“Uh, I can change it if you need help. We have time before our reservation.” He glanced between Baxter and Sonya, confused but also somewhat entertained.
Whirling around, Baxter’s glare could have burned a whole through a lesser man. “Who they hell are you?”
Holding up a hand in uncertain greeting, he said, “Uh, Sean DeLacey. And you are?”
“You have nothing to do with this,” Baxter snapped. He looked like he was about to tear into me next, but his left eye twitched and his gaze refocused back on Sean. “Reservations?”
“Yeah,” Sean said, pointing at me. “For dinner…with Eliza.” The look on his face asked the unanswered question of whether or not Baxter had a problem with that. Even if he did, I doubted Sean would care. I thought he was more curious than anything else.
Baxter’s hard gaze shifted from Sean to me. I couldn’t really explain why I squirmed beneath it, but suddenly holding still was impossible. “You’re going out with this guy?” Baxter demanded.
“Yeah, so?” Not much of a response, but I was having a hard time focusing. Why would Baxter care in the least who I dated?
He didn’t answer my question. He didn’t storm off in an angry huff over Sean or the smoke detectors. Instead, he turned to face Sonya. “I’ll fix the smoke detector, but this better be the last one.” Then he did stormed off toward her office.
Sonya and I looked at each other and shrugged. Sean asked, “Who was that, exactly?”
Sighing, I said, “Baxter.” What I wouldn’t give to know what was wrong with that guy. “Never mind him…”
“He’s always like that,” Sonya finished with a giggle.
I laughed before giving her a quick hug. “I’ll text you when I get back, okay? Go make sure Baxter doesn’t sabotage your office out of revenge.”
Looking much less worried than earlier, Sonya waved goodbye as she headed for her office. When I turned back around, Sean was giving me a look that begged for answers. “Anyone else I need to meet and get approval from before we go to dinner?”
“Trust me, you don’t want to meet anyone else who lives here. Let’s go.”
Sean didn’t wait for another chance to be interrupted. Grabbing my hand, he pulled me out of the crazy house and kept hold until we were on the sidewalk standing next to a motorcycle. Balking, I pulled my hand out of his and pointed at the bike. “Is that yours?”
“Yeah, why? You don’t like motorcycles?” Sean asked.
I’d never been on one, so I really didn’t know, but I didn’t admit that. “I’m hardly dressed for riding one.” I gestured at my dress. “It will fly up while you’re driving.”
Sean grinned at me and leaned against the bike. “Afraid of showing a little leg?”
“To everyone we pass on the street? I’d rather not.”
Pushing away from the bike, Sean was still grinning as he grabbed the hand I had parked on my hip. “If you’re going to show that much leg to anyone, I’d rather it be me than all of Manhattan.” Tugging me closer, his fingers curled around my hip with one hand as he handed me a helmet with the other. “Get on the bike. I’ll make sure your dress doesn’t fly up. Promise.”
He sure made a lot of promises. Although, I thought maybe I had inferred a few promises he’d never actually voiced. Either way, I trusted him to keep them. Feigning more reluctance than I felt, I climbed onto the bike and settled my skirt around my legs. I don’t know what I was expecting from Sean when he promised he would make sure I didn’t flash anyone on the way to the restaurant. When he stepped up next to me and slid his hands down my thighs, I stopped breathing.
He knew exactly what kind of effect he was having on me as he tucked the skirt of my dress beneath my legs. I probably should have shoved him off when he finished and his touch lingered on my knees. By that point I was pretty much incapable of doing anything. Heat simmered in my core and my fingers were clenched around the edge of the seat. I could barely remember the last time I’d felt like that.
Sean’s fingers finally left my skin. I shivered at the loss, glad he had to face away from me when he climbed onto the bike in front of me. I didn’t think I took another breath until he was seated and reached back to tap my thigh. “Hold on,” he said.
