She’d apparently made some sort of noise or mutter to indicate something was wrong because Alex ran in from the den. He saw the spilled laundry basket with clothes on the floor beside her, her small form on the floor with her knee extended up with blood already trickling its way out and didn’t ask what happened. He guessed and immediately picked her up from the floor.
He carried her to the counter in the kitchen and set her on it gently. He ripped a paper towel off the roll and wet it with cold water, pressing in to her knee and wiping the blood away.
“Doesn’t look too bad. Does it hurt?” he asked.
“No, I’m fine. It was stupid. I tripped.”
“That dang step. I’ve been meaning to fix it. Sorry.”
“It’s ok. Like I said, it was stupid,” Elena admitted trying to peek around to see it and moving to take the napkin from him.
“No, no let me. Stay put. I’ll get a bandage.”
He went to the medicine cabinet and came back with peroxide and ointment as well. He wiped her knee and leg around it, looking closer at it, holding her leg in his hand.
“Maybe you need stitches,” he commented as he pushed the hem of her shorts higher to keep the peroxide from running on them.
“No, no please. It’s fine. I promise,” she insisted vehemently.
“Ok. Well, I’m still gonna clean it.”
He braced her foot on his thigh as he stood in front of her and pressed a peroxide soaked cotton ball to her knee. Elena took a deep breath to steady her heart that raced as he leaned down to blow air on the wound.
“How’s that?”
She could barely breathe and now he wanted her to speak?
“Bet-” she squeaked and cleared her throat, “better.”
He looked up at her then. She tried to hold his gaze but looked away, knowing he’d see too much in it. Too much of what she was feeling.
His fingers under her knee caressed a little bit when he bent to grab the bandage from the counter and she shivered.
* * *
Alex felt her shiver and looked up at her sharply to see a very pretty blush racing across her cheeks and neck. Elena even pressed a hand to her cheek and looked away clearly embarrassed by her unintended display. He wanted nothing right then but to take that sweet face in between his hands and kiss her. He had not been able to stop thinking about that kiss but thought surely he’d just imagined all the signs; the out of control breathing, her fingers pulling him closer. She couldn’t feel for him what he thought. How was that possible after what he’d done?
But here was the evidence right in front of him. She was bashful and definitely affected by his touch. He leaned closer to her and studied her as he applied the ointment and pressed the bandage to her knee and debated on whether or not he was going to kiss her again.
* * *
Elena was embarrassed beyond belief. Alex had fixed the large band aid bandage over her knee securely and now stood there, holding her leg gently and watching her closely. He didn’t move away from her and she had no idea what to do now.
“Does it still hurt?” he asked and his thumb ran over the bandaged area.
“No, it’s fine,” she breathed.
“I’ll get the laundry-”
“I can get it.”
“It’s fine, Elena. I can get it. Go rest your knee with some ice.”
He still hadn’t moved away from her.
“I appreciate this, Alex, but I really think you’re overreacting. I’m fine, really.”
“Elena, there’s nothing wrong with me taking care of you for a change.”
“You do take care of me. More than anyone else ever has,” she admitted but wanted so very badly to take it back when she saw the strange look on his face. “I feel more cared for these past weeks with you than I ever have.”
“I find that hard to believe, since I kidnapped you, that I have treated you better than anyone,” he replied dryly.
“It’s true,” she whispered and ducked her head.
He let her leg fall gently, moved closer to her and brought her face back up with a finger under her chin.
“I have no idea what happened to you before you met me, but I promise you I will do everything I can to never let you be hurt again,” he said firmly and moved both his hands up to frame her face. “You are sweet and thoughtful and utterly breathtaking and don’t deserve anything but happiness. I’m so sorry that you are stuck here with me.”
She was in awe at the sincere concern in his voice for her. She had absolutely no idea what to say to him, but she had to say something. So she said the first thing that came to her head.
“You are all of those things. You saved me. You’ve given me everything I’ve needed. You’ve defended me against your friends. No one else in my whole life has ever done any of those things. You’re a good man. What you did... I know you think it was the lesser of two evils - taking me - but it’s not true. Any girl would be lucky to be with you.”
“You’re unreal, you know that?” he muttered under his breath and stroked his thumb across her cheekbone sending goose bumps down her arms and she shivered again.
He saw and smiled causing her to smile too.
“It’s cold in here,” Elena uttered lamely making him smirk.
“Yeah? I thought it was pretty warm myself.”
Elena felt her blush deepen but forgot everything she may have said in response when Alex leaned towards her. She licked her lips, seeing him watch her do it and then his eyes closed and she knew there was nothing in the world she wanted more than for him to kiss her.
And he did.
Elena felt her skin flush all over as his mouth took hers. It is definitely warm in here now, she thought. Her hands had no where to go, as he stood between her knees, except to his hips. His hands left her face and he wrapped his arms around her, bringing her closer. Elena could barely believe it. The feelings she’d been feeling for him were going beyond anything she’d ever felt before. Was it love? She had no idea, but whatever it was, she liked it.
