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Her voice dropped to a low whisper at the end, and he felt like he’d been slapped. She thought he was doing this out of obligation?

Can you blame her for thinking that after what you told her last night? After how you kept saying it’s due to your promise to Charlie that you’re here?

But that was the reason, right? Well, that, and he did kind of like her. Ammo wasn’t used to this. He wasn’t used to feeling this way, to liking people, to wanting to help them.

“Thanks for the offer, Ammo, but I can’t move into the compound with you.”

“Why not? Because I’m too bossy and I threaten to spank you?” he said. “I can try to tame that down.”

She shook her head, looking sad. “No, that’s not the real reason. I don’t want you to change who you are. I just know that I’d be miserable living there.”

“Miserable?”

“Yes, miserable. Because I want you. I’m attracted to you. I think about you kissing me, touching me all the time. And so being around you, knowing that you don’t feel the same way about me, I just can’t do it. It would be torture. Now I’m going back to work. And I’m going to try to pretend I didn’t just blurt all of that out.”

What the fuck just happened?

35

Ammo stared across the building at her, watching her interact with customers. There was a smile on her face, but he didn’t buy it. She was miserable.

I want you. I’m attracted to you. I think about you kissing me, touching me all the time. And so being around you, knowing that you don’t feel the same way about me, I just can’t do it. It would be torture.

Fuck. Why were those words playing over and over in his head? He should want to leave, right? It wasn’t like he wanted a relationship with anyone. He needed to take a step back and just give her some space, and himself.

Except he remembered the way she’d felt lying underneath him. He remembered how she licked her lips and how much he wanted to press his mouth to hers.

But just because he was interested in having sex with her didn’t actually mean anything.

“She sold her flute.” Kirsten came up beside him. He turned and looked down at her, then glanced over at Aimee. “What?”

“That’s what she was doing in Lager. She pawned her flute to pay you back some of what she owed you. I get you probably had to shell out a lot of cash, and I’m going to help her pay you back. If that’s why you’re sticking around here in Greasy Knob, you don’t have to. I’ll get your money for you.”

“That’s not why I’m sticking around.” What did she take him for? He wouldn’t have offered to pay for all those bills if he couldn’t have afforded it or if he was worried about when she was going to pay him back. And he wasn’t keeping that money she’d given him. He just had to figure a way to give it back to her.

“Not worried about the money.”

“Right, so you’re staying out of a sense of obligation? I get it. You promised Charlie you’d watch out for her, but you’ve done a lot already, and she has me. I can take over. You must need to get home.”

“Not yet,” he said. “She sold her flute?”

“Pawned it and I know she’s far more upset than she’s letting on. She’s also upset about what happened last night. Look, you’ve been really good to her, and I want to say thank you, but sometimes you can do more damage than good with your presence. You’ve got to think about when your help becomes damaging and move on.”

Kirsten walked away. Ammo rubbed at his chest. This indigestion was getting out of control. He definitely needed to start doing something about it.

Now, Kirsten’s words were playing over and over in his mind. Was he doing more damage than good by being here? But if he left, what sort of trouble was Aimee going to get into? How would she take care of herself?

He’d thought moving her into the compound was the best idea, but what if it wasn’t?

Aimee walked toward him, her gaze on her feet. She stopped about two feet in front of him, not looking up as she spoke.

“I need to go to the lawyer’s for the reading of Charlie’s will,” she said. “Will you take me?”

“Yeah. Of course.”

Aimee sat nervously in the lawyer’s reception room.

Ammo had gone quiet. Even for him. He’d barely spoken to her since she’d blurted out that she wanted him.