Page 20 of Deserving Cora
She headed out into the hallway with the bag, into the bathroom, refusing to look in the direction where she could see Pipe standing near the galley kitchen. She reached into the shower and got her shampoo and conditioner and a shower pouf. Then collected some toiletries on the counter.
True to her word, she was finished packing in less than five minutes. She went back out into the main room and finally met Pipe’s eyes. “I’m ready,” she told him.
As she’d thought, he didn’t look happy. But he also looked thoroughly confused as well.
“Where the fuck is your furniture?” he asked between clenched teeth.
Looking around, Cora tried to see the apartment from his point of view. The only furniture in the room was a battered bookshelf against one of the walls, with pictures of her and Lara and a few well-read paperbacks. That was it. She had a moment to be glad he hadn’t gone into her kitchen and opened the cabinets. He would’ve found them just as empty of dishes, cookware, and even silverware.
Following Pipe’s gaze, she looked back into her bedroom, and the lack of furniture in there as well. She had a blow-up mattress on the floor, one that she’d borrowed from Lara a while back, and that was about it.
“Cora? Seriously—what the hell? Youlivehere?”
Straightening her shoulders and feeling defensive, she nodded. “Yes. I sold my stuff to get the money for the auction,” she explained, voice steady.
“You sold your stuff,” Pipe repeated.
Cora had never felt as humiliated as she did right now. But it didn’t last long before she mentally shook her head. She had nothing to be ashamed of. She’d done what she’d done to help the only person who’d ever treated her as if she was more than a piece of trash.
“Yes,” she said, her chin inching up.
Pipe ran a hand through his hair as he stared at her almost empty apartment.
“I would’ve invited you to stay the night here, rather than taking the Metro all the way back to your hotel, but…well…” She lamely gestured to the empty room.
In response, Pipe surprised her by walking into the kitchen.
Cora stiffened as she watched him open her fridge and several of her cabinets. She waited for his judgement. For comments about her lack of food, and anything to cook or eat it with.
But he surprised her again by simply turning back to her and saying, “You got everything you need?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. Let’s go.” He reached out and grabbed her bag, swinging it over his shoulder and gestured toward her front door.
Cora narrowed her eyes, fully expecting him to lay into her. Tell her that she was stupid for selling literally all her belongings for a ridiculous bachelor auction. For just achanceto talk to him, not even a guarantee. But he didn’t. He simply waited quietly while she locked her door behind her. Then he put his hand on the small of her back as they walked toward the elevator.
The trip back across town was quiet. Neither said a word. But Cora didn’t miss the way Pipe’s gaze never stopped scanning their surroundings. They’d arrived back at his hotel before he finally spoke again. “I can get you a room of your own.”
She looked up at him. “It’s okay. I mean, if it’s still all right that I stay in your room.”
“I’d prefer it,” he said simply.
With his fingers lightly resting on her back again, they walked toward the bank of elevators.
Cora felt edgy. Unsettled. Her skin under her sweatshirt tingled where his hand rested. She was keenly aware of Pipe standing so close. She inhaled deeply and realized the piney scent she’d gotten whiffs of throughout the evening were coming from him.
The urge to rest her head on his shoulder was suddenly hard to resist.
They walked down a hallway to the very end, to a room next to a stairwell.
“Owl’s across the hall,” Pipe said, pointing to the door to their left. “We always choose rooms close to the stairs. It’s safer.”
Cora’s lips twitched. She actually wasn’t surprised in the least. Anticipating danger was practically bred into these men. It was one of the reasons she’d thought the guys from The Refuge would be perfect for helping her rescue Lara.
Pipe hadn’t been wrong, shewaskind of a stalker. She’d read everything she could get her hands on about each of the men. She didn’t know any of the specifics about the missions they’d been on while in the military, because they were obviously classified or top secret or whatever it was called, but she felt as if she’d gotten enough of an insight into their characters by reading the news reports of Alaska Stein’s rescue from Russia, and the subsequent incident at The Refuge itself. Then when Reese Woodall was stolen away by Colombian cartel members and almost taken across the border. And from what residents of Los Alamos were quoted as saying about the men when Jasna McClure disappeared, how desperately they’d helped search for her.
Yeah, it was safe to say she was impressed by Pipe and his friends. The level of commitment toward ensuring the safety of the women who lived on the ranch had made Cora suspect they’d be willing to help her as well.
