by Allie Kay
"Doubt that." Sam shoved his finger into my chest and poked. Hard.
I looked to the ceiling and counted to ten. Then I did it again in Spanish. My jaw clenched so tight it ached. But I was not going to knock her dad's teeth out. It wasn't going to happen.
"Sam, that's enough. Sean, maybe you should head out now, before things escalate here?" Jess laid her hand on my shoulder and wedged herself between my chest and Sam's.
I could only nod. I'd leave. Not for Sam, but for Talia. If I stayed, I'd end up slugging her father and that could only create a problem for us.
"Let me know if you find anything with that note?"
Jess assured me she would. I trusted her word. She was a good cop. Good person. I hugged Talia and kissed her goodbye. Even though I'd have rather picked her up in my arms and taken her home with me where I could be damn sure I could protect her. But if I was going home alone, I was taking the long way. If that fucking Caleb left that note, he damn well would regret it.
I swung by the house Talia had pointed out once as Caleb's. No way in hell was Caleb paying for this place alone. Guess it was okay for the son of a friend to be supported, just not someone with tats and a motorcycle. Sam Richmond needed to get his head out of his ass.
I pounded on the door until the scrawny punk opened it. Half-dressed and bleary eyed, Caleb rocked when I stepped through the open doorway.
"Dude, you can't be here. You hurt me and I'll have you arrested."
I smiled when the little bastard's chin wobbled. I advanced until Caleb's back was against the wall. "I won't hurt you today. But if you leave one more fucking note on Talia's car, come by her house, or even breathe the same air as her, I will be back. Do you understand?"
Caleb stared at me blankly until I grabbed his shoulder and shook. "Do you understand?"
My nose twitched as the overpowering smell of urine filled the air. I glanced down and a yellow stream ran down Caleb's leg. Disgusting little fuck.
Taking a step back, I poked Caleb in the chest. "Mark my words, pissing your pants will be the least of your concerns if you come near the woman I love again."
Caleb nodded. Satisfied with the outcome of our little conversation, I headed to the club. If I couldn't be with Talia, I might as well stay busy.
27
Talia
My fingers trailed up and down Sean's spine. He sighed in satisfaction; I could see the small smile on his face. Alone time had been scarce the last few weeks and I’d missed him. Missed this. Not just the sex, but the quiet moments after. A few stolen minutes at the club and a quick lunch between my work and the volunteer hours I’d put in was all we'd managed together the last two weeks before now, and we’d both been pretty needy by the time finals were over.
Sleep was overtaking me when his voice startled me back into consciousness. "I'm going to buy a house."
"What? Really? Aren't you trying to save money? That's why you hadn't moved from here, isn't it?"
"I was saving up for a house. I have a real good amount saved up for a down payment or, I don't know, maybe even pay for something outright if it's cheap enough. You wanna go with me and look at some houses?"
"You want me to help you pick out a house?"
"Well, you're going to be spending a lot of time there, I hope, so I want you to be comfortable. To feel at home. I know the location here makes you nervous to come over at night, not that I blame you. It scared the hell out of me to find you here that one night. I'd like to avoid that at my new place."
He really wanted me to help? My heart fluttered. While it wasn't a proposal, or even asking me to move in, it was a step in that direction. When I flung my arms around his neck and kissed him in response, he laughed and pulled away.
"I'm taking that as a yes?"
"I'd love to. I've never helped anyone pick out a house before. My parents built their house when I was like, five. I've never been part of the buying process, even superficially. It sounds fun."
"When are you off this week? I may actually take some time off to go look. I want to get out of here as soon as I can. Then maybe you'll spend more time at my place," he said, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear before snuggling in close. I whispered Thursday and Sunday before nodding off to sleep against him.
The sharp trill of my cell phone roused me from sleep. Tangled in Sean's arms as I was, it took some effort to get to it. Falling back against Sean's side, I muttered a drowsy, "Hello," into the phone.
