In that case, the danger was significant for Reva and most likely anyone that walked in. For a second as he looked at her quiet house and the surrounding street, he thought maybe he’d imagined it. The very brief idea to walk away rushed through him, but he realized it wasn’t possible to ignore what he’d seen. He’d never forgive himself if he left it alone. Left her alone. Like she’d been the entire time her ex brutalized her.
No, he’d not stand idly by. He called Ben as he loped up the stairs to her door and pounded on the frame.
“Reva, it’s me, Todd. Open up!” he shouted.
He turned from the door and scoured the neighborhood as he waited. It was oddly quiet except for the sound of a vehicle sputtering to life on the adjacent street. Two dogs barked.
She opened the door partially and stared at him.
“Everything okay in there?”
“Of course, why?”
“I saw— Hey, can I come in or are you going to leave me standing out here?”
She stepped back from the door and allowed him to pass. He shut the door behind him and twisted the lock. Reva stood with crossed arms and drummed the fingers of one hand across her other elbow. “Explanation please?” she said. “I’ve had a long day and was just headed to soak in the tub when you tried to bash my door down. If I hadn’t left my cell in the car, I would have dialed the police.”
“Never do that again. It’s not safe.”
“Call the police? Ha, they’re fairly inept at times but still all we have.”
“No, that’s not what I meant. Never leave your cell phone in the car. Keep it on you. All the time.” She was in her pajamas and damn if that didn’t get his motor running, even with the current situation. He shook it off and strode to the kitchen and dining area. He turned on the outside light and scanned the yard, then jogged through to her other rooms and checked each one. He’d never been in some of them and it surprised him to see how she kept her house. Neat but not.
The entire house appeared to be cleaned and then intentionally readjusted to make it just a little—off. Quirky.
Still, no trespassers. No one in the yard. When he returned to her living room, she raised a brow. “So, are you going to tell me what the emergency is, or do I guess?”
“There was a man in your yard rooting around.”
Reva’s eyes widened. She stepped to the door and looked out, searching for movement. “Really? I don’t see anyone. How did you know?”
“I was watching out the window. I’d pulled a beer from the fridge and stepped outside and your light came on…I saw his shadow. My phone rang and he heard it and started moving toward the side of the house. Stay here. I’m going to check. Oh, and call the police.” He tossed her his cell phone.
It wasn’t the smartest idea to traipse around the house looking for a peeping tom or burglar. In one respect, Todd hoped it was the ex-boyfriend. He yearned for a chance to see the guy and make him pay for the agony he’d put Reva through. The man deserved to get a piece of his own medicine. Although, if his college psychology course proved correct, that’s likely where it all started. Most abusers had suffered abuse and thus the cycle continued. He likely had already been through it so many times, the guy thought brutality was normal. How twisted was that? And sad, really.
As Todd realized the danger and the intruder had vanished, he shook his head and returned to Reva. She’d locked the door when he stepped outside and he had to knock again. When she released the lock and opened the door, he didn’t miss the bat clutched in her palm. Nor did it seem appropriate to tease her this time. He understood.
Reva spouted off the address to a voice on the cell she had cradled on her shoulder, she motioned him in and slammed and locked the door after him. “I don’t know. I didn’t see him,” she said to the voice, then sighed. “Here, let me hand the phone to the man who saw him. He’s standing right here.”
Some words were uttered on the other side of the conversation.
“No, he’s my neighbor,” she answered. Reva tossed the phone at him and went to the kitchen. She tugged a glass from the cabinet and filled it with tap water.
Todd gave the dispatcher the details. He hung up after a few minutes and a patrol car arrived an hour later. Good thing the trespasser was gone—he could have beaten her to death or robbed her blind while they waited. By the time the deputy knocked on the door, Todd had reached his limitation on patience. He flung the door open and started to growl, when the man spoke, “Sorry we’re late, there was a head-on collision on the freeway. Really bad. Three teenagers in one car and a family with an infant in the other. Lost one in each. I hate coming up on accidents like that. Everyone’s out having a good time and it just all changes in a flash. I had to work the scene until the emergency crew arrived.”
