Laid Bare - Lauren Dane [41]
So she’d tried to dodge his calls, but he’d simply shown up at the café every day at lunch. She told herself she wanted him to give up and go away, but mostly she knew it was a lie, even if she did think it would be better for both of them if he found a woman who didn’t jump at shadows and sleep with the bathroom light on.
“Mmm.” He took in the plate with a happy sound. Before she could dodge, he’d grabbed her and kissed her, bold as you please. “That’s even better.” He plopped his gorgeous, hard-as-steel ass down and dug in.
“Why, hello there,” she said, unable to stop a smile.
“Good salad. Is this pasta or rice or what?”
“It’s orzo, rice-shaped pasta.”
“Ah. Okay then. It’s good. Mint is a nice touch. Unexpected.” He leaned forward and said quietly, “Is it just me or is my sandwich on steroids?” He looked around. “It seems bigger. Is that because you’re sweet on me or something?”
She rolled her eyes and moved to help a customer. “You’ll do,” she said over her shoulder.
“Good. I guess that means you’ll go to the movies with me tonight. Or I can grab a pizza and we can rent a movie.”
“I can’t tonight. I’m working with Adrian.” Adrian was sick of her coming over; she was sure of it. But he hadn’t said much other than to tell her she was being a pussy for not just talking to Todd and telling him what happened.
“Lots of that going around lately.”
He finished his food and tried to pay. She gave him a dirty look; he told her he’d call her later and that he’d see her tomorrow. The same as he’d done every day for the last week.
She wished her feelings for him would just wear off, but she looked forward to seeing him walk through that door every day just the same.
He hadn’t seen her alone in two weeks. He’d called and they’d e-mailed, but she’d put him off and he knew she was avoiding him. He still showed up at her café for lunch every afternoon. At first much to her consternation, but now she had a plate of something tasty waiting for him every day when he arrived. They’d had that much progress at least. But she wasn’t alone with him and she continued to plead busy if he asked her to dinner or to spend time with him after work.
That last night he’d seen her, he’d slept over. He’d used his belt to strap her wrists and tie them to the headboard of her bed. He’d knelt over her, feeding her his cock as she sucked it eagerly.
They’d made love, they’d fucked, and he’d gorged himself of her body and soul. They’d connected, and when he’d left the next morning, he knew with total certainty she loved him too.
Which was why she was avoiding him, he knew. She was scared of losing him. Given what he’d done ten years before, he understood. Despite that knowledge, he was annoyed.
“Sit down and use your damned computer to look it all up,” Cope said, standing up and pushing Todd into his chair and sitting next to him. Ben manned their main office just south of downtown Seattle but Cope had set up shop three days a week with Todd in his basement turned home office.
The place had turned out very nicely. They’d spent a lot of time painting and laying down new flooring. There were still plenty of windows set high into the walls, but they’d installed good lighting as well. It was brightly lit and comfortable, with several computer terminals, multiple phone lines and other office equipment, including the not-so-standard gun safe in the back corner under the stairs.
“Fine,” he growled, swiveling toward his computer. He’d been putting it off. He wanted her to tell him and then when she’d started avoiding him, he’d kept it off his mind the best he could, thinking up ways to get her ass by his side permanently.
Two hours later he felt sick. All the pictures, all the news coverage, the media circus of the trial. No wonder she’d returned to Seattle. No wonder she’d worried about losing anyone else she let into her life. No one should have to endure