Chapter 10
Raven didn’t want to open her eyes. God, this pillow…it was soft and buttery and molded around her head. And the sheets were so warm, they swaddled her.
She hadn’t woken up warm in a long time. Weeks.
Because the community center wasn’t warm. And her pillow wasn’t soft or buttery.
Her eyes flashed open.
Not the community center. The spare room at Connor’s house. Because she’d slept here.
The previous night came back to her in a rush. The smoke. Her anger. Connor saving her.
And that kiss…
She reached up and ran her finger over her mouth. Was it crazy that she could almost still feel his lips against her?
She’d never been kissed like that before. Slow but certain. Gentle but firm. Like he knew exactly what to do to make the world fall silent.
Granted, she’d only ever kissed one other man. The same man she’d dated since high school—who’d also turned out to be a psychopath.
There was no comparison between the two. None.
Slowly, she sat up, scrubbing her hands over her eyes as her mind shifted again, back to her car. Today, she needed to call a mechanic. How she’d pay that mechanic, she wasn’t sure. She barely had a dollar to her name.
Xander would love this.
She frowned at the pile of clothes on the chair. They hadn’t been there when she’d gone to sleep. Had Connor left them?
She climbed out of bed and crossed the room, lifted the T-shirt and jeans. Not her T-shirt and jeans. She didn’t own a black top with Metallica written across the chest.
She checked the tag. Her size. Interesting. Did Connor have a secret stash of women’s clothes for this very situation?
Her stomach did a little turn at the thought.
She shook her head. Shower. She needed a shower and then she could focus on sorting out her life.
But the bathroom was in the hall.
She glanced down at the shirt she’d slept in. A shirt he’d lent her. It was navy blue and so oversized, it hit her knees. The second she’d pulled it over her head last night, his scent had surrounded her.
Another reason she’d slept so well?
Argh.
She grabbed the pile of clothes and poked her head into the hall. Empty. Good.
Silently, she tiptoed toward the bathroom. Why she felt the need to be quiet, she had no idea. Connor was ex-military. He was probably trained to wake at the sound of a penny hitting carpet. Plus, it was eight, not exactly early.
She stepped into the bathroom—only for her heart to jump into her throat at the sight of broad shoulders. “Connor!”
He turned from where he was setting towels on the counter. He wore shorts. Only shorts. And there was a thin sheen of sweat on his chest, like he’d just worked out.
Holy sex on a stick, the man was toned. She’d known he was. He wore tight T-shirts that showed off every ridge and groove all the time. But actually seeing those grooves without the barrier of clothing was different. So different.
“Hey.” The quiet sweep of his eyes over her body made the tingle in her belly turn into a throb. He seemed to trace her. Memorize her.
And she liked it.
What was wrong with her? She barely knew this man.
There was no reprieve when his attention returned to her eyes. It was almost worse. His gaze seemed to hold her in place like a magnet.
“Did you sleep well?” he finally asked.
She had to roll his words over in her head a few times so that her muddy brain could make sense of them. “I slept great.”
“That’s good. I was just checking that there were clean towels in here. Which there are. Water’s hot. Call if you need anything.” He angled his body to the side and eased past her. Somehow, even though they didn’t touch, not once, she still felt the heat of his body.
The second he was out of the small space, she closed the door and engaged the lock. It took her a moment to move. To turn on the water and strip off the shirt. But when she stepped under the stream, she sighed.
She’d been showering at the center, where the water pressure always felt like it was running on its last breath.
She closed her eyes and tipped her head back, then stayed under the stream for far too long. So long that she was surprised there was no knock on the door asking if she’d passed out or flowed down the drain.
When she finally managed to turn off the water, she dried and pulled on the jeans and T-shirt. Not her usual attire, but they definitely beat wearing yesterday’s clothes.
Downstairs, she entered the living room and was about to step into the open kitchen, only to pause at the framed photos that sat on a shelf.
A small smile tugged at her lips at the sight of Connor and his friends. It was the five men she knew, as well as three other guys she’d never seen before.
The rest of his team?
She lifted the frame, smiling wider at Connor’s grin. He looked happy. They were clearly at a bar, and every one of them wore a smile.
She was just setting it back down when something fell from behind the frame. A small photo that must have been stuck to the back.
She lifted and turned it.
