Page 36 of His Road Dog

She shook her head. "That's sweet of you—"

"I'm not sweet." He finished his second burger, and she'd only taken a few bites. "It's an easy job."

"I appreciate the offer of help, but I no longer have the car. I gave it to Roy because a new engine cost more than the car was worth. That's why I'm working two days a week now, instead of one. I'm saving to get another cheap one. It'll take longer, though. I have to pay for my motel room."

"It's going to take you a long fucking time to purchase a car, only working eight days a month."

"I'm finding that out. This motel is cheap, but it was easier to save money when Roy paid for my room, and he took me out to eat so often, I rarely bought groceries to feed myself." She chewed the last bite of hamburger and wiped her mouth with the napkin. "Just saying that and knowing what happened to him, I feel guilty. I took our friendship for granted. I should've told him what he meant to me."

"You loved him?"

She shook her head. "We were only friends."

"You had sex with him."

"Haven't we had this conversation before?" She looked at him, and when he kept expecting an answer, she said, "Sex is love. The kind of love you spread to anyone you want. But I didn't love him as I would someone who stole my heart or want to commit my life to his."

He studied her, not saying a word. She finished her fries, too content with the fast-food to dodge his questions. He was quickly learning more about her. Usually, she preferred being mysterious with others and hiding her past. It was less personal, and that way, people couldn't focus on how she grew up.

While her parents' lifestyle held her back, she respected their desire to live in a commune and share...everything.

"What are you going to do when you save enough money for a car?" He balled up the wrappers and tossed them in the sack.

"I'm going to keep traveling. I've heard Colorado is nice." She bunched up the napkins, wiping her hands, and cleared the table.

Standing by the small wastebasket, she glanced over at Priest. The night he threatened to go to another woman for pleasure was always on her mind, no matter how much she tried to forget.

Over her anger, she could admit, he'd hurt her. She wasn't sure what she'd expected but treating her like an object knocked her back a step.

"Michael?" she said.

"Huh?"

She returned to the table and sat in the chair. "The day I left your house, did you go to another woman?"

The question came before she could stop it. She'd meant to ask Priest why he acted like he hadn't cared about her feelings when the time leading up to that morning, he'd showered her with attention. He'd enjoyed the sex they'd had. He couldn't lie about that because she'd been there and seen his reaction to her. Felt his reaction. Shared his reaction.

His eye twitched. The men she knew would confess the truth. They wouldn't try to lie, because sharing love was a beautiful thing.

That's how she believed in her head it should be, but she had a heart, and from day one, she thought there was more to relationships. She yearned for something deeper, even for the night.

It was important to her to believe that when she was with Priest, she was the only thing on his mind.

"Michael?" she whispered. "Did you go—?"

"No." He stood and grasped her hand, pulling her from the chair. "I never went to someone else, because I couldn't get you out of my fucking head."

Her stomach fluttered, and she inhaled deeply. That's what she'd wanted to hear.

He led her to the bed and got on top of the bedspread with her. On her side, pressed against the front of him with his arms around her, she reached between their bodies and slid her hand underneath his belt.

Her fingers found his cock. Unable to do no more than hold him in her hand, she sighed. The tension left her body.

"I'm going to stay here tonight," he said.

"I'd like that."

She waited for him to do more, but he continued to cradle her against him, even though his erection pounded to hardness. Surrounded in warmth, she closed her eyes.

---