“You forgot your bags.”
I blinked. Then I blinked again, willing Gunner to go away. When he didn’t budge from the door I foolishly opened only seconds ago when I heard a knock, I stepped back to let him in. He knew the code anyway. If I closed the door in his face like I wanted to, he’d come in anyway. The knocking was a gesture if nothing else. “You also left without an escort. Stupid thing to do, especially after what happened at the office.”
He dropped everything next to the kitchen table that was covered in glue, paint and food. I’d needed a minute to myself and so I’d let Josie go crazy with the craft supplies when we got back to the apartment. Luckily they were still in my car. Because there was no way I was going back to the office for anything. What I really wanted to do was drive home, but I was so upset I didn’t want to risk crashing the car.
After Josie painted and I’d sulked, we ate pizza and gorged ourselves on chocolate. What was even better was that she passed out for a rare nap and was now sleeping soundly on the couch. I was debating whether I should snuggle up next to her and watch some mindless daytime television or continue my pacing when Gunner knocked on the door.
He interrupted some serious debating. I hoped he would get on with it so I could get back to brooding. He didn’t seem in a rush, instead his gaze moved around the open living room with raised brows. The mess wasn’t only contained to the table. There were shoes and clothes everywhere. I didn’t want to waste any time finding the paint and paper, so I just turned my bag upside down and emptied everything onto the floor.
“Don’t say it,” I warned and put my hands on my hips for good measure.
He put his hands up and gave me one of his faces. I liked to call this one theI’m going to get up in your business whether you like it or notface.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Not really. But ask me again after I finish the bowl of goodness over there and you might get a different answer.” I pointed to a huge bowl that I’d filled with Woppers, M&M’s , Mars bars and pretzels for quick and easy access. A half eaten jar of Nutella sat beside it.
He sneered at the bowl and took a step back as if being in the presence of all that sugar was going to clog his arteries. “That’s disgusting.”
I shrugged and took another handful of chocolaty goodness. “We can’t all be health nuts like you.”
I made sure to chew as loudly as my already overworked jaw would allow. I had done a lot of eating in the past hour.
“You could try working it out on a punching bag.”
I scoffed and grabbed more chocolate. “No thanks. I prefer abusing my body this way instead.”
“Want some company?”
He was being awfully nice. Too nice. And he was supposed to be off doing his macho Rambo relaxation. “What are you still doing here?” I was suspicious by nature, having learned not to trust anything or anyone very early in life. Anna had made sure of it. “Did Rhett send you?”
His stoic expression didn’t change, no muscle in his face so much as twitched.
I grabbed the giant bowl off the table and walked back into the living room, cradling it protectively. “I don’t need a babysitter. Go and have some fun. You deserve it for all the quality stalking you’ve done this week.”
“I’ll hang out.” Of course he would, because he was told to watch me so he would, no matter what. I ignored him and sat the bowl on the coffee table before continuing to pace.
“Do you have anything that’s not coated in chocolate?” What a silly question. Of course I didn’t. Except for kids cereal. And that was for Josie’s breakfast. The rest of our food came from restaurants around the area that delivered.
“Water?” I half-asked, half-responded.
With a grunt, he walked to the kitchen and got a glass out of the cabinet. There was a tap and filter built into the humongous fridge and Gunner put some ice, then water, in his glass. There was definitely some perks to this apartment. Too bad it was in Denver and right next door to Rhett.
Josie was still fast asleep, buried under a blanket, cradling a chocolate bar.
Gunner sat down in one of the leather chairs that came with a drink holder and footrest. Josie spent an hour pulling the footrest out and pushing it back in the first time we stayed here. I was surprised it still worked.
“Sit down. Your pacing is distracting.”
I slowed my steps but didn’t stop. “Distracting from what? You’re not even doing anything, just sitting there drinking your boring water.”
“You need to relax.”
“You relax.”
“Sit down.”
“I don’t want to. I’m fine standing up.”
