CHAPTER NINETEEN

Tori stretched out in Chris’ large bed while she listened to his deep voice on the other end of the phone.

“What was it like fighting him again after all these years?”

She could hear the ruffling of sheets in the background and pictured him moving around in the hotel bed, trying to get comfortable.

“It was just like any other fight. Our old titles don’t mean shit anymore. It was just two washed-up dudes fighting.”

“You’re not washed-up, or at the very least you’re the best of the washed-up dudes,” she teased into the phone.

He chuckled softly, and she smiled, hoping he was moving on from the accident.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were fighting him that night? It may not have been what I thought you should do, but I would have understood.”

She heard his hesitation as he let out a sigh. “It wasn’t a big deal. Everyone was making it a big deal, like fighting Louis somehow made up for the past. It doesn’t. It didn’t. Beating him sure doesn’t make me feel any better about losing the title match fifteen years ago.”

His tone had an edge to it, and she wondered how they’d gone from laughing to him being pissed in such a short span of time.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply it was a big deal. I’m just trying to understand why you did it.”

“Because I wanted to.”

His frustration bit through the phone, and she stilled, waiting for him to apologize. His voice was quieter when he spoke again. “I’m sorry. It’s just… it’s over now. It doesn’t matter. I need to focus on Travis and being there for him now. Everything that’s happened in the last week just makes me realize what an ass I’ve been. I brought him home with me and then didn’t take any measures to help him get back on his feet.”

She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding and stared around the room — his room — wondering where that left them. She decided to test the waters and see how he felt about her moving out. They hadn’t discussed it, but he must have known her place was ready.

“I went by my apartment today. I can move back in tomorrow.”

“We won’t be back until Friday or Saturday, so there’s no need to rush off.”

Did that mean once they got back there was a reason to rush off?

“Sorry to cut off, but Charlie just walked in. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

She nodded, biting her lip.

“Good night, sweetheart.”

She heard the beep of his disconnection as she whispered back, “Night.”

Tori lifted the heavy box from her trunk, cursing Chris for moving everything out. This was only the start of the many things she’d have to bring back. After she’d gotten over the initial shock of him moving her stuff, she had been thankful to have everything she needed. Now she was seriously questioning that thankfulness as she maneuvered the box awkwardly through the parking lot. Sweat trickled down her face as the afternoon sun and humidity beat down on her.

She heard her name, and Dax’s heavy footsteps fell in beside her. “Need a hand?” He removed the box from her grasp before she could say no.

“Thanks,” Tori said sheepishly.

Dax shifted the box over to his hip and held it in place with one big arm wrapped around the top. “I hope you’re not planning on moving all the boxes back one at a time.”

He winked, and she cringed, remembering he’d been the one to box up and move her things the first time.

“I can send one of the guys out when you’re ready. I’m sure that’s what Chris would want if he were here.”

His words made her mind reel to what exactly Chris’ intentions had been when he moved her out of her apartment. It was as if he had done it without thought of her returning to her place. But then again, he’d taken such drastic measures to make sure her apartment was safe, he must have wanted her to leave.

“Thanks, but I can manage.” She felt a little better taking control of her things and her life, even though she had to admit it would be nice to have some muscle to help her move.

They entered the apartment, and Tori went to enter her code into the beeping alarm system while Dax placed her box on the floor.

“Let me know if you change your mind,” he said with a grin and left her to her quiet apartment.

Tori got to work unpacking the box. Keeping herself busy seemed to be the best way to stop obsessing over the whole situation and move forward. This was her home. It didn’t mean that she and Chris couldn’t still see one another. It didn’t change anything, really, except where she’d sleep at night. They hadn’t discussed the future or even labeled what they were now, but she knew he cared about her. That wouldn’t go away just because they weren’t under the same roof, would it? She shook her head free of the negative possibilities. She managed to keep this positive outlook going until later when she pulled up to Chris’ house.

Chris met Tori’s stare through the windshield of her car. She sat in the driveway staring at him as if she couldn’t believe he was really here. Maybe he should have called first, but the day had been chaotic, and he was eager to get home. He yearned for his own bed and the fiery woman who’d been sleeping in it.

He was glad she was here. The daily updates on the worksites had let him know that her apartment was ready even before she had known. The thought of her moving out did something funny to his chest. Shit. It’d barely been any time since she’d moved in, but she’d brought life to the place. Without her, it wouldn’t be the same. He’d racked his brain trying to figure out how to get her to stay, but nothing felt right.

