Weathering the Storm by Brynn Paulin

 

 

 

Chapter Sixteen

~ Becca ~

By July, we were no closer to a resolution. Every day that edged closer to August my uneasiness grew, sometimes upsetting me so much I found myself queasy at work, sometimes even losing my dinner.

Knowing that Heller was leaving for Michigan soon and unable to imagine spending years more in the toxic environment at my current station, I’d started sending out resumes. I hadn’t told Heller, not wanting to get his hopes up. I’d applied to every station within a hundred mile radius of his university. I didn’t doubt he’d be happy if something turned up. Hell, he’d be thrilled. Once or twice, half-joking, he’d suggested I quit my job and just come with him. He told me he had a one-bedroom apartment that would be ready in August, and his loans would cover our living expenses.

Somedays, I was almost weak enough to agree. But I hadn’t busted my rear to become a meteorologist, just to hang it up. Even if I was in love. He knew that, though not the part about being in love. Heller hadn’t said the actual words, and neither had I since I didn’t want to pressure him. But I loved that man, and I was pretty sure he loved me back. So if he didn’t share the sentiment before he left for school next month, I would woman up and tell him.

I leaned closer to him, and he pressed a kiss to the top of my head while we watched another movie. Rather than a rental as we’d done while we’d been dating in secret, today we were at the theater. Heller was totally engrossed in the X-man movie that was a premier today. I thought some of it was pretty cool, too. Mostly, I just liked cuddling with him in the dark while we covertly teased each other. I had zero doubt what we’d be doing the second we hit my door.

We always went to my place. While Heller hadn’t officially moved in with me, he hated for me to go to his apartment. There was never a question to where our nights would leave us—together in my bed.

My fingers dragged along his thigh, bolder than the first time we’d gone to the movies. I felt him chuckle as he grasped my hand and brought it to his lips. He kissed my palm then nipped at my fingertips. I giggled into his shoulder.

Passion always smoldered between us, but just being with Heller was fun. The longer we were together, the more he let down his guard with me. Feeling brave, I even introduced him to the girls the other day. They’d all fallen in love with him. While they were all cute and flirty, in a playful way that didn’t make me feel threatened, he’d stuck close to me, making it clear he was into me and only me. I may or may not have given him a blowjob the second they’d all left.

As the credits rolled, he leaned over, pressing his mouth to mine, and I groaned, opening to him. I turned and my free hand curled into his shirt. For a moment, I forgot where we were until someone bumped my leg. Breathing hard, Heller and I parted. How did this fire still burn between us like this? Rather than waning, it just got stronger.

“Ready to go get dinner?” he asked.

I nodded, and he stood, reaching for my hand. I loved the feel of his warm palm against mine, and it was one of the great things about actually going out, leaving our homes. Heller always held my hand, no matter what we were doing when we were out.

“I need to run into the restroom before we leave,” I told him as we hit the lobby. “Do you want to meet me at the car?”

“No, I’ll wait here for you.”

So protective. After a quick kiss, because I might be gone for a few minutes, I headed inside. Thankfully, there was no line, but as I rounded the partition to go to the sinks, I really wished there had been one.

Aubree, one of the evening anchors from my station, stood there, washing her hands. Maybe if I pretended not to see her, she’d pretend the same thing?

“Do you really it’s wise to be making a spectacle with your little boy toy?” she snarked.

A spectacle? And did she just call him little? Heller was more than twice her size. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m on a date, and we watched a movie—”

“While you sucked face nearly the whole film.”

We hadn’t and we’d been in the back row, so unless she’d been craned around looking at us, she would have no idea what we’d been doing. I chose not to argue those point with her. Take the high road and all that.

“If that’s what you want to think,” I replied. Finished washing my hands, I shook off the water then purposely turned my back to her to go to the air dryer.

“Doesn’t matter what I think,” Aubree said as she passed to go to another blower. “It matters what management thinks. They have behavior clauses in our contracts for a reason. We’re the face of the station. We’re expected to comport ourselves in a certain way.”

“Obviously, yours doesn’t have a bitch clause in it then.” I shouldn’t have said it. I knew I shouldn’t. But my big mouth went and spouted off before I thought. It had been doing that the last month or so, and I didn’t know why.

“What did you say?” she snapped, green eyes flashing at me.

“I think you heard me.”

“I think I want to hear you say it again.”

Shrugging, I headed for the exit. “Keep wanting it then.” Once I hit the lobby, I practically sprinted to where Heller waited. “Let’s go.”

“What happened?” He cupped my cheek, concern in his gray eyes. “You’re pale, and you’re shaking.”

“Nothing. Can we please just go?” I tugged his hand, urging him to follow me toward the parking lot.

“Becca. What. Happened?” he demanded, though he complied and fell in step with me.

I shook my head. “In the car…”

Heller jerked a nod. His grip tightened as we found his SUV, and he lifted me into the passenger seat. Though I always thought it absolutely silly, but it also erupted tender feelings too, he reached across me and fastened my seatbelt across my waist. Normally, he brushed a kiss on my lips, too. This time, he didn’t, just firmly shutting the door.

He circled to his side and got in. His wrists rested atop the steering wheel as he stared out the windshield. “Tell me.”

“It was just one of my coworkers, one you don’t know. She was being a bitch. Doesn’t matter. There’s nothing she can do to us. Sticks and stones and all that. Can we just go eat?”

“She upset you,” he growled but started the engine. “What did she say?”

“She just spouted off some crap about you and me being together, and some other junk about morality and behavior clauses in our contracts. You and I didn’t do anything wrong. She was just being mean because she doesn’t have anything better to do, and she’s probably jealous I have a great guy like you. Total high school crap even though she’s in her thirties and I’m well out of high school.”

“I’m out of high school, too,” he said, as if to remind me since that had been a problem before. I smiled brightly at him.

“I know. And you’re also handsome and awesome and mine.”

Leaning over, he cupped his hand behind my head and pulled me in to him. “I am yours, now and forever, babe.”

“Good, because I don’t ever want to be without you.”

“As long as it’s in my power, that’s not anything you ever have to worry about.”