Chapter Eleven
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Robert sat next to me. I was humiliated he’d witnessed all that. He probably thought we were all crazy.
Tears rolled down my face, dripping off my jaw and chin. “I’m sorry—”
Before I could finish the sentence, he pulled me into his arms. He cupped the back of my head, letting me press my face into his work shirt. He was warm and strong, and all I wanted to do was sink into him. “Don’t be sorry. There’s nothing to be sorry for.”
My tears were getting his shirt wet, but he didn’t seem to care.
“These past few days have been a headache,” I said. I’ve made you go through so much drama—”
“It’s not your fault,” he murmured, stroking the hair at the back of my head.
“I’m so embarrassed,” I said, voice was muffled because my head was buried in his chest.
“Don’t be,” he said soothingly. “I know what it’s like to have a dysfunctional family. I understand the fighting, the blaming, the hurt feelings.”
“It’s awful,” I admitted. “I should be old enough for it not to affect me anymore, but every insult stings. They’re my family. They should love me more than anyone else.” I sucked in a wobbly breath. “Sometimes I wonder whether they’re right. Whether I’m…”
He pulled me closer. “They’re not. You’re a kind person, Brooke. I’m sorry they can’t see that.”
I wanted to argue, but I didn’t have the strength, and slowly, my tears stopped. I had a headache, the kind I got after crying.
Robert let go of me. As he was pulling away, I gripped his wrists. No. I didn’t want him to go.
He gave me a small smile and pressed a gentle kiss against my forehead. “I won’t be long. I thought you might like a cup of tea. A tablespoon of honey, right?”
A sniffly laugh escaped me. “Right,” I said, touched he remembered.
“I’ll be right back.”
After he was gone, I looked around at my home. I’d have to clean up the mess eventually, but even the prospect of picking up the beer bottles felt like an impossible undertaking.
“Here we go,” Robert said once he returned with a piping hot cup of tea. He sat down next to me and placed the mug in my hands.
I took a sip and managed a smile. “It’s perfect.”
He mirrored my smile. “I pay attention.” His expression turned serious. “You know, you can talk to me about anything.”
I wiped my eyes and drank my tea, fighting the urge to spill everything to him. I didn’t want him to see how pathetic I really was.
“I wanted to work things out with them,” I whispered, staring into my cup. “I actually planned on making an effort to get along with them tonight.”
Robert glanced around with a frown. “But you saw that they didn’t respect your space.”
“I don’t know why I expected anything different. I guess I’m spoiled with you because you’re so tidy,” I replied with a small smile.
Robert rubbed my back as I kept drinking my tea. “It’s a nice place. The last thing I want to do is ruin your home, especially when you were kind enough to share it with me.”
I set my tea cup down and turned to him. “I’m glad you’re here,” I said quietly.
He touched my hand. “I’m so sorry you had to go through all this. I meant what I said Brooke. You don’t deserve your family’s cruelty.”
My heart ached. Here was someone who sympathized with me, who understood how I was feeling. I felt seen in a way I’d never felt before.
I leaned forward and kissed him on the mouth. I didn’t think about it—I just did it. He stiffened, and for a second, I thought he’d pull away. Had I ruined everything? Had I destroyed our growing friendship too?
But a second later, he relaxed and kissed me back, his lips moving slowly and tenderly against mine.
I scooted closer to him, my hand slipping around to the back of his neck. I needed to be closer to him.
As if he could read my thoughts, he grabbed my hips and pulled me into his lap in one swift motion. My legs draped over his, and he put his hand into my hair and cradled me close, kissing away the pain.
Warmth washed over me in waves. This felt so right. I felt safe and protected and cared for as he held me tightly.
I didn’t know how long we kissed for, but eventually, we pulled away to catch our breath. I waited for the awkwardness to hit us, but it never did. Instead, Robert just held me, occasionally stroking my hair.
“What are you thinking?” he asked.
“I’m tired,” I admitted. Everything that had happened with my family had completely exhausted me, and now even my eyelids felt heavy.
“I’ll take you to your room,” he said. He hooked his arms under my knees and neck and rose up from the couch, holding me against his chest as he headed to the bedroom.
I wrapped my arms around his neck. I couldn’t help admiring his strength as he carried me like I weighed nothing.
He laid me down in bed. I was so tired, I didn’t even care I was still in my work clothes. I just wanted to escape into sleep.
He pulled the covers over me, his lips grazing my forehead. “Goodnight,” he murmured.
Just as he took a step away, my hand shot out and grabbed his wrist. “Wait. Don’t go.”
Yes, I was about to fall asleep, but I’d feel better if he was with me. I wanted his arms around me. I wanted to feel safe again.
For so long, I felt like I was floating out at sea. Free, but alone. Surrounded by the unknown.
With him, I felt moored.
He hesitated, but my need must’ve been clear on my face, because he nodded and slipped into bed with me. His arms reached out and pulled me close, and I laid my head against his chest. His heartbeat thumped against my ear, and it helped lull me to sleep.
