“So how did the bed end up in her car?” he asks, looking at me.

“I may have lost my temper,” I whisper.

Officer Ford smiles then shakes his head before looking at Kenton.

“I want her arrested!” Cassie screeches, and I look in her direction, seeing her pointing at me. “I want to press charges.”

“Shit, this is going to be a lot of paperwork,” Officer Ford grumbles, shaking his head.

“She pushed her way into my house and attacked my woman. If she presses charges, I will do the same,” Kenton says only loud enough for me and Ford to hear. “I will pay for the damage to her car, but I want her gone and to understand that, if she comes back, I will no longer be nice about keeping her away.”

I don’t know what he means by that, but it doesn’t sound good. Officer Ford nods and walks over to where Cassie and the other officer are talking. I watch as he says something to Cassie. Her eyes narrow before getting big, and she turns her head to glare at us.

“Go wait inside with my aunt and mom, baby, while I take care of this,” Kenton says, and I wonder if he saw the look Cassie just shot at both of us.

“I’m sorry about this,” I tell him. “Maybe I should find somewhere els—”

“You even think about running out on me now and I swear to Christ I will blister your ass,” he says, cutting me off.

“Your family,” I say softly, reminding him that we’re not the only ones he needs to worry about.

“My family is safe and so are you.”

I don’t know if that’s true, but I do feel safer with him than I would anywhere else. Plus, I have a feeling that, if I did leave, he would do exactly as he threatened. What I don’t understand is why that thought alone has a dull ache beginning to throb between my legs.

“She’s agreed to not press charges if you agree to pay for the damage to her car,” Officer Ford says, walking back up to us.

I look over at Cassie and then at the car. I have some money saved up and can afford to have it fixed. I don’t want Kenton paying for the damage when this was all my fault to begin with.

“I’ll pay for it,” I tell Ford.

“You’re not paying,” Kenton says, shaking his head. I narrow my eyes and try to step away from him so I can fully have it out with him. “She’s my ex. If she hadn’t shown up, this wouldn’t have happened.” Well, he has a point, but if I hadn’t thrown the bed over the balcony into her car, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation. “Go wait inside with my mom and aunt while I get this sorted,” he says again, his arms releasing me.

His tone and bossy attitude have me wanting to punch him in the stomach. My hands ball into fists at my sides, and his eyes drop to them before meeting mine again as a smirk appears on his face.

“You gonna hit me?”

I shrug then look at Officer Ford. “Would you arrest me?”

He smiles and shakes his head. I look back over at Kenton and grin.

“Jesus, you’re cute when you’re pissed,” he says, catching me off guard. Something about that statement only serves to make me madder. “Now, stop f**king around and go wait inside.”

Without thinking, I kick him in the shin, turn around, and run as fast as I can up the stairs and onto the porch—right into his mom.

Crap.

“Child, I’m starting to wonder if you need anger management,” Nancy says, grabbing my hand, pulling me inside the house, and closing the door behind us.

“I’m not normally like this,” I mumble, lowering my head when I see Viv smile.

“I don’t know what is going on with you and my son, but you’re good for him. He needs someone to put him in his place and keep him on his toes. His life is so serious and revolves around people listening to him and doing exactly what he says when he says it. I don’t know about you, but that would get old.” She shakes her head, smiling.

I don’t want to get their hopes up about Kenton and me, so I decide to change the subject and avoid the topic, even though I have a feeling that I’m not going to be able to avoid it much longer.

“So, what brings you guys to the neighborhood?” I ask casually, leaning back on my heels. I bite my lip when Viv starts to laugh, looking over at Nancy.

“Well, Kenton called and said you needed company.”

A light bulb goes off in my head and I know exactly what happened. He thought I was going to run off, so he sent for backup. The door opens and Kenton walks in. I’m surprised by the smile that lights up his face when our eyes meet.

