Page 14 of Catch
“I got you something else,” he finally said, pulling back, letting me wipe my eyes with the back of my hand. He reached into another bag and pulled out a sweater with matching shorts. Not just one set, but three: pink, white, and baby blue. "As much as I don’t mind you in my shirts, and make no mistake about it, that shirt you’re wearing is mine, I thought you may need some clothes."
“Oh my God,” I sighed, grabbing the outfit with the sizing sticker on the front and a flimsy plastic hanger. “These are so cute.”
“They’re not fancy,” he warned, probably thinking I might turn my nose up at clothes from a big-box store.
“They’re perfect,” I marveled, my voice thick with emotion. It wasn’t even about the clothes, though they were adorable. It was the fact that hethoughtof me, something I hadn’t really experienced before. Sam had been the only one to ever give me anything, but it was always out of obligation or necessity.
“I got a few more things,” he said, holding up one finger as if to pause for dramatic effect. Then, a sheepish look crossed his face, and he added, “I’ve never had a woman in my house, so I wasn’t sure if you’d need these.”
He pulled out a box of tampons and a box of maxi pads, holding them in his hands like they might explode. I couldn’t help but burst into laughter. What in the world made him think to buy feminine products? It was so personal, yet I couldn’t fault him for it.
“You went all out,” I clapped my hands together in mock awe, trying to ease his awkwardness. I pushed onto my tiptoes and tugged his arm, hoping he'd lean down just enough for me to press a quick kiss on his cheek. “This is all so sweet.”
“We can order some more things and have them delivered,” he said, clearly trying to smooth over the situation. “But I didn’t think you’d want to be out and about. And I knew you needed some necessities. This town may be small but Amazon usually gets out here quickly, so order anything you need from my account so they don’t see your name on the delivery.”
“I’ll be sure to get some things ordered and reimburse you for everything I spend,” I assured him, my heart feeling full. “I don’t want you having to take care of me like a baby, or a burden.”
“I don’t mind,” he replied, his face pinkening a bit as he shrugged. “I’m not a good cook, but I called my grams and told her I wanted to try my hand at her famous pork chops. I Googled it first, and there was nothing on there about you being a vegetarian, so I hope that’s okay.”
“I love pork chops!” I grinned.
“Good,” he nodded, with a hint of shyness that caught me off guard. It was a sharp contrast to the imposing cop who’d pulled me over the day before. “I want you to make yourself at home. Seriously, other than the cabinet I lock my gun in, you’re welcome anywhere. Eat anything. Do whatever. Just…”
He trailed off, and his eyes dropped to my arms, which were crossed tightly over my chest. A pang of discomfort settled in my gut at the intensity he had just reverted to.
Before I could shift away, his hand reached for mine. His grip was firm but gentle, pulling my wrist toward him with urgency. When he turned it over, his eyes darkened and I knew exactly what had grabbed his attention.
“Oh,” I started to say as I realized the bruises on my wrists, that Sam left, were worse than before. I swallowed hard, feeling a rush of shame in my chest. I had no explanation to give to Miles except for the truth, but I didn’t want to talk about it.
Miles’ eyes met mine, hard and unwavering, before flicking back down to my wrist. His gaze tightened, his jaw clenching as if something in him shifted. Without a word, he grabbed my other hand, making my heart skip a beat. For a split second, I saw a flash of something dangerous in his eyes.
“What happened here?” His voice was no longer hesitant, or soft. It was cold, commanding, and familiar, like the officer I’d met on the side of the road. “Who did this?”
“I…” My throat closed up and my mouth was dry. I wanted to saynone of your business, but the words didn’t come.
“It was Sam Moreno, wasn’t it?” He snapped the words out like they were a fact he already knew.
“How did you know that?”
“I don’t know how I knew that,” he gritted out, with his fists clenched at his sides. “Call it my investigative instinct.”
“He’s an asshole.” I tried to wave it off, like it was no big deal. “This is as bad as it ever was.”
“This is bad enough!” His voice was fierce and he started pacing in a tight circle, trying to get his emotions back under control.
I wanted to tell him to calm down. He barely knew me, and it wasn’t his job to worry about me. But something told me that wouldn’t go over well with him. He was a cop. He had it ingrained in him to react like this. It was just his instinct, his drive to protect anyone who’d been wronged. So, I stayed silent, watching the way his frustration filled the space between us.
After what felt like an eternity, he stopped. His chest was rising and falling, and when he turned back to me, his expression had shifted to a steady resolve. “Well, you’re safe here, Lox. I promise.”
“I know,” I said with a smile, “It feels safe here. But…this isn’t the only reason I ran. I really am tired.”
“I know.”
There were a few more seconds of silence before he took a deep breath and walked toward the living room. “I’m gonna get a workout in, then take a shower. Be ready for the best pork chops you’ve ever had at, let's say, around seven?”
“Can’t wait,” I whispered as he quickly left.
Chapter Eight
