Chapter Nine
I woke the next morning and there he was.
A beautiful mammoth in my bed.
He was on his back, the sheets low across his hips. His left hand laid limp on his thigh, his right arm stretched over his head. I noticed he was the kind of guy who shaved his armpits, and I liked knowing that about him. As I continued to admire him, I also realized the solid black bands he had tattooed around his arm, underneath his mountain-scape, weren’t solid all the way around. On the inside of his forearm, there was a break in the bands, each with a different set of roman numerals. I wondered what they meant, but I wasn’t good with roman numerals, so my eyes didn’t linger there for long.
It was late by the time we found sleep. Sometime after round two—which lasted longer in the most marvelous ways—I got up, threw on a sleep shirt, and wandered out of the room to wash my face. While I was up, I grabbed my phone to plug it in for the night. It was nearly midnight when I climbed into bed, but sleep wasn’t what Jed had in mind when we were both back between the sheets.
He really did have a thing for my lips.
I wasn’t sure if I was still looking at him through the haze of a smoke screen, if I was under a spell cast by the circumstances from which he rescued me, or if everything that was happening between us was as real as it got—but I knew one thing for sure.
I was already falling.
And as wonderful as it felt to wake up next to him, I was a little scared. Scared that it wouldn’t last or that I’d screw it up. When it was just the two of us, it felt simple. But it wasn’t just the two of us. We came with complications. My brother, and the ten grand Jed had paid on our behalf. His ex and his kids. I’d never dated anyone with kids before. Then there was my job.
Our professional tie was unchartered territory for me. His mediation might have been behind us, but the Wild Stallions opportunity was still right in front of me. Not to mention, he wanted me the night before—but that didn’t mean he wanted anything long term. In fact, I had no idea where this was going.
It scared me to admit, after just one night, how badly I didn’t want it to end.
Before my thoughts could spiral any further, my phone began to ring. Hoping not to wake Jed, I was quick to roll toward my nightstand and cut off the ringer. I saw it was Bella trying to reach me, and I carefully slipped out of bed.
Dragging my thumb across the screen, I answered the call but didn't speak until I was out of the room. “Hey.”
“Hi.”
I stopped dead in my tracks at the mouth of my kitchen, the tears in her voice unmistakable.
“What’s wrong?”
“Alejo. He was just here, and he was out of his freaking mind.”
My shoulders slumped, and I closed my eyes as I reached up to cover them with my free hand. Bella kept speaking, obviously trying not to sob.
“He took every bit of money he could find. All the cash mami likes to keep hidden for emergencies, it’s gone. He even stole Ellie’s piggy bank. She had a hundred dollars in there. She’s been saving it for two years. I’m telling you, Lexi, he was on one. It was bad. It was so bad.”
I didn’t know what to say, and I suddenly felt so tired.
“I’m sorry, Bella. I’m sorry you had to experience that.”
“He’s going to score, you know that, right?”
I let my hand fall to my side as I scowled into my kitchen. “Yeah. Obviously. But there’s nothing to be done about it. He’s going to do what he’s going to do. He always does.”
“What? That’s all you have to say?”
“What do you want me to say? What do you want me to do, hmm?” Remembering she had no idea what Alejo had put me through that week, I told her, “He came to me for ten thousand dollars the other day. He’s been lying to us about his job. He’s a liar, Bella, and an addict and I—I don’t know how to help him. Okay? I just—I can’t anymore.”
“Well, mami’s really upset.”
I freed a desperate sigh. “Is she there?”
“No. She had to go to work. She has the Kellermans’ today.”
“Alright, well—I, I can’t do this right now. I’m sorry. I’ll come by tomorrow, okay?”
Unexpectedly, in spite of my conversation, I felt instantly weightless.
Jed’s arm wrapped around my chest, pulling me against him. He was warm and solid, and I melted into him as he pressed a kiss into my hair.
“Yeah. Fine,” said my sister, obviously disappointed I hadn’t woken up with a cape and superpowers.
“Isabella, I love you. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Love you, too. Bye.”
She disconnected before I could say another word, and I freed a heavy sigh.
“Everything okay?” Jed mumbled, his lips still buried in my hair.
“Any idea where I could pick up a little girl piggy bank? Probably Walmart, right? Maybe Hobby Lobby.”
“Darlin’?”
I stepped out of the comfort of his hold as I turned to face him. He was still in only his boxer briefs, and he had messy, sexy bedhead, and it was unbearably hot. There was a completely justifiable reason as to why I woke up happy and scared at the same time—because this was my life. I could never get too comfortable.
“Look, there’s a reason I’m still single,” I blurted, holding up my phone. “My family is a mess. My brother is an addict who makes astronomically poor decisions. And everyone always looks to me to save the day and I—it’s complicated, I can’t change it, and I can’t escape it. And I like you. You’re pretty great. I mean, you’re the kind of dad who builds his son a skate ramp in his backyard, and that’s actually really sexy. And you’re, you know, generally sexy all on your own with all that going for you,” I said, waving my phone in his general direction. “And in an ideal world, I’d be making you breakfast right now in an attempt to impress you with my cooking—because I can cook. For real. I learned from the best. And you’d eat my food, and you’d want to go out with me again because the sex was great and there was breakfast but— my life is a mess!
