Free Comforting Touch (Touch #5) by Cara Dee Page B

night.
    Inside, I find a pair of jeans and a T-shirt once I've taken out the jacket Rio let me borrow—screw underwear. I'll be naked in the tub soon enough.
    When I'm dressed, I walk down the stairs slowly, not wanting to get caught. Oh, shit . Didn’t even make it three steps! Stopping short, I watch as two guys walk briskly toward the front door carrying furniture that was used at the play party.
    So maybe it's not Dante and Gretchen who are here already. It could be whatever company Rio hired to turn his patio into a Roman villa.
    "What are you doing?"
    I suck in a breath and whip around, only to see a sleepy Dylan rubbing his eyes and yawning.
    "Um, hi." I don’t really know what I'm doing, so I don’t answer. With people milling about and Rio returning any minute, I might as well wait with my extra mile. "Did you just wake up?" He's dressed, but it looks like he threw the clothes on seconds ago. His hair is sticking out in every direction.
    He nods and hikes a bag up his shoulder. "Master Dante's driving me to Gabriella's place."
    Gabriella, huh? I raise a brow at him. I don’t know him very well, but after having my hands all over his body—and vice versa—during the contests last night, I think it's okay to be curious.
    "Shouldn’t it be Cade's house?" I ask carefully.
    Anguish flashes in his eyes, and he tries to cover it up with a tight smile as he descends a couple steps. "I'm done with that. He can't expect me to ask permission for every little thing when he doesn’t want more than a casual arrangement. I don’t function that way."
    My face falls, and I feel sad for him. "Have you told him you want more, sweetie?"
    He nods again, this time a quick jerk as if he's uncomfortable. "I'm sorry, but I'd rather not talk about it." He offers a weak smile and passes me with a kiss to my forehead. "I'll go check if Dante's here yet."
    Blowing out a breath, I wait until he's outta sight. Then I slump down and sit on the landing, thinking of ways to help Dylan. But I don’t know him enough yet. I'll call him later and offer support—
    My thought flies out the window when I hear Rio's voice. Back already? "It doesn’t matter," he chuckles darkly, and I peer down to see him heading toward the living room. He's on the phone. His back is facing me, and from up here, he looks slighter. "You're clearly more forgiving than I am." Definitely not dressed in workout clothes. Instead he's wearing black dress pants and a light blue button-down. His black hair is slicked back, which…huh. Didn’t figure Rio as one for having his hair styled all prim and proper. "I would've fired her immediately. She stole—simple as that."
    I freeze at those words.
    "If you say so," he says dryly. "But I can't believe Nicholas isn't pressing charges. What she did is unforgivable."
    Oh, my God.
    My stomach drops and rolls with nausea. Hurrying back to the bedroom, I only have one word on a loop in my head, along with the crushing blow of rejection. Run .
    I've done it before, though it's usually my own fault. Whenever a guy's gotten too close, I've reacted by fleeing.
    Even worse was when I was younger. Then I'd deliberately push anyone away from the get-go. That way, there was never any risk of getting close at all.
    I shut off the water in the bathroom and then grab my duffel and zip it up. There's no way I want to face Rio now—God, that lying mother fucker —so I do my best to sneak downstairs without being seen.
    He said he'd forgiven Miranda after the punishment. He fucking told me.
    Humiliation burns hotly in my eyes as I stumble in an attempt to put on my shoes in my escape. I manage at last, and I yank the front door open just as another couple movers pass me with furniture.
    Dylan's waiting down the driveway by Rio's mailbox, so I join him there, praying to God Dante can pass up breakfast.
    "You okay?" Dylan tilts his head at me, concern creasing his forehead.
    I nod curtly. "Yeah. No." I shake my head. Fuck, I'm stupid. Fucking