“Tow truck’s on the way,” he says, walking towards me. I look around, trying to find an escape route. He looks at his mom and gives her a grin. “Can you start some coffee while I talk to Autumn?” he asks her.

She looks at me and her eyes sparkle when I start shaking my head at her. “Sure, honey,” she tells him, turning towards the kitchen. “Viv, let’s go make coffee,” Nancy says with a smile.

Viv’s eyes come to me and she smiles, shaking her head.

“No!” I semi shout. “You should really spend some time with your son. I can totally make the coffee,” I tell them, starting to head towards the kitchen. I feel myself being tugged back by the hem of my shirt. When I look over my shoulder at Kenton, I glare.

“We need to talk,” he informs me.

“We’ll be in the kitchen,” Nancy says, Viv following close behind her.

I close my eyes, letting my head drop forward.

“Thanks, Mom,” Kenton says as I turn around to face him and my shirt twists around my stomach. His eyes drop to my mouth and he takes a step towards me. I try to take a step back, but his hand, which is still wrapped around my shirt, prevents me from going far. “You kicked me,” he says quietly, his mouth brushing mine, leaving me paralyzed.

“Sorry,” I say, getting lost in his eyes.

“Are you really sorry?”

“No,” I whisper, watching his eyes grow dark.

“I didn’t think so.” His tongue touches my bottom lip, making me gasp as his teeth give my bottom lip a punishing nip and tug. My hands lift to his hair, pulling it at the roots, as his hands slide down my sides and over my ass, where he gives me a squeeze.

The feeling of his hands on me has me jumping up without thinking and wrapping my legs around his waist. He groans, pulling my h*ps tighter against him. My back hits the wall and I whimper. His mouth leaves mine and travels to my ear, nipping it before his lips make their way down my neck, licking and biting along the way. When his mouth comes back to mine, my h*ps grind against him, trying to get some friction.

“Coffee’s ready—oh! Crap. Sorry,” I hear Viv say.

My eyes open, my teeth release his bottom lip, and I look over his shoulder, seeing Viv heading back into the kitchen.

His hand cups my cheek, pulling my attention back to him. “I hate that she hit you.” His words and the look in his eyes as he studies my cheek make my heart start to pound harder.

“I’m okay. I’m sorry about your bed,” I tell him. Now that I’m not in the moment anymore, I feel bad for having lost my temper.

“I needed a new one anyways.” He smiles, and my fingers go to his cheek, pressing into his dimple. “We good now?” he asks, and I know he’s talking about this morning.

I fight myself on what to say. I need to be honest with him. He scares me, but not exploring this thing with him scares me more. I look over his shoulder before my eyes search his face.

“I know you didn’t mean it like you said it. You’re the first person in a very long time I find myself opening up to.” I cover his mouth with my hand when it looks like he’s going to speak. “You’re also the first guy since my first that I have been interested in. I feel vulnerable when I’m with you, and I hate that your words have the power to crush me, but they do,” I confess softly.

His hand comes to mine, pulling it from his mouth, and he kisses my palm before placing it against his chest. “I say shit I don’t mean sometimes. It’s no excuse and I’ll work on it, but you need to work on opening up to me.” His eyes search my face before his lips brush mine again. “You’re so f**king fearless that I forget how fragile you are.” The words gently spoken against my lips cause my eyes to slide closed.

“I’m not fearless,” I tell him, resting my forehead against his. “I’m afraid all the damn time.”

“Nah.” He shakes his head. “You’re a f**king warrior.”

Chapter 6

Annoying Roomies And Bad Guys

When I pull up to the house, it’s just after seven in the morning. Yesterday, after the tow truck showed up and Kenton left to go back to work, Viv, Nancy, and I sat around the kitchen drinking coffee and chatting for a few hours. When Nancy asked about the video Cassie had been talking about, I cringed but told her and Viv what had happened and the real reason I was in Tennessee. Nancy was visibly upset about it, and I immediately told her that I would leave if she felt uncomfortable with me being here with her son.