Todd closed his mouth and blinked. The officer’s hands shook as he pulled a pen from his pocket. Todd couldn’t imagine what a day on the job for this man entailed but he knew it required every bit of civility and respect he could muster. “Thank you for helping us. Come in.”
They perched on the sofa opposite the deputy. As Todd explained his observation, Reva fidgeted. He reached out to cover her hands with his and squeezed. She stilled.
“And you’re her neighbor,” Officer Teckley stated.
“Yes,” Todd answered, “and friend.” He pulled Reva to his side and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
“You’re dating.”
At the same time that Todd said yes, Reva vehemently stated, “No.”
Teckley wrote something down, stuck his pen back in his shirt and surveyed the yard, front and back before getting in his car. He let them know he’d make a pass around the area and a patrol car would be in the neighborhood through the night.
Dating? He’d never really considered it, yet it didn’t make him completely uncomfortable to say that. Still, it was awkward. Obviously, she hadn’t wanted it labeled that way.
“Why did you tell him we’re dating?”
He shuttered his eyes and looked at her. “Does it matter? It’s better they think you have someone around all the time. That you’re not alone. Or would you rather the whole world think you live by yourself and don’t have a soul around to deter an intruder?”
“Oh, well, if you put it that way…”
“Besides, we’ve had two or three dates at least.”
“Exactly when would that be?” she challenged.
“Well, you invited me to your family’s barbecue.”
“You and Eric. And that was just being friendly—not a date. I barely knew you.”
“Yeah, but that didn’t keep you from having your eyes on my butt most of the night, nor teasing with your family about our fictitious relationship.”
Reva backed to the kitchen and planted herself on a stool by the counter. She rolled her eyes.
“Really? I didn’t exactly force you to go and you started the teasing, not me. As far as my eyes are concerned, you weren’t exactly blind either and I spent a lot of the time talking to everyone else.”
“Okay, then there was the monster truck rally. And the baseball games.” He ticked through all the times they’d been together, cursing the fact that his mind immediately jumped to the hot-as-hell kisses and touching.
“I don’t think taking your kid to a monster truck show and pigging out on hot dogs, cotton candy, and nachos constitutes a date. The baseball games don’t count – there’s a million people there. Nothing date-ish about that.”
She rolled her chair to the counter and effectively turned her back. Todd ran his fingers through his hair and clasped them behind his head. He moved toward the door, hesitated, then pivoted and strode toward Reva. With one hand, he twirled her chair to face him, then planted arms on the counter to trap her in. When his face was only inches from hers, he smiled.
“You can call it anything you want, honey. It doesn’t matter. Tonight, though, I’m sleeping over.”
He watched her adam’s apple hiccup.
“No,
you’re not. I’m not—” She concentrated on the hem of her shorts.
“Right there.” He pointed to the sofa. “I know what I saw and even if there’s nothing here with us, I’m not comfortable leaving right now. Someone was out there in your yard. That doesn’t bother you?”
“Of course it bothers me but that’s not a license to—”
“Give me a break. I’m trying to help you Reva, not hurt you. Isn’t it time you relaxed a little and let me try to do the right thing?”
“So, now you’re a boy scout?” She meandered her eyes back to his face.
Okay, that made him laugh. No, he wasn’t that great of a guy, but he wasn’t the type she nearly married either. Surely she could see that.
“I’m definitely not that.”
Maybe it was a good time to make her feel at ease and safe, but somehow safe wasn’t all that appealing. In fact, safe sounded downright boring at the moment. She sat there braless in some soft tank top and shorts with a robe carelessly draped on her shoulders and expected him to be a boy scout? Not happening. He seemed to understand her need for taking things slow, but for Todd, even this was slower than he’d endured before. His body was definitely not cooperating with the knight in shining armor routine—not that he wanted that anyway.
