Chapter 76: Taking Lena To Work
Sixteen minutes later, Steven pulled up outside the building where Lena’s apartment’s located.
It was a clean mid-rise building in a quiet residential stretch, well-maintained without being ostentatious.
He sent her a message immediately.
Steven: I’m outside.
The reply came within thirty seconds.
Lena: Coming down. Give me two minutes.
He kept the engine running and looked out through the windscreen at the morning street. A couple walked past on the pavement, a dog pulling ahead of them on a leash. A delivery truck idled further up the road. The city was fully awake now.
The building’s entrance door opened a moment later and Lena stepped out.
She was dressed in a tailored blazer in deep burgundy over a cream blouse, dark trousers and heels that added just enough height to change how she carried herself. Her hair was up and the makeup she had mentioned finishing was understated.
She spotted Steven immediately, as he wound down the glass and waved at her. She smiled and pace slowed slightly. She looked at the car, then at Steven, then back at the car, and smiled.
She walked to the passenger side and he reached across and opened the door from inside. She got in, brought the door closed, and settled into the seat.
"Good morning," she said, leaning forward for a kiss.
"Good morning, my beautiful." Steven leaned forward and kissed her deeply.
After a few seconds, they pulled apart slowly and Lena had a flushed look on her face.
"You look stunning," Steven smirked.
"You mischievous bastard. You should have said that first. You’re smooth with your words and good with your tongue at the same time. What was I expecting?" Lena smiled.
"You want to go for another kiss?" Steven teased
"Don’t you dare come close to me, you demon!" Lena said, with a playful pout on her face.
Steven laughed at her expression.
"You’re cute. But we have to leave or you will be late for work," he said.
"Like you aren’t you the one trying to make me late by teasing me?" Lena said, rolling her eyes.
"Well, I can’t exactly be blamed, can I? You look too irresistible," Steven said.
"Yeah, yeah. Just drive. I know what you’re trying to do and it won’t work," Lena smiled.
Steven smiled and pulled the car out from the kerb and into the morning traffic.
"Where am I going?" he asked.
She gave him the address and he entered it into the navigation and it showed they would spend twelve minutes in light traffic.
"Your new car looks nice. Porsche 911s are great cars," Lena said.
"Would you look at that? You know cars? You’re even more amazing," Steven said, feeling genuinely proud.
"Well, I had researched a little into cars when I wanted to get mine. Also, my dad was a car enthusiast. I learned quite a few things from him," Lena said, with a small smile.
"Your dad sounds cool. I would love to meet him."
"He will definitely want to meet you too after I tell him that I’m in a relationship."
"I guess it won’t be long then," Steven smiled.
"Yeah," Lena smiled at him.
A comfortable silence settled between them, as the car moved down the road.
"So, how long have you lived there?" Steven asked, after a few minutes.
"About a year now," she said.
"That hasn’t been long."
"Yeah. It took me a while before I was earning enough to truly be able to afford a place in River Oaks."
"You have come a long way."
Lena looked at Steven with an expression filled with warmth, and smiled.
"So, you’re going to the DPS today. Are you taking the bike out for a ride immediately when you get back?" She asked.
"Most probably," Steven replied. "But I intend to take things slow. I’m not going to push it to its top speed immediately after driving out of the underground garage. I might not even push it at all."
"But you promised to be careful and to keep yourself safe?"
"I promise."
"Thank you," Lena smiled in satisfaction.
The navigation announced the final turn and the building came into view. It was a glass and steel mid-rise structure. He signalled and pulled up along the drop-off lane at the entrance.
He brought the car to a stop and left the engine running.
Steven got out and walked to the passenger side, to open the door for Lena.
He opened the door and she smiled at him.
"What a mischievous gentleman you are," she said, as she stepped out of the car.
"I do my best for your my beautiful," Steven smiled back at her.
"Smooth with words as always," Lena rolled her eyes.
She stood beside the car and looked at him for a moment.
Steven gazed into her eyes, and their eyes locked. He leaned forward and kissed her on her lips.
Lena’s face flushed red again and she quickly looked down. She was about to run away in embarrassment but Steven held her hand.
"Lena," he called her name.
She slowly lifted her head and looked at him. Her eyes met his and it made her feel embarrassed, and weak in the knees.
She wanted to look away but she found herself unable to.
Steven smiled softly, placed his hands on Lena’s cheek and kissed her forehead.
"I love you, Lena."
Lena’s smiled widened uncontrollably when she heard and pulled even closer to Steven.
She continued looking him directly in the eyes. Then spoke softly, with genuine warmth, "I love you too, Steven."
Steven smiled warmly. His hands reached down to Lena’s shoulders and he held them gently.
"I would love for us to continue but you have been standing out here for a while now. It’s cold and you will be late even though you’re at the building’s entrance," he said.
Lena nodded, leaned across and kissed him again. Then she pulled back.
"I’ll call you later," she said.
"I’ll be expecting it," Steven said.
Lena smiled and walked to the building’s entrance door. She reached the door, looked back at Steven and waved him, mouthing, goodbye.
Steven waved back and mouthed, see you soon.
He watched her walk through the entrance, the automatic doors opening ahead of her, and disappear into the lobby.
He stood there for a moment, then he walked to the driver’s side, got in and started the engine. He pulled out of the drop-off lane and back into the morning traffic, heading home.
***
The drive back was smooth and without rush. He moved through the city without direction, taking a longer route than the navigation suggested simply because the morning was still early and the road was clear and the Porsche was worth the extra miles.
His mind moved through the morning’s events in no particular order. The system notifications. The documents on the nightstand. The Porche. The apartment complex and what it represented. And Lena.
Their relationship has moved faster than he would had expected but he would be lying if he said that he didn’t like it this way.
He had no idea how it has happened but he had fallen for her and he could see that she also has fallen for him.
He can’t wait to pick her up from work later in the evening and take her home.
But evening was far away and he still has a lot of things to take care today. Especially the car that has been trailing him since he left Lena’s place.
He had noticed the car and hadn’t said or done anything because Lena was in the car, and he didn’t want to put her in what could had been a potentially dangerous situation.
But now that he was free, he could take care of the situation. He wondered if it was Drew or someone related to him.