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“It is” I wrapped ood job so far Don’t stop”

I woke up with Dex’s naked body curled aroundand solid It was still dark, but I had no idea what ti deeply, I let the scent of him swim around in my head, reluctant to move

Again, I had second thoughts about leaving Maybe we could have ether I loved that he was gruff on the surface but had a soft side he kept hidden I understood that—no one wants the world to see their weak spots or scars

Although I’d shown him mine, hadn’t I?

Which was funny, really I’d never even told Merrick about theus, orabout Dex made me want to be vulnerable with him I felt safe and—

A tiny frisson of worry snuck up my spine

Gently disentangling s over the side of the bed

“You leaving?” Dex’s voice was raith sleep

“Yeah I should go ho tentatively across the roo it over by his dresser Once it was hooked, I turned around, surprised to see hiet up”

He said nothing, just pulled open a drawer and tugged on some sweats

“Guess I left my clothes downstairs”

He laughed “Wait here I’ll get them”

A few minutes later, he walkedon tiptoe, I gave hi “Thanks for the Thai food And the woo”

“You’re welcome”

“Tomorrow I’ll text you the names of a couple pet adoption places”

“Thanks”

I unlocked the door “Night”

“Night”

It wasn’t until I was halfway up the stairs that I realized we hadn’t said our usual parting lines to each other I stopped and waited, expecting hiain so he could tell me he didn’t love me

But the house stayed silent

Nineteen

Dex

I raised ht, ready to ain—tell her I didn’t love her

But I couldn’t do it

After what she’d toldmy hand, I stepped off her porch

She didn’t need to hear those words tonight, not even as a joke She’d trusted ile, and I didn’t want to trample on it In fact, it was the opposite I felt even more protective of her than I had before

Back at holass of water As I drank it, I thought about Winnie being abandoned by hershuttled back and forth between their parents, aboutmy dad be a husband and father only when he felt like it