Crossed (7 page)

“I know. I do it for her. And Emma understands.”

“You mean Marcus?”

I remained quiet and turned, looking out my window. I didn’t want to talk about Marcus, not to Hunter, who was the first man in the past year who had helped me forget about what had happened to me for more than twelve hours.

“How do you know about Marcus?”

“Your fight with Emma, and you said his name last night. Through your dreams.”

I let go of a long-held breath. “It’s a long story. Will you drive me home?”

“Of course.”

An hour later we were in the parking garage at my condo. I leaned back against the seat and looked over to the side, where Hunter patiently waited.

“You look stressed,” he said.

“You feel it too?” I let out a shaky laugh. “I don’t know why, but going back home doesn’t feel right.”

“May I walk you up?”

“I’m afraid if you do you’ll distract me.”

“And that’s a bad thing?” His brow rose and waggled in a sexy way. His mouth curved slightly to one side, making his patented look of “irresistible” flip my stomach.

“Hopefully it is.” I couldn’t help but flirt. It was so easy to do so with Hunter, and it certainly didn’t feel like I’d just met him yesterday.

He reached over and took my cell phone, which I’d been holding in my hand. The imprints of my nerves remained on the cover. He quickly typed something in before handing it back to me. “If you need anything this is the best number to reach me at. I mean it, Grace. Anything.”

“The one you gave me last night?”

He shook his head without providing more explanation. “Use this one.”

How many cells did he own?

I wished I could take him up on his offer. Despite the major troubles of his own that he most likely carried, Hunter had that perfect way of helping me forget my issues with committing too quickly to every single guy I dated. And then there was the robbery. I still had to reply to the message a detective had left for me this morning, asking me to call him back as soon as I could. I wasn’t looking forward to the conversation where he’d tell me that the guy who held a gun to my ribs just yesterday morning was still on the loose, and that they had a better chance of finding a needle in a haystack.

I dropped my phone in my purse, saying, “Thank you for understanding. Oh, and thank you for the flowers. They are beautiful. You really didn’t ha—”

And without saying anything Hunter leaned over and stole my thoughts and words with his mouth, drawing a whimper out of my lungs. Unlike the other times, the kiss was soft and unbelievably soothing. His needy tongue explored me, weaving and tangling with mine, and its salacious dance enticed me to rake my fingers up along his bare arms and feel my nails scraping gently along his tight skin. And soon enough I wanted more and needed more. The kiss became fevered as I got lost in his luscious mouth, opening mine wider, gripping my hands on his shoulders, pulling him closer. I felt my seat recline and Hunter lean over me. The smell of him, a blend of an expensive cologne with his natural soap, was like a drug. His every curve slowly pressed to my body as I gave in to him, accepting him with my open arms and mouth. And that mouth of his was doing some wonderful things, gently teasing and probing. The heat was beginning to spread from there through all my limbs and to between my legs, and I still couldn’t get enough. His hand drew lower and he cupped my sex through my jeans. I couldn’t breathe. It felt so good there. His touch made my head spin, and the heating throb between my legs intensified. He molded me with that hand, pressing harder and with clear intent to arouse me. The fabric of my panties became more uncomfortable against my skin as the button in my pants popped open and his hand slid down my flesh.

“You’re so wet, baby,” he said against my mouth.

“Aha.” I spread my legs wider as he pulled his fingers down toward my opening, drawing the moisture up to my soft nub at the top. The first shock pulsed through me as he played with me, and I guess that nub wasn’t as soft as I’d thought. Hunter knew my every nook and fold and how the flicks opened up my world to the new meaning of pleasure. I couldn’t get enough of him. He was so right and perfect and possibly
the one
.

Don’t be stupid, Grace!
my conscience blared. For the first time since he’d touched me I opened my eyes and remembered we were in his car in an underground parking lot. The windows had fogged up and I found it more difficult to breathe.

Perhaps it was a good time to open up the windows to get some fresh air.

I gently pushed at Hunter’s chest and whispered against his unforgiving lips.

“I need time to think and I don’t want to rush this. Not with you.”

“I’m pretty sure we’re past rushing as of last night, Grace.”

I accepted his soothing kiss. Hunter’s hand was still on me, his fingers working slowly, making my brain fuzzy. I swear, if it had been the middle of the night, I’d have thought I’d had a drink or two.

“Hunter, I do want you, but I just need some space.”

He slowly slid his hand out and brought his fingers underneath his nose, inhaling. I felt my insides clench at the sight.

“I love the smell of you, Grace. Delicious.”

Holy crap!

“I don’t want to freak you out, Hunter. But I have issues with guys like you.”

“Guys like me?”

“You know, handsome and available.”

He laughed. “Okay, Grace. What issues?”

I covered my face with my hands, “I just get attached too fast.”

“I want you attached to me in any and every way,” he winked, lowering himself to my neck, nibbling on my earlobe and doing those funny things with his tongue that made every cell in my body contract before breaking out into a happy dance.

“Hunter, I’m serious.” But my words weren’t convincing him or me.