Why else would he be watching her windows every night to see when she got home? It wasn’t a brotherly thing, no sir. He already had a sister and she was a pain in the ass. It wasn’t the least bit attractive to get stuck with another. Not to mention he had ventured beyond the friendly casual emotion somewhere around the time she gave him that hellaciously passionate kiss in front of her brothers. Nope, that memory and the nipples practically beckoning him under that top sent a whole different set of needs and desires churning. Unless he was completely stupid, she had the same urge.
He knotted his brow. But, and that was a big but, if he had to take it even slower to figure out who was in her yard and what they had planned, then he’d damn well do it. At least for now. He’d sleep on the couch and swallow his overactive desire to crawl into bed with her. He’d do the right thing…because that’s what he did. What he’d always done.
***
Reva lifted a hand and stroked it down his cheek. The day-old stubble felt rough and sexy. She had to admit, it was really a turn-on to know that he cared enough to notice someone skulking around in her backyard. He was so close she smelled the aftershave he’d donned that morning and the very male scent that was just—him. She sucked in a deep breath and leaned into him, placing a light kiss at the base of his neck. She trailed more kisses up to his earlobe and took a quick nip of skin.
“Probably not a good idea to start something like that right now, Reva. We’re both a little stressed out at the moment.”
She closed her eyes and slid her lips along his skin until she met his mouth. Her hand had dropped to his chest where she felt his breathing quicken. “Yes, you’re right. Not a good time.”
“Hey.” He framed her face with his hands. “There are a lot of ways to relieve stress but this one is probably not in your best interest.”
Reva huffed and stuck her fingers through his belt loops and yanked him into her. She pulled him close enough to slide legs along his hips and lock her knees to make him somewhat captive. To ensure he didn’t get another boy scoutish urge, she ran her fingers up his back and dug in.
Todd’s eyes popped up to meet hers. “I think I can decide for myself what’s in my best interest. Question is, can you?”
She countered every move he tried to get back, to pull her arms down and away. Reva kept her mouth moving over him as he did. She hadn’t been with a man in that way in a long time, and certainly not one that cared enough about her state of mind to hold back. It was a novel and very, very sexy trait.
“Reva, the couch.” He stood, his body hard against hers. His hands running up and down her back made little circles and curves tracing sexy hot little tattoos on her skin.
“Couch is good.” She pulled up on his shirt and started dropping feather kisses on his chest. He groaned.
“I meant—” he said.
“Yeah, I know.” She pressed her breasts into him and felt the warmth of his skin on hers. Apparently that started the wall tumbling, because he rained kisses on her shoulder and neck. Todd bolstered her hips and carried her to the couch. Caution slowed him. He hesitated when his knees met the fabric of the cushions and dropped her legs to the floor. Reva sighed. Threading her fingers into his hair, she pressed into him and gave her lips over to another kiss. She opened her mouth and flicked her tongue against his, taunting him to join her. The feel of her hips pressed into his very healthy erection confirmed that he wasn’t completely immune. She smiled, leveled her eyes on his, then turned him and pushed.
Todd lost his balance, fell backward into the cushions, and she dropped onto him. “Couch it is,” she said.
Reva settled her smaller frame heavily into him and lowered to plant more kisses on Todd’s chest, which had conveniently become barer by the second. She tugged his shirt over his head. He reached behind and yanked it the remainder then dropped it. She liked that he didn’t force it, that she initiated the contact. Having control was a turn on, but his passivity was a problem. Had she misread the attraction? She ground against him. No, his body hadn’t been immune even if he kept a tight lid on it. He had fought it enough in her mind. She wanted his passion, needed it. It had been long enough and painful enough. This was her time to blot out the past and find out what sex could be with someone that cared about mutual enjoyment. Cared about her. He did, didn’t he? Why else had he watched and noticed the intruder?
