Free Exposed by Deborah Bladon Page B

pulls a few pair of socks from one of the drawers of his dresser to place in an overnight bag.
    "You're leaving tomorrow?" I bolt upright. "I thought you could come to meet my mother."
    He rolls his eyes at the words and then bursts out laughing. "You're taking me home to meet mom already? But we just started going steady."
    I giggle. "I'm having a party for her next week. It's a birthday thing. Maybe you can come to that?"
    "I'll be there." He leans down to kiss me. "I should finish packing. My flight leaves extra early."
    "Should I go home?" I pull my legs over the side of the mattress causing the sheet to fall from my body. 
    He kneels in front of me. "Not yet."
    I stare into his eyes. "I'm still scared. You know that?"
    "I know that." He nods his head slightly. "I will do everything in my power to protect this." He places his hand on my chest.
    I shiver at the touch. "Thank you."
    "We're going to move this along as fast or as slow as you want to."
    "None of this seems real to me." A faint smile floats across my mouth. "Men like you don't like girls like me."
    "The first rule in being my girlfriend is you can never say that again." He places his finger against my lips.
    "But..." I start to protest but he cocks a brow.
    "I have a confession." He hangs his head in my lap. "I should have told you this from the start."
    My breath stalls. I don't want this moment to be broken into pieces. Please don't let him tell me something that will destroy what I'm feeling.
    "I didn't come back to your house to get Petra's number." There's a hint of a small smile at the corners of his mouth. "I came back because I wanted you."
    "No." I shake my head. "You're just saying that."
    "You came down the stairs with your hair pulled back and your bare feet and I wanted to kiss you so badly. I just wanted you so much." He runs his hand along my chin. "I could tell you weren't sure. I could tell it was too much."
    "I wanted that. I wanted to believe it that night but you treated me like I was nothing but a pathetic, inexperienced girl."
    "You're not a girl. You are a beautiful, amazing woman that any man in his right mind would want." There's a hint of frustration in his tone. "Stop selling yourself short. I fucked up that night."
    "You don't understand." I look away. "People usually reject me because of it. Because of the scar."
    "Any man who sees you as anything other than perfection is an idiot." He pulls me closer until his head is resting on my chest. "You are a treasure. You're my treasure now."
    I hug him tightly. I can feel the weight in his words. He cares about me. My whole life I've been waiting for this.
    ***
    "I can't believe you're bailing on me."  My jaw tightens. "Now I have to take the train all the way to Manhattan alone."
    "I'm sorry." Alexa pushes more cup stoppers into the container that's sitting on the counter. "I forgot I had a date."
    "Seriously?" I don't try to tone down my frustration. "We were going to leave in an hour, Alexa. Now what am I supposed to do?"
    "Wait until next week," she flippantly says. "I can't go today."
    "I don't have another day off before the party." I want her to come with me. I've never taken the train alone.
    "Call your boyfriend." She calls over her shoulder as she slips off the apron and reaches for her purse.
    "He left for San Francisco yesterday." I follow her into the backroom of the bistro. "I told you that this morning."
    "Right." She taps her forehead. "I forgot.
    I sigh heavily before reaching in my purse to pull out my phone. "The train leaves right away. I don't know what to do."
    "You get in a cab and you go to South Station." She places her hands on my shoulders. "Then you get on that train and you go to New York."
    "I can't," I murmur.
    "You can." She pushes me towards the door. "Live a little, Sadie. Go on an adventure. What's the worst that can happen?"
    I smile at her even though I'm completely exasperated with her. "It would be fun."
    "Text me once you're there so I know you made