Chapter 9 #2
“I just went for a run,” I tell her, omitting the part about my legs automatically carrying me to this very place.
“It’s still a little chilly out there, but I can tell the warm nights are right around the corner.”
I nod, but before I can reply, I hear what sounds like a loud thud overhead. My eyes slam to the ceiling and my feet start moving toward the rear of the building.
“She had her new flooring installed today, and I think she’s been trying to move things around up there. I found her earlier pulling stuff out of the moving truck out back,” Jani says.
“I’ll go check on her and see if she needs any help,” I insist, giving Tom and Larry each a squeeze on their shoulders as I walk past.
“We all offered to help, but she refused,” I hear Jani state, but I keep moving.
I push through the back door and head for the stairs, taking them two at a time. When I reach the landing and find the entrance wide open, I step inside the apartment and lift my hand to knock on the doorframe.
Before I can hit the wood, my eyes land on the motionless woman lying on the floor. She’s sprawled out, looking like one of those chalk outlines you see after they remove a dead body. My heart hammers in my chest and panic fills my entire body.
“Jesus,” I holler, practically running toward her.
Her eyes fly open and smash into mine as I drop to my knees beside where she lies. “What are you doing here?” she asks, her words a little breathy.
“What am I doing here? What are you doing on the floor?”
The corners of her lips turn upward as she replies, “Feeling the carpet.”
All I can do is stare down at her and blink. “Are you serious right now? I heard a loud thud and thought you had fallen, and then when I came up here and saw you on the floor like this, I was almost afraid to feel your pulse.”
Lizzie giggles but doesn’t get up. “You have to feel this carpet, Collin. It’s magnificent.”
“Excuse me?”
She reaches for my arm and tugs. “Lie down.”
I do as instructed, lying on the floor beside her.
She moves her arms and legs, and when I glance her way and see her eyes are closed, there’s a smile on her perfectly kissable lips. “This feels so amazing. I don’t ever want to get up.”
My cheeks relax as my own grin slides across my mouth. “It’s carpet.”
She turns her head and opens her eyes, leveling me with a look of outrage. “The most perfect carpet ever!”
I can’t stop my chuckle. “If you say so.”
“I do,” she insists, looking back up at the ceiling. “They installed carpet in my bedroom, the second bedroom, and living room today, and they’ll be back tomorrow to do the kitchen floors.”
“What about the bathroom?”
She groans and shakes her head. “I can’t do them until I figure out what I want to do about the rest of the room. It needs everything, and my dad thinks it would be best to wait on the flooring until the bathtub, vanity, and toilet are being replaced.”
“Probably smart,” I reply, realizing how comfortable I am. Not just the carpeting—which is nice, by the way—but just lying here and chatting. It’s…relaxing.
“I was moving the couch and knocked over my sofa table.”
I turn my head. “What?”
“That was the thud you heard. I wasn’t falling, though I do appreciate your knight-in-shining-armor theatrics.”
“Theatrics?” I ask, fighting a grin.
She snickers and turns to face me. It’s the first moment I realize how close our faces are. We’re practically shoulder to shoulder, and it wouldn’t be too difficult to shift my position and take her lips with my own. “It was very noble.”
“Next time I find you sprawled out on the floor, I’m just leaving.”
Lizzie bites down on her bottom lip, sending every ounce of blood in my body to my crotch. Considering I’m wearing athletic shorts, it’s a reaction I won’t be able to conceal if she happens to glance toward my groin.
Grandma, grandma, grandma…
“You wouldn’t,” she says, slowly starting to sit up, so I quickly do the same. “It’s not in your DNA.”
“True,” I reply, bringing my knees up and resting my arms on them.
“So, what brought you here, besides your desire to rescue a damsel in distress?”
“I—” The images that plague my brain come back, playing out the traumatic scene all over again. “Uh, I was out for a run and stopped by the bar. We heard the crash, so I thought I’d come check on you.”
She nods and glances around. “I was being all brave and independent and decided to move some of my living room stuff up from the moving truck.”
“Want some help?” I blurt out, knowing I should just head home but not wanting to.
A look crosses her face. “Oh, I don’t want to take you away from your run.”
I shrug. “I hate running,” I confess, carefully standing up and reaching my hand toward her.
She gently places her hand in mine, which causes a bolt of electricity to slide through my veins.
She must feel it too because her beautiful green eyes widen, and her delectable lips form the cutest little O.
She quickly clears her throat and glances away for a brief moment before returning her gaze to me.
“I, uh, am not exactly a fan of it myself. I don’t think I’ve run since high school. ”
“Then you understand my pain,” I state easily with a lift of my shoulders. “What do you need to bring up?”
Again, she nibbles on her bottom lip as she thinks. “Not much, but I’d love to bring my end tables up. My brothers offered to come this weekend and help bring the heavier stuff up.”
I already have my phone out and start typing. “What kind of heavier stuff?”
“Uhh, a recliner, the rest of my bedroom furniture, and maybe a few more boxes.”
Me
Can you come to the bar and help me take some of Lizzie’s furniture up to her apartment?
Cade
What are you doing at her apartment?
Cade
*Insert waggling eyebrows image*
Me
Helping her move furniture. You know what, never mind. I’ll ask our little brother. He’s probably stronger anyway.
I know that’ll get a response. I crack a smile as I wait for his answer.
Cade
Fuck off. I’m already out the door.
Slipping my phone back in my pocket, I say, “Help is on the way.”
“What?”
“I messaged Cade. He’ll come help me move that stuff up here for you,” I tell her.
“But…it’s, like, eight at night,” she informs me, glancing down at her watch.
“And it won’t take us very long to bring up what you need.”
“But I don’t really need it now,” she insists.
“Yeah, well, now you won’t have to worry about it anymore,” I reason, knowing unless it’s something oversized, it won’t take much for my brother and I to move it upstairs.
Between our own moves, my sister’s, and even Camden’s recent move, we’re pros at this.
I’ll help my boss and then finish my run.
I’m sure I’ll be heading back home in no time.
At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.