She let out a breath before leaving the comfort of his bedroom. He stood at the bottom of the stairs waiting. He wore black pants, a white, crisp shirt, and a leather jacket.
“We’ll get breakfast on the way,” he said. She nodded her head as he didn’t ask her if that was what she wanted.
He grabbed her jacket and helped her into it. She felt his hands on her shoulders. His touch lingered. She closed her eyes enjoying his touch before he pulled away.
Stephen took her hand leading her outside to his car. She followed him without question. He opened the door for her and buckled her in.
“I’m not a child.”
“I know. I just want to make sure you’re safe.”
He kissed her lips then went round to his own side. She could easily become addicted to him if she wasn’t addicted already. He started the car, pressed the code for the security gate, and they were off.
Stephen took her hand as he moved the car easily along the road. She didn’t like driving. The roads were always too busy, and they lived close to the main city which was a nightmare to get through.
“What kind of music do you like?” she asked.
“Classical.”
“Cool.” She turned on the radio and allowed the sounds of the piano to fill the car. Stephen chuckled, but he made no move to turn it off.
“How’s your pu**y?” he asked suddenly.
Ursula turned to him in shock. “What?” Was he seriously asking about her pu**y?
“You heard me.” He pulled into a diner that served breakfast. “Your blush is sexy.” He kissed her cheek.
“What have you done with Stephen?”
“This is who I am, and, baby, you haven’t seen anything yet.”
“I’m fine, and all my parts are fine.” He got out of the car. She was out and closing the door before he got the chance.
“I wanted to help you out of the car.”
“I’m perfectly capable of opening and closing my own door.” Stephen pressed her against the car.
“Next time wait for me to open your door.” He kissed her lips then led her up the stairs and into the diner.
Several people stopped him, giving him a hug before he led her to a booth in the corner.
“A lot of people like you,” she said.
“I’m a likeable guy when I want to be.”
A waitress came out with a menu and handed it to each of them. “It has been too long since you’ve been here, Stephen. We were starting to worry in case you’d gone missing.”
“Sorry, Diane. I’ve been busy.”
“Are you going to introduce me to your girlfriend?”
“That depends. Are you going to scare her away?”
Ursula listened to the banter between the two, watching the different man Stephen transformed into.
“I won’t bite, but that depends on what she orders. I’ve seen the magazines, Stephen. I know the type of woman you date.”
“In that case can I have the pancakes with syrup and bacon? Extra on the pancakes,” Ursula said. “I’m Ursula Mills.” She put her hand out to Diane.
The other woman observed her before taking her hand. “I like her. She won’t take any of your crap. He can be awfully broody sometimes.” Diane jotted down her order then left.
“You have a lot of explaining to do,” Ursula said.
“What?” he asked. Diane brought them out their coffee before disappearing again.
“Stephen Knox, you’re a wealthy man with plenty of businesses under your belt, and yet you come to a diner and are more at home with them than you are in your own house.” She’d noticed plenty of times the way he looked out of touch in certain rooms. Most of the time he looked relaxed in the kitchen.
“This is where my mum and dad used to take me for breakfast every weekend morning. They were always busy, but they never missed a day,” he said.
“You loved your parents?”
“Yes. They loved each other, and at times I felt like an outsider. They did love me though. I know they did.” He was smiling.
“You should smile more often. So, why do you hate your home so much?”
He paused as Diane placed pancakes in front of them. She ruffled his head then left.
“It’s not my house. At least, it has never felt like my house. It’s a building that’s passed down through generation, and because I’m the only child of the previous Knoxes the house was passed down to me.”
She nodded, biting into the pancake. “Why don’t you redecorate?”
“I’ve never thought about it. If I redecorate then someone impersonal will be changing everything. I don’t want anyone else touching my parents’ house.”
They ate for a little while.
“Why don’t you redecorate? You could do it yourself. You work from home. Can’t you have one of those phones in your ear while painting a wall?”
“Eat your food.” He pointed at her plate.
Ursula didn’t pursue her line of questioning. People kept approaching the table and asking how he was doing. From the bits of conversation she heard, she knew he hadn’t been to the diner since his parents’ death.
“How long since your parents passed?” she asked.
“A while.”
“Is that why you don’t come here?”
He nodded his head.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For bringing me to the place you shared with two people you loved. I appreciate it.”Stephen reached across the table and took her hand. “Thank you,” he said.
Together they finished their food and sat drinking coffee. When Diane cleared away their dishes, Stephen paid the bill and ordered her once again to put her money away. Once they were in the car she turned to face him. “I think packing some clothes and my college stuff would be easier. I can put the furniture into storage for later.”
“Why? I’ll arrange for my people to collect your furniture, and we can put it round the house. Whatever you don’t want we can sell later on,” he said.
“What happens when this.” She gestured between them before finishing. “Doesn’t work out?”
“Do you think I’m going to make you leave? It will work out between us.” He started the car, but Ursula wasn’t convinced.
“Nothing is set in stone. What if it doesn’t work?”
“It will work.” He sounded so determined that Ursula almost believed him. He turned the key in the ignition, and the car purred to life. Seconds later they were on the road in the direction of her apartment.