My brain must have been on autopilot as I wrapped my arms around his waist, because coherent thoughts sure weren’t responsible for it. Sean tugged my arms around him a little tighter before starting the bike and revving the engine. I tried not to react and expose my inexperience when he pulled into traffic, but I found myself flattened against his back and squeezing him nearly in half as a cab sped past us. I didn’t let go until he pulled up in front of the restaurant. It took me a minute to realize Sean was laughing at me.
“I am tempted to pick you up for class every morning just so I can feel you pressed up against me like this.”
Fire raced straight to my face. My head fell against his shoulders, even though that was exactly what he was teasing me about. His body rumbled against mine as he laughed.
“Why didn’t you tell me this was your first time on a motorcycle?”
“Who says it was?” I asked. He probably had a hard time hearing me with my voice muffled by his back.
Turning halfway, Sean laughed. “You said it was when you grabbed me and didn’t let go for fifteen minutes.” I tried to look away, but he caught my chin and pulled me closer. “Don’t hide because you were scared. You tried something new even though it scared you. That’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
A different kind of heat spread through me at his words. He knew nothing about me or my past, but all I had been doing for years was hiding. Hiding out of fear. Riding a motorcycle was a small thing, but it had scared me when I saw it. Yet for some reason, I got on. I let Sean drive me across town as cars whipped past us, sometimes only a few feet away. He had protected me, and laughed at me, and told me I was brave. I hadn’t been brave in a very long time. Slowly, the corners of my mouth curled up in a smile.
“Holding out on me again,” Sean said as he leaned toward me. “You have a beautiful smile. You shouldn’t hide that either.”
My heart started racing as Sean leaned in to kiss me, but not out of fear this time.
7: Not-So-Funny Farm
The bike slowed as we neared my building. This time, I was still holding onto Sean, but not to the point he could hardly breathe. He flicked the kickstand into place with his foot and the bike settled to the side. I waited for him to climb off the bike before following suit. He took my hand when I stepped up next to him and gave me a sly smile.
“So, will your report to Sonya keep her from meeting me at the door the next time I pick you up?”
“Next time, huh?”
Sean’s hands slipped onto my hips as he eased himself in close. “Don’t try to play hard to get. You had a good time tonight. Admit it.”
Smiling, I said, “I did, but you don’t want any distractions and I’m going to be working nights starting on Monday.”
“When did I say I didn’t want any distractions?”
“When you told me you weren’t working through school.” Frowning, I pressed my finger against his chest. “What you forgot to tell me is that the lead you were giving me was for your old job, and that your ex-girlfriend still works there and already hates my guts.”
He had the decency to look at least a little chastised, but he was still smiling. “Danielle will cool off after a while, and you’ll love working at Saul’s.”
“Why did you leave, then?”
Losing some of his mirth, Sean said, “I told you, I have a lot riding on this program.”
“So you quit your job and break up with Danielle because you don’t want anything to keep you from graduating, but you’re talking about next time with me. Why?”
Sean sat back down on the seat of the bike and pulled on me until I stood between his knees. “First of all,” he said, “I didn’t break up with Danielle because I thought she was going to be a distraction. I broke up with
her because she was sending half naked pictures of herself to a guy in one of her classes. Secondly, I’m not proposing marriage here. You’re fun to hang out with, a good kisser, and I think we can make getting through this program a little more enjoyable if we stick together. If you’re expecting more or less, say so now.”
“I’m not expecting anything, Sean. I came here to go to school to become a chef, not to find a boyfriend or get wrapped up in a murder case.”
Blinking several times, Sean cocked his head to one side. “What murder case?”
“My neighbor,” I said with a wave of my hand, “and her nephew. The cops are useless, but that’s beside the point. What I’m trying to say is that I have a lot riding on this program, too. If you want to hang out and blow off steam or whatever, once in a while, that’s great. I’m sure we’ll both need it. I don’t have the time or inclination for anything more.”
Sean shook off talk of murder, I was sure tucking it away for a later conversation, and stood with his body barely an inch from mine. “Sounds to me like we’re on the same page.”
