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Chapter 13
Willow
I'm sitting sideways on Ares' couch, with my left leg bent at the knee, a glass of red wine in my hand. We just had a delicious dinner, and I'm watching Ares clean up the dishes. Dare I even admit that I'm having a pleasant time with the notorious prick. We talked about nothing of importance but still had a steady stream of conversation.
He was telling me about an old motorcycle he was working on in his garage. He asked me some questions about where I was living before moving back to town.
Not once did we speak of the $5k cash he gave me in the envelope. I'd checked when I went back to my room to grab my things. I don't want to ruin a good thing because that money will help Zoe and Cody.
Ares brings a beer with him and sits down beside me. I take a moment to enjoy what he’s wearing; a black t-shirt that hugs his biceps and a pair of faded blue jeans that accentuates his lean muscular frame nicely. I wet my lips as I watch him sit down beside me. I move my leg, so I'm sitting directly beside him. I'm starting to get butterflies in my stomach as I lean forward and put my wine glass on a coaster. I move back, and I feel Ares arm across the back of the couch. He has the remote in his hand, and he turns it to a selection of movies.
"What do you want to watch?" he asks.
I'm a bit startled that the boss of all bosses is asking me to pick, but I'm starting to get more nervous, so I just say, "you can pick."
"Okay, let's watch some John Wick," Ares chuckles a bit, and I feel his hand caress the back of my neck. The feeling is so lovely I curl my feet up on the other side of me and lean into his body, feeling his warmth.
I’m disoriented for a few seconds when I wake. The digital clock across the room reads 2 am. I look over, and Ares is leaning back on the couch, sleeping. I'm not sure at what point we fell asleep. I reach for the remote and turn off the tv.
I tap Ares' knee, but he doesn't budge.
I stand up and lean down, tapping his shoulder and calling his name softly. I don't want to startle him, but I know he'd be more comfortable in his bed.
It's not immediate, but Ares finally opens his eyes. He gives me a broad smile as he stretches.
"What's up, vixen?" My heart stops for a second as I look at the sexy expression on his face as his voice and stare are clouded from sleep.
"It's late; why don't we head to your room to sleep," I suggest.
Without a snarky comment, he gets up and takes my hand, leading me down a hallway to the last room to the right and back of the house. He has a king-size bed with a navy-blue comforter. I shouldn’t be surprised everything is neat. I head to his bathroom to put some toothpaste on my finger for an ad hoc tooth brushing.
"Wait," Ares says, moving to his dresser and opening a drawer. He throws me a t-shirt as he begins taking off his clothes. My breath hitches a little at the sight of his bare chest. Have mercy, look at those ab muscles. I hastily close the bathroom door behind me and lean against the wood. I push out a long breath, and l wonder how I'm going to get through this without catching some powerful feelings for this infuriatingly sexy man.
When I come out of the bathroom, Ares gets up from the bed, strolls past me, and closes the bathroom door. The t-shirt he gave me comes down to my thighs. I put my clothes on his dresser as I make my way to the far side of the bed to get in on the opposite end away from his lamp and nightstand, figuring that's where he prefers to sleep.
The butterflies from earlier start to kick up again, but I turn to my side and get comfortable. The warmth of the comforter is soothing, and I must doze off because I'm vaguely aware of strong arms pulling me into his body with a hand resting on my stomach.
The next thing I'm aware of is a constant ringing and Ares warm body moving away from me.
Sunlight is streaming through the opening in the curtains. I turn over and watch as Ares picks up his cell phone.
"This better be good," he barks into the phone gruffly.
He's quiet for several long minutes, and I'm startled when he darts upright, nearly shouting, "I'll be there soon." Ares is immediately getting out of bed. I notice he's wearing boxers, and I'd laugh if it weren't for the fact the energy in the room is suddenly off.
"What's going on?" I ask.
"QB's in the hospital. He was in a wreck," Ares is scowling.
"Is he okay?" I ask worriedly.
"No details are available yet. I need to get ready and head to the hospital. Stay as long as you want. There are a set of keys to the truck outback in a dish on the kitchen counter.
"I could come with you," I say, starting to move toward the edge of the bed.
"I appreciate the offer, but I'll get in touch later, yeah," he says, going through the bathroom door.
I hear the shower a moment later.
I lay back on the bed, now in Ares space, and I can smell his distinctive male scent on the pillow.
I move to my side and stare at the wall opposite, letting my mind drift. When Ares is dressed and heading out, he stops by the bed and kisses my cheek.
I lean up and say, "please let me know how QB is doing."
"I will," Ares smiles as he traces his finger down my cheek. I can't help but shiver from his touch. As Ares moves toward the door, I stop him by saying, "Jamison."
Ares turns toward me, waiting, "thanks for last night," I smile.
"Until next time, vixen," and with that statement, he is out the door. I lay back into his pillow again and sigh.
