Chapter 20 #2
“My dad and younger brother run the family’s car repair shop.”
She seems to take a moment to process that before she gives me a funny look.
“Wait a minute. Is that where you took my car? You drove it all the way to New Mexico and back?”
I look down and laugh. “Yeah. It wasn’t my greatest idea, but it felt right in the moment.”
“You’re crazy. You know that, right?” Her eyes soften. “But I also never said thank you.”
My shoulder rises and fall. “You don’t need to.”
“Well, thank you anyway.” Her phone buzzes on the table which pulls her focus from me and I’m tempted to throw it across the room to keep her attention. She grabs it and groans. “Shit. That’s Monica just reminding me about opening tomorrow. I should probably be responsible and get to bed.”
She wiggles out from behind me and climbs off the couch. Felix rolls over and gets up with her. I grab Oscar and curl her into the crook of my elbow and sigh. “Well, let me walk you to your door at least.”
“That’s a long walk. You think I might get mugged on the way there?” She looks to her apartment door on the other side of my living room and back to me.
I shake my head and stand up. “No, but I’m worried some other pretty boy might ask for your number.”
Her teeth dig into her bottom lip and I can tell she’s fighting a smirk. “Not likely. Still very much single and not really doing anything about it.”
I nearly jump for joy at that piece of information being offered up to me.
“Nice to know the club has another member.” I toss her a wink before gesturing with my free hand to the door across the room. “Now, shall we?”
Her eyes roll back and she shakes her head. “Seriously, you’re lucky you’re so pretty because you’re a dork with no game.”
With Felix by her side, she walks across the room to the open door to her apartment. I still remember when Slade and I decided to keep that existing door in the second floor layout. That was when we thought he’d actually visit and want to stay there. Now, I’m glad as hell that we kept it.
I follow her, like Felix, and almost run into her when she stops just before the doorway. At least tonight I stop in time to avoid face planting into her perfect ass, which I actually wouldn’t mind.
She turns to face me, leaning against the doorframe, her arms folded over her chest. Her black tank top is cut low enough that I can see part of the tattoo that I know she has between her breasts.
Even though they’re small, thinking about the way they fit perfectly in my palms make my cock twitch.
It’s fucking getting a workout in my jeans and I know I’m going to have to take care of myself in the shower later.
At least this time, I’ll have a fresh image to think about.
“I meant it.” I look up and I don’t even hide that I was checking her out this time. “Thank you.”
I step toward her, leaving just inches between us. “And I meant it—don’t thank me.”
She looks down her nose at me and I take a little pleasure in being just as stubborn as her.
I keep looking right into her eyes and swallow hard when I breathe in that scent that’s been haunting me.
The ghost of coffee and honey from being in the coffee shop all day, mixed with just a hint of something I still can’t place.
Right now, all I want to say is ‘fuck it’ and kiss her.
I want to taste her again.
Fucking hell, Sutton. It’s too early to make a move on her. She’s just now talking to you again. Build up some goddamn rapport.
Then again, I haven’t been good at hiding how I feel, and she hasn’t exactly told me off… yet. I don’t know what the hell to do anymore.
While I’m in the middle of my existential meltdown, she looks back into my apartment. “I like what you did with the place.”
I snap myself out of my terrible pep talk to follow her gaze. I don’t think of my apartment as being particularly fancy. “Thanks. I love it. It’s a good home.”
She nods. “Yeah. It’s not what I expected.”
“Really? What did you expect?” I tilt my head, not sure what she meant by that.
“It’s different than I thought it would be. It’s nicer, homier. I don’t know, it’s just not what I expected from someone like you.”
I feel my brows knit together. “Someone like me, Shadow?”
She shrugs nonchalantly, mischief in her eyes. “Yeah. A tourist. Someone that’s not here all the time, not a local. And you need to come up with something better than Shadow.”
I rear back, caught off guard by her comment. “You still think that about me? Even after what I’ve told you?”
I see the look in her eyes that tells me she knows she messed up. She might have been trying to toy with me, but it still hurts. I thought I was making progress with her. I thought I’ve been making it clear that I am more invested in this place and I only leave because I have to.
Maybe I need to make it clearer.
I lean forward, leaving no space between us. At six-foot-three, I tower over her average height and I plan on taking full advantage of that.
“I call you Shadow because that’s exactly what you are to me.
You are the black cat that’s lived in the shadows of every thought, every dream, every waking moment of my life since that night two years ago.
Every time I think I’ve gotten you out of my mind, I feel you there, following me like the damn shadow you are.
Every time there’s something good breathing light into my life, you’re the shadow that follows it, reminding me that things could be even better. ”
Her lips part at my confession. I take a deep breath and ignore the many parts of me that want to press my lips to hers. I even let her think that’s what I’m going to do when I tilt her chin up to look at me.
She still says nothing, so I fill the hot, charged, empty air between us. “Get some sleep, Shadow. It seems like I have work to do showing you where my loyalties lie.” I savor the bewildered look in her eyes before turning to head to my bedroom at the back of my apartment.
I hear her door shut, but just like the other night, I notice she doesn’t lock it.
I might have just cost myself a shot with her any time soon, but I’ll still count it as a win that she doesn’t feel the need to lock her door.