Need Me - M. Malone Page 0,11
sure he’s really okay after his accident. When he catches me watching him, his lips curl.
“Keeping a close eye on me, bella?”
“I’m just looking at your wrist. You seem to be healing nicely. That’s good.”
His brow furrows. “That’s it? You aren’t going to ask how I felt about you abandoning me at the hospital?”
“I didn’t abandon you. My shift was over and I had to go.”
“Uh huh. Well, I was very hurt. First you fall asleep on me. Then you abandon me.”
“I didn’t–”
He continues, clearly on a roll now that I can’t escape. “Your continued indifference to my feelings is very hard on me. Almost as hard as wanking with a sprained wrist. That was a real challenge. Thank you for asking.”
“I wasn’t going to ask. I figured you’d manage somehow.”
He shrugs. “Being ambidextrous had to come in handy at some point.”
Not wanting him to see my smile, I move away from the produce and suddenly notice all the people who definitely just heard what he said.
An older lady with her almost white hair styled in a profusion of rigid curls watches us with an open mouth. My face heats.
For the first time in years, I’m feeling something. It’s unfamiliar but I think it might be… embarrassment?
He’s done the impossible. He’s managed to out-crazy me.
When Vin notices the older woman staring, he winks lazily. “Buonasera. I enjoyed watching you picking the fruit. I’m learning so much today.”
She puts a hand to her mouth, clearly charmed. “Oh, stop.”
I walk away quickly heading for the meat department. I’m debating whether I should just shove my head underneath all the packages of ground beef when Vin appears at my elbow.
“I would say I can’t believe you just did that but… this is you. So yeah that just happened.”
He follows as I grab what I need before moving on to get the cheese slices Mya likes so much. As soon as I pick them up I remember. She’s back with Milo. That means I won’t see her around much anymore. I put the cheese slices back with a sigh.
Vin grabs a bag of chips from a standing display. He puts them in his basket at an awkward angle, trying not to tip it over.
“I have to get snacks. Otherwise I’m eating nothing but the boring healthy shit my brother likes.”
This is how easy it is to get taken in. Because I was about to ask him about his brother and what kind of foods they’ve been eating. Luckily I catch myself. Just because this guy is clearly a stalker doesn’t mean that I have to play along.
We go through the self-checkout, with Vin drawing all the female clerks to “help” when he can’t get his chips to scan properly. While they’re busy, I bag my groceries at light speed and rush out.
I’m halfway across the parking lot when he appears behind me, breathing heavily.
“Wait! Just hold on.”
When he bends over and looks pained, I instantly feel guilty. He got hit by a freaking car less than a week ago and now he’s running after me in a parking lot.
“You shouldn’t be running. Actually you shouldn’t be out grocery shopping either. You’re supposed to be resting and icing your wrist.”
He straightens and starts walking next to me. “I’m tired of that. Besides, clearly I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.”
Not this again.
Maybe he’s just not good at leaving things open-ended. Clearly he’s a person who needs closure.
I stop and hold out my hand.
He blinks. “What is that?”
It takes actual effort to hold back an eye-roll.
“It’s a handshake. Customary when saying goodbye to a virtual stranger.”
“I’m not a stranger.”
Instantly that look is back in his eye, the one that promises he’s not going to back down. The fact that it makes me so happy is exactly why this needs to end now.
“You are. You’re supposed to be. One night stands are supposed to be people you don’t see again.”
“We didn’t have a one night stand.”
“It was one night.”
“Nothing happened other than me watching you sleep. Technically it was a zero night stand. That doesn’t count.”
Since I can’t refute his logic, I focus on the real point. He wants the night we should have had. Is there really any point in pretending I don’t want the same thing?
“A do-over might be possible.”
We’ve reached my car and I hit the button to open the trunk. After loading all the bags, I turn to look at him. He’s got that knowing look on his face like my nonchalant act