I didn’t speak. He’d knocked me speechless. I just nodded at him, though his words travelled to the deepest part of me.
“And what happened last night to you,” he added, frowning now, “was not your fault. It’s very important you know that.”
My bottom lip quivered so much, I had to bite it. I nodded again at him, no words.
He pushed off the wall and took a step forward. He glanced out the door of the room before looking back at me. “Down the block from the bus stop we chatted at, there’s a bookstore. It’s called Bookworm.” When he caught my look, he chuckled. “My mother thought of the name, not me. I’d have been more original. Anyway, I’m there Fridays and Sundays if you ever need to talk. There’s also a spot available for work if you’re looking for it. I can put a good word in.”
I smiled softly. “You think I need a job?”
“Better than stealing wallets, right?”
“I have a job already, and I didn’t steal that wallet. I picked it up and…” Ugh. I sighed, resignedly. “Okay, I took it. It wasn’t intentional, I swear. I haven’t used the money. I put te wallet back in my purse intending on returning it…sometime.”
He smiled back. “I’ll believe it when it happens, Elise.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, yeah.”
He licked his bottom lip thoughtfully as he studied me. “There’s a small gathering tomorrow at the bookstore at eight. It’s a book club but we always welcome newcomers. My mother likes to do readings followed by dinner, usually pizza or something. You’re welcome to join if you’re free.”
“Will you be there?”
He smiled again. “Yeah, I will be.”
Was the doctor asking me – the drunken eighteen-year-old destructive moron – out on a date? It didn’t really seem like it, and I hoped he wasn’t. What first dates involved taking your date to the bookstore your mom owned? Still, it was a nice gesture whatever it was, and I didn’t to look at it as anything more than that.
Before I could answer, a form filled the doorway, drawing me out of the conversation. I turned my head and froze. My eyes widened and my heart picked up. Aston. I blinked hard, but not even my drunken eyes deceived me. It was him, plain as day. It was Aston.
He stood in the doorway, tired and expressionless. I glimpsed at him from head to toe. He looked…different somehow. They were subtle changes. He was bigger around the shoulders and his hair was tied back in a messy bun (some things never changed). His skin was the palest I’d ever seen, making his green eyes – god, they were beautiful – leap out of his face.
We stared at each other for some time, and I felt a myriad of emotions all battling with one another inside of me. Joy and excitement were the first to flood me. Then, as it tapered out, reservedness and anger took its place. It lingered longer as I recalled our last words and him leaving me. But then, as that too left, I felt sadness most of all.
“Take care, Elise,” I heard Hayden say quietly.
I nodded vaguely as he walked out, pushing past Aston. Aston didn’t even acknowledge him. He was too concentrated on me.
When we were completely alone, he finally moved into the room. His pace was slow and cautious. He stared at me like I was a wild animal. I didn’t blame him. I felt like I wanted to both flee and attack him for my own safety. I did neither, of course. I wasn’t that far gone from normalcy.
He took a seat by the bed, and it was too close for comfort. My eyes remained wide as I gawked at him, waiting for him to break the silence, because it wasn’t going to be me, no way.
“How are you feeling?” he asked me, his voice soft and cautious.
I eyed him dubiously. How was I feeling? Really? I clenched my jaw and narrowed my eyes at him.
His lips pursed. “Not going to talk?”
No, because I couldn’t.
“Adrian is coming. He’s going to talk to you about…about last night.” His face flashed with something dark. He sniffed gruffly and looked away. I recognized this expression. He was angry.
“Deck was arrested,” he added. “They’re going to charge him with intent to rape. You were…partly unclothed and people heard your screams. Not sure how his rich daddy’s going to get him out of this one.”
I didn’t respond, though I was relieved Deck wasn’t going to get away with this. I turned away, feeling shame over my actions, my intoxication, my vulnerability and poor decision making skills. My head still swam and I processed my environment slowly. I leaned back into the bed and turned my back to Aston, though every inch of me wanted to bend in his direction. I just couldn’t allow that to happen. Like a knife, he had cut me so deeply, and I wasn’t going to forget about it just because my heart was overdosing on his presence right now.