Chapter 27 Quite the Arm #2
She turned back, facing forward, and stared out the windshield, so I put the car in drive and drove us the rest of the way back to her place. Three solid minutes of silence, and I was starting to believe I’d ruined everything.
Most people didn’t enjoy being stalked on this many levels, and I’m sure she’d realized I’d broken a few laws to obtain all of that information, but I wanted—no, needed—to know her. Truly and completely, no secrets, know her.
I parked the car and turned it off, fully preparing to just lift her back up over my shoulder and carry her up the stairs, locking us both in her apartment with no escape until she decided we were indeed meant to be, but the train of thought was halted when she finally spoke.
“It isn’t fair.”
“What isn’t fair, little flame?”
“You know all this shit about me, and what do I know about you? Aside from how you like your dick sucked and who your siblings are.” She stared at me, her eyes finally starting to clear, and I smiled.
“Invite me upstairs and I’ll tell you anything you want to know,” I said confidently.
She let out a huff and rolled her eyes. “Fine, but don’t get any ideas. Questions, sex, you get the fuck out.”
I jumped out of the Jeep and was on her side of the vehicle, opening her door, before she could get fully unbuckled.
“Is this the whole Prince Charming routine?”
I smirked. “It can be whatever routine you want, little flame. I’ll be your prince if that’s what you need, but truly, I think I prefer more of the villain routine.”
Ember shook her head and climbed out of the Jeep while I closed the door behind her, and we walked to the bakery’s front door and into the dark building. She locked the door behind us and led me upstairs. Another lock and key later, I was in her apartment. Finally.
“Well make yourself at home. Being the stalker that you are, I’m sure you already know where everything is,” she said, her tone full of sass, as she started unzipping the back of her dress.
I looked around quickly because she was correct.
I did already know where everything was and what it looked like.
It was a one bedroom, one bathroom, open concept living room and kitchen that was covered in wood floors, big windows, exposed brick, and darkly accented walls.
She loved gold picture frames, plants, and small accented pieces that brought the place together—like her little random disco balls and cat statues in yoga poses.
Small things that screamed Ember to anyone who knew her.
However, I wanted to have something smart to say back, ask her how she figured it all out, but words were lost on me as the skimpy piece of silver hit the floor and she stood there in nothing but a sheer white thong.
“Uh, are you…” I stuttered.
“Nope! Questions first, and depending upon your answer, we’ll do something besides chat,” she interrupted.
I swallowed roughly and pulled a chair out from her dining room table. Making myself comfortable, I sat down, straddling the back so I could stare at the goddess that she was without being able to easily close the distance between us like I desperately wanted to.
“Go ahead, my stunning goddess of a woman.”
It was hard to tell in this light, but I could’ve sworn she was blushing.
“Fine. Favorite color?”
“Perfect first question, Ember,” I purred. “Well, it used to be blue, but now I’m more fond of brown—the pretty kind with flecks of gold in it.”
She shook her head, the disbelief clear on her face. “Favorite food?”
“Sushi. Love it, can’t get enough of it. Finish it off with one of your cinnamon rolls? Man in heaven.”
“For fuck sake, Wyatt,” she muttered. “What did you want to be when you were little?”
“Like dream career as a kid?” She nodded. “Hm, easy. Astronaut.”
She giggled. “Why?”
I smiled. “I’m a boy. Don’t we all want to be astronauts, race car drivers, or firefighters?”
She shook her head. “You’re ridiculous. What made you get into computers?”
“Oh, more complicated. Well, I wouldn’t say I wanted to get into them.
I was a cocky little shit as a teenager, and I enjoyed seeming like the smartest one in the room even if I wasn’t.
Cyber security analyst just sounds smart, don’t ya think?
” Smirking, I threw her a wink and wondered just how much of that she believed.
“I think you’re full of shit, and I want real answers, Wyatt Carragan.” She leaned against the counter, one foot crossed over the other as she stared me down. “Tell me a secret no one else knows.”
I swallowed and thought for a moment about what I could say.
I didn’t have many secrets, not really. Rowan knew just about everything there was to know about me, so only one thing came to mind.
“When I was a kid, my mom bought us a Rubik’s Cube.
