I moved forward until we were nearly nose to nose. “No. I live here. I don’t give up. I don’t quit. I sure as hell don’t stay with you and your wife.”
“My soon to be ex-wife doesn’t live there.” He swallowed and added in a low voice, “My sister and her daughter do. For now.”
I shrugged. “Not happening.” I moved past the three big men in my office and walked to my foyer closet. Then I reached in and pulled out a giant sweater and stuck my arms in the sleeves. “There. Problem solved.”
“Not the safety part. Let’s go.” D wandered over to me. “Let’s go.”
I stomped my foot, even though it made me feel like a damn five-year-old. “I’m a grown woman. I’m staying here.”
“Then I’m staying with you.” He crossed his arms over his chest again and stuck out his chin.
I closed my eyes. I could see about thirty-seven ways this was a terrible idea, but I was too tired to argue. And if I was going to be completely honest, I didn’t really want to stay by myself. “Fine,” I mumbled, “but don’t get any big ideas like you’re going to sleep with me.”
He smirked. “I won’t. This time.” Then he sobered and reached into his back pocket, carefully pulling a business card from his wallet. “If you need anything, here’s my card. I won’t let anything happen to her.”
The officers seemed satisfied, nodded, and exited my house. I locked up behind them. “Now what?” I grumbled, determined to hide how happy I was to have D here with me.
“Well, buddy, we’re gonna fix your window.” When I made a face, he laughed. “Cardboard? Plastic? Duct tape? Anything?”
I motioned for him to follow me to the garage. I pulled open the door, flicked on the light and entered my big two-car dumping ground. “Here’s what I have.”
“Perfect. I’ll have the window repaired in no time.” DeSean smiled at me. “Everything can be fixed,” he murmured as he leaned near my ear. “You just have to want it bad enough.”
I wrapped my arms around my body and looked away because if I stared up into his eyes, we’d be kissing in seconds. And given past history, we’d be doing so much more soon after.
Soon we’d finished covering the window. “This will have to do for tonight. Tomorrow we can call about getting the glass replaced in the window.”
I nodded numbly as I studied the carpet. “I need to get the glass out of the carpet.” I sighed. “So glad I decided to go with shag. What the hell was I thinking?”
“What, baby, you didn’t plan for vandals and stalkers?” DeSean teased.
“Right. I’m a terrible planner.” I thought I was joking, but then I realized I was half-serious. My shoulders sagged. “This is not how any of my life was supposed to go,” I murmured as I sank onto the carpet and started plucking shards from the carpet fibers and laying them carefully in my palm.
“Hey,” D began as he squatted beside me, “these things happen. Man, do I have stories to tell you. We have some catching up to do.”
With a frown, I mumbled, “After the clean-up, okay?”
He nodded. “You got it, Tegyn.” And he immediately began helping.
When we were confident we’d found all the glass and had vacuumed for any potential small slivers, we wandered out to the kitchen. “I need hot tea to soothe my nerves before bed.” I reached for a mug. “Want anything?”
“Still don’t drink coffee, I see,” he noted as he glanced around the kitchen. “I’m gonna buy you a Keurig.” D grinned and shook his head. “You can make tea, hot chocolate, and more. It’s not just for coffee anymore.”
“Right, and for tonight?” My brows rose.
He pointed to the fridge. “May I?”
“Of course.” I leaned back against the marble counter and waited for his reaction to the contents.
“Okay, buddy. I’m seeing milk.” He lifted the gallon container. “And it’s fresh. Good job.” D peeked at the contents of the door. “You have Hershey’s syrup and Reddi Whip?” He began pulling everything out. “What if I make us hot chocolate? You used to like it, as I recall.”
A smile played on the corners of my mouth. “Sure. Have at it.” I turned and pulled out a drawer in my island. “Here’s a saucepan, and I’ll get another mug down.” Reaching into the cupboard and setting it on the counter made a clinking sound that broke the silence, but made it obvious how rattled I felt. I laid my hands flat on the cool surface, closed my eyes, and breathed in deeply a few times. The idea of someone vandalizing the house, breaking my window…I was beginning to believe I really could be killed. I no longer felt safe anywhere.
There were footsteps behind me, followed by two arms wrapping around me. DeSean leaned over my shoulder and pressed his face against my cheek. “It’s going to be okay, baby. I’ll never let anything happen to you.”
I wanted to nod, I wanted to express the relief I felt thanks to him staying here tonight, being here for me, but when I opened my mouth, I choked back a sob. He turned me in his arms and hugged me tightly against his chest.
D whispered in my ear. “I mean it. You say the word and I’ll never leave you again.”