I looked around the half-furnished apartment. I knew what it took to make a life disappear, but this chick came with so much baggage it would take a dump truck to sort through. Or... a moving truck.
"I spoke to the owner. The place is yours if you want it. But he needs someone in there today or he's going to go with someone else." I rubbed my palm across the back of my neck as sweat began to collect against the collar of my t-shirt.
"Really?" Birdie asked, hopping twice as she clasped her hands together. "Are you serious?"
"As I heart attack," I replied, causing Birdie to barrel into me, latching her arms around my neck. I froze, momentarily stunned by her action before my own palm circled her thin body and pressed against the small of her back, pulling her even closer. I inhaled the fragrance of the flowery shampoo she's used. Her tendrils were piled on top of her head, dripping down her scent all over me.
"I can't believe this." She pulled back from me and I reluctantly let my hand fall to my side.
"Don't get your hopes too high. It's a basement. It's been recently painted, but it's dark and kind of cramped."
Her gaze fell to my hands, eyebrows pinched as she took in the white paint across my knuckles.
"You painted for me?"
I shrugged. The truth was, after I'd gotten rid of number 33, I had to do some cleanup and I'd been putting it off as I got to know Birdie.
"It'll be perfect," she squealed, a smile plastered across her face before she was pushing her perky tits back against my chest.
"What's wrong?" she asked, stepping back again. I realized my body had stiffened and I was holding her a little too tightly.
"We have a lot of work to do," I groaned, my eyes dancing around her place.
"You don't have to help me with that. I didn't expect you –"
I pressed the pad of my thumb against her lips and her words died in her throat. "I know you didn't ask. You don't have to. I want to help you."
"But –"
I turned away from her grabbing her top dresser drawer and tugging it open. "If you have a little battery-operated friend in here, you may want to grab it now."
She squealed as she hurried over to her nightstand and yanked open the top drawer. I shook my head, stifling a laugh as I grabbed her mismatched pajama sets and tossed them on her bed.
***
We worked for a solid four hours in the sweltering apartment she called home before deciding to step out and grab some food and fresh air.
"What are you hungry for?" she asked as I held a helmet out for her to take. My eyes raked over her body as she popped it on her head. I adjusted the buckle under her chin before sliding onto the machine.
"What's your favorite food?" I asked as she slid on behind me. I grabbed her hands and tugged them around my waist, pulling her chest flush against my back.
"Ice cream?" Her words came out as a question.
"Then that's what we're getting," I replied as I pulled out onto the street, causing her to squeal.
The Sugar Shack was only about fifteen minutes from her place, but I took the long route, soaking in the cool breeze and the feel of her body against mine.
By the time we made it there, she pealed herself from my body with a groan. I unbuckled her helmet and pulled it from her head as she quickly tried to fix her hair.
"You look good," I reassured her and was rewarded with her skin tinting pink.
"You're too nice," she teased.
"You're just a bad judge of character."
My response caused her to giggle. This was just too easy.
***
Five minutes later Birdie was licking a waffle cone of butter pecan as I spooned vanilla into my mouth, watching her tongue run around the white cream, mesmerized.
"After this, we can go get the truck and start hauling your boxes."
Birdie nodded.
"We can order in for dinner. Celebrate your new place."
Her eyes lit up at that suggestion. "My new place," she repeated. I couldn't help but smile back, her excitement contagious.
"There's a couple of old bookshelves down there. I can haul them out if you don't want them."
"Are you kidding? I always wanted my own little book nook. That's really... perfect," she sighed.
***
YOU ARE READING
The One That Got Away
Romance*Sample of my novel The One That Got Away! Now available for purchase!* Life hasn't been easy for Beatrice "Birdie" Harper. Every man she's known has let her down. Her father was no exception. She spent years struggling to distance herself from the...
