“You don’t have to give me a phone.”
I step in close behind her as I drape the worn wool over her shoulders. “It seems like I do.” I ease the coat around her. “Put your arms in.”
She tips her head to peek my direction but does as I told her to do. I turn her to face me and repeat the same process I followed last night, buttoning her in and tying the belt before carefully sweeping her hair free, keeping my gaze on her face the whole time.
Because, as she so helpfully pointed out, people are watching us.
I slide her new phone into the front pocket of her purse before looping the strap across her body, then I take her hand in mine and pull her out the door and into the dreary cold of the December afternoon.
“I really can’t go home with you, Andre.” She drags her feet a little, slowing down my pace.
“Then I will take you to your home.” The sidewalk outside the diner is surprisingly busy, and I take full advantage, using it as an excuse to pull her closer to my side as I make my way to where Sal is waiting to take me wherever I want to go.
Or wherever I have to go, which is how I see this playing out.
And maybe that’s not an entirely terrible thing.
I won’t have her in my bed tonight, which means another evening stroking my own shaft while I think of the way she stared at me, lips wrapped tight, mascara running as she took more of me than I thought possible.
But that is a moment no one else could see, which makes it pointless.
Now the city is my stage, and everyone can watch my supposed downfall as Duchess brings me to my knees.
I stop at the curb when I catch sight of Sal working his way through traffic. I pull Paisley close, wrapping one arm across her back as her teeth begin to chatter.
But she doesn’t relax against me. She stands perfectly still, her willowy frame stiff, which won’t look good.
I lean into her ear. “I won’t make you stay with me right away, Paisley, but I do need you to at least appear like you’re happy to be around me.”
Her eyes jump to my face. “I don’t have to stay with you?” The hope in her expression sits uncomfortably in my chest.
“I said not right away.” I can be flexible on some things but having her stay with me isn’t one of them. “You will have to be there at some point. Anyone who knows me at all would know I’d want to keep you close.”
And I would.
If I was the kind of man who cared about anyone besides myself, I would keep those people as close as possible so I could make sure they were safe.
Because I know the easiest way to cut a man off at the knees is to take someone he cares about and use them against him.
And I won’t let that happen to me again. It’s a mistake I won’t make twice.