Chapter 4 #2
I take the papers from her, and I already know I’m going to reject every single one of these houses. I have to, at least until I figure my shit out.
“Come on, let’s get you back to your car,” I say, tipping my chin in the direction of her rusty Honda. My stomach twists uncomfortably at the idea of her driving that thing around town, through the snow. “It’s freezing out.”
“I’m not the one half-naked,” she says, her eyes once again meandering over my bare chest, and fuck if that doesn’t have blood flowing to my cock.
“You’re also not the one chopping firewood.”
“Mmm.” The sound comes from deep in her throat, almost like a purr. Did she like watching me work?
I’m not used to having more questions than answers. It’s unsettling.
She shivers, and I place my hand firmly on the small of her back, guiding her gently back towards her car. God, taking care of her feels good. Feels right.
Everything about Kaylee feels right. And yet…it’s wrong, isn’t it? She’s twenty-five years younger than me.
It’s wrong.
Right?
Fuck, I’m a mess.
We walk over to her rust bucket of a car and she shivers again, making me wish I could pull her into my arms and hold her against me to warm her up. But I can’t, because despite how I feel, she’s not mine.
Yet whispers a quiet voice somewhere in the back of my mind.
“Sorry for dropping by unannounced,” she says.
“I’m just really excited about these listings and wanted to see you right away.
I mean, I wanted you to see me. I mean, see the listings.
I wanted you to see the listings right away,” she chatters, her cheeks the prettiest shade of pink.
I want to stroke my thumb over her flushed skin, to see if it’s as soft and warm as it looks.
“These ones are good, I promise,” she continues.
“They have everything on your wish list. I did have to go above budget on a couple of them, but hopefully you’ll see why when you take a look. ”
I nod, glancing down at the papers I’m still clutching in my other hand. I know I’ll reject them all, just like I have every other house she’s shown me, but I can’t tell her that. But I also can’t sever my only connection to her by buying something.
“I’ll take a look,” I say gruffly, and she nods.
A small smile ghosts across her lips, but it doesn’t reach her eyes, and I can immediately tell that something’s off.
She doesn’t have her usual sparkle, and it makes me want to take on the world for her.
“Everything okay?” I ask quietly, shoving down the urge to brush her hair away from her pretty blue eyes.
She bites her lip, eyes downcast for a second before she nods. “Yeah, everything’s fine. I should get going.”
I don’t believe her. Not for a second.
But what am I supposed to do? She’s not mine. I have no claim on her.
Which is a problem I’m going to have to remedy, isn’t it? It’s the only way forward that I can see.
I sigh and then reach behind her, opening her car door for her. The hinges let out a grating squeal as I do. She blushes, glances between me and her car.
“You drive safe, okay, Kaylee? In fact, you text me as soon as you’re home or at the office, wherever you’re going.” I sound like a bossy asshole right now, and I don’t care. I need to know she’s safe.
“O-okay,” she nods, sliding behind the wheel.
I lean into the car, dragging the seatbelt down across her body, her eyelids fluttering when the backs of my fingers graze her breasts overtop of her winter coat.
I click the seatbelt into place, frowning when I see that one of the seats was ripped and fixed with duct tape.
She turns the key in the ignition, biting her lip as the engine turns over a couple of times before catching.
My frown deepens when I see that she’s got less than a quarter of a tank of gas.
Who’s looking after this girl? Because whoever it is, they’re doing a piss poor job.
I stifle my growl as I reach into my back pocket for my wallet and pull out sixty dollars. “I want you to fill up, too. It’s too cold to be driving around with only a quarter tank of gas.”
“Oh,” she breathes, looking at the money as if it might bite her. “I, um. I can’t take that.”
“Sure you can,” I say. “I insist.”
Whenever we’ve gone to see houses, we’ve met at her office and taken my truck. Now I see why.
Kaylee swallows thickly and when she looks up at me, her eyes are bright with unshed tears.
It’s like someone has my heart in a fist and is squeezing the life out of it.
“Thank you,” she says so softly I wouldn’t have heard her if I wasn’t looking right at her.
She reaches out with a shaky hand to take the three twenty-dollar bills I’m offering her.
I nod. “Text me when you’re safe.”
“I will.”
I nod again and shut her car door, arms crossed over my chest as she backs out of my driveway.
I rub a hand over my mouth, feeling calmer than I have in days. More settled and sure. The solution to everything—my problems and Kaylee’s—is obvious.
I need to make Kaylee Murphy mine.