When you caused me to hit my head was what I wanted to say, but what I actually said was, “I’m fine.”
“Uh-huh.”
He drew me forward just a little, then closed his hands over my cheeks to tilt my head down.
“What’s with the blue?” he asked.
I knew he was referring to my hair, so I retorted, “What’s with having no hair?”
I actually kind of liked his hair. It wasn’t completely shorn, but he definitely favored the military style haircut. It occurred to me that’s probably what he was. He had the bearing of a soldier. I’d noticed a silver chain around his throat earlier when we’d been practically nose to nose in the kitchen, but I hadn’t given the jewelry much thought. But I was definitely a little more than curious to know if it wasn’t actual jewelry, but dog tags. “Can’t even tell what color yours is,” I added, like that would somehow make him look like the weird one instead of me.
“It’s dark, like Dallas’s.”
I winced when his fingers pressed against the bump on my head. “You guys do look alike,” I mused. “Except the eyes. His are…”
“What?” Maddox asked. “His are what?”
He pulled back so I could see his face. I didn’t need to see the color of his eyes to know they were an intense green that reminded me of the evergreen trees that dotted the woods around us. “Kinder,” I finally said, though I wasn’t sure why I’d chosen to be so honest. What the hell was wrong with my mouth tonight?
“Can’t argue with that,” he said. “I don’t see any blood.”
Thank god.
Not the blood part, though that was good news, but because it meant he’d finally stop touching me and back away.
Of course, he didn’t.
“Well, I should go inside,” I said. “Newt is waiting for me.”
Jesus, now I was actually lying? Since when had I become such a coward? If I wanted to leave, all I had to do was tell him so.
I was about to do that when Maddox once again caged me against the car before saying, “So what exactly are you running from… Blaze?”
Chapter Three
Maddox
Even though it was dark out and the floodlight didn’t show me as much as I wanted, I had no doubt the already pale Isaac went even paler. He made the mistake of dropping his eyes briefly before lifting them again to meet mine. He jutted his chin out and said, “No idea what you’re talking about.”
“What’s with all the shit in your back seat?” I asked.
“What? You’ve never seen a messy car?”
“Your car passed messy about a thousand miles ago,” I responded. “You were with Nolan’s ex, right? That means you lived in San Francisco.”
“That’s a lot of information you have on your brother’s boyfriend there, He-Man. You got a little man-crush on him, or you looking to add overprotective asshole to your list of titles?”
I knew he was deflecting and while I had no intention of taking the bait, I couldn’t help but press just a little closer to him and drop my voice. “Did I just hear an actual swear word come out of your mouth?” I dropped my gaze to his plump lips.
Plump?
Huh?
I fought back the uncomfortable sensation that flooded my belly and tried to tell myself my dick was hardening in my pants because it’d been months since I’d gotten laid. It certainly didn’t have anything to do with wondering how plump those lips would look when his mouth was open.
Wide open.
“Does that mean I get to punish you now?” I asked as I forced myself to look at his eyes again. They widened for a moment and then he opened his mouth to say something. I was surprised when he snapped it shut again. It seemed unlike him not to have a comeback and I found that it kind of irritated me.
Though I didn’t really know why.
I put some space between us and said, “I have a phone and Google.” I met his eyes. “And believe me, the last thing my brother wants or needs is my protection,” I added, though I wasn’t really sure why. “So again, what are you running from?”
“Newt and I have friends in New York we’re going to stay with. Sorry if that’s not exciting enough. You know, with me being a thief and all. But it is what it is.”
I studied him for a moment. “So, being considered a thief bothers you?” I asked.
“What?” he asked in surprise.
“I called you a goth, not a thief,” I pointed out.
“You told me not to steal anything,” he responded, then seemed to realize what he’d said. “Are we done here?” he said. “Not really interested in playing twenty questions with a goon who probably can only count to twenty-one when he’s naked.”
The jab reeked of desperation to change the subject and I felt a little pang of regret for having gotten him to such a state that he felt the need to do so. I preferred it when he stood toe to toe with me, but he hadn’t managed to even look me in the eye with the last comment. As I studied him, he shivered, but I knew it wasn’t because of me. The nice thing would have been just to let him go in the house and drop the whole thing.