8. Lennox

"I can't believe you brought me to Kohls for our date," I grumble as I push the buggy through the aisle.

"Not a date."

"It's not?"

"No. I need sheets and towels. Just moved in and don't have that shit."

"Why couldn't you pick it up without me?"

"You'll be getting fucked on the sheets and sleeping on them. Figured you should pick them out."

My head jerks when I hear a gasp beside me. There's a woman standing beside me, her mouth open, and staring at Ghost in awe. The way she looks at him is annoying me. "Shut your mouth before you swallow a fly," I gripe.

Ghost laughs and slaps me on the ass. I shoot him a look that silently threatens to kill him. He ignores it. "No need to get jealous. I can only handle one woman at a time," he whispers in my ear. I do my best to ignore the shiver that runs through me.

"You're mostly a jerk," I huff.

"Yep."

"I'm warning you. I'm going to pick silk sheets and they won't be cheap."

"Have at it, Tiger. Don't forget towels."

"Do you have a favorite color?" I ask.

"Black."

"Figures." As we make it to the sheets, I grab some black silk sheets and another pair of red ones.

"Red?"

"It's my color." I expect him to bitch. Instead, he looks at me and it feels as if his eyes penetrate the deepest parts of me. Then, he reaches over and gets two more sets in the red. "Um…"

"Good sex gets messy, Lennox."

My heart speeds up when he uses my name. God. This man is trouble. I'm not sure I'm strong enough to resist him. I need to talk to Ivan soon. Ghost is the kind of man who could make me back away from my vow to Tommy. I can't allow that. Getting revenge for Tommy's death is the only reason I'm still alive.

"I haven't said I'm going to have sex with you again," I remind him, as I maneuver my way over to the towels and things.

"You will," he responds. I swear, I'm starting to really get addicted to his gruff voice. I'm almost positive that I could get addicted to all of him really quickly.

"Cocky is not a good look on you," I mumble. "Do you have a washer and dryer in this new apartment?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, so you're a bachelor. You probably reuse towels before you wash them—which, by the way, is a disgusting habit."

"Noted," he says, but I'm pretty sure he's fighting laughter.

"I'm thinking you can get by with a set of four."

"A set?" he asks, clearly confused. He's staring at me like I'm a creature from another planet. Right now, I'm truly beginning to feel like that.

"Yeah, four bath towels, four regular towels, four hand towels, and four wash cloths. That's a set."

"Sounds complicated."

"You only say that because you're a man. I'm also not buying black towels, so choose a different color."

"Red. It's your color," he answers immediately. I should argue and demand he choose another color. Instead, I quietly add the towels, feeling happy.

"Do you need a bathmat?"

"A what?"

I giggle at the startled look on his face. "The big cushy rug you step on when you're all wet. I have one outside my shower, remember?"

"Babe, I remember a lot of things about your shower. What kind of rug that was outside of it, is not one."

Damn. The look he's giving me right now could melt my panties. It kind of already is. I clear my throat. "Bathmat it is. Do you need a shower curtain?"

"There's doors."

"Okie-dokie."

"What about kitchen stuff?"

"Liberty left all that," he responds.

I know who Liberty is, but he doesn't know I know. So, I'm going to have to play a part here. Jesus, I'm going insane. I sound like an idiot—or a rerun of Friends. "Did your girlfriend leave you after she discovered you had a one-night stand?"

"Liberty is E-Z's old lady. If I had a woman, I wouldn't have been in your bed, Lennox. I'm not that kind of man."

I really hate that he always says the right things. It is doing weird things to me. "I know you are really good with your tongue. I guess that equates to being a smooth talker too."

He laughs again. This time it's rich and full, and I swear my knees get weak.

"So, are we done shopping?" I ask him, thinking it would be good to get away from him. I need air that is not clogged with the scent of his aftershave. That scent is way too drugging. I'm trying to keep my head around him, but it's proving to be difficult.

"Groceries."

I stare at him as if he has grown three heads. "You want me to go grocery shopping with you?"

"That a problem?"

"Grocery shopping together is something you do when you're living together and on the verge of popping out babies. I am not Suzy Homemaker, Ghost."

"Do you eat?"

"Duh," I huff.

"Have you been inside a store to buy food?"

"Are we talking food I have to cook or take out?"

A smile pulls on his lips. I can see it, but what catches my attention the most is that his eyes are sparkling. Damn. Shit. Fuck. Damn. I really like this guy and that is bad.

"Both."

I sigh and rub my forehead. There's tension building and I know it's because Ghost is a complication that I didn't plan to have. "I go food shopping for essentials. I mostly order takeout, though. My father taught me many things. Cooking wasn't one of them."

"Then, Safeway it is. If you're a good girl, we'll get takeout later."

"A good girl? God, you're an ass."

He grins so widely that I'm sure his face hurts. I really like it.

Damn him!