Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Emelia woke with a start, her heart pounding in her chest.
The room was shrouded in darkness, except for a faint glow from the streetlights.
Something was wrong or had happened. Her mind blanked for a moment, and she shivered. What?
She looked at her watch and groaned. Three thirty a.m.
Then, in a moment of clarity, she remembered Titus and drinking at the bar. Titus! He slept here. He comforted her in the middle of the night. Well, maybe it wasn’t the middle of the night. She remembered sleeping for about an hour, getting up, talking to Titus, then going back to bed.
Wow. He slept here to protect her. Who does that?
She looked out her bedroom window into the darkness and silent street. There was work to be done before the bakery opened. Changing into her painting clothes, she quietly opened the bedroom door.
Titus was snoring on the sofa. She paused to look at him as she tiptoed out. His face was relaxed. His arms crossed his body. He was a handsome man, she decided, and kind. And sexy.
Careful not to make any noise, she ventured into the hallway on her way down to the bakery. The only sound was her own footsteps echoing in the silence.
Her mission was to get a bucket of water and a brush to try to wash away the worst of the graffiti. That would have to do for now. Later she’d get all the windows cleaned.
Inside the supply closet, she located a container and filled it with hot, soapy water. Emelia wasn’t sure if it would remove the graffiti, but even if it smeared the words, that would be helpful. Filled with determination, she grabbed a brush and some old towels and walked outside. The street was silent, no cars passing, no people walking. Eerie shadows danced in the wind on the road and surrounding shops, courtesy of the streetlamps. The quiet unsettled her. She felt alone and vulnerable.
She closed her eyes for a moment. Humph. No way was some unknown creep going to scare her. This was her business. Her happy place. Emelia took a deep breath. She was braver than this. Words couldn’t hurt her. With renewed energy, she turned toward the back, where a spigot and hose were tucked behind the bakery that she could use to rinse the windows. She turned on the water and dragged the hose around to the front. And stared.
Whaaat?
The windows were clean.
She saw no sign of the graffiti that disgusted her last night. Her heart beat loudly as she stared at the windows.
Emelia scanned the area but saw no one. She knew she hadn’t imagined the graffiti last night. She wasn’t crazy.
She struggled to understand what had happened. A tear of relief slipped down her cheek.
Strong arms surprised her and pulled her into his chest. A low voice interrupted her thoughts. “I called some friends to remove it while you were sleeping,” Titus murmured into her ear.
“Oh, my!” Her heart fluttered. She’d experienced more kindness since moving to Haywood Lake than she ever had in New York. The best part was that nobody wanted anything from her for helping.
Titus released her. She turned to look at him. A feeling of warmth and comfort flooded her chest as she gazed at the man she barely knew and yet, he stayed with her and then coordinated this.
“How? Why? When did they come over? How can I ever thank them? Who are they?”
“Whoa. Too many questions.” Titus laughed. “I called Will last night and explained what happened. He was furious that this happened to you. I asked him to see who could spare an hour. So, Chase, Will and Colt came, as well as Finn and Zachery, whom you haven’t met yet, and removed the spray paint.”
He glanced at the windows and nodded. “They did a great job, too. I spoke to Chase this morning, and he said it took no time at all. He was also furious that someone had targeted you.”
“Thank you.” She leaned in and hugged him. Titus hugged back. Then she stepped back. Her heart was racing. This man! He knew how much it bothered her and acted. It didn’t hurt that his eyes softened when he looked at her, and she felt his cock harden when she hugged him. That was an attraction she’d explore later.
“I couldn’t have slept if this wasn’t taken care of. It is upsetting, to say the least, and I hope we find the fuckers who did this.”
Emelia sighed. “Me too.” She shivered. The morning air was crisp, and she’d run out in a short-sleeved top and sweatpants.
Titus noticed. He took her hand. “Come on. You’re cold. I’ll let you make me a cup of coffee and entice me with some of your sweet treats.”
“Let me?” She laughed. “I’m more than happy to, and I have to make something special for your friends to thank them.”
“No,” he exclaimed, looking horrified.
“Why not?” She cocked her head. “They came here in the middle of the night and did something special.”
Titus laughed. “It’s just that if you do, these guys will hound you forever for treats. They’ll be camped out by the front door, begging. They have no shame.”
Giggling, Emelia replied, “I really don’t mind.”
Titus shook his head. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
He stooped to pick up the bucket and emptied it into the street. Emelia replaced the hose and switched off the water. She searched for the brush, found it, and placed it in the empty bucket.
It was unbelievably thoughtful of Titus to make sure she didn’t wake up to the filth written on the windows, and now she had to think of a special way to thank him and the guys.
But Emelia couldn’t help wondering if whoever sent the notes was ratcheting up the harassment or what was next.
Titus looked at Emelia standing in front of him, holding a brush, determined to clean. The soft light from the bakery backlit her hair. She looked adorable last night in her boxer shorts and top that emphasized her long legs and perky breasts. Fuck, what did that say about him? His only excuse was being a guy who naturally noticed such things. If it made him a horndog, then so be it.
This morning, she had on a pair of black sweats, an off-the-shoulder top, and sneakers—all paint-stained. She tied her chestnut hair in a ponytail, with wisps of hair framing her face. She was makeup-free and still looked adorable.
However, last night had changed his perspective about her. Titus thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Emelia was interesting, funny, and insightful in her responses to him.
But this morning … this morning, he witnessed another side of the woman, who was afraid but bravely confronted her fears. A woman refusing to be intimated by some unknown person who was trying to frighten her. A warrior prepared to confront the problem alone. Alone!
Emelia was not drama-free, but she didn’t back down, run away, or ask for help. She stood her ground. Despite the problems she had, she remained strong. He was in awe of her. It surprised him.
A sense of admiration welled up inside him. He marveled at her determination, and despite her fear from the previous night, she was still here, and that spoke volumes about Emelia’s character.
At that moment, Titus surprised himself again when he realized Emelia didn’t fit his image of the perfect woman he once envisioned, but she had the strength of character and courage he truly admired.