AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 25 – Stalker Territory
Ruby
Thursday morning, I woke up with a smile on my face, which sent me into full-fledged damage control mode. While Vander claimed he wouldn’t leave me, his situation hadn’t changed all that much. If anything, his responsibilities were scattered further apart with his parents living in one province, his son in another, and him here with me. I feared getting caught between his responsibilities and torn apart.
In ten short days, Vander had moved from being a memory to ‘there was no way on God’s green earth that I would let him go’. I closed my eyes in resignation. I was going to do this. I huffed. Did I really have a choice? Being with him was almost instinctual.
The workday dragged on interminably, but eventually I stood waiting for Vander on the front step of my house. Irritated to find myself standing on this precipice, I was not in the mood for Yiayia’s less than subtle hints. Vander hadn’t told me where we were going, so I dressed in my usual jeans but with a light off-the-shoulder sweater instead of my trusty t-shirt.
He smiled easily as he stepped out of the car. He lifted a hand to wave to my yiayia in the front window, and I rolled my eyes. I turned and blew her a kiss, forcing a smile to my face, then clomped down the steps to the car. He met me at the passenger side and opened my door.
I glanced up at him to see amusement on his handsome face.
“What?” I snapped.
He grinned. “Cranky today. Let’s see if I can do anything about that.”
I huffed and swung into the car. He laughed as he slammed the door. I refused to look up at my yiayia. No doubt she stood at the window, threatening me. I turned towards the window when he swung into his side to hide my smile.
“I think I need to remind you of how it is between us.” He met my doubtful look. “I’m serious. Underneath the pain and separation of the past twenty years, you’re still Ruby, I’m still Vander, and we still belong together. Circumstances tore us apart, neither of us wanted to be apart.”
“We’re still inundated with ‘circumstances’,” I agreed testily. “Wouldn’t you say?”
He looked a bit worried. “We are. But there is a difference now.”
“Yeah? What is it? Enlighten me because I’m not so sure I see it.”
He sighed. “I’m here, Ruby, and I’m not going anywhere. Not for any reason. There is nothing that will keep me from you. I will do anything and everything within my power to ease your way and keep you with me whether you want me to or not.”
“You’re treading dangerously close to stalker territory,” I smirked.
His mouth curled up on the one side as he slid a sneaky glance my way. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
He held his hand out to me, palm up, and wiggled his fingers impatiently.
I slapped my hand down on his and he curled his fingers around mine with a smirk. “That’s better. If you’re within touching distance, I want my hands on you.”
The feel of his palm against mine soothed me and I felt my ire slowly melt away. Palm to palm, mouth to mouth, chest to chest, feet tucked together under the blankets, knees pressed together under the table, I wanted it all. I craved that physical connection to another human being.
I’d dated occasionally after Drew moved away, but casual sex, while occasionally scratching the itch, really wasn’t anything worth writing home about, not without the right partner. If I wanted to get off, I used my vibrator. God knows it was hit and miss, miss, miss, with the men I had dated. Even Drew, who hit all my hot spots, did not ease the craving I had for touch.
It was Vander’s touch I missed all these years, and now I had it.
Vander stroked the inside of my wrist with his thumb. My lungs expanded with air. He filled me in ways I’d forgotten.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
“Are you comfortable with me in the driver’s seat?” He asked in response.
I didn’t need to think about it. “Yes.”
He squeezed my fingers lightly. “Then let me surprise you.”
I laughed when I saw the sign for the beach cut-off.
He looked at me sideways and grinned. A short while later we pulled into the parking lot across from the Go-Karts.
“I know you’re probably hungry, but I thought we’d do this first.”
