“You work three jobs, and go to school part time?”
I tucked my feet up and to the side of me. “Yep. How about you?”
“Usually I try to work four on, four off, twelve-hour shifts unless we have a serious threat like this one then it’s all hands on deck with unpredictable hours until the killer is found and put in jail. Would you like some coffee?”
“Do you have tea?”
He smiled and shook his head. “We’ll get you some.”
“Coffee is fine too, thank you. Do you like being an FBI agent? Not that I know exactly what that all entails.”
He disappeared into the part of the kitchen you couldn’t see from where I sat, and I heard him pull down a cup and pour the coffee.
“Cream and sugar?”
“I’ll try it how you make it. I like to be surprised.” I stared out the window noticing the kids playing a game of stick hockey in the street. He lived in a nice area, not fancy but well-loved. The sidewalks could have used some help as some of the trees’ gnarled roots had broken through the concrete, creating breaks in the path. Still, having large shade trees was always preferred in Chicago. In the summer, the heat could be sweltering, the humidity life changing, and not in a good way. I’d bet those trees kept his car from becoming a hotbox of lava.
“Shoot, my car,” I murmured as Jonah handed me a steaming mug.
“We’ve got an APB out for your car and the local boys in blue patrolling. Hope to get some hits soon. This is the first time he’s hit this close to our offices.”
I frowned. “Yeah.” I sipped the coffee and found he’d made it with cream and sugar, and it was divine. Exactly how I liked it. “This is perfect.”
“Yeah?”
“Perfect. Exactly the way I like it.”
“Me too.”
I smiled and held the mug in front of my face, allowing it to hide my overwhelming excitement in the fact that we liked our coffee the same way. It was such a cheesy thing to be happy about, but I couldn’t help it.
“So, I’ve got an idea! Let’s go out today and have some fun!” I stood up and shimmied a little where I stood.
“Fun? Simone, you’ve been through absolute hell the past two days and I’m supposed to be taking it easy for the rest of the week and keeping you safe. I’m surprised you don’t want to hide out and just chill.”
“One thing you’re going to learn about me, I’m not a Netflix and chill type of woman. Not when there’s life to be living, places to see, and people to enjoy spending time with.”
“Did you want to connect with one of your sisters or friends?” He rubbed his hands down his long muscular thighs.
I frowned. “I’ll check in with them, but they all have work and their own lives to focus on. Regardless of what crazy things are happening in mine, they need to carry on just as much as I do. We can’t let this psycho control every step of how we live. Otherwise he wins. Besides, I want to hang out with you. Get to know my savior better.”
“Ah, your savior, right.” His jaw hardened and he glanced away.
I tipped my head and focused on his body language. “Did I say something wrong?”
He sighed and shook his head. “Not at all. It just all makes sense.”
“What does?”
“You’re attracted to me because I saved your life.”
I jerked my head back in complete shock. “Say what?”
He stood up and swished his hand through the air like it was no big deal. “It’s totally normal. Common actually. Hero worship. It happens more often than you might think.”
I made a face like he’d just stepped in something rank. “I’m not sure where you’re getting this from. Attracted to you because you saved my life? Um, no. I’m thankful to you because you saved my life. So grateful. Which I still need to repay by doing something nice for you. But I’m attracted to you because you’re smokin’ hot. Now, you think on that while I go get showered and changed. We’ll be heading out and I have a great idea where to go.”
“Simone…”
“Nope! You stepped in it, dude, not me. I’m choosing not to take offense…yet. And while I’m showering, all naked and wet in your shower, how’s about you think about why you’re attracted to me? And I can sure as hell bet it isn’t because you saved my life, or you loved seeing me in a pink, greasy day-old diner outfit.” And as I walked out of the room, I waved my ass to the best of my ability, showing off whatever I could.
Hero worship.
For the love of all things Holy. I couldn’t wait to tell my sisters about that. Charlie would lose her mind. Blessing would laugh her butt off and Addy would tell me to use that to my advantage. Still the way he responded, cutting himself off from me when I called him my savior was not a pleasant reaction and said more about him than it ever could about me. Definitely a story there.
And just like a dog with a bone, if I wanted something, I’d work to get it. So far, Jonah was a male of true worth. I just had to find out what had gone wrong in his past that made him skittish when it came to women. Or more specifically, a woman he’d saved.
Still, there was a beautiful day to be had, and some bad crap from the last two days to get off my chest and fill with nothing but the good things life had to offer.
I’d take Jonah kicking and screaming with me if I had to.
Poor, sexy, smokin’ hot FBI man had no idea what he’d gotten himself into moving me in.
“Navy Pier. That’s where you’ve directed me?” Jonah’s voice did not hold a lot of excitement, but I knew I’d bring him around. Otherwise, I wouldn’t, and he’d be a bump on a log and yet, I’d still have a blast. His response would also determine if he was the man for me or not.
Simple.
“Yes, sir! First stop. Breakfast!”
He parked the car, got out, walked around, and opened my door for me before I even had my bag situated with all the stuff I wanted back in it, as I’d put my makeup on in the car while he drove. Something he found absolutely fascinating if how many times he kept glancing my way was any measure.
“Some of us early birds already had breakfast.” He grinned.
“Suit yourself, but I’m getting a churro and we’re taking it on the big ferris wheel. It’s going to be awesome!” I jumped out of the car and strapped my purse over and across my body, the slouchy part hanging right in front of me. A girl could never be too careful with her purse or her pocketbook in Chi-Town.
Once he locked the car, he held out his hand.
Gentleman opening my door. Check.
Holding my hand. Double check.
I grabbed his and couldn’t help but beam while looking at his gorgeous face, his pretty eyes hidden behind a pair of dark Ray-Bans.
He stared at me for a long time, his face dipping a tad closer almost as if he were going to kiss me.
I waited what felt like an eternity when he inhaled slowly and said, “I could do a churro and the ferris wheel.”
Inside my heart was pounding, my body tingling and butterflies filling my belly. I squeezed his hand and said, “Triple check.”
He smiled. “What’s that supposed to mean?”