Chapter 9
Rose
As soon as I step out the door my phone rings. I look down its my friend from work Katie. As soon as i answer the phone before i even put it to my ear i can hear her yelling.
"Are you ok? Are you hurt anywhere? Did they catch the person?"she yells all in one breath.
"Hold on hold on one question at a time." I try to calm her. "Yes i'm ok, no i'm not hurt, and no they didn't catch him. That's why I texted you. I wanted to ask if I could stay with you for a couple of days?" as soon as i ask she yells again.
"Of course you can, where are you? I will come get you."
"No that's ok to might i have somewhere to stay but tomorrow i will go back to my house get some stuff then go to your house"
"Are you staying with Tiffany? Is she letting you come to work tomorrow??"Tiffany is my boss but also a good friend. I'm not ready to tell her about all this yet.
"No, I'm staying with the guy who helped me. He got his head cut open trying to get the guy. So I'm going to stay at his house tonight to make sure he's ok. It's the least I can do."
"Is he ok? What happened? How did he come to help you?" Before I can answer I hear Blake yell that he was done.
"Ok I have to go, I will tell you everything when I see you tomorrow at work."
"Wait, you're coming" I hang up the phone before she goes off on me for going to work. I put my phone in my pocket and walked back into the room. He is sitting on the bed putting on his shoes.
"Are you feeling well enough to ride with me or would you rather I ride back and get my car?" I ask him. I'm worried riding back with me will be too hard on him.
"No I don't want you going back to your house by your self"
"You and the cops chased him through the woods i sincerely doubt he will go back to my house tonight"
"And he may know that you would think that so he comes back to grab you. This guy is crazy there is no telling what he will do. I will be fine and I promise if I start feeling bad I will tell you. We can slow down or stop for a minute" he's looking me dead in the eyes. I sigh.
"Fine but you have to tell me if it gets bad ok"
"Ok i promise" he stands up. I watch him close. Making sure he's steady on his feet. We walk out and make it to the four wheeler. I get on first and he gets on behind me. He is holding his knees. Trying his best not to touch me. Am I that bad? He's not going to die if he touches me. He didn't seem to mind in the hospital when I touched him.
"Hold on to my waist tight so you don't fall off." I say a little annoyed.
"I don't want to make you uncomfortable. Are you sure?" O, so he wasn't touching me because he was being a gentleman. My annoyance just floats away.
"Yes, I'm sure. Wrap your arms around my waist and hold on tight." as soon as the words leave my mouth he does as i say. I giggle and start it up and head out. I take the long route, it's smoother and safer. I drive slow. It takes us a lot longer to get back to his house than it normally would even taking the long route. He feels so warm against my back. I almost want to go even slower so we can stay like this longer, but he's hurt and needs rest. When we get there we both go into his house.
"So is your friend coming to get you?" he asks the wall looking at the grown. Like he can't look at me.
"No, I'm staying here tonight to make sure you are ok after work tomorrow I'm going over there." His head shot up so fast to look at me. I just realized I never asked him if it was ok.
"You want to stay here tonight?" he's asking like he didn't hear me.
"Yes, I will sleep on the couch and if you need me or you start feeling bad call for me."
"NO!" he yells and my heart drops but before I can even say anything he continues." I will sleep on the couch while you sleep on the bed." This man is giving my heart whiplash.
"No you're the one who is hurt you sleep on the bed."
"I get up a lot and if on the couch I can just get up and get to the bathroom and the kitchen and if I need to sleep sitting up I can , I insist please." I want to argue but I feel like we will be at it for hours. It's really late and we need to sleep so i cave.
"Fine but you have to wake me if you need me."
"I will, there is some sleep close on the chair you can wear." he says walking into his room coming out with two sets of clothes, a sheet and pillow. He hands me one. " The bathroom is over there," he points to it. I turn and go to change. I look at the close in my hands. It's the clothes I bought him. I rinse off and come out he's already changed and laying on the crotch. I step closer to look. He seems to have fallen asleep. I stare at him a lot longer than I should have. I quickly turn on my heels and go into the room. I leave the door open just in case he needs me. I will be able to hear him better. I feel nervous sleeping in his bed and I know he just moved in. He may have never slept in it before but he will be sleeping in it from now on. I take a deep breath and crawl into bed. I lay down and I can't help but look around. It looks the same as when Lance lived here. The only thing that was different was the old bag in the corner. I remember seeing it with him when we first met. I need to get him a house warming gift. I lay there thinking about what to get him but his face keeps popping up into my mind. I toss and turn he really is too pretty for his own good. All the single and some of the not single women are going to be fighting over him. Poor men, the women in this town can get a little scary when they smell fresh meat. And fresh meat as pretty as him he will be married in the next year. [But i saw him first] my eyes popped open. Where did that come from? I shake my head to get that thought out of it. Ok, i'm so tired i'm getting delusional. It's time to sleep. I closed my eyes again and forced myself to not think of anything before I knew it I had fallen asleep.
I smell food. bacon , eggs and something sweet. My eyes open so fast and I sit up that I make myself dizzy. When it finally goes away I look around. It takes me a second to remember where I am. I look at my phone. It's 7 am. I forgot to set my alarm last night. I'm going to have to rush or I'm going to be late for work. I have to be there for 8 am. I don't think my boss will be mad if I'm a little late. I have never been late in the entire time I have worked there. I get up and go look at what's going on because I definitely smell food. Good food at that. I walk into the front room. I stop in my tracks. He's standing by the stove in just a white shirt and boxers. I don't know what to do. Do I just walk back into the room and pretend to be asleep? Do I say good morning? Before I can do anything he turns around and we make eye contact. We stare at each other for what feels like forever. Then he turns this bright pink.
"I'm so sorry i didn't think you would wake up this soon, hold on." he turns back and shuts off the stove. Then makes a dash for the bath room picking up his pains on the way. He was only in there for a minute before coming back out.
"I'm really sorry." he rubs the back of his neck. " o the food is ready if you're hungry. I made bacon, eggs and pancakes." he tells me, walking back to the kitchen, never looking me in the eyes.
"Yes I would love some" I tell him as I follow behind him to get food and trying to ignore how my body is feeling right now. We talk wall eating. Getting to know each other. I feel like it just surfaces stuff like he's hiding stuff, but that's to be expected we have only met twice. After we finished eating I get up to get ready for work.
"Your clothes should be dry by now" he tells me as he walks to the dryer. I didn't even realize it was going.
"You washed my clothes?"
"Yes, I hope that is ok? I knew you were going to work today and you didn't have any other clothes to wear. I didn't want you to have to wear dirty clothes so I washed them" This man is so thoughtful.
"Thank you" I take the clothes for him and go change. I put the clothes he loaned me neatly in the clothes hamper. It's 7:45. I'm going to be late. I rush out the bathroom and tell him I have to go. I throw on my shoes on and tell him I will stop by after work to check on him. I thank him for the food again then I'm out the door. As I leave I see him watching me from his door.