I tried to appear calm and hold my head up as I went back out to check the whole apartment for anything vital.
“Should I meet you there in a cab?” I asked Jason when he came back to confirm that they were done.
He cocked his head. “We can drive you, there’s lots of room in the truck.”
“Oh. Thanks.”
As I shut and locked the door, Jason stayed right beside me. “Do you want to just slide the key under the door so you don’t have to see him again to return it?” he asked gently.
A half-formed laugh burst out of my mouth. “You’ve seen this sort of thing a lot, I’ll bet.”
“Yeah,” he nodded. “It’s always rough. But he obviously doesn’t deserve you. And you shouldn’t see him again, no matter what. So slide the key under.”
I liked that he was a bit protective. It was reassuring. Nobody had ever treated me like that before. I unclipped the key from my ladybug keyring and slipped it under the door.
Jason’s hand was heavy on my shoulder. “Step one, check.” I looked up and was lost in his warm smile. “The rest is the easier part,” he said. “Let’s go.”
I tried not to think of the confident way he grabbed my hips to help me up into the huge truck. I tried not to feel his thigh against mine as we sat close together in the cab.
Steve put on some classic rock and flashed a grin as we drove across the city. “Let’s get you revved up for your exciting new life,” he chuckled.
The next hour was a whirlwind as we unloaded the truck into my new home. They were still here when my new furniture arrived, and helped haul that in as well. As I stood in the middle of my first solo apartment, I was hugely relieved. But it was all such a mess, and I didn’t even know where to start.
Steve had already left, and Jason came out of the bedroom after dropping off the last boxes.
“That’s it,” he said. “How are you hanging in?” His deep eyes searched mine, and his kindness nearly made me cry again.
I tried to take a deep breath, but it came out a bit ragged.
“Do you have some girlfriends you can call to come over for a pizza party?” he suggested.
I shook my head. “Kyle scared away my friends here. I moved from Ottawa, so I’m not really settled in Toronto yet.”
“How long were you with him?”
“Just ten months.” It was strange that a total stranger seemed so concerned.
“Claire, do you need a hand putting things together? At least the bed so you have a place to sleep tonight?”
I shook my head quickly, feeling my hair loosening from my ponytail. “No, I’ve given you enough trouble for one day, I’m sure.” I reached for my purse. “You take credit cards, right?”
“Dammit. I’m sorry, I forgot – the card reader that rides in this truck broke this morning.” Then Jason’s face lit up. “Which means I’ll have to pop by tomorrow afternoon. Is that okay?”
“I don’t want to–”
“Claire, I want to drop in to check on you. Will you let me do that?” I looked up into those astounding eyes, and nodded without thinking. “I’m going to be completely inappropriate right now,” he said softly, “Because I think you need a hug. Feel free to stop me.”
But there was no way I wanted anything more than those huge arms wrapped around me. Breathing slow and deep against his chest, I felt his warmth overtaking me, making me calm for the first time all day. Then when he didn’t let go, I felt a very different sort of tension start to quicken my pulse. I’d never had a guy this hot hold me before. A wave of raw lust washed through me as a shiver ran up my spine. I’d never had this sort of reaction to anyone before.
“That’s it,” he said. “See? Once you let yourself take a breath, everything is better.” He let me go, stepping back and flashing me a huge grin. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Claire. I’ve already checked the windows and the balcony door, and the locks are pretty good. Lock this door behind me and put the chain on.”
I nodded. He seemed genuinely protective of me, which made my insides flutter strangely. Was he just being sweet? Was he overprotective of all women? I couldn’t even let the thought that he really liked me skitter through my head. That was ridiculous.
He began to leave, then turned back to flash me a huge grin. “I lied, by the way. My brother Mike is not a cop. He and his wife Lisa run a coffee shop in the west end.”
I laughed out loud, which felt so good. “Goodnight, liar,” I giggled as he shut the door behind him. I didn’t hear his footsteps walking away until after the click of the bolt and the rattle of the safety chain.
Collapsing onto my bare mattress in the center of the bedroom floor, I needed to stop moving completely for a while. My brain was churning too much for my body to function.