Page 10

Sierra

I hear the front door slam shut, close my eyes, and take a deep breath, which is a mistake since all I smell is his musky scent, and it makes different parts of me tingle.

Different parts of me that shouldn’t be tingling because he’s off-fucking-limits, I remind myself.

But my feet are moving on their own to the window to watch him walk down the path to his pickup truck at the curb.

I watch his ass in his worn jeans, my mouth literally fucking salivating as I check out his legs, all the way to his construction boots.

Then my eyes roam all the way back up, stopping again at his ass that fills out those jeans phenomenally.

I keep ogling, going up to his black T-shirt that pulls at the shoulders, and you just know he must have an amazing body.

He looks up at the window, and I don’t have enough time to duck for cover.

He smirks at me, like he knows I was checking him out.

I fold my arms over my chest and shake my head.

I’m saved by the moving truck pulling up to my house.

I point at the truck to let him know I was waiting for it when he throws his head back and laughs, and I wish I could hear it clearer.

It makes my pulse speed up as I turn away and head down to the front door to open it for the movers.

By the time I get down there for the movers, his truck is gone.

“Hi,” I greet the guy I was with not too long ago when they packed up my bedroom and office.

“Right this way.” I motion with my head as he walks into the house.

“Wow.” He takes a look around. “This is an old house.”

“Yeah,” I reply, “probably lots of history in here. Only one room is done, so you can bring everything upstairs to my bedroom.”

“Got it.” He turns and heads out to the truck, where he and two other guys start bringing in my things.

It takes them three hours to unload the truck and assemble my bedroom furniture. They place the bed on the wall opposite the windows. For now, I opt to put my desk in front of the window. I grab the box with bedding written on it, opening it and unpacking it.

It’s another three hours before my bed is done, and my computer and stuff are all ready to go in the morning.

I turn on the side table lamp before heading to the bathroom.

I smile when I look at the bathtub, and instead of taking a quick shower, I opt to soak in the big tub.

Looking out the stained-glass window at the stars in the sky, I close my eyes, finally able to relax after this week.

It was a week to end all weeks. Telling my parents I was leaving was one of the hardest things I think I’ve ever done.

Seeing my father in pain the way he was cut me off at my knees.

I had no idea what else was going to happen, but I’m happy nothing did.

Last night, I was at my house, and my parents came over with pizza.

We spent the night together. My father told me he would swing by several times a week to ensure everything was okay.

My mother was quiet, no doubt wondering how long I would be gone and probably wondering how our relationship would change.

I was determined not to let anything change.

Getting out and finally slipping under my covers, I turn off the lights as I listen to the house in the dark for the first night.

The streetlights come into the windows, but I’m having the shades delivered next week.

I toss and turn and the last time I look at my phone, it’s a little after 2:00 a.m. I’ve never slept so light in my life.

Every single creak made my eyes fling open as I listened to hear if it was followed by more noise.

I was being overly dramatic, to say the least. No one in their right mind would break into a house that was almost falling down.

Even so, when I roll out of bed at eight o’clock this morning, I have the name and number of someone who I’m going to call about installing security and doorbell cams.

I rush down to the front door, open it, and see it’s Theo. “Sorry, hope we didn’t wake you.”

“No.” I shake my head. “I was up.” I walk away from the door. “I’m going to have a copy of the key made today for you,” I tell him as he heads to the kitchen area, and my eyes go straight to the cup of coffee in his hand.

I groan, jogging back up the stairs and head to my closet, when I hear the front door open and then hear the sound of a couple of the guys coming.

Tiptoeing to my bedroom, I close the door before heading into the bathroom and my walk-in closet.

Out of everything, it was the easiest part to unpack since everything was on hangers in the boxes and then just hung up.

I walk over to my jeans hanger, grab a pair of dark blue jeans, then put on a white lace bra before choosing a long-sleeve, white knit sweater with side slits.

Putting it on, I slip on a pair of suede booties before heading out of the room.

I hear voices coming from the kitchen. Not wanting to be in the way of them organizing their work, I slip out the front door and head to town to grab coffee and breakfast.

I step into the bakery at the same time Everleigh comes out from the back with a tray in front of her. “Sierra,” she says with a huge smile as she fills the display case with fresh donuts.

