Page 16 of Fragile Kiss (Fragile 2)
“You’re past the point of tired.” Andrew stood and patted her on the back. “Go to bed. Is it okay if I move my car into the driveway? I’m leaving early in the morning.”
“Sure, go ahead.” She yawned. “I might be unconscious when you come back in.”
He chuckled. “I wouldn’t doubt it. See you in the morning.” Grabbing his keys from the hook by the front door, he ran through the steady rain to his car. Lillian went to kitchen for water, but heard a strange noise from outside. Walking back to the front door, she opened it a crack and peeked out.
Andrew’s car’s headlights were on, but his engine wasn’t starting. The sputtering and spurting sounded more like an alien spaceship than a car engine. After several more tries Andrew slumped in the driver’s seat, turned the lights off, and ran back to the house.
“Guess I’m parking in the street tonight,” he grumbled, shaking the raindrops from his hair. “It’s old, anyway. Maybe it’ll be better in the morning.”
“It’s not a human, Andrew. Cars don’t heal like that.” Jokingly, she pinched his cheek. “Take my car.”
“Your car?”
“Not permanently,” she said laughing, “but use it tomorrow.”
“You don’t need it?”
Lillian shook her head. “I try to schedule one or two really busy days a week, so I can work from home the next day.”
A smile spread across Andrew’s face. “You’re a very smart cookie.”
“I know.” She winked.
“If you insist, then I’ll take it.”
“You don’t really have another option, do you?”
“Good point.” He yawned, and she caught it. Laughing at their synchronized yawning, Andrew put an arm around Lillian and guided her to her room. “Go to sleep, missy. You have raccoon eyes, you’re so tired.”
“I won’t protest.”
“Let me take you to dinner tomorrow.”
It was a blunt statement that caught her sleepy self off-guard. Since he had admitted to his feelings before, she wasn’t sure how to take it. But she had told Cayden she was moving on, and maybe this was the first step even though she didn’t like Andrew romantically.
“Are you sure?”
He nodded. “Absolutely. Consider it a thank-you for letting me crash here without any notice.”
“Don’t be stupid.”
“Then consider it an ‘I’m sorry for your breakup’.”
“It’s got nothing to do with you.”
“Would you please just let me take you to dinner because you’re amazing and you deserve a great meal?” The glimmer in his eyes spurred a drowsy grin onto her lips.
“Fine,” she agreed, sticking out her tongue.
“Good.” Andrew disappeared into the hallway, calling behind him, “’Night, Lillian!”
“Goodnight, Andrew,” she called back, sinking into her bed at the same time she sank into a dark, dreamless slumber.
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Chapter 04
Installing security cameras on the corners of his house wasn’t something Cayden felt the need to tell Lillian.
