by E. L. Todd
That made sense to me. “I think you’re right.”
“That’s why it has that title.”
Another clue. “Good point.”
He flexed his biceps. “I win.”
“I didn’t realize it was a competition.”
He gave me that cute smile, the one that reached his eyes. He had such a handsome face, and it really showed when he had that grin on his face. “Not a close one, at least.”
***
We decided to get sandwiches for lunch, so we sat across from each other at the deli just down the street. We shared a bag of chips while we discussed the museum.
“Could you make a design for a building and submit it as art?”
The question sounded like a joke, but since he said it seriously I knew it wasn’t. “Depends on what the building is.”
“Couldn’t it be anything? What if you made a real-life model of the whole city? I think that would be pretty cool.”
“Sounds like a lot of work.”
“I’m sure you’d get paid for it.”
“Eh.” I wouldn’t be compensated appropriately for all the hours that would require. It would be a donation of my time, something I had very little of anyway.
“Eh?” he asked with a laugh. “You’re Canadian now?”
“No, it was just the best response.”
“Eh.”
I chuckled and threw a chip at him.
He opened his mouth and caught it like he’d been expecting it. “Thank you. Now I can eat hands free.”
I eyed his thick sandwich, layered with turkey, ham, and roast beef. “You think you can catch that hands free?”
He shrugged. “Eh.”
“Oh my god. Stop making fun of me.”
“What?” he asked innocently. “It’s fun. And it’s so easy to do.”
“When the tables are turned you won’t like it very much.”
“There’s nothing to make fun of me for. I’m awesome.”
I rolled my eyes.
“What? You don’t think I’m awesome?”
I tried to stop myself from smiling but I couldn’t. “Eh.”
He laughed before he took another bite of his sandwich.
A quiet companionship fell over the table. As time passed I grew more comfortable around him, but now it reached an all-time high. It seemed like we’d been friends all our lives, that we knew each other better than anyone else. I wasn’t self-conscious about what he wanted from me. I didn’t think about that horrible night four years ago. I was at ease—I was happy.
More people filed into the deli, the bell ringing overhead. I couldn’t see anyone who walked inside because I was facing the opposite way, but that damn bell told me everything I needed to know.
Kyle glanced at the door then did a double take, like he saw someone he recognized. He immediately looked down at the table, hiding his face and his attention. He kept eating like nothing had changed, but his body language said otherwise.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” He ate a few more chips and kept his head down.
I glanced over my shoulder and saw a group of girls. There were four of them, and they were all the tall and beautiful type. Their hair was done to the point of perfection, and their make up was good enough to make an appearance on TV. If I spent that much time dressing myself up I’d never leave the house. It’d be bedtime by the time I was finished.
One of the girls stared at Kyle, and when her eyes widened in recognition I knew she knew him.
I quickly faced the other way and tried to act like I wasn’t staring.
Heels echoed behind me, and within seconds she appeared. “Kyle.”
Kyle looked up when he realized he’d been spotted. “Hey, Cassandra. How are you?”
“I’ve been better,” she said coldly. “I haven’t heard from you in a while.” She turned to me and gave me a cold look. Then she turned back to him.
I felt uncomfortable—even a little sick.
“I’ve been busy.” Kyle stopped eating and focused all of his attention on her. He gave her a look that wasn’t cold, but it wasn’t inviting either. “It was nice seeing you, Cassandra. Have a good day.”
She pressed her lips tightly together in a scowl. “When you call me I won’t answer.”
“Well, that works out,” he snapped. “Because I won’t be calling you.”
Her mouth gaped open, appalled. “You’re such an ass.”
“Thank you.”
She flipped her hair so hard her neck almost snapped. Then she marched off, her hips shaking dramatically. Instead of ordering, she pulled her girlfriends out of the deli and left.
Kyle stopped eating, clearly losing his appetite.
I didn’t ask any questions because the exchange was pretty clear. Kyle obviously dated her, probably slept with her, and then walked away. Jealousy coursed deep inside me but I had no idea why it was there. I had no right to feel anything.
Kyle finally met my gaze. “I went out with her a few times before we met. She didn’t mean anything to me.”
“You don’t have to explain yourself…”
His eyes never left my face. “It was mainly a physical relationship. I lost interest after a week or so.”
I ate a chip just so I had something to do.
“I haven’t seen anybody since we met.” He said that already, and now he was repeating himself. “I just want you to know that.”
My cheeks felt warm so I kept my gaze averted, unable to look him in the eye.
Kyle kept staring at me, waiting for me to look up.
Since he was waiting for a response I gave him one. “Okay.”
“Are we okay?”
“Yes, Kyle.”
He reached across the table and rested his fingers under my chin. He touched me in a way he never had before. His fingers were gentle as he forced my chin up, making me look him in the eye.
My throat suddenly went dry.
