by Karen Renee
“Now, who’s smart?” I asked.
Her eyes rolled up and back to me. “Not me, man.”
I squeezed her. “Yes, you, Sunflower. Now let’s get some shut-eye. You gotta report into the Kingdom in the morning.”
Chapter Twenty
You're Just Now Noticing
Cecilia
I couldn’t remember the last time someone was so damned protective of me. For the most part it thrilled me, but it also scared me. Mainly because I could see how this could interfere with his being a cop. Currently, he was just an intern, but truly, how in the world was he going to play off the fact his serious girlfriend was a former hooker? I did not want to be the reason for him not attaining his dreams.
WITH AUDITIONS FAST approaching, I didn’t think staying with Brock could happen at a worse time. Maybe I was superstitious, or maybe it was just my own case of nerves, but I wanted to be in my own bed the night beforehand. I rolled in from work at quarter after midnight and I was dead tired as I approached the door. That was when it hit me, I didn’t have a key.
My hand was mid-air to knock when Brock opened the door smiling broadly. “Hey, Sunflower.”
My brows furrowed. “How’d you know I was out here?”
His shoulders jerked in a way I knew he silently chuckled, and he moved out of the doorway so I could move inside. “You remember what I told you about Gabe when we were at the pool?”
I dumped my purse on the dinette table, but kept my duffel bag, which contained my cosmetics and uniform for the next day, on my shoulder. “Yeah,” I drawled.
“You could say a couple ladies got... vindictive. So, we’ve got a camera on the top of the door frame. Surprised you never noticed it.”
I shook my head. “Guess I’m not as observant as I should be.”
Taking my hand, he grinned and pulled me even with his body. “No, honey. You have nothing to hide, which is why that camera’s been so damned effective. The bitches who wanted to get revenge on my brother didn’t want to be caught, so they noticed the cameras right off.”
“Ah,” I mumbled.
With his other hand, he slipped the strap of my duffel down my arm and dropped it to the floor. That hand then went to the back of my head and he laid a long kiss on me, with generous tongue action. He was a master kisser, that was for damn sure. When he pulled away from me, it took a while before I opened my eyes.
“What was that for?” I finally asked.
He chuckled. “Just saying ‘hi.’”
“Well,” I whispered.
“You have dinner already?” he asked.
I shook my head. “Not really. My break was early today, I ate around four-thirty so I feel like I could eat a horse.”
He nodded. “I wasn’t thinking and grabbed some fast food for dinner. I should’ve hit the grocery store to cook. You want I can whip you up some eggs, or there might be some left over pizza in the fridge.”
I turned toward the kitchen, but his arms tightened. “Sweetheart, you change, I’ll warm up or make whatever you want to eat.”
My head tilted at him. “Brock, you don’t have to wait on me.”
He squeezed me. “I want to, baby. You look like you’re going to fall over at any moment, so you change, I’ll get some food ready for you.”
I sighed. “Okay. Thank you, honey. Um, I guess I’ll go with eggs. You wouldn’t happen to have some salsa or something to put on top of them?”
A look crossed his face. “Ketchup?”
I shrugged. “Okay, sounds like a plan.”
He shook his head at me. “We got any ham or cheese, I’ll make it an omelet, ‘kay?”
I smiled. “Thanks, but take your time. I’m gonna take a quick shower.”
“Stop thanking me, and get ready for bed, woman.”
After I scarfed down the tastiest ham and cheese omelet, I rinsed my plate and put it in the dishwasher. Brock had gone to the bathroom to brush his teeth. He was wearing those shiny basketball shorts again sans shirt, and if he didn’t stay away from me I might catch a second wind and jump him.
As soon as I wandered into his room, the bathroom door opened and he sauntered out. Bending over, I fished my toothbrush out of my duffel, and when I stood he was right behind me.
“Glad you like my shorts,” he murmured in my ear.
“Um, what?”
His arms wrapped low around my belly. “You’re shit at hiding your thoughts.”
