That was it, the key to solving this problem.
I stepped around my bag and walked directly towards where he was standing, avoiding me. I unzipped my black hoodie as I walked the last few feet to him, not stopping until I was directly in front of him.
He watched me with caution. Yeah, I didn’t blame him one little bit. I definitely shouldn’t have come here. Too late to turn back now.
“What are you doing?” He asked quietly. This time he met my eyes easily, curiosity shining bright in them. Also, there was fear in there. Fear of what? Me? Were they all afraid of me on some level? What the hell.
“Give me your hands,” I ordered as I held my hands out to him, palms up. I waited patiently for him to place his hands in my open, outstretched ones.
He didn’t make me wait long.
Without taking his eyes off of me, he laid his hands gently in mine. I let out a relieved breath. Honestly, I hadn’t thought he was going to do it.
Before he could change his mind and pull away from me, I stepped closer, getting into his personal space.
Before I could think better of it, I lifted his hands in mine and placed them against my chest. His warm palms rested against my skin, covering my collarbones.
Covering my scars.
He stiffened as his gray eyes bored into mine.
“What are you doing?” Damien asked curiously from beside Dash. I was glad to hear he only sounded curious and not like an A-hole.
Dash ran his thumbs across my collarbones and I closed my eyes tight to ward off the light that had started shining bright in his eyes. Compassion and something far, far sweeter.
“What did this?” he murmured.
Interesting choice of words. What, not who.
“Doesn’t matter,” I whispered back. I stepped back, and his hands fell away. Quickly, I zipped my hoodie back up, covering my scars once more. “I just wanted you to know that you and I aren’t so different and as long as my scars don’t bother you, yours won’t bother me.”
“Ariel-”
I cut him off. Whatever he had to say, I was sure I didn’t want to hear it.
“Quinton told me that you have a room here for me. I thought I would try it out, if that’s okay with you. I don’t mean to impose, and I probably should have called first. But Mr. Cole went out of town on business and I don’t want to be in the house alone. I don’t want to stay in the big house with the guys because… Well, I haven’t been over there since… you know.” I shrugged helplessly. Understanding filled his eyes and I knew I needed to explain no more. “So, do I have a room here or what?”
Rude. I could be so unbelievably rude when I was uncomfortable.
His face was incredibly soft, and he seemed completely unaffected by my rude tone.
“Yeah,” he said softly. “You’ve got a room here. It’s upstairs. Julian will show you the way. We’ll be back in no time.”
He raised his hand and gently brushed my hair back, tucking it behind my heavily pierced ear.
He stepped around me and sauntered towards the door. He’d put on a flannel shirt he hadn’t bothered with buttoning, but it did the job of covering up the scars on his back. And he was still barefoot.
“Come on, Damien,” he called over his shoulder before opening the door and walking outside. I almost smiled when he didn’t bother closing the door behind him. Maybe my habits were catching.
Damien scooped up a pair of shiny black dress shoes and then he was out the door behind Dash. He actually managed to close the door behind him.
That left me alone with Julian.
He walked right passed me with a small smile on his face. He picked my overnight bag up off the floor and ushered me out of the room. He herded me through the house and up the staircase.
“Up you go,” he mumbled as he placed his hand on the small of my back and he ushered me up the stairs.
I wanted to snap at him that I didn’t need his assistance in walking up the stairs, I could do it myself. I chewed on my lips to stop the words from coming out. His over friendly manner rubbed me the wrong way. He was the nicest person all the time. It was absurd. What did he have to be so nice and friendly about?