One of Alex’s hands had moved to her leg as he continued to kiss her. She could feel the warmth of his palm through her jean shorts. She moved her arms around his neck and felt the pressure of his lips increase, making her pulse riot in her veins.
But then he began to ease them slowly back down to earth, decreasing the pace and pulled back just enough for their lips to not touch.
“Um... How’s the knee?” he asked breathlessly.
“I could care less right now,” she answered truthfully as she touched her lips with her fingers and smiled shyly.
He chuckled at that.
“Yeah,” he agreed softly. “Well, it must not be too bad off then but, uh...how about I cook dinner?” He cleared his throat and smiled. “I make a mean turkey sandwich.”
She laughed and reached to touch her knee, gauging the pain.
“I’m sure you do but really, I’m fine.”
His hand reached for hers and he laced their fingers.
“Do you remember that speech I gave you earlier? I meant it. Let me take care of you, ok?”
She watched their fingers in fascination, realizing she’d never held hands with someone before other than Chuck and only that one time, the last day. It was wonderful the things something so small as him holding her hand could do to her.
“Alright, if you insist.”
“I do.” He picked her up in his arms once more and took her to the freezer. “Open it and grab the icepack. I’ll take you to the couch and you can relax for a change. Watch a western,” he said and smirked.
She laughed and did as he said. He took her and placed her on the couch carefully and propped the icepack on her knee.
“I’ll bring you some Advil in just a minute, ok?”
“You are so overreacting,” she laughed, “but it’s very sweet. Thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I owe you a lot, Elena.”
“Bring me a diet Cherry Coke and we’ll call it even.
”
He laughed and smiled at her, then bent to kiss her forehead.
“Ok. We’re not even close to even, but one diet Cherry Coke coming up.”
* * *
He couldn’t sleep that night, staring at the ceiling tiles, trying not to look her in the eye as she did the same with him.
As tired as Elena was she couldn’t fall asleep either. She was still very confused about her feeling for him that had developed in the past couple weeks and still had some questions to ask. But before she could ask he was already mid sentence.
“So, where is your family?”
“I haven’t seen my family is three years. I ran away when I was nineteen. My family is kinda...crazy.” She didn’t know if he was just making small talk or was actually interested so she left it open with that.
“Crazy?” he asked turning to her and bracing himself up on an elbow with a brow raised.
She sighed. Then she told him everything.
All about her parents and extended family. After all, she wasn’t trying to impress him either. She told him all about how they lived and respected no one or nothing, about how they resented her for wanting to go to college and make something of herself. She rejected that life and her mom was furious with her for wanting to leave.
She told him about the physical and mental abuse; the drugs, the jail time, everything. How she ran away one night sure they would come looking for her and find her within a week, but three years had passed without a word from anyone.
About how she felt abandoned because even her crazy family didn’t want her. And she told him about her grandma. He asked a question here and there and she answered. When she was finished they had been talking for over an hour.
He was silent for a minute. Taking in the story he had just heard, a little shocked. He looked at her face. Her expression was odd. Then she rolled onto her back and laid her arm over her forehead. She was holding in tears, her words strained as she spoke.
“It’s not fair. I don’t deserve to be here, safe with you. All those girls... How many are being hurt right now? How many are doing something against their will? I’ve lived my whole life fearful and ashamed. I can handle it better than them. I’m nobody, I’m nothing, I came from nowhere... I.. I-”
He pulled her towards him and put his arms over hers, looking into her green eyes.
“Your family does not define you,” he said so sweetly but also stern as if to make her believe it for the first time.
“Neither does yours,” she answered back.
Both were so ashamed of their pasts and their families. Both so scared of what was to come for each of them. How had they found each other in all this chaos?
He moved a piece of hair laying across her face back behind her ear.
“You are really beautiful, Elena,” he whispered.
He pressed his lips to hers softly. He wanted to make sure she wanted this too before going any further. She put her arm around his lower back and squeezed his shirt in her fist.
He caressed her cheek and neck with his fingertips. When his mouth opened against hers she thought she’d die right there. Then he pulled back and barely let his lips touch hers as he spoke.
“I’ll go back and sleep on the couch if you want. If you think this won’t work now, because of what happened.”
“No, of course not, stay,” she said.
She pulled him the barely there space to her, once again completely shocked by her boldness. It wasn’t like her. She kissed him once, twice and then the last one she lingered for just a bit before pulling back and looking up at him to see what his expression might look like.
He looked a cross between amused and awkward. It was almost comical.
“Ok, I’ll stay. Thanks for telling me about your family. It was...interesting,” he said making her giggle sadly. “We, uh, gotta get up early in the morning so... Goodnight, Elena.”
“Goodnight, Alex.”
