I crept through the darkened house with my shoes and purse in hand. The cold concrete floor sent a chill up my spine.
“Where are you going?” His voice cut through the eerie silence, startling me.
Shit!
I spun and caught sight of a shadowy figure sitting in an armchair.
“I’m going home.”
“Are you planning to walk there?”
I didn’t respond because truth was I had no clue how I was getting there, but I knew I needed to go home and evaluate everything that had happened in the last couple of hours.
He stood. I heard the jingle of keys. “I’ll take you.”
If there was another option, I’d have taken it, but there wasn’t. I followed him out to his car where I sat stiffly and silently for almost twenty minutes until we pulled up to my apartment.
He tossed my phone into my lap before I jumped out of the car without a goodbye. He watched until I stepped through the glass doors into the lobby, then peeled off. So much for not becoming a notch on his bedpost. Whatever fantasies I’d concocted about being special evaporated with the smoke his tires left behind.
I took the elevator up and let myself into the apartment, trying to not make too much noise as I shuffled down the hall. The door to Trace’s room was slightly ajar, and I wasn’t surprised to find Claire curled up under the covers with him. At least someone’s night ended right.
I pushed the door to my room shut behind me before throwing myself onto the bed and letting out a sigh. I’d let Devlin Ward fuck me, and then he’d silently shoved me out of his car and life.
I’d only known him a week, and I shouldn’t care, but I did. I cared that I wasn’t different, I cared that I wanted to know more about the mysterious man, and I cared that the sore ache he’d left between my legs made me crave him even harder than before.
Chapter Nine
Devlin
I waited outside her apartment all morning like a lovesick teenager. It was something I’d done before, but usually I hid in the shadows and didn’t have to feel so vulnerable, knowing she was most likely going to shut me down.
I leaned against my car facing the glass door that led into her building. When she finally appeared, walking slowly through the lobby and digging in her purse, I knew she wasn’t going to be happy to see me. Especially after I lost it the night before. She lifted her head and paused when saw me. She considered her options, turning her head to look back at the elevators for an escape, but in the end, she decided to push the door open and come out to face me.
“No.” She was prepared to shut down anything I had to say. She stopped several feet away with her arms protectively crossed over her chest.
“I didn’t say anything yet.”
“No to whatever you have to say.”
“Well, since I was going to ask you if you were angry at me, I’m glad to know you aren’t.” I smiled at her annoyed snarl.
She rolled her eyes. “What do you want, Devlin?”
“A chance to make it up to you.”
“Make what up? The part where you fucked me, called me a liar, and then dropped me off like yesterday’s garbage?”
I grimaced. I knew it was going to come to this, but I didn’t expect it so soon—didn’t know how to explain my behavior. Didn’t want her to know something I wasn’t ready to admit to myself.
I stuck my hands deeper into my pockets to keep from pulling her closer—holding her and letting her know it wasn’t her. It was all my shit that was going to make this impossible.
“I don’t do relationships. I don’t know what I’m doing.”
“Neither do I, but common sense tells me not to make you feel like my personal dildo after we sleep together.”
“I’m sorry.” I stopped fighting it and reached out for her arm. She let me wrap my arms loosely around her waist, but she was tense and stiff. I gave her a questioning look. She began to relax, letting me pull her in for a full hug.
“For the record,” I said kissing her neck. “I’d gladly be your dildo any day.”
She shoved lightly against my chest and chuckled at the comment. “You’re an ass.”
“Agreed. Now come on.” I pulled the passenger door open. “Let me take you to class.”
She scowled but got in the car anyway. As I pulled into traffic, I felt her watching me. I glanced at her but turned away when I saw her puzzled expression.
“How’d you know I had class?”
“You mentioned it last night.” I gave her a fleeting glance accompanied by a smile that hid my nerves. She never mentioned it, but she didn’t call me out on it, so I eased my grip on the wheel and released the tension in my chest with a deep calming breath. I needed to be more careful. She had no idea how much I knew about her or how closely linked we were. If I wanted to keep her in my life, and I did, more than anything, I needed to make sure I didn’t give her a reason to scrutinize my actions.