Page 50 of Impulsive Saint
“Out.” She shot him a bland smile but his eyes only narrowed dangerously.
“Try again.”
“What? I’m not allowed to go out for a walk and stretch my legs alone now?”
“Don’t bullshit a bullshitter.” he snorted.
“I don’t even know what that means.” She rolled her eyes.
“You might think I’m stupid but I’m not. I know you’re up to something.”
She shrugged and stared him down. She wasn’t about to give him any information he hadn’t already gleaned. If she’d learned anything from her politician father it was to never give away anything until you knew what the other person already had on you.
“You bought a phone at the gas station.”
“How do you know that?” Her eyes widened in surprise.
He gave her a condescending look, “I went inside to the bathroom after you came back out and the clerk got busy trying to throw away the plastic packaging a burner phone comes in when she saw me.”
“Oh…”
“Yeah, I’m guessing you told her I was some sort of abusive boyfriend?” Tyler all but snarled. “Real nice, Ashtyn.”
“I didn’t say anything like that.” she snapped defensively.
“Just implied it then.” Tyler sighed. “Look, I know you bought the phone and I know you were dead set on stopping near Flagstaff. You even pointed out this motel for us to stop at. Now you’re heading out into the dark, alone, in a city that as far as I know you’ve never set foot in before so I want to know what you’re planning or I swear to God I will put a chair in front of that door and sleep in it so you can’t leave me, Ashtyn.”
She blinked, surprised by the gleam of determination in his voice. She wiped her face clean of emotion, worried the spark of hope his words ignited in her might be showing. He didn’t want her to leave him? Surely that had to mean something, her bruised heart all but screamed. Her head reminded her stupid heart that he was just trying to keep her from getting raped and murdered and really, if that was the most he could offer it wasn’t good enough. She cleared her throat and met his gaze, knowing she had no choice but to tell him what she’d decided.
“This is still my trip and I’m taking back control of it.”
“Excuse me?” His brows knit together.
“There are still things on my list I want to do and since you seem hell bent on getting us to Vegas as soon as possible, I’m taking the opportunity to cross an item off while we’re here.”
Tyler scratched his jaw, “What the hell does that mean?”
“I used the phone I bought to find a tattoo studio just around the block. I’m getting a tattoo.”
“Like hell you are.” Tyler all but growled.
“It’s on my list. I’m not sure why you’re surprised.” she kept her tone neutral.
“I told you I’d help you with anything on the list that didn’t involve bodily harm. A tattoo is a needle piercing your skin repeatedly to create a mark that lasts forever. I definitely define that as bodily harm.”
“Then it’s a good thing you’re not helping me with it. I figured out how to make it happen all on my own.”
Tyler groaned and rubbed his eyes, “Ashtyn, seriously. Don’t do this.”
“Don’t get a tattoo?”
“Yes. No. Just… don’t do it. You’ll regret it.”
“Seems a little hypocritical of the guy covered in tattoos to tell me I’ll regret it.”
“Ashtyn…”
“Maybe it’s just the regret part that you’re so familiar with then? God knows you made it perfectly clear how much you regret agreeing to this whole trip today.”