"Talia, where are you? You were supposed to have breakfast with your father and I before class today, but your car's still in the driveway. Your room is empty and your bed doesn't look slept in at all." My mom's voice came through the speaker loud and shrill. I could tell she was worried and upset.
Sean blinked up at me with blurry confused eyes. "What time is it?" he mumbled.
"Talia, I heard a man's voice. Tell me you didn't stay at Sean's last night. Your father already hates him. Finding out that you're sleeping with the man may send him over the edge."
"I am at Sean's, yes. Did you want me to lie to you? I dozed off here, I didn't mean to stay. I'm not going to advertise it to Daddy, but he knows I'm in a relationship with Sean already. And if I have to, I will remind him again that I’m an adult."
I got up to look at the few items of my clothing that had accumulated at Sean's house over the weeks. Picking out the dress I'd been wearing the night we first slept together, I heard Sean grunt in admiration. Flashing him a flirty smile, I headed into the bathroom to do something with my hair. "Mom, I can just get Sean to drop me off at whatever restaurant y'all want to eat at. Or maybe I can get him to join us, if you don't think Dad will cause a scene."
Sean brushed past me in the bathroom, stopping in front of the toilet.
"Sean, what are you doing?"
"If you don't want to see me take a piss, get out of the only bathroom," he said gruffly.
Apparently, his voice carried through the line since Mom started giggling. "Yeah, Talia, get out of the only bathroom."
"What restaurant?" I asked in mock exasperation. Really, I was happy that my mom had relaxed a bit about me staying over at Sean's.
"How about your daddy’s favorite diner? In, oh, about forty-five minutes? Bring Sean. I'll try to make sure your daddy behaves."
"Okay, see you then."
"So, that means we have a good thirty to thirty-five minutes before we have to leave here, you know?" Sean whispered as he wrapped his arms around me from behind.
28
Sean
Thirty-five minutes was plenty of time. I wrapped my arms around Talia. Kissing her throat, I held her tight against my chest. When she shuddered and snuggled in closer, I grinned. Reaching over, I turned on the shower, letting the water heat up.
Her dress dropped from her hands as she moved toward me, wrapping her arms around me. Pushing the curtain out of the way, I stepped under the spray, dragging a giggling Talia in with me. She pulled my head down, rising up on tiptoe so she could meet my lips for a kiss. Damn, I loved how she was getting bolder with me.
When she sighed, my tongue slipped into her mouth, curling around hers. My hands slid down to her thighs, lifting her up. Backing her against the shower wall, I entered her slowly. Her throaty gasp filled me with pride. I loved knowing how much she enjoyed my touch. Her legs tightened around my hips, squeezing to urge me on. I thrust harder into her, increasing the pace when she threw her head back and moaned.
I wasn't going to last long at this intensity. Wiggling a hand between us, I flicked my thumb against her sensitive nub and brought her along with me as I came. Heart racing, I let Talia slide down my body until she was standing, still clinging to me. I kissed her, soft and slow, loving the satisfied look on her face. Loving that I put it there.
I grabbed the shower gel I’d bought for her. Pouring some onto the sponge, I lathered her up while she stared at me intently. I wondered what she was thinking. I leaned forward, scrubbing her lower body. As I washed her thighs—washed
the evidence of our lovemaking off those beautiful thighs—I realized we'd forgotten to get a condom. Trying to think of how to bring it up without freaking her out, I washed her right leg three times.
"You got me shower gel? You don't like me smelling like you?" she asked, startling me out of my thoughts. "And I think that leg is clean now," she said with a laugh.
Squirting my own shower gel onto the sponge, I smiled down at her. "I like you to smell like you. I think I sniffed half the women's ones at the store, trying to find the one that smelled right."
Giggling, she pulled me down for another kiss. She took the sponge from my hand and washed me like I’d done for her. As I was rinsing off, she started chattering to me about breakfast. By the time we were dressed and headed to the diner, I forgotten all about our slip-up.
