Page 16 of Relentless Touch

Rio had just finished talking with Dr. Clint Sullivan and his mate, Bayne when Kevin walked in.

He hovered near the host stand, hands fidgeting with the zipper on his jacket as he looked around.

When his gaze landed on Rio, the entire room dimmed.

The restaurant was busy, the staff bustling around as guests talked, and laughed, enjoying their meals. Nobody saw Rio’s shoulders sag or heard the relieved exhale.

Amy at the host stand, spotted Kevin, and gestured him toward an open booth near the windows. Sunlight bathed Kevin’s hair in soft light, turning the golden strands almost copper at the tips.

Rio hung back while he finished plating a salad, borderline obsessing over the lettuce arrangement. Finally, he wiped his hands, telling himself to stop stalling. Exhaling a breath through his nose, Rio crossed the dining room, slowing as he approached his mate.

Kevin’s eyes darted around, like he was casing the joint. But Rio saw the look for what it was. Anxiety.

He slid into the booth across from his mate, resting both hands flat on the table.

“Hey,” he said, quiet enough for just them.

“Hi.” Kevin fisted the cloth napkin then set it down, his fingers petting the wrinkles. His gaze flicked to Rio before quickly lowering. “Pretty busy today.”

“We have those from time to time. Helps keep up the appearance that we’re an upscale restaurant.”

That got a breathy laugh out of Kevin, but he tucked it away fast. His eyes were flicking between Rio, the window, and the exit. Rio sat there quietly, waiting for his mate to find a soft landing.

Kenai approached the table, tablet in hand, his smile fading a little at Kevin’s clear uneasiness. “Gentlemen, would you care for lunch or maybe something to drink?”

Rio looked at Kevin, giving him first shot. But Kevin shook his head.

“Coffee to start,” Rio said. “Black for me. You?”

“Coffee’s good,” Kevin said. “Cream and sugar, if you have it.”

Kenai grinned. “Got it, two coffees.” He vanished back toward the kitchen.

Silence settled between them while the restaurant carried on around them. Rio slung an arm across the back of the booth, watching his mate reach for the cloth napkin. His hand stilled then retreated into his lap.

“About this morning…” Kevin said, his voice pitched low. “Sorry I bailed. That was…bad manners.”

“You didn’t owe me anything, Kevin.” Rio matched his tone. “You’re my mate, not my prisoner.”

Kevin’s eyes met his, widening slightly, as if choices were a novelty, not a right.

“I do this thing.” Kevin’s words came slowly at first, then all at once. “Where I run. Not from, like, any big dangerous stuff. From the soft things. The waking-up-next-to-someone stuff. Vulnerability that costs nothing while racking up a debt.”

“Running keeps you debt-free,” Rio said.

“Exactly. My parents were stellar examples.” Kevin gave in and reached for the napkin, curling his fingers around the fabric. “My mom bounced when I was a kid, turning my dad bitter. He drilled into me that the world was transactional. If you want something, you give something. If you stop giving, you’re out. Simple math.”

That was a fucked-up lesson to teach a kid, especially after his mom walked out. Sadly, too many people embraced that belief, convinced a price tag was attached to even the smallest acts of kindest.

Kevin plucked at the edge of the napkin. “The boyfriends were pretty much the same. By the time you start looking for red flags, you’re already wrapped up in them, you know?”

“Like a comfy burrito.”

Kevin twisted the napkin between his fingers, not looking up. “I moved to Crimson Hollow last year to get away from my last boyfriend. He thought even the mildest dispute in public was a sign of low IQ. Told me more than once that I was an embarrassment. Perception was what mattered, not my opinions. If a friend or hobby didn’t meet his approval, I could kiss them goodbye.”

Kevin bolting finally made sense, but it also made Rio want to hunt down the father and ex and thank them with his claws.

“He had a macrophallic penis, didn’t he?” Rio smirked. “Probably reminded you all the time how big his dick was.”