Safe With Him (22 page)

“Bree?” She heard him quietly question as he laid his hand over hers, pressed lightly.

“I have to…go-to-the-bathroom.” She said so fast it blended into one word, then before Draco could respond she jumped up and ran to the bathroom.

She ran straight to the mirror. Looking at herself, she questioned her mirrored reflection. “How could this happen?
When
did this happen?
Why
did this happen?” She had been content in her life. She had her job, her classes, a few friends, her dream of owning her own bar, and most importantly, she had Storm. Her life was…was…comfortable. Draco challenged her, argued with her, and could definitely pluck her last nerve with his protectiveness.
Damn, he can be so dang frustrating
. But he could be so kind, and generous.
Damn, he can be so dang sweet
. Going out of his way to do something as simple as buying her the kind of body wash she liked, for his place, to help make her stay in his home better for her. Taking the time to explain himself to her. Fixing her breakfast in bed, then when she didn’t have time to eat it, he took her out someplace to eat later. Then of course there was the making love with Draco; every time, he looked out for her and treated her with care, and gentleness. Really, how could she not love him? She smiled back at herself. She was in love. “I’m in love with Draco.” She giggled as she walked back out of the bathroom and back to their table where Draco sat, watching her. She walked right up to him, right in front of him, bent, grabbed his face in both her hands and kissed him hard, but quick. Then moved to sit back in her seat.

“You okay?” Draco asked, a little confused.

“Yes.” She smiled back at him.

“You feelin’ okay? You all of a sudden gotten really pale a few minutes ago. You’re not getting’ sick, are you?”

“No, Dra, I promise you, I’m not getting sick, I’m fine. In fact, I’ve never been better.” She was still smiling when the waitress came over to take their order.

“Fuck.” Bree heard Draco mumble very quietly. They were just finishing eating when out of nowhere Draco seemed pissed.

“What?”

“Nothin’, baby. You done?” He sounded impatient. A second later a woman was standing at their table,
just a little too close to Draco
, Bree thought.

“Hey, Draco,” the woman purred as she placed her hand on his shoulder, her breast grazing his outstretched arm that rested on the table. Breasts, Bree thought, that were straining the buttons of her shirt.
Could the woman not find clothes that fit
? And then, this woman, started to rub her hand down his arm.
Oh, I don’t think so
. But before Bree could protest, Draco shifted and the woman’s hand dropped away.

“Go away,” Draco growled low at her.

Ignoring Draco, the woman looked at Bree. “Hey, I’m Dee…
friends
with Draco.” She stressed ‘friends’ to the point that nobody could miss her meaning of
friends
.

“Uhuh,” Bree said to Dee as she turned to Draco. “Yes, Dra, I’m all done,” she said sweetly, hoping he would be ready to leave,
now
, because Bree seriously did not like this woman.

The woman, Dee, shrugged her shoulders. “No worries, you’ll call again. They always call again.” She chuckled as she walked off, swinging her hips.

Bree turned her attention back to Draco. “Who was that?”

“Nobody.”

“Nobody?”

“Yeah, Bree, nobody. You ready?”

“Didn’t seem like nobody to me. Seemed like a
friend
of yours that wanted to make sure I knew she was your
friend
.” Bree reached across her now empty plate for a napkin, when the sleeve of her shirt grazed the remains of ketchup. “Dang it!” She grabbed the sleeve and twisted it to see the slash of red. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to wash this so it doesn’t stain.” She got up from the table and went toward the back to the bathroom.

As soon as Bree disappeared into the bathroom, Draco quickly scanned the diner. He didn’t see Dee anywhere and hoped like hell she left. He did not need this shit right now. Not with Bree. She had to realize that he had been with other women before, but she didn’t need one in her face right now. Especially not Dee, not after he had been with that bitch and her friend the day before he met Bree. “Fuck,” he mumbled as he walked over to the counter to pay the bill.

Bree walked into the bathroom, heading straight for the sink to scrub the ketchup out of the sleeve of Draco’s shirt. She was so focused on what she was doing, she didn’t notice the woman coming out of one of the stalls until she was standing at the sink right beside Bree.

