his for some inexplicable reason. Our mouths were way too close. “But you’re already paying me back by giving me a lift home.” My voice was barely a whisper.
“I’ll bring the food. I like talking to you,” he said, ignoring my previous statement.
Needing some space, I slid my arse across the seat so I was practically plastered against the window. He had me penned in and there was literally nowhere else to go. All he did was move with me, and I inwardly sighed because there was no winning in this situation.
So, I sat it out, folding my arms across my chest and staring at the passing scenery, thankful the stereo was on to drown out the silence. A minute later Trevor’s phone rang, and he put it on speaker before proceeding to chat away with one of his friends. I barely heard what he was saying, because I was too aware of Stu. His smell. The feel of his body next to mine. The way he watched me as I continued to pretend I didn’t notice.
The journey felt like it took forever, especially since Stu seemed to have taken a vow of silence. Trevor was still on the phone to his friend when we pulled up to my flat. Stu got out first, coming around to open my door for me. As I emerged I saw the curtains twitch in the living room. Great. Alfie was spying.
“Thanks,” I murmured, unable to meet Stu’s gaze. The car journey had been way too intense, especially the quiet portion.
“No problem. See you tomorrow, Andrea,” he said, his deep voice caressing my name.
“Yeah, see you,” I said, hitching my bag up on my shoulder and turning abruptly to open the gate. He knew where I lived now, and there was something both powerless and electrifying about it.
I could feel his gaze on my back all the way to the front door. It was only when I got inside the flat that I felt I could breathe again. Unfortunately, it only lasted a moment before Alfie was in front of me, his arms folded, and an accusatory look on his face.
“Who was that?”
I shrugged and went to hang up my coat. “A friend.”
“Hmmm. I didn’t know you had friends like that.”
“Like what?”
“Friends who look like they just stepped off a Guy Ritchey film set.”
“Oh Alfie, I’m really too tired for this today.”
“That was him, wasn’t it? The ex-criminal? That man looked exactly as you described your new student, and I think it’d be a bit of a coincidence that you suddenly made a new friend who’s practically his clone.”
“He’s not dangerous,” I said and moved past him into the kitchen. All I wanted to do was cook dinner and pour a glass of wine. I really didn’t have the patience to indulge my cousin’s paranoia.
“Even so, I’ve never seen you get a lift home from a student before. This isn’t like you.”
He was right. It wasn’t like me, but I didn’t have the emotional energy to delve into why I was acting so out of character. Sure, Stu had been determined to give me a lift home, but it wasn’t like I couldn’t have put my foot down and declined. If I was being completely honest with myself, I’d wanted to take the lift. Some deep, dark, very unprofessional part of me enjoyed his attention. Nevertheless, I wasn’t prepared to admit any of this to Alfie.
“He offered me a ride and it would’ve been rude to say no. That’s all there is to it.”
“He could be grooming you.”
I cocked an eyebrow. “Grooming me for what?”
“I don’t know. For something illegal. Maybe he wants you to be his drugs mule, or to put your name down as guarantor for a mortgage he’s going to skip out on.”
I barked a laugh at that. Honestly, where did he come up with this stuff?
“It’s not funny,” he huffed.
“I know it’s not. I’m just tired. Can we eat dinner and leave the worrying out of it for one night?”
Alfie pursed his lips, glanced at the floor, then nodded his head. At least he was aware of how trying his personality could be at times. And yeah, maybe I would be more worried about Stu’s interest
“I’ll bring the food. I like talking to you,” he said, ignoring my previous statement.
Needing some space, I slid my arse across the seat so I was practically plastered against the window. He had me penned in and there was literally nowhere else to go. All he did was move with me, and I inwardly sighed because there was no winning in this situation.
So, I sat it out, folding my arms across my chest and staring at the passing scenery, thankful the stereo was on to drown out the silence. A minute later Trevor’s phone rang, and he put it on speaker before proceeding to chat away with one of his friends. I barely heard what he was saying, because I was too aware of Stu. His smell. The feel of his body next to mine. The way he watched me as I continued to pretend I didn’t notice.
The journey felt like it took forever, especially since Stu seemed to have taken a vow of silence. Trevor was still on the phone to his friend when we pulled up to my flat. Stu got out first, coming around to open my door for me. As I emerged I saw the curtains twitch in the living room. Great. Alfie was spying.
“Thanks,” I murmured, unable to meet Stu’s gaze. The car journey had been way too intense, especially the quiet portion.
“No problem. See you tomorrow, Andrea,” he said, his deep voice caressing my name.
“Yeah, see you,” I said, hitching my bag up on my shoulder and turning abruptly to open the gate. He knew where I lived now, and there was something both powerless and electrifying about it.
I could feel his gaze on my back all the way to the front door. It was only when I got inside the flat that I felt I could breathe again. Unfortunately, it only lasted a moment before Alfie was in front of me, his arms folded, and an accusatory look on his face.
“Who was that?”
I shrugged and went to hang up my coat. “A friend.”
“Hmmm. I didn’t know you had friends like that.”
“Like what?”
“Friends who look like they just stepped off a Guy Ritchey film set.”
“Oh Alfie, I’m really too tired for this today.”
“That was him, wasn’t it? The ex-criminal? That man looked exactly as you described your new student, and I think it’d be a bit of a coincidence that you suddenly made a new friend who’s practically his clone.”
“He’s not dangerous,” I said and moved past him into the kitchen. All I wanted to do was cook dinner and pour a glass of wine. I really didn’t have the patience to indulge my cousin’s paranoia.
“Even so, I’ve never seen you get a lift home from a student before. This isn’t like you.”
He was right. It wasn’t like me, but I didn’t have the emotional energy to delve into why I was acting so out of character. Sure, Stu had been determined to give me a lift home, but it wasn’t like I couldn’t have put my foot down and declined. If I was being completely honest with myself, I’d wanted to take the lift. Some deep, dark, very unprofessional part of me enjoyed his attention. Nevertheless, I wasn’t prepared to admit any of this to Alfie.
“He offered me a ride and it would’ve been rude to say no. That’s all there is to it.”
“He could be grooming you.”
I cocked an eyebrow. “Grooming me for what?”
“I don’t know. For something illegal. Maybe he wants you to be his drugs mule, or to put your name down as guarantor for a mortgage he’s going to skip out on.”
I barked a laugh at that. Honestly, where did he come up with this stuff?
“It’s not funny,” he huffed.
“I know it’s not. I’m just tired. Can we eat dinner and leave the worrying out of it for one night?”
Alfie pursed his lips, glanced at the floor, then nodded his head. At least he was aware of how trying his personality could be at times. And yeah, maybe I would be more worried about Stu’s interest
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