just mean to demonic as his eyes traveled down my body.
"You didn't lock a kitchen window," he said, his voice dark.
"You're insane! You can't just go into someone else's home through an unlocked window. It's illegal!"
"Where were you?"
"Out, like it's any of your business. What are you doing here?"
"To get more of my stuff. You look like a slut."
"Thanks, Gar. I was going for the whole slut look," I snorted and boldly marched into the living room to kick off my heels.
I didn't think I looked slutty. My jeans were skin tight, but my shirt didn't show any cleavage and my makeup was light. I turned around and Gary was towering over me, looking mad as hell. The look was too familiar. I took a few steps back.
Rhys arrived a little more than an hour later, even after I texted him to cancel. I heard the front door open and I rolled my eyes. Doesn't anyone listen to me?
I sat at the kitchen table with a bag of frozen broccoli on my cheek, and a cigarette in my other hand. I heard his steps falter in the living room, probably assessing the curious mess, before stepping into the kitchen, into my view. He was carrying a couple of grocery bags, but when he saw me, he immediately dropped them on the floor.
"I hope there weren't eggs in there," I said as he took the frozen vegetables from me.
"Lindsey," he sighed and touched the newly formed bruise on my left cheek.
"I had a fight with Gary and the coffee table. I lost in the match with the coffee table, but I think I taught Gary and his balls a lesson."
"What happened?" Rhys demanded, as he took ice out of the freezer.
"Long story short, Gary came in through an open window while I was gone, accused me of being a slut and started a fight."
"You should have called the police," he said, handing me a proper icepack.
"Been there done that. He'd be out by morning and restraining orders may as well be marshmallows. I told you not to come."
"I knew something was wrong."
"Spidey senses?"
"Something like that," he couldn't find a smile.
"Look, I know I don't know how to install a door knob or change a light bulb, but I'm not a damsel in distress."
"I know you're not," he said quietly.
"I don't like people thinking I'm weak and need rescuing."
He opened a beer and put it before me. "I don't think that you're weak."
I looked up at him. "But you think I need rescuing."
"Not in the way that you think."
I inhaled the last bit of my cigarette and snubbed it out while Rhys started unpacking the grocery bags.
"In what way then?" I couldn't hide my curiosity.
He didn't answer right away, but threw me thoughtful looks as he moved through my kitchen, prepping for the dinner he was about to make me.
" Rhys !" I whined after a few minutes.
He managed a small smile before speaking softly. "I think you need to be loved unconditionally, and to be treated with respect, dignity, and...awe."
Awe? What?
I stared at him for a moment, a little in shock, before finding my will to move. I stood up and went to the kitchen sink. My cigs were hidden in a vase on the windowsill. I put the icepack down and fished out another cigarette.
"Well, after the past few dates I had, that's looking bleak," I said, lighting up. "Unless I want to share my panties with Harold or carry a science book around to keep up with Adrian."
Rhys moved in close to me, plucked the cigarette from my fingers and tossed it in the sink. He looked at me sternly before putting the icepack into my hand.
"Keep the ice on for a little while longer," he said, his breath on my face. Minty.
I wordlessly put the icepack back on my face. He just made me all weak-kneed and didn't even really do anything. I sat back down before I could fall.
"Why are you letting Kit set you up with these guys?"
"Well, that one guy Luke wasn't so bad," I argued.
"Oh no? Where is he?"
My face contorted at his sarcasm.
"Well, the plenty of fish in the sea thing is bullshit," I said. "The other fish are weird, smell funny, or hooked on
"You didn't lock a kitchen window," he said, his voice dark.
"You're insane! You can't just go into someone else's home through an unlocked window. It's illegal!"
"Where were you?"
"Out, like it's any of your business. What are you doing here?"
"To get more of my stuff. You look like a slut."
"Thanks, Gar. I was going for the whole slut look," I snorted and boldly marched into the living room to kick off my heels.
I didn't think I looked slutty. My jeans were skin tight, but my shirt didn't show any cleavage and my makeup was light. I turned around and Gary was towering over me, looking mad as hell. The look was too familiar. I took a few steps back.
Rhys arrived a little more than an hour later, even after I texted him to cancel. I heard the front door open and I rolled my eyes. Doesn't anyone listen to me?
I sat at the kitchen table with a bag of frozen broccoli on my cheek, and a cigarette in my other hand. I heard his steps falter in the living room, probably assessing the curious mess, before stepping into the kitchen, into my view. He was carrying a couple of grocery bags, but when he saw me, he immediately dropped them on the floor.
"I hope there weren't eggs in there," I said as he took the frozen vegetables from me.
"Lindsey," he sighed and touched the newly formed bruise on my left cheek.
"I had a fight with Gary and the coffee table. I lost in the match with the coffee table, but I think I taught Gary and his balls a lesson."
"What happened?" Rhys demanded, as he took ice out of the freezer.
"Long story short, Gary came in through an open window while I was gone, accused me of being a slut and started a fight."
"You should have called the police," he said, handing me a proper icepack.
"Been there done that. He'd be out by morning and restraining orders may as well be marshmallows. I told you not to come."
"I knew something was wrong."
"Spidey senses?"
"Something like that," he couldn't find a smile.
"Look, I know I don't know how to install a door knob or change a light bulb, but I'm not a damsel in distress."
"I know you're not," he said quietly.
"I don't like people thinking I'm weak and need rescuing."
He opened a beer and put it before me. "I don't think that you're weak."
I looked up at him. "But you think I need rescuing."
"Not in the way that you think."
I inhaled the last bit of my cigarette and snubbed it out while Rhys started unpacking the grocery bags.
"In what way then?" I couldn't hide my curiosity.
He didn't answer right away, but threw me thoughtful looks as he moved through my kitchen, prepping for the dinner he was about to make me.
" Rhys !" I whined after a few minutes.
He managed a small smile before speaking softly. "I think you need to be loved unconditionally, and to be treated with respect, dignity, and...awe."
Awe? What?
I stared at him for a moment, a little in shock, before finding my will to move. I stood up and went to the kitchen sink. My cigs were hidden in a vase on the windowsill. I put the icepack down and fished out another cigarette.
"Well, after the past few dates I had, that's looking bleak," I said, lighting up. "Unless I want to share my panties with Harold or carry a science book around to keep up with Adrian."
Rhys moved in close to me, plucked the cigarette from my fingers and tossed it in the sink. He looked at me sternly before putting the icepack into my hand.
"Keep the ice on for a little while longer," he said, his breath on my face. Minty.
I wordlessly put the icepack back on my face. He just made me all weak-kneed and didn't even really do anything. I sat back down before I could fall.
"Why are you letting Kit set you up with these guys?"
"Well, that one guy Luke wasn't so bad," I argued.
"Oh no? Where is he?"
My face contorted at his sarcasm.
"Well, the plenty of fish in the sea thing is bullshit," I said. "The other fish are weird, smell funny, or hooked on
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