Page 35 of Give Me Love

“You fell asleep.” He’s looking down at me with his hands in his front pockets.

“You carried me up here then?” I ask tall and domineering as I slip my strap on my heel.

“Well, I would have dragged you, but that wouldn’t have been too much fun for you.”

I scoff. “No, I don’t imagine so. But why didn’t you just wake me so I could tell you where I lived?”

He looks perplexed before he says, “I don’t know.” I raise a brow at his look of confusion. “Come on. I’ve got somewhere to be.” He turns, and I stand.

Alrighty then, let’s go.

“Good to meet you, Kathrine,” Lou says with a smile in her voice. Bryce starts for the door, and I walk to place my glass in the sink. She gives me a peculiar grin, like she knows a secret but isn’t telling. What’s the deal, Lou?

“You too,” I reply as she begins folding the towels on the kitchen table.

“You have a housekeeper?” I ask as we wait for the elevator.

He looks over at me, reaching up and adjusting the hat on his head that I notice has an A on it for Atlanta. “Lou is my Aunt, Monnie’s wife. They have no kids, so she treats me like one.”

“Oh,” I say. My eyes run over him, his tattoos and the muscles in his forearms. I can’t imagine him being a kid. I can imagine other things, though. I sigh inwardly. I seriously need a shower.

__________

In the car, I flip the visor down and look at the damage that is my face. I rub under my eyes, removing leftover makeup, before grabbing the hair tie from my wrist and throwing my hair up. I open my clutch and take out my lip-gloss, going over my lips one time before smacking them together. I look a little better after I do all of this. I shrug and flip the visor back and notice Bryce looking at me.

“What?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “Nothing.” He licks his lips and adjusts his hand on the wheel. I shrug again and look out the window as we head to mine and Claire’s apartment. The sun is reflecting off the high-rise windows and I wish I had my sunnies. I notice some on his dash.

“You gonna wear those?” I ask, lifting my chin toward the black Ray-Bans.

“Nah. Be my guest.”

I reach over and slide them on my face. Ah, sweet relief. “So, what are your plans today?”

He looks over at me.

“Earlier you said you had somewhere to be.”

“Oh, right.” He sniffs and places his hand on the gear shifter. “My brother and I are going to the gun range.”

“Really?” I ask. “That sounds fun.”

He nods. “Yeah. I like shooting shit.”

I laugh and he doesn’t, which makes me laugh more. “You’re such a guy.”

“What does that mean?” he asks.

“Right here.” I point as we near the apartment building.

“It means what it means. You like muscle cars and shooting shit. You’re a guy’s guy.”

There’s a smile in his eyes as we park near the curb, and both of us exit. “I can walk myself up,” I say, sliding his glasses off and putting them in the seat before I shut the door.

“I’m aware,” he replies, simply.

I roll my eyes. “Oookay.”

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