Twenty-Five
Clover
Rock didn’t seem thrilled that we were leaving the office, but he also didn’t try to stop us. Not that I would have let him. The truth is . . . I’m drained.
Being around everyone is starting to suffocate me. They’re all very nice and I like Edith and Bex, but I’ve been in performance mode since we got to the office.
But when I slip behind Thor and wrap my arms around his solid frame, everything in the world suddenly feels right again. Being with Thor is surprisingly easy. Being with him doesn’t suffocate me or make me feel as if I’m drowning. Thor’s presence is like a soothing balm to my anxious heart. When I’m with him, I don’t want to be anywhere else.
Thor drives us away from the office and the farther we get, the lighter my heart becomes. I tighten my hold around his waist, enjoying the feel of being pressed against him. He grabs my gloved hand with his, intertwines our fingers, and holds our clasped hands to his chest, sending a rush of warmth throughout my body. Can he feel how fast my heart is racing against his back ?
He holds me there a moment longer before patting my hand and grabbing hold of the handlebars again. Neither of us have spoken since we rode out of the parking lot. It’s as if he knows I only need the sound of the tires against the blacktop to renew my spirits, and I appreciate it more than words can say.
We drive around for another ten minutes before he speaks. “So, where are we going, Love?”
“On an adventure? I assumed you knew where you were whisking me away to.”
He chuckles. “We could go to the Dragon’s Lair. I think you’d like that.”
I wrinkle my nose, though he can’t see. “What’s that?”
“Rage room. Chantelle goes there with some of the Denver Dragons.”
“You know the hockey players?”
His shoulder lifts in a slight shrug. “Some of them. Not that well, though. Chantelle is best friends with one of the wives, so our paths cross from time to time. Do you like hockey?”
“Uh . . . the game? Sure. Going to the game with all those people? Not on your life.”
Thor laughs. “Noted. No hockey game dates.” I freeze at his words, but he continues. “But I do have some tickets.”
“To the hockey game?”
“Something better.”
“If you say something ridiculous like ‘to the gun show,’ I’m going to slap you.”
“Nah, Love. You don’t need tickets for that. You have a free lifetime pass.”
I slap him on the back of the helmet as he laughs, and I can’t help but chuckle along. I wrap one arm back around his waist, but before I can reach my other arm around, Thor grabs my hand and pulls it over his shoulder. He runs his gloved fingers over my hand and forearm, and though I can’t feel his calloused fingertips on my skin, I shiver at the contact.
“Do you trust me?” he asks, giving my hand a squeeze before returning his hand to the handlebars.
“Yes.” My response is instant, and I smile to myself. Maybe I’ll eventually regret opening my heart to this man, but a deep hope settles within me, promising that Thor is different than anyone I’ve met before.
Thor reaches back, rubbing my thigh briefly, but the touch is enough to have my chest expanding as my breath catches in my throat. Whether Angie is caught or not, Thor being my bodyguard won’t last forever. And I’m anxious for that day because all I can think about is having him wrap me in his massive arms as he presses his lips to mine.
Leaning into him, I tighten my grip as we drive into the parking lot of an older building. “Is that a theater?” I straighten to get a better look.
“Yup.” He parks and puts the kickstand down, then he flips his visor up and turns to me. “Want to go watch a play?”
Tears burn my eyes, and I nod. “I’d love that. ”
Once we’re in our seats, Thor leans over and whispers, “They’re going out of business.”
I gasp. “What? Why?” My gaze drifts around the large room and center stage that’s reminiscent of eras gone by. It’s as if I’ve stepped into a theater from the 1800s. I love it. “It’s beautiful.”
Thor shrugs. “I read that the owners are retiring and no one wants to take over since the newer theaters have larger productions.”
Frowning, I shake my head. “That’s such a shame. This place has history. It could be something really great.”
“Agreed.” Thor gives me a side-eyed glance. “In the right hands.”
I sigh. “Thor, we talked about this.”
“It was only a suggestion, Love. I just hate seeing a place like this bulldozed down and turned into a shopping center. Or worse, abandoned and forgotten.”
I glance around, my chest constricting at the thought of this place forgotten to time and modern entertainment. Thor doesn’t say anything else, and soon, the play starts. It’s an amazing play, and the longer I sit here, the more Thor’s words settle deep into my heart, and I wonder if maybe he’s right. Maybe I can overcome my fears and do something spectacular with this little piece of history.