by R. Linda
“Don’t worry about it.” Jeremy opened my door for me.
“What was that about?” I asked when Jeremy climbed in beside me and started the car.
“You.”
“Me? He gave you the talk, didn’t he?” I dropped my head into my hands in embarrassment. The fact Ryder tried to intimidate Jeremy, a guy who was not only four years older, but spent eight years in prison, was almost laughable.
“He did. I respect that. Should have heard what I said to Nate when I found out about him and Harper.”
“Ryder didn’t scare you off? We’ve only been hanging out a couple weeks.”
“I don’t scare easily. And we’ve hung out more than just a couple weeks. I’ve been in town for almost two months now, and you were always at the roadhouse.”
“True, but I guess I didn’t count that since that was always with Harper.”
“Ah, so, you mean dating?” He pulled the car to the curb in front of our apartment building.
“What? No. I, umm…”
“Do you want to go on a date with me, babe?” Jeremy turned in his seat. His eyes darkened, and he pinched his bottom lip between his fingers as he studied me in the glow of the streetlight.
“Depends.” I leaned in closer until we were almost face to face. His scent drove me crazy. I wanted to bathe in it.
“On what?”
“Where you’d take me, Casanova.”
“Anywhere you want.”
“Good answer.”
Jeremy opened the door and climbed out, and before I could pick up my bag, he was opening my door and holding his hand out to help me.
“And they say chivalry is dead.”
Jeremy scoffed. “They’re idiots. How else am I going to get you out of those pants?”
We walked inside and up the stairs in silence. It wasn’t even a date, and the butterflies in my stomach were going crazy. My palms were slick with sweat, and I discreetly tried to wipe them on my dress. Would he try to kiss me? Did I want him to?
I snorted.
Of course, I did.
“What’s so funny?”
“Umm…you don’t want to know,” I said, pausing at my door and picking at my midnight blue nail polish.
“Well, now I really do.” He grabbed my hands and brought them to his chest.
“Fine.” I licked my lips. “Just running through different scenarios in my head. Wondering whether you’d kiss me good night, or whether I’d want you to.”
Jeremy leaned in, his hips pressing into mine and his arms braced on the door beside my head. He was intoxicating. “And do you want me to?”
“A lady never divulges her secrets.” If I tilted my head just a fraction, we’d be kissing, but I didn’t. I wanted him to make the first move.
“I can play hard to get too.” He kissed my cheek and stepped back. My eyes widened in shock. That was not how I imagined that moment going, but Jeremy looked all too pleased with his restraint.
“Good night, babe.” He folded his arms behind his back and walked the few feet to his apartment.
“’Night,” I mumbled and shoved my key in the lock. Jeremy chuckled and blew me a kiss. I flipped him off. Him and his stupid handsome face.
Opening the door to my apartment, I fumbled for the light switch and flicked it on. A scream erupted, and I jumped back. My heart was in my throat, hands trembling.
“Kenzie!” Jeremy called and ran straight for me. His arms supported my weight as my legs gave way and I collapsed against his chest. It couldn’t be. How was it even possible? “What’s wrong? Talk to me.”
I couldn’t even get the words out.
“Hello, Kenzie.” Chace smiled from his position on my sofa. “Thought we could have a chat.”
“What the fuck?” Jeremy whipped around to see Chace, calm as could be, sitting cross-legged in my living room, his fingers steepled and his chin resting atop them. Jeremy pushed me gently into the wall across the hall, and then he charged into my apartment.
He grabbed Chace by the scruff of his shirt, lifted him out of his seat, and threw him over the back of the sofa. I gasped and covered my mouth with my hand, impressed at his sheer, masculine strength. He had Chace pinned to the ground and punched him in the face.
“How did you get in here?” he hissed, but Chace just smiled and laughed.
Jeremy punched him again and repeated the question. And again, Chace just laughed, spitting blood and taunting Jeremy even more.
