car door and places his hands on the frame, effectively blocking me in. “About why you left me alone in your house the morning after the wedding and about why you’ve ignored me ever since.”
I bring my hands up to his chest and give a slight push. He doesn’t budge. I shake my head. “No. I think some things are better left unsaid, don’t you?”
“Jordan.” The sound of my name coming from his mouth feels like a warning. With one word, he’s letting me know that he’s not moving until he gets what he wants.
The smartass in me gears up for battle. “Alex,” I return, mimicking his tone. He leans in closer, our chests practically touching now. I start to feel lightheaded, and I’m not sure if it’s because of the line of questioning or the fact that he’s so close to me.
“What happened?” He’s persistent, not going to let this go and I know that I need to put some distance between us. I don’t like how he manages me. He creeps under my skin. It’s unwelcome and unfamiliar. I’m good at holding people at bay, keeping my emotions on lockdown. But he gets to me in a way that no one has before. I figure the best line of defense is to give him something.
“Fine! I was embarrassed, alright,” I say, rolling my eyes. “I’m not exactly thrilled that you had to see me all sloppy drunk.”
He picks up a strand of my hair and gives it a gentle tug. “You weren’t sloppy.”
“I was trashed,” I reply with another roll of my eyes. “You don’t have to make it sound better than what it was.”
“It doesn’t matter.” He chuckles.
“I’m sorry that I left you there. It was childish.”
He looks away, just for a moment, like he’s trying to carefully choose what he wants to say next. He looks back at me with a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. “You can make it up to me.”
“How?” I question, dragging out the word and squinting my eyes at him.
“Breakfast.”
“Breakfast?” I ask, sounding confused.
“Yes. Tomorrow morning, nine o’ clock, Laura’s Café.”
I can tell by the tone in his voice that it’s not a request, but I try to get out of it anyway. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t have a choice.” I knew that was coming. Alex doesn’t strike me as the type to just walk away when he wants something and, evidently, breakfast with me is what he currently wants. “I’ll see you there, princess.” He leans in, placing a kiss on my forehead before walking away and leaving me to wonder what the hell just happened.
Table of Contents
Excerpt from Three of Diamonds by W. Ferraro