Page 51 of Rock Giant

He tilted his head.He remembered every word.

“Surely not being able to remember means it’s best forgotten?We were both out of control and not thinking rationally.”

“A vow’s a vow.I keep my promises, Castle.”Plus, he was pretty sure if that sort of argument worked as a get out of jail free card, then murderers and other unsavoury sorts would have been routinely using it to escape punishment.

She held up her hand to his mouth.“I know you feel like that, but really, we’re not anything to each other.We barely know one another, and I don’t want one foolish promise to wreck what it’s taken me three long years to find, especially not when you’re the one who made it possible in the first place.I like my life, Paul.I’m happy—predominantly happy.I’m rather keen to maintain that.There’s been plenty of fucked up shit in the past.I don’t need any more trouble.”

“I made it possible?”Interesting.

She clamped her lips together tight.

Paul traced the curve of her cheek, then rested his hand on her shoulder.“Come on, Castle.You said it.Of course I’m gonna ask.How exactly did I make it possible?”

“You didn’t have me arrested,” she said, but he knew that wasn’t it.That was a diversion.He folded his arms, but kept his gaze levelled at her.She wriggled a little, then delved into her pocket and started turning a familiar flask over her hands.“I left home after that night.I couldn’t have kept the cats, and I promised you” —she gave an awkward shrug— “I’d take care of them, and I didn’t want to break my word.”

So, she was a woman who kept her promises, even if that made things difficult.

Paul scraped a hand over his scalp.Speaking to her and not cocooning her in his love was proving harder than he’d anticipated.He was literally itching to pick her up and explore that mesmerising mouth of hers again.Tangle their tongues, knock hips, talk, and talk, and talk, until they were comfortable enough that silences didn’t set them on edge.“So, you’re saying I was the catalyst for you getting your shit together?”

“I guess.Yeah.”She tugged her hair loose, then bound it again, in an even messier knot.

“Mind if I…” He took the flask from her, and swallowed a slug of the contents, before handing it back.Jodi peered at it confused.

“This is yours, why are you giving me it?”

“Why don’t you hold on to it for me?I’ve not really got anywhere to put it.”

His guitar tech appeared, though he remained at a respectful distance.He had minutes at most.She wouldn’t be here when he came off stage.Nor was he sure when he’d get the chance to see her again.That didn’t make him happy, nor did it change anything, and he wanted her to understand that even apart, they were together.

“Hey, hear me out a minute.”

She gave him a wary nod.

“My state of intoxication last night doesn’t change anything.I’m here for you.”He raised his hand and stopped her flailing at him, as if she could waft him away like a bad smell.“I realise you don’t necessarily appreciate or want that right now, but it is a fact—an unchanging one.You can rely on that.”

“I’m with Nash.”

“I know.”He touched her face again.“Got to respect your choices, maid.You know your own mind, and I’m no misogynistic arsehole who thinks he knows better.I’m not going to make things difficult for you.”

“You’re not?”

He was memorising the curve of her cheek.“Of course not.I am, however, going to point out that if we’re going to be on tour together, we’re going to be in one another’s pockets, and I refuse to be a stranger.”

“You accept that we can’t be more than friends, though?”

He withdrew his touch, and scraped his fingertips over his own chin, before agreeing with a nod.“Message received.Friends.”He offered her his hand.

Jodi scraped her teeth over her lower lip and threw another of those wary glances towards the stage.He didn’t like that one bit.Hated that she was wary of even accepting an offer of friendship, because Curtis Nash might not like it.

Now, admittedly, they both understood that he’d like them to be more than friends, but he’d promised to respect her boundaries.Really, that ought to be the end of the matter.“Friends,” he reiterated.

“Friends.”She shook his hand and released it.“And not the kind with benefits.”

“Well, damn,” he said standing by her as they watched the end of the set, pleased to see she’d relaxed enough to make a joke out of an obvious loophole.“If you ever change—”

“I won’t.”

“—your mind, there have been exciting developments to the equipment.”