Page 40 of Sundowners
A knock on my window made me jump and I cursed.
13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Creed
“Jesus,”Roman said as he opened the car door, and I stumbled back. It was as if he was hotboxing anguish in his car. “You scared the shit out of me.”
“Hey,” I said, crouching down next to him. “Hey, what’s wrong?”
He was dressed as if he’d come from an interview or something. He wore gray slacks and a black dress shirt with a maroon tie. His hair had been styled and off his face but it was coming down around his eyes now, probably because he’d been sitting in his car stewing.
“Nothing, I… What are you doing out here?”
“Oh, Lexi had to leave early tonight so I walked her out to her car. She gets nervous out here.”
Roman looked around the darkened parking lot and frowned. “You guys need better security. And more light. It’s so dark.”
“Itisdark. Your lola is already asleep. She and her sisters are taking the sunrise yoga class tomorrow so they turned in early.”
“Oh,” he said, and he seemed to melt into the seat. “Damn. I didn’t mean to be so late. Was she upset?”
“I don’t know what the right answer is here,” I said, placing a hand on his thigh. “I could tell you she asked about you, but honestly, she and her sisters cleaned up at our poker tournament, and then they went to Stella’s room to watchCSI. So yeah, I think you’re in the clear.”
The pain coming from him was feeding my soul, but Ihatedit. I hated how helpless I felt. I wanted to take all of his pain and replace it with…well, something that wouldn’t hurt him anymore.
“I’m glad,” he said. “I want her to be happy.”
“Butyou’renot happy. What would make you happy, Roman?”
He laughed and wiped at an eye. “Honestly? Can you rewind time, or maybe fast forward? Like, I know I was happy at some point, and I know things will be better once I finish my degree, but right now…I’m, like, caught in the middle. It’s like the undertow all over again.”
He looked down at my hand and paused briefly before taking hold of it as if it were a lifeline.
“I don’t know about time-travel, but I think I could make you forget about things for a while?” I couldn’t help it. It was probably a terrible thing to say after our last date, and the moment his smile slipped, I cursed my mistake. “I’m sorry—”
“No,I’msorry,” he said. We’d talked after our argument at the beach over coffee and agreed to just hang out, give it some time, not rush into anything, but it was obvious that neither of us were happy about it. “Look, I know I carry a big chip on my shoulder, Creed, but I’m kinda lost right now.”
Screw the distance, screw my personal rules. I knelt next to the car and took him into my arms. He came willingly, and blessed be, he let me hold him. I absorbed all of his pain I could take. I hated for him to be carrying all of this weight, and I knew I could heal him. Him coming willingly to me for comfort was as much consent as I needed.
“God, Creed, why does it hurt less when I’m with you?”
I pulled him tighter and inhaled against his neck. His scent made my mouth water and my canines ache with desire.
“There are several reasons I could offer, but let’s go with…because I want you to feel better.”
He sniffled. “That’s it, huh? You want it and it happens?”
“You have no idea.”
The moment grew awkward though, and I had a rock digging into my knee so I released him.
“What time are you off?” he asked me with a hopeful smile.
“Six. Why?”
“If you want to come over, I’ll make you breakfast?”
