by Lila Fox
“Don’t you have a gym in your building?”
“Yes,” she said and looked down. “I tried it once, but I got weird looks from a couple of guys, and it made me really nervous, so I didn’t go back.”
Kaleb ground his teeth together before he asked. “What were you wearing?”
“A sports bra and leggings.” Her eyes widened when he growled. “What?”
“You were barely dressed.”
“There were a few other women there, and they had on less than me.”
He held her head and looked intently into her eyes. “Never again. Not unless I’m with you. Got it?”
She nodded.
“Good.” He stepped back. “I’m going to take a shower while you’re fixing your hair. Sorry I don’t have everything you need, but I’ll remedy that today.”
“Okay.” Her eyes widened when he turned on the shower, dropped his boxers, and stepped under the water.
His body was muscular all over. His bottom was a work of art. She’d only caught a glimpse of his penis, and it looked big and hard.
“Where do you want to go eat?”
The sound of his voice broke the spell she’d been under. “Oh … I don’t care.”
“Okay, first to your place, breakfast, and then is there anything you’d like to do?”
“We’re going to spend the day together?” she asked.
“If I have my way, we’ll be spending every moment of the day together that we’re not working for a long time.”
Aleena stumbled back against the counter. She gripped the edge with both hands as she tried to come to grips with what he was telling her.
“I… Don’t you think it’s too soon to talk like that?” she stuttered.
The shower shut off. Kaleb opened the shower door and reached for a towel. He wrapped it around his waist before going to stand in front of her.
“No, I don’t think it’s too soon because of how strongly I feel toward you. I know you feel something for me, but can you see yourself with me?”
Aleena nodded slowly. “Yes, but still, I don’t want to rush things.”
He combed through her damp, tousled hair with the fingers of one hand.
“We’ll take it day by day, but I’d rather not go a day without you and a night without holding you.”
Her mouth dropped open. “You want to sleep together?”
He grinned. “Sometimes. And sometimes, when you’re ready, I want to make love to you and then sleep.”
She stiffened. She didn’t know when she’d be ready for sex.
“Not right away,” he assured her. “We’ll take that step when you feel comfortable.”
She exhaled and nodded. “Okay.”
“Good. Let me get dressed so we can go. Drink your coffee while you wait.”
She picked up her cup and sipped it. It was pretty good. He put some kind of hazelnut cream in it. She didn’t usually have coffee because it made her jittery, but she was still moving a bit sluggishly.
Kaleb came out of the closet, tucking his short-sleeved shirt into his soft-looking, faded jeans. “Ready?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s get your shoes on and go.”
Chapter Seven
Aleena glanced at him several times as he drove them across town. He was always touching her in some way. On the drive, he held her hand the whole time.
They rode up the elevator with his arm wrapped around her waist.
After her door closed behind them, she turned to face him. “I shouldn’t take too long.”
“I’ll wait,” he said and grinned. “Don’t forget to grab an overnight bag with things you’ll need for a few days.”
A spear of shock raced through her. “Really? We’ll be together the whole time?”
“Yes, baby. Unless you don’t want to.”
Oh, God, yes, she did. More than anything at that moment. The strength of her need scared her a bit. “I do. I’ll be right back.”
Aleena walked into her bedroom and closed the door. Then she pulled off the ruined pants and his shirt before taking off her bra and panties. At Kaleb’s place, she had put her underwear on inside out but still felt a little yucky so quickly washed herself before putting on another pair.
She dressed in a pair of jeans and a soft pink shirt. Then she sprayed her hair with conditioner and combed through it before she pulled on socks and her white tennis shoes before going to find him.
He was standing in front of the pictures again. He picked up the one of the dog and turned to her.
“Who’s this picture of, baby?”
Oh, Lord. She couldn’t help but be embarrassed. She bit her lip and wrapped her arms around her waist as a blush warmed her face. “It’s a picture of a dog I want to get eventually.” She had done that for years. She’d cut out a picture of something she eventually wanted. She still had most of the photos in a file in her nightstand.
“Is it from a magazine?”
She nodded.
“The house also?”
“I know it’s silly.”
He shook his head as he placed it back on the fireplace mantle. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her. “It’s not silly at all.”
She peeked up at him, and something inside of her melted at the approval, affection, and passion on his face.
He bent and pressed his lips to hers. She wrapped her arms around his waist and cuddled, lifting to her toes before trying to deepen the kiss.
He pulled away and held her at arm’s length. “We have to stop, baby. I don’t think you're ready for where this is headed.
Aleena stared up at him with equal parts disappointment, frustration, and desire. She knew why he stopped, and although her body was demanding satisfaction, she knew he’d made the right decision. She nodded and stepped back.
Kaleb picked up her travel bag and then grabbed her hand. “Let’s go eat.”
“Okay. I’m hungry.”
“Good, you’ll like the place I’m taking you.”
