An Exceptional Twist

by Kimi Flores

  He pointed a finger at her. “You’d better stop that, or I'm telling her you’re being a brat.”

  Or I'm going to grab that mouth and kiss the hell out of it.

  The movie was starting, and she threw her pillow at him again as a challenge. He wasn’t letting her off that easily. Grabbing onto her waist, he twisted her around until she was nestled underneath him.

  Hovering above her, his arm began to shake slightly as he spoke a few inches over her face, reminding him that he didn’t have the strength he used to. As much as he would’ve loved to follow through on his hunger of taking her right now, he knew it would ruin everything they’d worked for. It was only fair, however, to warn her about his weakness when it came to her.

  He breathed in her face, causing her to blink. “I’m holding your pillow hostage if you hit me with it or stick your tongue out again. I’m trying really hard here, Leah. You’ve got to know how attracted I am to you.” Losing his balance, his body pressed into her. The contact caused her eyes to roll back in pleasure. He was about to make a move when she quickly blinked in surprise.

  Regret hit him instantly. Moving away, he apologized, “I’m sorry, that was uncalled for.”

  The leather squeaked as he sat on the opposite side.

  Leah pushed herself up on her elbows, wide eyed, catching her breath. “I’m sorry, too. I feel it, too. But we can’t. Let’s just watch the movie.”

  He tossed the pillow back in her direction, disappointed that she pointed out the truth. Without hesitation, she flipped to her side and put her head down on it. Evidently, they were done talking about it.

  They stayed silent during the movie, and somewhere in the middle, they fell asleep.

  Leah woke up with only the light of the television illuminating the room. She tried to sit up when something hit her head.

  “Ouch,” she mumbled, realizing it was Stefen's head that had bumped her.

  They were sharing her pillow at the junction of the L-shaped part of the couch. Her body laid at one angle and his on the other. Turning, she watched him sleep for a moment. The peace on his face as he lightly snored was a welcome sight. He must be exhausted.

  She traced the lines of his face with her eyes until she stopped at his lips. Suddenly, she felt blood rushing through her veins, causing her body to pound. She loved his lips and remembered exactly what they felt like on her skin.

  No. Stop.

  Careful not to wake him, she got up, turned off the TV, and then grabbed a blanket from the back of the couch. As she covered him, he roused.

  “What are you doing?” His groggy voice was one of her favorite sounds.

  “Just making sure you don’t freeze to death.”

  He backed up, making room for her. “Don't leave. I haven't had any nightmares tonight. I promise I’ll behave.” His frantic tone broke her heart.

  “You stole my pillow.” She pointed like a five year old.

  “Here, take it.” He pulled it out from under his head and handed it to her. “Just don't go. Please.”

  Grabbing her hand, he pulled her down in front of him, tossing the couch cushions from the backrest onto the floor to give them more space.

  “Stefen, I don't know if this is a good idea,” she whispered, unsure of what she should do.

  His breath hit her cheek. “Please, Leah. I sleep better when you’re beside me.”

  Fighting back her tears, she attempted to lighten the mood. “All right, but don't take my pillow.”

  “Deal.” He covered their bodies with the same blanket.

  Being in his arms and spooning on the couch was comfortable, but she knew deep down this was all wrong. This was a completely new territory for both of them, and they were going to have to figure out how to make this work. She needed him for some reason, but it would have to be on a healthy level.

  Several hours had passed before Leah woke up to the sound of the front door opening.

  She shook him. “Stefen, wake up. Someone’s here.”

  “What? Who?” His eyes popped open, trying to focus.

  A rather voluptuous woman walked through the door, carrying cleaning supplies. She was startled when she saw Leah fly up off the couch.

  “Hi Martha,” Stefen said, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

  “Oh, Mr. Stefen. I didn't see you there. Good morning. Should I start upstairs first?”

  “No, that's okay. We'll go up and you can start down here.” He picked up the pillow and pressed a hand on Leah’s lower back, leading her up the stairs.