“You must be Draco’s tonight,” Dee said. When Bree didn’t acknowledge her or her
Draco’s tonight,
she continued, “I don’t mind sharing if you don’t, and I know Draco doesn’t mind at all.”

“Sharing?” Bree asked before she could stop herself.

“Yeah, you, me, and Draco,
I know
he’d be all for it,” Dee informed her snidely.

“You know?”

“Sugar, I was just with him two weekends ago. Well, me and a friend of mine. I can guarantee Draco enjoyed himself.”

Bree turned to face her. “Well,
sugar
, I can guarantee I won’t be a plus one in your little three whether Draco will or not. Guess that’s up to him.” With that Bree turned and walked out of the bathroom.
Two weekends ago?
Two weeks ago was when she met Draco. Two Fridays ago. He had kissed her for the first time, then she ran out on him. Was he with that woman and her friend after she had run out that night? Or…
oh God, was he with them before he kissed me…the same night
? Her mind was reeling as she made her way back to the table, sat, and looked at Draco. “Two weeks ago Friday, you kissed me for the first time.”

“Yeah?” Draco’s brow lifted.

“Was it before you kissed me or after?” She couldn’t believe she had to ask.

“What?” Draco asked with confusion in his voice.

“When you were with her…and her friend?” Was he really that kind of guy?

“Bree…” he said, and if she had been paying attention she would have heard the plea in his voice.

“Answer me!” She needed to know, she just didn’t want to know.

“It doesn’t matter. It didn’t mean anythin’.”

“Did it not mean anything before you kissed me or after?” She felt so stupid. Storm had warned her, but did she listen? No! Now look where it got her.

“Let’s just get outta here.” Again he pleaded.

“No! Before or After?”

“Bree—”

“Before or after, Draco? Tell me now or I’ll walk out and leave you to her and her damn friend.”

“Can we just go first? I don’t want to do this here.”

“Now!” she said as she stood.

“Baby, stop, please listen to me.”

“Before or after?” She took a step away from him.

“Breezie, pl—” He reached for her, but she jerked backward another step.

“Before or after?” she repeated at the same time she took another step back.

He stood and again tried to reach for her, but she moved out of his reach. “Before, it was before I met you,” he confessed.

“You were with them and then you kissed me?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “Uggh, I think I’m going to be sick. Did you…did you at least brush your teeth or something? I mean…oh yucckk…”

“What the hell Bree, it wasn’t—” He tried to explain.

“You were with two…two at the same time?”

“Bree, don’t do this.” Again Draco’s pleas went unheard.

“And then me…I’m so stupid.” She took another step back. “I’m so stupid,” she repeated as she turned and ran out the door. How could she possibly think that a man like Draco would ever want a woman like her? She had no experience, and he was used to being with women like Dee and her friend. They knew what to do. “I’m so damn stupid!”

She barely heard, “Breezie, damn it, stop!” right before Draco grabbed her and spun her around to face him. “Listen to me for a damn minute,” he growled as he backed her up against the wall at the side of the building. “It was the Thursday, before I met you, before I even knew you were out there. I regretted it that same night, then more so the next day. If I could have changed it I would, but I can’t and I sure as hell didn’t know I would meet you the next day.” His face and voice softened. “Baby, you’ve gotta know I’ve been with other women before, but I swear to you there has been no other woman since I laid eyes on you,” he told her honestly.

“But…but you didn’t see me again for two weeks.”

“And for two weeks I couldn’t even think of another woman besides you. Bree, from the moment I saw you, I haven’t been able to get you out of my head,” Draco confessed.

“You thought about me, since…since…” she stammered.

“Since the moment I laid eyes on you,” Draco finished for her. He kissed her lightly, then jerked back, looking at her. “How do you even know?”

“Dee was in the bathroom when I went in. She informed me that if I wanted to, she didn’t mind sharing. She also shared with me about her and her friend
sharing
.”

“Fuckin’ bitch,” Draco growled, looking over Bree’s head at the wall like he could see through it and into the diner, then looked back at Bree. “I’m sorry, baby. If I’d known she’d pull some shit like that I would’ve got you outta there sooner.”

“That’s not your fault. You can’t be held responsible for someone else’s actions.”

