AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter4
Brick
Ihadn’t missed her quick dash from the bathroom to the kitchen and back again during her shower. I’d been in one of the easy chairs in the living room, reading a book, when the patter of her feet across the floor drew my attention. I’d seen her practically naked the night before, but there was something tantalizing about a woman in a towel, unaware she’d been observed.
A long time had passed since I’d last been with a woman, and the memory wasn’t all that great. Not a terrible memory, really, just boring because, in my line of work, I couldn’t risk getting close to anyone and having them die. I’d seen too many friends perish, and it hurt like a bitch.
But the more I thought of Amelia, the more I bet she was a spitfire in bed. But I’d seen the look of fright that had passed over her face more than once when she looked at all me, though she’d tried to hide it. I’d been a large man for most of my thirty-eight years of life, so it was a look I was used to. Sometimes, I let it intimidate people. Other times, I backed off, depending on the situation. Amelia didn’t need to be afraid of me unless she’d been sent here by one of my enemies. I didn’t think that was the case, seeing as how she was already trying to think of ways to leave the place.
“Hey, do you want something to eat?” I called out and followed her into the kitchen.
“No, uh, I mean, I can just have some toast or something. I don’t want to be any trouble. Thanks for bringing me in last night.” She didn’t look at me as she spoke, and her words came out as though she was trying to placate me.
“Listen, if you’re hungry, I have plenty of food, and it’s no trouble.” I’d started off a little louder than I meant to. She winced and moved away. I frowned, wondering if it was just the awkward situation we were in or if she was really afraid of me.
“If you’re having something, that’s fine,” she answered, turning her head toward me a notch but still not looking at me. “I’ll just check my phone again, see if there’s a signal.”
She went back into her room and came out with her phone in hand. “Do you mind if I plug this in? I have a universal plug with me. The battery is almost dead.”
“Go for it. There’s a socket on the bottom side of the island.” I pointed, then went to the freezer to get out some marinated chicken I’d prepared and frozen for situations where I wanted something but didn’t want a lot of trouble. They’d grill up nicely on the stovetop for sandwiches. I thawed them out a little in the microwave while the grilling pan heated.
“So, why were you out in that storm last night?”
A sudden intake of breath filled the silence between us, and I twisted around to see a faraway look in her eyes. The shimmer of tears glazed her gaze, and suddenly I felt like an absolute prick.
“I broke up with my fiancé last night. I caught him in our bed with my best friend,” she murmured, her voice croaky. The glistening in her eyes promised tears, and crying women were not on my list of favorite things.
“Fuck, I’m sorry. And in your home? He’s got brass balls.” I didn’t want to know the details, but maybe a little humor would keep those tear drops at bay.
“Yep.” She took a deep breath, and I knew she was controlling herself, if barely. “So, I took out the casserole, threw it against his precious truck, engraved ‘Tiny Dick’ on the hood with a broken piece of glass, then dumped his keys into the storm drain and left.”
I barked a laugh, unable to stop myself because I was the king of revenge if someone crossed me, and Amelia was fiery, which I admired.
“I would have set his whole truck on fire,” I added, then frowned as I understood why she ended up in my front yard with her car a quarter of the way up a tree and in my mailbox.
“Ha, in hindsight, I should have burned the damn thing.” She paused for a moment, then muttered, “Sorry for imposing on you like this, and really, I’m not psycho.”
Her awkward laugh made me smile because it felt good to know it wasn’t just me who said the wrong things. She sat on the corner bar stool, where I’d normally stayed since it gave me a perfect vantage view of the front and back doors. She looked good there, the light from outside glinting against her small smile. Really, she was a beautiful woman who landed an asshole who treated her less than she deserved. It irritated me to no end that these fuckheads get away with it.
“It can’t be helped,” I replied softly, which wasn’t necessarily ‘my pleasure’ or ‘no problem,’ but it was something. Grief sucked in whatever form it came, and I learned a long time ago that sometimes, females didn’t want me to solve their problems but just to listen.
As she swung side to side on the spinning stool, I couldn’t help but admire how innocent and beautiful this woman was. The flat expanse of her stomach when I’d stripped her down to panties and a bra flashed to mind. She was so small, one of my hands would cover her entire lower abdomen. I shouldn’t be thinking about her like this, I reminded myself, but I couldn’t help it.
It had been a long time since I’d had a woman in my bed.
When I caught her stealing looks my way, those mesmerizing eyes did something to me, and my brain was off again, thinking about what she’d look like bent over that island.
I put bread buns on a pan to toast and got out lettuce and tomatoes to add to the sandwiches.
“Do you want mayonnaise on your sandwich?” I asked her, not looking up as I cut up the tomato into thin sections.
“No, thank you. Mustard, please.”
“Sure,” I said and turned to get it out of the fridge.
“How tall are you?” she asked out of the blue.
My eyebrows lifted. It was a common question, but I hadn’t expected to hear it.
