Walking The Line | ✓

Chapter Twenty

"Need some help?" A slightly familiar voice asked from somewhere behind me.

I didn't need to glance over my shoulder to know who was standing there, but I did anyway. Shifting my gaze from the dishes I was rinsing, I spotted Stephen walking towards me, holding some empty glasses in his hands.

It wasn't nice of me to think his good manners were part of his ploy to get me alone, but that was probably the truth. He had been civilized at dinner, keeping a lid on his excitement at meeting the German, yet turning the conversation to me whenever he could. The German noticed. That's why sometime during his inquiries about my life in Denver the man sitting next to me slid an arm over the back of my chair and sent him a chilling look that had poor Stephen blanching as his eyes jumped from me to the German before changing the topic of conversation altogether.

Lucas was oblivious to it all, his usual cheerfulness doubled by the unexpected presence at our family dinner. My father had warmed up to the idea of having his idol sleeping under the same roof and later, when Lucas got home and had a good look at the bronze haired man, he knew exactly what to say. Soon he had pulled him into an argument about basketball teams and technical stuff, the German seemed willing to share his opinion on the matter. By the time dinner was to be served they all looked like a group of old friends on game night.

But now as I forced a slight smile on my face, I decided I had to do something about Stephen. "I'm just finishing, but thanks."

He nodded, coming to a stop beside me and handed me the glasses. "I would have come sooner but your friend kept stalling me." He said referring to the German.

I held back the urge to laugh. Picturing Kühl doing his best to keep Stephen on his chair so he wouldn't come after me was something I would have never imagined.

"He is a bit intense, isn't he?" He asked at the same time he leaned back against the counter, his body too close for comfort.

I took a step away, pretending to be busy aligning the rinsed glasses. "Only when he has to."

I could feel his eyes on me as I moved around, setting the next round of dishes in the dishwasher. He decided to ignore my comment or maybe he didn't fully understand it. "So..." He trailed off.

"Yes?"

"Are you two together?"

I paused what I was doing, disbelieving he had really asked what I thought he did. "What do you mean?" I asked, just in case.

"Is he your boyfriend?" He had the nerve to ask.

One breath in, one breath out.

"We are friends." I stated, making sure to stare him in the eyes as I said it. Not that is any of your business I added in my mind.

He seemed to process that for a while. "It's been some time since we last saw each other."

"Uh huh." I said distractedly, not knowing where he was going with this.

"You look good." He added.

"Thanks." I replied uncomfortably.

"Are you going to be home for long?"

"Just a week." I started to place the clean silverware in the drawers.

I felt him move closer. "Then if you and that guy over there aren't together he won't have any problem if I asked you out, right?"

I closed the drawer abruptly and turned to face him. "I'd have to accept first Stephen."

He smiled.