Page 62 of Lawton

She nodded against me, and I didn't push the issue. I knew Bishop. He had way with things. The house would be empty soon enough.

Chapter 29

A moment later, the floodlights went off, leaving us surrounded by darkness. For a long time, Chloe was quiet. So was I. Yeah, I wanted answers, but for her sake, I could wait. So instead, I held her steady and tried like hell to ignore all those thoughts that I shouldn't be having.

I still had no idea what had happened tonight, but I did know one thing. This might be my only chance to hold her, and I wasn't going to waste it on questions that she probably wouldn't answer anyway.

I let the silence settle over us as my thoughts churned in the cold night air. I felt her tremble, and I pulled her close, wondering if I'd ever hold her like this again.

After a long silence, she pulled back to look up at me. "You don't really have fifty people over, do you?"

"Eh, I didn't really count 'em," I said. "Probably not fifty though."

More like a hundred.

She bit her lip. "So, who are they?"

It was a good question. Who were those people? Were they really important to me? Some were. But most of them weren't – obviously, considering I'd just sent them packing with no warning. I shrugged. "Friends, acquaintances, that sort of thing."

"Wait a minute," she said. "They've been drinking, right? You can't turn a bunch of people out on the streets all boozed up." On the last word, she gave a shiver so violent that it rattled her teeth.

I hated that. I pulled her close and spoke into her hair. "Don't worry about it."

"But what if they hurt someone?" she asked.

"They won't."

"How can you be sure?"

"I hired drivers," I said. "Always do."

"Really?" She sounded surprised.

I guess I couldn't blame her. It wasn't exactly a normal thing to do, but it wasn't just drunk-driving I was trying to avoid. It was the hassle when people couldn't take a hint.

"Yeah," I said. "A local company. Mostly college kids. It gives me one less thing to worry about." I glanced toward the house. From the back, I couldn’t see what exactly was going on in there, but I knew there had to be plenty happening out-front.

Bishop was nothing if not efficient.

"Plus," I added, "it keeps people from trying to crash at my place. It's a lot easier to kick 'em out when I'm paying someone to drive them home."

She let out a breath. "Oh."

I tried to make a joke of it. "Although," I said with a laugh, "I don't normally kick them out quite so suddenly."

Her voice grew quiet. "I'm really sorry about all this."

"Don't be. I'm not." And I meant it. This – the chance to hold her in the darkness – was the best birthday present I'd gotten all night.

"You sure?" She gave a shaky laugh. "I literally took the shirt off your back. You're probably wishing I'd just go away already."

No.

I was wishing she'd come into my house and stay there, and not only because she was in trouble. I was wishing she'd let me hold her in my arms, and not only because she was cold. I was wishing I didn't have people in my house and a douchebag next door. I was wishing for the same thing I'd been wishing for earlier – the chance to make Chloe my own.

I leaned my head closer. "Whatever I'm wishing for, it's not that."

"Butyoumust be freezing," she said.