He took her to a diner he liked to eat at often. The place was nothing fancy, but the food was excellent.
She’d never tasted a better Denver omelet.
He grinned at her. “It’s good, right?”
“Yes. We definitely have to come back here a lot.”
He leaned back in the booth. “Tell me about yourself, baby.”
She set her fork down and took a drink of water. “I get to learn about you, too, right?”
“Absolutely.”
“Well, um, I’m twenty-six. I grew up in a small town in Kansas. My grandmother raised me, and we lived in an old house.”
“You loved the house or living with your grandmother?”
She nodded. “Both. How did you know that?”
“Your expressions. You don’t like where you live now, right?”
She nodded. “I don’t at all, but Gregory picked it because it was safe.”
“I agree with that. Now, you don’t have to live there. I’d like you to move in with me.”
Her mouth dropped. “What? Are you crazy? We’ve been on two bizarre dates. We hardly know each other.”
He chuckled. “I wouldn’t call them bizarre.”
She snorted. “The first one was when you knocked me down in the rain, brought me home, and we drank chocolate milk. I still say that it wasn’t really a date. The second one was you taking care of my injuries, eating Chinese, and then I fell asleep on you.”
“If you weren’t hurt, it would have been perfect.”
She rolled her eyes. “I can’t wait to be on a crummy date with you. And then all the ways you’re already taking care of me. It’s like we’ve been together for years instead of hours.”
He threw back his head and laughed. “I don’t want you to forget I’m going to be taking you to and from work.”
“I think that’s ridiculous. I’m perfectly able to get myself there and back.”
He tipped his head forward a bit. “I know, baby. But I l
ove taking care of you, and part of that is keeping you safe.”
She saw the determination in his eyes and dropped the subject for the moment.
“Please go on,” he prompted. “You lived in Kansas.”
She nodded. “My grandmother raised me.”
“Why?”
“We never knew who my father was, and my mom had a drug problem, so the state gave me to Grandma.”
“I’m so sorry, baby. That had to have been rough. How old were you?”
“Eight.”
“Hell,” he said. “You were so young.”
“It actually turned out good. Being with my mom wasn’t safe for me, and my grandmother was very sweet.”
“I hate to ask, but where is your grandmother?”
Aleena swallowed and inhaled a deep breath. “She passed away when I was fourteen. Thankfully, it was in her sleep.”
“What happened to you?”
“Foster care.”
“Dammit.” He wiped a hand down his face. “I hate that you went through that.”
“Don’t. They placed me with a nice family, and I got to stay there until I went to college.”
“How did you go to college?”
“I had straight As, so I got an awesome grant to go to one of the universities.”
“How did you end up here in this city?”
“My professor set me up with a job with Gregory.”
“That was brave, moving several states away. Is there anyone you miss back home?”
She shook her head. “Just my friend, Nia. She was the only one who wanted to be my friend. I spent a lot of time reading, and other kids thought I was weird. Especially in high school.”
“In my high school, they thought I was a thug,” he said.
Aleena giggled. “No way, you were a thug?”
He leaned over the table and grinned. “Actually, I was. I didn’t take crap from anyone.”
Her eyes widened, and then she chuckled. “I wish I could have been a thug. I got a lot of crap from people.”
“Oh, honey. I have to tell you, you’d make an awful thug.”
Her brows snapped together. “Why?”
“Because you’re so darn sweet. Everything about you is feminine and beautiful.”
She reached across the table and squeezed his hand. “That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
“You’ll get more of it from me.”
They stared at each other, and the room seemed to fade away until all she saw and heard was him. Glasses clanging together broke the spell she was under.
“Where did you grow up?” she asked.
“It was just my mom and me. My dad split when I was young. I grew up on the south side of the city. It was a rough place.”
“I’m sorry to hear about your dad.”
He shrugged. “We did okay. My mom had an excellent job for the city, so we never went hungry.”
“Where is she?”
“She had a brain aneurism in her sleep one night. I found her.”
Tears burned Aleena’s eyes. “I’m so sorry.”
He caressed the back of her hands with his thumbs. “It worked out. I was eighteen, so I didn’t have to go into the system. Because she worked for the city, they took care of the burial, and she had a life insurance policy. I used that to finish high school, and it got me through three years of college. The rest I had to take out with school loans.”
“It seems like we have a bit in common,” she said.
“Yeah, we’re both alone in the world. But now we have each other.”
She smiled at him. “Yeah, we do.”
“How about we get out of here and go sight-seeing? There are several small towns that I’ve never seen.”
“I’d like that very much.”
He stood, threw down some bills to cover the food and tip, and then wrapped an arm around her waist.
Chapter Eight
They drove to a few small towns and walked down the streets, sometimes moving into one of the stores if something caught their fancy.
Once again, he seemed to always have a hand on her, and it was getting to where she felt something missing if he wasn’t handling her. She was coming to crave his touch more and more.
