Weathering the Storm by Brynn Paulin

 

 

 

Chapter Seven

~ Becca ~

This day…

After getting home from my evening weather reporting, I threw myself onto the couch and stared at the ceiling. As usual, I’d reported the weather at the five-thirty, six and ten newscasts, with a few on-air updates in between. It had been a quiet weather night, so there hadn’t been much to discuss for the latter.

Good thing for that. All day, while I’d prepped the graphics, run reports and attended a few meetings, including one with the station manager who’d informed me I was too fat and needed to lose weight, my mind had hardly strayed from Heller. He certainly hadn’t found anything lacking—or extra—in my appearance. No, he’d been all over me.

Heat flooded my face as I recalled my freak out that morning for about the hundred-and-fiftieth time. He probably thought I was a complete head case. Groaning, I crossed my arms over my chest and thudded my head against the toss pillow a few times. I could have handled the situation better, but I hadn’t been wrong. A relationship between a high schooler and me? Impossible.

I believed his assertion that he was legal. And I thanked heaven for that, too. The thought hadn’t even crossed my mind last night. Heller had a man’s body. I might have been a virgin, but I was completely aware of what guys looked like. And Heller… He was built, with rippling muscles, wide shoulders and slim hips. He could be on the pages of a Man’s Health magazine.

And I’d freaked out on him and sent him away.

Because it was the right thing.

Even if I craved him.

I rubbed my thighs together and moaned, turning over and pressing my face into the cushions. The hurt in his eyes haunted me. I’d handled things badly. Really badly.

Honestly, I couldn’t imagine another way I would have handled it. I tended to freak out then regroup later. But he was in high school! Legal. Emancipated. Still in high school.

I was torn. To the world, including the courts, he was an adult. Being emancipated, he had to be more mature than most anyone his age. He lived on his own, worked and went to school, obviously getting good grades since he’d mentioned leaving for college soon. I couldn’t imagine having so much responsibility at that age. Heck, I knew for sure I wouldn’t have handled it as well when I’d been eighteen. I’d have been homeless and hungry inside of a month.

Yet Heller wasn’t.

He’s still eighteen.

It didn’t even matter. This morning had ensured that. Still, heat filled me as I recalled that sex against the wall this morning. That had proved his strength and that fire burned between us. I’d been in the middle of freaking out then…my back was to the wall, and I couldn’t think of anything but what he was doing to my body. Proof I had no sense about him. It was probably a good thing things were over…before they’d ever started.

Who’d have thought Good Girl Becca would have a one-night stand? Well, there, doubters.

Prying myself off the couch and away from my pity party, I headed into my bedroom to get out of my work clothes. I’d burn this uncomfortable suit dress if I could, but I knew I’d be wearing it again in two weeks. I had a ten day rotation of on-air clothes for each season. All skirts of dresses. No pants for women at our station.

Seemed unfair and misogynistic to me, but that was how it was, and I didn’t see a policy change on the horizon. After stripping off the work clothes, I stood in my lacy panties and bra, contemplating clothes. It was late. I should just put on my pajamas, but I knew I wouldn’t sleep for hours. Slipping on my favorite fitted, V-neck tee and a pair of well-worn jeans felt like hugging an old friend.

I needed the comfort after this day. I knew I’d done the right thing, but my heart protested it. But maybe, it wasn’t my heart. Maybe, I just wanted Heller. The sex… I didn’t have a ruler to judge by, but it had seemed pretty damn incredible to me. Shaking my head, and avoiding looking at my neatly made bed, I thought about getting something to eat. Food. Good idea. That would get my mind off Heller.

Except I hadn’t gone shopping, which was the reason I’d ordered delivery last night. I sighed and leaned my head against the fridge while I stared inside. I didn’t even have leftovers from last night since I’d forgotten about the food and left it on the table while Heller and I had—

And I was thinking about him again.

I sighed, closing the door and wondering if I should head to the twenty-four hour market. I hated going out to the store this late, but there was no way I was ordering takeout again tonight.

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. My brow furrowed while my heart rate sped up. Heller? I had asked him about midnight movies. No… He wouldn’t be back. Not after what had happened between us earlier. But who else would it be? Shaking with irrational excitement, I practically ran for the front door and pressed my eye to the peephole.

It was him!

Before I could think better of it or talk myself into pretending I wasn’t home, I yanked open the door and stared at him. “You’re here,” I gasped.

“Did you think I’d just give up? With things so good between us?”

I swallowed, a rock in my throat and my pulse racing wildly. Actually, I had thought he’d walk away and forget about me.

Stepping back, I let him into the apartment. He wasn’t wrong. Things were good between us. We still had a nine year gap between us, too.

I shook my head when he reached for me. He looked hot in his black polo and worn jeans that molded his thighs and ass to perfection. I wanted to feel that power against me again, but…

“I didn’t think you’d come,” I admitted then bit my lip. “I…I still don’t really know what to think about everything. With you in high school and—” I broke off and shook my head. This was practically the same conversation as this morning, and I had no knew arguments or solutions.

Heller studied me. I couldn’t meet his eyes and let him see the desire there. My gaze dropped to his chest. A mistake. I was quickly mesmerized by the way the fabric stretched over his pecs. Gosh, I was a needy mess.

“Becca,” he murmured, and when he stepped into me this time, I didn’t scoot away from his compelling dominance. He’d been commanding in bed, and my body reacted to that memory now. But he was equally commanding out of bed. His arms looped loosely around my waist. “Just give me a chance. If I end up being too immature for you, then we stop seeing each other.” He tilted his head.

“I don’t know…”

“Unless it’s an image thing.”

Was that part of it? Yeah. It shamed me to admit it, but it was the truth. How often had image been drilled into me at the station. Heck, it was the motive behind today’s meeting with the station manager. He seemed to enjoy belittling me. Wouldn’t he love to be a dick about who I was dating.

Strangely, that was what decided me.

“You’re right. Let’s see where things go,” I acquiesced, without really answering the latter part of his question. Because he’d been spot on with it. “So…movies? I’m starving for some popcorn.”