I exhaled, more than a little relieved. “Good.”
“Definitely good,” Sean said before kissing me hard and fast. When he pulled back, I tilted forward, following the warmth of his body and the heat being near him inspired in me. He grinned and squeezed my hand. “Walk you to your door?”
I nodded, feeling infinitely better about getting involved with Sean than I had earlier that night. This wasn’t the type of relationship I was used to. Who was I kidding? I’d only ever had one serious relationship…one relationship period. I was nowhere close to being ready for or wanting that again. There was a good chance this whole casual thing could blow up in my face, but I came here to take a few risks and start living again.
Sean opened the lobby door for me and made a questioning gesture for where he should go next. I’d really only expected him to walk me to the main door. A bubble of anxiety formed in the center of my chest at the thought of him walking me all the way to my apartment door, but I pointed toward the stairs anyway. It was relatively quiet as we walked up the steps, which was surprising, and the halls were completely empty, which wasn’t surprising. This wasn’t the type of building where neighbors stood around chatting in the halls.
“This place is kind of creepy,” Sean said when we reached the second floor landing. “Why is it so quiet?”
“The people who live here try to avoid each other as much as possible. Less chance of breaking the rules that way, although yelling at each other certainly doesn’t seem to be a problem. Only physical violence.”
Sean stared at me. “What?” He shook his head. “Were you serious about your neighbor getting killed? Did someone in the building do it?” His gaze darted up and down the empty hallway. “That guy from earlier…”
I waved him off feeling vindicated. “Believe me, that was my first guess, too, but no. He was at work.” See, I wasn’t the only one who thought Baxter came off as homicidal. So there, Bernadette. “Her death seems to have something to do with her nephew, who’s also dead now, but nobody knows what. It’s got everyone on edge more than usual.”
“I can understand why,” Sean said.
We were approaching Ms. Sinclair’s apartment, and even in the dim light the bloodstain was noticeable. The cops wouldn’t let Sonya have it cleaned yet, in case they needed to gather more evidence or whatever. It made my stomach turn every time I walked by it. Making her leave it there really seemed unnecessary.
Sean noticed it as well and pulled back in revulsion. He turned, looking toward the lobby and the way out of this not-so-funny farm. “Is it safe for you to be here? I really don’t think…”
The door didn’t burst open like you might think. The handle turned quietly, but quickly, and before I could process what was happening, a black-clad body was halfway through the partially opened door. The intruder was so quiet, Sean didn’t even turn around before the man saw me standing there and lashed out. My knees buckled instinctively, before a conscious effort to duck could save me. The heavy duty flashlight meant to take my head off crashed into the side of Sean’s head and he dropped to the floor next me.
Pressing myself against the railing, I stared up at the man, convinced I was about to die. The hoodie he was wearing darkened his features, but not enough that I couldn’t see his brown eyes spearing straight through me and his chapped lips curled up in a snarl. Scared nearly witless, I did the first thing that came to my severely scrambled mind.
“Baxter!”
In my head, I had no real hope that Baxter would be able to do anything in time. I wasn’t the only one surprised by his door bursting open half a second later. I doubted Baxter had any idea why I’d screamed his name, but he looked less than happy about it as he burst into the hallway looking like he was going to kill someone, for real this time. Anger morphed into shock when he saw the big man standing over me with his flashlight raised for another swing. Our two bodies on the floor were probably a little unsettling as well, though he might not have been all that concerned about me after the smoke detector pranks.
Regardless of his animosity toward me, Baxter reacted. Sprinting down the hall like a linebacker, the look on his face said he’d take out all the anger and frustration he carried around on a day-to-day basis on this guy, regardless of the situation. While the intruder seemed like a giant from my floor-level perspective, Baxter equaled him in height and build. Even though my attacker had a pretty effective weapon, he sized up the situation quickly and decided to bolt.
Baxter gave chase.
“Call 911!” he shouted at me as he ran past.
