“Can I stay here for now, take it day by day? And if or when things get worse, I promise I’ll relocate to your house.” I look up from my stooped level. Bridger’s hand is out, his palm upturned once again. Without a second thought, I place mine in his as he helps me up. Legend whimpers, so I reach out with my other hand to pat his head. My boy, he loves attention.
“That’s fine. Just know I’ll be staying with you from here on out.” He squeezes my hand. I nod my head, already contemplating how this is going to work out. Sure, I have two bedrooms, but that doesn’t mean there are two beds.
“I’ll sleep on the couch. You can take the bed,” I tell him as I turn around to grab my purse from the floorboard of the car.
“No way. We can sleep in the same bed together. You stay on your side, and I’ll stay on mine.”
“You don’t ask for much, do you?” I question, turning around, cocking my eyebrow at him.
“Who, me? Not at all.” We walk hand in hand to the front door. His other hand still holds Legend’s leash, who is following along with us.
“Yes, you. I wasn’t talking to Legend.” I shake my head, not having the slightest idea how this is going to work out.
“We’ll take it one day at a time, but Kellie?” he questions.
“Yes?” We stop at the entrance to my house.
“This is happening. It’s been building for months. We’ll go as slow as you need to, but I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.” His words leave me with my jaw slacked, like a fish-out-of-water effect.
Bridger pulls on my hand, and for the first time, I’m going to see where things go and do as he says, take it one day a time.
Six
Bridger
Watching Kellie’s mouth open had me thinking wild thoughts, but I know that won’t be happening, not any time soon at least. When I told her I’d be staying with her, the look of shock on her face almost had me rethinking my plans. I don’t want to push her too fast and too far. All these months later though, I can see she’s starting to feel for me what I’m feeling for her.
“Make yourself at home. There may even be a beer in the fridge, and the remote is on the table. Watch your shoes. If you take them off, Legend likes to eat the strings. I’m going to change, then I’ll be back.” I watch her the entire time she walks down the hallway until she disappears.
This place is a logistical nightmare from a security point of view, and for the second time today, I’m thinking I should have made Kellie pack a bag and stay at my place. Though, my house has more than one bed, so this may work out better for me in the long run.
I sit on the couch, Legend bounding up to sit beside me. He places his head in my lap and nudges me until I pet him. “Yeah, Legend. I know.” I pet him before getting my phone out and making a couple of calls. The first being Leo. I’ll have him ride over with Drake, let him stay here with Kellie while I go grab some clothes from my place.
“Hey,” Leo says on the other end of the line after the first ring.
“Yo, can you drive Kellie’s vehicle over here, hang out with her while I stop at my house to grab some clothes, and then we’ll take you back to your car?”
“Sure, I have nothing planned for the evening. You don’t have to take me back to the shop. I’ll have one of my brothers swing by and pick me up when you get back.” Leo has come a long way from the fuck-up he once was, and I know his mom couldn’t be more thankful. For that matter, all of us are. I think the matter with Taylor solidified he needed to quit his bullshit while he was ahead.
“Thanks. Take your time. We’re just hanging out for the time being.”
“Sounds good. I’ll text when we’re on the way. Her spare keys still in your office drawer?” Leo asks.
“Yeah, top right drawer,” I grunt. That’s another thing I’ll have to tell Kellie about, though to be honest, she does drive a company vehicle. Nothing like the Tahoes and Suburbans we guys ride around in. She’s in a smaller SUV. Still, her knowing I keep her spare key in my office won’t make her jump for joy.
“Hey, did you get everything squared away?” Kellie walks out of her bedroom, and fuck me running, there is no way I’ll be leaving her with Leo now. She’s wearing what I’m assuming is her loungewear around the house without anyone here, and I know I’ll be texting Leo to tell him what to pick up from my house instead of him sitting with Kellie. There’s no fucking way, not with what her body is encased in that has me swallowing my tongue and fumbling for words. That would be because my woman’s body is encased in what most would say is nothing big, but with it wrapped around her body, she may as well be naked and laid out on a silver platter for me.