I can't help but feel proud. "Does that dirty word mean bastard?"
He tilts his head with a big grin. "Why yes, it does." The elevator dings and he holds the door as I walk in, him behind me. He pushes the button for the ground floor. "Remember when I said we can't keep each other's stuff?"
"Yeah."
When we're enclosed in the elevator, he closes the space between us and pushes his hips into mine. "That includes my Greek cuss words." He dips his lips down and presses them to mine. "He knows I'm Greek, Jules. Don't even fucking think about them." His lips brush against mine. "Even though I can't wait to hear you speak them one day."
"I won't be able to say them like you."
"How do I say them?"
"You have the accent. It's faint, but it's there. Have you always lived here?"
The car jerks to a stop, the doors open, and he takes a deep breath before walking out. "Yeah. But we mainly spoke Greek at home. I guess I picked up the accent from my family."
Hearing about Theo's past, seeing him open up to me without playing games and going around in circles is refreshing. "That's hot."
He chuckles. "Is there anything about me you don't think is hot?"
Biting my lip, I shake my head. "Not that I can think of."
"Whew."
When we open the door to the building, the cold hits me. I suck in a breath through my teeth, but I refuse to complain. I did leave my coat in my car. This sweater is mostly dry at this point because the fabric is so thin, which is why it makes a crappy jacket. It's more of a fashion statement and a way to dress down my favorite little red dress.
He squeezes his arms together. "Fuck. When I decided to change out of my suit, I didn't even think about the fact I was getting rid of the jacket I gave you."
"It's okay," I say through chattering teeth. "I'm fine."
He laughs. "She says as she's about to freeze her ass off. C'mon. You're in flats. Run to the subway with me."
He holds his hand out, but I refuse to take it. "I think we need to make a rule that we don't touch in public. What if he's watching?"
"You're right. That's going to be so hard, Jules. Just run, then. I don't want you to get sick."
When we get to the subway, he pulls his wallet out, swipes his card twice, and we walk through the gates. The train isn't here yet, so we're standing on the platform waiting. Silent. Electricity sparking between us, but it's like both of us are trying to ignore it exists. He's rocking back and forth, and I'm trying to hop in place to stay warm. "Remind me to never leave my coat in my car again."
"Well, only if you remind me to never leave mine in my apartment." He winks, and everything in me starts to warm.
A distant sound starts to get louder. The ground shakes. "It's coming. Never have I been so glad to hear a train."
"Not a fan of public transportation?"
"Definitely not. I'm a bit spoiled. If I'd driven separately from you, I could have just gone home earlier."
The doors open, and we walk on. Instead of standing like we did on the way, we sit in a couple of the seats that are available. "Are you regretting your ride in my car and your … " He coughs. "Other ride?"
My cheeks redden. "No. I liked them both. Just sayin'. I like having my car because then I'm not stuck freezing while waiting on someone else. Oh, and I always have my coat." I smile really big, my eyes wide.
He lets out a small laugh, reaches in his pocket, pulls his phone out, and hands it to me. "Put your number in there. But don't put it under your name."
"Oh. What name should I use?"
Theo licks his lips. "This could be fun."
"I don't have my phone. It's in your car. Or I'd give you mine so you could do the same. What name would you choose?"
He bobs his head. "Some of my friends call me TK."
"I understand why. Theo Katawhateverhisnameis is way too long and complicated."
He throws his head back, laughing. "That would be too obvious. The bástardos knows my name. TK Enterprises is in the directory. We can't use that. And I think KT is out too."
"Okay. So … "
"What about Mr. T?"
Grabbing my stomach, I hunch over, giggles pouring out of me. "Like from the A Team?" There's no point in even trying to contain myself. This is one of those bouts of laughter that is difficult to contain. "I mean, you have more muscles than Mr. T, but I wouldn't be able to keep a straight face anytime you called or texted."
At this point, when I chance a glance at him, he's biting his bottom lip, his eyes slightly squinty. He looks completely amused. "I'm glad you're enjoying this."
Sucking in a breath, I do my best to calm myself down. "Okay." I put my hand up. "Okay," I say, wiping the tears from the corners of my eyes. "MG."
"MG?"
"Mystery Giant."
He nods. "You win. MG. I'll call you as soon as you finish putting your number in my phone so you'll have my digits. You'll just need to delete the call from your log, then add me as a contact."
Swiping his screen, I click to add a contact. "I seriously have no clue what to use for my name."
"That's easy."
"Is it?"
"Yeah, agapemèni."
"I don't know how to spell that. And I'm not even supposed to be practicing, remember?"
He holds his hand out, and I put the phone in it. His deft fingers spell the word, then he hands it back to me. "Here."
"Thanks." My stomach clenches when my fingers brush his palm. He just programmed my number into his phone with the Greek word for sweetheart. Speaking of hearts. I think mine's about to explode.
"You said you lived here your whole life. Did you mean you've lived in Amberton your whole life?" I ask.
"Yep." He stares into my eyes, and I could get lost in them. "What about you?"
"I'm not any special nationality with a fancy accent. I've lived here my whole life. In Amberton."
He nods. "And your fiancé?"
Twisting the ring on my finger, I glance down at it. "Nope. He moved here in sixth grade."
"Has he always been like he is now? Even back then?"
I shrug. "We were kids, Theo. I don't know. Looking back, I guess I just always thought he was immature, that he'd grow up eventually."
"Why did you stay with him?"
Glancing back at him, he looks pained. I shake my head. "I don't know. Really, honestly, I don't know. I think I thought I loved him. There was also all that time. If I broke up with him, that meant all those years were wasted, didn't mean anything. I did try once, though."
"And why didn't you follow through?" He squeezes his hands together. I am pretty sure he's craving my touch the way I'm yearning for his. "What made you stay with him, Jules?"
"Do we have to talk about him?" I ask, thinking about that horrible time in my life.
"Yeah, we do. I need to know as much about him as possible if we're going to take him down. I'm trying to understand how his fucked up brain works. Why did you stay?"
"The business looks like we're partners, but he owns it all. He said it was my gift, but it's in his name. He writes my paycheck. And he made sure to let me know that if I ever tried to leave, he'd see to it that I never got a job again."
Theo hisses.
"Then, he apologized. Said he didn't mean it. He was just angry." A tear trickles down my cheek. "He was, of course, drunk. That's why I wanted out. I hate the way he gets when he's drinking." Closing my eyes, I swallow back the tears.
"How long ago was that?"
I shrug. "About a week before we got engaged. I didn't feel like I could say no. I know now that he wasn't just drunk, though. He's been messing around with drugs. He's gotten so much worse since he started with that." I swipe my nose. "When you asked if he was always like this, I guess I should have clarified. This Charlie is still the same Charlie from middle school, immature and irresponsible with a short fuse for a temper. But drugs and alcohol, they make all those qualities so much worse, Theo."
"I want to hug you so much I ache, Jules. I want to squeeze you, tell you it's going to be okay."
"I wish you could. I've never told anyone any of this."
"In that video where he wins the money, you looked happy."
"The way I am with him in public isn't real. It's all an act. A carefully calculated and practiced façade."
"I see." He runs his hand through his hair. "Do you live with him? Do you sleep in his bed?"
"This is so you can get to know him?" I arch a brow.
"Okay. Maybe not completely. But yes. I want to know where you're going when I drop you off." He pinches the bridge of his nose while closing his eyes. "It is fucking paining me to know I have to let you go tonight, especially when you clearly have no way of protecting yourself...knowing he's got people who are trying to do shit to you."