“Thank you,” I murmured as my eyes fell shut. Only now, I realized how much I’d been wanting this. For a man to hold me, to make me feel cherished.
And not just any man.
Him .
My ex’s father. Someone who was almost stranger.
But he wasn’t a stranger anymore. He became my roommate, and now I considered him a friend.
I hadn’t known him long, but it felt right, lying here with him, and I was asleep within minutes.
The blare of my morning alarm jolted me out of deep sleep. I silenced the alarm on my phone and blinked a few times as I woke up. Morning sunlight peeked through the curtains covering my bedroom windows, filling the room with a hazy golden glow.
My bed felt cozy and warmer than usual. That’s when I noticed the weight on my hip and something firm against my back. My eyes flew wide open as I turned around to look over my shoulder.
It was Robert. He was still asleep, breathing gently, his arm draped over my hip.
Last night, I’d fallen asleep on his chest. That felt like a century ago, and while my cheeks went hot, I didn’t regret asking him to stay.
Last night had been the best sleep I’d had in a while.
For a few minutes, I studied him. He looked younger while sleeping. His features were relaxed, and the fine wrinkles around his eyes seemed to smooth out.
He shifted, and I held my breath, afraid he’d wake up. What would we say to each other? Last night, I’d laid all my cards on the table. I’d kissed him—something I promised myself I wouldn’t do.
And he had kissed me back, so gently and tenderly.
But what would happen when he woke up? Would he say it was a mistake?
Carefully, I untangled myself from his arms and slipped out of bed. There was no point dwelling on what-ifs. I had to get ready for work.
I headed into my ensuite bathroom and took a long shower, washing away all the sadness and stress from the previous evening. I’d have to deal with my family eventually, but for now, I wanted to focus on the positive memories. Robert had known exactly what to do and say to make me feel okay again. I couldn’t help but smile, fuzzy, warm feelings filling my stomach, as I applied my skincare and did my makeup.
When I walked back into the bedroom, though, my smile immediately faded. The bed was empty and neatly made. I wandered around the rest of my apartment, but there was no sign of him. He had already left for work.
Maybe it was for the best. Neither of us had time for an important conversation.
I made myself some coffee, then hurried to Ashcroft, making it there just in time. I threw myself into work, but after a few hours, my mind started to wander.
I hadn’t experienced anything like last night before. It hadn’t been just sexual. Previous boyfriends would make out just to get to the good part, but Robert had kissed me like he’d been craving it. It had been sweet, but also passionate.
When we lay in bed together… it was like we were connected. I felt like he really understood me. That it wasn’t just surface-level attraction, but that he saw into my mind, into my fears and insecurities. Then he had held me and made me feel safe. Like my family’s harsh words couldn’t reach me once I was under his protection.
During lunch, my coworkers made small talk in the shared kitchen. I stabbed at my Caesar salad with a fork, trying not to replay last night’s memories for the fiftieth time.
“Brooke.”
“Huh?” I looked up, blinking.
Ashley gave me a smile. “Lost in thought, huh? I was asking you about your weekend.”
“Oh,” I said. “Same old, same old. I saw my family.”
“That would’ve been nice,” she said, then laughed at my expression. “I get it. They can be annoying as hell, but you gotta love ‘em.”
I forced a chuckle. “Right,” I said.
Everyone complained about their family, but usually it was things like ‘my mom buys me clothes I don’t need’ or ‘my dad doesn’t know how to use apps’ or ‘my aunt keeps on asking when I’m going to get married’.
It was different with my family.
Ashley, sensing I wasn’t very talkative, walked over to a group of associates who were discussing their vacation plans. Some were going skiing in the winter of visiting Europe. I wouldn’t have minded travelling during the holidays, but the prospect wasn’t that exciting when I didn’t have anyone to share it with. Sometimes I’d traveled with Alison and Emilia, but both of them were spending Christmas break with their families.
Soon, lunch ended, and I was back in my office, reading through emails and having phone calls with clients. It came as a shock when I checked the time and saw it was the end of the workday. I packed up and left the office, feeling a surprising amount of anticipation.
Sure, Robert and I had a lot to talk about, but I couldn’t wait to see him. I wanted to hear his voice, see his easy grin.
Once I arrived at the front door of my apartment, my stomach twisted with nervousness. I unlocked the door and heard noise coming from the kitchen.
He was already home.
I found him in the kitchen, and when our gazes met, he seemed to hesitate for a millisecond before smiling. “Hey. I got pizza. I hope that’s okay with you.” He gestured to two large pizza boxes from a local restaurant, stacked on the kitchen counter.
I set down my handbag. “I’d be psychotic if pizza wasn’t okay with me.”
His shoulders relaxed. “I’ll bring it out to the dining table.”
“I’ve got some red wine, if you want it,” I said, pointing to the cupboard where my wine bottles were stored.
I went into my bedroom and changed out of my work clothes into comfortable yoga pants and a sweater. When I returned to the living room, I found Robert sitting at the dining table, the boxes open. The delicious smell of wood-fired oven-baked pizza wafted in the air. He had also poured us both a glass of wine.
