“Ah...didn’t see you there. “ She bites her lip and her mouth is neither too big nor too small. Perfect. “You sure unpacked fast.”
That’s because I hurried, not wanting to waste any time with her. This is my first time being this close, my whole body spattering with animated energy but I try to hide it, shoving my hands in my pockets and casually lean back.
“Didn’t bring much,” I answer. “You said it yourself.”
“Think I did.” Her eyes dart and she looks like she has something she’s hesitant to say on her tongue. “Were you smelling my hair?”
Her voice is breathy, like the thought of me doing something like that excites her. It excites me too.
“No,” I answer, giving her a relaxed, charming smile. But I was. And she smells like sugar and cinnamon and once she’s allowed me in, I’ll bury my whole face in her.
“Of course,” she shakes her head as if she’s being silly, “I don’t even know why I said that.” Walking around the kitchen island, she hands me a plate. “You like vego tacos, right?”
I’ve never had them before. “Love them.”
Smiling, she hands me my utensils and shoves forth a couple of small bowls. “All I had was vegetables. I need to go and tell my manager to go to the grocery store.” She glances at me. “She spoils me like that, because usually I’m too busy to do it myself.”
Biting into the food, I reply, “I’ll do it for you if you want.”
She bites into her food too, her bites so small it makes me want to feed her myself to make sure she’s satiated. “That’s okay. Gina’s got it covered.”
“Maybe her services aren’t needed, now that you have me.” I say it casually. Suggestively and she stops chewing, glancing at me.
“Maybe you’re right,” she murmurs then smiles at me, making me feel like I’m growing taller and heavier in my seat. “I think I’m going to like having you around here.”
“Think I’m going to like it more.” So muchmore.
Her eyes flicker and when our legs brush against each other under the table, she doesn’t immediately pull away. She lets it linger, causing a current to rise up and finally explode in my groin. I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to stop myself from touching her.
It’s already taking a toll on me.
Taking a sip out of my coke, I ask, “What’s the neighborhood like?”
Amber squirms. “Pretty prissy unfortunately. Rich, snobby people but at least they never play music that loud and they never complain when I do.” Grazing her lip with her teeth, she says, “Think you told me you were a mason...?”
“Yes ma’am,” I answer, making her burst out into a short laugh. “It’s in my blood. My father was a mason and my grandfather before him.”
There’s something satisfying about using bricks, or my preferred favorites, natural stone to build walls, fences, chimneys. Its hard work, but it’s exactly what I need. Building walls that can be torn down, when my own can’t.
Except by...her if she’s willing.
Amber nods with interest while I keep making small talk, but I leave some things out. Such as that I own a decent amount of property and definitely don’t need to be sharing house. She’ll find out all that about me soon enough but right now, while she’s still testing the waters, I don’t want to make her distrustful.
After we finish eating, I grab our plates to go and wash up when she stops me, but I shake my head.
“I insist. You made the food, I’ll clean the dishes.”
“My manager would love you...” she muses and then a shadow crosses her face. “I should probably go and practice on my music.”
But she doesn’t move, sitting in her chair like a wooden doll and I throw her a worried glance. She wraps her arms around her body, swallowing and flickers of insecurity start playing in her eyes. I don’t like them there, they have no place being with her.
I’ll chase them away if I have to.
“Amber...?” I say softly and she twitches, looking at me and embarrassment floods her face.
“Right...I’m totally not procrastinating by the way.”
“Not judging.” Why would I when I know that she’s amazing. When I know that she’s so much better than she gives herself credit for.