Conflicted

Smooth, Kate

Peyton managed to fill me in briefly on what I needed to know. Her boyfriend's name, his lack of a vehicle except for his roommate Dylan's car. She tells me it's a black BMW X3 with tinted windows and a decal on the rear windshield. She tells me she needs to go home to bring back her mother's car. I tell her that I will follow her home and then we could take off again in my truck. Neither Dylan nor Preston would ever expect that she'd be in my vehicle, even after my interaction with Preston this morning. Normal people don't come to a stranger's rescue like I had done today. Even though she is completely overwhelmed, Peyton seems grateful for my help and doesn't seem to be uncomfortable about my presence or my impulsive decision to stand by her.

I park my truck on the side of the road, a couple houses down from where I watched Peyton pull her mom's SUV into the garage. I jump out and lock my truck, then jog over to her front door. Just as I reach the landing, she cracks the door open and waves me inside. I shut the door behind me and slide the deadbolt into place. I turn to see her giving me a small, grateful smile.

"I was about to ask you to do that," she says quietly.

"Great minds think alike," I respond. Smooth, Kate. I wince internally at how lame I am.

Peyton let out a small laugh then turned towards the kitchen at the end of the small hall.

"Come with me, don't worry about taking your shoes off."

Her flats are already off and I see her padding down the hall barefoot, so I slide my boots off too. Regardless of her telling me not to worry, I worry anyways. The house is spotless and my steel toes are covered in grease and oil from the shop. In my socks, I follow her path to the bright, open concept kitchen. She's somehow managed to pull all the curtains shut already in every visible room of the house.

"I need to change. I'd really like to shower right now, but I can't stay here. This is the first place he'd come looking for me, except maybe my work. That reminds me, I need to call my boss soon so I can make up some excuse for missing my shift this morning..." her thoughts are racing and the stress is starting to get to her. I reach out to place a reassuring hand on her shoulder and her eyes meet mine. My heart nearly falls to my feet. I can't wrap my head around how wild I've been acting all morning. I feel this intense desire to never leave this girl's side. The whole left portion of her face near her temple is bruised, her lips are swollen and there's a cut on her bottom corner of her mouth, dried blood is stuck to her skin. It's obvious she's been crying, hard, and yet my heart is slamming against my ribcage because I'm so in awe with how beautiful she is. I'm a hot mess. She doesn't know it, but she has me wrapped around her finger. I take another step closer and my hand travels up to delicately touch the bruise on the side of her face. She winced when my fingers makes contact, but she doesn't pull away nor do her eyes leave mine. I am suddenly furious again. How f*****g dare he hurt her. What kind of piece of s**t lays his hands on someone so small and sweet? She's still looking up at me so I speak.

"I know where you can clean yourself up and rest. Bring a change of clothes, and some toiletries. I have Advil in the truck and when we leave you should take some. Your head must really hurt," I'm practically whispering. My whole body is responding to our close proximity and where my hand is touching her skin. It's hard to breath, let alone think or speak clearly. I'm sure it's only due to her chaotic morning, and nothing else, but it almost looks as though she is feeling something too.

"I need to go upstairs to my room..." her voice is quiet too, her eyes bore into mine.

"Go, I'll wait here."

I might be imagining it but it's like she shakes herself out of whatever trance she was in and turns to take the stairs. Once I hear her reach her bedroom, I let out a puff of air I didn't realize I had been holding in.

Whoa, Kate. Get your s**t together.