Can't Catch Me - Bucky Barnes

Chapter 10

"Erica? What's this?"

Erika turned around slowly. Her heart pounding as she thought she missed a vital piece of equipment. When she looked at him she realized he was standing by the box she locked all her Stark tech in when she was calling her friends.

She let out a breath she'd been holding and tried to discreetly laugh.

"Privacy and Stress Reliever box. Lock the tech in and let the anxiety flow out." Erika lied.

"Strange." Bucky went to pick up the box before realizing there was a pair of Erika's panties right underneath it. His face went red and he set the box right back down instantly.

"You might wanna make sure you grab everything from this side aswell."

Bucky stuffed his hands in his jean pockets. He'd ditched the jacket and instead was wearing a well fit gray shirt. It was scary attractive.

Erika honestly was begging him to get uglier at this point. She knew the memory of his fingertips against her back was thriving inside her.

"Would you mind helping me grab any clothing items I missed? It's basically all I brought besides myself and that box, and couple hair, makeup, and feminine products. All of which were easily packed." Erika asked. She honestly just wanted some free labor out of him.

"I don't know Erika. I don't wanna invade your privacy." His eyes glanced back at the lacy underwear slipping off the dresser the box was holding it on.

"You're already standing in my one room apartment and besides there's no privacy to invade. It's new York, someone's always poking their head through the window."

"You lived here before?" Bucky asked.

"Visited, only found a job and an apartment now." Erika shrugged.

Bucky didn't actually confirm he would help her but he did help start pointing out where he was finding things so she could come collect them and pack them into her suitcase.

He didn't touch any of her belongings and instead left it to her. In a way she appreciated how respectful he was about everything she owned. It was an experience she never knew she could enjoy. Just being respected so much by someone. She also assumed it was because he didn't wanna touch any of the under garments Erika had a nasty habit of leaving around.

When they finished packing up everything they rolled the suitcase to the door.

"Got everything."

"Nope." Erika said.

"What then go grab it." Bucky ushered her back in but she stopped him.

"It's still my apartment. Nothing valuable is being left behind but I'm not going to be living at the Avengers Tower for forever."

Bucky looked at her with a shadowed expression, something that reminded her of gloom.

"Hydra's not one for backing down. You may never be safe."

"No ones ever truly safe Bucky. We learn to live with it." Erika patted his chest and he held her hand there.

She didn't look up at his soft eyes this time and instead stared forward at his chest as his breathing deepened.

"People can be protected." His fingers wrapped around her hand in an act to show he would be the one to do so. It just reminded her of the past. He'd told her that once before but never lived up to it. Instead he had wanted her captured the next time they met.

"What is your obsession with me?" Erika said, she bit her tongue as soon as it came out. It was mix of poorly projected anger and jealousy.

He liked Erica Hodge and She liked him back. Erika Callahan was the other woman. She knew it wasn't healthy to disconnect herself from the role she was supposed to play.