Page 44 of Protect Me
I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, but held the restraining order paperwork close to my chest. That was something he didn’t need to know about.
Ever.
If I could get away with it.
“Get changed if you want,” he called, still out of sight, “it’ll be ready in just a few minutes.”
A giddy sense of relief replaced the weight of my day. Dinner with Vikram was not only delicious, but also better than a show. The way his smile illuminated his eyes. The play of muscles when he moved. He joked easily, so naturally charming, that when it was the two of us I could almost see something dancing between us.
Something I’d only harbored in my dreams.
After shucking off my work clothes, changing into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, and sliding into a pair of flip flops, I wandered into the kitchen. Pans littered the top of the range. Sizzling vegetables off to the side. Strips of chicken—perfectly marinated and cooked. Shreds of onion skin littered the countertop near grains of rice. Vikram might be perfectly neat in everywhere else, but he unleashed his inner monster in the kitchen.
He glanced up and gave me a warm, full-bodied smile. My stomach dropped all the way to my toes.
Sweet baby pineapple.
How did he do that?
“Smells delicious,” I managed. He grinned, that white-toothed smile that had always captured me.
I slipped to the other side of him and reached for plates out of the cupboard. Otherwise, I’d gawk and drool and never recover my pride. We fell easily into our routine. He happily slaved over delicious food; I set the table. The workload was way out of balance in my favor, but I’d take it all day.
“Do you still like to watch movies?” he asked, breaking a run of quiet. I jumped, startled when his voice came from just behind me. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“You didn’t!” I said too quickly. “I just . . . I didn’t know you were there.”
He reached around my side, setting a bowl of rice on the table. Spices graced the top in a bright sheen. His scent wafted past, paralyzing me. I swallowed hard, arrested by a brush of warmth. His skin almost met mine.
Tantalizingly close.
My heart clumsily recovered from the near-touch. Or was it the startle? I couldn’t be sure.
“So,” he drawled. “Movies?”
“Ah, movies? Yes. I like movies.”
A skein of incredulousness filled his voice. “The Korean monster movies that Vini used to be obsessed with?”
Unable to help myself, I laughed. “Those will forever be a favorite.”
“Well, I grabbed a few rentals online earlier today if you want to watch with me. I thought about going out but . . .”
He trailed away, then reached for the chicken. Vikram, like his father, was a perceptive figure. He acted like he didn’t see everything, but he absorbed each detail. I couldn’t dismiss the thought that he’d noticed how little I ventured into the world. Did he rent the movies instead of going to the theater because of me?
The thought that I’d eventually have to tell him about Timothy ran through my mind. Didn’t I owe him that much? If I found another place to stay, the need to inform him would no longer exist. Frankly, it wouldn’t be his business then. I couldn’t dismiss whether I owed it to him now, though. I was about to file for a protective restraining order against a man who committed sexual assault.
Yes. I owed my roommate that information.
ButIhad been that assault victim, and the thought of saying those words to someone like Vikram broke me apart inside. Vik was a good man, but even the best of men would have questions. Concerns. They’d wonder. They’d see me differently.
After finally feeling safe again, could I do it?
The hope that I’d find a new, safe place to stay rushed up to save me. When I found that place, I’d tell him then. That way, if it became weird between us, he’d have an out. He wouldn’t have to face me every day with whatever reaction or response he had.
“I’d love to watch movies with you,” I said when I realized I’d fallen quiet for too long. “I haven’t been out to a new movie in years, though. If you wanted to go to the theater, I’d be interested in that as well.”
His dark brows rose. “Really?”
