in my small hallway. For some reason I did feel an urge to apologize, but not because of going out with Dash and the guys. More to make up for the fact that he had no real family outside of me, but somewhere in the far back of my mind I knew it wasn’t entirely my responsibility.
Before I could respond he pulled me into his arms and pressed my head against his chest.
“You’re all I’ve got, Blake. I can’t stand the idea of what could happen to you when you get reckless.”
“I wasn’t reckless,” I said, despite knowing I could hardly remember last night. I was about to make a case for being able to handle myself just fine, but the angle he held me in gave me a clear view of Dash’s shoes by the door, and I jolted within Justin’s embrace.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, looking down at me.
I took a step back and pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to hide my panic. If he saw those shoes . . .“Nothing. I just don’t feel well.”
“You see what I mean? You shouldn’t hang out with that type of crowd.” He shook his head.
“Weren’t you already running late?” Anger came to keep my panic company.
He glanced at his cell. “Shit. You’re right. Call you later.”
Justin headed for the door quickly, and I thanked God he rushed out without looking down. I locked the door behind him, and waited until the sound of his footsteps disappeared before turning around.
I was surprised Dash hadn’t bolted out of my room and left, never to speak to me again. I was clearly more drama than any ultra-new friendship could handle. He probably thought I was a lunatic, shoving him in there like that.
My cheeks flamed as I walked into my room, imagining all the horrible things he could say about me—like how I was so insecure in my relationship I had to hide a boy in my closet even though nothing had happened between us. Or the fact that I was such a lightweight, I blacked out half the night. And then he could always bring up the point that I’d let him, a near stranger, bring me home.
Hail sat in front of the closet, her hips swinging back and forth rapidly. I nudged her aside with my foot and cringed while sliding the closet door open.
Dash held my black sequined camisole over his muscled chest. He glanced down at it before pinning his green eyes on me. “Do you think this top is too much?”
A laugh ripped from my throat. I had to cover my mouth to stop it. “No, it brings out the color of your eyes,” I said after gaining my composure.
The tension in my chest burst like a hundred tiny balloons. Dash slipped the cami back on the hanger and stepped out of my closet. Hail got under his feet so fast she nearly tripped him. He righted himself and took a seat on my bed, Hail jumping up beside him.
Dash looked at me then, and the light joking had left his eyes as he glanced toward the hallway.
“I’m so sorry,” I said.
“You say that a lot, don’t you?”
“What?”
“ Sorry . I swear, I’ve only spent one night with you and you’ve already said it ten times.”
My mouth dropped. I didn’t think I said it that much. I shrugged. “Well, I am. I know that must’ve seemed crazy, but if Justin found you in here . . . he wouldn’t wait for me to explain. He’d just start throwing punches, and I didn’t want you to get mixed up in that.”
“Guess it’s good I stayed put then. I almost didn’t.”
“What?”
He stroked Hail’s fur. “I was seconds away from shutting Justin’s mouth for him. I mean, I know I just met you, but that’s no way for a man to speak to a lady.”
I felt like I’d been punched in the chest. Justin had always spoken to me like that. I’d never thought of it as anything but normal. “Really?” I asked, imagining the brawl that would’ve ensued if Dash had followed through with his plan. “You seem like the type of guy who keeps a level head.”
He shrugged. “There are exceptions, but most of the time I am. It kind of comes with the job. You have to
Before I could respond he pulled me into his arms and pressed my head against his chest.
“You’re all I’ve got, Blake. I can’t stand the idea of what could happen to you when you get reckless.”
“I wasn’t reckless,” I said, despite knowing I could hardly remember last night. I was about to make a case for being able to handle myself just fine, but the angle he held me in gave me a clear view of Dash’s shoes by the door, and I jolted within Justin’s embrace.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, looking down at me.
I took a step back and pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to hide my panic. If he saw those shoes . . .“Nothing. I just don’t feel well.”
“You see what I mean? You shouldn’t hang out with that type of crowd.” He shook his head.
“Weren’t you already running late?” Anger came to keep my panic company.
He glanced at his cell. “Shit. You’re right. Call you later.”
Justin headed for the door quickly, and I thanked God he rushed out without looking down. I locked the door behind him, and waited until the sound of his footsteps disappeared before turning around.
I was surprised Dash hadn’t bolted out of my room and left, never to speak to me again. I was clearly more drama than any ultra-new friendship could handle. He probably thought I was a lunatic, shoving him in there like that.
My cheeks flamed as I walked into my room, imagining all the horrible things he could say about me—like how I was so insecure in my relationship I had to hide a boy in my closet even though nothing had happened between us. Or the fact that I was such a lightweight, I blacked out half the night. And then he could always bring up the point that I’d let him, a near stranger, bring me home.
Hail sat in front of the closet, her hips swinging back and forth rapidly. I nudged her aside with my foot and cringed while sliding the closet door open.
Dash held my black sequined camisole over his muscled chest. He glanced down at it before pinning his green eyes on me. “Do you think this top is too much?”
A laugh ripped from my throat. I had to cover my mouth to stop it. “No, it brings out the color of your eyes,” I said after gaining my composure.
The tension in my chest burst like a hundred tiny balloons. Dash slipped the cami back on the hanger and stepped out of my closet. Hail got under his feet so fast she nearly tripped him. He righted himself and took a seat on my bed, Hail jumping up beside him.
Dash looked at me then, and the light joking had left his eyes as he glanced toward the hallway.
“I’m so sorry,” I said.
“You say that a lot, don’t you?”
“What?”
“ Sorry . I swear, I’ve only spent one night with you and you’ve already said it ten times.”
My mouth dropped. I didn’t think I said it that much. I shrugged. “Well, I am. I know that must’ve seemed crazy, but if Justin found you in here . . . he wouldn’t wait for me to explain. He’d just start throwing punches, and I didn’t want you to get mixed up in that.”
“Guess it’s good I stayed put then. I almost didn’t.”
“What?”
He stroked Hail’s fur. “I was seconds away from shutting Justin’s mouth for him. I mean, I know I just met you, but that’s no way for a man to speak to a lady.”
I felt like I’d been punched in the chest. Justin had always spoken to me like that. I’d never thought of it as anything but normal. “Really?” I asked, imagining the brawl that would’ve ensued if Dash had followed through with his plan. “You seem like the type of guy who keeps a level head.”
He shrugged. “There are exceptions, but most of the time I am. It kind of comes with the job. You have to
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