Fallen Too Far

Rush frowned a moment, then it vanished quickly and he had an easy smile on his face again. "Where’s your suitcase?" he asked.

I closed the truck door and walked over to the back of the truck to get it out. Before I could reach for it, a warm body that smelled foreign and delicious reached over me. I froze as Rush grabbed my luggage and pulled it out.

Turning around I looked up at him. He winked at me. "I can carry your bag. I’m not that big of an ass."

"Thank you, again," I stuttered, unable to look away from his gaze. Those eyes of his were incredible. The thick black lashes that framed them almost looked like eyeliner. He had an all-natural highlighter around his eyes. It was completely unfair. My lashes were blonde. What I wouldn’t give for lashes like his.

"Ah, good, you stopped her. I was giving you five minutes and then coming out here to make sure you hadn’t completely run her off." Grant’s familiar voice snapped me out of my daze and I spun around thankful for an interruption. I had been gazing up at Rush like an idiot. I’m surprised he hadn’t sent me packing again.

"She’s gonna take Henrietta’s room until I can get in touch with her father and figure something out." Rush sounded annoyed. He stepped around me and handed Grant the suitcase. "Here, you take her to her room. I have company to get back to."

Rush walked off without a backwards glance. It took all my willpower not to watch him walk away. Especially since his backside in a pair of jeans was extremely tempting. He was not someone I needed to be attracted to.

"He is one moody sonuvabitch," Grant said, shaking his head and looking back at me. I couldn’t disagree with him.

"You don’t have to carry my suitcase inside again," I said reaching for it.

Grant moved it back out of my reach. "I happen to be the charming brother. I’m not about to let you carry this suitcase when I have two very strong not to mention pretty damn impressive arms to carry them with."

I would have smiled if not for the one word that had just thrown me for a loop. "Brother?" I replied.

Grant smiled but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. "I guess I forgot to mention that I’m the kid of Georgianna’s husband number two. She stayed married to my dad from the time I was three years old and Rush was four until I was fifteen. By then, Rush and I were brothers. Just because my dad divorced his mom didn’t change anything for us. We went to college together and even joined the same frat."

Oh. Okay. I hadn’t been expecting that. "How many husbands has Georgianna had?"

Grant let out a short hard laugh then started walking toward the door. "Your dad is husband number four."

My dad was an idiot. This woman sounded like she went through husbands like she did panties. How long before she got rid of him and moved on?

Grant walked back up the steps and didn’t say anything else to me while we headed toward the kitchen. It was massive with black marble countertops and elaborate appliances. It reminded me of something out of a home decorating magazine. Then he opened a door that looked like a large walk in pantry. Confused I looked around then followed him inside. He walked to the back of it and opened another door.

He had enough room to walk inside and put my suitcase on the bed. I followed him in and scooted around the twin size bed that left only a few inches between it and the door.  It was obvious I was under the stairs. A small nightstand fit tightly between the bed and the wall. Other than that, there was nothing.

"I have no idea where you are supposed to keep your luggage. This room is small. I’ve never actually been back here." Grant shook his head and then sighed. "Listen, if you want to come to my apartment with me you can. I’ll at least give you a bedroom that you can move around in."

As nice as Grant was I wasn’t about to take him up on that offer. He didn’t need an unwanted houseguest taking up one of his bedrooms. At least here I was tucked away so no one would see me. I could clean up around the house and get a job somewhere. Maybe Rush would let me sleep in this small unused room until I had enough money to move out. I didn’t feel like I was imposing so badly back here. I’d find a grocery story tomorrow and use my twenty dollars for some food. Peanut butter and bread should get me through a week or so.

"This is perfect. I’m out of the way back here. Besides, Rush is calling my dad tomorrow and finding out when he will be home. Maybe my father has a plan. I don’t know. Thank you though, I really appreciate the offer."

Grant looked around the room one more time and scowled. He wasn’t happy about this room but I was relieved. It was sweet of him to care.

"I hate leaving you back here. It feels wrong." He looked back at me this time with a pleading sound to his voice.

"This is great. Much better than my truck would have been."

Grant frowned. "Truck? You were gonna sleep in your truck?"

"Yes. I was. This, however, gives me a little time to figure out what I’m gonna do next."

Grant ran a hand through his shaggy hair. "Will you promise me something?" he asked.

I wasn’t one to make promises. What I knew of promises was that they were easily broken. I shrugged. It was the best I could do.

"If Rush makes you leave, call me."

I started to agree and realized I didn’t have his phone number.

"Where’s your phone so I can put my number in it?" he asked.

This was going to make me sound even more pathetic. "I don’t have one."

Grant gaped at me, "You don’t have a cell phone? No wonder you carry a damn gun." He reached into his pocket and pulled out what looked like a receipt. "You got a pen?"

I pulled one out of my purse and handed it to him.