Her parents hadn't yet made it to the diner when we arrived. I leaned against the worn brick as we waited and pulled her into my arms. I twirled a lock of her still-damp hair around my finger and whispered, “You look beautiful in the morning light.” When she blushed at the compliment, I covered her lips with mine, keeping the kiss slow and soft.
"Do I want to know why you are with him before eight a.m.?" Sam's gruff voice called as he walked toward us. Talia turned to face her parents still enclosed in my embrace. Talia's father was glaring at me, but her mother was smiling. I chuckled and shook my head no at the older man, earning me a sharp elbow from Talia.
She looked her father in the eye and told him, "Probably not, Dad."
When Sam opened his mouth to speak, his wife interrupted him, "So, Sean, are you going to join us for breakfast then?"
"I have an appointment at eight-thirty, so I don't know that I have time."
"Well, can you join us for coffee at least? Unless your appointment is a long drive from here," Helen asked with a smile.
I nodded my agreement and we went into the small diner. Being a weekday morning, there was no wait and we were shown to a table right away. I pulled a chair out for Talia before taking a seat next to her.
"You think that brown-nosing you are doing is going to make a good impression on me, boy? After I know my daughter spent the night with you?" Sam snapped, but he kept his voice low with our public location in mind.
And so it begins. I let out a deep sigh. One meal where her dad didn't fuss at me was too much to hope for. I looked at her to see if she could make sense of her father's questions. She shrugged at me and I had to ask her father what he meant.
"Opening the door for her as we walked in. Pulling the chair out for her. That supposed to make me think you are a good guy and worthy of my daughter?"
I snorted in disbelief. "So, you would rather I shoved my way past her and plopped down first at the table, then? I don't understand you. I treat Talia well and you act like it's a crime. Nothing I did today was in any way to try to impress you. Nothing!"
I slouched down in the chair for a moment, rubbing a hand across my eyes. Nothing I did seemed to matter to this asshole. Nothing. With a sigh, I dropped my hand down to clutch Talia’s. Squeezing her hand, I leaned over and brushed my lips across her cheek. "I'm going to go. Come by later? Or call me, at least."
"No. Wait.” She held my hand tight. “Would it seriously kill you to give him a chance, Daddy? Really? He opens doors for me even when no one can see. If he's trying to score points with anyone, it's me. Not you."
"Talia, that man's not good enough for you. I want better for my daughter than a worthless bartender. What kind of life can he give you? Don't you want more than a crappy little apartment on the wrong side of town?"
I shook my head at him. “You won’t even give me a chance.”
Helen, at least, seemed on my side. "Sam, I think you need to relax some. I don't see anything wrong with Sean, myself. He seems polite. He obviously treats Talia well and has been more respectful to you than you deserve. Give him the opportunity to prove himself."
"I don't want my daughter seeing a bartender. How hard is that for you all to understand? And I sure as hell don't want you sleeping with him," he said with a pleading look at Talia.
“What’s wrong with being a bartender?” I asked. “I work my ass off. What more do you want from me?”
Sam ignored me and glared at Talia. "He'll screw you over. Wait and see." Her father stood up to leave. "Then we will see how long those stars in your eyes stick around."
29
Sean
I bounded up the steps at Talia's parents' house. Before I got to the door it swung open and Talia rushed out, straight into my arms. Lifting her up into a passionate embrace, I covered her mouth with my own. She wrapped her legs around my waist and I carried her into the house, kicking the door shut with my foot before turning and pressing her up against it, my hands roaming her body. She was as addictive as any drug. I couldn't get enough of her. Her legs tightened around my hips, she ground herself against me, and I groaned. I deepened the kiss and slid a hand up under her shirt. When she rocked her hips again, I broke the kiss and gasped for air.
"No one else is home. You wanna go upstairs?" she mumbled against my throat where she was now nipping at the soft skin there. God, did I ever! But I wouldn't. Not here.