His thumb slowly moved up my chin until it rested on my bottom lip. He kept it there, letting his warm touch linger. His eyes stared at the area, infatuated with the appearance of my lips. He looked at me again, a serious look in his eyes. “Are we okay?”
I nodded, unable to say anything coherent.
“Okay.” He dropped his hand and leaned back in his chair, putting distance between us.
I was relieved his touch was gone, but I also missed it at the same time.
***
He walked me to my door, wearing the same clothes he’d been wearing since yesterday. He showered at my place so he looked his best. But he could roll around in a puddle of mud and still look his best.
I stared at the door and was surprised by the feelings deep inside me. I didn’t want him to leave—again. We’d spent the last twenty-four hours together, and I wasn’t tired of him. Cassandra made me jealous but she didn’t put a wedge between us.
“Thanks for spending the day with me.”
I should be thanking him. I was the one who asked him to stay. “I had a great time.”
He put his hands in his pockets, something he usually did when we were alone. “I did too.”
I couldn’t invite him inside. That would be too much time together and he might get the wrong idea of what we were. I wasn’t even sure how I felt at this point. It wasn’t smart to rush it.
“Do you want to get dinner on Wednesday?”
I was glad he wanted to see me again, but I was disappointed it was so far into the future. That was four days away. It seemed like an eternity.
“That case I picked up has taken a lot of my time.” He must have spotted my sadness. “I’ve got a lot of dispositions to get through, evidence review, and everything else you can think of.”
“Of course. That should take priority.”
He pulled his hands out of his pockets and took a step toward me, closing the distance between us. Like they had a mind of their own, his hands moved to my hips and squeezed me gently. His forehead pressed to mine
and he closed his eyes as he held me.
I felt myself drift away, like I was on a cloud high in the sky. His touch brought me so much comfort that I couldn’t fathom it. It used to terrify me, make me squirm with unease. But now it felt right.
His arms locked around my waist and he pulled me against his chest, my face resting against his beating heart. I could feel it echo in my ears, sounding like a warm drum. He rested his chin on my head as his hands stretched across my back. They took up the entire area, feeling me everywhere.
I felt so small in his arms. He could break me in half if he wanted. But I also felt safe, like nothing could ever hurt me. He wouldn’t let anything ever happen to me. He was one of the good guys—the best.
He pulled his face away slightly then looked down at me. His lips hovered just inches from my forehead, ready to lean in for a kiss.
I’d never been kissed that way before, and now I didn’t know how I felt about it. It seemed so innocent, so safe. But my heart was about to burst out of my chest in fear.
“Can I kiss you?”
My heart skipped a beat. I tried to breathe but I couldn’t. I felt light-headed from the rush of blood that entered my heart. It was overloaded and unable to keep up with the adrenaline.
“Please.”
Unable to speak, I just nodded.
He cupped my face and pressed a kiss to my forehead. His lips felt hot against my skin, soft and wet. The kiss was slow and lingered indefinitely. It didn’t seem like he would ever pull away—not until the end of time.
My heart fluttered at the touch, feeling a high that would never dissipate.
He pulled away and dropped his hands. “Good night, sweetheart.”
“Good night…” I couldn’t get over that kiss and the way it made me feel. My legs were weak and my eyes were heavy.
He gave me a final look before he walked away. His massive shoulders moved as he walked, and his hard back was rigid and straight. He was a powerhouse on two legs, formidable and inviting all at the same time.
I looked at the keys in my hand and felt the hot metal. My hands were so warm and sweaty that they heated up the metal until they were uncomfortably hot. They felt slippery in my grasp.
I didn’t want to insert them into the door and walk inside. I didn’t want to walk in there alone. For the past four years all I’ve ever craved is solitude. No one understood what I went through, and no man would ever trick me again. But now I didn’t want to be alone. I wanted him to walk inside with me—and never leave.
Overtime
Kyle
Despite how tired I was, I kept going. I’d had eight cups of coffee, two Rock Stars, and a shot of espresso—all in a single day. This case was the most important thing to me at the moment, and I was giving my all. Actually, I was giving over a hundred percent.
My client was important to me. After all, she was the victim of this particular incident. But Rose was the person who truly fueled me forward. The more I spent time with her, the more I fell for her.
I had to make this right.
Mark tried to fight for the case a few times, insisting it should be his since he defended Rose the first time. No offense to him, but I didn’t trust anyone else to get this done right. I needed to be the prosecutor in the courtroom. I needed to bring that asshole down.
The only bad thing about my devotion was my lack of time. I wanted to see Rose more often but I simply couldn’t. When I wasn’t working I still needed to sleep and eat. They were necessities for life.
Our relationship was doing very well. She stopped pushing me away and making excuses not to see me anymore. She was finally comfortable around me, trusting me in a way she didn’t trust anyone else.
It took us two months to get to this level, and I was relieved it finally happened.
I wanted something more with her, something physical. But I knew she wasn’t ready for that. I was a patient man and I could wait as long as she wanted but I hoped I wouldn’t have to wait forever.