I crept into the room and watched as Jeremy pounded Chace over and over until I couldn’t take it anymore. “How the hell did you get into my apartment, Chace?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know, babe?” He seethed. “You sure move fast, don’t you? Spread your legs for anyone who smiles in your direction. Don’t know why I’m wasting my time. The kid probably isn’t even mine, anyway.”
Jeremy punched him again, and the sound of a bone cracking echoed around the apartment. I sighed. Who’d have thought the sounds of bones breaking would be so satisfying? I approached them cautiously, watching Chace’s deranged smile. He was enjoying every moment. Lifting my foot, I brought it down over his neck.
The thing I usually hated about stilettos was the one thing I was grateful for right then. They got stuck in small spaces all the time. I pressed my heel down, the spike of the stiletto digging into the base of Chace’s throat, in the hollow spot between the collarbones.
He gasped and coughed. He tried to push my leg away, but Jeremy shifted and pinned his arms down as well. I wasn’t sure how much pressure I could put on his neck before I cut off the air, but I was willing to find out. Happily. With a smile.
“How did you get into my apartment?” I asked in a sickly-sweet voice.
Chace coughed and wheezed. I guessed I was beginning to cut off his oxygen. I smiled again. Good.
“You have no idea who owns this building, do you?” He laughed bitterly.
“What?”
Chace nodded as realisation dawned on me. “This is my parents’ building. They bought it years ago, before you and your brother had them run out of town.”
It wasn’t possible. The guy who looked after the building wasn’t Chace’s dad. He was old. Like, really old, and didn’t have a clue what he was doing.
“No.” I wouldn’t believe it.
“Yes. How else do you think I got a key? It really wasn’t that hard either.”
No. No. No. If he had access to the building whenever he wanted, Cole and I’d never be safe. But it all made sense. That was how he knew where I lived. How he found me so easily.
“You stole the key?”
“More like borrowed, but Jenkins wouldn’t have a clue what I was using it for. I told him I needed the master set to do some maintenance. The old fool thought I was here to fix the water heater.”
“What do you want?” I whispered.
“To talk about my son.”
“You think I’m going to let you see Cole after you’ve been stalking me and broke into my apartment?”
“Technically, it wasn’t a break-in.”
“You shouldn’t be here.”
“You didn’t leave me a choice,” he yelled and struggled against Jeremy’s hold until I lost my balance and stumbled into the back of the sofa.
“You’re absolutely insane. Why would I let my son anywhere near you when you’ve never once tried to reach out or contact him until now? You don’t want a kid. You never did, and you’re sure as hell not stable enough to be a father. Now, get out of my apartment before I call the cops.” I kicked him once for good measure and crossed the room, wanting as much distance between us as possible.
Jeremy stood and pulled Chace to his feet, twisting his arm behind his back and shoving him out the door.
“I’ll be back. You can’t get rid of me that easily. I see everything, Kenzie.”
“You pack a fucking bag. Now,” Jeremy said to me and then pushed Chace down the hallway.
I didn’t need to be told twice.
Chapter Sixteen
Jeremy
Kenzie was in her room when I returned from kicking Chace out of the building. I didn’t hesitate to sweep her into my arms and hold her. I couldn’t believe the dude had the guts to enter her apartment and wait for her.
I felt sick thinking about what could have happened had I not been there when she got home. I knew one thing for sure. She wasn’t returning to this apartment until the locks were changed and Chace was gone. There was no telling what he would do next.
“We should have called the cops. You okay?” I whispered, running my hands through her hair.
“Yeah, a little rattled, but more disturbed than anything, and we can go to the cops tomorrow.” She pulled out of my arms to snatch her bag from the bed.
“We can?” She looked too happy and hopeful.
Sliding her phone out, she pressed a few buttons and I heard Chace’s voice echoing from the speaker. “You recorded it?”
She nodded. “Yeah. Hopefully, it’ll be enough to get a restraining order or something.”
