by Aeryn Jaden
“I have your permission?”
I smiled, for once understanding the sarcasm.
“Maybe others think you don’t respect that but I have the feeling you’re a lot different from what others think. Sorry about before, I tend to forget that what I say can sound different from what I mean.”
His face was still cautious but at least we were moving toward an old jeep that I suspected will become my ride home.
“What did you mean?”
“Nothing particular. Just curios about what made others so scared of you.”
Now, that stuck by lightning look was really funny on the big guy.
“So you asked me if I kick puppies or kids.”
He had thrown my stuff on the backseat and seemed to wait a confirmation from me. What can I say? I don’t play games.
“Just making sure.”
His laugh reverberated in the empty parking lot.
“You’re sure something else, Mister Tyler Lucas. Never a dull moment around you.”
His eyes sparkled merrily and he was breathtaking in the streetlamps’ silvery light. His next move made me freeze. His big, calloused hands framed my face and my heart went in overdrive while I took a long and loud gulp of air. He smiled at my nervousness, not in a sarcastic way but with an almost tender look.
He was going to kiss me. I was going to get kissed by this hunky guy. As in now, as in for real, as in right now. I felt my eyelashes flutter closed like in one of those historic romances.
I ended up flying over the jeep’s hood, just to land with what felt like a ton of bricks over me, squashing me in the hard concrete pavement.
“I still think you should be checked at the hospital.”
“I’m fine. Just a couple of bruises.”
Was that the one hundred or one hundred and one time I repeated that sentence to the worrywart Bain was proving to be. He was worse that my brother.
“And the police should be notified.”
“I told you, it was an accident. It’s dark, the guy was in a hurry and simply didn’t see us standing there.”
Making goofy eyes at each other in the campus’ parking lot. Jesus!
His stubborn look told me I wasn’t getting through to him.
“Look. It’s late, you surely have a busy day tomorrow and I don’t want to take more of your time. You should get going.”
“Throwing me out now that you got your ride home?”
“No!”
I needed those conversation guides badly.
His expression gentled and I realized he was trying to tease me. Shit, I was tired.
“Not nice.”
“I know. You look tired.”
Jezz, did I now? I felt like I had passed through a meatgrinder and got out on the other side not quite intact. Feeling was a messy business.
“I am.”
“Why don’t you get comfortable on that couch while I bring you a hot cocoa or something?”
I raised my eyes, confused by his sudden change of topic.
“But…”
“Let me take care of you. You’re dead on your feet. And I’m not leaving before your brother get’s home Tyler, so forget it.”
Too tired to argue with him, although I had the suspicion it wouldn’t do me any good, I stumbled to the couch, comfy soft big couch, and let myself get swallowed by it. I was dozing already when I heard him put something on the low table by my elbow and felt his fingers hesitantly mapping my jaw and brushing the hair from my temples in a caress. My breath tried to hitch and I strongly suspect he was aware I wasn’t asleep. That didn’t stop him from gently kissing my eyebrow and making my heart squeeze at the tender gesture. When was the last time someone else beside my brother worried about me? Was there ever been someone else?
“Sleep. I’m not going anywhere.”
Why was that sentence so reassuring for me? I zonked out before I could ponder on my suddenly growing feelings towards him.
I don’t know how long I was asleep, guarded by his watchful eyes. The shrill of the phone made me jump from my warmed spot on the couch. I hardly ever heard the home phone ringing. Last time I heard that awful sound, aunt Esther had died.
“This is the Lucas residence. How can I help you? …No, he is currently unavailable… A what?! When? …Ok, I’ll make sure he get’s the message. Do you have a number he can contact you?... aha..”
He started scribbling something on the notepad and I knew I should get up and face whatever made him frown so fiercely at that paper.
“Yes…got it…Tonight? …I don’t know… I should probably… Yes, I understand...Yes, he is currently home…Yes, of course…All right, we’ll be here.”
U-uh. Maybe I was ready to have another run-for-the-hills moment. Whoever made house calls at, I checked and found out is was only 9 o’clock and I hardly slept half an hour, was not delivering good news.
“You’re awake.”
“I don’t know if I want to be.”
Keep on talking, everything is okay. I was so freaked out that I didn’t even mind exposing my weakness. Was Bain a bit tense?
“You’re still here.”
“Your brother hasn’t come yet. And I’ll told you I wouldn’t leave. Tyler…”
“That was the police wasn’t it?”
He looked at me, surprised.
“I heard you on the phone; you had that official tone you hear on the cop shows at TV.
Standard responses also.”
“Somebody broke into your lab tonight.”
That surely got my attention and I expelled relieved.
“My lab? Jesus.”
My eyes closed to hide my expression.
“You were expecting something else.”
I didn’t have a reason to deny it but putting my fears there, out-loud, would only make them more real. And me more vulnerable in front of him. I wasn’t ready for that no matter how hot and nice Bain was. I was unwilling to do that, my heart was just now starting to beat again.
“Last time that blasted phone rang, my aunt was dead. I guess it brings back bad memories.”