"Nope, not in your father's house. I'm not going there. No way, sunshine." I laughed as I eased her back down so that her feet could touch the floor once again. "We have to meet the realtor in a few minutes, anyway."
After one more kiss, this one much less scorching, I led Talia out to the car and drove over to the realty office. We followed the realtor to the first listing, a newly built brick-front ranch in a subdivision on the outskirts of town.
"Even with upgraded floors, counters, and all the extras, this floor plan would be within the comfort zone price range you gave me," she said as she unlocked the door.
I wasn't impressed with the exterior or the lot size. While the realtor was going on and on about the open floor plan and all the natural light coming in through the wall of windows at the back, I was wrinkling my nose at the tiny kitchen with its builder-grade cabinets. It wasn't that it was a bad house. It just felt very middle-aged couple downsizing, to me.
When I shook my head, the realtor directed us to her second offering of the night. It was in an older subdivision, close to Talia's parents' house. More square footage than the first and had a bigger kitchen, but it was still pretty cookie-cutter with no personality. A bit lower in price than the first option, the realtor started to tell us about the backyard pool before she caught my expression. It must have told her that her second try was also a strike.
"Okay, so could you tell me what it is that you don't like about these two homes? Then I can maybe find some better options for you," she asked as she pulled out a notepad.
Running a hand through my hair, I glanced around. "I don't know. They're both nice houses, I guess. I… Okay, look, I grew up in the projects. I live in a crappy no-frills apartment right now. I've never lived anywhere that felt like a home and not just a house. That's the best way I can describe it, which I know isn't much for you to go on. I can't tell you exactly what I am looking for other than that. But I know these aren't it."
"Maybe you want something with more character?" Talia suggested.
"I showed a house earlier in the week that had tons of character—and I mean tons—if that's what you are looking for. As far as I know it should still be available. Even if someone has made an offer, maybe I can show it to you and see if that's the kind of feel that you are looking for. It was a fixer-upper, but it may at least give us more of an idea what you want. What do you say?"
At my nod, she stepped out to make a call. Once she had confirmed that it was okay to show us that house, she gave us the address and we followed her over to the historic district not far from my club. We pulled into the drive of a turn-of-the-century Victorian. The yard was overgrown. Paint peeled on the porch and trim and a gutter dangled loose on the front corner. The wraparound porch begged for a swing. Now this was a place I could see as home.
"I know it needs work. It is well under your price range, however, so you would have plenty of room to do some renovations. And I do mean well under. It's priced at about a third of the cost of the first home I showed you."
I nodded and bent down to right a planter that had tipped over. I ran a hand down the wrought iron railing around the porch. Following the realtor inside, I looked around the house, a smile creeping onto my face. Opening a set of double doors we found a library complete with built-in bookshelves that surrounded the room. It was part of the tower section of the home so odd in shape, but cozy.
"It has a library," I said as I turned to Talia. I grinned at her—a house with a library. That was a sign, right? Had to be.
"I know! It'll be great when we fill it with all our books, won't it?"
I liked the sound of that. Wrapping my arms around her, I pulled her in for a hot, but short kiss.
"What was that for?" she asked with a giggle.
"You said our books. You can see yourself here, right? This is it. This is home, right?"
She nodded and I kissed her again, her feet leaving the floor as I lifted her into my arms. The realtor cleared her throat from across the room. Talia blushed, but the smile on her face didn't fade.
"Well, since it does have a lot of repairs, I would recommend you sleep on it. Think about the cost of what you would need to fix. Make sure that the scope of repairs is something you are willing to take on. If you are interested in making an offer, give me a call." She handed me a card before locking up and driving away.
I drove us back to my apartment. The moment the door closed, I swept Talia in my arms and sealed my lips to hers. Trailing kisses down her throat, I practically begged her to stay the night. When she agreed, I led her into the bedroom.