With Travis living there and needing him, it just didn’t feel fair to ask her to stay, knowing he couldn’t give her everything she needed from him. He’d known from the start that things with Tori only worked one way — all in. With any luck, Travis would be back on his feet soon, and then Chris could concentrate on his own life again.

She got out of the car and approached them slowly without taking her eyes off him. The exhaustion he’d been feeling all week started to slip away as he drank her in — cutoff jean shorts, white t-shirt, hair pulled up into a high ponytail. She’d refer to this look as sloppy or casual, but holy hell…

“You’re back,” Tori said, stopping a few feet in front of him. She finally pried her eyes away and watched Travis and Charlie getting out of the truck. Travis was muttering and cursing as Charlie all but lifted him from the back seat.

Chris took a step forward, and he tried to string together a sentence that answered the question she hadn’t asked. “We didn’t find out he was getting released until this morning, or I would have called.”

She nodded, and they walked up the driveway in silence.

Their pace was slow, eyes downcast as he watched their feet shuffle along. Chris felt at odds with himself. What he wanted to do was sweep her up into his arms and kiss her stupid. Yet, he didn’t, and she didn’t throw herself at him or give any indication that was what she wanted.

“Tori! You’re an angel.” Charlie yelled from the kitchen as they made their way into the house. “I may move in, too, just for the food,” he said, scooping a large portion of meatloaf onto a plate.

“There’s salad on the top shelf.”

Charlie placed his hands over his heart and smiled at her. “Marry me?”

“You couldn’t handle me,” she said, her teasing voice back.

Chris felt his mouth pull into a half smile as she pulled out the salad and extra plates.

“Are you hungry, Travis? Chris?”

Travis grunted from the couch, threw a blanket over his legs, and reclined back. He wouldn’t admit as much, but the pain medicine was making him drowsy and nauseated. He’d even passed on stopping for a burger on the way home — something he’d been asking for since his first taste of hospital food.

“Looks great,” Chris said, meeting Tori’s eyes. In truth, all he wanted was a shower and to pass out in his own bed, but he wasn’t about to turn down anything she offered.

“I hear the apartment’s opened back up,” Charlie mentioned as the three of them sat down at the dining table with their food.

She looked from Charlie to Chris and then down at her plate as she nodded. “I, uh, started moving a few things back in today.”

Chris dropped his fork, and the metal met the china plate with a loud clang.

“The place looks great. The enhanced security might have been a little much, but everything is wonderful.”

Charlie spoke, looking between them with a confused look. “Enhanced security?”

Tori lifted an eyebrow at Chris. Charlie would give him hell if he knew the extra precautions he’d taken at Tori’s apartment. Charlie didn’t understand. He couldn’t. He loved women, all women, but he’d never been in love. The women in Charlie’s life came and went. They were long gone before feelings or emotions ever came into play.

Chris spoke to his brother, well aware that Tori was hanging on his every word. “We strengthened the security at the apartment. Those doors were so flimsy a strong breeze would have busted the locks.”

“Matt Letch still own the place?”

Chris nodded. “Yeah, cheap old drunk.”

Charlie twirled his fork around in the air. “Think he might sell?”

“What? You want to buy the apartment building?”

Charlie shrugged. “Maybe. With the work you’ve done and the proper upkeep, it might be a good investment. There aren’t many rentals in Sweetbriar.”

“You’re serious?” Chris studied Charlie. He could tell the wheels were spinning, and as far as he could tell, Charlie thought the idea had merit.

“Think he’d sell if I was?”

“For the right price, I think he’d sell his wife.”

“Now that I’m not interested in.”

“Good to know you have some standards.” Tori stood, her empty plate in hand, shooting a look at Charlie.

“Ouch,” Charlie replied, but his eyes look amused as he smiled at Chris and winked.

“Sweetheart, stop packing and come over here. You’re making me exhausted just watching you. I have guys that will come pack everything and move it back if that’s what you want.”

“What do you mean, ‘if that’s what I want’? If you remember correctly, I never asked for you to move me in the first place.”

“Has it been so bad?” he asked gruffly, catching her by surprise as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.

He pressed up against her, and she gasped as she felt how hard he was.

“Horrible,” she whispered in a breathy voice. She pressed back against him, her body aching for more. It had been too long.

He ran his hands up and down from her shoulders to waist, brushing against her breasts with each pass.

