Page 31 of Fracture

“You never would. I know that.”

Their gazes collided and clung. Lorelei’s body felt warm, warmer than the summer afternoon should have made her feel. It wasn’t the sun. It was the man who was staring at her like she was special. Like she was more important than the woman she used to be.

A car driving by revved their engine and broke the spell that locked Lorelei and Vinnie together. He cleared his throat and reached for her crutches. “This is easier. You know you can do it. We’ll work on the front seat when you’re not so worn out from driving all day.”

“Sounds good.” Was her voice always so breathy? God, she sounded like she was trying to talk him into her bed. Did she have a bed? Where was she living? She had an apartment in Boston, but Karli said Lorelei was staying in a hotel in Niagara Falls. Should she go there?

Lorelei ignored the thought and let Vinnie help her get into the backseat of his SUV. He took the crutches once she was on the seat, then waited for her to move herself to the other side of the vehicle before he set her crutches on the floor next to her and closed the door.

He took a minute before he walked around the SUV and climbed into the driver’s seat. He pulled away from the curb without a word and navigated the streets Lorelei would swear she’d never seen before in silence.

Vinnie pulled into an apartment complex nine minutes later. He wound through the buildings until he made it to a lot toward the back and turned in. He found a parking spot near the building entrance and turned off his Bronco.

“I don’t have an elevator. Or a spare bedroom. Or a lot of things. I probably should have told you all of this before you decided to come here. I can take you back to your cousin’s if you want me to. Or somewhere else. Wherever?—”

“I want to be with you,” Lorelei admitted. “You make me feel safe. I… I know you don’t know me and I pushed myself into your life, but?—”

“You didn’t push. I did. And I’m sorry for that. I’ll grab our things and we can go up.” He was out of the vehicle in the next second, slamming the door so hard it jolted Lorelei’s shoulder.

He was pissed. Dammit. She made the wrong choice. Again.

He threw their duffles over his shoulders and grabbed each of her suitcases.

She didn’t like that she couldn’t help, but it was all she could do to get herself around.

Vinnie opened the door for her and grabbed her crutches, holding them until Lorelei made her way across the vehicle and could get out. He led the way to the door and opened it for her, then led the way up the stairs to the third floor of the building.

Lorelei was breathing heavily by the time they made it to his door, but she didn’t want him to know. She drew slow, deep breaths to hide how hard she was panting.

Vinnie noticed anyway. “I should have told you about the stairs. And everything. I’m sorry. We’ll get everything straightened out tomorrow. Let you rest tonight.”

Lorelei just nodded, letting him have the excuse to get rid of her.

Vinnie let them in, and she moved out of his way so he could bring in all their luggage.

She took in his apartment while he carried everything to what she assumed was the bedroom. The place was small, but clean and comfortable. A gray couch dominated the living room, with a smaller matching chair to the side and a massive TV on the wall opposite. A wooden coffee table sat in front of the couch with coasters and remotes on the top. A blanket was thrown over the couch like someone had just tossed it there.

Space that Lorelei assumed was a dining room was instead full of free weights with a treadmill in the middle of the room. The light fixture was hooked up at the ceiling instead of left to hang low and risk hitting Vinnie every time he walked by.

The kitchen was behind the dining room, the three spaces creating an L-shape. Cabinets lined both sides of the galley kitchen, with appliances breaking up the yellow wood stain that made her think the kitchen was old.

“It’s small, and it’s kind of crappy, but?—”

“It’s neither. And I appreciate you letting me stay here.”

Vinnie nodded. “Let me show you around. Obviously, living room, kitchen, and the dining room I don’t use. I eat on the couch since I live alone. Bedroom and bathroom are back this way if you want to follow me.”

Lorelei wanted to ask if someone else had ever lived with him. If he was single or if there was another person in his life. But she didn’t.

His bedroom was roughly the same size as the living room. A king-size bed took up almost the whole space. He lifted her suitcases onto the bed, blue sheets and a white comforter making the room look brighter than it was with only one lamp on.

The bathroom was… tiny. Lorelei had no idea how she was going to take a shower in that little bathroom. Without handicap handles to help her get in and out. Shit. She never thought about that.

“It’s all small. I know. It’s not anything like your place.”

“I was left to die in my apartment. I don’t have a lot of fondness for it right now.”

“Lorelei.”