“You’ve been working in my building for the last six months. You know I’m not a murderer or a ra**st. Get in the car, and I’ll drive you home.”
Nibbling her lip, she looked at the bus.
“I really appreciate the offer. Yes, I work in your building, but I don’t know you. I’m going to catch the bus.”
She started walking and stopped when she noticed the bus pulling away. Tears filled her eyes at missing her ride.
“Don’t cry. Get in the car. I’ll take care of you.”
Why? No one else takes care of me. Why would you want to?
Her pity party was back.
Turning back to him, she saw his blue eyes up close for the first time ever. She’d watched him at a safe distance, working around him. His eyes were a clear blue like the ocean. They were startling to look at. They were surrounded by long lashes that women would kill for.
“Get in the car.” He repeated his words to her.
“I don’t think I should. I can walk from here.”
“Lana, it’s dark, and the walk will take you an hour to get home. I’m offering you a ride. Get in the car and let me help you,” he said.
When she made no move toward him, Kent climbed out of the car, took her hand inside his, and escorted her around to his side of the car. His touch sent sparks of electricity up her arm.
She did as instructed as he opened the passenger side door and helped her inside. He leaned in the car grabbing the buckle. His arm brushed across her br**sts. Her ni**les tightened at the contact. She’d never responded to a man so quickly.
You’ve been lusting after this man for over six months.
He buckled the seat. She watched him walk around to his side and climb in. Her heart raced from his closeness. She was acting like a crazy person.
Kent put the car in gear and pulled away from the kerb. Taking a quick glance at him, Lana chanced a look at his profile. He looked angry.
“Why didn’t you wait for me?” he asked.
“I don’t know.”
Lana fidgeted with the edge of her dress wishing the skirt covered more of her fleshy thighs.
“I offered you a lift, and you run away. Have I done something to upset you?” he asked.
When he glanced at her, she looked away, staring out of the front window. “No.”
“Have you read some shit glossy mag story and decided I’m not good enough for you?”
“No.” She shook her head. The only time she read glossy magazines was when she was waiting around at newsstands. Reading glossy magazines were a waste of time and money. She’d rather spend her money in a book store buying books that were worth her time. “I didn’t think you meant it,” she said, admitting the embarrassing truth.
“Did you think I’d offer to drive you home and then leave you high and dry?”
She shrugged. What else was she supposed to think?
“What kind of men have you known?”
Again, she shrugged while also thinking she’d only known the worst kind of men.
“I can’t believe I’m having this conversation,” he said.
Neither could she. His anger seemed to be coming out, and she listened even though she stared out of the window.
Her stomach chose that moment to growl. She’d not had the time to eat anything at lunch. The last time she’d eaten was breakfast where she’d indulged in a buttered bagel.
Grocery shopping was something she did on Friday. It was Wednesday, and she wouldn’t be going grocery shopping for at least two days. Her pay check came through Friday, which she paid her rent out of. Once the rent and other bills were paid, she used the rest on food.
“Next time, you make your way to the parking lot beneath the building. You know where the parking lot is, don’t you?” he asked.
“Yes. I know where it is. You don’t need to worry about me getting home. I’m safe.” She tried to argue with him. Kent held his hand up stopping her from saying anything.
“No, I’ll be the judge of whether you need help or not. It’s night, dark, and anyone could hurt you.”
His hands tightened on the steering wheel. Lana never thought her first conversation with Kent would be about her safety.
****
The woman was driving him crazy. He’d hoped on some light flirting and sweet seduction, and instead he was telling her off like a child.
Get your shit together.
Tightening his hands on the steering wheel Kent counted to ten and then twenty until he’d calmed down enough. Didn’t she have any idea how unsafe the world was at night time? There he went again, getting mad at something he couldn’t control.
“I didn’t mean to make you mad,” she said, whispering from where she sat.
“You didn’t make me mad.”
“Seriously, because from where I’m sitting you look kind of angry.”
He looked over at her to find her smiling. Releasing his death grip on the steering wheel Kent shot her his best smile.
She turned away. He spotted the blush filling her cheeks. Cute, his woman still blushed. “I’m sorry for getting angry with you. This is not a great place to be walking home alone,” he said.
“I think you watch too many movies. This place is fine to walk around. Nothing is going to happen to me.”
He saw her rub her hands down her legs. Was he making her nervous?
“Having that kind of attitude is not going to help you,” he said.
“What do you mean?”
Kent stopped at a red light. He took the free moment to turn to her. She had the nicest brown eyes he’d ever seen. They were so dark, and every time he looked at her, he got the sense she was always thinking something thoughtful. Her skin looked silky soft. He kept his grip on the steering wheel so he didn’t reach out and touch her.
“I sense you have the attitude that nothing will ever happen to you. Nothing bad and nothing good. Be careful, Lana. You always have to be prepared in life.”
Her gaze captured him as he stared at her. Her lips were nice and plump. A vision of those lips wrapped around his c**k filled his mind. The image alone tempted him to turn the car around and take her back to his apartment. He could have her screaming in a matter of moments. Kent prided himself in keeping his woman happy.
“Green,” she said.
Was she giving him the go ahead to take her home? Did his woman read minds?
“What?”
“The light is green. You need to go.” She smiled at him before pointing to the light change.
Feeling like a dick, he put the car in gear and raced toward the next light. This wasn’t his night. All the lights he arrived at were red.