“Could be that you’re just distracting without a shirt on. What is that all about anyway?”
He chuckled. “That could be it, but I doubt it since your eyes were at my waistband more often than not.”
I tried to pull from his hold, but he wouldn’t let me so I turned around instead. “What’s your point, B-Rock?”
He shrugged a shoulder. “Just checkin’ to see if you were up for fucking tonight or not?”
I pressed my lips together, and he smiled at me. Huge. “That’s all right, Sunflower. It’s not often we get to have morning sex, but tomorrow we damn sure will.”
I grinned while shaking my head. “In that case, I’m gonna go brush my teeth.”
He swatted my tush. “Hurry up about it. Might not fuck you until morning, but I damn sure want to make out with you before bed.”
“When’d you get so bossy?” I asked as I walked around him.
“Always have been. You’re just now noticing.”
“Whatever,” I chuckled.
WHILE BROCK DISPOSED of the condom, I found one of his t-shirts to wear. Then I went to the kitchen and assessed what I could make us for breakfast. Since I had had eggs for dinner, I hesitated to make omelets, but inside the pantry I found some plain quick-cooking oats, a jar of unopened almond butter, and half-a-bag of chocolate chips.
As I put the finishing touches on two bowls of chocolate-chip cookie oatmeal, Brock leaned against the counter beside me.
“What the hell is that?”
I looked up at him with a shy smile. “Chocolate-chip cookie oatmeal. It’s almost–”
“I haven’t eaten a bowl of oatmeal since I left the Navy,” he muttered.
I put a spoon in one of the bowls and handed it to him. “Well, this isn’t your standard bowl of oatmeal, Brock. Besides, with that tone of voice, if you have so much against oatmeal, why is there an industrial sized box of it in your pantry?”
He arched his brow. “That’s all Gabe, honey. And what’s this brown goop on the top?”
I chuckled. “That is almond butter. Something else I found in the pantry. Try it. You might just like it. It’s not as healthy as I’d like it to be, but it’s really good.”
With visible reluctance, he took a bite. His eyes widened and he swallowed. “Well, I’ll be damned. How’d you know this would taste good?”
I shrugged. “Madison went on an oatmeal kick. Steel cut oats she cooked in a crock-pot overnight. Now those need serious doctoring-up. But, when she fell off the kick, I remembered the ‘cookie’ oatmeal being the only one I liked. I tried it with plain instant oatmeal, and voilà. One of my new favorite recipes. If I’m in the mood for oatmeal, that is.”
“So, you can cook?”
I lifted a shoulder. “I wouldn’t say that. When I find things I like, I tend to remember what’s in them so I can try to recreate them on my own.”
His chin dipped a smidge. “I’d call that being able to cook, Sunflower.”
“Whatever. So, you were in the Navy?” I asked, shoveling a spoonful of oatmeal in my mouth.
He nodded solemnly. “Yeah. Vamp was in the Marines. Neither one of us could handle more than a four-year commitment, though.”
I did the math and my eyebrows furrowed. “Um, if you did four years in the military, and you’ve recently hit thirty... if you don’t mind me asking, what’s taken you so long to get your degree?”
His smile was closed-lipped. “I didn’t go into the Navy right away. Was serious about a girl when I was eighteen, but that ended badly when she died in an ac
cident. It took me some time to figure shit out.”
I interrupted him. “You were in love with a highschool sweetheart?”
He shot a feeble smile at me. “Thought I was... Well, yeah, I guess I was. But it was twelve years ago, honey. I don’t like to say it happened for a reason because it was senseless, but it’s part of my past.”
I nodded. “Okay.”
He swallowed a bite of oatmeal. “Like I was saying, I went into the Navy when I was nineteen, almost twenty. Out at twenty-four, but my dumb ass didn’t start the college application process right away, so I didn’t get started until I was twenty-five. Finances and life slowed me down, but assuming I don’t blow my internship, I’ll have a degree at the end of this term.”
Quietly, I said, “That’s cool.”