The second the words left my mouth, she grabbed my face between her hands and I watched as tears slid down her cheeks. My heart broke when she looked into my eyes and spoke. “This is exactly where you’re supposed to be. This is the safest place for you. This is where my son wants you. This is where we want you, so this is where you will stay.”

I started crying and buried my face in her chest, taking something from her I never received from my own mother—comfort. I hated crying, but something about crying while she held me healed a small piece of me. That lost, lonely little girl who was never allowed to show emotion was finally able to cry until she couldn’t cry anymore.

I shake my head, clearing the memory, and slide my key into the door. All I want to do is take a shower and go to sleep. I’m exhausted from being up early and not having a nap before going to work. As soon as I can, I’m going to have them change my schedule. There is just no way I will be able to keep this up.

I make my way upstairs and head right to the bathroom. I take a quick shower and wrap a towel under my arms, not even bothering with brushing my hair. I pick my clothes up off the floor and head to my room without turning on the light. I toss my stuff in the direction of my closet before pulling off the towel and begin climbing into bed.

“How was work?”

I scream when I hear Kenton’s voice. I jump off the bed and run to the closet, going inside and shutting the door.

“Why are you in the closet?” Kenton asks, and I can tell that he’s laughing.

“Why are you in my bed?” I ask through the closed closet door while trying to find something to put on in the dark.

“Someone threw my bed outside.”

“Shit!” I whisper, closing my eyes. “I’ll sleep on the couch downstairs,” I tell him, pulling a hoodie on over my head.

When I open the closet door, I find a shirtless Kenton sitting on the side of the bed, wearing a pair of cut-off sweats that have seen better days. Somehow, I find the strength to pull my eyes from him and walk to my dresser, pulling out a pair of cotton Victoria’s Secret panties and slipping them on under the hoodie.

“Where is your sexy underwear?”

“What?” I ask, my face heating up from the look in his eyes.

“You know. Silk thongs, lacy shit—where are they?”

“I don’t wear those unless I have to. I would rather be comfortable,” I explain. I know that a lot of women go gaga over sexy panties, but I couldn’t care less. I hate the feeling of something crawling up my ass all day.

“I have to tell you. I have seen you in those things three times now, and all three times, that damn underwear has done more for me than any skimpy shit I’ve ever seen.”

“Can we never talk about you and what you’ve seen other women wear please?”

He smirks, his eyes running down my legs. “Come to bed.”

“No.” I shake my head, looking at the door.

“You try to sleep on the couch and I’m dragging your ass back up here to bed,” he threatens.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Afraid you won’t be able to keep your hands off me?” He smiles.

“You wish.” I roll my eyes, knowing that is the exact reason why I don’t want to get into bed with him.

“Come on, babe. I can tell you’re tired.”

I look at the bed then him. I am really tired. I open my dresser, pull out a pair of shorts, put them on, and walk over to the opposite side of the bed before getting in. I hear his laugh as he lies back down, shutting off the light. I put my back to him and close my eyes.

I’m just about asleep when I feel him put his hand around my waist, and he pulls me across the bed to him so his body curves around mine and his hand can wrap in my hair.

“What are you doing?” I ask him sleepily.

“Sleeping,” he says softly, kissing the back of my head.

I know I should get up and leave or at least put up a little bit of a fight about cuddling with him for the third night in a row, but I can’t. I feel too warm, too comfortable, and way too exhausted to fight what I’m feeling. I feel him kiss me again and his hand go a little tighter, and I’m pretty sure I hear him whisper, “She’s getting it,” as I fall asleep.

I wake up in complete darkness. My first thought is how great I feel. I have forgotten what it feels like to wake up after a good night’s sleep. It takes a second to realize that it’s pitch black in the room. I sit up quickly and look at the clock on the bedside table, and my heart starts beating out of my chest when I see that it’s four o’clock. I missed work!