CHAPTER TWENTY
Mouse
“Malcolm.” Ingram’s voice called to me in my sleep. I searched for her but couldn’t see anything. “Malcolm, wake up.”
There was something heavy on my chest and though it felt nice, I had no clue what it was.
My eyes blinked open and I was instantly met with gorgeous hazel orbs smiling down at me.
“Shit,” I said and before I could sit up, I realized that Chry was fast asleep on my chest.
Ingram giggled softly and I smiled at the sound.
I wrapped my arms around his little body as I slowly sat up.
“Let me put him down,” I said softly.
A moment later, I had him tucked in and was thankful that he didn’t wake up. Hell, he didn’t even move which had me watching his chest for a good long minute to make sure he was still breathing.
“How was your night?” I asked her as I flopped down on the couch next to her.
“Kind of long,” she replied. “I like doing inventory though. It’s something I get.” She let out a little laugh.
I let her go on about work as I settled in and hit mute on the TV, letting the images play on in the background.
“I’m glad to be home though,” she said as she settled down into my side like it was a normal thing.
I freaked out. I did. I was trying to be casual sitting there in the corner of the couch with my arm slung along the top of the back cushions.
But the moment she scooted over and rested her head on my shoulder, I didn’t hesitate to let my arm drop around her shoulders and pull her close.
“I think my manager has a crush on me,” she said and that fucking caught my attention. “After we were done, he asked me if I wanted to go get a drink. Maybe I’m reading it all wrong, but I noticed how he didn’t ask anyone else to do that.”
Fuck!
That asshole Donnie’s face flashed in my mind. I didn’t like the shit he was trying to pull the other day when I’d stopped by her work. I liked it even less now that I knew he’d made a damn move.
What the hell was I supposed to say to that?Fuck no! He can’t have you, you’re mine. What’s his full name and address?
No, I couldn’t say any of that. We were friends, she’d made it clear that was the thing she needed from me the most right now.
So I had no choice but to bite my tongue, though it killed me to do it.
All I could do was hope that our time alone together the other day was the break I’d been holding my breath for. That she saw something more with us then. And that she was starting to realize there was no way around it. It was going to happen sooner or later.
“I didn’t really want to, not that I’m old enough anyway. So I told him I had to get home to Chry,” she continued on. “But I’m not sure that was the real reason.”
Time stopped still, and so did my breathing.
I waited for her to tell me that it was because of me. I needed to hear those words spill from her lips more than anything.
However, before she could say anything else, we both heard a key in the front door.
“Hey,” Chris called out softly. “The bar was dead, so I closed up early.”
A moment later, he came into view.
I gave him a chin lift as a greeting and I loved how Ingram didn’t jump away from me.
