Unbeautifully Loved (Breathe Again) (12 page)

Mollie didn’t say anything for a few moments, and we just stood washing and drying dishes in silence. “If you like Lukas, you know he’s not Dex right, that there is a huge difference between those two, I mean opposite sides of the male spectrum with Dex under ‘evil douchebag dick head’ and Lukas, well under ‘man who crushes the evil douchebag dick heads.”

Evil douchebag dick head, that’s a new one.

I couldn’t stop the laugh that came out. “Moll, you don’t even know Lukas. Hell I don’t even know him. I met him for the first time last night remember.”

“So?” she asked bluntly

“So, I don’t know him or what he’s like,” I said. “Or if I even want to.”

That may have been a lie, but I’d never admit it to Mollie because she was like a dog with a bone.

Mollie turned her head and looked at me. “You’re so full of shit,” she said laughing.

“Pardon?”

“Did you forget I was in the room this morning?”

“No I remember,
quite well actually.”

Mollie pulled the plug then grabbed a towel to dry her hands off with. “I saw it.” She said like I was supposed to know what she meant.

I reached over and took the towel from her hands. “What exactly did you see?”

“Whatever the fuck that was, the look he was giving you and the way you looked at him. There was so much sexual tension in that room, it was almost suffocating. Probably didn’t help you were almost naked, but still, even after you were dressed it was still there.”

I wasn’t naked.

“I wasn’t naked.”

She waved her hand in the air. “Yeah, okay if you say so. At one point I thought he was gonna fuck you right there, the way he was looking at you.”

I looked at her like she had grown a third head.

She couldn’t have been more wrong. I don’t know what living room Mollie was in this morning but clearly she was in the wrong living room. “Mollie, don’t be ridiculous.”

“
You
don’t be ridiculous Lexie, you’re just saying you aren’t into him because of Dex and you’re afraid. And I know you swore off all men because the idea of dating again scares the living shit out of you, but you can’t tell me you didn’t see that man and just how hot he is,” she said leaning up against the counter.

Oh I saw alright.

Lukas Gunn wasn’t just hot–he made jaws drop with how gorgeous he was.

“Oh, he’s beautiful, he’s also annoying and bossy,” I told her.

He so was.

Gorgeous, sexy, bossy and annoying.

She grinned. “Imagine how he’d be in bed.”

“Mollie!” I exclaimed unable to hold my laugh back.

“Hey, don’t blame me. The man’s hot; you can’t tell me I’m the first to think it.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Anyways, there’s nothing wrong with a man who knows what he wants, it’s kind of exciting. Plus he’s a man’s man, you can so tell. He’d be able to snap Dex in half if given the chance.” A grin pulled on the corner of her lips as she thought about that.

“Mollie,
I
barely know Lukas. How can you sound so sure when you just met him this morning and only spent a small amount of time barely talking to him?” I asked.

Mollie looked at me thoughtfully, pulling her lip between her teeth struggling with what to say. Her lip released and her face softened as she spoke. “I see what I see and feel what I feel, you know that. You just have to trust in yourself and trust me when I say to give this, whatever it may be, a chance. I’m not saying you have to push all your fears aside and forget about them but what I
am
saying is, those walls you have up guarding your heart, keeping you at an arm’s length, just lower them enough to see what Lukas is about, ‘cause if I’m right, which I usually am, then it will be worth it.”

“What makes you think there’s something there between Lukas and I that I need to take a chance on?” I said accidentally out loud.

“Lexie, open your eyes babe. A man who isn’t interested in you, does not look at you the way he was looking at you, he doesn’t act affectionately towards you like he was and he sure as hell wouldn’t go out of his way the way he did,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Without thinking, my mouth opened and I couldn’t stop what came out, “Last night he said he wanted to kiss me, but with what happened he didn’t want my mind on that when he did it,” I said in a rush.

Mollie’s eyes bugged out and her mouth fell open as she stood there looking at me, like she was waiting for me to tell her more. “We didn’t. He just told me he wanted to,” I said quickly.

Her mouth closed and her lips curled into a big smile. “See Lexie, I told you, a guy who is not interested in you does not come out and say shit like that.”

Maybe, maybe not.

“Wait – you didn’t tell me how it went at the station?” Mollie asked changing the topic of conversation.

I hadn’t told Mollie yet, I didn’t want to bring it up at breakfast when Finn was close by. “It went fine. Talked to one of the detectives, guy’s still out there– God knows where. Found out I wasn’t the first, just first to get away unharmed...” I trailed off.

Her eyes widened. “What does that mean?”

“Well, let’s just say there have been other girls and I’m the lucky one.” Mollie looked at me confused, still not getting what I was saying.

So I told her everything I knew.

“Fuck, that’s creepy! What kind of sick fuck goes around attacking women? Are you going to be okay going to and from work at night? Maybe ask someone to car pool or something.” She was worried; I could see it all over her face. “Maybe one of the girls or a bartender?”

If only I could manage to work that one out.

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that, I have a ride, most likely one every night ‘til this creep is caught,” I said annoyed, thinking of Lukas.

“Lukas?”

“Yep”

“Wait– why was he pissed at the station?”

“I don’t know, ‘cause I was waiting outside for him?” I questioned unsure, shrugging my shoulders.

