“So it’s not good to hold it all in like that,” he said, stepping with me.
“I’m alright,” I breathed, my spine pressing backward next.
He cocked his head. “If‘alright’is five seconds away from exploding, then yeah. You’re doing great, Boss.”
I hated that he was right. It was irritating that he could read me so easily. “Well, what do you suppose I do? I just told you about my… issues.”
A corner of his mouth lifted, and he lowered his voice. “How about you let me help you?”
“Help me?”
“Yeah. I think I can help with your…” his eyes trailed along my features, visibly lingering on my lips. “Issues.”
My mouth went dry as my own eyes slipped down to his lips, a long second passing by in heated silence. My brain was starting to get fuzzy from his proximity and his strange offers. I shook my head to clear my jumbled thoughts. “How could you help me?”
He shrugged. “I’m a pretty nice guy.”
“Okay…” I said.
“But you don’t see me letting people walk all over me,” he continued. I could hear the silent addition to that statement.Like you do.
“I don’t—” I started indignantly, but I trailed off at the look he gave me. I pouted. “What’s your point?”
“My point is, I could show you how to stand up for yourself,” he said.
“Why?”
“Because I owe you,” he said. “And I can tell you’re really struggling with this.”
I frowned, ignoring the ache in my chest at his concern. “So?”
“So, you once walked in here and saw us struggling and decided to help. Now look at us. Running the internet,” he said.
My heart flipped, the admission that I actually helped him pleasing me way more than it should. Pride slicked through me in a delicious shiver. I narrowed my eyes to cover up the slip, challenging his suspicious offer. “How would I even do that? Work on being tougher?”
“Well for starters, instead of kindly asking me to wait inside earlier, you should have told me to fuck off,” he said. My eyes widened, not at his language—my baby sister swore like a sailor, but at the insinuation thatIcould do that. His eyes danced with amusement at my response. But he sobered quickly, adding, “I was the asshole in that situation, and I’m sorry.”
I waved him off, my interest in his proposition suddenly spiking as the thought settled in my mind. “And you’ll teach me how to…be like that? How to be strong, and brave, and bossy.”
His eyes lighted on my features and his expression softened. “You’re already strong and brave and damn bossy, Alta. You just need to grow some balls.”
I wrinkled my nose at the expression and he chuckled, the sound puffing his chest up and down in a not totally unwelcome image.
“What’s the catch?” I asked.
“Hmm?”
“The catch. Your payment. What do you want in return for showing me how to grow some balls.”
He looked at me, and for a second it felt like he was peeling back my skin. Surveying me in a way I’m sure no one had ever done before. I fidgeted but resolved myself to hold his gaze. When he spoke, he lost that joking tone again, seriousness taking over. “I want you to take me up on my other offer. From before.”
“Your offer?” I asked, not sure what he was referring to.
“Yeah,” he said. “When I told you to use me the other day. To take your frustration out. Remember?”
For a second I didn’t remember, and then all of a sudden it was coming back to me in stomach curling clarity. Him telling me to‘take it out on him’and assuring me that‘he could take it.’
I flamed.
