Can't Touch This (Can't Touch This #1)

“How would you know that?” I curled into myself.

“Basic Google and the knowledge of median salaries in the area.”

I rubbed my forehead, doing my best not to look guilty for something I hadn’t done. Unfortunately, he made me take ownership of something I’d long indulged even when I knew it was harming me. “Wow, you must be good at math.”

“I’m okay with numbers…you could say that.” Hovering his hand over the trolley, he let the rainbow lead slip from his fingers, slithering with a colourful ribbon into the growing pile.

“Are you by any chance heading over to Babble Brook Avenue after this?”

Shit, he knows.

I shook my head. “Look, I’m allowed to do what I want with the money I earn, okay? Even if it means—”

His eyes narrowed. His body whip straight. “Means what?”

“Nothing.”

Way to go, Ves.

Ryder encroached, pushing me with sheer force of his charisma into the racks holding doggy jackets and dress-up outfits. “You donate all of this to the shelter on Babble Brook. Don’t you?”

This time, I didn’t drop my eyes.

I puffed out my chest. “Yes. So what?”

“So what?” He frowned. “There is no ‘so what.’” His features softened, his eyes glossed with such affection, it drowned my achy breaky heart. “Vesper, that makes you a goddam angel and you already had a halo for everything else that you are.”

“Don’t say that.” His awe made me doubly uncomfortable. “Many people give to causes in need.”

“No, they don’t.” He shook his head sadly. “Surprisingly, it’s entirely too low.”

“Well, even more reason to do it.”

“I agree completely.” His face shadowed. “I—I do the same thing.”

“I know. You’re so generous with rescuing the dogs and paying for their care and rehabilitation. I’m not the one with a halo, Ry. It’s you.”

He chuckled, embarrassed. “Wrong. I’m just paying it forward for the blessing my parents gave me.”

He didn’t elaborate, and I didn’t ask. It was the first time he’d mentioned his parents and although I was desperately curious about them and his older brother, I didn’t pry. We had plenty of time to learn about each other.

My heart should’ve been lighter that he’d guessed my secret and wasn’t horrified.

You didn’t give him all the facts.

Facts? What were facts? He knew I did a large donation once a week to the same shelter he rescued dogs for. What was better than knowing we both got a kick out of charity?

It’s fine.

We’re fine.

I would be rewarded with having him do naughty things to me when we got home. The rest didn’t matter.

Only, it did.

I sighed heavily, pushing on the trolley to either run away or find the courage to tell him the rest. I’d never been good at half admission—even if it wasn’t technically any of his business. I was the girl no one would skip class with as I could never keep a secret because of the damn guilt festering inside me.

Ryder pecked my cheek, keeping pace with my squeaky wheels. “I didn’t think I could like you any more than I do, Ves. My heart is so goddamn full right now.”