With that he rolled over and tried his hardest to go to sleep and not think about the gorgeous sweet woman in his bed.
* * *
They both awoke startled in the morning by the booming sound of a mans’ voice. She looked up and there was someone, standing at the foot of the bed shouting for Alex to get up. She quickly covered herself with the sheet, though she didn’t know why. She was wearing a shirt and pajama bottoms. Alex was up, pulling on a shirt from the dresser drawer and yelling at the man to get out.
“Howard! You can’t just barge in someone’s house. Ever hear of knocking?”
“I did knock but you didn’t answer. I went to the office and you weren’t there so...” Howard’s voice was quieter now.
What could be so important he had to rush over like that?
“Howard. I own the joint. I can be late if I want to. I told you I would get the contract done and I will. Today is only the 2nd. You said you didn’t need them until the 12th.” Alex was trying to subtlety escort him out the back door while still talking.
“Oh...I must have looked at the paper date wrong. Sorry. I thought they were due today, meaning this morning.”
“I always take care of you, Howard. You know that. But hey, knock next time, ok? If I don’t answer, there’s probably a good reason.”
“Alright, sorry. See you tomorrow night,” the man said gruffly.
Alex shut and locked the door. He must have forgotten to lock it last night before bed. He sighed a relief as to not having to explain to Howard why he might have found him on the couch.
He walked back into the bedroom to find Elena still hiding herself under the covers, making sure he was gone. He stopped and placed both his hands high in the door frame.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“If he had caught you on the couch...” she breathed not wanting to think about those consequences.
“Yeah,” he said as he walked back over to the bed and lay down on top of the covers beside her. “You picked a good time to ask me to sleep with you, it would seem.”
They just looked at each other, both not sure of what to make of this new development between them. Not wanting to think about the past or future, not sure of what steps to take now. Neither had ever had a relationship before.
“I’ve gotta go into the office. And yes, I’m late. You want a shower first or...?”
“No, I’m good. Um, I can be ready to go in about fifteen minutes.”
“Ok, we can grab some brunch on the way if you like,” he offered.
“Yeah, whatever you want to do is fine.”
She was trying to be casual. Act like their little interlude yesterday and then again last night didn’t affect her, she could act normal, be normal despite what happened. She was in control and fine.
“Ok. I’ll let you get dressed,” he said but hesitated.
Then he leaned toward her, holding her chin with his fingers and kissed her lips softly once before getting up and heading to the bathroom without another word.
* * *
Alex was kicking himself on the inside as he made his way out of the room. He looked at himself in the mirror and thought, stupid, stupid. She probably thought he was just like the rest of them, just trying to weasel his way in instead of forcing her to accept him and this life. She was probably freaking out right now thinking he was gonna just kiss her and grab her whenever he wants.
Alex thought he just needed to slow it down, too much too fast. She didn’t look like she wanted to punch him but maybe she was scared. No more. He was done trying to woo his wife.
* * *
Elena sat in a daze under the covers. So she hadn’t dreamed it. He’d kissed her yesterday, twice. Fantastic kisses and then kissed her again this morning. She wondered if this was good or bad. It couldn’t hurt to be in love with your husband right? Definitely good, but what if that’s not what’s going on? What if he just thinks this is what she wants and he was just trying to oblige her because he felt likes he owed her or something.
Elena had kissed tw
o boys in high school and they both tried to do much more than that with her afterwards. She never kissed Chuck. She’d never had a kiss that meant anything but a prelude to other things she didn’t want.
She didn’t want a reason to make her want to stay in that town with her parents. Chuck was nice, had a wonderful family. He’d find someone to fit with him better than she could. It wasn’t her and though he attempted a few times, she never allowed him to kiss her.
But yesterday...it was what she always imagined a kiss was supposed to be; dreamy, pulse racing, sweet.
What if he did it again? What if he didn’t?
They went into the office and got brunch on the way as he suggested. The office was very busy that day, and there was conveniently no time to sit and think about what had happened and no awkward silence to try to fill. Elena was grateful.
Finally, late that night, the latest night she’d work so far, he helped her into the truck and they headed for home, or so she thought.
He pulled over at a little pizza place instead. He didn’t say anything, just got out and came to her door. He pulled her from the truck with his hands on her waist and lowered her to the pavement.
“Is this ok?” he asked as they stood, bodies touching and so close she could feel his breath on her face.
Her heart was in her throat but it was definitely ok.
“Yes,” she said shakily.
Then he smiled and chuckled huskily.
“I meant the pizza place.”
“Oh.” She tried to hide her embarrassment by running her fingers through her hair and pulling away from him. “Of course, yeah.”
“Just stay with me, don’t look at them and stay quiet, alright?”
“Ok.”
By this point she knew better than to ask questions. There were rules about taking your wives out to eat she was sure, just like there were rules for everything else. Alex had given her a run through of the more ridiculous ones.
Stealing Grace Page 6
