Page 57 of The Off-Limits Play

“The workers are paid to clean it up, you know?”

She looks up at me like I just said something shitty.

“What? I’m not trying to be an asshole. That’s just a fact.”

With a soft sigh, she stands and straightens her shirt, then looks up the aisle at the worker who has already started cleaning up.

“I’m really sorry, but we had a spill down here,” Nylah calls out to her. “Can I help clean it up or anything?”

“No, that’s okay.” The girl smiles at her. “I’m happy to do it.”

“Thank you.” Nylah’s voice is so sweet, so genuine… and it makes the girl’s smile grow a little wider.

I glance down at my movie buddy and can’t help a mystified frown.

“What?” She laughs at me, nudging my arm and telling me to move out of the row.

“You’re just…” I shake my head. “One of a kind.”

She glances up at me, her big brown eyes softening into a smile that’s fucking beautiful.

“You know, you can be really sweet, tough guy.”

I snicker and shake my head. “Lame.”

Her giggle fills the space around us as she nudges me again, and I finally turn and lead us out of the theater.

I have no idea what we’re gonna do for the rest of the day. Maybe I could take her for a long ride and we could find a quiet spot to?—

My thoughts jerk to a screeching halt as we reach the sidewalk and I notice a couple across the street who can absolutely not see me with their daughter.

“Gotta go,” I mumble, dropping Nylah’s hand and darting to my left.

Ducking into the closest store, I make a beeline for the back exit and end up in an alley. Walking past the stinking dumpster, I find a good spot to hide out until I’m sure the coast will be clear.

My heart is hammering, my stomach writhing.

I feel like an ass for just walking away like that, but if her dad had seen us together…

Fuck no.

That can never happen.

I’m doing us both a favor.

I just hope she understands that.

CHAPTER21

NYLAH

Carson took off before I even registered what he said to me.

Gotta go?

What the hell?

“Carson,” I call after him, but I don’t even see where he’s gone. One second, I was looking down the street; the next, my hand is left empty and he’s disappeared on me.

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