Until You Feel At Home

Chapter Thirteen

Claire

Claire was half-expecting he wouldn't let her inside. She thought he'd make her sit at the picnic table and drink there. But he unlocked the door and held it open as she walked in. It was so clean it practically sparkled. Simon came to greet her as soon as she entered.

"This is a really nice house, Brandon." She said, bending down to give the dog a good scratch behind his ears.

"It's my grandparents on my mother's side. They're in assisted living. They have been for quite some time. I just take care of the place for them."

"It's cleaner here than it ever was in my apartment, that's for sure."

"Don't you have multiple people living there? Besides, I just had it cleaned, so don't beat yourself up too bad."

She watched as he draped his suit jacket on the couch and began folding his shirt sleeves up to his elbows. It was dangerous how attractive she found him. She knew better than to act on her feelings but he made it difficult. She couldn't help but think the most inappropriate thoughts about him when she was alone in her flat. He had to know what he was doing, right? Was he doing it on purpose?

He opened the fridge and grabbed two bottles of Sam Adams, twisting the cap off them both before handing her one. She followed him to the living room and sat on the couch, he flopped down next to her. "At least that part is over with." He said with a sigh.

"You ready to hop into this house tomorrow?" She asked.

He looked over to her. "Tomorrow? We don't get even a little break?"

She shrugged, "You can do what you want but I'll be there."

He sighed. "I can't let you go there alone. You might see the car in the garage and want it."

Claire snorted, and almost sucked some of her beer into her nasal passage. "What kind of car is it?" she asked.

"It's stupid and ugly. You wouldn't like it."

She scooted closer to him on the couch. "What's the car, Brandon?"

He turned to face her. "It's a 1972 Mustang. Mach 1."

She shook her head. "I don't know what that means."

"So I can have it?"

"It's all yours." She agreed

"Oh hell yeah." He cheered.

"I don't want any pushback on the stuff in the house that I ask for, okay?" She quirked her eyebrow.

"Deal." He nodded. "I loved that car, Claire. He took me out in it once or twice when I was a kid but in all these years I can't imagine he put more than a hundred miles on it."

"Lucky you, I didn't even know he had a fancy car. He always drove me around in his regular old car. Whatever black sedan he had at the time."

"I'll have to take you for a ride in it, then." Brandon whispered, staring intently at her. "Before you go."

She licked her lips, suddenly aware they were as dry as sandpaper. "Before I go."

He emptied his beer and stood. "Why don't you finish yours so I can bring you a new one?" He asked, looking down towards her. She held up her near-full bottle, and decided to give him what he wanted. She threw her head back and chugged. It took her far longer than she expected when she started, but she persevered. He grinned as he grabbed the bottle from her hands, taking a moment to stare down at her. He bit his lip as his eyes trailed down her chest, waist, and legs.