  When they got to the top, Leah was biting her nail. “What the hell?” she demanded.

  He looked sheepish. “I forgot she was coming. Caleb hired her to clean the house a couple times a week, but she comes when Abby isn’t here. Abby doesn’t know yet, so don’t say anything.” He pointed at her, knowing her all too well.

  Leah pressed a hand to her still thumping heart. “She scared the crap out of me.”

  “Sorry.” His hand grazed her cheek, making her forget all about Martha cleaning downstairs. “Are you awake, or do you want to go back to sleep?” he smirked, knowing exactly what his touch was doing to her.

  “I’m definitely awake now.” And it’s time for me to step away from the hot guy.

  She remembered today’s plans. “What time are we meeting the realtor?”

  “Eleven.” He cocked his head to the side, his eyes filled with hope. “I thought we could walk around the beach after that, if you don't mind.”

  “Sure, I'm going to jump in the shower first.” She turned and headed into the room where her suitcase was.

  “Well, I'm going back to bed for a few more minutes,” she heard him call out. “Wake me up when you’re out. We can grab a bite on the way.”

  Digging through her suitcase to grab her clothes for the day, she yelled back, “Will do.”

  Stefen was excited for Leah to see the house. He couldn’t put his finger on why exactly. She was about to help him make a huge decision. He’d never asked another girl for an opinion on anything. Ever. But he was starting to realize he’d been wasting too much of his life doing things by himself.

  They pulled through the community gates of the exclusive neighborhood at Miramar Beach, the south side of Santa Barbara. A moment later they were sitting in front of the house. He turned off the ignition, sat back, and watched her face.

  Her mouth gaped wide open. “Are you kidding me? This is where you’re buying a house?”

  “You know the area?” He smirked, knowing damn well she did. Abby had already shared one of their ‘if we ever win the lottery’ wishes with him, and it was to live in this neighborhood.

  She gave him a smartass look. Did Abby tell her?

  “Uh, yeah. In our dream world, Abby and I talked about buying a house here. They’re right on the beach and a lot of celebrities live here, too.”

  “I wanted a house with a pool, so I could do my laps, but I guess the ocean will do.” He smiled and winked at her bewildered look. The concern in her eyes bothered him. “Why do you look so worried?”

  She fiddled with her fingers. “These houses are really expensive, Stefen. You might have a trust fund, but you aren’t working regularly anymore. Can you really afford it?”

  This was another part of her charm. She didn’t care about how much money he had. She wanted to make sure he could actually afford the kind of lifestyle he was accustomed to.

  “Not a problem.” He opened his door.

  “Of course not,” she mumbled to herself.

  Sitting back, he turned to her, “What was that?”

  “Nothing.” She breathed out.

  They got out of the car and walked up to the two-story modern home.

  Stefen loved the straight lines, large windows and white exterior of this house. He’d already pictured it furnished.

  “You’re missing some flowers out here, but I know someone that can help ya out with that.” She pointed to the empty planters along the front, giving him a ch
eeky smile over her shoulder.

  Pulling the front door open, Stefen stepped aside, allowing Leah to walk in first. He wasn’t surprised to see what drew her in right away. The sliding glass doors in the living room were wide open, allowing the ocean breeze to fill the space.

  The picture of her standing there, looking so at peace, the ocean in the background, her hair blowing in the wind—it did something to him. Suddenly, he could see her in this home with him. This was something he could get used to.

  He swallowed hard, thinking about losing her to another man. Seeing her in this space brought images of what the future could be like. The more time he spent with her, those original reasons he’d compiled of why they couldn’t be together seemed to disappear.

  Her sundress danced with the breeze as she turned, catching him gawking. “Look,” she took a deep breathe. “Isn’t the view spectacular?”

  Staring at her, he practically choked out, “Breathtaking.”

  A female voice sounded from behind him. “Mr. Hunter, I’m so glad you decided to take another look at this gem.” Marlene, his real estate agent, stood at the bottom of the stairs, noticing Leah behind him. “Oh, I was under the impression that this house was just for you.”

