CHAPTER 4.5

"About five seconds after I left you today, everything between you and me shifted," he said quietly.

My brows furrowed as my thoughts digested the reality that this was not good.

“Shifted?" I inquired. “How? ”

"You've got the type of attitude I admire. So I chose to ride your attitude wave and see how things pan out."

I made a blink. Then I repeated it.

"You're going to ride my mood wave?" I inquired, despite the fact that, one, I had no idea what it meant, so even if he confirmed, I couldn't be sure how that would effect me, and second, I didn't enjoy talking about him riding anything that had anything to do with me.

"Yeah," he said, and I was correct; I didn't know what it meant, but I did know what it meant for him: we weren't done.

"You're correct," I said. "Earlier today, things between you and me changed, but it happened about five minutes before you went out, and the way they changed means you and I are finished." His eyes never left mine, and he nodded his head without saying anything.

"Listen to me," I insisted. "I only found out your alias, not your true name. I recently found out you have a company, 'guys,' and you keep an eye on my house. I've known you for almost a year and you never told me any of that nonsense. This is no longer functioning for me. This has been wrong for a long time, and learning that you have intruded into my life, researched me, and maintained tabs on me without my knowledge makes it not only wrong, but very wrong. As a result, we're done." He examined me for a moment before remarking, "See, you've opted not to make the appropriate play."

"And I understand that you believe it isn't the appropriate play because it isn't the one you want me to make."

"You don't understand it, sweetie," he said with a smile. "Used to be, I thought about visiting you, could let myself start to get hard, that heat in your eyes, that mouth of yours..." his thumb did another sweep as his face got closer, and when he spoke again, his voice dipped lower, "Used to be, I thought about visiting you, could let myself start to get hard." Now that I'm merely thinking about you, I'm becoming tough. You want to play this with that attitude, Sweet Pea? I'm telling you, it's not the appropriate move because your attitude isn't a turn off."

"Stop calling me Sweet Pea," I said, since I was panicking out again and trying to disguise it.

His grin widened. "There it is," he said quietly, "and I like it."

"Step away," I shouted, pushing my hands on his waist, but he didn't move.

"There it is once more."

I clenched my teeth and stared at him.

He chuckled again, this time a short, amused, deep, male chuckle.

Then his lips brushed against me, and he muttered, "Hot."

And me, being me, a screaming loser and my mother's daughter, felt that one phrase spoken on my lips gave me a tickle, a lovely one in a very intimate area.

Shit!

"Hello?" I said, pulling my head back the half-inch his face and the wall allowed me. Break-in? Is your sister in severe trouble? Are your parents downstairs? In the dead of night? I have deadlines, a lot of work to accomplish, a dangerous housing, and I need to sleep so I can wake up tomorrow with the stamina to get my life under control. Could you kindly take a step back now? ”

He didn't take a step back, but his hands slipped from my jaws and curled around my neck, and his face shifted back an inch.

"Of course, darling, but you should know you're not staying here tonight." I've got lads on their way to board up that window, and you're accompanying me."

I looked up at him, stunned by the news and, since I was a loser, titillated by the possibility of accompanying him everywhere he went. My daydreams for the previous year and a half had been concentrated on where he lived and spent his time, and the notion of ultimately uncovering the reality behind that, darn and blast, was a discovery I truly wanted to make.

"Dad will take care of my window tomorrow, and I'm staying with him and Melinda tonight, which is why they're here," I reasoned.

He utterly disregarded me.

"You're coming with me."

Seriously! This man!

"Not at all."

"You certainly are, Gia."

"I don't know you other than knowing you, and what I'm discovering makes me unhappy. I experienced a break-in tonight, and it really shook me out. It terrified me to death. My Dad and Melinda are people I know. I'd want to spend the evening with them. I want to be somewhere familiar, with people I know, where I can feel comfortable. I'm ready to go home."

He looked at me again, then brushed his thumb on my neck, which felt great for a loser.

"I see you're in need of it, so I'll let you do it," he added quietly.

"Well, thanks," I said flatly.

He smiled.

I scowled.

He grinned as I stared, then mumbled, "Yeah, absolutely fuckin' missed out."

Then his head fell, and I couldn't stop his lips from barely touching mine in a way that made them quiver.

"Be clever, sweetie, my boys will protect your house and you may come home tomorrow," he said, raising his head. Yeah? ”

Then his thumb caressed my neck again, and I enjoyed it again, but he let me go and he was gone before I could respond.

I stood with my back to the wall, starring at the area he'd occupied, wondering how he could vanish into thin air right in front of my eyes, when I realized I was breathing heavily.

Then I brushed it off, telling myself I didn't care since it was intriguing that he could vanish. Telling myself that he had "guys," that he flew Black Falcons, that he had a "base," that part of what he did was security, and that his nickname was Falcone was not interesting either.

And also reminding myself that he could do anything he wanted, that I would do whatever I wanted, and that he couldn't make me do whatever he wanted.

That's ridiculous!

Then I began packing my stuff to return home with Dad and Melinda.

I was in my bathroom gathering my stuff when I grabbed my lotion and bath gel and came to a halt.

It hadn't occurred to me until I stood in my bathroom, staring at the plastic bottles in my hands.

Sweet pea was the smell I always wore.

His brow furrowed slightly. This was not what he had expected.

He was probably expecting a "Hello," "Thank you for coming," or "God, you're hot."