It was a short drive over to Vicky’s apartment and by the time they arrived she’d made the decision to not let him come up to her apartment. Jason was dangerous. Although Vicky had just met him she was feeling emotions she’d never felt before. She needed to end this attraction or whatever this connection was with him once and for all before it got out of control. Men like him didn’t want women like her. Well, they did but usually for one thing only. Jason found a parking space in front of the address she’d given him. Vicky was all set to tell him thanks for the ride and have a safe flight back to wherever he was going. When Jason moved to get out of the car Vicky touched his arm “Thank you for bringing us home safely. You don’t need to come up. I can take it from here”. Jason tried to hide his disappointment and his uneasiness as he looked around the neighborhood. Anxiety was written all over his face. “Please let me walk you and Angel to the door and I’ll leave once I know the two of you are tucked in safely. Is that ok?”. Against her better judgment it was like Vicky couldn’t say no. Reluctantly, she nodded and went to pick up a sleeping Angel. The three of them made their way up the stairs to Vicky’s apartment. Vicky wouldn’t let Jason help her with any of the stuff she was carrying. By the time they made it to Vicky’s door she was struggling trying to hold onto a sleeping Angel, Angel’s bag, and her bags while trying to locate her keys at the bottom of her purse. Jason offered to help. “Can I help you hold something? I can even hold Angel if you like. She’ll be alright with you standing right here next to me.”. While smiling devilishly he reached for Angel “Did I mention that Mr. Roth said I had unimpeachable character?”. Vicky hesitantly handed her over to him. Angel wrapped her little arms around Jason’s neck as if it was the most natural thing in the world. For a moment Vicky couldn’t breathe. She just took in the scene. Was this real or was she like a thirsty woman who had been in the desert way to long? Jason thought Angel smelled like a little girl should. She smelled like cinnamon and spice. Her skin on his neck was so soft and when she breathed it tickled his neck. Vicky quickly found her keys and opened the door before she fell apart right in front of him watching him hold her daughter like a real dad. He had no idea what that entire moment did to her. As they walked through the door and she went to flip on the light switch nothing happened. There was nothing but darkness. Vicky switched the light switch up and down again and again “No, no, no. This cannot be happening. I told them I’d make the payment this coming Monday”. The power had been turned off. The offices were closed so she couldn’t even go make the payment until Monday. No power for the entire weekend. Vicky had never been more embarrassed in her life. It wasn’t as if she’d never had the power turned off before but to have it done in front of JK was probably the most humiliating thing that could have happened. At that moment, she wished she could have fallen through any crack in the floor. Jason walked in behind her and closed the door behind them. Apart from the outside lights it was pretty dark in the apartment. With her back to him and slumped shoulders Vicky put all of her bags down and just looked defeated. That was the look he’d seen when they’d met in the elevator earlier. Jason could see the heavy burdens that Vicky carried. Her smile as fleeting as they were made him feel incredible and he wanted to make her smile again. So, when she finally turned around to take Angel from him he side stepped her “Please just tell me where and I’ll lay her wherever you want”. Vicky motioned for him to lay her on her shabby couch. Jason tenderly laid Angel down onto the couch while she blissfully continued to sleep. Jason’s desire to pull Vicky into his arms and tell her he’d take care of everything overwhelmed him. He had to force himself to keep his arms to himself. Jason knew this was embarrassing for her so he tried to make it seem as though this was no big deal. Vicky couldn’t even meet his eyes “Look Jason, thank you for giving Angel and me a ride home but as you can see tonight’s not a good night to entertain”. Jason took his finger and gently tipped
