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“Most days, I just have coffee and a shake.”
“I can do that.” I get up and drag her up to stand in front of me. Wrapping my arms around her, I grasp her ass and kiss her hard once more. “Go get ready.” I let her go, and she looks dazed as she stumbles in the direction of her room. I fold up the blanket and pillow she gave me last night, then put on my jeans and grab my shirt off the coffee table slipping it on over my head before heading to the kitchen.
It takes a few minutes to figure out where everything is to start a pot of coffee, but after it’s brewing, I go to the hall bath and brush my teeth with the stuff she gave me last night and splash some cold water on my face. When I get back to the kitchen, coffee’s done, so I pour myself a mug and start to grab my phone but groan when I remember it’s totaled.
Even thinking about what happened yesterday still pisses me off. The dick on the motorcycle who almost ran into me came out of nowhere when I was crossing the street, and the woman who actually hit me with her truck was so distracted by him driving erratically that she slowed down enough she didn’t end up sending me to the hospital. Really, I was fucking lucky, given the speed limit in that section of town is thirty miles an hour.
Hearing the blow dryer going on, I start on May’s shake, not sure what she puts in it, but finding bananas, chocolate protein powder along with peanut butter, and soy milk in her fridge, I toss all that in the blender. A few minutes later, she appears dressed in a long black sweater, black tights with what looks like writing sewn into the material, and ankle boots on her feet, and her hair pushed back from her face with a headband that makes her look far too innocent.
“Sorry it took me so long.” She drops a bag to the chair next to the island, then comes around the counter to pour herself a cup of coffee. I lean against the island, watching her while sipping from my mug. “Do you work today?” She finally meets my gaze, and I lift my chin.
“Yeah, I have a few jobsites I need to visit to make sure things are on track.”
“Jobsites?” Her brows pull together.
“Chocolate, peanut butter, banana.” I pass over her shake. “My dad owns the building company Bender and Sons. He had a stroke a few weeks back, and I stepped in to help run things.”
“Your dad had a stroke? Is he okay?” she asks, not even a little phased that my father owns a competing construction company.
“He’s lost use of the left side of his body, but the doctors think he will be okay with therapy. Who knows how long that might take though.”
“I’m so sorry.” She rubs her lips together. “So that’s why you’re here and not in London right now?”
“Part of the reason, though I probably would have been back eventually. I fucked up my ankle and can’t play football anymore, so I didn’t really have a reason to stay in London any longer.”
“So you’re not going back?” she asks, giving me a look I can only describe as relieved, and I shake my head.
“I have no plans to return to London.” I tip my head to the side. “You mentioned you knew who I was after your sister did a reverse image search on my photo. You didn’t do any digging to find anything out?” I ask, and her lips part making her look even more adorable.
“I didn’t even think about it.” She drops her eyes from mine and shakes her head. If she was any other woman, I’d think she was full of shit, but it’s obvious she didn’t think to Google my name and find out what she could about me. “So you’re working today?”
“That, picking up Dozer from my best friend, and getting a new cell.”
“Dozer?”
“My dog.”
“You have a dog?” She looks surprised, and I grin.
“I do. He’s a lab. A friend of mine got him for me the first year I was living in London. I’m sure you’ll meet him soon,” I tell her, then hear a loud meow and look down at her feet. I watch a cat circle her before planting her ass on the hardwood and look up at us.
“Sorry, Bella.” She bends to pick up the cat. “Where is your sister?” she asks the cat, carrying her across the kitchen, and placing her down near the bowls on the floor. Not long after, Blue comes out of hiding to eat. After she feeds both cats, Cooper comes into the kitchen, wagging his tail, and she feeds him too, then glances at the clock. “I need to go.” She stops in front of me, and I reach for her without thinking and drop my mouth to hers, and she accepts my kiss without protest.
“I’ll walk you out.” I lean back just enough to scan her face. “I wanna see you tonight.”
“Okay,” she agrees easily. “I should be home around five.”
“I don’t know what time I’ll be done with work, but I’ll come over as soon as I can get away.”
“I’ll be here.” She leans up as I dip down to kiss her once more, then let her go so she can put on her coat and grab her bag. I slip on my jacket and take my cell with me, hoping they’ll be able to somehow collect my info from it when I go to the store, then head out the door with her. The morning air is cold as I walk her to her car, making me wish she had a garage to park in so she didn’t have to walk outside.
“See you tonight.” I stop at her car and steal one more kiss before she slides into her seat, and she looks up at me.
“Let me know when you get your phone.”
“I’ll send you a text,” I tell her, and she nods once before I close her door. After she’s started her engine, I head around the hood of my truck, then wait for her to back out of the driveway to do the same.
I follow her out of the subdivision, and we both turn right, but eventually she turns off toward the high school, while I head to my place in the center of town. When I moved back here, I didn’t want to purchase a property or invest too much money, so I ended up renting a two-bedroom townhouse in the middle of town for a ridiculous amount in rent each month.
When I arrive home, I head upstairs to where the living room and bedrooms are. I don’t even have to look around to know my place is the opposite of May’s, which is warm, welcoming, and interesting. Except for a couch in the living room along with a large TV, and a king-sized bed in the master, there’s no other furniture. And unless I hire someone to deck out my house, there is no way I’d ever bring her here. My place looks like a crash pad, which is exactly what it’s been until now. Because until her, I honestly didn’t think this move would be permanent and figured I’d start searching for a place to settle after my dad was able to take things over again.
Now, with May in the picture, my whole course has gone off track, because I know without even asking that she’s settled here. And if I want to be with her, which I do I need to think about planting some roots.