“Let me take you home?” Draco asked with a kiss.

“Okay,” she breathed on his lips.

“Okay,” he whispered, just as he kissed her, deep.

When he lifted his head and turned toward the parking lot, Bree grabbed his arm. “Dra? I’m sorry.” She couldn’t very well hold something against him that happened before they ever met.

“Don’t be. Hell, baby, if I ran into one of your exes…” Draco started, then paused and just looked at her, eyes roaming her face, and she could see the emotions in his eyes.

“There is no ex anything.”

“None? I mean, I know there’s no ex—”

“No, no ex anything at all,” she stated, then moved around him. She didn’t want to remind him of how very little experience she had. He moved up beside her and grabbed her hand, threading his fingers through hers. Without saying a word he walked hand in hand with her across the parking lot and to his bike.

Draco sat astride his bike with his Breezie pressed close to his back, her arms wrapped tight around his middle. He revved the motor once and he growled so low the sound of the motor drowned out his words.

“Miniera! Breezie, il mio cuore.”

Bree walked into the living room of Draco’s house and paused. “I need to go home,” she said as she turned back around and started for the door.

Draco grabbed her around the waist from behind and pulled her back tight to his chest, laying his forehead on the top of her head. “Bree,” he pleaded softly into her hair, “Don’t.”

She turned in his arms and tilted her head back to look up at him. “Don’t what?”

“Don’t let a mistake I made before I knew you send you home.”

She smiled up at him. “
Clothes
are sending me home.”

“What?”

“I need clean clothes and a shower. Granted, you may have the shower part, but not the clothes part. Or at least clothes that I can wear,” she shrugged her shoulders, “except for your shirts, but I can’t very well wear just your shirts.”

“You’re not… upset?”

She took a breath and stepped out of his arms. “I’m not necessarily what you would call upset. Not really. I mean, you’re right…in the back of my mind I figured you’d been with other women before me.” She spun around and started pacing back and forth in front of him. “Though I didn’t think it would have been so
before
, before me,” she mumbled. She stopped pacing and again looked up at him. “I didn’t expect to have one in my face, nor call me your ‘tonight,’ and I especially never imagined to be propositioned by one of your ‘befores’ to be your now…a now that would also include me.”

“Bree—” he began, but was cut off when she continued, pacing once again.

“No, I mean, I get it. You had a life before me, and if that’s what you’re into or they’re into, hey, who am I to judge what two…or three consenting adults do behind closed doors?” She stopped, giving him a sideways glance. “But…but that’s…” She paused, taking a breath. “I’m sorry, Draco, that’s not me.” She managed to get out before she went to the door to leave for a second time.

Again he stopped her by wrapping his arms around her middle and pulling her back to him, but this time he spun her back around to face him. “You think that’s what I want with you?” He didn’t give her the chance to answer before he continued, “Have I asked you, or hell even fuckin’ hinted that I wanted anythin’ remotely like that with you?”

“Well…no,” she admitted.

“Then can you please fuckin’ tell me what the hell is goin’ on inside that gorgeous fucked up head of yours that would make you say some shit like that? Or that you thought you had to inform me that you’re not a fuck and fly kinda’ girl?” When she said nothing, too shocked for a moment by his roughness, he leaned into her, face close, and snapped, “Fuckin’ tell me!”

“I…I…” she stammered as she took a step back. Then she took a breath, and told him exactly what was in her head. “First off,” she fumed while placing her hands on his chest and pushed completely out of his grasp, “don’t ever yell in my face.” When he moved back a step, she continued, “I may not have a lot of first-hand experience, but I’ve been working in bars since I was seventeen years old. Trust me when I say I’ve seen quite a lot, so I have a good general idea when it comes to the sexual escapades people can be involved in. Again, not my place to judge…hey, if it makes them happy, more power to ‘em. And it’s become pretty obvious that you, yourself, have had your share of…escapades. Again, not judging. That’s your choice. I just thought you would want to know my choices as well.”

“Fuckin’ hell,” Draco groaned as he turned and started pacing the living room, mumbling under his breath.

Bree stood and watched him for a minute maybe two before she spoke up again. “I really do need clothes and a shower, so can we just…
not
…right now?” She just about begged. She would, for a hot shower and clean clothes she would at the moment beg.

