Falling in beside me, he hunched his shoulders forward. “I can understand why you’re mad, but it was all a mistake. Really. Marie said you went to the wrong seats, but I’m pretty certain she was the one who messed up—if she even went to the seats. Stan told me she was taking shots the whole time in the box, and I’m sorry about her. Marie’s usually really cool. Her doing that doesn’t make sense—but again, that wasn’t me.”

We were almost to his car.

“Hey,” he said more firmly. He caught my hand and pulled me to a stop.

I glanced back and saw a crowd had formed at the hotel’s entrance. A couple girls had followed us to the parking lot.

He stepped in, his hands coming to my face, but I stepped back. “Let’s do this at your house?”

It wasn’t really a question, more a strong suggestion. I turned, going to the passenger door.

He studied me a second before pulling out his keys. He went to the driver’s side, but paused before opening the door. “You are pissed.”

I looked away.

He sounded truly sorry. And it tugged at my heartstrings, but I’d decided.

His world was too much, too big, too powerful—too everything. I was just now surviving the one I’d left. How could I handle his? Even just for the small time we were anything?

I couldn’t. That was the answer. There was no way I was getting around that answer, no matter how much I was already yearning for his touch, and how much my insides were splitting open at the idea of flying home tomorrow and never returning.

I sighed. “I’m not, actually.” And because he wouldn’t leave it alone, I gave him my heart. “I’m hurt. I’m sad. I want to be in your arms, and I’m scared. I’m all of that.”

His eyes narrowed, and he seemed to come to some conclusion. He opened his door. “Please don’t shut me out because of this. I know he hurt you. But this, this was an accident. Bad timing. Bad events that made me forget my phone. Any other time, when my brother wasn’t being a nightmare, I would never let any of this happen. Do you believe me?”

I didn’t answer. I didn’t want to lie anymore.

He didn’t push for another response, but he took my hand for the whole drive back, and I let him.

Who was I kidding?

I clung to him. I didn’t think I could ever let go.