Dark Boundaries(45)

“I have a condo on the thirty-third floor.” he sees my questioning gaze. “There are forty floors. You’ll love the view. Come,” he tugs me towards the entrance where a doorman is standing, “let’s get you settled in.” Garrett nods at the doorman. “Afternoon, Stan. It’s good to see you again.” And then he stops and I almost slam into his back, “Oh, this Kristine Marshall. She’ll be staying with me.”

“Hi.” I try to sound cool and calm, everything I’m not feeling.

“Good day, miss,” Stan smiles back at me.

While we’re waiting for the elevator, Garrett’s hand settles on my lower back. His thumb starts to move in slow circles and it takes me back to that awful day I was on display for all those men so Bill could inspect me. I take a step forward, breaking the contact. “Please don’t touch me like that,” I whisper so Stan won’t hear me.

The elevator pings open and I step in. Garrett doesn’t come to stand next to me. He watches me closely and just before the door closes he steps in. I take a step back when he comes to stand in front of me. He tilts his head slightly, trying to catch my eyes. When I won’t make eye contact, he takes hold of my chin and forces my face up.

“What?” I snap. I feel nervous being around him after all this time has passed. I don’t know what to expect. Things were different between us during those ten days. We needed each other to survive. I needed him a year ago! Now I don’t know what I want or what I feel.

“Why don’t you want me to touch you like that?” His stare unravels me so, for a moment I forget that I asked him not to touch me like that.

“I just don’t, okay,” I answer defensively.

Garrett leans down, bringing his lips within inches of mine. “I was there. Don’t forget that.”

I scowl at him. It’s the last subject I want to talk about. I yank my chin from his hand and like a sulking teenager I cross my arms over my chest and stare down at my feet.

I wish the three months were over already.

The elevator opens up to a long hallway. The tiles gleam under the electric lights as I follow Garrett to the door at the end of the hallway. He unlocks it, opens the door and stands back for me to go in first. I don’t know what I expected, but it certainly wasn’t such extravagance. This place is huge! My whole apartment could fit into his living room! There are floor to ceiling windows and the view is spectacular. I can see Central Park from here. Even though most of the furniture is white, the place has a fresh contemporary feel to it.

I take a few steps deeper into the condo. The kitchen is to my right, decorated with black fittings and chrome furnishings. It’s in total contrast with the living room. When I look to my left, my mouth drops open. There’s a spiral staircase that takes you to the second floor. A balcony looks down on the living room.

“The room is up there.” Garrett yanks me back to the now. “I’ll put your bag on the bed. You can unpack when you’re ready.”

He starts up the stairs and I’m quick to follow. I feel out of place. This was such a bad idea.

~*~





Chapter Thirty Five



Garrett~

The whole upper floor consists of the bedroom and bathroom. It’s a wide open space with high ceilings. I wonder what Kristine thinks of it. I hope I did the right thing by bringing her here.

I place her bag on the floor, right next to the king size bed. I’ve hardly slept in the thing myself. Normally when I’m here I work. I point out the walk-in cupboard. “You can unpack your clothes. Use the left side.” I point to the opposite side of the room. “The bathroom is through there.”

Her eyes follow the direction I’m pointing and then come back to the cupboard. She looks at my suits and some casual clothes I always leave here. “Ah …” she hesitates and then frowns, “where will you be sleeping?”

I point to the bed.

“Oh …” her eyes flit between the bed and me, “and where will I be sleeping?”

I point to the bed again.

She scrunches her nose and it looks fucking cute. “That’s so not going to happen,” she says and walks back to her bag. She picks it up and starts toward the stairs. Yeah, so much for cuteness.

“Kris,” I call and then go after her. I grab her arm at the bottom of the stairs and take her bag from her. “Three months. It’s the deal. You do what I say and right now I’m telling you to go up there and unpack.”

“I don’t remember you being so damn bossy!” she snaps. She grabs her bag back from me and stalks back up the stairs. From over her shoulder she yells at me, “This is just another form of kidnapping.”