“The second,” she says, pushing through the external door. It isn’t locked, and I don’t like that. At all.
Her building is older, and it shows. Everything looks like it could use an update, but at least it seems clean. A couple of older guys linger by the mailboxes, but otherwise, it’s quiet. Nothing about it screamsunsafe, but compared to my building, I would find most apartment buildings in this area lacking. Maybe that makes me sound like a snob, but oh well. I grew up in a huge house that always felt too empty. It was in a gated community that had security driving around regularly, and my dad always had the most up-to-date security systems installed and constantly monitored.
Now, in my building, there’s a private garage, doors that require a passcode or key fob to enter, and security at the desk. No one could just walk in from the street like they can here in Blair’s building.
Are she and Reed safe here?
“You really don’t have to walk me to my door,” she says again.
Like hell. “I know, angel. Still going to.”
“Angel?” she mutters under her breath.
I grin. I hadn’t meant to say it, but as soon as it slipped out, it felt right.
Her hand is still tucked under my arm as we climb the stairs to the second floor. The hallway smells faintly of smoke, and the lights are slightly too dim, but Blair doesn’t seem to notice. Or she’s used to it.
“This is me,” she says, stopping in front of a door toward the end of the hall. Unit 208. I miss her warmth immediately when her hand falls from my arm so she can dig her key out of her purse. When I don’t make a move to leave, she glances up at me through the fringe of her lashes, then slips the key into the lock. “Thanks for walking me up.”
A strand of curls falls in front of her face, and I don’t even stop for a moment to think about what I’m doing. I just reach up and gently drag it out of her face and tuck it behind her ear, myfingers lingering on her cheek. Blair sucks in a startled breath, and my attention goes to her lips as they part.
I want to kiss the hell out of those lips. To taste her again. I want to push her back against the door and press my knee between her thighs.
But I need to take it slow.
Fuck, I hate taking it slow.
“See you later?”
Her eyes drop to my lips, and I swear to god, I deserve a medal for the restraint I’m showing right now.
“Yeah. Thanks again for bringing me home.”
“Any time. Go on, angel. I want to make sure you’re safely inside before I leave.”
Her lips part again at that, and I can’t tell if it’s because she’s surprised or because she wants to tell me off. Whatever the reason, she shakes her head, then pushes the door open, giving me a view of their apartment.
The walls are that off-white that somehow looks dreary, the carpets are old and have seen better days, and even though it looks like they’ve unpacked, the place seems to lack any of Reed’s or Blair’s personalities. All of it looks temporary and kind of sad.
“Good night, Logan.” Blair sucks her bottom lip between her teeth, shifting on her feet like my perusal of her space has made her uncomfortable or embarrassed.
She has nothing to feel embarrassed about.
“Night,” I murmur. Once again, I pat myself on the back for not tugging her lip from between her teeth and kissing the hell out of her.
Not yet, but soon.
Only after she closes the door and I hear the soft click of the lock, do I leave. My head is full of ideas, and my chest is vibrating with an unfamiliar sensation I can only attribute to the beautiful,curly-haired woman who has thrown my life into chaos from the minute she showed up in the Twin Cities.
Affection? Worry? Hope? I’m not totally sure, but I don’t hate the way it feels.
I don’t hate it at all.
twenty-six
BLAIR
“Hey Tess,is the coffee machine broken?”
