Wrapped Up in You (Heartbreaker Bay, #8)(40)

“I don’t need to call the cops. I’m looking right at one, and I don’t even know what to tell you, so there’s no reason to have them out here for nothing.”

“The truck break-in was one thing,” he said. “But this is now a pattern.”

She turned away from him. “I live in a shitty area and we both know that. It’s random. Just let it go. It’s late and I have to be up soon, so I need to go to bed.”

“Want me to stay?”

“No.”

She was holding herself rigid. Her entire body one big stubborn nerve. “I could take the couch,” he said. “No pressure.”

“No, it’s okay.” Her back was still to him, but she was hugging herself now. “I’ll be fine.”

He gently turned her to face him. She wasn’t fine. She was pissed and shaken, and that was all over her face. But she was also obstinate and full of pride and hated to accept help of any kind. Pushing her would get him nowhere. Which meant that he was going to spend the rest of the night in his car watching over her from there.





Chapter 15




You’ve got more in you



At kickboxing the next morning, Ivy was working her newfound frustrations out on the bag. She was in a zone when she realized everyone was looking at her.

Stopping, gasping for breath, Ivy relaxed her stance and stared at Tae, Sadie, and Haley. “What?”

“You seem a little . . . fierce this morning,” Sadie said.

“She means kickass,” Tina piped up from the front of the room. “Seriously kickass. And speaking of that, who’s ass are you kicking this morning?”

Whoever had broken into her truck.

Whoever had broken into her apartment.

And then there was the serious frustration bubbling just beneath her skin. Sexual frustration. Which was all on Kel, so maybe she was also kicking his ass a little bit too. Metaphorically anyway. “Just burning calories,” she said, swiping her sweaty forehead with her arm. “Now if you don’t mind, are we having tea or working out?”

Tina laughed with sheer delight. “Working out, sweetness, and you’re right. Let’s do double time.”

Everyone but Ivy groaned.

The sun had made an appearance when she left the gym and took the bus to her food truck. She’d been there maybe three whole minutes when she heard footsteps outside. They were easy and unhurried, and recognizing the quiet unruffled energy, she stuck her head out the back door.

“‘Morning,” Kel said.

She hadn’t slept a single wink, she felt like she’d been run over by a Mack Truck, twice, and she had a headache from said lack of sleep. So no, it wasn’t anything close to a good morning.

Until he held out a coffee. The ridiculously expensive coffee she treated herself to only very occasionally. She stared at it and then at him. He didn’t look like he needed caffeine in spite of the fact he’d played bodyguard, staying in his truck in front of her building last night. All night.

He took in her expression and waited with calm patience, clearly not willing to let her get away with not voicing her thoughts out loud. She sighed. “Why are you doing this?”

“Doing what exactly?”

She gestured to the coffee she hadn’t yet taken from him.

“You mean being nice to you?” He shrugged. “I like you.”

She just looked at him.

“Blame your sunshine-y sweet nature,” he said dryly. “And don’t worry, I’m not expecting anything in return. Take the coffee, Ivy.”

She did, and sipped cautiously but didn’t burn her tongue. It was the perfect temperature for gulping, so she did exactly that. A minute later, she drew a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Thank you,” she said, refraining from letting him know that in that very second, she’d have given him anything he wanted.

“Was there any trouble after I left last night?” he asked.

“Yeah, some guy was parked out front of my place all night.”

Their gazes met. His easygoing expression never changed, and she realized that though she’d thought she was the master of hiding in plain sight, she was nothing but an apprentice, because the real master stood right in front of her. “I almost called the cops,” she told him. “But they don’t like to go out to that area if they don’t have to.”

“A good reason to get into that condo in Caleb’s new building sooner rather than later.”

“I’m working on it. And the neighborhood’s not that bad,” she said. “I’ve—”

“—Lived in worse,” he finished for her. “Yeah, I know.”

She laughed a little, not sure if she was flattered or uncomfortable at how well he’d come to know her in such a short time. She began prep work for breakfast. “If it makes you feel better,” she said while she chopped, sliced, and diced. “I’m hopefully moving soon.”

He smiled.

“What?”

“You look excited whenever you talk about your new place. It’s cute.”

“I’m not cute. Take it back.”

“Can’t. Cuz you are cute.”

“No. Cute’s for . . .” She searched her brain. “Puppies and kittens.”