  Over the course of the week, she’d licked her lips and tried to run her finger on different parts of his body, as well several other innuendoes. It was no secret she wanted more than just his business.

  Peering behind him, he noted Leah’s discomfort. Her eyes darted all over the room as she bit her lip nervously. He stretched his arm behind him and encouraged her to take his outstretched hand. Leah carefully took his arm.

  “This is Leah,” he said, leaving it at that. Marlene didn’t need any more explanation. “Since she’ll be here all the time, I want to make sure she’s as comfortable as I am.” He put his arm around Leah, rubbing small reassuring circles on her back, and she melted into his arm.

  Damn, I love when she does that.

  Something switched in the air and the once flirty agent tightened both her eyes and her thin lips. She lifted her chin, which made her look stuffy and—dare he think it—arrogant?

  Snubbing her nose at Leah, she scoffed, “Well, I can’t imagine not loving this house. It’s beautiful, yes?” She lifted an eyebrow, purposely looking down at Leah. “Definitely the most beautiful she’s ever seen.”

  Unbelievable. Did he used to sound that egotistical?

  Unfortunately, he knew the answer—yes.

  Puffing his chest, he felt the need to remind her who the hell was paying her salary. Massaging Leah’s shoulder, he laid out a new plan for Marlene to follow, “Seeing as you and I have not signed any legal documents, I’ll be letting Leah decide who will and will not represent me in this sale. I suggest you show her some respect.”

  Marlene’s mouth dropped in shock. Leah looked uncharacteristically smug.

  His more than likely ex-agent moved to the side. “Very well. I’ll be outside if you need me.” Storming past them, she closed the door behind her. Outside, he heard a loud, very unladylike grunt.

  A playful grin broke out on her mouth. “You didn’t have to say that, but thank you.”

  Leah was a strong woman. Sure, she could hold her own, but he wasn’t going to stand by and not say anything.

  “That bitch has been pissing me off all week,” he grumbled. “There’s no way she’s getting away with that shit.”

  Stefen pulled at her arm, then stepped aside at the doorway to the kitchen. “Come on, I want you to see the entire house, not just the view.” He pushed her forward, encouraging her to roam around. She looked so natural, gliding through the modern kitchen. “So can you see yourself making me some of those morning chilikilies here?” He purposely exaggerated his mispronunciation of the word.

  She narrowed one eye at him, running her fingertips along the stainless steel stovetop. “Uh, no. I’ve had your cooking, and you can make me breakfast in your kitchen and serve it to me on the veranda, por favor. If you’re nice, however, maybe I’ll cook something else for you.” She opened and closed the cupboards.

  I want her to live her with me. The thought hit him so strongly, he was actually wondering how he could make that happen.

  She moved throughout the downstairs, peeking into every room as if she could also envision living here.

  Heading up the tiled stairs, she ran her hand along the rod iron decorative handrail. He had to admit, the architect that owned and designed this house was an artist and didn’t miss a single detail.

  One the way up, Leah’s dress got caught in one of the intricate designs along the railings. Immediately bending down, he tried to untangle her hem. Glancing up, he saw her nervously biting the inside of her mouth.

  Is she nervous because I’m so close to her?

  The top of his fingers grazed the back of her thigh when he freed the dress. He glanced up at her. “Looks like that will have to be fixed somehow before all your dresses get torn up.”

  Leah’s eyes widened and she froze.

  Standing up, he chuckled when he realized how she’d taken his comment. “You know what I mean. Now let’s finish looking through the rest of the house before I go fire that bitch outside.”

  Standing on the balcony off the master bedroom, Leah had her eyes closed as she breathed in the ocean air. Stefen leaned against the railing, facing her. “So what do you think?”

  With her eyes still shut, she asked, “About the house or that woman downstairs that looks like she wants to lick you, then kill me?”

