“I’m out front,” she replied.
“I’ll let you in.”
Am I doing the right thing by staying with him?
When he pushed out the front door, her heart skipped a beat. Rebel’s hair was tied back, his face glistening with sweat. He wore a T-shirt and gym shorts, his pumped muscles snagging her attention.
He slid in beside her.
“Hey.” His gravelly rumbled through her like an earthquake.
Then, Addison’s warning loomed large in her mind.Guard your heart.
She cleared her throat. “I’m staying with you until I can find a place.”
Blue eyes searched her face. “No pressure.”
Steeling her spine, she drove around to the underground parking. Once inside, she parked in a visitor spot.
After opening the back hatch, he said, “Holy hell, did you clean out the grocery store?”
“I can pay you rent while I’m staying here,” she said.
“No way.”
“That’s what I thought you’d say, so I’ll cook us dinner on the nights we’re here.”
“You don’t owe me anything. You need a place to stay. I like hangin’ with you.”
There it was.
I’m a convenience. An easy lay.
Her chest squeezed.I’m falling for the wrong type of guy… again.
Truth was, this wasn’t a relationship. They’d hooked up a bunch of times. Now, they were partners.
She started to pull out her suitcases.
“I got those.”
Somehow, they managed everything in one trip. Helped that he was a beast. She stayed quiet in the elevator, the frosty silence sending a shiver through her. That silence was nothingcompared to his burning gaze. She didn’t need to look over to feel him staring a hole through her.
“You okay?” he asked as they walked toward the kitchen.
“All good.” Even she didn’t believe her own words.
In more deafening silence she unpacked the food. He put everything away.
Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.
When they finished, he made his way toward her. With each step, her heart pounded faster. She would stop the effect he was having on her, if she could. But she couldn’t. She felt what she felt, but she’d do her best to ignore it while they worked the case.
“What’s goin’ on with you?” he asked.
She shook her head.
“You wanna tell me or should I start guessing?”