How could those sapphire eyes look with so much feeling at me? He didn’t know me, shouldn’t care. He looked knowing enough to me.
“You thought it was about your brother.”
Maybe he noticed more that I thought. I just nodded and he sat next to me. His hard shoulder made a warm and solid pillow for my cheek and I just let myself be held without a word.
“The police said they’ll run by here tonight to talk to you. Something about being on their way. They left a phone number for you to contact them tomorrow with a list of missing things. Wanted you to come there tonight but I told them you couldn’t.”
“Thanks.”
He had my now recharged phone in his hand (when did he put it to recharge?) and handed it to me.
“Call him, make sure everything is all right. You’ll feel better.”
I wasn’t going to cry.
Bain squeezed my shoulder and got out of the room to give some privacy. I was still gazing in his wake when the damned ring tone assigned to my brother’s number made me drop the cell (Mass Destruction from Faithless, since I always thought he had a wicked mind) and loudly swear.
Sooo… Uh. My eyes seemed to be glued to his pants. Painted- on-his- ass pants. Sooo… In fact my eyes were glued to his ass. An amazing ass if I may say so. Firm, muscular and not too narrow.
Make that glued again, since I seem to have spent a lot of time today checking his ass. His eyes. Those amazing broad shoulders. My hands were making cupping forms without my consent.
And my mind has stopped functioning the moment my eyes meet his dark jeans covered ass. Love at first sight. Or drool at first look.
“Get your mind out of the gutter.”
Fingers snapped before my trying- to- be- x-ray eyes.
“Huh?”
“Eyes here.”
He pointed at his face, somewhere in the vicinity of his curved lips and I ch
anged obsessions for a moment, remembering my almost kiss in the parking lot.
“Bellow the neck is forbidden to you. Focus.”
Uh-huh. Sure. Better get the glasses of. Maybe his blurry ass won’t distract me then.
I met his amused eyes and touched reality momentarily. The reality where my mouth was acting on me. Where I had just been caught staring at his ass so intently that I was surprised his pants weren’t on fire. Little did I know that Bain really felt like his pants were on fire but for different reasons. Or very similar, really.
Was that a bulge in front of his pants? Was it possible that…?
My skin was getting warm. And probably tomato-red.
Pretend you’re invisible. Pretend you’re… I don’t know! Not such a geek?!
I probably fidgeted or did something more besides changing colors, since my anxiousness seemed to be noticeable and he took pity on me by pretending to get real busy arranging the drinks on the tray.
“Soo…who is on your suspects list?”
I averted my eyes, not wanting to be caught star-eyed a second time but with my newfound focus on his front package. Jezz, what was wrong with me? I just had a break in at work, before which somebody had almost run me down in the college parking lot and here I was standing shock-still in my kitchen gaping like a ex-con crazy in lust with Bain’s hot body. All this while I was entertaining two police officers in my living room. Maybe I really did need that check up.
Regroup.
“I don’t know. It’s premature to develop a plausible scenario. We don’t know all the facts. I need more data to reach a logical and reliable conclusion.”
When I hesitantly returned my eyes to his , he was standing with the tray half- lifted as if frozen in time, staring at me with a look so intense it made me want to run and hide or run and jump him. Decisions, decisions.
“God, you’re really cute when you go all academic on me .”
Damn that blush (which returned with a vengeance, or had it even left?). I had too much blood. Maybe it was time to donate some again.
Bain seemed to not expect an intelligible answer from me, which was wise- my brain fried-dried around him- and my mind was an expert at devising avoidable thoughts and tactics to keep me busy when something (like what seemed to be mutual attraction) was simply way out of my league of comprehension.
He snickered at me, making me sputter in indignation and before I started rambling at him, again, he passed by with the tray, but not before delivering another bomb on the walls safeguarding my safe and predictable mind citadel. Namely, he kissed me.
The nerve! The…mmmh… Soft. Tingly. Then nothing.
Even by my never-been-kissed-before standards it was more like a peck on the lips, or maybe it was accidental. Yeah, an accidental encounter of our lips. Sure. Next he’ll slip and land…Too much Eminem.
Ok. So, I am a little crazy.
Crazy in lust, supplied my smartass inner voice.
I stood there for five minutes or so, shock still in the middle of the kitchen, tasting my lips like I could taste him there. I admit, at times I suspect I’m actually a girl since I couldn’t stop staring wide- eyed after him while touching my lips in wonder. I was having an out of body experience.
So sue me. It was after all my first kiss. Or peck on the lips. Accidental encounter.
Whatever.
I would have probably grown roots in that place if he hadn’t called me in the living room, announcing the fresh arrival of principal Matthers, my generic boss. Talk about cold showers.
Principal Matthers was a bald dude, roughly my height with a pinched mouth reminding me of my late aunt Esther and little black eyes that kept darting through the room rendering the impression of a squirrel. His age was unknown. He was always dressed like he was going to a cocktail party, here included the bow-tie. I hated his guts.
And the feeling was openly mutual.
Unfortunately for him he was stuck with me.
I smiled delighted. He grimaced as if he was having craps.
“Principal Matthers insisted on following us when he heard we were coming to talk.”