  He gently pushed her arm with his hand. “Ha ha, very funny. Seriously, do you think I should buy it? Can you see me living here?” He paused, peering down at their feet before looking back up at her. “Can you see yourself hanging out with me here?”

  Slowly lifting her eyelids, Leah sucked in a breath as if she was fighting something. “Yeah. I can definitely see that.” She smiled shyly, blinking hard, and nodding. “It’s perfect.”

  Clapping and rubbing his hands together, he announced, “It’s settled, then. But you have to help me decorate it, and when you aren’t working or spending time with Abby or your family,” I’m not going to even mention that prick, Ben, “you have to keep me company, so I don’t die of boredom.” He moved his eyebrows up and down.

  Stepping inside the bedroom, Leah glided to the center of the room. Giving him a sideways glance, she staked her claim, “You might have to kick me out when it’s time to go. I’ll have my tent set up right here.” She motioned to where she planned on camping out, then stuck up a finger. “One thing, though. That woman downstairs was snotty, but don’t fire her. She worked for her commission.”

  Astonished, he stepped back. “Are you kidding? She’s driven me crazy since the moment I met her. She’s exactly the kind of woman I’m trying to avoid.”

  “Yes.” Leah nodded. “In your personal life, but she still did her job. You can’t fault her for wanting a hot guy.” She smirked, tilting her head to the side.

  Wait, did Leah just say I’m hot?

  “You are way too nice, but because you are asking me to, I’ll let her finish the transaction.”

  Pinching the sides of her dress, she semi-curtsied, “Thank you, kind sir.”

  “Anything for you.” He ran his index finger down her cheek. “But that skank will know you saved her ass.” Waiting for her to pass, he placed his hand on the small of her back and led them down the stairs.

  Scrunching her nose, she proudly said, “Because I’m a brat, I don’t mind that one little bit.”

  Stefen lay in the way too firm hospital bed, relieved his final surgery was over. Leah had wanted to stay, but he’d insisted she go visit her mom. The hospital was only twenty minutes from her family. He didn’t want to send her away. Naturally, he wanted to be selfish and keep her right here to talk and share her pretty face with him. But he was doing things differently now, trying to be a little less of a selfish bastard.

  Plus, he wouldn’t be able to stomach if Ben cam
e in to see her during his shift.

  With nothing more to do but think, Stefen lay back, hands nestled under his head as his mind wandered. Things were definitely looking up for him.

  The escrow on his house had gone quickly, and he’d moved in several weeks ago. Leah made fun of his fastidious taste. He was used to working with interior decorators and specifying everything he wanted. Leah thought he was too picky and that his “frivolous spending” was a bit much.

  The large house was lonely when she wasn’t around, and he really wanted her to move in. When he’d asked her to become his roommate, she fought the idea, insisting that things could get weird. That was understandable, since he would have to struggle with not joining her in bed every night, but that didn’t mean he had to like it.

  The handful of times she’d slept over in what he now referred to as her room, were pure torture. Knowing she was only a room away and hearing her rustling in the bed whenever she moved in her sleep drove him to the point of insanity. He felt like such a creep the one time he’d stood at the half-opened doorway and watched her sleep.

  Man, I need help.

  But no matter how difficult it was on him, her new room was still right next to his, waiting for her whenever she wanted to crash there.

  With so much time on his hands, he found ways to keep busy. Now that he was cleared to work again, his father was sending him cases here and there. It felt good to start contributing again.

  He’d also resumed his exercise regimen. Leah joined him most mornings on his runs, but she wasn’t too keen on swimming in the ocean. Instead, she’d stay out on the shore, stretching and waiting for him because she worried he would get too tired out in the surf.

  He liked when she worried about him, but he knew his limits. He truly believed the ocean held mystical powers that were helping him heal, physically and spiritually.

  When Leah wasn’t able to meet up, Caleb would swim with him before he got bored and switched to surfing. Stefen tried to surf a few times, but he still needed to build the strength in his arm.