Page 17 of Protecting Vera

CHAPTER TEN

Hop didn’t move closer to the hall leading to the bedrooms though he needed to grab his phone. If he took another step closer to Vera, he might just end up walking into her room and asking if she wanted to do something more than just talking.

She needed help, not a horny guy. He would keep his desire to himself and keep helping her stay safe. Besides, his needs weren’t important. He could relieve the pressure with his hand in the shower.

After a few deep breaths, he grabbed his phone and checked outside. The fire was out, but the area stank. It would take at least a few days for the air to clear, especially if it had been the house he suspected of being a drug house.

He eventually headed to bed, sleeping late. When he woke, he could hear Vera in the kitchen. The scent of coffee hung in the air, and his ceiling fan was on. The electricity had turned on at some point.

His cock was hard. No doubt touching Vera last night played a part in how turned-on he was. There was no way he could go into the kitchen with his dick like this. He would have to hop in the shower before he got his coffee.

As quietly as he could, he jacked off, trying not to think of Vera, but she was all that kept going through his mind. After the shower, he dressed and pushed his desire down. When he stepped into the kitchen, he tried to act natural, but he felt anything but natural.

She glanced over, her smile faltering for a moment before she spoke. “That was wild last night. I’ve never been that close to a fire or explosions. At least the electricity is on.”

He nodded. “Yeah, I’m glad that’s back on. Sadly, I have been that close to fires and explosions. And yes, explosions are scary if you’re not used to them.”

Her eyes narrowed, and she cocked her head to the side. “Did you have a reaction to the explosions last night?”

He shrugged, at first trying to play it off like he had it all together, then he shook his head. “I don’t really talk about it much. But yeah, when it was all going down last night, it took me a moment to remember where I was. It was only a moment, but there were a few seconds where I reached for my gun, thinking I needed to jump into action.”

She grabbed the coffee mug for him and filled it. “Here.” Her gaze held his. “That has to be difficult. But I guess you have to be prepared.”

He nodded. “I do. And yes, it can be bad. Fourth of July sucks, and sometimes New Year’s Eve, but I can deal with it.”

“That’s good that you can deal with it. Honestly, when I woke up, I was scared. I’m glad you were here. I probably would have freaked out if I’d been alone. I didn’t step outside this morning, but I looked out the window and there is still one firetruck down the street.”

“They need to keep an eye on the building. You know, make sure it doesn’t flame up again.” He sipped the coffee, thinking it tasted amazing. His phone buzzed, and he saw a text from Q in their group chat. Word had gotten out about the fire. Now, all the guys were texting. He sent a note back, telling them they were safe and that the fire had been down one block from him.

After he set his phone down, he thought about dinner. “I was contemplating grilling today. Do you like burgers?”

“Of course. I love burgers. I haven’t grilled in ages.”

“Are you okay if I cook the burgers at about three in the afternoon?”

She glanced at the clock on the microwave and shrugged. “We are eating late, more like brunch this morning. I’ll be ready for lunch at three.”

“Awesome. I need to work out. I have some ground beef thawing in the fridge. I’ll pick up a tomato and some lettuce at the store on my way back.”

“I could go to the store.”

“No, it’s not necessary. I’ll run by on my way back from working out.”

“I really should get a car.”

“I might know someone who wants to sell their car. I’ll let you know.”

“Thank you. I just need to make sure it will work. I’m not picky.”

He nodded. “I won’t let you buy something bad. I’ll be back in a bit.”

She said goodbye and headed to her room. He fought the urge to watch her walk away. They’d handled the conversation fairly well. The desire he’d felt last night and again this morning had died down enough it wasn’t sitting heavy between them. He hadn’t gone out to find another woman, and honestly he didn’t want anyone else. He felt like he was playing a dangerous game.

Maybe he’d misread the situation. She might not have wanted anything from him. It could have just been her fear that had her holding onto him in the dark. Then again, the way she’d looked up at him had been charged with potential. The desire in her eyes had been very obvious and he’d wanted to act on it. He needed a distraction, and hopefully getting in a good workout would help to take his mind off the way she’d felt in his arms.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Vera was proud that she hadn’t thrown herself at Hop when he’d stepped into the kitchen this morning. He was so sexy, but he hadn’t invited her to live with him because he wanted her. She was in his space because she had nowhere else to go.

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