The cop’s tone suggested that our opinions on the esteemed principal coincided.
His partner maintained a blank expression and carefully sipped from the cup of coffee Bain put in front of him. He was an attractive guy of almost six feet height and solid built, looked friendly and composed, calm. His green eyes betrayed an inner peace I suspected had been hard gained. My non-existent gay- radar pinged when I spotted a red earring in his right ear. His subtle nod of acknowledgement would have made me blush yesterday. Today my supply of blushes had been exhausted on Bain and I smiled faintly. The other cop frowned at me and I had the urge to step back, out of his way. Bain intervened before I could follow my impulse. He circled my waist with his arm and returned the frown to the buff cop. I was aware of the image we made but I was still too tired and frankly content to have his shoulder to lean on, for any objections.
Two steely gazes clashed and I was afraid for a moment that they would start a fight, that tense Bain’s body was against mine. It would have been hard to guess which one would have won in a confrontation, they were roughly the same height and had a similar build and the cop’s sharp eyes betrayed the fact that he wasn’t someone to be messed with. “Why don’t we commence, Officer Stevens?”
The friendly looking cop smiled at me, the one that apparently was Officer Stevens grit his teeth and just nodded. Bain relaxed and ushered me to the couch, before sitting next to me. His large frame almost hid me from sight and I had the crazy urge to chuckle. Now that I had talked with Sean, and knew he was just stuck with a flat tire, I could finally relax my high-strung nerves. Matthers’ green around the edges look almost made me loose it.
This was fun.
Bain’s quiver returned my attention to him and we shared a look of mutual amusement that elicited a cough from Matthers and a sly smile from the friendly cop. Even Stevens looked a bit amused.
The cop’s questions were routine, things like what did I researched in the lab (that response made them pause and theorize about the possibility of Technological espionage), did I have any enemies- not that I knew about (said with a pointed look to my beloved principal), who else besides me had the key to the lab- (another pointed look to Matthers) and so on and so forth.
Matthers was getting greener and greener with each response I gave and each move Bain made in my direction.
I didn’t really think Matthers was a suspect and neither did the cops apparently. The break in resembled more to an act of vandalism and from what they told me the lab had been really messed up. They cut it short when a pager beeped and called them to another scene, gave their number again and told me to check and see if anything is missing.
Bain had to interrupt my fantasy to see them leaving already.
“Tyler was almost run down this evening.”
They paused in the middle of getting up and resumed their seats.
“Has this been reported?”
“He didn’t want to.”
I met three pairs of pointed stares and tried not to give in the impulse to make myself smaller under the couch’s pillows.
“What?! It was an accidental. I think the driver didn’t even notice that he almost run us down. The campus’ parking lot has bad illumination.”
All three macho men dismissed me with another pointed stare and started to review the evening’s incident.
“It was a dark sedan, I couldn’t see the numbers and it passed us very quickly without stopping or slowing down. I jumped and dragged Tyler out of it’s path, we were next to my car, an ‘84 Jeep Cherokee- license plate….”
Ok, I was glad not to be the focus of their stares but the attention with which the cops were writing down all the details provided by Bain made me rethink my position about not notifying the cops and in the light of the other incident of this evening, suddenly my parking lot adventure seemed not so innocent anymore. Maybe I’m sl
ower tonight that it hadn’t came to me until now that my night’s adventures could be related. It was hard to believe that I could be someone’s target for whatever reason but all seemed to imply that it may be the case.
By the time the cops were satisfied with the information they gathered from Bain I had the mother of all headaches. I actually forgot about my other silent guest until he rose and followed the cops to the door.
“I expect to see you first thing in the morning in my office, Mister Lucas.”
The dude had a huge stick up his...Errr. He risked a quick look over my shoulder to the towering Bain.
“We seem to have much to talk about.”
U-huh. I wondered if it was about this night’s show put by Bain and I or the thing with the Chancellor. Seemed like the cat was out of the bag regarding the identity of who was that notified him.
I suspected from the disgusted expression he had on his face that it was both and I wasn’t in the mood to listen to his bullshit.
“I would have deemed important for you to check the lab tonight. I see you had better thinks to do. What more could I expect from…”
This time a low warning growl from behind him made the stupid homophobic fool hurry up and leave without even a polite good-bye and saved me from kicking his esteemed ass out of my home. I was exhausted to the point of dropping into a sleep coma. My emotions have been put through the wringer all evening, starting the moment I opened to let Bain and his drool-worthy person into my lab, followed by my near-heart attack when I thought something had happened to Sean and then the realization that someone had maybe tried to kill me tonight. I did well under pressure, but when I dropped, I dropped like a rock.
Another phone beeped and I turned in time to see Bain casting an annoyed look to the message.
Thank god.
I wanted my tub, my cotton sheets and to sleep for twenty-four hours. Maybe it was unfair to Bain but for now, he was part of the problem. I was too wrung out to even try to deal with my first sexual attraction and the specimen that caused it. I was ready to collapse and couldn’t let myself do it with witnesses, never could show that kind of vulnerability to anyone.