Melt For Him(16)

…

He didn’t tell her more because he didn’t tell anyone more about himself. Because he liked it that way. Because he needed it that way. Pieces of the truth were easier to swallow than the whole truth—letting someone in meant the potential for pain, and he was looking for ways to ease the ache of the memories that choked him.

But even when he hadn’t told her everything, even in those moments when he’d given her a sliver of his true self, he’d felt lighter that he had in ages. Being with her had felt…freeing. Maybe because she had a restless heart, and a carefree spirit, and he wanted a taste of that.

Rather than keep up the rapid-fire questions, he relented and let down his guard ever so briefly as he answered her honestly. “Because it was easier to just have you know a little bit,” he admitted.

He was ready for her to lash out, to accuse him of not practicing full disclosure or something. Instead, she reached out her arm, grasped his forearm in her hand, gave him a squeeze. “Why is it easier?”

“Sometimes you just want to be able to only offer a part of yourself,” he said, almost surprised that he was speaking so plainly, but glad too that he was able to say that much.

Her brown eyes were kind, understanding even, as the corner of her lips curved up briefly. “I know what you mean. I’m usually pretty up-front and open. But sometimes it’s easier not to give the whole résumé.”

He glanced down at her hand on his arm and swallowed. His throat was dry. That simple contact made him want more of her, made him crave that night they were supposed to have tonight. But she was so far off-limits now, she might as well be in another country.

“Yeah, sometimes it is,” he said softly.

“I kind of wish I’d known who you were, but I guess I’m glad I didn’t,” she whispered.

“Same here,” he said, and fought every instinct that told him to step forward, to pin her with his arms, to kiss her softly and tenderly, to savor the feel of her, the soft slide of her tongue, the gentle press of her body. He clenched his fists, digging his fingers into his palms to hold himself back from touching. He couldn’t risk it. He couldn’t chance his friendship with Travis. He’d already lost a good friend—he didn’t need to add another. “But we can’t see each other tonight.”

“Obviously.”

“Or any other night when you’re in town.”

“Definitely,” she said and when they heard footsteps, she dropped her hand from his arm in a flash. “I’d better go.”

Travis rounded the corner and stopped in his tracks, glancing curiously from Becker to Megan. “Well, I’m glad to see you two are getting to know each other. It’ll make for a better shoot. Now, if you’ll excuse me,” he said and pointed to the restroom.

…

As the woman he absolutely would never touch again left the coffee shop on her way to the town square with Jamie, the little dog gamely leading the way, Travis hung back and pulled Becker aside. “Saw you and my sister chatting.”

“Yeah,” Becker said, clearing his throat. “We were just talking about the calendar.”

The lie gnawed at his chest, like a weed twisting in him.

“Just make sure things stay focused on the calendar when she starts tomorrow.”

Becker shot him a curious look, narrowing his eyes. The weed dug deeper. “Of course.”

“Good. Because I saw the way you two were looking at each other, Beck. She was checking you out, and you were checking her out. I trust you with my life, man, but you gotta stay away from her. You know you’re not in a place to give my sister the relationship she deserves.”

Becker stopped walking, held up his hands. “Whoa. Let’s not put the cart before the horse. I’m not looking for any sort of relationship.”

Relationships meant closeness, they meant intimacy, they meant the possibility of caring deeply about another person. But in an instant, you could be gone. Relationships meant the slow start of the end of things. That was the only way attachments ever went.

“I know,” Travis said emphatically. “And just keep it that way when it comes to her. She’s only in town for a few weeks and she just got out of a shitty deal with her ex. Just keep it all on the up and up.”

“Trav, nothing is going to happen. I assure you,” he said, and willed himself to mean it. He cloaked himself with his game face, while inside he reeled with worry over how his friend would react if he knew. Would Travis blacklist him? He didn’t know and didn’t want to know.

Travis clapped him on the back. “Good. That’s what I want to hear. Or else I’d have to…” He let his voice trail off as he cracked his knuckles, adopting a menacing glare. His voice was light, though, and Becker knew it was a joke.