I shrug. “I don’t plan on staying that long.”
“Seriously, stay as long as you like. Here,” he says, taking my bag. “The layout is pretty simple: kitchen through there, living room, bedrooms and bathroom are down the hall. The guest room is to the right.”
The place is stunning, and I can’t help but notice how immaculate everything is. What did he race back here to do, exactly? He couldn’t have done much in the time before I arrived. Porn. And probably toys. I smirk to myself as I walk down the hall. We’ve already established he’s kinky.
He walks into the room behind me and places my bag on the bed.
“Towels are in the bathroom, help yourself to anything you need. Oh, and I’ve organized for you to park in my spot. I figured it’s safer considering your hours.”
I resist the urge to swoon at his consideration. It’s been a while since anybody has thought about my needs. He walks out, leaving me alone in my room. I sigh and lie down on the bed, trying to process all that has happened today.
I feel so awful thinking it, but a small part of me is happy to be here. My stalker is pushing me closer to Conrad and I can’t deny that I like how that feels. The only problem is I have no idea what I’m doing. I feel like I’m swimming, struggling to keep my head above water and at any moment I could go under.
Chapter Eight
“Raven?”
My eyes flutter open and for a moment I panic. Where am I? I sit up, my memory slowly filtering back. Conrad.
“Come in,” I call out, embarrassed that I’d fallen asleep.
He opens the door and steps inside, his blue eyes locking on mine.
“I must’ve fallen asleep.”
“Yeah, well, you probably needed it. How are you feeling?” he asks.
“Better. Less stressed.”
“Good. Are you hungry? I figured we could go out. I know a great Thai place.”
“Sounds good. Give me a few minutes to freshen up?” I ask.
“Take all the time you need.”
We walk into the tiny restaurant. He signals to the waiter, who leads us to a table and presents us with menus. My stomach growls and I giggle, embarrassed. I haven’t eaten anything all day and my body is angry at me.
“Shall we get some appetizers and get some food into that stomach?” Conrad smirks, raising his eyebrows. “Before you start eating the tablecloth, I mean.”
I narrow my eyes and give him a death stare, but I’m not really annoyed. I’m actually enjoying myself. “Appetizers sound good.”
We order a platter of appetizers because I can’t decide what I feel like. When the food is placed in front of us, my mouth is watering. I don’t wait before digging in as Conrad watches me.
“I like a woman with a healthy appetite,” he chuckles.
“Sorry, I didn’t realize this was a date,” I shoot back, reaching for another egg roll. “I was under the impression you were just a nice guy offering me somewhere to stay. I hope you’re not suggesting this is anything more?”
He grins and rubs his jaw, drawing my attention to the light ripple of stubble that peppers his chin. As if he wasn’t sexy enough…
“This can be whatever you want it to be, Raven.”
His words send a chill down my spine. I can’t deny the attraction between us, but I’m scared to rush things. What if we move this too fast and I’m not ready? “
Hey, I was joking.” He makes a face. “Well, kind of. The last thing I want is for you to feel uncomfortable.”
“It’s not that,” I sigh, not sure what to tell him. “Let’s just see how this goes. We’ve got plenty of time, right? There’s no need to rush this.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” he says, winking at me. “Now shut up and eat.”