The Promised

Three

He knocks again. Dammit! He's really not leaving.

"I can stand out here all day. I don't have any plans," he says as I peek out the peephole in the door.

Oh geez, the man has flowers and a basket of other stuff too. I have to let him in.

"I'm not decent, give me a minute," I say through the door.

I hurry and slip a bra on under my tank top and some shorts over my underwear. I hadn't bothered to get dressed when Leo came because well, it's Leo. As I run my fingers through my hair, I take a deep breath.

I unlock the door and slowly open it. "Hi!" he says cheerfully when he sees my face.

"Hi, um, sorry for making you wait. You caught me off guard."

"Can I come in for a minute?" He smiles and shifts the basket from one hand to the other.

He stands there, tall, tattooed, pierced, rocker guy. He holds a basket with a pink bow. He's such a contradiction. I have to let him in, he's so adorable.

I move to the side to let him in. He passes by me and sets the basket down on my coffee table in my living room. "I brought you some things that'll hopefully make you better. These though, put in water." He hands me a dozen red roses.

The heat rises to my cheeks.

"Thanks!" Taking the flowers, I find a vase in the kitchen. I hear Avery thinking about how nice and neat my apartment is, compared to his. While I fill the vase with water and cut the stem tips off the flowers, he appreciates what my feminine touch brings to the décor. I try my hardest to block his thoughts, but part of me enjoys knowing what he's thinking.

I place the flowers in the center of my dinette and smile as I admire the brightness they bring to the room.

"Your place is amazing!" Avery calls.

I return to the living room.

"It's a helluva lot more put together than my place." Avery chuckles and runs his hand through his loose curls. It's his tell. He does it anytime he's a little nervous, I've noticed.

Why do I make him nervous?

"Sit." I motion over to the couch. He sits and I join him.

"So, what's in the basket?" I ask with a smile.

He grins back at me and a waft of arousal hits my mind. It's so intense. I resist the urge to close my eyes and moan.

"Well," he says, slightly reaching over me and picking up the basket. He places it on my lap before he pulls out the first item. "Migraine medicine. Um, chocolate. This is my favorite movie, Rocky Horror, and since it's almost Halloween, I thought it was appropriate. A candle, my bandmate's girlfriend said helps headaches. She also told me sometimes cold helps, so this gel face mask is for that."

My heart races as I try my hardest not to cry. It's by far one of the sweetest gestures anyone has ever done for me. I bite my bottom lip in a frantic attempt not to lean over and kiss him. He notices...

"God, I wish I could kiss her."

I wish he would, as stupid as I know it would be. I'm supposed to be keeping my distance, and this is the opposite of that. This is far too familiar and intimate. I'm speechless.

We sit in silence. Avery's mind is a blank of thoughts, but his emotions are assaulting me and it's so intimate, it's almost dirty. Even though he isn't touching me, it's as if his hands are all over me. Caressing me. Holding me. I squirm in my seat as I throb for him. He's so dangerous. I can't do this...