Killing Me Softly(A Broken Souls Series)

Carrie, the best friend. Why it makes my insides twinge in jealousy is beyond me. “That’s awesome, I’ll stomach a few country bars for your friend. Where are you going? The Omniplex is on the other highway. You don’t have to take back roads because of the semi, I’m fine.” He’s pulled off the highway to an unfamiliar area of town.

“I want to show you something before we go to the museum.” He drives through an area where all new buildings and houses are being built. We pull down a residential street and pull up to a house that says, Model Houses Open Sunday Noon – 4:00. He parks the truck and we go inside. A woman in her late forties is sitting behind a glass desk, she raises her head from her laptop as we walk inside. She tucks her auburn hair behind her ears as she stands up to greet us.

“Hi, I’m Pam, welcome to Shaley Green Homes. Have you ever been in a Shaley Green Home?” Pam stands up and walks over to us. She’s an attractive woman, but not overdone. Her skirt and blouse are high quality, I can tell by the way she carries herself that she like nice things. The shoes are her giveaway though, they’re a pair of FiFi Christian LouBoutin’s black pumps. No one wears a pair of seven hundred shoes on a Sunday.

“Hi Pam, I’ve not visited the homes, however, I met the builder recently and he told me about this project. They’re all custom Eco friendly houses, correct?”

“Oh lovely, you met Matt Shaley, he’s a doll. Yes, our homes are all energy efficient and built with as many environmentally friendly products out there. We’re an OG&E energy friendly home, you know. We’re rated number six in the United States for the best styles and most efficient homes. Have you looked at any of our floor plans online?” Pam picks up a clipboard and a pair of reading glasses.

“I’ve looked at the floor plans and I’d like to see the four bedroom home with the chef’s kitchen. I think it’s called The Executive,” Tate says. He’s using his professional voice, not his sexy sleep-with-me one. Pam hands him the clipboard and asks him to sign in. Within seconds, she’s handing us some brochures filled with information and the floor plans of the houses.

“I have an Executive that was finished last week. It isn’t for sale, but I can take you in and show you how great it is. If I can get your driver’s license?” Pam asks. Tate takes out his military ID and hands it to her. As she makes a copy of it, I get a chance to ask him what he’s doing.

“Are you buying a house?” I whisper. I’m not sure if he’s pretending to be interested or if he really is interested.

He shrugs his shoulders. “I’m not sure. This place sounds great though, and I’m tired of not having a place to go and play music with you.” He runs his hand through his hair, that simple act gives me goose bumps.

My heart is unaware of what the meaning of going slow means. I glance up at him, we make eye contact and for a split second I think I love him. No way! Not going there. I’m sure he thinks I’ve had a stroke or something.

“Why do you look so scared?” Tate whispers.

Because I’m freaking out. I just thought the L word and about fell over. I don’t fall in love, and I sure as hell don’t fall in love after two months. Two perfect months of fun and adventure. “No, I just don’t want you to get any ideas that I’m moving in or anything like that.” What is wrong with me?

“Holl, we’re going slow. Don’t worry and please don’t get scared and run away.” His face is filled with angst. “You’re cute when you’re freaked out.”

I force a smile, so he won’t think I’m freaking out. I am freaking out. Not about moving in with him. There’s no way I’d leave my dad, not until he’s a functioning adult.

The way his gaze is piercing through me in an attempt to read my thoughts, brings out the girly-girl in me. One day, when he looks at me like that, I’m going to have a literal panty dropping moment.

Pam comes back into the room and asks us to follow her. We go outside and get on a shiny red golf cart that looks like an old time car. She drives on the road but tells us the sidewalks are wide enough for a traditional golf cart. As we ride over to the house, she tells us some of the features of the neighborhood. The sidewalks and driveways are heated. Since it’s over ninety-five degrees, it seems silly to have heated sidewalks. She tells us it makes ice and snow cleanup easier. Each house has a brick mailbox with solar lights that change colors. We pull up to a dark red brick ranch house. The front yard is dirt but landscaping is the final part of every project.

The house is stunning, I wasn’t expecting it to be so pretty. It’s bright from all the windows on every wall. Pam said the tint on the windows is to help with the cost of climate control. From outside, the neighbors can’t see inside the house. It’s a new trend, since window coverings are expensive. As an option, we can have retractable blinds installed. Everything in the house is run by a high tech panel. It controls everything from the solar panels on the house, to the power run to the outlets. If the owner isn’t home, they can run the lights and sprinkler system from an app on their phone. Out in the backyard the owner can have features like a compost, and they will till up the yard for a garden area. A greenhouse with panels for climate control can also be put in. I bet that’s why Tate wants to be here. He’s from a farm where they grow their own food and live off the land. He can have some country living while living in the city.

He’s walking around and day dreaming about what kind of furniture he would put in each room. This is a side of him I’ve never met. When we get to the kitchen, he talks about all the meals he would make for me. He asked Pam if a traditional brick pizza oven can be added, she said it could. Two of the bedrooms are small, he said he’d use one of them as an office. I don’t know what he needs one for, but I just follow and listen to him dream. He talked to her about one of the rooms being customized to be made into a music room. I didn’t know you could really make a room soundproof and have the perfect acoustics put in for the perfect sound return. Pam excuses herself to go take a call.

Tate and I walk into the master bedroom and for a moment I’m giddy. He asks me about the type of bedroom furniture I could see in the room. I get lost in the fantasy with him as we talk about decorating the room. The master bathroom has a large bathtub with jets. He comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist. Oh goodness. I lean back into him and he bends down to whisper in my ear.

“One day, I’ll have you naked in a tub like this. I’ll worship every single inch of your body with every inch of mine.” I turn around in his arms and look up at him. Without thinking, I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him down to me. My hand goes to the back of his head. We kiss so passionately that I’m sure I’ve broken a sweat. His hands are in my hair and a groan come from deep in his chest. I’m not thinking about anything other than the thought of him worshiping every inch of me. A cough from the bedroom startles us. “Holl, you’ve stolen my ability to be a gentleman.”

“Don’t worry, I like this rogue-gentleman side of you.”

He bends down and kisses the tip of my nose before turning around and walking into the bedroom. “I don’t need to see any more. I’d like to purchase the house.”