“Good thinking.”
“I’m all packed. Thank you for tonight, Jeremy. For being there when I needed you.”
“Any time.” I wrapped an arm around her and walked her out of her apartment, locking the door behind us.
Kenzie turned toward the stairs.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Kenzie shrugged. “To wake Ryder.”
“No. You’re not leaving my sight. Not tonight.” I grabbed her hand and pulled her to my door.
“Are you sure?” she asked as I opened the door.
“Yes. Chace could come back anytime. He could be outside waiting in the bushes, for all we know. Do you really want to risk him following you to Ryder’s house, where Cole is?”
“No.”
“Then it’s settled. You’ll stay here tonight, and tomorrow we’ll go to the police station and show them that recording, then we’re going to buy new locks for your door so Chace can’t get in again.”
“Are you always this bossy?”
“When it comes to someone I care about, you bet your ass I am.” I pulled her to me.
“Well, I like it. All dominating and stuff. It’s kind of a turn-on.”
I groaned and dropped my head to her shoulder, taking three deep breaths before I threw her down on my sofa bed and peeled that dress off her.
“Where can I change?”
“Down the hall.” I reluctantly let her go and watched as she swayed her ass all the way, and then I threw myself onto the sofa and ran my hands through my hair. What was I doing, telling her to stay here tonight? I should have let her go to Ryder’s. At least there, she’d be safe…from me. I wasn’t sure I could stay away from her much longer. Tonight was going to be the ultimate test.
“Hey, Casanova, where are the beds?” Kenzie called from the other end of the hall. Her footsteps padded lightly back toward the living room.
“About that.” I winced and closed my eyes.
“What about that?” Her voice was soft but close. I opened my eyes to find her standing in the doorway in those damn short shorts and tiny tank top. The same ones she wore the first night she stormed in here angry as hell about my music.
I gulped and shifted on the sofa before patting the cushion beside me.
Kenzie walked over, her long, tanned legs just begging me to wrap them around my waist, and perched beside me.
“I don’t have any furniture.”
“Yeah, I kind of noticed. Where do you sleep?”
“Right here.”
She raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything. I waited for a response but didn’t get one. Instead, she swung her legs up onto my lap and lay down, and making herself comfortable, she pulled the blanket from the back and draped it over herself.
“You just going to sit there, or are you going to join me? You’re making me uncomfortable,” Kenzie mumbled.
She didn’t have to ask me twice. I kicked off my shoes, pulled my shirt over my head, and dropped my pants on the floor then slid onto the sofa behind Kenzie. It was a tight fit, and I probably could have actually lowered the back of the sofa so it became a bed, but then Kenzie wouldn’t be snuggled against me the way she currently was.
I wrapped an arm around her waist and buried my face in her hair, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. Her fingers trailed patterns along my forearms, leaving goose bumps in their wake.
***
I woke in the morning to Kenzie’s head on my chest and her fingers tracing over the ridges of my abs. “Morning.” I squeezed my arm tighter around her waist and smiled when she jumped slightly.
“Morning.”
“Sleep well?”
“Mmm-hmm,” she mumbled and stretched her body along mine. I groaned and tilted my head back, enjoying the feel of her fingers on my skin. “You?”
“Yeah,” I choked out. In fact, it was probably the best night’s sleep I’d had since I found out she lived next door, because for the first time I wasn’t imagining what she felt like in my arms since I knew firsthand.
I stretched my arms above my head and rolled over Kenzie, intending to get out of the bed, but stopping short when she smiled up at me. I lowered my head and traced my nose along the curve of her neck, inhaling her skin. “I’m getting up now, before I decide to keep you here all day.”
“Maybe I want to stay,” she said, wrapping her legs around mine and pulling me into her.
“Kenzie,” I hissed through clenched teeth, barely able to control myself.
“Jeremy,” she whispered, her lips pressing against my chest, just above my heart.
