Page 58 of Never Give Up

She said she was tired.

“Well, okay, I think we should get going then.” Carefully, I close her door, wary of saying or doing anything to upset her.

When I get in the cruiser, she sits there, hands balled into fists, staring ahead, shoulders stiff.

I want to reach out, touch her, but I keep my hands on the wheel.

“It really is okay,” I say finally, turning on the ignition. But I don’t pull out. “Tomorrow is fine.”

She nods tightly, and a single tear streaks down her cheek in the dim lighting of the cruiser.

This isn’t about us.

This has to be something else.

Something darker.

“Maya,” I say, keeping my voice soft. “If I hurt you, tell me. If it’s something else, I’m here to help and support you however you need, okay?”

She doesn’t respond and I let the quiet sit, giving her whatever time she needs. In the meantime, I pull out of the parking lot and head through town.

“Um, Brandi’s not home because she had plans to go out of town this weekend and she couldn’t get out of them,” she whispers at last. “I’m not trying to assume anything or be pushy or anything like that, but can I sleep at your house? I don’t want to be alone tonight.” She doesn’t look at me, but I catch a glimpse of her as color floods her cheeks.

Her chin raises up finally, like she grits her teeth and I see the struggle. Maya’s need to be independent, to handle everything on her own. Yet she set all of that aside, and there’s no chance in hell that I’ll refuse her.

“Of course you can.”

“No,” she says. “I’ll just go home.” Wringing her hands together in a gesture that was uncharacteristic of her, I have never thought she was cuter.

So I don’t kill us, I pull over.

“Maya.”

Finally, she turns and looks at me, her eyes full of hope and fear. A direct reflection of every emotion I feel when I’m the one looking at her, waiting on her.

Hell, I’ll wait on this woman for the rest of my life if she wants me to.

I smile softly. “It’s okay to want company. And the boys aren’t there, so you can have a good night’s sleep. Besides, I’ll feel better knowing you’re safe. Knowing I’m there if you need me. I want you there.”

We are both silent as I make the drive back to my house. As I pull in my drive and turn off the engine, I steal a look at Maya. She’s asleep, her mouth hanging open slightly, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more beautiful.

I also don’t want to wake her. As quietly as I can considering the gear I’m wearing and the car I’m working with, I get out and carry her inside. She barely stirs, only turning into my chest and sighing in her sleep.

It makes my heart skip three beats.

Not just one or two, but three entire heartbeats that could have sent me into death. For the rest of my life, I’ll never forget this moment.

She smells like peaches and warmth and perfection right here in my arms. Inside, I take her into Jonathan’s room and put her softly on the bed and pull up the blanket until it’s covering her completely from neck to toe. I wanted nothing more than to carry her to my bed and climb in next to her, but I’m not going to do that. I’ve got to give her the time and space she’s going to need to make up her own mind. As I turn, I kick a baseball bat that he left on the floor.

“Damn it.” I look over at Maya to see that her eyes have opened and she’s staring at me with a sleepy expression. “I’m sorry, I tried to be quiet.”

“No, it’s okay. I have to use the bathroom and get ready for bed anyway. Do you have a shirt I can borrow?”

She yawns and stretches her arms above her head. My heart almost stops beating at the thought of her stretching in my arms, writhing underneath my body. Wearing my shirt while she does it.

I swallow and then find my voice. “Yeah, you know where the bathroom is. I’ll be back.”

I leave the room while she gets settled and go to my closet to pick out a shirt. Before I open the door, I lean my head against it and take a deep breath, trying to clear my head.

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