Chapter 7 Not What I Thought

• “Ain’t?”
• He turned the key in the door and pushed it open. Blinking slowly at me as if I were stupid for pointing it out. He ducked his head and took his glasses off. Dropping them into his palm.
• Oh, my God. He took them off! I was hoping a red cape might unravel from his back. That seemed just as likely to me as him ever taking those stupid things off.
• “Why are you here?” He asked again.
• “You mentioned I should just take the money from my savings.”
• “Seems wise to me.” He crossed the room and ducked into a side room.
• Bedroom probably.
• But my eyes were drawn to the room around me. Weights were hung on shelves near the door. The floor was barren except for a small rug outside the door he’d went in and one further down a short hallway.
• Bathroom. I guessed.
• Everything was monochrome. Neat and tidy.
• Like being in the mind of a serial killer. My eyes widened and I stared at his doorway. Wondering if I should run while I could.
• If he came out of that room squeezing a spurting needle, I was out.
• I’d scream deuces and run straight to Logan’s. I decided.
• But when Porter emerged he was shirtless. Pulling on a black button up as fast as he stepped from the doorway. But not before I got a delicious glimpse of shining tan flesh covered in chest tattoos including a cross necklace. His shoulders each had dark designs I didn’t get to inspect before they were covered.
• I couldn’t help that my greedy eyes set on a ridged abdomen that looked like it had been carved into stone by the hands of Aphrodite.
• Jesus...Where was he hiding those?
• They disappeared beneath a dark belt cinching the narrow waist of some dark tactical pants with extra pockets along the sides. He twisted toward a high shelf next to his room. Giving those fine abs a nice little flex as he moved.
• I had to blink in shock to see if I was really seeing the same man.
• He pulled down a small flashlight he dropped in his pocket. Handcuffs went into the other one.
• Porter owns a pair of handcuffs? I was stunned.
• And now incredibly curious.
• Teresa would piss herself to climb over the desk if she knew that.
• Lastly he pulled down a gun, dropping the magazine into his palm before he glided back the slide and inspected the chamber. Quickly releasing the slide and slapping the magazine back in he stuck it in a holster on his left hip.
• He’s left handed.
• How did I not know that?
• Better question. Why did I care now?
• Because this, whatever this was, was hot.
• Like scald the roots of my hair hot.
• “Porter?”
• “Yeah?” He glanced at me.
• And without his glasses his eyes were vicious green. Like the skin of a lizard. Striking straight through me.
• His perfectly manicured hair wasn’t as dark as I thought.
• There was more red in the rust color now that it was loose from him changing, with a thick piece curling over one corner of his forehead, wildly.
• He buttoned his shirt quickly and shoved the bottom in his pants before rolling both sleeves up his elbows. Revealing an interesting design on one forearm. A strange tribal that seemed strikingly familiar.
• Where have I seen one like that before?
• One the other side was a small bulldog. My dad had, had one like that.
• A marine bulldog?
• “You’re staring, Love.” He remarked without looking up.
• “Who the fuck are you?” I blinked. Wondering if I should creep past him and see if Porter was still in his room and this was some weird twin.
• That I wanted to do dirty, dirty, things to.
• Anywhere.
• I shook my head. Stunned at my own idiotic thoughts. Since when did Porter make me stupid.
• "Same man you were mocking a few hours ago."
• “Didn’t think you noticed.” I remarked.
• His brow indented. “Why? Think I’m stupid.”
• My head turned slowly to inspect the immaculate apartment.
• Clearly not.
• This was an everything in it’s place kinda studio apartment. That depicted organization, control, intelligence.
• I knew in that moment, unequivocably, that all that time I’d thought I was so clever, sneaking my skimming of the Meridian past him, I’d been very wrong.
• He knew the whole time.
• I looked back at him.
• A man like this doesn’t miss a thing.
• That made my mouth dry and my heart drop.
• So why was he saying something now?
• “You going to get to the point, Love. Or just keep staring at me like a dog in heat?”
• I gave him an appalled look.
• “I’m not a dog!”
• He blinked slowly. “You’re not deny-”
• “Not that either!” I cut him off before he dared finish that sentence. “You said you’d cover the gap with your savings.”
• “I did.” He nodded.
• “You said that, like you have a lot of it.”
• “Enough.”
• “Loan me some.” I blurted.
• His eyes went hooded and for one heart-stopping moment I thought he’d tell me to pound sand.
• “What makes you think I don’t have my own things to spend it on?”
• “You’re you.” I gestured to him.
• Porter was a homebody, shy, unsocial... I stopped those thoughts because I was less sure about them now. What could he possibly spend it on.
• “Meaning what?” He crossed sinewed forearms over his chest. Making the muscles under shirt bulge.
• “You always work late, you care too much about being innocuous, you have no social skills. You clearly don’t have much of a life.”
• He tipped his head back and laughed at that. Revealing perfect, square teeth.
• Teeth which I couldn’t recall ever seeing before.
• Did he ever smile at Chase & Walker?
• Nope. Don’t think so. I decided.
• “You know so much about me, do ya Love?”
• Love?
• What was with that? And why did it sound so natural on his lips. It should sound weird and awkward.
• “Why do you keep calling me that?”
• “Because you’re adorable when you want something. I rather enjoy it.”