“I got Margherita and meat lovers,” he said, gesturing for me to take a slice after I sat down opposite him.
“These are big,” I said, taking a slice of the Margherita, which was made with fresh basil leaves. “Usually, I have a pizza to share.”
“I’ve got a big appetite,” he said.
I chuckled. “Makes sense, after you’ve been working hard all day.”
“You have too,” he said. “Using your brain burns calories, you know.”
We ate in silence for a bit, and the pizza was delicious. Robert devoured his slice in a few seconds, then took a generous sip of his wine. He set the glass down, a crease between his brows. “Should I leave?”
I almost choked on my pizza slice. “What?” I asked, after swallowing.
He looked down at the table. “Because of last night.” He sucked in a breath. “You were emotional, and I… and I understand if you’re not comfortable with having me here—”
“Robert,” I interrupted. “I didn’t kiss you because I was emotional. Yes, that was part of it. I was upset.”
His expression shuttered.
“But,” I continued, “that’s not the only reason why. To be honest… I’ve wanted to kiss you for a while.”
His gaze flitted up to meet mine, his stare intense. “Really?”
I blushed. “Please don’t go. Unless... unless it made you uncomfortable. I know I made the first move. In fact, I practically begged you to stay.” Thinking about it now made my blood run hot. Shit, what if he thought I was some needy woman, desperate for company after my crazy family made me cry?
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “You don’t have to worry about that.”
“So, you’ll stay?”
He smiled at me, but this time it was different from his usual playful grins. It was... shy.
“Yeah. I’ll stay.”
I smiled back at him, and we returned to eating dinner. I sipped on my wine, feeling a massive weight disappear from my shoulders.
“So, is meat lovers your favorite kind of pizza?” I asked after a few minutes.
He shook his head. “Actually, I like the spicier toppings, but I wasn’t sure if you liked spicy food.”
“Sure I do. I’m not the one who choked on wasabi.”
He laughed loudly, remembering our first meal together at the sushi restaurant. “That’s different.”
“Uh-huh,” I said, with mock skepticism.
Just like that, the tension between us faded away, and we were back to teasing each other. Sure, I felt a pang of pain every time I remembered my parents’ anger and disappointed faces. But with Robert right in front of me, it was easy to push those memories to the back of my mind.
After dinner, we settled into our usual nightly routine. We cleared the dining room table and worked on our laptops. I needed to do some research in preparation for tomorrow.
“What are you doing?” I asked, after taking a break in reviewing statutes.
“Doing some paperwork,” he said. “I’ve got to update my health insurance details for my job.”
I nodded. “What company are you working for?”
“Clark and Co. Building,” he said, eyes remaining on his screen.
I hesitated. “You used to have your own construction company, right?” I asked. “I think I remember Mike mentioning it, back when we were in college.”
Robert stiffened ever so slightly. His gaze didn’t shift from the laptop. “I did,” he said in a neutral tone. “I don’t work there anymore, though.”
“Why not?”
He met my eyes and gave me a small smile, but I could tell there was sadness in his eyes. “It belongs to my ex-wife and her husband now.” He pushed his seat back and stood up. “I’m going to get something to drink. Do you want a cup of tea?”
I nodded. “That’d be lovely, thank you.”
I watched him disappear into the kitchen. Since his back was to me, I couldn’t see his expression, but I could tell I’d brought down his mood. I wanted to know exactly what happened to his company, but it was clear he didn’t want to talk about it.
Soon, he returned with a cup of tea for me and a glass of water for himself. We did a bit more work, and I was losing myself in the law when I caught sight of the time in the corner of my screen.
“It’s late,” I said, saving my work and closing my laptop. “I should get ready for bed.”
Robert stifled a yawn and closed his laptop too. “Me too. Got an early start tomorrow.”
We disappeared into our respective rooms. I got changed into my pajama dress, then slid the robe on top before returning to the kitchen to brew another cup of green tea. Robert was already there, putting his glass in the dishwasher.
In silence, I made my tea. As I took a sip, my gaze strayed up to Robert. My heart rate spiked when I saw he was looking at me.
“What?” I asked, my cheeks flushing.
“You’re so beautiful,” he said.
The blush on my face intensified as I looked away from him, losing the fight to my uncontrollable smile. “No…”
“You are,” he insisted. “I’ve been trying to ignore it the whole time I’ve been living here.”
Warmth filled my chest. I’d received compliments from men and boyfriends before, but nothing they’d said had ever made me feel as light and giddy as Robert’s words.
“I was wondering… do you want to stay in my bed again tonight?” I asked.
His eyes glinted with surprise before darkening. He nodded.
I held my hand out to him, and he took it, his huge palm engulfing mine. I led him into my bedroom, my heart pounding. Every fiber of my body wanted to be close to him again.
If I was honest with myself, this was what I had been waiting for all day.
Robert shut the bedroom door behind us, and I sucked in a breath. Everything was about to change.