Chapter 25 #2
“Yes, and it’s all your fault that I’m going to be late,” Trevor said, pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose.
“How’s it my fault?”
“Because I wanted to talk to you about something.”
“And that makes it my fault?” Zoe asked, arching her brows in adorable confusion.
“Damn straight it does,” Trevor said, pressing a quick kiss to her lips before he forced himself to move back and focus.
“Uh-huh, you care to explain?”
“If I must,” he sighed.
“You must,” she said, her lips twitching and drawing his attention, but then he remembered that he really did need to move his ass and get out of there.
“Okay,” Trevor said, clearing his throat and wondering just how he was supposed to do this. After a minute, he decided just to get it over with since he knew it really wasn’t a big deal. “I’ve decided that it would probably be for the best if you moved in with me.”
When she didn’t immediately agree or tell him that it was a great idea, he started to get a little nervous.
“I’m sorry, what’s this now?” Zoe asked, looking a little stunned.
“I think you should move in with me to make things easier,” Trevor said, shrugging like it was no big deal and it shouldn’t be, but for the first time since he’d decided that’s what they should do, he was a little nervous.
“How exactly would that make things easier? If anything, that would complicate things,” Zoe said, switching her petting attention to Toby, who was more than happy to help her out by rolling over onto his back.
“I want you to move in with me,” he said, wondering if he should have waited until later when she was a little more awake and could fully appreciate how great this idea was.
This was perfect for so many reasons and he was sure that once she thought about it that she would realize that once again, he was right.
When she moved in with him, she wouldn’t have to worry about rent, not that she did now.
The first Friday after they’d started their arrangement, he’d felt a little odd about taking her money, so he’d opened a bank account in her name and deposited all her rent checks into it.
But this way, she wouldn’t have to worry about utilities or any of the household bills because he would take care of her and their dogs.
They’d probably keep most of her furniture and all the stuff that she didn’t need in her apartment so that she wouldn’t have to find storage.
It would also stop his aunt from getting any bright ideas about renting it out.
He liked his privacy and didn’t need another tenant disturbing them.
He also didn’t think that Zoe would be so accommodating in the bedroom if she had to worry about someone overhearing them.
This would also cut Zoe’s work in half. Granted, she wouldn’t be working for him anymore, but the money that she saved on rent, food and everything else would more than makeup for the money she lost. Of course, when things finally simmered down, which probably wouldn’t be for a while, he’d either buy her a house to live in or move her into one of his apartments where he could continue to take care of her and make sure that she was okay. Then, when she got married, he would...
He would have to ask her to leave or risk heading to prison for killing the bastard since he couldn’t stomach the idea of another man touching her.
Damn, that would really complicate things.
He wanted to make sure that she was taken care of, but he didn’t want to see her with another man while he did it.
Well, he’d just have to suck it up for as long as he could, because he really didn’t trust another man to take care of her the way that he would.
“But I live here...” Zoe said slowly before adding, “next to you. Why do you want me to move in with you?”
“To make things easier,” Trevor said, wondering why he had to explain any of this when she should be damn happy that he wanted to make things more serious between them.
Most women would be happy that a man wanted to get more serious.
All the women in his past would have jumped for joy if he’d ever offered them the honor he was bestowing upon her and it was an honor, damn it!
She should be hugging him, crying tears of joy, and offering to do that thing with her hand that drove him crazy.
What the hell was wrong with his woman?
He should be tearing her off of him, not trying to convince her to do something they both knew was for the best.
“I don’t think moving in together would make things easier,” Zoe said as she continued petting Toby. A moment later, much to his displeasure, she released his hand to give into Max’s petting demands.
“Why not?” Trevor asked, wishing like hell that it hadn’t come out sounding so damn pathetic.
She shrugged lazily. “Because this is an arrangement, Trevor. I don’t see the point in moving in together when the whole point is not to complicate things. It would also make it weird when we start dating other pe-”
“Who the hell are you dating?” Trevor demanded, cutting her off as he reached out and gently cupped her chin between his fingers and forced her to look at him. “Is that why you don’t want to move in with me? Because of some guy?”
Her eyes widened as his words hit, and then, much to his horror, she smiled. “You’re jealous?”
“No, I’m not,” Trevor snorted in disgust, but holy hell, he was.
“Yes, you are,” Zoe said, struggling to bite back a pleased smile and failing miserably.
“No, I’m not!” he snapped, dropping his hand and practically jumped off the bed.
Trevor pointed an accusing finger at her.
“You’re just trying to change the subject, woman.
I think it would be for the best for everyone if you moved in with me,” and ignored other men, but he couldn’t exactly say that, although he would make damn sure that there were no other men.
“Think about it and when you get home tonight, we’ll figure it out,” he said, heading for the door, but he couldn’t help noticing the way her expression suddenly became guarded as she turned her attention back to the dogs.
“Okay, we’ll talk about it later,” Zoe said, shrugging it off like there was really nothing to talk about.
Groaning in frustration, Trevor marched back over to her and took her mouth in a hungry kiss that had him thinking about skipping Thanksgiving dinner and spending the day with her, but he couldn’t do that to his family and he didn’t want to wreck her plans for the day.
“We’ll talk later,” he murmured against her lips.
“Fine,” she sighed heavily as he pulled away.
“Good,” he said, pleased that she wasn’t arguing about it, at least, not at the moment. Hopefully, after she was filled with turkey and all the trimmings, she’d be too exhausted to argue with him.
“You better go or you’ll be late,” Zoe said, gesturing to the clock again.
He winced when he saw what time it was. “Shit, I really have to go. Do you have a long drive?” he asked, wondering if he should plan to swing back here later to give her a ride.
It snowed last night and rained this morning and he really didn’t trust her car in this weather or any weather for that matter.
It was just another reminder that he’d have to buy her a car soon.
“It’s not very far,” Zoe said, giving him a small smile.
“Okay, but if you don’t want to drive or your car dies, give me a call and I’ll come give you a ride,” Trevor said, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead and giving the dogs a quick rub behind their ears before he headed for the door.
“What if I want to give you a ride?” Zoe asked teasingly, laughing when he tripped over his own damn feet.