Chapter 21
I glanced up and spotted Lawton's brother, lounging against the bannister. He wore dark sweatpants and no shirt, revealing a torso that might've made my mouth water if I were some other girl in some other place. His short, dark hair was mussed, like he'd just crawled out of bed.
I gave him a dirty look. "Eavesdropping again?"
"No. Trying to sleep." Absently, he scratched his lean stomach. "For all the good it did."
I rolled my eyes. "Oh, I'm soooo sorry if we ruined your beauty sleep."
Looking up the stairway, Lawton's eyebrows furrowed. "This is a private conversation," he said.
"Private, your ass," Bishop said. "Bet half the neighborhood heard."
"F*ck off," Lawton said, and then glanced quickly at me. "Sorry."
Bishop looked toward the front door, now closed. "Told you that was a bad idea." He shrugged. "But women, what do you expect?"
"That's it." I threw up my arms. "I'm outta here."
"Hey, don't leave on my account," Bishop said. "I'm heading back to bed."
"Yeah, you do that," Lawton said in a tone of forced patience. He reached up to rub the back of his neck, where the muscles were corded into tight knots.
When I glanced again at the stairway, Bishop was gone.
I cupped my hands around my mouth and yelled, "I hope you sleep like crap!"
No answer.
Muttering, I turned away.
"Chloe," Lawton said. "Don't leave."
Ignoring him, I marched to his front door and flung it open.
"You're not walking," he said.
I turned to glare at him. "We already had this discussion."
"At least let me drive you," he said.
"No."
"Alright, then I'm walking with you."
I knew it was smart. But I didn't feel like being smart. I'd been stupid for weeks. Why stop now? "No, you're not," I said, turning away.
I strode out his front door and didn't look back. But as I reached the front gate, I felt that certain something, eyes on my back. I stopped. Reluctantly, I turned around. And there he was, Lawton, a few paces behind me.
"What are you doing?" I said.
"Making sure you get home okay."
With a huff, I turned back around and started walking again. But after about a block, I couldn't stand it anymore. I stopped again and turned around. He was still a few paces behind me. "You don't need to do this," I told him.
"Yes," he said, giving me a serious look. "I do."
"But it's creeping me out."
"Why?"
"Because I don't like someone walking behind me."
"Then I'll walk with you," he said. "But you're not walking back alone."
I glanced around, taking in our surroundings. Between the street lights, the sidewalk was dark, cast in the shadows of the tall trees that lined the residential street. I crossed my arms. "Fine. Whatever. But it doesn't change anything."
Lawton strode forward, joining me on the quiet sidewalk. For a couple of minutes, we walked in silence. The night air was freezing, and I tried not to shiver. I slid a glance in his direction.
He didn't even have a coat. He was being stupid. But what did I care?
I shouldn't care.
"I want to tell you something," he said.
I kept my voice disinterested. "What?"
"I know you don't want to hear it," he said, "but I do love you, and I'm so f*cking sorry."
Something squeezed at my heart. I blinked hard and kept on walking. He was right. I didn't want to hear it. And I wanted to hear it a million times over.
I was a mess. I clamped my lips shut to keep from saying something regrettable either way.
With something like a sigh, Lawton bridged the silence and continued. "Which is why you deserve to know why I flipped out on you."