V Card Sweetheart (Sweetheart, Colorado)

She’s nodding her head.

“I need to hear you say it.”

She shrugs. “You’ve been coming in for months. You’ve left big tips for me when you knew I needed help. You enlisted Sam and it seems Alice to look out for me. You’ve been good to me all this time, even if you never really talked to me much. So yeah, I trust you, Dutton.”

Well, it’s not a profession of love, but I’ll take it. It’s better than nothing, and I’m willing to take this as slowly as I need to. “I want you to stay with me.”

She inhales deeply, and I know I’ve shocked her. “What? Why?”

I put the truck into gear. I keep my voice balanced as if we’re talking about the weather instead of me moving her in with me. “So I know you’re okay. I don’t trust that stupid jock not to come back and mess with you. This way I can keep you safe.”

“Dutton, listen.” The sound of my name on her lips does something to me, but I resist reaching between my legs and adjusting myself. I really don’t need to frighten her and have her jump out of the moving vehicle.

“Are you listening to me?” she asks when I don’t respond.

I pull out on the road, heading to her apartment building. “I’m listening.” I’m always listening to her.

“I don’t know why you feel responsible for me, but you shouldn’t. I can take care of myself.”

“I know you can take care of yourself. You’ve done it for a while now. And I don’t want to make you feel like I think you’re some child that needs looking out for. That’s not how I feel about you at all. I just need to do this.” I turn off the main road onto her street. When I get to her building, I park my truck at the side of the road. Even though I’m not pulling my trailer, I would still have a hard time pulling in and out of the tiny parking lot.

She’s been staring out the window, and she seems shocked to find us at her place. “I thought you wanted me to go with you?”

“I do. But I thought we would grab some of your clothes and things. That way you’ll have what you need.”

She nods her head, and I’m still waiting for her to argue with me. Instead, she opens the door and climbs out of the truck. I do the same and walk up to her. She’s looking at me, and her next question catches me unprepared. “How’d you know where I lived?”

I could lie to her. Or I could tell her the whole truth – that every time I’m in town I drive by her apartment to make sure she’s home safe. Instead, I tell her the partial truth. “Do you remember when you were having trouble with your landlord fixing your water pressure?”

She nods, and her eyes go wide, no doubt wondering how I know that.

“Well, I had asked Alice for your address then. I came and talked to your landlord and asked him to fix it.” Of course I had to do more than ask, but she doesn’t need to know all the details. Or the fact that I had security cameras installed at the entrance to the apartment building and better lighting in the parking lot either.

“Why? I don’t understand.” She’s shaking her head and looks as if she doesn’t understand what’s happening, and I know I can’t tell her now. She’s obviously not ready to hear about my feelings for her, not after the night she’s had.

“I’m your friend, Jane. I want to help you. Anything else we need to talk about we can do later or another day. Right now, I just want to get your stuff and get you home with me.”

Jane

I know this is crazy. I know I should probably tell him no and leave him standing outside my apartment. I mean, I know him, but I don’t really know him. The only thing that is not allowing me to just tell him thanks but no thanks is the stupid feelings I’ve been harboring for Dutton since the first day I met him. He’s big and gruff, tells it like it is, but he’s also soft and caring and sweet. With a decision made, I mean what have I got to lose, I go into my apartment and pack a bag while Dutton stands in my living room. My apartment is small, but with him inside it, it feels even smaller.

As I’m packing a few items from the bathroom, it hits me. Dutton doesn’t live here. I go out to the living room. “It makes more sense for us just to stay here instead of paying for a hotel. I mean I know it’s small, but…”