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CHAPTER30
Justin ended up spending the night at Kim’s apartment and she had to admit she could get used to sharing a bed with him. She liked waking up beside him. Of course, that also meant morning sex, which she wasn’t complaining about.
“I’ll meet you here at seven and we’ll start packing.” He crushed her against his body, his hands going directly to her ass. “I’ll bring pizza.”
Kim couldn’t believe they were really doing this. She’d lived by herself since graduating from college. It would be a huge change to share her space with someone else again. She was equal parts excited and nervous. He was right, though. They’d waited long enough. “I’ll throw together a salad.”
He scrunched up his nose. “If you must.”
She laughed. “Vegetables won’t kill you.”
“Guess I’ll have to get used to eating more of those, huh?” He gave her butt a squeeze as he lowered his mouth to hers.
“Definitely.”
She circled her arms around his neck as their tongues tangled together. He tasted like coffee mixed with her mint toothpaste.
He released her and sighed. “I need to get going. I’ll see you tonight.”
Kim nodded.
After one more quick kiss goodbye, he jogged out to his car and drove away.
Heading back to her bedroom, Kim laid her clothes out on the bed and crossed the hall into her small bathroom. It was hard to believe she was leaving this place.
She turned on the water and began going through her morning routine. They’d gotten up a half hour early so he could run home before he went to the shop. As it turned out, he was barely going to make it to work before they opened because he’d convinced her they should shower together.
A huge smile grew on her face as she remembered the details of that shower. He’d made her come twice, and that was on top of the orgasm she’d had before they’d made it out of bed. She’d never come so much in her life. Before him, she’d thought multiple orgasms with a guy were a myth.
Reaching for her makeup bag, she began applying concealer to her neck. He really did love to mark her. She’d even noticed a couple of spots on her breast.
By the time she finished applying her makeup, did her hair, and dressed, it was almost seven-thirty. It was a good thing she only lived fifteen minutes from the office. Otherwise, she’d be late. And she hated to be late.
Kim strolled into the office with five minutes to spare. Her assistant was already at her desk. “Good morning, Brenda. How was your weekend?”
“Good.” Her assistant tilted her head, looking at her.
“Everything all right?” Kim asked. She was tempted to touch her neck, fearing she’d missed a spot, but willed her hands to remain at her sides. It wasn’t as if she could feel a hickey.
“Yeah. Fine.” Brenda averted her gaze. “Um, you just missed a call from your brother. He wants you to call him.”
The last time Mark had called her at work was when he’d gotten a promotion. Given it was only eight on a Monday morning, she highly doubted that was the case this time. “Thanks.”
Kim flipped the light on in her office and took a seat at her desk. After placing her purse in the bottom drawer of her desk, she picked up her phone and dialed.
Her mom answered on the second ring. “Hi, honey. How was your trip?”
She’d told her mom she was going out of town, but given her job, it wasn’t uncommon for her to have to travel to New York or Chicago, her mom hadn’t asked for details. “It was good. How’s Dad doing?”
“Going stir-crazy.” Her mom chuckled. “He wants to get up and do things. The doctor told him not to overdo it, but you know your dad. He’s not used to sitting around the house doing nothing. It’s driving him crazy.”
Her dad wasn’t a big television or movie watcher. He preferred to be doing things. He liked to garden and tinker in his garage. “Maybe he can find something to do in the garage that doesn’t take a lot of movement.”
“We are talking about the same man, right?”
Kim laughed. Her mom was right. Her dad would never sit still. He’d find something he had to get or do that would require him to defy the doctor’s orders. “Sorry, Mom. When does he go back to the doctor?”
“Tomorrow.” Her mom blew out a breath.
“Sorry, Mom.” Kim bit the inside of her cheek. Maybe dinner with her family this week wasn’t such a good idea. “Is there anything I can do?”
“No, honey. It is what it is. We’re okay.” Her mom paused. “I’m sure your dad would love to see you if you have time this week.”
Well, that was an opening if she ever saw it. “Why don’t we all get together on Wednesday? Justin can join us. I have some news I want to share with everyone.”
Her mom didn’t answer right away, and Kim was wondering if her mom radar was going off. Should she not have mentioned Justin? But then it would have seemed odd if he’d shown up.
