Page 31 of Rush

“Wow.” Ares barks out a laugh. “He can really run for a guy who’s half-cut.”

“Impressive, isn’t it?” I say as we watch Kyle leg it around the corner of my block. “Well, I think you scared him off.”

“Fucking pussy,” Ares grinds out. “He’s got no problem picking on a woman half his size, but he runs like Usain fucking Bolt when a guy fronts him.”

“Honestly, I think he was more half of your size than me being half of his.”

Ares’s eyes come down to me, the look in them softer than I’ve ever seen before, and he chuckles. “You actually used to date that prick?”

“Yeah.” I sigh. “But I was drunk for all of the relationship, if that counts for anything.” I lift my hands, palms up, giving a loose smile, and surprisingly, he laughs again.

“Come on, I’ll see you up to your apartment.”

“You don’t need to. He’s gone.”

“I know I don’t need to. I want to, okay? So, I’m walking you up, and then you can invite me in for a coffee.”

I give him a look of mock shock. My hands go to my chest. “Coffee? That’s not actually code for…coffee, is it?”

“Shit, you got me,” he deadpans. “And I’ll be wanting milk as well.”

“Jesus, you’re pushing it, Mr. Perfect. Okay, I go as far as milk. But, just so you know, you’re not getting any sugar.”

“Don’t need it. I’m sweet enough.”

“Ugh.” I wince. “It was going so well, and then you ruined it with that lame joke.”

He laughs, and the sound works through me in the best kind of way.

“Come on then, Mr. Perfect. Let’s get inside and get you your coffee with milk.”

“Here you go.” I hand Ares the cup of coffee I just finished making.

He’s standing in the middle of my living room. And the sight of Ares Kincaid standing in my apartment is not one I ever thought I’d see.

He looks so imposing in my apartment. Like a giant in a playhouse.

“You can sit, you know,” I tell him as I take a seat in my cozy armchair, leaving him with the sofa.

He takes a seat on it, almost taking up two of the three seats that the sofa has to offer. Sitting forward, elbows on thighs, hands cradling the cup, he stares across at me.

“I know I already asked you outside, but are you really okay? That prick didn’t hurt you, did he?”

“No. I’m fine,” I reassure him.

“Did he…used to be like that with you…in the past? While you were together?” He seems to struggle with getting the words out, and if I didn’t know him like I do, I’d think the thought of someone actually hurting me bothered him on an emotional level.

“No.” I smile softly. “Kyle was a cheating asshole and could say some pretty mean things at times. But he never once got physical with me. That’s the first time it’s ever happened.”

Ares exhales, his body seeming to relax a little. “Well, I’m just glad I was here to scare the shit out of him.”

“Why were you?” He looks taken aback by my question, so I expand, “I mean, I just figured you’d left after I got out of your truck.”

He gives me a disgruntled look. “I might be an asshole, Ari, but I’m not a careless one. I wasn’t leaving until I saw you go inside your building. Especially not when that prick was sitting, waiting outside for you.”

It jolts me when he says my name. He said it a couple of times when we were outside, but everything was crazy then, so it was hard to register, but now, in the silence of my apartment, hearing him call me Ari…it’s nice.

Better than nice.