It bothered her. She didn’t need or want him to care about her. She had no reason to warrant it. She’d done nothing all that great. He was a successful business owner and a father of a terrific kid. She was what? The manager of a group of technical staff. The woman who ran out on a man that wanted to marry her?
Still, he looked at her like she was ice cream. She sat on top of him, fully clothed—well, okay, in her pajamas. She was covered. And his eyes said she was dessert. No one had looked at her like that before. Like he wanted to lick and close his eyes and revel in the taste.
“God, Reva. I don’t understand it.” His hand stroked up her arm and settled on her stomach with his thumb rested in her belly button. The feel started a tiny rolling, tumbling surge that settled a bit lower than his hand.
“Understand what?”
“How could anyone look at this beautiful skin and your gorgeous face and want to discolor it? You’re—so perfect.”
She sat still for a moment. No response came to mind.
“Perfect. That’s rich.” She snickered. “Just today, Adam told me I was a control freak. That if I’d trust someone and stop forcing my ways on him, he might surprise me.”
“Who’s Adam?”
“The guy I’ve told you about before. From work.”
“Well, he’s an idiot. You’re as far from a control freak as possible. But if you feel like trying a little control on me right now,” he raised an eyebrow and looked her up and down, “I promise I won’t complain.”
Reva laughed. She slipped a hand to the waistband of his pants and played with the tab on his zipper. She levered the tab down and flipped the button open above it which bared his torso. No underwear. That was interesting. Todd rolled his eyes and groaned. He reached his hands to her waist and pulled her down against him.
“Reva, you can force your ways on me all you want…but, I’m losing clothes left and right. It seems a little unfair.”
“Unfair how?”
“To me. I’m half undressed and getting more so by the minute. God, I want to see you. Every inch of you that’s been pressed against me the last few minutes teasing me.” He slowly worked the sides of her tank up until it was gathered under her arms, teasing at the undersides of her breasts.
“I suppose that is a little unfair, isn’t?” She grasped the fabric, yanked it over her head and to
ssed it. She worried that he’d notice the small roll at her waistline. This had always bothered Nick. How can you work out like you do and have muscles that rival most men yet you can’t get rid of that little area there. You need to rethink what you’re doing. Rethink? Yes, that’s exactly what she had done. While he was in jail, she rethought her entire life and realized it needed to be lived elsewhere.
“Even more perfect than I imagined. Look at you.” Todd’s eyes were warm and admiring. Than he’d imagined? Without clothing to impede, he feathered a hand up her torso and cupped it lightly over the mound of her right breast. He teased at the browned tip for a moment with fingers that melted her. Reva wanted more. It had been way too long and his hands felt so good on her skin.
“You’re looking at me like your favorite dessert,” she whispered.
“Can’t help it.” He sat up, wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her shoulder. His lips tickled and nipped along the skin then lowered to the softer area of her breasts. When he flicked his tongue over the very tip of her nipple, it elicited a groan that surprised even her. Damn. An overwhelming desire to feel more of it, to have more of him, urged her on. She tugged on the cloth at his hips, but her weight held it in place. She delved a hand inside the open zipper and Todd sucked in a sharp breath. His eyes seared into hers for a second then rolled closed.
“Still. Not. Fair. Honey.” He dropped his head to her shoulder and didn’t move while she stroked against him.
“Then show me how you want to even it up,” she whispered in his ear.
That seemed to be the only encouragement required. Todd pulled her hand free and eased to his back keeping his grasp on her skin as he urged her onto his stomach. He slid a hand down her small hip slipping it gently into the fabric. He cupped the curve of her bottom and held for a moment while his mouth searched for hers.
The kiss wasn’t gentle or quick. He took her mouth and thrust his tongue inside, lunging for her response. She met him and for a moment their mouths stayed locked as the rhythm of his thrusting tongue tightened up the intensity. Her skin tingled from his hands as they stroked their way on her bottom, easing the fabric free. The tides had turned; and she had become almost void of clothing, yet his damn pants still tangled low around his hips.
Sassy, Sexy, and Stalked Page 13