Dammit.
I caved.
I lowered my weight gently over her, supporting myself with one arm, and then I dove for her lips, plunging my tongue into her mouth, relishing the way her fingers felt in my hair and the way her body wiggled beneath me. She moaned as I explored her mouth with my tongue and her body with my fingers. She was soft and smooth and so warm. I ached for more. But it was too soon. I wanted to do things right.
I broke the kiss and sat back, looking down at her, and she smiled. Her breaths were heavy, laboured. She was just as turned on as I was, and all it would take was one more touch and she’d be putty in my hands…or I’d be putty in hers.
Chapter
Seventeen
Kenzie
He was driving me insane. The little touches. The flirty comments. It was like he was trying to torture me. We spent the morning together skirting around each other in his apartment, making breakfast and coffee. He moved, I moved, perfectly synchronised.
“You really need to buy yourself some furniture,” I said as we sat across from each other on the sofa and ate our pancakes.
“Never really thought about it. Got used to not needing a lot in prison, and I guess it just carried over to life on the outside too.”
“Well, if I’m going to be spending time here, I want a coffee table, and maybe pictures, lamps, even a dining table.”
“You plan on spending a lot of time here?” he asked, and I screwed my nose up, not wanting to give anything away.
“We’ll see.” I snapped my fingers. “You know what else you need?”
“What?
“A bed. Instead of a foldout sofa.”
I suppressed a laugh when his face registered shock before he quickly covered it with a calm and uninterested expression. We’d slept the entire night on the sofa without folding it out. It didn’t leave much room for two people, but I certainly wasn’t complaining, not when I had his body pressed against mine and his warm breath on my neck all night long.
“I like my sofa.” He frowned. I liked his sofa too.
“But a bed would be so much more comfortable. Sturdy. Durable. And quiet. It wouldn’t creak with every single movement.”
Jeremy gulped and cleared his throat. “I don’t move much when I sleep.”
“Well, you never know, you might be particularly restless one night and
move a lot. Wouldn’t want to keep the neighbours awake.”
Jeremy pinched his lips between his fingers and studied me carefully, trying to gauge how serious I was.
“I’m very restless at night. Sometimes I’m up and down all night. Sometimes I don’t sleep, and the last thing I’d want is a creaky bed. Finished?” I asked and held out my hand to grab his plate.
“Huh?” He licked his lips and shook his head as though to clear it. “Ah, yeah.”
I took the dishes into the kitchen and placed them in the sink to rinse under the hot tap.
“You know, a bed is overrated, anyway,” Jeremy said, coming to stand behind me. His still naked chest was pressed against my back, and I could feel every bump and crevice of his abs, every breath he took. Was it hot in here?
I filled a glass with water and took a large gulp before setting it on the counter, and still Jeremy hadn’t moved.
He continued. “The floor, on the other hand, is almost silent. And with a mattress, it wouldn’t matter how restless you were. No one would hear, but you’d still be comfortable.” He spoke in my ear, sending shivers up and down my spine.
I turned until we were chest to chest, watching the sharp intake of his breath and seeing his eyes darken as I hoisted myself up onto the counter. “Or the kitchen. If you can’t sleep and are really restless, I find the kitchen works well.”
We were absolutely not talking about sleeping issues.
His fingers dug into the tops of my thighs, almost to the point it was painful. His nails would no doubt leave tiny crescent marks in my skin, and I was okay with that. I hooked my ankles around the backs of his legs and pulled him into me, breathing him in. His fingers slid up my legs and over my hips, skimming my sides until he pinched my chin between his thumb and forefinger.
My eyes fluttered closed, and I leaned into him, closing the distance until he captured my mouth with his. Tugging my bottom lip between his teeth, his hands weaved through my hair, pulling it until my head tilted back, and I arched into him so he could deepen the kiss. Our tongues danced together, exploring, sliding, moving with one another.
