Chapter 21
Lila
I still wasn’t one hundred percent after the home invasion.
Hell, I wasn’t even sleeping at the cottage, and now Mia had handed over something from the post office that had raised even more of an alarm.
It had just been a single card in a mail envelope from our PO Box for the shop, with the single word typed on it.
LEAVE
I wasn’t going to make a big deal about it, but next time I saw Wade, I’d pass it along. The card was sitting on my office desk right now in a plastic baggie, not that I thought there were any fingerprints on it. Honestly, I felt like I was about two steps from a nervous breakdown.
Giving another shiver, I locked up the store, the jangling bell over the door echoing against the wood as I yanked it shut.
My hands still smelled of cinnamon and vanilla, even after I wiped every counter and scrubbed the bakery trays.
There was comfort in that scent, but lately even the familiar had started to feel unsettled.
I tucked the keys into my pocket and looked down the street.
Most of the stores were dark, except for the glow from a few streetlights.
Usually, that was enough to make me feel safe, but tonight I still felt uneasy about walking the few blocks home, and that made me mad.
I wrapped my jacket tighter as if it could serve as protection, trying to hold on to the anger instead of the fear.
“Leaving late again?” The voice came from across the street, low and steady. I flinched before I recognized the shape of him leaning against his truck. His arms were crossed, jaw set, like he had been waiting.
“East?” I swallowed hard. “What are you doing here? You spying on me now? Going full-on stalker? I could be into that.” I kicked in a little smile and made my way over to him, making sure to take my time to give him a long, admiring look.
Interest lit his eyes, and he shifted a little.
“Checking in,” he said simply. He didn’t even act like it wasn’t weird to stalk a woman outside her workplace.
His gaze swept the empty street, sharp and assessing.
“You shouldn’t be walking home alone this late.
Not after what happened. Don’t you have a car? ”
My back straightened at the insinuation that I couldn’t take care of myself.
Of course, I had a car. I just didn’t bring it.
It was only four blocks. My stomach twisted at the memory of my cottage ransacked, my cheek still a little tender from the blow.
I tugged the jacket tighter and forced a breezy tone.
“I have walked this street every night for years, Easton. I know every crack in the sidewalk and every light that flickers. I’ve been fine.
” The mad suddenly went out of me. I wasn’t sure why I was giving him grief for checking on me when I was glad that he was here.
“You got Maggie home okay after book club, I guess.”
It had only been an hour, so he’d had plenty of time to make the round trip, but I was still surprised to see him. Really surprised.
“Being fine is not the point,” he countered. Apparently, he wasn’t going to let me change the topic. If I had a little red flag, I would wave it in his face. “The point is someone broke into your house and put their hands on you. They still haven’t found the person responsible, right?”
Heat crept up my neck. “You do realize I have lived here my whole life, right? I know how to lock a door. Anyway, it’s been a while, and it was probably a case of mistaken identity or something.
I don’t have anything worth stealing.” I shrugged, unsure what he wanted me to do. Denial wasn’t just a river in Egypt.
“You also thought you were safe in that house,” he said.
His voice dropped, softer now, but no less intense.
His eyes softened a little, and he tugged at the stubble on his chin.
Sexy stubble that always looked good on him.
“You weren’t. Tonight was your first late night at work.
” He shrugged. “You stayed open for book club.”
The words cut through my bravado. I looked away first, fiddling with the strap of my bag. “So what are you suggesting? You stand guard outside my cottage like some kind of grumpy watchdog?”
His mouth twitched. Almost a smile. “Maybe that’s a good idea.”
I snorted, but it came out weak. “You’re ridiculous.”
He shrugged, pushing off the truck. “Come on. I’ll drive you.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but the look on his face made the words dry up. He wasn’t asking. And the truth was, the thought of the dark walk home alone made my shoulders tighten.
Earlier, I’d told myself that I was going to stay at home, but I wasn’t sure I’d be able to. I should have opened my mouth and told East that I still wasn’t staying there, so he wouldn’t have worried, but I kind of liked that he was.
The walk would have been short, just a few blocks lined with wet pavement and scattered leaves, but I was glad to get into the warm cab of his truck, especially after that weird letter I’d gotten.
