Chapter 16

“All right,” Noah said quietly, sitting on the coffee table across from me. His whisky-brown eyes were full of worry and I felt like a jerk. “You want to tell me what’s going on with you, Travis? You’ve been getting grumpier and meaner for days.”

Getting called on it made me feel even worse. But my first reaction was to defend myself, get defiant and loud. I even opened my mouth to spew the vitriol. Maybe then he’d go away and I wouldn’t have to constantly be on the defensive anymore.

“Sorry,” I said instead of all the vile words that were swimming around in my brain. I meant it, too. He really didn’t deserve my ire, and he was the last person I wanted to let it loose on.

Noah gave me a soft smile and reached out to caress my knee. He was free with the touches, always had been. I had grown accustomed to it, so I was always able to withstand it without reacting. I wanted him to be able to touch me whenever he wanted. Considering that was all I was going to get from him.