Page 46 of Lock

Kellan was standing by the window when I came in, his arms crossed loosely, watching the compound maybe he was trying to figure a way out.

He didn’t jump when he heard me, and for some reason it made me want to smile.

He really was nothing like I expected.

I set the tray down on the desk and stepped back. Gave him space. For my sanity more than anything.

He glanced at the food, then at me.

“Thanks,” he said quietly.

He came over and sat, eating without looking at me again. And that stung more than it should.

“Good?” slipped out before I could stop it.

He looked up and smiled lightly, “Yeah,” he said. “It is.”

Something in my chest shifted dangerously.

I shouldn’t want his approval. Or anything else.

That was the line. Clear. Uncrossable.

He ate a little more, then hesitated, spoon hovering.

“You’re not what I thought you’d be,” he said.

“Is that a bad thing?” I replied.

“I didn’t mean it as one,” he said, glancing up at me. “I just… thought you’d be colder.”

I leaned against the wall, my arms crossed. “You still think that.”

“No,” he said after a second. “I think you’re trying very hard to be.”

I said nothing.

“That’s usually what people do when they’re scared of doing the wrong thing,” he added.

I met his eyes. “You shouldn’t be trying to figure me out.”

“Probably not,” he agreed. “But I don’t have much else to do right now.”

Fair.

When the exhaustion finally dragged him down again.

That bothered me.

He was sleeping a lot.

I made a note to have Tori check him again.

I stood there for a long moment, memorizing the way his breathing changed when he slept. Slower. Deeper. Like his body had decided it could rest here even if his head hadn’t caught up yet.

I turned off the light and left the room.

I tried sleeping in my office.