Chapter Six
"Sorry, I didn't see you," she said, trying to escape and rush to the bus stop.
"I'm not sorry at all. So where are you rushing to?" He asked, lowering his head to her level.
"I'm teaching at Trent's Elementary Academy," she said as she tried to go.
He caught her wrist and pulled her with him to his black GMC Sierra. Opening the door, he helped her into the passenger seat and then went around to his side. Before starting to drive he came closer and fixed her seat belt, "I can drop you, ok. No need to take a bus," he said with his mouth an inch or two closer to hers. She looked down, unable to look into his intense stare.
"I don't want to be a burden to you. I can't buy a car for three months. I'll have to save some money, first," she told him frankly. She didn't want him leaving all his work and driving her to and from school and college.
"You will never be a burden on me, sweetheart, you know that. If you won't let me drive you everywhere, then take one of my smaller cars, I have five. Use it till you can buy one for yourself," he suggested earnestly, his eyes taking her in.
"No, Bryce, I can't take your car," she told him. She couldn't take advantage of the family. Rent-free accommodation was already too much on her conscience. She couldn't take the free car.
His hand touched her cheek, turning her to face him. "Kill me, then I won't bother anymore," he said as he abruptly left her, started the truck and drove to her school.
He didn't say a word, just dropped her off and left. She knew he was upset but what could she do. She didn't want everyone to think of her as an opportunist, a gold-digger taking advantage of Bryce's kind nature.
She returned home by bus and made herself two ham sandwiches. After cleaning up her house and doing a bit of laundry, she got ready for college.
For two days, she didn't see Bryce and she missed him. She didn't want to admit it but she had become so used to him always being there that the last two days were a torture for her. Every moment she expected Bryce at her doorstep but he never came. Disappointed, she dragged herself on. By Friday night, she was looking like a zombie, tired and sleep deprived.
After college as she dragged her feet up the small trail towards her cottage, she was surprised to see aunt Olivia hurrying towards her with a Tupperware container in her hand.
"Ivory dear, I've got some beef casserole for you," she said beaming.
"Oh thank you, Aunt Olivia," she gushed.
"Actually, I wanted to talk to you," she said nervously.
"Yes, please, come in," she invited, opening her door and allowing aunt Olivia to come in.
"Are you unwell? You're ain't lookin very fine to me," she said looking her up and down.
"Yeah, I'm tired," she told her but she knew that aunt Olivia could see through her.
"Did you and Bryce have a fight?" She asked, as Ivory took the casserole and went to keep it in the kitchen.
"No, why?" She asked perplexed. They didn't exactly have a fight. She just didn't agree to his suggestion.
"He isn't his normal self dear. He went through a lot and had become a recluse and a workaholic, but ever since he met you, he changed. He spoke, smiled, ate and became so normal and happy but the last few days he's again back to his old self. He's now working more and eating less and drinking himself sick. Please solve your misunderstanding dear, I can't see him like this," said aunt Olivia as her eyes sparkled with unshed tears.
Ivory felt very guilty," He asked me to take one of his cars till I'm able to buy my own. After living in a free accommodation I just couldn't accept a free car too," she confessed.
"Oh, what rubbish! You need a car and if he's offered, you should've accepted. He doesn't let anyone touch his cars. You're lucky indeed that he wants you to drive one of them. He's passionate about his trucks and cars and cleans them himself. Even his brothers aren't allowed near them. He doesn't buy himself anything apart from trucks and cars," she said with a lopsided smile.
"Oh, I didn't know," said Ivory as she took in that piece of information, already feeling guilty.
"Now you know. Goto him and talk to him. He's in the office room at the back of the house. Don't tell him I told you anything. He's a proud boy. Won't like my interference," she said smiling as she went back to her house.
Ivory fixed her hair and dress and went in search of the office room at the back of the house. There was a room, from where light was streaming out through the blinds in the windows. She opened the door and peeped inside. Bryce was busy working on his laptop, wearing a pair of spectacles that made him look so sexy.
She went inside and closed the door, "What are you doing here?" He asked seriously without taking his eyes away from his laptop.
"I came to see the car that you wanted me to drive," she said coming closer and standing beside him. He opened his spectacles and kept them on the table.
"Why?" He asked, pushing his laptop away and staring at her.
"You didn't come so I thought you might be angry with me," she blurted out and then clamped her mouth with her palm when she realised what she said.
"I I mean, I thought," she continued, but before she could say anything, he pulled her into his lap.
"Did you miss me?" He asked, his eyes staring at her face like a starving man. When she didn't answer, his hand touched her chin and turned her face towards his, drowning into her eyes. "Tell me, did you miss me?" He asked again while she nodded. "Say it," he said, his voice husky, his eyes dark with something she couldn't fathom. His thumb touched her lips, playing with them, teasing them, parting them.
"Yes," she said, closing her eyes.
When his thumb stopped their torture, she opened her eyes to see him staring at her, his dark eyes drinking her in. She picked up courage and kissed his cheek, but he turned his face and captured her lips. He kissed her hungrily, parting her lips with his tongue, before plunging his tongue inside. Her hands went around his neck as she clung to him while he explored her mouth thoroughly and deliciously. The kiss went out of hand as both couldn't get enough of each other.
Breathless, they broke the kiss to catch their breaths, staring at each other. Again Bryce, smashed his lips to hers, not wanting to stop. He had been burning for her the last few days and she was all he thought about. He tried to drown himself in work but that too wasn't working.
A moan escaped her at his intense, passionate kiss that rendered her a mass of nerves, a mere puppet in his hands, unable to think. She was on fire too, she had wanted this kiss for such a long time that she couldn't stop.
After kissing her thrice, Bryce stared at her swollen lips, and pulled her flush against his body, into his chest and held her there, his face buried in her neck.
