don’t worry, I’ll be there soon.”
We hung up, and I got to packing all the clothes I had on the floor. I wasn’t sure if Leo would have a washer and dryer setup, but if he did, I wanted to wash all of my clothes. I didn’t want to wear them knowing some asshole had touched them.
I still wasn’t sure why Leo was coming to me, except to make sure my place was secure. If he’d given me his address, I could have easily driven there.
Since I had packed as lightly for my trip, I was gathering all my makeup and hair products when there was a light knock on my door and then Leo called inside, “Hello? Everly, are you here?”
“I’m in the back in the bathroom,” I called as I sat down my hairdryer and started toward the front door. I’d only taken a few steps into the hall when Leo appeared like a knight in shining armor. He’d changed into a pair of black athletic shorts, a skintight white t-shirt that showcased his perfect abs, a pair of white tennis shoes with his hat on backwards. He looked like an all-American boy with bulging muscles that strained his tight shirt.
My eyes devoured him as I ran down the hall and threw myself into his arms. “Thank you for coming,” I murmured into his neck.
His arms wrapped around me and held me to him. He took in a deep breath and then sat me down. He kept his hands on my arms as he looked me up and down. “I’m glad you called. I would have hated to know you stayed here after seeing how bad it is. Those fuckers really did a number on you, didn’t they?”
I felt better now that he validated how bad it really was.
“I’m not going to lie, I would have been terrified to stay here, especially since I can’t lock my front door.”
His hand skimmed down my arm and took mine before he led me back to the door. “Do you have a hammer and some nails?” When I shook my head no, he asked. “How about a landlord or something? A maintenance man, perhaps? They should come and secure the door.”
There had been a number on my refrigerator to call if I had any problems, but I wasn’t sure if it was there now after the break in.
“I did have a number, but I’ve never had to use it. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to find it in the mess.” I bit my lip and looked toward the kitchen.
“Where is it? I can look while you get your stuff together.” His brows furrowed as he scanned the area. “Pack for at least a week. I don’t want you coming back here until we can be assured this won’t happen again.”
“Leo, that’s too long. I can’t impose on you like that.”
“You’re not. Trust me. You’re literally the only person I know here. I’ve only corresponded with one person from the office and to tell you the truth, he kind of seems like a tool, so I won’t be befriending him anytime soon. Plus, we’re married, right? There’s nothing wrong with you staying at my place.”
“So, you’re only inviting me so you’re not lonely,” my lips quirked up.
“And because I like you and spending time with you. We said we’d try to make this work. What better way to do that than to live together for the next week or so? Now, go finish packing.” He swatted my ass before he turned into the kitchen.
Going back to my room, I packed up everything I could find. I didn’t want to start turning over furniture or getting into that. It would make it all too real. I heard Leo talking to someone, but wasn’t sure if he’d found the number for the maintenance guy or if he’d called someone else, but he was putting my torn up cushions back on my couch in my living room when I came out.
He looked up from what he was doing. “Are you ready?”
“Ready.” I slung my purse over my shoulder. “Thank you for this. You’re really taking your vows seriously.”
“I take marriage seriously. My parents have been together for damn…I don’t even know off the top of my head, but they’re what I’ve always hoped for. When you look at them, you can see the love in their eyes even after all these years. They’re each other’s best friend and lover.”
No pressure at all.
“That’s what