Page 30 of Filthy Love

After lying in her pit of shame for more than thirty minutes, she finally grabbed her cell phone, brought it under the duvet with her.

Gia:Thank you for taking care of me.

Hawk:Any time.

Gia: Do you mean it? Any time?? I need taking care of now.

Bolder than usual. Her heart caught in her throat, she waited for his reply. A minute. Then two.Dammit, Hawk. come on.When she thought he was ignoring her, she swung out of bed, stood on her jelly legs, she went through her routine of showering and dressing in simple pink sweatpants and T-shirt, leaving her wet hair to dry naturally, she rubbed on lotion, pulled on socks and headed to the mecca of all coffees to rouse her for the day.

Thank god, she didn’t have work today.

It was always one step forward and forty million back with him, she acknowledged.

It was something she needed to get used to. Accept the way he was.

He didn’t want her in the way she wanted him.

She’d given it the old college try.

Now she was moving on with her life.

How do you quit a man like him?

Hawk:Then come downstairs and I’ll take care of whatever you need.

WHAT?

WHAT?

Gia nearly stumbled her way going down the stairs in her haste to see if he really was inside her house.

Hawk was not here. Was he? No, he couldn’t be. He would have left hours ago.

She smelled strongly brewed coffee before she tentatively pushed open the door leading to the kitchen.

And there he was.

Propped against the sink, boots crossed at the ankle. Arms crossed over his wide, strong chest. Bare arms on display in his cut-off shirt. His hair always a disheveled mess and same for his beard and to Gia he’d never looked as sexy as he did standing in her kitchen. She didn’t miss a thing. Not the veins in the back of his hands, or the way his eyes followed her all the way into her kitchen without a blink breaking the contact.

His gaze was heated. Unmasked.

“What are you still doing here?”

“Making you coffee.” He took a step towards the coffee machine and hooked up her favorite mug, the one that was pink and said, ‘Nerds do it Better’he held it out towards her. She took it mechanically and because she wanted caffeine in her bloodstream more than she wanted anything else. “I didn’t want to leave in case you choked on your vomit in the night.” he added on.

Oh, merciful lord, if you think anything of me smite me down now.She prayed.

With her face pink and the coffee burning her tongue, she sat at the table in the middle of the room.

She loved this kitchen and would be sorry to leave it behind.

“Thank you for bringing me home. And looking after me. And patching up my knee.” She mumbled into her mug.And kissing me. Thank you for kissing me and making sure I’m ruined for all other men.

“You’re welcome, Gia. For it all.”

Was that a smirk in his deep rumbled tone?

Did he mean she was welcome for the hot kiss that was scorched on the back of her eyelids? How she’d thrown herself at him and he’d not only caught her but took over the kiss like he was starved for it? She could still feel his tongue in her mouth, stroking over her teeth, enticing hers to dance with him.

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