Wicked Things by Yolanda Olson
Bates
After Hollis madeher big reveal, I pressed the button on the blinkers to shut them off, then started the car up the street again.
Her questions over whether I was going to hurt her finally started to make sense, but what she revealed made no difference to me.
“Alright, so are you going to tell me how to get to your place or are we just going to end up at mine?” I inquired as I reached the next cross-section.
I could drive straight forever, or at least until I ran out of gas, but I would have been fine with it either way since Hollis was sitting next to me.
“What?”
I cast a glance at her as the light turned green, and grinned. “I just need to know where you want to end up tonight.”
I felt the subtle tug as she tried to pull her hand gently away from mine, so I raised it to my lips and kissed it.
“My place it is then,” I decided breezily, as I glanced in the side-view mirror, then made a U-turn since the coast was clear.
“Bates—”
“I already told you,” I said, cutting her off. “I’m not going to hurt you and I’m not going to force you to do anything you don’t want to. I don’t know. I guess I just don’t want to give you up yet.”
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, so I said the only thing I thought might bring her a little bit of peace, for the time being.
“You’re not the only one with secrets, you know. I’m hiding shit too, Hollis.”
