“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
Laughing, she shook her head.
Rayven’s cell phone rang. “It’s for you,” she said, handing me her phone.
“Hello?”
“Lena, hey, it’s Jodi.”
“Hey. What’s up?”
“We’re on our way back from our honeymoon. You’re still moving in today, right?”
“Sure am,” I said. “Rayven and I were just talking about it.”
“Good. I took the liberty of hiring some guys to help you move in. I know you said you ordered new furniture and whatnot.”
“Jodi, that’s so kind of you. You didn’t have to go through the trouble.”
“No trouble at all. Listen, I gotta go to catch this flight, but I’ll see you soon.”
“Thanks again,” I said before hanging up. “Looks like we’re getting some help moving in,” I told Rayven before giving her back her phone.
“Cool. You think you can give Jodi your new number so she can stop calling me to get to you.” She’d phrased it as a question, but it wasn’t a request.
“I’ll think about it.”
This was the fresh start I needed. It had to be because I was out of ideas.
* * *
A couple of hours later,Rayven turned into the long driveway of Jodi’s home to a large moving truck and a dark blue Camaro.
“That’s a strange car to bring on a moving job,” Rayven commented from behind the wheel. “Hang on. Don’t get out yet,” she instructed as she put the car in park, behind the Camaro.
While I found her precaution a little unnecessary, I remained in the passenger seat of our rental. I watched as Rayven went around the car, checking it out, and then moved toward the front door.
She disappeared inside. That was when I took the opportunity to get out and scope around for myself. I started with the Camaro, observing the two door vehicle that sat low to the ground. The royal blue coloring was shiny and unmarred. When I got to the front of the car, I spotted the black stripe on the hood.
A smile touched my lips for some unknown reason. Before I turned around, I heard rustling noises behind me. Looking toward the cabin-style home’s entrance, I watched as Rayven emerged with a few guys behind her.
I figured these were the movers hired by Jodi and waved. Yet, my hand stopped in mid-air once the last guy stepped out onto the porch.
My mouth turned as dry as a bone when I saw him. Gabriel Townsend, the man I’d been trying to forget for the past two weeks, stepped out onto the porch, dressed in only a pair of work jeans and gloves.
He must’ve had a personal in with the sun that day. My tongue went dry at the sight of the sun’s rays bouncing off of the droplets of sweat on his chest.
With each movement he made, a new muscle popped out as if it were winking at me. He didn’t have a six pack. I counted. The man had an eight pack. And the jeans hung low enough that the visible V indentation of his hips had me feeling a little dizzy.
Fool that I was, I ventured to look up from his torso to his face, and yes, that knowing smirk was right there.
I stumbled backward a few steps as he approached, bumping right into his car. It had to be his car because it read Gabriel Townsend. It was fast, sleek, stylish, and knew what it was all in one.
“Long time no see,” were the first words out of his mouth.
I felt trapped in place. While I had plenty of room to maneuver around him to get out from underneath his stare, my feet refused to move. His eyes sparkled against the sun’s beams as well, and again, he reminded me of something I couldn’t put my finger on.
There was blatant hunger in the way he stared at me. I couldn’t remember a time where anyone had looked at me with such wanton, naked craving. Maybe that’s what held me in place.
