That Blue Gibson

CH 89

"H... how did you...?"

Liz stared up at her new home wondering who in the hell had given him her address, but he only shrugged and unclipped his helmet, apparently not willing to divulge his stalking secrets.

"Jesus, Dave. I barely know where this place is and you come in all stealth mode?" she cried, her teeth chattering loudly as she clumsily climbed off the back of the bike in her heels.

"It's almost midnight," he finally said, kicking the stand down. "I figured the boys were asleep."

Liz wrapped her arms around herself and looked up when the lights in the apartment above the garage went on. She waved to Travis when he appeared at the window and decided to interrogate him in the morning. For now, she just wanted to get this over with. 

Her shivering had become so intense that her vision blurred slightly and she took a deep breath to try and stop it. "Look, Dave. I'm sorry about... um... I was so cold and-"

His eyes snapped to hers with a look she couldn't place, either he was hurt or disgusted and the thought of either made her throat tighten. "Can we go in?" he asked, hanging his helmet on the handlebar of his bike. 

She didn't answer, just led the way up to the front door and pulled her keys from her jacket. Once he quietly latched the door behind them, Liz felt a welcome surge of confidence. He was in her territory now and she could call the shots, though the manners her mother had drilled into her came first. 

"Can I get you anything?" she asked, setting her helmet on a bench in the foyer. She thought about kicking off her heels but decided that they gave her at least a little advantage and headed down the hallway towards the kitchen. 

"No, I just want to-"

"Okay well, I'm making tea because I'm freezing my ass off," she muttered and turned into the kitchen, lit only with the dim lights under the cabinets. Fuck manners, she was cold and suddenly very tired. Let's get this shitshow going, she thought.

All of her senses were locked on Dave as she located a tea bag and mug, then plugged in the bright red kettle she had purchased in London. He remained in the arched entry, looking out at the dark Pacific through the floor to ceiling windows in the living room.

"Nice place," he finally said. 

Liz flippantly shrugged as her shivering returned. And to think you wanted me to shack up with you in the Valley, she thought bitterly and bit her tongue hard to prevent herself from saying it out loud. Bringing up that up now would only add insult to injury.

"I'm sorry about the bike... I wanted to take the Tesla, but the battery was dead," he offered, still hovering half in the hallway, half in the kitchen. 

Again, she just shrugged and bent over the counter to wrap her hands around the warm kettle, letting its heat travel up her arms and into her chest. Her entire body tensed as he determinedly walked around the kitchen island towards her and she spun around just as he closed in on her. She braced herself on the counter's edge when he lunged at her, forcing her fingers to curl around the white soapstone instead of in his hair. "No," she said quietly but firmly, making him freeze just inches from her face. 

Liz stood perfectly still, searching his eyes and trying to catch up with what had just happened. Seconds ago she was fully prepared for Dave to devastate her, but now... was he trying to kiss her? Then, horrifyingly, she realized she was crying, sobbing really, and against her better judgment she walked the half step into his arms. 

"Oh god, Liz. Baby, no. Please don't cry... I'm so, so fucking sorry," he pleaded, holding her so tightly that she couldn't shiver even if she wanted to. "I fucked absolutely everything up."