“I can’t make you breakfast because I need to go to Walmart or Hobby Lobby to get a piggy bank for my niece, and then I have to go to the bank before they close so I can get a hundred dollars in small bills to put in that piggy because my jerk of a brother stole Ellie’s piggy for a score!”
Exasperated, I covered my eyes again and muttered, “My God, can I not catch a break?”
Jed ran a hand over my hair, stopping at my nape before pressing another kiss on top of my head. Then, his tone laced in amusement, he replied, “Damn, you’re cute.”
I jerked my head up with a frown. “Cute? Did you not hear a single thing I just said?”
“Caught it all, Lex. Now, hear me—I like you, too. A whole lot. Enough I’m over here wonderin’ if a trip to Walmart to buy a little girl a piggy bank constitutes as a second date,” he began with a crooked smile. “You’re right about the sex. It was great, but that’s not the only reason I’m not runnin’ for the door. Don’t need breakfast to want more of you, darlin’. But I would be lyin’ if I said I wasn’t lookin’ forward to havin’ more sex and tryin’ your food.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “But what about the part—”
“Families are messy,” he interrupted. “Fact of life. In my experience, you wait on shit to get sorted before you start livin’, you’ll always be waitin’. Shit you got goin’ on, doesn’t make me want you any less.”
Still certain this was too good to be true, I pressed, “Okay, but, my particular messy life has me indebted to you by ten thousand dollars.”
“Consider it a bonus for a job well done,” he shot back with a shrug.
“Jed!” I gasped, gaping at him. “I can’t—”
“You ridin’ with me to Walmart or what?”
I took a step back, appalled. “Are you serious? We’re really not going to talk about the money?”
He took a step toward me, grabbed hold of my jaw and brought his face close. Real close.
“Darlin’, we just did.”
Then he kissed me.
As his hand found its way from around my chin into my own bedhead hair, I was finally convinced we really weren’t going to talk about the money.
He didn’t care.
He just wanted me.
I pressed up onto my tiptoes, wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders, and opened my mouth in invitation. I didn’t want to fight him. I was going to find a way to pay him back—but in that moment, I merely wanted to enjoy the man who didn’t care.
He just wanted me .
And I really, really wanted him.
Maybe he was Prince Charming, after all.
We made-out in my kitchen for a good ten minutes.
It was Jed who broke our kiss and reminded me it was Saturday, we slept until nearly ten, and the banks closed at noon.
It was me who pointed out that a joint shower would likely slow us down rather than speed us up.
I insisted he go first, and he was in and out in five minutes. I put my hair up in a messy bun and managed to shower then make myself presentable in twenty.
At the very least, I liked to throw on a coat of mascara before going out in public.
To be on the safe side, Jed took me to the bank first. Hopeful Alejo wouldn’t steal from his niece again, I took out two hundred dollars. Twenty of it in quarters, eighty in ones and fives, and the rest in twenties. I wasn’t sure if it would all fit into one piggy bank. If it didn’t, I’d simply buy another one.
We went to Walmart next. We found a couple of options to suit my needs, but after a little consideration, I decided to forego the piggy and opt for the cute cartoon-looking highland cow. It was bigger and would definitely fit two hundred dollars.
My mission accomplished, Jed then treated me to lunch, making our outing an official date.
While we were in the middle of lunch, he got a text. My meeting with Bull was scheduled. At seven, I’d sit down with the Stallions’ president in the office at the garage. I wasn’t entirely sure how to prepare for a meeting about a job I didn’t fully understand, but I planned to try that afternoon.
When Jed walked me to my door after lunch, he propped his shoulder against the wall as I freed my lock, and I got the impression he wasn’t going to come inside.
“Is this goodbye?”
“Got shit to do. I’ll pick you up tonight.”
I knit my eyebrows together, palming my keys as I asked, “On your bike?”
“It’s called a hog, darlin’. And yes.”
“Well, I’m thinking maybe I should just meet you there.”
“Why?” he asked with a frown.
“You might be a bunch of bikers, but it’s still an interview. I’m not going to show up like this,” I said, glancing down at myself.
“There’s no need to go all out, gorgeous. Pants’ll be fine.”
“You would think that. You’re a man. I have every intention of showing up at my best. I’m walking into that meeting as a prospective counsel, not the woman you’re sleeping with. I’m wearing a skirt and heels, and I don’t want to have wind-blown hair, either.”
I watched as a slow smile spread across his face. He then chuckled softly and replied, “Fine. I’ll meet you there.”
“Okay. Then it’s settled.”
He shoved his shoulder against the wall, propelling himself upright before he leaned down to kiss me. He didn’t linger longer than a moment, and I tried not to be disappointed when he pulled away.
“Text me when you’re on your way,” he instructed.
“Sure.”
“Bye, darlin’.”
He turned, headed for the exit, and I watched him go. Before I lost sight of him, he stopped and looked back at me. He paused for a moment, and we stared at each other. When he smirked and waved two fingers in a horizontal motion, it was then I understood he was signaling me to go inside. I hummed a laugh, nodded, and closed myself into my apartment.