No job. No apartment. No money.
Wow, when she hit rock bottom it was with a bang. She sat down on Alex’s couch and looked at the trash bags around her. She had three days to get out of her apartment, but she’d decided she might as well grab everything right then. Plus, being in that apartment gave her the creeps. It would have been a relief to be evicted if she had somewhere else to live.
Robert had helped her pack everything in the car before driving her over to Alex’s apartment. He’d looked relieved at the new place she was living in. Little did he know how temporary this was.
God, she couldn’t believe her life fitted into five bags.
Well, moping around wasn’t going to change the fact that her life was a mess. She needed a job. She needed a place to live. She really needed to wash these clothes. She couldn’t wear them knowing that strangers had had their hands all over them. She shuddered. If she could afford it she would’ve replace the whole lot and thrown this crap away.
Sighing, she stood. She really hoped that Alex didn’t mind her using his washing machine.
***
Alex parked his car in his garage. Today had seemed unbearably long. All he’d been able to think about was Tara waiting for him. In his apartment.
Had he ever been this eager to get home to Simone? Maybe in the beginning before she’d come to hate him. He shook the thought out of his head. He wasn’t going to think of Simone. Not tonight. Tonight was about him and Tara
He was kind of glad she’d lost her job. Her boss was a prick and he didn’t like the long hours she had to work. Part of it was selfishness; he wanted her to have plenty of time to devote to him. But mostly he was worried about her working so late at night. He wouldn’t be forgetting last night for a long, long time.
She didn’t need to get another job, not right away anyway. He’d move her to a safer apartment. He would take care of her. He would provide everything she needed.
He had to admit that filled him with a deep sense of satisfaction. He hadn’t realized how much he needed to be needed. Simone hadn’t needed him. Not beyond what was in his bank account anyway. Despite her tough front, Tara did need him.
“Tara?” he called out. When he didn’t get an immediate answer, his stomach dropped. What if she’d changed her mind? “Tara?”
“In the kitchen,” she replied.
As he moved toward the kitchen, the scent of something cooking hit him and his stomach growled. Tara turned around to face him, her cheeks flushed.
“I hope you don’t mind, I know it’s kind of intrusive to just help myself, but I was getting hungry and you said to make myself at home—mmm…”
He drew her against him and kissed her soundly. Pulling back, he cupped her face.
“It smells delicious.” It did. Although it did feel a bit weird having her cook for him. He hadn’t expected it. “I didn’t expect you to cook for me.”
“It does weird you out,” she said, a look of regret on her face. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry,” he said, regretting his thoughts as her shoulders slumped. “I said to make yourself at home.”
“Yeah, but you probably meant turn on the T.V. and get yourself a glass of water, not invade your kitchen and cook dinner.”
Damn, he was stupid at times. Instead of thanking her, he was acting like she’d done something wrong. “Thank you for cooking dinner. I can’t remember the last time someone cooked for me. It smells delicious.”
She shrugged. “Just something I threw together.”
He could tell it wasn’t, though. She’d been hoping to please him and he’d ruined it.
Alex took her hand in his. “Do we have some time before its ready?”
She nodded. “About twenty minutes.”
“Good. I’m going to get us a drink. Let’s sit in the living room and talk for a bit.”
“Okay.”
“What will you have?”
“Just a club soda.”