The two of them bounced off walls and railings in their mad flight down the stairs, but the intruder made it to the main door first and disappeared into the night. Baxter disappeared after him, but was back at the entrance to the building a few seconds later. Seeing him standing there looking like a wild man, snapped me out of my shock, and I realized I hadn’t called the police. Scrambling for my phone, I tapped out the digits and hit send frantically. Baxter was bounding back up the stairs by the time the call was answered.
“Emergency 911. What is your emergency?”
“There was an intruder in my building. He knocked my friend out, and my neighbor scared him away, but I think Sean’s hurt. He’s unconscious,” I said as it finally sank in that my date was still lying on the floor unmoving. I started shaking. Not just my hands. My entire body broke down into uncontrollable trembling. “He’s not moving,” I whispered. I reached out, but couldn’t bring myself to touch him. What if he was dead?
Jumping in fright when Baxter dropped to the floor at my feet, I didn’t protest when he ripped the phone out of my hand and took over. I just sat there on the floor with my arms wrapped around my middle as Baxter checked Sean for a pulse. I nearly burst into tears when he told the operator Sean was alive. Baxter had to grab me and practically yell at me to find out if I was hurt. I shook my head and sank against the railing.
I didn’t think I moved or said a single word until Officer Williams was suddenly kneeling in front of me sometime later. “An ambulance is on the way for your friend. Are you hurt?”
“She’s just in shock,” Baxter said, sounding less nasty than usual. There was still a hint of irritation in his voice, though, like it annoyed him I wasn’t stronger. Thinking that might be what was going through his head, tears welled in my eyes. It was unfair. He didn’t know what I’d been through. He couldn’t judge me without knowing that I’d seen Ben die, that it had happened right in front of me.
I wanted to be tough and show Baxter I could be strong, but my lip quivered when I asked, “Is Sean okay?”
“He may have a concussion, but the paramedics will take care of him,” Officer Williams said. I moved to reach for Sean, to make sure for myself, but he pushed me back. “Just sit tight. Baxter’s looking after Sean. You worry about yourself.”
Looking at Sean’s form, I saw that Baxter was kneeling over him, watching
him for signs of waking up while he spoke to the emergency operator. I watched Sean, too, willing him to blink and sit up. The flashlight he’d been hit with had been one of those long-handled ones that had some weight to it. I’d heard the crack and knew it wasn’t a glancing blow. Tears spilled down my cheeks as I realized this was my fault.
Officer Williams tried to comfort me, an awkward pat on my shoulder, but I kept crying until the paramedics arrived. Sonya came running up the stairs after the paramedics and crashed into me. She was in her pajamas and had mascara smeared beneath her eyes, probably from falling asleep in the middle of a movie. She didn’t care and held onto me while I dried my eyes. “Baxter texted me,” she said. “I nearly died when I saw it and ran straight up here! Are you okay?”
I nodded, but kept staring at Sean. I gasped when he groaned and tried to roll onto his side. One of the paramedics held him in place and asked him to stay still while they examined him. “What happened?” Sean asked groggily.
“You were hit on the head by an intruder trying to escape the building,” Officer Williams said.
Sean blinked as he processed the information, then jerked away from the hands trying to keep him in place. “Eliza? Is she okay?”
“I’m fine,” I said, pulling out of Sonya’s grip and reaching for his hand. “I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.”
Sean opened his mouth to say something, but Baxter beat him to it. “Don’t be stupid. It’s nobody’s fault. Bad timing.” His lips pursed and his gaze narrowed at Sean, who was still lying on the floor. “Although, if you hadn’t felt the need to go out with a stranger…”
“He’s not a stranger,” I snapped.
Baxter rolled his eyes. “Oh yeah, you’ve known him for all of a week. Not even that. There’s a killer running around and you decide to go out on the town with a guy you barely know, who you were bringing back up to your apartment. Never mind, maybe this is your fault. Him getting clocked, anyway.”
Trouble Magnet Page 7