I solved it in one night, and the next morning, when Mom saw, she started telling everyone I was the smart one in the family, when really I wasn’t.
I’d just peeled off all the stickers and put them back in order to make it look like I beat the stupid thing. ”
Her eyes widened. “Wyatt, that’s horrible.” She said it was horrible, but she was laughing, so I shrugged.
I shrugged. “Maybe, but it gave me the drive and desire to push and truly become the smartest one in the room. I never wanted to disappoint my Mama. Tech felt like a solid industry to jump into, where I wouldn’t disappoint her and end up as a bum.
Down the line, I ended up being good at it too.
That’s the real answer to your question, Ms. Brady. ”
She stared at me for another moment. “How many serious relationships have you had?” she shot back.
I couldn’t help but smile. “You.”
She bit her lip, but I still saw the corners of her mouth edge up. “We aren’t in a relationship.”
“Oh yes the fuck we are, Ember. The last one we’ll both ever be in. Might as well get that through your gorgeous skull now,” I countered.
She sighed and dropped her head back, but I knew she was hiding a smile beneath all those huffs of air. “Fine, besides me.”
I chuckled. “You, little flame. Just you.”
Her eyes narrowed on me, and I knew she was picking her next words carefully.
“Why?” she finally questioned. “I don’t mean that to sound rude, but what’s wrong with you?”
My hand hit my chest as if I’d been injured.
“Ouch!” I laughed and dropped my hand back to the back of the chair.
“Nothing is wrong with me, brat. I just haven’t found a woman whom I enjoyed enough to see more than a few times.
As I told you, I work a lot, and I’m not na?ve; a relationship is work.
My job has always been more important to me, so I haven’t been interested in pursuing anything beyond casual. ”
She nodded slowly. “Until me?”
“Until you.”
She leisurely started walking towards me, her bare feet padding along the wooden floorboards, hips swaying in a way no woman should be physically able because it was just too cruel.
Stopping a few inches away from me, I could feel the heat radiating off her bare skin, my fingers twitching to grab her.
I looked up, eyes locking with hers as she lifted a single finger only to run it from my temple and down my jawline.
“Well, I must be something special, Wyatt,” she whispered.
Having her fingers on me while she whispered my name like that? I could be content with just this tonight, but I was a greedy man, and I didn’t want to be just content. I wanted it all.
“Tell me you don’t want this Ember, and I’ll leave,” I whispered back, my voice deeper than it typically was as the tension between us grew.
Her hand dropped down to her side, and my heart almost dropped, but she shrugged with a knowing smirk and then turned to walk towards her bedroom door.
Standing up out of the chair, I placed it calmly back where it went under the table before I sprinted up behind her, picking her up bridal style and spinning her around with a chuckle. Her arms shot around my neck as she let out a yelp of surprise.
“Wyatt!!”
I laughed, fully and completely, before I stood with her at the edge of her bed. Both our chests heaved as we locked eyes. The only light coming into the room was from the windows along her far bedroom wall, but our gazes locked, the moment turning serious.
“Tell me what you want, Ember,” I whispered.
“I don’t want anything to change,” she replied back. “But I also don’t want to be the other girl, Wyatt.”
I stared at her, trying to decipher what she meant, but she pushed herself from my arms, and I released her, letting her stand up in front of me. I thought she’d take a step back, but she stood there, her head stopping just at my shoulders, still in her heels as she stared up at me.
“If you want to fuck other people, tell me now,” Ember snapped.
I couldn’t help myself; a smile started curving across my face. “And you think I’d allow you to fuck other people?”
Her eyes widened and her lips parted before she smacked me—open-handed, across the face—causing my head to snap to the side. “Fuck you, Wyatt Carragan. Get the fuck out.”
My eyes slowly returned to hers, and I couldn’t help the smile that overtook my face. “Remember what I told you before, little flame?”
She glared at me, her face saying everything her bratty attitude wasn’t allowing her to speak aloud.
“You’re more than welcome to try to get rid of me, Ember, but good luck,” I repeated my earlier comment to her with a smirk. “I suggest you prepare yourself, little flame. You don’t want anything to change? Nothing will. Get on your knees.”