Saved By the Man by Vanessa Lynn Gilbert (rm book recommendations txt) 📕

are you okay you look kind of…sick or maybe just tired.” The dream suddenly popped back into my mind and almost pulled me back into its deep dark clutches. I shook my head to get rid of the bad memories and then said, “I’m fine it’s just a bad dream.” Erik tilted his head and brought his eyebrows up in a questioning kind of way. “You don’t want to know,” I told him. He shrugged and said, “Alright well I’ll go start breakfast.” I nodded and as soon as he left I took a deep breath and shook it off not wanting to fall apart in front of him again. I went over to my dresser at the end of my bed and began searching through it for some good clothes. I pulled out my light blue jeans that are torn at the hems, my big baggy white shirt that had a smiling Japanese anime looking panda, and my light, green jacket that has a hood. I grabbed all of my clothes then I went across the hall and started the shower.
Butterflies suddenly were filling my stomach when I remembered that I wasn’t alone in the house, when I remembered that Erik was here…just downstairs. I took a deep breath then said, “Get over yourself Zoe, nothing’s going to happen.” I touched the water with my wrist then pulled it out quickly. “Ouch,” I said between clinched teeth. I grabbed the green cotton towel and patted my wrist down. I reached back and to the burning hot water and turned the crystal ball handle towards the C. I pulled my hand back out and then leaned against the wall waiting for the water to cool.
I wonder why Erik stays. He knows I can figure out who kidnapped his baby sister. I shook my head of the annoying questions about why Erik would stay and then I reached into the water to see if it had cooled down. I smiled at the cool feel of the water then pulled my hand out and stripped from the clothes I was wearing yesterday and then I stepped into the bathtub and began enjoying my shower.
10MINUTESLATER
I stepped out of the shower my hair dripping wet and my skin shinning from the water. I wrapped my cotton towel around my body after drying my hair. I ran my rainbow colored brush threw my hair trying to get the tangles out. I wonder if breakfast is ready, I though, I wonder what Erik made. I pulled my thoughts from Erika and breakfast and started trying to think of who would want to kidnap Erik’s little sister, Andy, and what their motive would be. Well, besides the Piranhas or Carter I was drawing a blank. I could think of no one who would have a reason to kidnap her. I set the brush down and then I grabbed my makeup bag and began applying my makeup.
I carefully put my black eyeliner, my black mascara, my light yellow eye shadow, and then my light glitter overcoat for eye shadow. I looked in the mirror making sure that I was satisfied with the way my makeup turned out. Suddenly the bathroom door opened letting steam roll out and letting cool air come in. I clinched the towel closer to my body and then I looked over at the doorway to see Erik standing his eyes wide and his right hand on the door knob. “Ah, Erik what are you doing,” I yelled at him. “What I just wanted to use the bathroom. I thought you were out and were in your room,” He said. I glared at him and said, “Erik please leave so I can get dressed.”
Erik’s eyebrows rose up and he asked, “And if I don’t?” “There will be hell to pay.” Erik walked further into the bathroom and walked closer to me. My heart beat increased and my palms became sweaty. My breath grew heavier and so did Erik’s. He leaned down and leaned in close to my ear. “I could take full advantage of your situation right now, you know that right,” He whispered. I nodded my head unable to do anything else. His lips barely touched the skin of my neck and he said, “I’m going to go and let you change I have to go get some clothes and some care products so I’m going to take some money from you and go shopping. Is that okay with you,” He asked, his lips touching my skin whenever he talked. I shook my head and licked my lips. “G-go ahead,” I said. Erik pulled away a little but then kissed my cheek and said, “Breakfast is on the table I’ll be back soon.” Erik walked out and I just stood there listening to his footsteps down the stairs over to the door and then the sound of the door opening and closing. My legs felt like jello and soon enough they gave out.
I fell to the ground and just sat there unable to move and barely able to breathe. He…he kissed my cheek. I could hardly believe it. He…he…he wow. I shook my head and then stood well at least tried to stand up. I got to my feet and griped to the counter. I shook off his touch his affect on me and began to get dressed. After my clothes were in place I walked down the stairs slowly still not that quiet sure of my strength after what Erik had just done. As I stepped on to the floor of the living room I was greeted by the smell and vision of omelets. A smile spread across my face and I shook my head. He can be so sweet and so romantic. I walked over to a plate set on the table with an omelet on it and found a red post note right by the plate. It read;
“Dear Zoe,
Enjoy the breakfast I made for you. I will be back shortly after my shopping and when I get back I need to talk to you but until I am back please stay in the house. I don’t want to worry about what might happen to you while searching for care products okay. So stay indoors and please if you do decide not to listen to me to leave a note saying where you went to.
