Page 25 of The Air I Breathe

My eyes are glued to the scenery. It's different, because I'm used to the city and concrete. There's so much greenery and the houses are spread farther apart. It's quiet, much more quiet than I'm used to, but I like it.

We pull up to a gate, and the house in front of me is large—not as large as the ones I own in other states, but it's larger than I’d anticipated. The river-stone covering the outside makes it appear as if it blends into the countryside. There are three cars parked in the driveway and a five-car garage to the side. Time will tell how many cars Blake actually has.

"Did he give you the code?" Kevin asks. "I'll go inside and do a sweep real quick, and then you'll be good to go. He won't even know I'm there."

I nod, giving him the door code. Nerves make me tap my foot as I wait for Kevin to come back. It's still scary for me to go into new spaces. I've worked with a therapist, and as my heart rate increases, and I get shortness of breath, I close my eyes and center myself, focusing on deep breathing and remembering who is inside the house I’m sitting in front of.

Blake isn't going to let anything happen to me as long as he can help it.

"You're good to go."

My eyes pop open. Kevin is staring at me through the window that was lowered, and I didn’t even realize it. "Thank you."

"Are you okay?"

"Nerves, but I'm good now."

He smiles slightly, opening the back door. I step out, and he walks me up to the front stoop. "I'm right out here if you need me. You know what to do."

I nod, licking my suddenly dry lips. I know because we practice more than we should have to. Contacting Keven in an emergency is almost as easy as performing a concert. It’s second nature, and I do it without even thinking when I'm put into a dangerous situation. My fingers reach toward the doorknob, closing around it before opening. When I walk in, I'm not sure what to expect, but it definitely isn't what I see.

The house is clean. I wouldn't say it’s immaculate as there are definite signs that someone lives here. A blanket on the couch. On the coffee table is a glass with condensation running down the sides. There are shoes by the door, and the TV is on, although very softly in the background. The couch is something I would expect to see in Blake’s home—it’s dark and masculine. There are dips and dents where he's obviously sat and laid, more than likely his friends too. Definitely not like my white one.

Walking farther in, I admire the big windows leading to the back yard, where a pool is, along with one of the most relaxing patio setups I've seen. I wanted big windows in my first apartment, and I had them for all of a couple months. Then I got my first stalker, and it wasn't safe. Kevin assured me it will be safter here because of the amount of land that Blake has. If someone tries to sneak up, they'll be seen; there's nowhere to hide in the vast fields. At one point, these windows, and fields would've given me anxiety, but now I'm looking forward to experiencing all of this with him.

In the past, I've always dated guys who were maybe a little taller than my own five-foot-nine, but they were lanky, and I knew they wouldn't be able to protect me if shit went down. Half the time I was afraid I'd be the one protecting them. I don't have to worry about that with Blake. He's strong, and tough—a mammoth of a man, and when he flexes, I can't even stretch my entire hand around his bicep.

I'm looking through the same window when I hear a noise to my left. My head swivels and I'm greeted with the best view. Blake. With no shirt on. Muscles and tattoos fully on display, the deep V of his hips visible above the low-slung edge of his sweatpants. My gaze travels up and down his body, landing on his face. The diamond studs in his ears shine brightly, matching the smile that's spread his lips apart.

My heart races as he approaches, and I hope it'll always feel exactly as it does in this moment.

Chapter Twenty

Blake

I enter my living room and she's standing there, gazing out the window. Sunlight streams in, giving her an ethereal glow, and I allow myself to think about what it would be like for her to be in this space all day, every day.

"Hey, gorgeous. Eyes up here." I point to my face.

She blushes, dropping her chin to her chest. "I didn't want you to catch me looking you up and down like a piece of meat."

"It's fine. I'm sure you get it all the time."

"I do." She's still standing too far away.

I cross the distance between us, my long stride eating up the space. When I get close enough to touch her, I reach out, taking her into my arms. She comes willingly, pressing her body against mine. "You don't even try to fight me adoring you here," I whisper, pushing her hair out of her face.

"Because I know someone isn't across at the building next door with a long lens, getting pictures of us. I love where I live, don't get me wrong, but I've been burned more than once. Including by my neighbors."

"Jesus, Willa, that's a hard way to live your life." I cup my palm around her jaw. "I'm sorry."

She shrugs. "It's what I wanted, although I'm not sure I realized how big it would be. I had dreams, of course, and I wondered what it would be like to be world-famous, but not like this."

"Understandable." I lean in, kissing her softly on the lips. "The one thing I hope you can do when you come here is relax. Truly relax."

"I think I'm going to be able to do that." She smiles brightly before leaning her forehead against my collarbone. "Can we watch TV and eat popcorn?" she asks, her voice muffled by my skin.

"If that's what you wanna do, we can do that."