He grinned. “It will be if I can get a decent job.”
My eyebrows scrunched together. “Is that really going to be an issue? I mean, you’re gonna be a cop, right? Nearly every town needs more police.”
He nodded while he swallowed the last bite of his oatmeal. “They do, but that doesn’t mean the hiring process is swift, honey. Can’t believe I’m gonna ask this, but how difficult would it be to make me another bowl of that shit?”
I chuckled. “If you want another bowl, it doesn’t sound like it’s ‘shit,’ honey.”
“When did you become such a smartass?”
“Always have been. You’re just now noticing.”
“Touché,” he muttered.
I put a cup of water in the microwave, and turned back to Brock while it cooked. “By the way, um, I know you have the place to yourself for the time being or whatever, so this will sound crazy, but I need to sleep at my place tonight.”
He stood at the coffee pot, pouring himself a cup, and he turned to me. “How come?”
I sighed. “I have an audition tomorrow, and I don’t know, I should probably get over myself, but I’d rather wake up in my own place. It’s superstitious of me probably, but–”
He set the coffee mug aside so he could move into my space. His arms wrapped around my waist and his face lowered so it was all I could see. “Sunflower. You’re babbling. It’s fine. What time’s your audition?”
“Ten, but I also have a therapy appointment at eight, so I’m gonna have to be out the door by seven.”
He nodded. “That’s good. Well, getting up before six is never good in my book, but I have to be on campus by seven, so I’ll need to be up and outta your bed by six.”
I cocked my head to the side. “You don’t have to stay with me, Brock. Not that I don’t want you to, but if it’s going to put a crimp in your day–”
“We covered this, babe. I’m stayin’ with you for a while or vice versa. Like my brother said, you need to be on your toes because you don’t know that new pimp isn’t gonna try to –”
“That’s outlandish, Brock.”
His vivid blue eyes widened at me as he shook his head. “No, honey. Keeping you safe is never going to be ‘outlandish.’”
The microwave beeped and I fixed his bowl of oatmeal. I finished mine and rinsed the bowl out thoroughly before putting it in the dishwasher.
Turning to Brock, I said, “Okay. Fine. I’m supposed to be off at six, but I suspect that will be closer to seven. Do you want to meet me at my place at seven-thirty?”
He nodded. “That’ll work.”
Brock
After Cecilia left, I ran some errands. The first of which was to get a duplicate key cut for her. Even when Gabe came back for his next round of classes, I wanted her with me. And I didn’t care if there was still a threat to her or not. For once in my life, I knew what I wanted and I was going to make it happen. The second errand was a grocery run, followed by gassing up the Civic.
As I walked in the door at one-thirty, my cell rang. I dropped the groceries on the counter, and my cell indicated Pop calling.
“Hey, Pop.”
“This a good time, Brock?”
“Good a time as any,” I said.
He sighed. “Well, your mother called.”
“I don’t have a mother, Pop.”
His tone hardened. “Yes. You do, and that’s the last time I want to hear that shit from you.”
I clenched my teeth, but unclenched them to mutter, “Yes, sir.”
“She would like to get together with you and Gabe for a belated birthday celebration.”
“But not my older brother?”
“Him too, but seeing as he lives in Jacksonville, she understands that might not be feasible for him.”
I sighed. “All right. What does she have in mind?”
“Well, she wants to leave that up to you. Which does not mean doing nothing at all, since I know that’s where your mind immediately went.”
Times like these were when it sucked to be so close with my Pop, because he was dead right.
He continued. “She’d like to have us all over to her place. Marnie included, and Cecilia since I told her you were back with her. However, she understands if you’re not comfortable with that, and mentioned meeting at a restaurant if you prefer.”
My sigh mingled with a grunt. “All right, Pop. Can I get back to you tomorrow or the next day?”
“Sure thing, son. I told her not to expect to hear anything back for a few days.”
“All right. Good.”
I could hear the smile in his voice when he spoke again. “So, how is Cecilia?”