“That sounds like a great idea,” Belinda said. “I’ll throw together a roast. Justin has always loved my roast.”
It was true. Justin always raved about her mom’s cooking. Then again, his mom didn’t cook all that much. A home-cooked meal to her was usually a frozen dinner she threw in the oven. “Do you want me to bring anything? Dessert?”
“No worries. I’ll make some cupcakes or something. It will keep me busy.”
“Okay. Well, call me if you need anything.”
She hung up with her mom and debated whether to call her brother right away. Mark was not on her list of favorite people right now. He’d been a jackass at the hospital and he’d yet to apologize for it. She got why he was so protective, but his response was over-the-top. He needed to realize she wasn’t a little girl anymore and she could take care of herself.
Deciding not to put it off, she dialed her brother’s office. “Mr. Langley’s office.”
“Hi, Meg. It’s Kim. Is my brother in?”
“Hi, Kim. Yep, your brother’s in. Let me make sure he’s not on the phone.” There was a long pause. “Nope. Okay, hold on and I’ll put you through.”
It took almost a minute for her brother to pick up the line. “I wasn’t sure if you were going to call me back or not.”
Kim leaned back in her chair. “Does that mean you’re calling to apologize?”
She heard a chair squeaking in the background, and then her brother sighed. “I’m sorry if I overreacted. I just...I worry about you. And when I saw those marks, I freaked. I don’t like the idea of someone hurting you.”
“No one hurt me.” She needed him to know that. And he was going to have to get used to seeing marks like that on her from time to time. She’d really liked it when Justin had flogged her.
“Are you...”
When he didn’t finish his sentence, she wondered what was going through that head of his. Probably the worst-case scenario. She only hoped his worst-case scenario wasn’t her dating Justin. That might make Wednesday’s dinner more eventful than she wanted it to be.
She decided to change the subject. “Can you come to dinner at Mom and Dad’s on Wednesday night? Justin’s invited, too.” Again, she decided to add that, so it wouldn’t be weird right off the bat for him to be there. She wanted to tell her family when everyone was calm and happy.
The other end of the line was quiet, and she wondered what he was thinking. “Are we going to find out about this new guy?” Mark asked.
“How do you know if there’s a new guy?”
He snorted. “Please. You haven’t been at your apartment the last two times I’ve stopped by, you had red marks all over your back at the hospital after you said you were out clubbing with Ali, and you disappeared this weekend.”
She rolled her eyes. “Guess you’re just going to have to come to dinner on Wednesday and find out what my news is.”
“So, there is news.”
“There is. And if you want to know what it is, then you’ll be there.”
“I’ll be there.”
Kim reached for the stack of papers in her inbox that needed her attention. “Good. Now, be a good brother and apologize for being a big jerk.”
“I’m not a jerk.” When she didn’t respond in any way, he chuckled. “Fine. I’m sorry for being a jerk. Are you happy now?”
“Yes. Very.” She scanned over the page in front of her. “Now, I have work to do. I’ll see you Wednesday night.”
“Later, Sis.”
Kim rolled her eyes again. “Later.”
Justin was having the day from hell. The moment he walked in the door, Sandi had pounced. A customer had come in on Saturday for an oil change and tire rotation, but when he was told he also needed some major front-end work, he’d gone off on the tech. And Sandi. The customer had only left when she had threatened to call the police.
If that wasn’t bad enough, he found out the parts he’d been waiting on for two months weren’t coming. His supplier couldn’t source them, and so he’d had to spend three hours on the phone looking for new parts.
By the time he arranged for the parts with a new vendor and called to update the client, he knew it was going to be a late night. There was no way he was going to make it to Kim’s apartment to help her pack. That only soured his mood more.
Then there was the text he’d gotten from Mark inviting him to dinner with the family on Wednesday night.
Family dinner Wednesday night. Can you come? - Mark
Justin kept his response short, not wanting to give his friend anything to read into.
Sure. What time? - Justin
The answer came back right away.
6 - Mark
Justin was relieved they weren’t drawing this out, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t nervous about it. Kim didn’t think her parents would have an issue with them being together and maybe she was right. Davis and Belinda liked him. But he still didn’t want them to feel as if he were betraying their trust by defiling their daughter. He could only hope they’d realize how he felt about Kim and at least be okay with it. Especially once they found out Kim was moving in with him.