Her brows furrowed. “Why were you outside alone, especially with the psycho who attacked you still on the loose?”

Of course she would take Lukas’ side.

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t know. When I was done talking to the detective, I couldn’t find Lukas so I decided to wait at the truck and then I ran right into this huge ass giant man. I mean literally ran into him, body slamming into his.” I slammed my hands together showing her just what I meant. “Fucking scared the shit out of me. But strangely enough he was kinda hot. Anyways it was weird, and then I ran out of the building and waited for Lukas.”

Mollie burst out laughing and I followed.

It felt nice to actually laugh after everything that has been going on. I couldn’t remember the last time I laughed so hard over anything.

After we finished laughing, we finished the kitchen while I told Mollie about Lukas and him “demanding” I take the night off work. I also told her how strange he was acting about me not telling them what happened, especially Colt.

But no surprise, she agreed with Lukas being my ride to and from work.

We finished putting the last of the dishes away and since it was a beautiful day out, we got Finn ready to walk down to the park.

As Mollie and I left the house and started walking, I started getting a strange feeling, like we were being watched; the same feeling I got in the bar last night. Looking around I didn’t see anyone or anything that was unusual, but the feeling vanished the closer we got to the park.

Just like that, it was gone.

Four days have passed since I was attacked.

Since I’ve been to work.

And since I last saw or spoke with Lukas.

It had been just after eight Sunday night when he knocked on the door. Mollie, Finn and I had finished our second movie and were cleaning up from Chinese takeout while Finn got ready for bed.

“Lukas, everything okay?” I asked as he stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He was in the same clothing as when he left that morning but his face unreadable.

“Told you I’d stop by,” he said gruffly.

“I know, you just look like something’s... I don’t know,” I said.

He followed me into the living room where Mollie was sitting on the couch flipping the channels, but looked up when she heard us enter the room. “Hey Luke, you missed some great pancakes this morning.” She winked.

He looked from Mollie to me, his eyes connecting with mine and I watched as the grey softened. “I’ll make sure to be here next time,” he promised.

My heart raced as his words crashed into me and his eyes bore into mine. I heard Mollie mumble something then cough. I tore my eyes away from him and looked at her; she was watching our interaction with a huge grin on her face. I was about to say something when the sound of Finn running down the stairs echoed throughout the house.

“Mommy, I’m ready for bed,” he shouted as he came rushing into the living room, stopping dead in his tracks at the sight of Lukas. “Who’s he?” he asked coming and standing next to me.

“This is Lukas,” I said feeling awkward having no idea what I was doing; I’d never introduced Finn to anyone before, especially a man and I didn’t know how he would react.

“You’re really tall, like
Thor
. Only he’s got long hair, and a cool hammer,” he said excitedly, stepping forward, closer to Lukas.

“Finn, Lukas is kinda like a superhero, he’s a cop.” Mollie said grinning at us. I rolled my eyes at her and she chuckled, turning her attention back to the television.

“That’s so cool! Do you have gun and badge?” Finn asked him excitedly.

I stood back and watched the two of them interact with a smile crossing my lips. Lukas chuckled at Finn’s question then crouched down to his height as he showed him his badge he had clipped to his belt. Finn thought it was the coolest thing he had ever seen and getting to hold it had been even better. I’d never seen him interact with anyone that way before, other than Mollie but she’s Mollie, but not even his own father had brought that out in him.

I could see Mollie watching from the corner of my eye but I refused to look at her, keeping my eyes glued on Lukas and Finn, listening to them talk about all the bad guys he caught. Finn was in complete awe of Lukas, calling him a real life superhero and I couldn’t stop the smile from growing wider across my face at his words and the excitement they held.

“Have you ever shot anyone?”

“Finley James!” I exclaimed, my eyes widening, and I could hear Mollie laughing from the couch and I shot her a pointed look.

“It’s alright Lex,” Lukas said, humor lacing his voice. “No, I’ve never shot anyone.” His eyes left Finn and drifted over to me, winking.

Good God.

Finn went on to ask Lukas every question a four year old could possibly think of about all the bad guys he caught, when I decided to cut in. “Finn, sweetie, I think that’s enough questions for one night, ” I said ruffling his hair. “You ready for bed?”

“Yeah.”

“You washed up and brushed your teeth?”

“Yeah, see.” He smiled big showing me his baby teeth.

I laughed. “Alright, I believe you. Okay say –”

“I got it Lexie. I’ll take him upstairs and get him into bed.” Mollie cut in standing up from the couch. “Come on my little man, mommy and Lukas are gonna finish talking.”

“Molls –”I began but Finn cheerfully agreed with Mollie, cutting me off.

He said goodnight to Lukas and ran up the stairs with Mollie close behind, leaving me in the living room with Lukas.

“Cute boy you got. Sure like’s his superheroes.” Lukas’ voice was smooth with humor.

“Yeah, and he’s got the costumes to prove it,” I said nervously laughing pulling my hair back and tying it in a messy bun on top of my head. “Did you get to Fisher’s?” I asked curiously.

“That’s my next stop on my way out of town,” he said crossing his arms over his chest and I couldn’t help but watch his biceps bulge through the tight sleeves of his shirt.

Out of town?

“Oh? You’re leaving town?” I asked, sounding a little too anxious.