“And she broke it off, not you.”
“If she hadn’t, I would’ve.”
“What happened?”
“It’s a long, boring story, Dusty. A story of two families and a lot of money and a lot of land, and I promise I’ll tell you sometime, but right now, can we just be together and not talk about Angelina?”
Dusty smiled, lay down next to him, and buried her face in his shoulder. “I suppose so.”
“You’re the only woman I want.” He entwined his fingers through her thick golden hair. “I love your hair. It’s so beautiful. It’s like silk in my hands.”
Her hair.
What a shocking jolt back to reality. Her long, beautiful hair. Would he still love it when it was falling in clumps in the bathroom?
“I have to go, Zach. Sam is expecting me.”
“Dusty, please don’t run from me again. It’s getting old.”
“But—”
“Sam’s a big boy. He can take care of himself. He and Chad are probably drinking beer and chasing women.”
“I know.” She sighed.
“Are you ever going to tell me what’s going on with you?” Zach asked, still stroking her hair.
“There’s nothing going on.” She hid her face and inhaled. Even his armpits smelled good, like musk and cloves.
Zach nudged her and turned on his side, wincing. “Fuck.”
“Don’t move. Are you all right?”
“Yeah. Yeah.” He tipped her chin upward to look into her eyes. “Look, I won’t push you to talk, but if you’re going to be with me, don’t ever lie to me again.”
“I’m not lying.”
“Damn it, Dusty. I know there’s something going on. If you’re not ready to tell me, I can accept that. I don’t like it, mainly because I want to move heaven and earth to help you, but I can accept it.” His blue eye glowed the color of a hot gas flame. “But do not lie to me.”
“All right, Zach. I won’t lie to you. Just don’t ask me anymore.”
“Fair enough,” he said. “Just know that whatever it is, it won’t make a damn difference to me.”
“How can you say that without knowing what it is?”
“Because I care about you, you damn stubborn woman!”
No. He couldn’t care for her. He’d get hurt. “Zach, you hardly know me. We really only just met a few days ago.”
“Don’t try to tell me what I feel. I’m thirty years old, and I never say anything other than what I mean. I care for you. I want to be with you. I think it’ll grow into something more. Something amazing.”
“Zach, I don’t know…”
“You don’t have to say anything.”
Dusty burst into tears.
Zach sighed. “Not exactly the reaction I’d hoped for.”