“It’s not how it looks,” said the man. His voice was loud but shaky. If anyone could recognize false bravado, I could. “She wanted it. She was asking for it.”

Oh God. I had the most wildly inappropriate urge to laugh. It was true; it was true.

“Colin,” I managed to get out. “It’s nothing. It’s okay.”

Colin swung his gaze from the man to me. “Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine.” Close enough.

“Come here.” He opened his arm, and without thinking I ran to his side.

“Fuck, I didn’t know she was with you!” The man was yelling now, almost screaming. “I didn’t know. What the fuck? I wouldn’t have touched her, I swear. I wasn’t going to hurt her.”

With his arm around me, I could feel Colin’s muscles tense as if he might spring at any moment, but I wanted this to be over. I leaned into him, molding my arms around his chest in an embrace meant to comfort and restrain.

“Please,” I whispered.

He glanced down at me, eyes blazing, but said to the man, “Get the fuck out of here.”

The man, whose name I hadn’t learned, got into his truck and sped out of the parking lot, leaving Colin and me in a haze of exhaust. We stood in that embrace, my bare breasts pressed against his shirt as if it were the two of us having an illicit encounter.

He pulled off his shirt, and my fucked-up mind wondered for just a moment if he would pick up where that man had left off. And how crazy I was; I’d let him.

Colin held out his hand with the shirt. I took it from him and slipped it on with a murmured thanks, unable to look him in the eye.

“Allie,” he said.

“Just go,” I croaked, looking at his shoes.

It was over, but my anxiety had only increased. He wasn’t touching me anymore, and I could hardly blame him. I didn’t want to touch my dirty skin either. I’d crawl out of it if it were possible. Just leave this dirty body behind and be someone else.

“What the hell were you thinking?” he asked.

Our roles seemed to have reversed, because I couldn’t speak. He was supposed to be the quiet one, and I was supposed to act brave. I shook my head.

“I could understand you wanting to do better than me, but why would you pick that fucker over me?”

“It wasn’t like…that.” Not exactly and not for the reasons he thought.

When I didn’t elaborate, he sighed. “Are you sure you’re not hurt?”

“No. I’m fine.” If I kept saying it, maybe it would be true. But my breath was coming more rapidly. “I just want to leave, okay? Just go.”

“Allie, stop.”