He turned back to face her, “Bree…” he breathed out her name. He moved to her, close, then closer still, until his body had backed her up against the door. He placed his hands palms flat against the door on each side of her head, leaning into her so they were almost nose to nose. “Five minutes Bree…five minutes after I met you I knew you were not that kinda girl. After just one kiss from you, you had me tied in fuckin’ knots. Two weeks of doing everythin’ I could think of, minus runnin’ a check on you, drivin’ myself insane tryin’ to find you. Then to finally get the pleasure of havin’ you, havin’
my
mouth between your legs, havin’ your taste on
my
tongue, havin’ your pussy grip
my
dick so tight when you come, I’d swear I’d died and gone to Heaven. Fuck, havin’ all that is
you
, and you think for one fuckin’ minute I want to share that? Share you with anyone? I know you don’t have experience, and as much as I hated, fuckin’ hated hurtin’ you, I also love the fact that what we share has only ever been us. And you’ve lost your fuckin’ mind if you think for one minute that I would ever want to share that with anybody else! What we got, what we share, is too fuckin’ special to me.”

Draco moved his hand from beside her head to her neck, fingers running through her hair, eyes once again roaming her face. She wanted nothing more than to believe that it was just as special to him as it was to her. When his eyes met hers again, she mouthed his name, too choked up to even speak as a tear rolled down her cheek.

Draco’s hand slid to her cheek, his thumb wiping away the single tear. “Fuck, Breezie.” She heard him whisper, or thought she heard. His words were so garbled they were almost incomprehensible. Then before she could think her next thought, his mouth took hers fast and hot. His hands started moving over her body, all over her, like he needed to touch every inch of her now, in this moment. She heard the buttons from his shirt that she wore hit the floor as he ripped it off of her, his hands still exploring her body. He jerked his mouth from hers, breathing hard as he moaned. “Baby.” His lips joining his hands to explore her body, he dropped to his knees and removed her leggings so agilely that she didn’t even realize they were gone until he stood back up and growled. “No underwear?” But before she could answer, his mouth was back on hers. His one hand went to his jeans to quickly unfasten them and slip them down from his hips, his other hand once again roaming over her, lower and lower. He cupped her and moaned against her lips. “So wet for me.” He grabbed her around her waist and as he lifted her up, her legs automatically wrapped around his waist as he entered her. Then she found out that
against the wall
was a lot more than…interesting.

*  *  *

Bree entered her bedroom behind Draco as he went straight for her closet, opened it to study the contents for about a second before turning to her dresser and opening and closing drawers. “What are you doing?” she asked, slightly perplexed by his actions.

“Underwear?” he growled out as a response, not even pausing to look at her.

“What?”

He turned to her after closing the last drawer. “Where the hell is your underwear?”

“My underwear? Uh…in the bathroom.” She watched as he stalked out of her bedroom, completely confounded by him.
Seriously, what is the deal with him and my undies all of a sudden
?

A few minutes later he returned with an arm full of them, dropped them on her bed, then turned back to face her. “Pack all of ‘em,” he stated firmly.

“What? Why? I only wear one pair at a time, not…” she looked at the pile on the bed, “however many that is.”

“And today?”

“Today what?”

“Bree, you weren’t wearin’ one pair,” he leaned into her. “You were wearin’ no pair.”

“Oh. Well, only because I didn’t have clean ones, but now I do, so I—”

“Pack all of ‘em.”

“Dra—”

“And pack some clothes, and your shit for work, and anythin’ else you might need for a week or maybe longer.”

“What?”

“Bree, pack. Now.”

“For a week or maybe longer?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“Because I asked you to.”

“Why are you asking me to?”

“Bree.”

“Oh, hell no, Dra, we are not doing this again. Explain to me why I need to pack like I’m leaving town when I can very easily walk here to get what I need when I need it. And do not give me ‘Bree’ as an answer,” she demanded.

For a beat he just stared at her, then he exhaled sharply, grabbed her hand and moved them to the bed. When they were both sitting, he started to explain. “Some things have developed with Warwick as well as Serafino—”

“Who?” She interrupted.

