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-&- 

Chapter 17

       I just got home for the day and was about to make lunch for Adriel and me, when my phone lit up with a message. I frowned down at his bold name flashing across my screen. This man never texted me before in his life, now I get two in a two week-period? Can't come home for lunch. Stuck at the site.

       Well that's just great.

       My mind had been reeling all day from Professor Shorzin's lecture, and I was really hoping to see Dri for a while. This week was starting to suck just as much as the last one. I didn't want to be alone in that house either, not with all it's dark corners and shadows. Then a thought flashed through my mind, and a wide smile pulled at my lips. Adriel still got a lunch, he just couldn't leave the site. I knew he didn't pack any food that morning since he was supposed to come back here, and the crazy man would be starving by now.

       I put together a few hastily made sandwiches, with five different kinds of cold cuts that insane male always ate and threw a few bags of chips into his lunch box. I tried to ignore the eerie silence of the house as best as I could, but I couldn't help feeling like the monsters under beds and hiding in closets were real now. But they weren't. No matter what my dreams thought, they were just dreams. I believed in what I could see. Except, my mind was now playing tricks on my eyes.

       I didn't know what I could believe anymore.

       I hurried to my car with a smile pulling on my lips. It was the first time that entire day I felt anything close to happy. Not that it had anything to do with that arrogant, pig-headed, insanely fuckable blue eyed idiot I was bringing food to. I assumed the 'site' was that big construction dig in the center of town he said he would be working at occasionally. I pulled into the once-upon-a-time park's parking lot a few minutes later.

       The sun was still high in the sky, and there were no dark spots slinking around the area. I frowned at all the workers and their hard hats crowding around the overturned piles of dirt and construction equipment. They all looked exactly the same. Everyone was wearing flannels or black t-shirts, with dark boot-cut jeans, construction boots, and tool belts. They all had hard hats on too, so I couldn't clearly make out anyone's face.

       Where the hell was he?

       I glanced over at a hillier area of the site where two more men were standing on top of a tightly compacted dirt pile, one of them holding a large clipboard and radio. Well, that looked like a boss, and Dri did say he was in charge of people. I'm taking that as my best bet, or they could tell me where he was at least.

       I maneuvered easily around the large work-trucks but trudging around piles of dirt and workers was another matter. There were a few wolf calls, and whistles, while others yelled that I wasn't supposed to be there and to get out. I ignored them and made a bee line for the two guys at the top of the hill.

       I had just started up the little hill the two were on when voices reached my ears, and sure enough, one of them was Adriel's. "We had a deal." Dri's voice was a hard sigh as the guy at his side gave a beaming smile to the blue-eyed idiot.

       The closer I got, the more I could see of his 'friend', and let me say, the man was gorgeous. He was tall, like Adriel, with tan skin, golden-blond hair, and eyes such a sparkling gold they could put the sun to shame. "And I haven't broken that deal." The guy spoke, that bright, beaming smile still on his lips.

       Adriel stepped closer to the guy, his grip tightening on the clipboard as that hard jaw clenched tightly. "Listen—"

       "Oh, hello there." Those insanely bright gold eyes were suddenly locked on mine, and that smile was directed at me. "How can we help you?" I felt my heart stop. It wasn't possible for someone to be that unearthly handsome. There was something else that made me pause though, something that stirred deep in my stomach. It was a weird Déjà vu feeling, like I had met the guy before. Like I knew him.

       Adriel whipped around faster than I expected, those dark eyes blazing angrily at being interrupted, until they landed on me. The fury quickly left his expression, and that gaze widened. "Oh, um, I—I..." I was stammering like an idiot. Never before had I actually got flustered around anyone except Adriel. Now there was two insanely attractive men staring over at me expectantly, and heat suddenly flamed the back of my neck. "I'm just here for Adriel." It was harder that I would have liked forcing those words out steadily.

       Dri blinked, and then that stupid smirk was pulling across his insanely kissable lips. "Awe, I see." The golden man said as I came to a stop at their side. I couldn't hold his gaze for long and I found myself staring at his dark green t-shirt rather than at his beautiful face. He was practically glowing. "Adriel, you didn't tell me you had a lunch date. I wouldn't have held you so long." Gold-guy's smile turned sly and those bright eyes flickered to Dri.

       "I didn't know either." But Adriel's voice didn't sound upset, and when I glanced up at him there was only light shining from his dark gaze. Don't fucking blush, Larkin.

       This was ridiculous. I didn't get flustered over men, no matter how ridiculously attractive they were. I forced my gaze to the gold-guy and put a smile on my lips. "I'm Larkin, nice to meet you..." I let my voice trail off as those ridiculously gold eyes flickered back to my gaze. I had to literally repeat over and over again in my head not to look away. The feeling that washed over me whenever our gazes locked was one of complete and total unworthiness. Like I wasn't worthy enough to be near him. It was a very unnerving feeling.

