Page 26 of The Only Time

“You okay?” he asks.

“Me? I’m alright. What about you?”

He looks over at his family then shrugs. “I’m alright.”

We both smile at each other then join everyone in the dining room. Everyone eats, talks, and laughs, but my eyes are drawn to Eric. Every time I look, his eyes are on me. He doesn’t make any effort to pretend like he’s not looking at me. It makes my body temperature spike with each lingered stare.

I feel like I’m getting whiplash. He was angry when I told him about my ex, but then seemed equally pissed at the idea of me leaving. I don’t know what to expect. His behavior is erratic, and I should be scared. I should still leave. But as weird as it may sound, I don’t want to.

Eric finishes his beer and then looks up at his brothers. “Are you guys ready?” he asks.

They all nod and get up from their seats, his father and Josh included. That leaves me with the women. His mom, Layla,Charlotte, and his niece Brie. I don’t know what is going on, but no one else at the table seems curious as to what is going on.

“Do you know what they’re up to?” I ask Layla.

“It sounded like Eric was trying to turn his house into the latest CIA center.”

I don’t know what the hell that means, but Brie jumps up and asks all of us to play Uno, so I let it go. After she whips our butts, only because we all clearly didn’t play to win, I hear power tools just outside the front door followed by Eric barking orders.

I open the door, the cool autumn breeze sending shivers all over my body, and I see Eric walking up and down the front lawn yelling at the guys.

“I want them everywhere. Every single point of entry. Every window, every door. Asher, you make sure to check Liam’s work. I don’t want anyone slacking.”

“Fuck off, man. I’m not gonna slack,” Liam yells back.

What is going on? I run out to the front yard and look up to see all the guys on the roof.

I gasp. “What are they doing?”

He looks my body up and down which makes me visibly shiver, then he shakes his head. “I’m installing more security.”

“What? Why? I thought you already had a great security system?”

“I have abasicsecurity system. Layla doesn’t know what she’s talking about. She thinks her dog is a form of security, but I can promise you, he’s not.”

I bite my lip as I try not to smile, but that sounds like Layla. “What are they putting up there?”

“Flood lights with motion sensors.”

“At every window?” I ask.

He looks at me intensely. “At every single point of entry.”

“You don’t have to do all of this. I understand if my being here isn’t worth the risk for you. I don’t want to make you feel unsafe in your own home.”

Instead of answering, he continues to bark orders at the guys. I do my best to avoid everybody for the next hour. I start cleaning and doing the dishes while the girls play another round of Uno. I’m just too distracted to participate.

I don’t know what’s gotten into Eric, but he’s acting insane. I’m relieved once everybody has left. But then it’s just the two of us standing awkwardly at the front entrance once it’s closed. I shift my weight back and forth from one foot to the other, finding it impossible to stay still.

He steps closer then reaches out and tucks a stray piece of hair behind my ear. The gesture is small, but it steals my breath away.

“How are you doing?” he asks.

I’m thrown by his question. I don’t know what he means by it. “I’m confused. I feel like I’m turning your life upside down. I really should leave.”

He shakes his head back and forth disapprovingly. “You aren’t going anywhere, Mia. Not with that man out there looking for you. If that motherfucker ever tries to lay a hand on you, he’s gonna wish he was never born. Now go get some rest. The place is safe.”

He walks away like he didn’t just say the sexiest thing any man has ever said in my lifetime. For the first time since I’ve been here, I truly do feel safe walking up to my room. Although, safe from Don, the feelings brewing for the man I’m living with are anything but safe.

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