Page 10 of Sweet
“I—wait…you know?” She pressed her lips together, fighting a smile. “How…how? I?—”
She tried not to laugh. “What? You think I didn’t know? Didn’t notice the small trail of cigarette smoke from the alley across the street every night? Or the man with the vibrant green eyes burning holes into my flesh while I worked my sets at the club?” She stepped closer. “Or the sudden feeling of being watched almost every minute of every day? That heavy feeling of someone’s eyes weighing down on me…Oh, yeah…I know exactly what you’ve been doing.”
I finally found the strength to speak. “But, if you’ve known…why ask me on a date?” I was still feeling dumbfounded.
“Because, you obviously like what you see.” She grinned, biting her lower lip. “And from what I can see myself, so do I.” My heart fluttered at her words. “Meet me here, tomorrow.”
Dream walked past me, smiling wide as she unlocked and opened the front door. I stepped forward, walking out onto the concrete stoop outside the entry, then turned back toward her. “What time?” I asked, still shocked.
“Don’t play dumb. You know my schedule. Besides, I’m sure a man such as yourself can easily figure out my number?” I nodded without thinking. Her cheeks flushed slightly, turning a delicate rose hue. “Good. Sweet dreams, soldier boy.”
Soldier boy?
“Why would you call me that?” I sheepishly asked.
She pointed to my mask and giggled. I stood there until she closed the door, and the sound of the lock clicked immediately after.
I stared at her apartment, feeling an enormous rush of emotions, all raging through my body and flooding my mind. But the thing I focused on most was the fact she had invited me out on a date.
I smiled beneath the mask. “Sweet dreams, cottontail.”
I’ll see you tomorrow.
CHAPTER TWO
FELIX
The drivefrom my place to Dream’s was long and tedious. Normally, I loved cruising the distance, using the time to clear my head and decompress. But this time, the longer I drove my bike toward her, the more anxious I became with each passing second.
I gripped the handlebars and tightened my thighs along the seat as the old cruiser sped a little faster.
No matter how many times I replay last night in my head, it makes no sense. How the hell did she know I was following her around?
I kept speeding, going faster.
Not once in all my years of working with Charlotte’s Web has anyone noticed me. Ever. But she did?
I sped toward the winding road, passing a few cars. The image of Dream standing in her flimsy pajamas, wearing that fucking smile, popped into my mind, nearly startling me. I tried to control myself but recalled those perky little nipples that pushed against her thin cami.
Knock it off.
I smacked the bike helmet, biting back a groan.
Most people would freak the hell out if they found some strange man standing in the middle of their living room. But not her. Not Dream. She had no fear in her eyes. No hint of worry, whatsoever. If anything, that woman seemed curious. Happy, even.
I paused.
She was happy, wasn’t she? But…why? Why was Dream so happy…to seeme?
I shook the gnawing question from my head and focused on the road.
I feel like I’m going crazy.
My head ached from how exhausted I was from the lack of sleep. Thanks to work and this new obsession, my mind wouldn’t shut off, and just kept going on and on, spinning and spinning. Much like it did for the rest of the drive.
After what felt like an eternity, I finally pulled up to the curb outside Dream’s apartment, the bike rumbling beneath me as it slowed to a shallow purr. I glanced to my right, straight at her door, and it opened, my breath nearly hitching as she stepped out.
Fuck me.