“Hi,” I return, walking up to the counter. “I’ll take two dozen donuts,” I order right away and see the shock on her face.

“I have workers at my house, so I thought it would be nice to give them a little bit of a treat.”

“Oh yeah.” She walks over to the side, grabbing a box as she fills it in. “What else can I get for you?”

“I will have an everything bagel with cream cheese and an extra-large coffee.” I smile. “I don’t have a kitchen yet, so I need the extra to last all day.”

“Ugh, you could do yourself like a little coffee cart to keep upstairs if you want.” She suggests, “We just bought Saige one of those little fridge things so she can keep snacks in her room. She saw it on social media and just had to get it. It’s not half bad. You can store some milk in there.”

“That’s a fantastic idea,” I tell her, opening my phone and ordering everything I need for the coffee cart I’ll keep in my bedroom or even in my closet at this point.

I walk out of the bakery with my hands loaded with two boxes of donuts, along with my bagel, coffee, and a bunch of snacks that Everleigh told me to have for later.

I pull up to the house and walk in, hearing the sound of hammers and someone shouting as I make my way over to the kitchen. I sweep the room, checking for Caleb and not seeing him anywhere.

Theo looks up at me and smiles. “Looking for someone?” he asks, and I shake my head.

“Nope,” I lie. “I brought donuts for you and the guys.” I show him the two boxes in my hands. “I just don’t know where to put them.”

“I’ll take those for you.” He comes to me, grabbing the two boxes out of my hands. “We’ll try to keep it down as much as possible.”

“No worries,” I assure him, turning and heading back upstairs.

I’m at the top of the stairs when I see my bedroom door open, and I know I shut it before I left.

I walk into the room. “Hello,” I call and walk to the unmade bed.

I stick my head toward the bathroom when I see someone walking out of my closet.

“Sorry,” he says, walking past me, “thought I left something.” He doesn’t finish. He just closes the door behind him.

I put the coffee down on the desk, taking out my phone and calling Caleb. He answers after one ring. “Hello.” I don’t know why, but I can see him smiling through the phone. “What can I do for you, Sierra?”

I roll my eyes and look around the room, feeling uneasy. “Hey, can I just ask that no one come in my bedroom?”

“I’m sorry, what?” he asks, confused. I close my eyes and put my hand on my forehead, wondering if maybe I’m making a big deal out of this.

I walk to the bathroom and see the towel I used last night is still hanging where I left it.

As I walk toward my closet, I see one of the top drawers is slightly open.

“I just got home from getting coffee and found one of your guys in my bedroom. I get it’s a construction area and all that, but can they not come into my bedroom?”

“I’m sorry, Sierra,” he replies, his voice tight. “No one should be in your bedroom. Especially since that part is done and completed.”

“Oh,” I say softly.

“Do you know who it was?”

“No clue,” I answer. “He was dressed like you.”

“Like me?” I can hear the snicker. “Like I was dressed yesterday when you were checking me out?”

“You mean when I was looking at my moving truck?” I close my eyes and pull out my office chair. “Anyway, this chat is great, but I need to call someone to hook up a security system.”

“I have a guy,” he says, and I literally groan.

“Of course you do.”

“Yeah.” He chuckles. “It’ll cost you, but I’ll send him over.”

“What is it going to cost me?” I ask, not sure I really want to know, but then again, I probably need to know.

“You’ll know when I collect on it,” he teases. “I’ll take care of it.” I’m about to interrupt him when he says, “I have to go. Theo is calling me back.” He doesn’t even wait for me to answer before he hangs up the phone.

“Rude,” I blurt when I look down and see that he hung up on me. I put the phone down and finally take a sip of my coffee. It’s literally heaven on my tongue as I turn on my computer and start my work.

The day flies by, and when the phone rings beside me, I look down and see that it’s Lilah. I smile. “Howdy, neighbor,” I answer the phone, smiling and hearing her laughing.

“Howdy, neighbor yourself.” She finally stops laughing. “What are you doing?”

“I’m about to go and have hot sex with Chris Evans.” I lean back in my chair. “Why?”

“I was going to tell you to come and have dinner with us, but Chris Evans…” She trails off.