       But then the guy's smile turned genuine and ease washed over me. "Micah, and it's very nice to meet you, Larkin." Then he did something I was so not used to that my mouth actually dropped open. Micah lifted my free hand, the one that wasn't holding Adriel's lunch, and kissed the back of it. Those shimmering eyes flickered to mine as he did, and it was like the ground beneath my feet disappeared.

       "Alright, that's enough." Then Adriel was suddenly taking my hand from golden-guy and puling me against his side. I would have shot him a narrowed look if my mind wasn't spinning. Dri wasn't the jealous type, but I could have sworn that was what was flashing through that dark gaze.

       Micah stepped away with a small laugh, those bright eyes seeming to glisten in the sun. "Yes, I believe it is. I should be off, anyway. Too much to do in too little time I'm afraid. I'll leave you to your lunch, Adriel." That gaze flickered from mine to Dri before he stepped away.

       "I'm sorry," I stopped him as he started to turn away, and my heart gave a little flutter when that gaze locked back with mine. "But have we met before? You seem really familiar."

       Micah's lips pulled up at the corner, his gaze never leaving mine as his head tilted curiously to the side. "I would never forget such a pretty face." And then he turned and walked down the hill without a backward glance. My eyes stayed trained on his back until he disappeared into one of the work trucks. Despite his words, I could not shake that familiar feeling.

       "You done staring?" Dri's tone had taken on a hard edge, and the fingers that were wrapped around my hand tightened.

       "Done being jealous?"

       "I'm not jealous."

       "You're glaring at me like I just kicked your puppy."

       "Whatever." He rolled those dark blues and tugged on my hand. "Is that food for me?" He pulled me closer to peak at the lunch box clenched in my free hand.

       I shot him a narrowed look. "Only if you start being nice to me."

       He sighed, but it was one of aggravation more than anything else. "You want me to kiss the back of your hand too?" Heat flamed my cheeks and I instantly looked away so he couldn't see.

       "No, don't be ridiculous."

       "Or maybe you want me to kiss something lower—"

       "Adriel!" I snapped and ripped my hand away from his with wide, bewildered eyes. He did not just say that! "Yeah, go ahead and kiss my ass!"

       "I'm kidding! No, wait, Lark, I'm just joking!" He called after me as I started an angry stomp back down the hill. His booming laughter caused more than a few workers to glance our way. I had just reached the bottom of the dirt pile, ready to jump straight back into my car and deal with the creepy silence at the house, when he was suddenly at my side. "I'm sorry." His voice was a little breathless, but there was laughter dancing in his eyes as his strong grip wrapped around my upper arm.

       "You're an ass hole, Adriel."

       That was a joke I was so not okay with. He didn't get it, and I shouldn't have expected him to. How could he possibly understand this insane need I have for him? Or how my body was constantly fighting against my heart? I wanted him so badly that it literally made my chest ache, and it was to save whatever the fuck relationship we had that I pushed the urge away. He was a guy they had a crazy sex drive already, and it was just a one-time thing to him. He would never understand.

       "Larkin, hey..." His hand let go of my arm to nudge at my chin, the clipboard still clenched in his other. I didn't want to look at him. I wasn't in the mood to be buddy-buddy right then, or to be around him at all. I just wanted to go home. "I really am sorry." I glanced up at those blue eyes, saw the genuine apology there as they washed over my face. I looked away again.

       "It's fine. Here's your lunch." I pulled away from him and raised the lunch box up for him to take. His gaze dropped down to the food, then flickered back to mine.

       "You're not going to stay?" I had to ignore the sudden remorse in his tone, and the way those blue eyes darkened.

       "No, I have a paper I need to get started on." I didn't want to be around him right then, or those blue eyes. I didn't want to admit how much his little 'joke' bothered me, but god he could be such an ass hole! And after everything that happened in the past week, inconsiderate jokes from the one person I put above everyone else was definitely not what I needed.

       He took the lunch from my hand, all traces of amusement vanishing from those handsome features. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm really sorry."

       "Yeah, you've said that. I'll see you at home." I turned around and headed straight for my little yellow bug, the one he bought me. I could feel that gaze staring into my back as I crossed the parking lot and unlocked my car. Maybe I was acting a little childish, and I knew he really was sorry, but that didn't change the fact that he said it. That he actually thought it was okay to. He would never understand the turmoil constantly tearing apart my heart.

