“I’m not beneath you, sweetheart.” The last word comes out dripping with acid. “See yourself out. I’ll come find you when I’ve cooled off.” I head to my bedroom, slamming the door, and flop onto my back on the bed.
Why do people always assume the tattoos or the bike or the piercing mean my character is lacking?
Fuck them.
Fuck her.
Lorien
Well that went down like the Titanic.
That wasn’t at all what I meant.
The man is sex on a popsicle stick, great with his family, and witty to boot. His brother and sister respect him, love him, and want him around more than they already have him.
He saved me, has looked after me, and even noticed I wasn’t eating.
He’s, apparently, business savvy, or at least financially so, since he can’t be mid-thirties and has already paid off his mortgage. The fact that his siblings, who he’s obviously close with, didn’t know, says even more about his character.
I’m trying to figure out why that kind of man—the one every womanwould drool over—would ever choose an average nerd who’s this socially awkward. Not in this situation, obviously. This one fell in his lap, but to the rest of the world, who would ever believe we’re real?
I wait in his kitchen until it’s obvious he isn’t going to return, find a pen and paper, and write a note.
Liam,
I’m sorry. What I said hurt you and I can’t fathom why.
Your family is incredible.
I left you the brownies. We never got around to serving them.
Lorien
I leave my number and place my plate and his in the dishwasher. I load all the glass and flatware and then wipe down the table after putting the leftovers in the fridge. His house was already clean. No sense in leaving it worse off than when I arrived.
I’m almost to the front door when I see the abandoned to-go coffee cups. I set those in the trash just outside the back door and am walking toward the front when he wanders from the back.
“I—” I toss my thumb over my shoulder. “I took out the garbage and was leaving. I didn’t leave my backdoor unlocked and didn’t want to walk all the way around.”
“Your front door is unlocked?” He scrapes a hand over his buzzed head.
I nod.
“You’re not in Peoria anymore.” He’s back to wherever he was when he was hiding, returning with a pistol that he cocks as walks down the hall. “Stay here. Let me go check it out.”
I’m stunned silent. How does he know about Peoria? He never did answer how he knew I was a doctor. There’s no such thing as clairvoyance, so how does he know?
And I haven’t been in Peoria in a long, long time. St. Louis is a far cry from slow suburban safety. I’ve done just fine on my own, thank you very much… the movers, notwithstanding, of course.
He returns, drops the pistol on the coffee table, and hands me my keys. “Today I’m changing your locks. I’ll add a keypad lock for you just in case, but not a Wi-Fi one. Those are too vulnerable. You can pick the code. But when you’re home and when you leave, use the deadbolt lock. Same goes for here. We do not need more trouble.”
“How did you know I grew up in Peoria?” I slam my hands on my hips and stare into his still-angry gaze.
His hands fist at his sides as he looms over me, leaning down, trying to intimidate me. “I looked into you.”
I gasp. “That’s creepy. And disrespectful. And…”
“Your first day here, trouble followed you to your door. I wanted to know what to expect. Seems it was worth digging a little deeper.”