“Marcus Warwick and Hugo Serafino.”

“Oh yeah. I remembered their first names not the last, sorry. Continue.”

“Things have developed and it would be better if they didn’t know where you were for the time being, or at least not have access to you if they figure out where you are.”

“What
things
have developed?”

“I can’t say,” he told her, then added quickly, “no, baby, I can’t. I want to, but it’s an ongoin’ police investigation, and I really can’t tell you the details.”

“Honest?”

“Yeah, Bree, honest. I’ll tell you what I can, when I can, but for now, that’s all I can say.”

She sat looking into his eyes. Could she trust what he said to be true, or was he just telling her it was police crap just to placate her?

“Bree…” He hooked his hand behind her neck and gave her a light squeeze. “Please stop doubtin’ me. I get that you have trust issues and even more so when it comes to cops. I’ll always be as honest as I can possibly be with you.” He brought her head to his until their foreheads touched. “And, baby, I swear to you, I’ll never lie to you,” he promised as he kissed her softly.

“You’ll tell me everything you can that won’t jeopardize your investigation,
not
just what you think won’t scare me or any other macho male crap just because I’m a girl, right?”

“Yeah,” he answered with a grin.

Looking him in the eyes, she asked, “Promise?” She desperately wanted to entrust herself with the cop that was him. But could she? Cops? The people she had distrusted the majority of her life…until Draco?

His grin faded as he held her eyes. “Promise.” He assured her right as his cell phone started to ring. “Pack,” he told her as he pulled his phone from his pocket. He glanced down at it, then back to her. “It’s Marco.”

Bree watched as Draco rose from her bed with the phone to his ear. “Hey, bro’.” He walked across the room. “Shit.” He paused as he turned back around. “Can’t this week. Got a lot of shit goin’ on.” Pause. “I know she looks forward to them, but like I said—”

Bree jumped up. “Dra?” she called to get his attention.

“Hang on a sec.” She heard him say into the phone, then he turned his eyes to her. “Baby, why aren’t you packin’?”

Ignoring his question, she asked one of her own. “Is the ‘she’
Ellie
that looks forward to whatever it is you are cancelling?”

“Yeah.”

“And am I the ‘shit’ you got going on?”

“It’s not…” he started to tell her then, “Marco, let me call you right back,” he said into his phone and immediately hung up. “Bree—”

She didn’t give him time to say whatever it was before she jumped in. “What is it that Ellie looks forward to?”

He moved to her while he spoke. “Dinner. It’s just dinner that me, Marco, and Ellie have every week.” When he reached her he grabbed her hand. “And no, baby, you are not the ‘shit’ I was talkin’ about.”

“But you’re cancelling because of me, aren’t you?”

“No, with everythin’ that’s been goin’ on, I hadn’t thought ‘bout it.”

“Because of me.” She didn’t ask that time. She didn’t have to. She already knew the answer.

“Bree—”

“You, Marco, and Ellie…you’re family. You have a family dinner once a week and now because of me you think you can’t go.”

“Bree—” he started again to explain but again she interrupted.

“No, you go.” She turned, looking for her bag. “I can just stay here, or at your house if that’s okay with you, until you get done.”

“Bree—”

“No, Dra, this is important to Ellie, and it should be to you also. They are your family, and family is important. You should spend time with them.”

“Bree, the dinners are at my house—” He got a little further in his explanation before once again she interrupted.

“Oh, okay then. I can just stay here.”

“I just told you, you can’t be here, but that’s—”

“Then I’ll call Storm and stay with him until after y’all get done.”

“Bree—”

“Dra, it’s not right for you to have to cancel something important because of—” He reached out and placed his hand over her mouth.

“Damn it, woman, will you give me time to get a full sentence out?” he asked a wide-eyed looking Bree, then quickly dropped his hand from her mouth. Taking her hand and leading her over to the bed, he tugged her down to sit with him there. “The dinners are at my house because I fix whatever we’re havin’, but, like I said, I hadn’t given it much thought, so I don’t have a fuckin’ clue what to fix. And I hadn’t thought ‘bout it because of the shit that’s goin’ on right now that may involve you, but is not you.”