They grabbed sandwiches for lunch and ate at a park they found.
They watched families or lovers on blankets or playing ball, and it made her feel more ready to have that for her own. The more time she spent with Kaleb, the more she could see herself making a life with him.
She couldn’t stop smiling. The whole day had been magical. She didn’t want it ever to end.
He squeezed her hand. “Do you know where you want to go for dinner?”
“How about we go to the store, get some food, and I’ll make dinner?”
He smiled down at her. “That sounds perfect.”
He pulled into the market close to where he lived. Then he followed her in and grabbed a cart.
“Is there anything you don’t like or something that you’re craving?”
He shook his head. “No, whatever you make will be great.”
She walked down each aisle, putting things into the cart. When she was done, it was close to being full.
“This isn’t all for dinner, is it?” he asked as they were checking out.
She laughed. “No. We got things for breakfast and a few other dinners.”
He swiped his card as the employees sacked their groceries.
They pulled into his building and parked. He got out and started grabbing sacks from the trunk.
“I can carry something,” she said as she stood at his elbow.
“How about you get the elevator and hold the door for me?”
She raced to the elevator and held the door wide as he slipped in. She let the door close.
“I’ll get you a keycard for this. It’s the only way to get to the penthouse.”
She watched him set some of the bags down and then slide a card into a slot and push the button with the P for penthouse, she assumed.
She held the door open again when he lifted all the sacks and set them on the kitchen counters. They both started pulling things out. She set a few things off to the side and put the rest in the fridge, freezer, and pantry.
“I wanted to make my spaghetti sauce, but it takes several hours, so we’ll have the pork chops tonight. Does that sound okay?”
He wrapped his arms around her from behind and pressed his lips to her shoulder after she closed the refrigerator door.
“Baby, I don’t care what you make, just as long as I’m with you, I’m good.”
Aleena cuddled against him and squeaked when he turned her abruptly.
He cupped the back of her head and took her mouth hungrily. She clung to him with her arms wrapped around his neck, and her body pressed hard against his.
After a long moment, he lifted his head and stared down at her.
“I could stand here and kiss you all day.”
“Not if you want dinner tonight,” she said and smiled up at him.
He chuckled and pressed a hard kiss to her mouth. “Can I help with anything?”
She shook her head. “No. I got it.”
“How about I go get some work done while you’re doing that? Come in when you’re done.”
Aleena nodded and watched him walk away. She pressed a hand against her stomach, where it felt like a thousand butterflies fluttered. She wanted to go to him and sit on his lap so he could hold her. Another part of her wanted him to stick his fingers inside her like he had the night before and give her the pleasure he had. A very small, scared part wanted to run before she got hurt because she knew if he decided to walk away, it would crush her.
She browned the chops before putting them into a pan and pouring cream of mushroom soup over them. Then she covered them with foil and popped them into the oven. She had some trouble finding the utensils and pans she needed. He had the very basic essential things and only one of each like saucepans. She’d ha
ve to get creative with the rest of the dinner. She could bake the green beans and the potatoes. Then mash the potatoes when they were done and use the pan for the gravy she wanted to make.
She popped three potatoes in the oven with the chops and went in search of Kaleb. She leaned against the doorjamb and watched him reading a paper. He looked so serious but also extremely sexy. His dark hair was ruffled from the day, and she could see a shadow of beard growing because he hadn’t shaved that morning.
He looked up and set the paper down. “Hey, are you done?”
“Yes, but if it’s okay with you, can I just sit on the sofa and read while you’re doing work?” she asked and indicated the sofa off to the side.
“Won’t that be boring for you?”
“Not at all. I love to read, besides, I don’t want to take you away from anything you need to do. Dinner won’t be ready for an hour or so.”
“All right. I’ve got some books on the shelves. I hope you can find one you like.”
“I will,” she said and turned to face the wall with what looked like way over a hundred books. “I like to read a wide range of things.”
“If you get bored, tell me.”
“I will.”
It was an hour later when she saw him glance up at her as she sat on the sofa reading.
“What book did you find?”
She looked up. “A John Grisham one I haven’t read.”
“You like thrillers?”
“I like to read just about everything except horror.”
“Are you at a good place to stop, baby?” he asked.
She noted the page number and closed the book.
“I can find a bookmark for you.”
“No, it’s fine. I’ll remember the page.”
“I wish I had that sort of memory. I leave a room to get something and forget what I was going for.”
She laughed and set the book on the table by the sofa.
“Come here,” he demanded gruffly.
She instantly stood and walked to him. She gasped when he pulled her into his lap.
“I missed you,” he said and nuzzled the side of her head.
She giggled. “But I was right in front of you.”
“It doesn’t matter. I like having you right beside me so I can touch you.”
She leaned her head back and grinned. “All you have to do is ask.”