It was the first time someone had opened the door for me, helping me settle onto the bench seat and making sure I fastened my seatbelt.
He leaned on the metal frame as he watched me fumble.
“It’s tricky. Just give it an extra yank.
” He demonstrated, pulling it across my body, leaning in close enough that I almost held my breath, not because I didn’t want him close, but because I did.
My heart thumped wildly in my chest. East was so solid and smelled so good.
“There all safe.” He gave me a sultry look as he pulled back, and for a hot second I thought he was going to lean in and kiss me.
All my good intentions about avoiding Sage’s brother were quickly falling apart. I knew she’d be totally on board with it. That was the thing, but a part of me wondered if it would change our dynamic, and I didn’t want to risk losing our friendship.
“Yep, that’s me. All safe.” The words were stupid and came out too bright, and his chuckle just reinforced that he knew that I was affected.
When we reached the cottage, the porch light was on, which settled my nerves.
“Let me walk you up.” He shifted the truck into park. “I’ll come around.”
The headlights highlighted the angles of his face and the twitch of his jaw as he circled the car.
The door swung open, and I fumbled with the latch of the seatbelt, feeling embarrassed that I hadn’t already been working on it while he was coming around.
Now it looked like I was sitting there like an idiot, hoping he’d unbuckle it for me.
“Let me,” he brushed my fingers aside, leaning in close enough that his whiskers lightly brushed against my cheek.
I was going to combust on the spot. “I can do it.”
“I’ve got it. Just an extra minute. I’m enjoying myself.” His fingers paused, and his cheek leaned against mine—not fully touching, just enough to brush up against me. His body leaning over mine made me want to arch up into him for more. My thighs clenched.
My breath quickened as his lips dusted over my neck, almost casually, when the release button clicked. “There you go.”
My legs were shaky as we walked up to the door, and I unlocked it. “I appreciate you getting me home.” Flickering on the lights, I tried to ignore the chill that went through me as I stepped inside. I wasn’t sure that I felt comfortable sleeping here tonight.
“It wasn’t a problem.” He slid the door shut behind him with a click. “I’ve been thinking about you. Maybe I could get your number?” Those sexy lips of his quirked up as he held his phone to me. “Could you put your contact in for me?”
Taking his phone from him as a tiny thrill ran through me at his request, I hedged, “You’re Sage’s brother.” I bit my lip.
“So?” he looked confused.
“She’s my best friend.” I willed him to understand.
“Okay…?”
“Maybe it isn’t a good idea for me to get involved with my best friend’s brother.” The thought sent a pang through me. His brows furrowed.
“I love my sister, and you’re her friend. That’s a bonus. She told me I should ask you out, so I don’t think she has a problem with it.”
I should have stepped away then and told him to go home. In some ways, it settled something that Sage had told him to ask me out, but she and I still needed to have real girl talk about it. Instead, I stood frozen, my pulse loud in my ears, wanting him to take that step.
His hand lifted, hesitating for a moment, before brushing away a stray piece of hair that had stuck to my cheek. His touch was rough and calloused, yet gentle as he angled his body closer. “I’ve thought about this moment,” he whispered. “You and me. More than I should have. Touching you.”
He edged a little closer.
I wasn’t a short woman by traditional standards, but East was well over six feet and made me feel deliciously small.
The kind of man with whom I could wear heels if I were into that sort of thing, or had a place to wear them to.
Goosebumps broke out along my arms as I anticipated his lips on mine.
My last kiss hadn’t been much to write home about, but this one gave me a good feeling.
“You have? I haven’t thought about it at all.” I moved closer and wrapped my arms around his neck, my fingers tracing against the edges of his collar. He was solid and warm. Very solid. His muscles flexed under his shirt. God, he was sexy.
“Is that so?” His hands tipped down to my hips. “At all? Not even a little bit.” He yanked me closer, and the world tilted as his hands dipped into my pockets. “Thinking about you in that costume makes me a little crazy.”
“Oh yeah? You like the dino, or was it the blow-up part that makes you crazy? I had no idea you were into that.”
He huffed a laugh. “That part. The crazy part. All of who you are is …” Then his mouth was on mine as his hands came back up and around my back, curling over my shoulders.