Page 20 of Stay for Me

I was fucked up, and this was hell.

Therefore, I said nothing as I turned on my heel, climbed the steps without so much as a glance in her direction, and went inside as thunder clapped in the distance. I needed her to leave before the storm hit, because there wasn’t a chance in hell I’d let her go if a single drop of rain decided to fall from the heavens.

Diana Harper didn’t belong in the rain.

Diana Harper belonged in sunshine.

I spotted her bag on the butcher-block counter in the kitchen, but ignored it, heading into the living room where Caleb played with a stack of blocks in the middle of the rug. I stood outside of the make-shift baby gate Beau and I made a few months back. The toddler’s hand was unsteady, reaching up to the top of the block tower to place a blue block on top. He favored blue, I’d noticed, always saving the blue blocks last so they could be on top.

After a few moments, Caleb spotted me and he beamed at me, showing all his little teeth. I felt my lips twitch. “Hey, kid.”

He babbled as he forgot about the block tower, rising to his feet. He began walking to me, his bowed legs wobbling, still getting the hang of it. I watched him like a hawk, letting him do it on his own but being there if he needed me. The screen door opened a second later, and I heard Diana’s heels clicking across the floor, the sound changing when she hit the tile of the kitchen. The image of her was burned into my brain now, having looked at her a second longer than I should’ve.

Looking at her was always a mistake, one I repeated every time she was around.

I kept my eyes on the kid, not bothering to take my hat off until she was gone. I needed her gone, but of course, she wasn’t about to do that, not without saying goodbye to Caleb. She cared about Hallow Ranch, truly. I could hear it in her voice and see it in her eyes whenever she was around.

The soft sound of her nails tapping against her phone screen was torture enough, but the small sigh of frustration that left her sweet lips nearly brought me to my knees. I tightened my jaw as Caleb’s hands clung to my pant leg through the baby gate, demanding my attention. As I blinked, he came back into focus with a smile that had the power to melt anyone’s heart plastered on his chubby face.

My lips twitched again. I didn’t smile much, but when I did, it was only at him.

Diana’s heels began clicking again as she walked out of the kitchen, and I silently prayed to…whoever that she wouldn't get near me.

A man could only take so much torture, even in hell.

My boots remained planted on the hardwoods as she came to stand next to me, bending over the gate to scoop up the little boy into her arms. Caleb shrieked with joy as she rose back to her full height, her hair brushing over her shoulder, the sweet scent of peaches filling my nostrils. “Hey, Caleb,” she cooed, smiling at him.

A lump formed in my throat, and I cut my eyes from her, focusing on the rocking chair in the corner.

“Your daddy is going to be back in just a bit,” she assured the happy boy, her voice high and soothing. “Mr. Mags is going to hang out with you until then, okay?”

Fuck this.

I stepped away, busying myself with taking off my hat and dropping it on a hook by the door. I didn’t want to take it off, but I needed an excuse to get away from her.

Behind me, I heard her whispering to the boy. “Your daddy would burn the world for you, baby boy. Do you know that?”

Caleb answered with a loud babble, and the sound of her sweet, soft laughter followed. “Right,” she muttered. As I turned around, I watched her open the gate and walk into the living room to set Caleb back down on his play mat, pieces of his block tower now scattered around him.

Slowly, she rose back up to her full height, her soft body hidden underneath her pencil skirt and blouse. Her hazel eyes met mine, and my jaw tightened when I noticed the moss green lingering around her irises, her hair framing her round face.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

She was so goddamn beautiful, full of light in this dark world.

With all the strength I could manage, I pulled my eyes from her, breaking her intoxicating gaze to focus on Caleb. Nothing was said as she moved back into the foyer. She cleared her throat and I heard movement, picturing her adjusting her bag on her shoulder, getting ready to go out and take on the world.

“Have a good night, Mr. Mags,” she said softly from behind me.

Mr. Mags.

Fucking Christ. This woman.

As usual, I said nothing, remaining completely still as she went outside. When I finally heard that shitty Honda start up, I moved to the window, knowing damn well she needed a new car. As I watched her drive away, the sky opened with another flash of lightening, a clap of thunder, a sheet of rain following.

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