Page 16 of Below The Surface
His ears go red with the rest of his face. “Let me just pack a bag.”
“And your swim trunks.”
He turns to me slowly. “I don’t think I can do the segment. I need?—”
“I can help you burn some calories.” I wink and saunter over to him. He doesn’t stop me from trailing my fingers down his chest. “But, we need to figure out what you want to do about the break in because Ken has bestie rights and she might not like you spending a load of time at our place without me talking to her first.”
“What do you suggest?” He stills my fingers and I pout.
“Shopping trip for surveillance supplies?”
Dallas’s phone rings. Like actually rings. Who keeps their ringer on these days? His eyes go wide and he answers.
“This is Dallas.” He goes bright red at whatever the person on the other end says and I can just imagine it’s Hayden asking if we’re fucking. Dallas shakes his head, then says, “No. Butsomeone broke into my apartment. I think we should cancel the segment.” I pout, but he shakes his head again. “I’m gonna go with Kay to get some surveillance supplies. Just drop the truck off at the gym and I’ll pick it up later. Thanks, man. See you tomorrow.”
“If there was someone in the apartment and your phone had gone off, we’d probably be dead right now.”
Dallas swallows and looks to the ceiling. “Sorry.”
“Everything is fine and I get it. You’re a busy guy.” I look around. “Does the building have security?”
Another head shake. “We have badges to buzz in, that’s the security. I don’t think the cameras in the elevators actually work.”
I try not to glare at him. We could have gotten into some fun on the elevator. “Someone had to have let the intruder in unless they already live in the building. Got any nosey neighbors?”
He tips his head as he thinks. “Yeah. One sec, stay here.”
“Nope.” I grab his hand and follow him out the door.
He rolls his eyes at me, but gives my hand a squeeze as he locks up. “Two doors down. Mr. Arie.” He points to the wall opposite the man’s door. “No one complains because itdoesgive us a bit more security. But it’s against the rules of the lease to put up the camera.”
He lifts a hand and knocks on Mr. Arie’s door. The man that answers looks to be in his mid to late thirties. The wire glasses make him appear a little old school. He’s got nice thick salt and pepper hair. I’m such a sucker for nice hair.
“Dallas? What can I do for you?” He looks around, then waves us inside.
Dallas steps inside without hesitation, but I observe everything before taking one flip-flopped step in.
“Someone broke into my apartment sometime from the time I left, to well, now. I was hoping your camera caught whoever it was.”
Mr. Arie goes pale. “Oh.”
“Oh?” I step around Dallas and press Mr. Arie into the wall. “What doesohmean?”
“Kay.” Dallas squeezes my shoulder and I release the man in my hold. Why the fuck do I feel so protective of Dallas? We barely know each other. And while he’s got a nice dick, it’s not exactly something that makes me all protective, like he’s one of my people.
Mr. Arie pushes his glasses up. “Therewassomeone. He said he was your boyfriend, and I thought nothing of it. You’ve been out a lot lately, so figured you’ve been meeting at his place.”
“I don’t have a partner,” Dallas says and eyes me up. “At least not right now.”
Hmm, does that mean he wants to claim me? Make me his. Fuck me all over his violated apartment.
I shake my head to snap out of lusty thoughts. “Do you happen to have a screenshot we can see? Maybe it’s someone Dallas knows.”
Mr. Arie nods and rushes to a laptop on a coffee table in front of a couch. Then he frowns. “I forgot they wore a hoodie and kept it pulled over their face.”
“Can you describe them?”
“Not really.” Mr. Arie curls in on himself. “I only cracked the door to talk to him on his way out. He has brown eyes though and gray hair. Maybe in his forties? Does any of that sound familiar?”