Love,
Erik.”
I smiled and read the note over and over again, imagining him writing it. I shook my head of the image and read the note once more before sitting down and began digging into the delicious omelet. I never knew Erik knew how to cook. I didn’t even think he was even brave enough to come into the bathroom when a girl is in it practically naked and just start barely kissing her. I shook my head. “Stop being such a girl,” I told myself. I rubbed the top of my head and then stood up to wash my plate. I looked at the door and said, “Okay I’m going to go and investigate but I’ll be back in a few minutes.” After it was all of the dishes were clean and all of the leftovers were put in the fridge I grabbed my helmet, my bag, my phone, and my keys and then walked out of the house.

 
Chapter 5
I parked my Decoty in front of the coffee shop and just took in the view of the building. It was an old style brick building that had a green and black sign with a girl holding a cup and in big black letters it read, “Starbucks.” There were two huge windows on either side of the light brown wooded framed glass door. Under the windows and around the sidewalk and path up to the door are flowers, small hedges, and small lights fairly hidden by the plant life around the building. I could see from out here that Carter was already there and was sitting a widow sit. I looked around, he has to have back up because why else would he want a window sit. Nothing was around the coffee building except a few hobos with a basket filled with papers, cups, and other trash. I took a deep breath, took off my helmet, set the helmet on the Decoty and then I walked into the building. As I walked in the smell of fresh baked bread filled the air. The coffee house was nicely decorated.
The floors were a bamboo light colored wood, the walls a light and dark brown coffee mix, the walls were also decorated with pictures of grey children or grey backgrounds nothing to special. There were 8 tables in the coffee shop, 4 chairs at each table, and most of the tables had 1 to 2 people sitting at them. As the door shut and I stepped more into the shop I could see Carter sitting at the table two coffee cups one in front of him and the other placed across from him. I took a deep breath and held back the anger rising within me. I wanted to kill him right now. He had no right for touching me and for violating me. As I started walking towards the table the leg in which he stabbed began to hurt and throb. I stopped walking for a second and clinched my teeth. Okay forget the leg you’re here to talk to Carter and get some clues. I took a deep breath and continued walking to the other side of the tabled. I pulled out the wood, flower decorated chair out and then I sat down. “Hello Zoe how are you,” Carter asked casually. My hands clinched into fists under the table and the heat of my anger was boiling my blood. I took a deep half calming breath and I said, “I’m fine, Carter. How about you,” I asked.
Carter’s dark brown eyebrows came down into a frown expression that matched the edges of his lips that where down also. Carter had his dark brown ear length hair curled a bit at the end, his dark brown eyes were serious and filled with anger and desire. He had a white t-shirt that hung close to his skin, tight dark blue jeans, and his black and white sneakers. His leather black jacket hung on the back of his chair and he had on the chain necklace I gave him for our 1 month anniversary. Carter looked down at his necklace and said, “Oh yea I kept it. I decided not to waste a nice necklace over you.” I let out an harsh and sarcastic laugh and said, “Oh you crack me up.” Carter smiled his demon slime smile and then said, “Have a drink I remember your favorite.” I looked down at the cup suspicious of what he might have done to it. “Ha, what you don’t trust me. Come on what would I gang for drugging you,” he asked. To have away with my body, to cut me up into tiny little pieces and throw them all away, to get rid of me. “Oh I can think of a few reasons.”
I picked up the cup, leaned over to the nearby trash can, and then I threw the full cup into it. Carter let out a light laugh as he said, “You were always the paranoid one in the relationship, always worried it was going to end, always worried I was going to cheat on you.” “You did cheat on me and with my best friend.” I yelled out at him. “That was a long time ago. Let the past stay in the past we’re in the present.” Anger in raged me and it wasn’t going to stay back and caged up any more. I reached up and snatched his still hot coffee and then with