Chapter 7
Killian
As I stepped onto the porch, I balanced two cups of coffee, one in each hand.
The steam curled from the small mouth holes of the black lid.
The warmth from both of them was seeping through the cardboard sleeves and into my palms. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other and just as I was about to knock, the door swung open.
Lena stood in the doorway with her hair tied up, wearing a gray sweater that was hanging off one of her shoulders.
"Hi?" she smiled but I could hear the surprise in her voice.
Awkwardly I handed her the cup with her name that I'd had the barista scrawl on there. "Thought you might want this."
"Ah…thanks," she took it, her fingers brushing against mine. "What are you doing here?"
I cleared my throat. "I figured with your car out of commission, you might want a ride to work."
Lena's head tilted to the side, just a bit while she blinked at me. Another smile eased on her lips and I knew she was thinking about last night. "That's so thoughtful of you. I was actually about to call a ride share."
"You can if you want," I replied and finally took a sip of my coffee, needing something to do.
She paused and then waved me in, "I'd rather not, if you don't mind."
Following her inside, I watched the sway of her ass. "I don't mind at all."
Lena took one more sip of her coffee before setting it down. "This is good, thank you."
"You're welcome," I offered.
"I just need to fix my hair, and we can leave."
I nodded and settled on her couch as she disappeared into the bathroom. It became quiet, only the occassional bird chirping outside here and there. Easing the cup to my lips I took another sip and let the heat bloom through my body.
My plan was coming together, nicely.
Lena had let her guard down so quickly.
Too quickly.
Part of me wondered if she suspected anything, but the way she'd smiled at me just now was open, and genuine. All of that told me that she didn't really suspect anything. She was just a woman who thought she'd met someone interesting. Someone who had no problem coming to her rescue.
She had no idea that I’d spend forever if I needed to engineering our little run ins.
That in such a short time, I’d become obsessed.
I could hear water running in the bathroom followed by the soft sounds of her moving around.
My dick stirred.
Last night had been better than I'd imagined. The way she'd responded to my touch, the sounds she'd made. It had left me wondering how tight she'd feel around my dick when I finally slid into her wet and waiting pussy.
Fuck.
I adjusted myself, willing my body to calm down. I couldn't chance her spotting my hard on and freak her the hell out.
No.
It was imperative that Lena continued feeling safe with me.
I heard the water shut off and quickly adjusted my dick. Moments later, Lena emerged, her hair now styled in soft waves that framed her face. She'd added a little makeup, just enough to make her eyes pop.
She looked beautiful.
Mine.
"Ready?" she asked, grabbing her purse and jacket.
"Whenever you are."
As we walked to my truck, I opened the passenger door for her. She paused, looked up at me with those dark eyes that had been haunting my dreams for weeks.
"You're really sweet, you know that?"
Sweet.
If she only knew the things I'd done. The things I'd thought about doing.
"I try," I said instead.
The drive to the gallery was comfortable. Easy. She asked me about my work, and I gave her the rehearsed answers I'd prepared. Finance. Boring. Remote. Nothing that would make her dig deeper.
She told me about a piece she was working on. Some charcoal drawing that wasn't coming together the way she wanted.
She never mentioned the surprise supplies but I continued to listen, genuinely interested. I asked her questions about where she’d lived before coming to Roanoke, the main goal of making her feel anything but creeped out.
That was the key. Making her feel seen. Understood. Special.
When we pulled up to the gallery, she hesitated before getting out.
"Thanks again for the ride. And the coffee."
"It's nothing."
"It's not nothing to me." She reached over, squeezed my hand. "I'll text you when I'm done? If you're still offering rides."
"I'm offering."
Her smile widened and we exchanged phone numbers. "Okay. I'll see you later then."
She climbed out, and I watched her walk to the gallery entrance. Watched the way her hips moved. The way she glanced back once before disappearing inside.
I leaned my head back against the headrest, trying to resist the urge to pull my dick out. The rational part of my brain told me to drive, take my ass home and jack off there. But the irrational part dared me to pull myself out…
Easing my hand down, I palmed myself but finally I drove away and headed back up the mountain.
The second I walked across the threshold, my phone buzzed again. A text from Lena.
Thanks again for this morning. You made my day :)
I stared at that little smiley face.
So innocent.
So naive.
My thumbs eased over the digital keyboard typing a reply.
Anytime. I mean that.
And I did.
I'd be there every morning if that's what it took.
Every evening.
Every moment in between.
Until she couldn't imagine her life without me in it.
Until the thought of leaving made her chest tighten with panic.
Until she realized that everything she needed, everything she'd ever need, was right here.
With me.