Page 31 of Leashed

“Contrary. Just back off, okay?”

She stormed off toward Nixon, leaving him alone to shake the buzz of her touch from his bones before he rejoined the group.

*

Sage kept herback to Bo as Nixon handed her his keys and stumbled down the sidewalk toward the taxi. Waiting until he was safely inside the car, she squared her shoulders and walked in the direction of the parking lot where Nixon’s truck sat covered in a skiff of snow.

“So he just takes off?” Bo asked, his footsteps a few yards behind her. “Why not spend the night at your place? Or you at his?”

She fumbled with the keys for a moment until she found the button to unlock the doors, refusing to acknowledge any truths Bo’s questions held.

Bare arms crossed in the cool evening, he stared her down, keeping a good distance from her as she got into the driver side. “Does it bug you?”

“This is your business how?” she replied flippantly, starting the truck up and turning up the heat.

He stood motionless for a moment, his expression locked down. “I’m a pretty big asshole and even I don’t just up and walk off when I’m out with a woman.”

Brows lifting, she gestured at C walking in the other direction.

“She doesn’t count. I’ve known her since I was born, and if I did try to pull the chivalry card with her, she’d knee me in the nuts and leave me to the rats,” he stated, taking a step closer. “You’re a smart woman, Sage. I just don’t get why you put up with his sh…crap.”

“And I don’t get why it matters to you,” she barked back, covering her mouth with her hand when she realized how loud her voice was in the night stillness. “Just back off, okay? Nixon and I are soul mates.”

He lolled his head back and ran his hands through his hair. “You’re not soul mates,” he snarled, walking away from her. “You’re settling.”

---