Page 41 of Eight Years (The Trident Trilogy 1)

“That’s the first thing you’ve told me about him without me forcing it out of you,” I say, knowing what she’s thinking.

She smiles and turns toward the window. I put my hand on her leg as I start the car. She doesn’t make me move it. It stays there until we get to her hotel. She just sits in the truck until I walk around to open her door. I lift her down and position her way closer to me than she needs to be. I just stand there with her between me and the truck.

She looks up at me with those eyes, those fucking eyes. “Mason, I have a boyfriend.”

“I know.” It’s all I can think of to say.

“And, you and I work together. It would just be weird.”

“I know that, too.” I do know that. And, I know Culver would kill me. None of it matters much to me, though.

“I should go.” She moves a bit, and I let her get around me.

She walks toward her room, and I follow her. She turns around, her eyes questioning me.

“Just making sure you get in safely.” I turn around to walk back to my truck.

“Mason,” I hear her say quietly behind me. I turn around immediately.

She takes a deep breath. “Thank you. . . for today. I haven’t talked about him for such a long time. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. It was kind of nice.”

I take a few steps back toward her, and put my hands on her shoulders. “Any time you want to talk about him—I mean any time—no matter where I am, you can call me.”

She looks up at me, her eyes widening as she takes a deep breath. “I haven’t let myself talk about him because I knew once I opened the dam, the water would just never stop coming out. I can’t have that in my job. But just letting a little bit out at a time doesn’t seem so bad. You’re the only person I’ve really opened up to since it happened.”

Her eyes start to tear up, so I grab her and hold her tightly to my chest. She lets me. It’s the second time today she’s rested on my chest, and there is nothing in this world that has ever felt so right. I’m not sure how long we stood like that, but when she finally starts to pull away, I give her one last gentle squeeze and kiss the top of her head.

I walk away backward, still facing her. “I’m not leaving until I hear the door lock behind you. Go.”

“You’re seriously so bossy.” She laughs that honest laugh again. She closes the door, and I hear the deadbolt click.

I shake my head violently to try to get some blood flowing to that area of my body again. God, what is she doing to me?

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