-&-

       I frowned at the brown teddy bear half my size sitting on my bed when I got out of the shower. I clutched the towel tighter around me and reached down for the card clenched in its paws. "What the hell?" I grumbled as I flipped open the card covered in little hearts. 'I'm sorry for being a dick.' Was scrawled in Adriel's neat cursive against the plain white background. I couldn't stop the laugh that past my lips.

       Yeah, I overreacted earlier, but I also didn't really blame myself. After the shit show that happened last week my mind had been completely and totally fried. Plus, I knew Dri had the potential to be the biggest dick of the century, just as much as he could be the sweetest, most endearing person ever.

       "Hi..."

       I whirled around to face the uncertain voice coming from my doorway. I clutched the towel tighter around my naked body when my gaze landed on the sheepish blue pair.

       "Hey."

       It was six-thirty in the afternoon, and he had showered and changed out of his work clothes already. The black t-shirt hugging his toned torso and the low hanging plaid pajama pants didn't do anything to keep my gaze from washing hungrily over him. I watched as he reached up to run a hand through his quickly growing hair, an ashamed smile pulling at his lips.

       "I got you a bear."

       "Yeah, I see that."

       "I'm really sorry, Angel."

       I sighed and turned around to place the card back in the bear's lap. "I know, Dri. It's okay. I shouldn't have made a big deal about it." I walked away from him, and the bear, to step inside my walk-in closet.

       "No, it was really insensitive of me." His low voice caressed my ears as he stepped further into my room. I tried to ignore him as I eased the closet door closed a few inches so he wouldn't see me change. I had just pulled on the rest of my pajamas when the door opened and Dri stood there in all his sheepish glory.

       "I was changing." I scolded and crossed my arms grumpily over my chest.

       That amused smirk pulled on his lips. "I waited until you were done."

       "You were watching me?" My mouth dropped slightly open, and my gaze narrowed at him dangerously. He chuckled.

       "No, just your shadow."

       "Pig."

       He rolled those eyes before stepping further into the walk-in area. "I wanted you to know that you were right, Larkin." Heat suddenly raced through my veins as he grew closer, that smoldering look I was becoming quickly familiar with crossing his gaze. Oh God, what was he doing? "I was jealous." There were gentle fingertips suddenly brushing over my cheeks, and my legs became a little wobbly.

       "Adriel..." I spoke softly, my eyes wide as his flickered briefly to mine before narrowing on my lips.

       "We decided kissing wasn't part of the one-time thing, right?" His voice was low, tempting as it washed across my skin and teased my heart. His words made my chest flutter, and my thighs clench.

       "Dri—"

       "Because I really want to kiss you." That fluttery feeling washed over every part of me, and electricity shot from his fingertips through my skin. I really wanted to kiss him too.

       "I-I can't." It took all I had not to make my words sound like a plea. I couldn't do this, to either of us. With the way he was looking at me, and with the way my body was reacting to those gentle touches, that kiss would turn to something else very fast.

       Adriel pulled away, that smoldering gaze slowly fading to one of concern. "You know you'll never lose me, sweet girl."

       I closed my eyes and leaned away from his touch. "I hate when you do that." Like he can read my fucking mind. Its infuriating.

       He gave me a small, genuine smile, one that lacked the sly amusement he usual wore. "You wear your emotions on your sleeve." His hand brought mine to his lips and he kissed the underside of my wrist for emphasis. My other hand was resting against his hard chest and I relished in the strong planes beneath the soft texture of his shirt.

       "Who was that guy anyway?" I asked instead of falling back into that lustful trap his eyes were eagerly ready to cage me in.

       Something dark flashed across his gaze, and that stony jaw clenched shut. Oof, I did love when he did that. "A business partner of 'Avid' that has recently found a love in fucking with my work." Then his lips pulled up in that smirk that made me want to roll my eyes. "And I'm not going to let him fuck with you." I did actually roll my eyes at that, even as he leaned down to nudge his forehead against mine.

       "Alright, so if you're not going to let me kiss you, can I at least make dinner?"

       I pulled away with a raised eyebrow. "You actually want to make dinner?"

       He shrugged those strong shoulder, a snarky humor flashing in his dark gaze as he stepped back into my room. "Make dinner, get take-out, same difference."

       I groaned and followed sluggishly after him as he headed for the hallway. "You're going to kill your arteries one day, Markos." I grumbled as he leaned down to turn my side lamp on. Ease washed over me as light filled the room, chasing away the dark shadows creeping in the corner.

       He laughed as we stepped out into the hall and walked to the stairs. "I'm not too worried about that, and foods food, Lark. You in the mood for burgers? I want some burgers." I stopped at Raffie's door as he sauntered down the stairs, his quiet laughter following behind him. I shook my head.

       That man would be the death of me. 

-&-

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