No, it wasn’t Davis and Belinda that most worried him. It was Mark and there was no amount of stressing or planning or prepping that was going to alter his best friend’s reaction. He was only hoping they could work through it and remain friends.
Wiping the grease off his hands, Justin noticed the time. It was almost five and not only was he not even close to being finished for the day, but he hadn’t eaten anything outside of the candy bar he’d gotten from the vending machine in the lobby two hours ago.
He dug his phone out of his pocket and dialed Kim. She answered on the first ring. “Hi, sexy.”
Justin laughed and it felt good. “Shouldn’t that be my line?”
A door closed in the background, and he wondered if it was a car door or if she was still in her office. “I think it fits you more than me.”
He leaned back on the toolbox behind him and took what felt like his first full breath since he’d arrived that morning. “I beg to differ.”
She giggled.
The sound sent all kinds of warm tingles through his body. He opened his mouth to say something dirty but caught sight of one of his techs striding toward him. His heart sank and he held up a finger, letting the tech know to give him a minute.
“Hey, baby, I’m not going to make it over tonight. Today’s been a nightmare and I have no idea when I’m gonna get out of here.”
“That’s okay. I can pack some things up on my own.”
“I’m sorry.” He was the one who’d suggested they move in together and he should be there to help her pack up her things. Plus, he was supposed to be bringing the boxes. “I’ll do my best to get out of here early tomorrow.”
“It’s okay. Really. I’ll be fine. I should probably sort through my closet first anyway. No need to move stuff I never use.”
He could see his tech shifting on the balls of his feet twenty feet away and sighed. “I need to go. I’ll call you later tonight.” He paused. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Justin hadn’t wanted to hang up. Talking to her was the bright spot in his shitty day and from the look on his tech’s face, there was another issue that needed his attention.
The last customer left at six and his techs not long after that. It had been a bad day all around and he couldn’t blame his guys for wanting to hightail it out of there as fast as they could.
“Did you need anything before I go?” Sandi asked, peeking her head into the shop.
“No, I’m good. Just glad for the quiet. Hopefully, I can get this engine finished up.”
Sandi nodded. “Don’t stay too late. You need your rest, too.”
He smiled. “I won’t. Have a good night.”
She waved and closed the shop door behind her. He listened as she walked out the front door and locked it behind her. Then there was nothing. Utter silence. It was bliss.
Justin turned back to the engine he’d been working on for what felt like forever and got to work. It was only at night when he was able to really settle into what he was doing. He loved working on cars. That was why he’d become a mechanic. But it was only at night when he was there by himself that he could let go and enjoy the process. During the day there were too many people needing his opinion, or customers to deal with.
Time fell away and he got lost in the work, which was why it took him a while to hear the tapping sound coming from outside.
He grabbed a clean towel, wiped his hands, and walked around the car to the bay door. There on the other side was Kim...holding a pizza box.
Justin hit the button to raise the door and as soon as it was waist high, Kim ducked underneath. He quickly hit the reverse button. It wasn’t as cold as it had been outside, but it was still January in St. Louis.
“What are you doing here? I thought you were home packing?”
“I thought you might be hungry,” she said, holding up the pizza.
He was starving, but now that she was inside in the light, he got a good look at what she was wearing. “That’s not what you were wearing this morning.”
She grinned and he saw mischief in her eyes. His groin tightened. “I stopped home and changed into something more comfortable.”
More comfortable. Not exactly the words he’d choose to describe the skirt and sweater she was wearing. The skirt ended four inches above her knees. It wasn’t tight-fitting, but that meant it wouldn’t take much to flip it up and out of the way. The sweater, in comparison, clung to her chest, hugging her tits. His mouth was watering, and he wasn’t sure which was causing more of the moisture: the pizza or her outfit.
He took the pizza from her and carried it to the bench he used. Clearing off a space, he set it down, then went to wash his hands in the sink.
Kim pulled up a stool and sat down. His gaze drifted to her legs, and he had to will his libido to calm down. As much as he wanted her, he also needed food. He didn’t want to get lightheaded or faint while he was taking her.
And take her he would. One of his long-time fantasies had involved her on the hood of a car. She was here. They were alone. And he was going to make that fantasy come to life tonight.