“I should shower. I’m all gross from the humidity.”

He licked her neck, his warm tongue leaving a wet trail from her collarbone to her ear. “You taste clean enough to me.”

Tori squirmed in his arms, a half-hearted attempt to break free. “I’m serious. Give me five minutes.”

She squealed as he picked her up and carried her to the shower. He put her down inside the giant tiled enclosure and turned the water on, which blasted her with a warm pulsing stream. She looked down at her white shirt that had turned see-through. Her nipples were clearly visible through the fabric, and his eyes stared at them hungrily. “I can’t wait five minutes.” He moved his mouth to a peaked nipple, palming the other.

She cried out at his touch and lightly ran her fingernails over his abs. The water had drenched him, too, and his muscles were outlined by the shirt that clung to him. She’d never get tired of the way his body felt under her touch. Hard, strong, big. The words didn’t do him justice.

He pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it out of the shower. He went to work freeing her shorts next. He stared down at her with such intensity she forgot to breathe. God, she loved him, so much that it hurt to even think it. The words sat in her mouth, but she held them in. The timing was off. The situation was wrong. She didn’t want a sordid relationship with a man hidden behind closed doors. She wanted to be able to shout it from the rooftop and not have Ryan beat the shit out of Chris.

She forced herself to be present in the moment, not a tough task as she watched him tug his own pants and shirt off. His torso still showed some signs of the fight with bruising along one side. She leaned forward and kissed along the purplish black marks. She took her time, thoroughly giving her attention to every inch that had been hurt before moving lower.

He let out a guttural sound, and she smiled as she snuck a peek up at him. He was glorious. Head thrown back, eyes closed — perfection.

She slid her mouth over his length, flicking her tongue at the head. His hands ran through her hair, guiding her without too much pressure. She wrapped a hand around the base and squeezed gently as he coaxed her slowly at first and then faster as his breathing became uneven and ragged. She felt close to her own release as she watched him unravel before her.

He lifted her quickly and pressed her back up against the tile. The water continued to beat down on them from every side as she wrapped her arms and legs around him. She climaxed as soon as he filled her. He held her tightly, letting her come undone as he held her steady.

Tori was in the closet pulling clothes from hangers and tossing them into a box that sat in the middle of the floor when Chris came out of the bathroom, towel slung loosely over his hips. He looked at the box and then the closet where her clothes had taken up a large section only minutes ago. “What’s going on in here?”

Tori threw another dress into the box. “Tomorrow is my last day off until next week. I need to get as much moved as possible.”

He moved between her and the box. “You know you don’t need to do that.”

“What are you saying?” she asked, turning to face him. She couldn’t read the troubled expression on his face.

He ran a hand through his wet hair, causing sprinkles of water to fall on his defined torso. “You could stay longer.”

Her heart leaped in her chest at the implication, but she held her ground. If he was asking her to move in with him, then she wanted to hear the words. “Longer?”

“Yeah. There’s no rush. Next week, next month…” He trailed off, breaking eye contact, and her heart dropped as she realized he was being kind, generous even, but he wasn’t asking what she had hoped.

“What’s the difference if I move tomorrow or next week?”

“The difference is I like you in my bed.”

Her body heated as his eyes fell to her bare legs and up to where her thong was giving him an eyeful of butt cheeks.

“Well, gee, when you put it that way.” She tossed a shirt at him and returned to her task.

He moved closer, slipping a finger along the waistband of her panties and followed it around to the dip in her lower back and down along the thin scrap of material. “I’m serious.”

With a few deep breaths, she steadied her heartbeat and fought the heat that was pooling between her legs. She needed to have this conversation without his penis being a part of it. Otherwise, she’d never know which head he was thinking with. She wouldn’t stay just to be a convenient lay. “I’ll be fine. You made sure of that with your enhanced security. That really wasn’t necessary, you know. Jake lives right down the hall.”

He continued the torture with his fingers, moving them down and pushing his pinky inside. “I don’t like the idea of you needing to rely on another man to keep you safe.”

She closed her eyes and gave in to the sensation of his expert fingers. “You’re going all caveman on me, huh?” she rasped.

“Something like that,” he whispered in her ear, nipping at it softly. “Stay.”

She moved her head side to side. “I don’t live that far away. Maybe, if you’re lucky, I’ll invite you to sleep over at my fancy new apartment.”

He tossed his towel aside and pressed her up against the wall. “I like my bed.”