Page 28 of Nonverbal

I tense, thinking over everything I know about Troy. “He’s never done anything sketchy that I know of, and clients love him. He promised to leave you and Amber alone. If he doesn’t, he’s fucking dead.”

Paige smiles, and it tugs at my chest. I wish our bodies were still close. If Amber hadn’t come home, who knows what position we’d be in by now. But a situation like that can’t happen again. I can’t give in to my sex-brain, no matter how strong it becomes.

I must be looking at Paige wrong, because Amber’s stare burns through me. I shift and lower my gaze to the table. I need a cold shower. Or a hot one to relieve the ache in my dick. “Troy will only move in if both of you are comfortable with the situation. I can tell him no.”

Paige shakes her head.

Amber stands. “This is dumb, but I guess we need the money, so whatever. Now, tell me about these bags.”

She and Paige move to the couch to look at thrift store finds, and I wilt against the counter. Why does every day feel longer and longer?

Chapter Seven

Paige

I’M IN MY ROOM READING an old paperback mystery novel Amber gave me. She said I need to stop watching porn and start feeding my mind. I can’t imagine minds need to eat, but I said I’d try. So far, it’s boring. I already know who the killer is and I’m barely on chapter five. I wish the main characters would stop chasing Mr. Harvey, the boat captain, and start fucking. It’d be a lot more interesting.

I let the open novel cover my face, and I breathe in the moldy paper smell. I need more work to do. Work feeds my brain. Amber let me use her name and info to set up new online accounts for reselling, so I listed everything I bought at the thrift store. The first sales are rolling in. Slowly. At least I’ll have a little rent money soon, but I need to find more inventory and reinvest profits to really help sales take off.

It sucks I have to find a new favorite thrift store, but I’m looking into estate sales where I can bid online. Since I don’t have my own credit card, Amber lent me hers. I just have to be careful because it’s almost maxed out.

I chuck the book on the floor and sit up cross-legged in bed. A stream of sunlight falls on my arm, highlighting a thin, faded scar along the side of my elbow. An accident. Mostly. My skin caught on a nail left in the wall as I tried to escape from that man one morning. I can’t remember what made him so pissed, but I remember not making it to my room in time.

Ever since that visit to Eagle Eye, I’ve had nightmares about him finding me. But that’s impossible, right? He isn’t psychic. He doesn’t know I’m here. This is a huge city, and Eagle Eye is miles away from Brody’s house. Also, I reset my old phone and left it at the hospital, so I’m not carrying a tracker.

Still. Part of me is nervous.

Whenever I decide to go home, I want it to be my choice, not because that man and my mom found me and dragged me away. I want to stay for another month. Just a little longer so I can pay Brody rent, give Amber more company, and savor this feeling of adulthood and freedom. Then I’ll go home so Amber doesn’t get arrested. And I know there will be consequences for running off the way I did, so I need to make sure I’m fully healed first.

But that’s the future. Focus on the present.

As I trace my elbow scar with a finger, there’s a soft knock on the open bedroom door. “Hey,” Brody says. He crosses his arms and then uncrosses them, letting them hang limp like he’s forcing himself to have open body language. He’s wearing work clothes—loose black pants and a polo shirt. He rarely works this late on Saturday. Bummer. We finally get alone time and he’s leaving. I don’t get it. He got hard from me the other day, so I know he wants to have sex. That’s how it works. Unless I’m missing something totally obvious.

We were so close to taking that next step. Now he’s back to avoiding me.

“Troy is at a party,” he says, keeping his tone neutral. “I’m filling in for a buddy. Looks like you’ll have the house to yourself tonight, but I’ll be back before Troy. Around nine.”

I nod, so he turns to leave. I rush to the door. Since coming on too strong scares him, I’ve been doing what I can otherwise. Taking it slow.

He licks his lower lip and stares at my mouth. See? He’s totally interested. So what’s the problem? Let’s get naked and have fun already.

“Um, I can bring dinner home,” he says. “Anything you don’t like?”

My heart flutters from that phrase and the caring way he says it. It’s sweet. I wonder if he and Amber realize their similarities. She asks me the same thing all the time. Their mom passed away three years ago, and I have a hunch they picked up that phrase from her. From the stories Amber tells, she sounds like a great mom. I imagine she used to gather family around the table, ask everyone what they don’t like, and then offer warm smiles and even better hugs.

I shake my head. I touch his shoulder, lifting myself to kiss his cheek. I flash my sweetest grin.

He swallows, a hard swallow that makes his Adam’s apple bob, and then stares at my lips more. “Right. Bye.” He hurries away. The front door opens and closes.

I flop onto the bed and sigh at the ceiling. Alone by myself. How boring. I’ve spent too much of my life alone and locked in a bedroom. Maybe I should go talk to Frank and make sure he’s not drinking too much. Amber introduced us a few days ago, and he’s a wonderful old man. He told me stories about his time in the war and showed me his medals. He even has an old army outfit, which makes my vintage-loving heart sing.

I glance out the window. Frank’s car is gone. Scratch that idea.

Next, I message Amber to ask if she’ll be home soon. Nope. She’s busy picking up extra pay for surge pricing. She’ll be out until midnight. I’m still mad at her for walking in on my best attempt so far at seducing Brody, even though she doesn’t know what she did wrong. If ever there was a moment to wield the Time Stone, it was then.

She seems happier lately, especially after I told her I’m saving money for a lawyer. I hate lying, but seeing her more upbeat is an enormous relief. She said she’s still going to cam, but I haven’t seen her camming this past week—I check every day—and she’s been driving a ride share for money. I hope it stays that way.

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