Page 112 of A Lie so Dangerous and Fragile

I took a glance at the time on my phone after tossing away the last trash bag from the diner. Everyone had left, and I was left to lock up. It was almost eleven p.m. We’d closed early today due to a few products running out. I stepped into the empty diner with a sigh. My sore muscles begged for relief as I reached for my bag and the keys. I took one last look around, checking if I’d forgotten anything.

I turned off all the lights and walked to the door. I grabbed the key and locked the door. I froze in my tracks when my eyes collided with a familiar pair. I felt something jump in my chest, probably my heart misbehaving. I stared at Tristan as I put the keys in the bag. Our manager had warned us not to lose our keys or he would use our paycheck to replace them.

I stayed rooted where I was with my eyebrows raised in question. Tristan was leaning on the car I’d driven to work, his arms folded and legs crossed at the ankles. His crisp suit andfuck me right nowhair made me look like a rag next to him. He pulled away from the car, his lips tilting upward as he held my gaze. I tried so hard to fight the muscles pulling at my lips.

“Fuck it,” I heard him say before he was approaching me with five long strides that brought him closer to me.

He pulled me into his arms, lifting me off the ground. On instinct, I wrapped my legs around his waist. I disregarded my bag that fell to the floor as I hooked my arms around his broad shoulders, giggling. My dress rode up as his hands slid from my waist to my hips. Heat burned my skin where he held me.

“Fuck being cheesy. I missed you,” he rasped, bringing his forehead to mine.

I bit on my lip as my cheeks flushed with warmth.

“I know it’s only been nine hours, but, fuck, it’s been the longest hours of my life.”

“You’re cursing way too much tonight,” I whispered, brushing my fingers through the hair around the nape of his neck. His head leaned into my touch.

“I have been restless since I left the house. All I have been thinking about all day is holding you, touching you, anything to satiate the ache.”

He brought his right hand up to cup my cheek, his thumb brushing my skin smoothly. I didn’t know what anyone driving by would think, seeing us like this in the empty parking lot, looking like stupid teenagers in love, and I didn’t care.

“Oh shit. I’m freaking you out. Fuck,” he grunted, and I laughed at the slight panic coating his beautiful face.

“I missed you too.” I beamed at him, and I felt his body relax, as if it was all he’d been dying to hear.

“You should probably put me down. I can feel my dress about to rip out at the edges,” I said.

He nodded, putting me down gently but he held me against his solid and tall frame, one arm circling my waist while the other cupped my face.

“You make me nervous,” he admitted, the pad of his fingers grazing my skin softly, the gesture making me melt into his touch. “I’m scared to fuck up, to make any mistake, to say the wrong thing, look at you the wrong way, or even think about you wrongly. I have gotten this second chance, and I’m afraid, Chloe. I’m afraid I might fuck this up and lose all of you. It still feels like a dream to even touch you.”

He traced my eyebrows, the curve of my lips, the swell of my cheeks, and my temple.

“I don’t deserve you,” he whispered. “I don’t deserve any of you.”

I grew scared of what he might say next. What if he wanted to let me go? Maybe he wanted to call off the date. And why was I terrified of losing him?

“Is this what you drove over here to say to me?” I asked, looking back, searching for his car, but I saw nothing but my own car.How did he get here?

“No.” He smiled. “I just wanted you to know what’s been going through my mind.”

“We got this,” I whispered, bringing his large palm to my lips and kissing the back of his knuckle.

“Let’s take a walk,” he said, pulling away and picking up my bag from the floor.

“A walk at this time?” I stared at him as if he’d lost his mind.

“Yeah, and we’re also taking the bus.” He extended his hand for me to take.

I shook my head in amusement and connected our hands. He pulled me closer to him, as if I were too far away. The road was empty as we strolled down the sidewalk, hand in hand, while Tristan talked about craving Mexican food. I doubted any Mexican restaurant was open at this hour.

“How is your dad doing?”

“Great. I have not seen him look that happy since forever. It’s as if he’s having this journey of self-discovery, and I love that for him.”

I looked over at Tristan, and he was staring at me with a soft smile, thehow did I get so luckysmile.

“What?” I glared at him as he kept staring.

---