Page 78 of Hidden But Not Safe

He hated the way she looked, like she felt bad about herself.

“So I don’t want you to worry. I want to give you what you’ve given me.” Her amber eyes caught the glow from the overhead light, and her smile formed. It was a small one, but a real one. “You’re safe with me, Ignacio.”

His throat closed. His pulse hammered in his skull.

“Don’t worry. That was a onetime thing. I’m not going to force a repeat.” She licked her lips, her smile trembling. “But I can’t tell you I’ll forget it. The way you touched me, getting to have you touch me.” Her breath shuddered out. “It isn’t something I want to forget.”

Naz didn’t think he’d ever forget it.

She swiveled back to face the counter, and not having her eyes on him left him somehow empty.

“So, about Diego,” she said, lifting her sandwich again. “How hard do I have to try to edge him out as your best friend?”

Naz walked toward her. The shirt he’d found for her was a little tight on her. It rode up, showing a strip of skin at the small of her back.

He wanted to touch that skin.

He didn’t do it. Not with the voices only recently silenced.

Naz wrapped his arms around her instead, hugging her.

She let out a gasp of breath, dropping her sandwich again. She leaned into him, and her head found its place on his shoulder.

“Meg,” Naz said, trying to fill her name with everything he wanted to say.

He wasn’t sure any of it got across.

Meg turned her head, brushing her lips against his chin. “I won’t force anything. I want to be true to that.” Her fingers traced over his arm, making his skin twitch as she slid toward his hand. “But you can touch me any time you want, in any way.” Her fingers linked with his, and he tightened his hold on her. “I love your touch, Ignacio. It’s not that I don’t want it, but I only want what you want to give.”

He nodded, the movement shifting their cheeks against each other.

Her breath trembled out. She laughed, but it was her forced one. “I can’t eat this way, though, and I’m hungry.”

When he released her, she frowned down at her sandwich.

“You haven’t eaten anything today,” Meg said.

His stomach knotted.

“Yesterday, so much happened, and we left so quickly.” Meg’s eyes flew to his. “Oh, shit. Do you need that powder?” She scrambled off the stool. “We should go back. Or go to the store. The bread is stale anyway, I just can eat anything. But you—”

Naz pulled her against him.

She pushed away.

“Don’t try that.” Meg glared up at him. “You can’t just shut me up. And I won’t let you starve yourself to keep me safe. You’re important, too! If you need something, we’re going to go get it.”

Naz stared at her. He was used to hiding his eating habits. Letting people see only made it harder.

Ramiro solved things for him, but any conversations were one-sided. Ramiro told him how it was going to be, and he was hard to ignore.

If left to his own devices, Naz preferred not to eat. The powder was better. It tasted like shit, but it was easy and filling. And he’d gotten used to his cup. It had been perfect, spilling less than usual.

But there was no way in hell they were going back to the warehouse.

“No,” Naz told Meg.

Her chin tilted up. “Yes, Ignacio. If you need it, then yes.”

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