Page 35 of Keep Me Safe

She stirs a little before rolling over onto her stomach. I step into the hall, quietly shutting her door. Hopefully, Jared isn’t home yet, or if he is, he’s sleeping. I don’t know what time it is, but it has to be after nine. I can’t believe I fell asleep in her room. What the fuck was I thinking?

I slowly walk down the stairs, surveying the kitchen as I do. I don’t see him. He’s probably still asleep. I grab one of Kira’s mugs from the cupboard and turn on the coffee maker. It’s the same one I used when I first noticed them. It’s quickly become one of my favorites, and I won’t let myself think about why. It’s a nice mug, that’s all.

Like she can hear my thoughts, soft footsteps sound from the stairs. She’s still wearing her pajamas, and it takes all the control I have left not to look at those soft thighs or how her shirt hangs slightly off her shoulder.

“Mornin’,” she says, a shy smile on her face.

“Good morning.”

She saunters toward me, her hips swaying with each step. My heart jumps as she stops inches away, her eyes locked on mine. I remember the fear in those eyes last night. What caused it?

Fuck, Jared could walk out here any minute, and there is no reason she should be this close to me. Standing on her tippy toes and reaching her hand up, she swipes a mug out of the cabinet. I let out a breath, looking down at her. She smirks and pours herself some coffee. She’s an entirely different Kira this morning.

Jared chooses this exact moment to amble into the room.

“When did you get in?” I ask.

He was here while I was with her, in her bed. Jesus, I need to get it together. If he had seen us… I can’t let myself think about what would’ve happened.

“Late,” he responds, moving to get a glass of water.

“Are you hungover?”

He ignores my question, chugging the water. I look over at Kira, and she shrugs.

“Jared, it’s a Tuesday.”

“And?” he says.

“I wanted to go to town to go shopping today, do you want to come with me?” Kira asks Jared, trying to change the subject.

“I can’t, I’m sorry. I promised Keith I would mow his lawntoday. Maybe Thursday?”

“I work. It’s okay. I’ll just go by myself.”

Yeah, that’s not happening.

“Have fun,” Jared says before wandering back into his room. How is he okay with that?

“You’re not going downtown alone.”

“I will be fine. I’ve done it before.”

“Yeah, that doesn’t make me feel any better,” I say, eyeing her. “I’ll go with you.” She looks up at me, an exasperated expression on her face.

The drive into Traverse City is quiet but not tense, not like I expected. Neither of us brings up last night, but something lingers between us, an unspoken shift. I can’t stop thinking about how scared she was. The look in her eyes. The way she shrank into herself.

I grip the wheel a little tighter and focus on the road.

Finding parking downtown is a nightmare, and parallel parking this truck makes it worse. I mutter a curse under my breath as I maneuver into a tight spot along the street. Kira doesn’t comment, just waits for me on the sidewalk, her arms crossed loosely.

When I finally climb out, I round the front of the truck and meet her gaze.

“Where to?” I ask.

“I need to find some new shorts. I don’t really have any good ones for summer.”

“Lead the way.”

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