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I flinch at the bite in her tone but nod. There’s something wrong with this woman. She seems like she’s going to burst into uncontainable tears at any moment like they’re going to shatter through her and break her.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Simpkins,” I say, nodding. “I meant no disrespect.”
Callie’s face lights up at my apology, a silent thank you coming from her alluring eyes.
“What was all the commotion?” her mother rasps. “I heard yelling. And there was a loud noise. Have the power people contacted us yet? Have they said when they’re turning on the lights? I don’t like it in the dark.”
“Mom, I called them. But they’re not going to…”
I take a step forward, raising a hand. “Go and pack a bag, Mrs. Simpkins. You’re not staying here tonight. I’ve invited you and your daughter to stay at my apartment until this power situation is sorted out. I’ve got two spare rooms, both with ensuite bathrooms. You don’t have to worry about any of this.”
“I don’t have to worry?” she says slowly, blinking like a child as she looks between me and her daughter.
I stare hard at Callie, giving her the silent message to tell her mother yes.
“That’s right, Mom,” Callie says, unable to hide the note of surprise in her voice. “Conrad’s going to let us stay with him. Isn’t that nice?”
Her mother looks at me, biting her lip. She really does seem like she’s in an awful mental state. My chest tightens when I remember how Dad looked after Mom’s death, and I remember the way Mrs. Simpkins interrupted me to say Mrs…
Is something similar going on here?
“Why?” she whispers.
“Because I’m Callie’s friend,” I tell her. “I don’t like the idea of her staying here when there’s no power and the door’s broken. You don’t have to take me up on my offer, but I promise there are no strings attached.”
“So I should pack a suitcase?” she says, turning slowly to Callie.
“Yes, yes, I think so.” Callie’s voice is still unsure, as though she can’t quite believe this is happening. “Do you want any help?”
A flare of life comes into Mrs. Simpkin’s eyes, a note of pride, and for a second she reminds me of Callie when I first arrived at the apartment. There’s the same desire to transcend her circumstances.
Or maybe in her mother’s case, it’s a desire to transcend herself.
“No, I can do it. What should I bring?”
“Clothes, toiletries, anything you don’t want to leave behind,” Callie says. “I really don’t mind helping you.”
“No, I’m fine,” she says. “And the photo albums, of your father, of you when you were a girl? Should I bring those?”
“Yes, Mom, whatever you like. Honestly, I don’t mind helping.”
Her mother turns and strides into the bedroom, closing the door behind her without another word. A moment later the sound of drawers opening and closing reaches us.
Callie stalks across the room, stopping just short of me. There’s a multitude of emotions in her expression, something like disbelief, gratitude, and resentment all mixed together.
“Why are you doing this?” she asks, a fierce note in her voice. “I don’t understand.”
“I can’t let you stay here,” I snap. “Those assholes could come back. And if I’m not here to protect you…”
“But why? We only met a few hours ago.”
I can’t stop myself anymore, despite the fact her mom might interrupt us at any moment.
Lunging forward, I grab her by the hips and pull her right up against me, so she can feel my flaming manhood. I grind myself against her and lean down, bringing my lips a hairsbreadth away from hers.
She gasps, and then I still the sound with a kiss.
It’s like she doesn’t know what to do at first, as I push my lips closer and closer against hers, as I smooth my hands around from her hips to her ass. I can’t stop, squeezing her ass indulgently, driving myself forward with more and more force.
Fuck.
She tastes so good, as she finally relaxes into the kiss and her mouth opens, our tongues clashing together. The base of my manhood throbs when she makes a moaning sound through the kiss, her hands rising and clawing onto my shoulders.
There’s still some shyness in her, in the way her tongue moves, in the way she lightly holds onto my shoulders as though afraid to squeeze me fully.
I growl and kiss her harder, unable to stop the torrent of passion, unable to stop the thundering rightness of this moment. I’ve never felt so certain in all my life that this is the right thing to do, the only thing to do.
She whimpers as the kiss naturally ends, leaning back in my embrace and staring up at me with those gorgeous sparkling eyes of hers.
“Why?” she whispers. “Freaking heck, Conrad. Why did you do that?”
“Are you complaining?” I snarl, kissing her again.