Even a kiss would satisfy me.
I knew Rose was broken and may never be the same after what happened to her. Any other guy would tell me to walk away. I was walking into a situation that would suffocate me. She would always be damaged, and she may not give me the kind of love I wanted.
But I wanted her.
For whatever reason, I was connected to her. She made me feel things no other woman ever could. When I wasn’t with her, I thought about her nonstop. And even when I was standing right in front of her I missed her.
I couldn’t walk away.
No one ever made me as happy as she did. When she laughed at my jokes and smiled from across the table I melted inside. Maybe she was still a wreck at the moment, but I really believed I could fix her.
I could put her back together.
***
“Haven’t seen you in forever.”
I slid into the booth across from Will, a dark IPA in my hand. “You know, the law never sleeps.”
“You took on a case?”
“Yeah, a pretty big one. The defendant has been charged with the crime before but he walked free. This time this fucker is walking to jail.”
“If anyone can nail him, it’s you.”
And I would nail him.
“So, what’s new with you?”
He didn’t ask me about Rose, to my surprise. “Nothing really.”
“Nothing?” he asked. “Then why haven’t you called me?”
“Are you a girl now?” I snapped. “The phone works two ways.”
“Whatever.” He took a drink of his beer.
“I’ve been spending a lot of time with Rose…” I didn’t want to hide what I was doing. I told him I was going to go for her, so I had nothing to hide anyway.
“Wait, what?” he asked. “You’re dating her?”
“I’ve been dating her for a while.” Why was that a surprise to him?
Now his beer was untouched, and he stared at me like he couldn’t believe what I was saying. “You’re serious?”
“Did you think I was joking last time I brought her up?” I asked incredulously. “I told you I was into her and I was going for it.”
“But she said yes?”
“Why wouldn’t she?” I kept the offense bottled deep inside.
“Florence made it sound like Rose had no intention of being with you.”
She said that? Maybe she said it a long time ago. Things had only recently changed in the past few weeks. “In the beginning she was hesitant but things are different now.”
“Well, Florence doesn’t know that…”
“Why does it matter?” The only people who mattered in our relationship were Rose and I.
“Florence was really into you…”
“Yes, I remember.”
“Well, I don’t think she’s going to be happy when she finds out her best friend is seeing you.”
I rolled my eyes dramatically. “Well, she’ll get over it.”
“I don’t think she will.”
“Why don’t you two date?” I snapped. “You’re both equally annoying.”
“Whoa, calm down.” He raised both hands in the air. “I’m just telling you the facts. I’m bummed it didn’t work out with Rose and I, but I’ve made my peace with it. But Florence…it’s different with her. She’ll see this as a betrayal.”
I didn’t understand women sometimes. “She’d really stop her friend from being with me? It’s not Rose’s fault I preferred her to Florence. And Florence shouldn’t take it so seriously. Not every date she goes on is going to end with a happily ever after. She needs to get over herself.”
“Maybe. But that doesn’t change anything.”
Nothing was going to get between Rose and I. What she and I had was special. It was real and true. It wasn’t exactly traditional, and sometimes it was a little complicated, but that didn’t change anything. We were sticking together. “Whatever. I’ll deal with it when the time comes.”
“Wow. So you really like
this girl.”
I more than liked her. “Yes.”
“Have you guys…?”
He asked me these questions before, about the other women I’d been with. His curiosity never bothered me—until now. “None of your business.”
“Come on, don’t get prissy about it.”
“Then don’t ask me about it.”
“She’s, like, one of the hottest—”
“Finish that sentence and I’ll break your neck.”
He shut his mouth, but his eyes burned with anger.
“Don’t talk about my girl like that. Not if you want to live.”
***
Wednesday came and went but I didn’t call her. Not because I didn’t want to see her. I simply got lost in time and didn’t even know what day of the week it was. The judge for the trial had been selected and they were already scheduling everything.
I had to take advantage of every single minute.
By Friday, I realized it’d been nearly a week since I’d seen her or even talked to her. With her, it wasn’t a big deal because she preferred being alone anyway. Some space would keep her calm, keep our relationship as smooth as possible.
I was sitting at my kitchen table with a cup of coffee beside me. I was going over my notes and my dictations. Despite all the caffeine in my system I was exhausted. There was nothing I wanted more than to collapse on my bed and go to sleep.
A knock on my front door broke my concentration.
I wasn’t expecting company, and I hoped it wasn’t a booty call stopping by. I didn’t do those anymore and I hated taking the time to explain that to my regulars. They usually got upset and caused a scene. And I had to stand there and wait until they were finished.
I opened the door and saw someone I’d never expected to see on my doorstep.
Rose.
Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, and the red sheen of her hair shined under the florescent lights. She wore a purple dress with sandals, and her make up was done in a nice way. In her hands was a picnic basket.
I couldn’t keep the surprise off my face. She was actually standing outside my apartment—willingly.
