event they did every year.
Which I told him in the next second. Blurting it all out because the man’s gaze on me made me incredibly nervous.
“That’s nice,” he said. “I just buy what I want and don’t really pay attention to the price.”
I blinked. “That sounds like rich people problems.”
He grunted out a laugh just as lightning lit up the sky behind his big shoulders.
Seconds after that, thunder took over.
“Let’s get going before the rain starts,” he ordered, gesturing for me to follow.
I held up a finger.
“Hold on,” I said. “I really have to pee, and I have to find my bag. And my phone. I think my phone’s on my bed.”
“I’ll get your phone. You go to the bathroom.” He paused. “You don’t need your bag.”
I didn’t bother to argue with him, instead leading him inside.
“My room’s that way.” I stated the obvious.
I lived in a one-bedroom apartment. The kitchen and the living room were all one big, open floor plan. The bedroom was off of the kitchen and the bathroom was off of the living room.
There wasn’t much to it at all, and a toddler could figure out where the bedroom was.
“Sorry for the mess,” I said as I made my way to the bathroom. “I meant to pick up a little but…”
I trailed off, causing him to laugh.
“But you fell asleep,” he teased.
I shrugged. “Maybe.”
I closed the door on his quiet chuckle, hurrying through the bathroom routine before washing my hands and staring at my face in the mirror.
I only sighed at what I saw.
I had pillow marks on my face from where I’d fallen asleep, and I’d forgotten to put on makeup.
Oh, and my hair was a fucking mess.
I started to fluff it out with my hands, trying to make it cooperate when I damn well knew it wouldn’t, when Hayes’ deep, dark voice had me freezing.
“You look beautiful. Stop fussing. Let’s go,” he ordered.
I heard him so well that there was no way in hell he wasn’t standing right next to the door.
I gave one last longing look at my makeup bag, wishing I’d had time to at least put on some mascara, and turned away.
I hadn’t bothered with the lock, so when I opened the door, it was to find him still right there.
Though, I doubted he would’ve moved even if I’d had to unlock the door.
“You ready?” he asked, holding up my phone.
I took it and shoved it into my shirt between my bra and my skin.
He watched the move with curiosity but didn’t say a word as he gestured to the wide-open front door and held out his hand.
I held up my hand slightly in front of us.
“My hands are wet,” I said, heart hammering.
He grabbed my hand anyway. “I heard you wash your hands, sweetness. I don’t care about a little water on your hands.”
My heart rate went from acceptable, you can still live levels, to you probably can’t sustain this kind of rate for much longer.
He’d found my keys at some point, and when we exited my apartment, he locked my door as if he’d done it a thousand times.
“This apartment complex is something else,” he said, looking around as he walked me to his truck.
Lightning lit up the sky once more, and I saw his face focused on something in the very back corner of the lot. The place where I suspected drug dealers lived but chose to ignore.
See, rent was very, very cheap here. And on a guidance counselor’s salary, cheap was what I needed if I wanted to live by myself.
“It’s cheap,” I explained. “And nice. The parking lot is a little rough sometimes, but ultimately, everyone stays to themselves. And there aren’t any kids here.”
“Kids are a bad thing?” he asked curiously.
“Kids are a bad thing when you have that kind of stuff going on in the corner,” I gestured to where he was still focused.
Hayes grunted and turned away, walking up to his truck and opening the door for me.
I climbed inside, thankful that I’d gone for something loose seeing as Hayes’ truck was rather high off the ground.
He waited until I was all the way inside before closing my door for me and rounding the hood to get into his