Page 82 of Safe With Me

“I don’t, no. And please don’t think it’s because I don’t want her to meet you. It’s that I don’t want you to meet her. Especially when she’d find out you work for my father and then go after youas much as me. I care about you too much to put you through that.”

“Well, I care about you too much to make you go through that alone.” I sat up on my knees, lifting my leg until I straddled his waist. “Maybe I could be like a buffer between you.”

“You wouldn’t.” He shook his head, running his hands up and down my thighs. “You’d be a target, and I’d hate that.”

“But I hate thinking ofyouas a target. And if she comes at me, I have enough Philly in me not to just shrink away.” I bent down to take his face in my hands. “Was this why, when you first got to your father’s house the other night, you looked upset?”

He closed his eyes and nodded.

“She had just called me, pushing me to come to see her. As usual.” He let out a long sigh.

“Well then, instead of a buffer, think of me as a distraction. She’ll be so busy staring me down, she’ll forget to give you a hard time.”

His glorious chest heaved up and down as he squinted at me.

“You’d really want to come with me?”

“Of course. I don’t want you to go through that alone.”

I settled on top of him, smoothing his hair back before roping my arms around his neck.

“You have my back—” I gave him a long, lingering peck, smiling into the kiss when his body rolled under mine “—and I have yours. You’re safe with me.”

He cracked a wide grin before he cupped my neck and took my mouth in a ravenous kiss. I was already soaked as I writhed on top of him, rubbing my core over where his erection tented the sheets.

“Anyone ever tell you that you’re fucking incredible?”

He flipped me over onto my back, the futon under us protesting as we dropped another inch with a loud creak. I burst out laughing as Mike’s chest rumbled against mine.

“I guess I’m staying at your apartment until I can buy a new bed. I’ll need to before my sister stays here again and wants to know why my bed is so lopsided.” He kissed the tip of my nose. “Your fault. I wouldn’t be such an animal if you weren’t so fucking hot.”

He ran his lips down my neck before dropping his head to my chest.

“I’ve got you, sweetheart,” I whispered, cinching my arms around him as I pressed a kiss to the top of his head.

We fell back asleep and woke up just as Mike had to get ready for work. I raced home to shower and change in enough time for him to be able to drop me off on his way to the station.

We’d leave right from Russo’s Contracting to meet Mike’s mother for dinner. I was certain I’d hate her on sight after what he’d told me, but I’d have to find it in me to keep cool and be there for Mike like he’d always been there for me.

I hoped I could be there for him without getting into a brawl with his mother, but I would in a heartbeat if it came down to it.

“I’m sorry I can’t walk you to the door,” Mike said after he gave me a quick but dirty-enough-to-make-my-head-spin kiss. “I have exactly fifteen minutes before I clock in.”

“It’s okay. I can get to the door safely. I see your father and one of his workers inside. I’m fine.” I climbed out of the cab and blew him a kiss. “Have a good day, Officer Russo.”

I jogged to the front door and noticed Mike’s truck reflected in the glass.

“Go,” I told him, pointing to the end of the street.

“I have a minute to enjoy the view.” He pressed a kiss to his index and middle finger before he drove off.

The high of a new relationship was always nice, but I never remembered itthishigh—or so wonderful that after I soaked up all the adoration in Mike’s eyes, I could almost forget how much someone else hated me.

It was good and bad, since a flighty head could give way to stupid mistakes I couldn’t afford.

I headed to Mary’s Coffee Shop at the end of the day for an iced coffee. Jake had offered to walk with me, but it was only a block and it was still bright daylight. While I was more aware of my surroundings on the short walk than usual, I couldn’t have an escort everywhere.

The adrenaline rush of the past two days had crashed and hit me hard. If I was going to be of any use to Mike during dinner with his mother, I needed something to wake me up.

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