Page 73 of Inside Silence

“And…you’re worried being seen with me might be considered a distraction from where your focus should be?” I make a wild guess.

“Sort of.” She winces as she says it, offering me a guilty smile.

I stroke the pad of my thumb under her eye where dark rings betray a lack of sleep.

“Am I?” I ask her softly.

“Are you what?”

“A distraction.”

“Only of the very best kind,” she returns with a warm look in her eyes.

“Good, because I’ve left you alone these past few days, figuring you were juggling a ton, but I’m starting to wonder if that was a mistake. It doesn’t look like you slept much, and you’re obviously not eating right.” I rest my hands on her shoulders and give her a gentle shake. “So, here’s the thing; you’re not going to do anyone any favors by running yourself in the ground. I realize you have an important job, but you’re allowed to have a life too. You need balance, and you don’t have any.”

“I have balance,” she sputters.

“Savvy…your house has the personality of a hotel room. You have a massive backyard but I bet you haven’t spent any time out there. You don’t even have a chair out there. You don’t own a single throw pillow or candle, your closet is full of uniforms, and there is dust on your remote control.”

She barks out an incredulous laugh. “Boy, you really snooped around my house, didn’t you?”

“Snooped? I opened doors so I could take measurements, it’s not like I went through your drawers. Besides, there was nothing to see.”

Her eyes drift over my shoulder and I can tell she’s upset. I guess I wouldn’t appreciate someone coming in and analyzing my life either. But I care about her, and from what I’ve seen, she’s barely lived and buried herself in work since her fiancé died, which is such a waste.

“Look, Savannah…all I’m saying is, you’re not a robot, and even those need to recharge their batteries every so often. No one can fault you for that. We all need rest, we all need nourishment, we all need moments of downtime, so we can function better when we’re called on.”

She comes willingly when I pull her against me and wrap her in my arms. Her head falls heavily against my chest. I duck my head and brush the shell of her ear with my lips before whispering, “Just come tonight. Eat some good food, have a drink or two, and then come home with me. I’ll help you sleep. I’m willing to bet you’ll be far more productive tomorrow.”

She moans into my shirt. “You make it sound so reasonable.”

I chuckle. “That’s because I’m right and you know it.”

She tilts her head back and studies me.

“I can’t make any promises what time I’ll be there.”

“I’ll wait for you,” I promise with a shrug.

“All ri?—”

My lips are on hers before she has a chance to finish what she was saying. I groan into her mouth when she presses her body against me. There is something deliciously illicit about making out with a woman in uniform against the organic root vegetable bin. My hand is just sliding down over the curve of her ass when we’re rudely interrupted by a fellow shopper.

“Get a room, already!”

Chapter 22

Savvy

* * *

I sit back in shock.

“Are you serious?”

The way my days are going, I no longer flinch at the unexpected, but this one hit me from left field.

“As a heart attack,” is his curt response.