5. Nix
five
nix
I watched her walk through her apartment after her shower, and I could almost smell the scent of her body wash from my car. I knew it was my mind playing tricks on me. Reminding me of the things I’d smelled while I was in her home, but it didn’t stop my mouth from watering.
My hands clenched tightly while I stared up at the open windows. She moved around her space, so deep in her head, she had forgotten to shut the goddamn curtains. She never forgot to do that shit. My girl was all about routine, and when I watched her stare out the window, I knew she was all out of sorts.
And I only had myself to blame.
I tore my gaze away from her to the area around me. There weren’t many people out. Mostly some coming and going, but it didn’t stop me from worrying about some creep staring up and watching my girl in a moment they weren’t supposed to .
You are the creep , a voice reminded me, but instead of scowling, I found myself smirking. Pride at the fact I was indeed the guy who was watching her. The one who would keep watching her. My little kitten showed me her itty-bitty claws for the first time tonight. Something that usually would have been a turn-off I found had the opposite effect on me.
Hanging up on me and ending the call had fucking turned me on. I shook my head. She’d shocked me, almost pissed me off. I’d been half tempted to climb up the stairs her fourth floor walkup, three at a time, and pound on her door to ask her what the hell she was thinking.
Maybe we can talk next week or something. The words replayed in my mind, and that smirk grew to a grin.
Did she really think I would just stop talking to her? That I’d let her put space between us? Maybe if she had pulled this shit a couple of days ago, before I decided I wasn’t going to walk away. Before I decided she was mine.
But even then, I had a feeling I would have kept my distance for a couple of days before I barged back into her life.
Vivi Delacruz had no idea of the animal she’d brought to life that cold night. Now she would be back on my territory. Right or wrong, I had no choice. Lines I could never come back from were about to be crossed. I was going to put everything on the line.
I wasn’t a normal guy. I’d never been.
Dating hadn’t called me. I’d hooked up with women, but it was always without strings attached. I’d never been the wine-and-dine-them person. Not to mention the one time I tried, my marriage had imploded in my face. If I was honest, it had never been right because it wasn’t with Vivi.
Vivi and her gentle eyes and kind spirit were made for me. She was the light that would kill off the dark corners of my soul. She was mine. I could have tried to do things the right way. Talk to her. Let her get to know me all over again. Pray she never found out about me being the man who had been texting and calling her, but fuck that.
I’d never considered myself a patient man, and less so when it came to her. She was going to be at the precinct at a time of night when hardly anyone was there.
That is my chance.
I was going to be putting my badge in jeopardy, and if things didn’t turn out the way I wanted, I might even face jail time. I knew myself enough to know that nothing would change my mind.
The grin I had on my face turned into a full-blown smile, something I wasn’t used to doing but I had a feeling I’d be doing more of in my near future.
Vivi was mine.
And come Monday morning, she would be under my roof and in my bed.
Whether she wanted to be or not.