I could give Michelle everything she wanted and more, whether I was present physically or not.
“The shower’s a nice size,” Michelle said, as she dipped her head into the bathroom. “I really like this place. You said there’s a pool downstairs?”
“There is. A small pool, a hot tub, and a gym with some equipment. And if you don’t have a washer and dryer of your own, we have stackable units you can rent for thirty dollars a month, maintenance included.”
“That’s really good,” Michelle said as she looked up at me. “That’s good, right?”
“For this place, sure,” I said.
I watched her face fall at my reaction.
Escorting her to my car, we went to go look at the two houses set for the middle of the day. One house was a small ranch-style home. A little over one thousand square feet, with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. There was a decent living room area and the kitchen was a bit bigger. Not by much, but better than the studio apartment kitchen. Still well within her budget, but she wouldn’t have to be sharing amenities with throngs of other people.
I liked that.
We went to go look at the other house and Michelle’s eyes bulged. The carpet was plush underneath her feet, so much so that she slipped her shoes off and wiggled her toes in it. Had my mind not been so damn occupied with Andy’s apparent statement, I would’ve grinned at the cute little action. The house only had one bedroom and one bathroom, but it was still a little over one thousand square feet. It had a great deal more storage space as well, and the landlord was giving the renter the option of customizing the house. Painting the walls and shit like that.
Michelle really liked that option.
“I don’t know, after seeing those two houses, I’m not sure I can go back and look at an apartment. And right now, a duplex does not sound palatable at all,” she said.
I glanced over at her as the wind whipped through her flowing red hair.
“We don’t have to look at them if you don’t want to. We could get lunch, instead.”
“You want to do lunch with me?”
The sound of her voice tugged at my walls, breaking them down another inch.
“If you don’t want to go see the last two places, you don’t have to. If you want, we can go back to the two houses, apply, then get some lunch,” I said.
“I like that option. Let’s go with that one,” she said.
I whipped a quick u-turn in the middle of the road as giggles fell from Michelle’s lips. And for the first time that day, I found myself grinning. I was hard to be angry at that sound coming from her. It was hard to be angry at her excitement. And applying for places meant she’d get away from Andy sooner. Something that was very much needed.
I didn’t want her around that asshole any longer than she needed to be.
“So,” I said as she handed over the last application, “where do you want to eat?”
“Wanna go to that soup and sandwich shop on the other side of downtown?” she asked.
“Soup and sandwiches it is.”
I didn’t like the thought of her being with Andy, and every single time I looked at her, it was all I could think about. I had no way of knowing what really took place in that bathroom, b
ut I did know I wanted to wring Andy’s neck. Whether he cornered her or slid his cock into her, I didn’t know. But either way, she wasn’t his to touch. The possession of Michelle—the primal feelings bubbling in my gut—were strange to me. I’d never been jealous of other men before. But then again, no other woman meant to me what Michelle did.
No woman connected with me the way she did.
The feeling was new, and it made me tense. It forced my mind onto a one-track highway I couldn’t seem to exit from. I opened the door for her before we walked into the restaurant, and my eyes fell directly to her ass.
An ass I wanted to mark as mine.
A body I wanted to own.
“I love their broccoli cheddar soup here,” Michelle said. “It’s so good. Especially with the chicken salad wrap. Have you ever had it?”
“I usually make my own,” I said.