I whirl and stalk back to the patio, where Tyler and Brandon are stillsitting.
“Where are mykeys?”
Tyler clasps his hands behind his head. “Beatsme.”
I’m halfway down the driveway to catch the Uber I called when I hear footsteps behindme.
“Come back. Your dad’ll be pissed if you leave on my watch.” Tyler’s voice at my back is one part amused, one partannoyed.
“I need torehearse.”
“You can rehearse in the house.” He catches up and cuts meoff.
“I’m going. You can’t stopme.”
“Wannabet?”
He slings me over his shoulder before I can take anotherbreath.
The ground is a few feet from my face, blood rushing to my head as I try to orient myself. “What the hell! This is medieval. No, these are like… press gang tactics. Put medown!”
“Once we get to thehouse.”
I grind my teeth together as I bounce on his shoulder. “You’re staring at my ass, aren’tyou?”
“As much as you’re staring atmine.”
The finger I’m tracing over the stitching on the back pocket of his jeans stills, and Tylerchuckles.
“I was hoping you’d have a comic strip on your thigh. This is a longdriveway.”
The only sounds for the next dozen steps are his steady breathing and my awkward huffs ofbreath.
When he finally sets me down, we’re in the rose garden where I was with Kellan lastweekend.
“I have to tell you something,” hesays.
I blink, feeling the blood flow back down my body and out of my head. “Okay…”
Tyler bends to pick something off the flagstone, turning back to me. It’s a purple rose, its stem broken but its petalsintact.
“I called you nothing that day because I figured if I said it enough, I’d start to believeit.”
My throat tightens. “How’s that working out foryou?”
“Not great.” He rubs a hand through his hair, leaving it sticking up in a way that should be stupid but isn’t. “Before I came here, Jax told me to keep mydistance.”
Unbelievable.
I open my mouth, but Tyler continuesfirst.
“He was right, by the way.” He steps closer until I’m forced to lift my chin to hold his gaze. “I have no business inserting myself in yourlife.”
I fold my arms over my chest, taking in his contrite expression. “I will be the judge of who inserts themselves in myanything, thank you verymuch.”
His mouth twitches, and he holds up therose.
A gift has to cost something. Not money but time,emotion.