Connor and a woman. A beautiful woman. She had long brown ringlets and beautiful dark eyes. They looked like they were in a photo booth, but this was just a single photo. Maybe it had been cut from the rest?
The woman was holding Connor’s face and kissing his cheek while he smiled at the camera.
Who was she?
“Hey.”
She jumped and turned to see Connor stepping off the stairs. He glanced down at the photo in her hold, his smile slipping.
“I’m sorry.” She handed it to him. “I was looking at the photo of you and the guys, and this slipped out from behind.”
He took it, his expression unreadable as he looked at the picture. “It must have gotten caught in the frame.”
“Was she a girlfriend?” She almost slapped a hand over her mouth. What the hell? Why had she gone and asked that?
A muscle ticked in his jaw before he shoved the photo into a drawer. “Ex.”
And by the tone of his voice, it was not an ex he cared to discuss.
Noted. She didn’t like talking about her ex either.
“Coffee?” he asked over his shoulder, as he headed into the kitchen.
“I’d love one.”
He stepped over to the machine. A big, beautiful coffee machine that almost made her salivate. Because after that watery crap at the community center, she was dying for a good cup. Honestly, she’d almost sell a kidney at this point.
She perched on a stool at the island. “Thank you for letting me stay last night.”
“Not just last night.”
She shook her head. “No, I can’t—”
“You’re staying here until you find your own place, Raven.” He shot her a glance over his shoulder. “That’s nonnegotiable.”
“You don’t know what you’re offering. It could be a long time. There isn’t much available in Deep River, especially in my price range. And Dale’s basically bad-mouthed me to anyone who might have something suitable.”
Connor set a mug in front of her. “Guess you’re stuck with me then.”
“Connor—”
“Unless you want to take Polly up on her offer? But you’re not going back to the community center.”
Her mouth snapped shut.
He leaned over the island. “Why don’t you want to stay in her apartment?”
She wrapped her fingers around the mug, lips opening and closing, but no words coming out. Because what could she say without then having to explain even a little bit of what had happened in North Dakota?
“It’s okay.” He set his hand over hers, heat penetrating her skin. “You don’t need tell me anything you’re not ready to share yet.”
He said it like there would come a time when she would share. Like that point was inevitable.
Was it? The thought made fear skitter into her belly.
She shot off the stool and took a hurried step away from the island. “I should probably get to work.”
“You haven’t had your coffee.”
Dammit, she really wanted coffee. But this thing between her and Connor, this connection…it was starting to feel different. Deeper. It was starting to make her want to spill every secret she’d ever had.
And that wasn’t safe for anyone.
“Drink.” He stepped back like he was trying to create an illusion of safety. “I’ll make us eggs and bacon.”
“Eggs and bacon?” She’d been living off ramen noodles, and this beautiful man wanted to make her a cooked breakfast with protein?
He pulled foods from his fridge, then glanced over his shoulder. “No more personal questions. I promise.”
Okay. She’d stay. But only because she was hungry, and not because she was doing something dumb like falling for him.
The next hour passed in a blur. Connor wasn’t just a great conversationalist, he was an even better listener. He made her laugh and smile more than she had in months. Before long, she couldn’t even remember that she’d wanted to leave.
When they were done eating, he offered to take her to work. She of course told him he didn’t have to, that she’d walk…but he pushed. He also confessed that he’d called a mechanic to take care of her car.
Relief had almost dropped her to the floor. She’d pay for it, of course, but just having someone take that off her plate when she had so much else going on felt huge.
Once he’d dropped her off at work, she stepped inside—and it was only when voices sounded from her office that the smile slipped from her face.
Someone was here. More than one person.
Her heart beat fast, and she was about to turn around and get out of the center when the female voice grew louder. Angrier. The familiar female voice.
“I don’t know where she is, but I’m not wrong about this, Ferris.”
No…
Raven crossed the room and stepped into the office to see Joe Ferris, the town mayor, and Lottie Fuller standing behind her desk, holding her pillow and blanket.
Ferris frowned at her. “Raven…have you been sleeping here?”
Shit.
Connor pulled up in front of Trap and looked over the building exterior. The faded brick frontage, the big, weathered sign above the door.
It was almost midday, meaning the bar was opening soon.
His phone vibrated with a text.
Rob: Hey, kid. We’ve got the car. We’ll let you know what’s going on with it as soon as we figure it out.
Connor: I appreciate that, Rob.