“Pretty good, but a little stressed. She’s got an audition tomorrow.”
“Your brother tells me someone from her past showed up at the park.”
“Yeah. Ever since I found out about that shit, I’ve had her stayin’ with me. Tonight, I’ll be staying with her since she wants to sleep in her own bed before her audition.”
Pop drawled out a hum, so I spoke before he could.
“Apparently she’s superstitious.”
“I see. I’m getting the impression you’re moving fast.”
“I love her, Pop.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“And Cecilia?”
“She loves me too.”
I heard him take in a deep breath. “Are you thinking she’s the one?”
“Pop, I don’t know. What I do know is that I’m happier when she’s around, and when she forgets to be anxious about shit, she fits in really well.”
“From that weekend you two were here, well, when she was here and you were doing your damndest to avoid her, I would say that’s true.”
I chuckled. “Yeah. Clint surprised us both a couple weeks back. Once she got over him being a P.I. she was giving him as much shit as I was.”
“All right, son. Keep me posted, and don’t hesitate to bring her by when you both have a chance. I’m sure Marnie would love having you two over soon.”
“Only if you can promise me the evil nieces won’t be there.”
Dad laughed. “Now, you know I don’t like hearing you call them that, but what better way to get them off your case than by showing off your gorgeous girlfriend?”
“Yeah, but that might also scare the gorgeous girlfriend away.”
“Or she might pull a Rainey and those two might learn a thing or two. Regardless, don’t be a stranger, and let me know about meeting your mother.”
“Got it. Later, Pop.”
Putting the groceries away, I thought about my mom and whether I wanted to spend any time with her. My gut said to stay away from her, but deep down I wanted to know why she would abandon all of us. Especially Gabe. He was a baby. How does a woman do that shit?
My phone pinged with a text message. I put the empty grocery bags in the recycle container and checked my phone to find a text from Cecilia.
Hey there! Might be able to get off early...so crossing fingers. Meet me at my place at 6?
I grinned before I texted her back.
See you then, Sunflower.
As I put my phone back on the counter, I realized an omelet was all sh
e had for dinner last night. I decided to drop by one of my favorite restaurants so I could bring her dinner tonight. A glance at the microwave clock told me I had plenty of time to kill before then, so I changed into some gym clothes and went to work out.
I FOLLOWED A BRIGHT blue Chevy Cruze into Cecilia’s apartment complex and I realized it was her. A pleased smile split my lips since that meant we could eat the food from Giovanni’s while it was still warm.
She parked her car in the middle of three empty spaces and waited while I parked on the right side of her car. When I opened my door, she was right there.
“Well, don’t you have stellar timing,” she said, as I unfolded from the Civic.
I shot her a grin and shrugged. With one hand on her hip, I put the other hand behind her neck to pull her to me for a kiss. She wrapped her arms around me and our kiss turned into a brief make-out session. The scent of the garlic knots wafted out of my car, and I broke the kiss.
“That’s a helluva good hello, Sunflower.”
She smiled. “I should say so. Hi, by the way.”
“Hi yourself. Hope you’re hungry. I brought you dinner.”
She pulled back. “You didn’t need to do that, B-Rock.”
I shook my head. “No, I didn’t, but I wanted to. Wasn’t sure what you would want from Giovanni’s, but everything there is top-notch, so I got you their Capellini Primavera, since you seem to be dead-set on eating your veggies.”
She chuckled. “You can’t go wrong eating fruits and vegetables. You need help carrying the food?”
I closed my door, grabbed her hand and moved to the other side of my car. “Nope.”
She pulled away from me while I fetched the bag from the passenger side of the car. After I bleeped the locks on my car, I slid an arm around her shoulders while we walked to her third-floor apartment.
Inside her place, Cecilia went to her room to change clothes and I unloaded the food in the kitchen. The place was quiet, so I knew her roommates weren’t home. As I unfolded the crimped tin around the paper lid covering the entrées, I debated hunting for plates and decided against it. I pulled at drawers until I found utensils.