I felt his finger dip inside me again and I couldn’t help but close my eyes.

“Yes, this is very serious. We have a pretty wet situation here, and I don’t like to start a job without finishing it.”

My hips moved to the rhythm of his pumping finger. It felt so good—too good. I couldn’t stop.

“I don’t want to scare you off.”

“Do you see me running, Grace?” he asked as his lips traced my jawline and lowered to my neck. I leaned my head to the side, opening myself to him ever further.

By now his fingers were working me in and out while his thumb ventured higher to my clit, rubbing there in excruciatingly delightful circles. His warm and tantalizing breath was back at my ear as he said, “I want to make you come, Grace. That’s all.”

Oh!

“No obligations. Just my fingers inside you and your pussy in my mouth. I want you to relax and then I’ll let you go.”

I felt my lungs constrict and panties dampen at the suggestion of what he wanted to do to me. And here? In a parking garage where anyone could catch us?

Hunter didn’t wait for my reply. I didn’t think there’d be enough space in this car, but he sure found a way to get to me. He lifted my legs onto his shoulders, and before I knew it my pants were off my hips and legs. With his guiding hands all over me, I curled my ass upward, yielding to his every adjustment of my body until my now bare feet touched the velvety ceiling and my swollen mound was in his mouth, above me.

Holy Mother of All Saints!

I closed my eyes, concentrating on the pull of his tongue and the tight suction of his mouth. There was no way I could say no to this anymore, or stop him. I didn’t want to stop him. His tongue probed at my opening until his fingers once again filled the space and he returned to the most sensitive part of my body. The sound of my heavy breath and moans mixed with his soft slurps, and the fingers pumping my wetness out of me were beginning to drive me to the point of no return. It wouldn’t take long. As much as I wanted this to last, I couldn’t hold on. His ambush in this car and that mouth on my flesh were too divine, firing up my need to be released from deep inside my core. I felt it on that tip, wavering there as the pressure swelled when I tried to hold on for a few more seconds. I didn’t want to let go, not yet. But that was like asking a dormant volcano not to erupt after a thousand years of silence. The explosion tore through my body as the hot orgasm spilled and spasmed through me, shaking me and relieving me at the same time, making all those stupid dares and bets with Emma over the past year non-consequential. And the same way a volcano couldn’t stop, neither could I. Hunter sucked and flicked until I could no longer physically take it. Gently pushing at his head, I savored each aftershock as my legs slowly lowered to the seat and Hunter dressed me back up.

My limbs were spent, and when the reality of what he’d just done hit me, I wasn’t sure whether to hide or run. How could I have let a man reduce me to nothing like that? A man whom I’d known since yesterday morning, who in truth could be a madman needing mental help from a rehab I was supposed to take him to. He did with me as he pleased, when and where he pleased, and it was absolutely wonderful.

“Don’t be shy, Grace.” He smoothed the back of his hand against my cheek. As much as I tried to look for a sign, there was definitely nothing mad about Hunter. In fact, so far he’d been the opposite. He’d saved my life, bought flowers, come to get me when I asked him. If I hadn’t known about his need for therapy, I’d have said that he was a perfect guy.

“As weird as it may sound, I have never done anything like this before.”

“Grace, it doesn’t matter,” he said. “Only you matter.”

“I just don’t want you to think of me as a woman who does this kind of thing.”

He leaned in closer, kissing my lips before he said, “There’s nothing wrong with this kind of thing. And I could never think wrong about a woman I’m only getting to know better.”

“That’s your way of getting to know me better?”

“It’s the best way. Look how much I learned already. You’re shy, you’re afraid you’ll commit your feelings too quickly, you melt in my mouth like chocolate, taste like raspberries, and are absolutely stunning.”

Wow! What do you say to that?

“Thank you.”

Stupid!

“Um, I’d better get going.”

“Grace, wait.” He grasped my wrist before I got out of the car. “For what it’s worth, it’s not in my nature to be so forward, but I can’t help it with you. I keep telling myself it was those bullets that triggered me yesterday, but I don’t think that was it.”

I gasped. “What was it?”

“It was you.”

And once again I felt my cheeks heat, totally feeling like a fifteen-year-old girl who just got asked out to a prom.

“Are you going out with Emma tonight?” he asked.

“How do you know?”

“Isn’t that what you usually do on a Saturday night?”

Staying out in public instead of home alone was definitely a good idea.

“Yeah, we do.”

“I guess I’ll see you around then, Magic Fingers.” He leaned over and kissed me gently on my lips before winking. “Don’t do anything I would do.”

I waved before stepping onto the elevator and watched Hunter start his car as the door closed. I leaned my head against the mirrored wall, feeling sad and empty without him.

C
HAPTER
7

The pounding in my head felt like the after effects of someone drilling a hole through my skull—with a jackhammer. I’d already called Emma to cancel our plans. There was no way I was stepping out of this apartment tonight with a migraine—that is, after I came back from the pharmacy with a prescription that would hopefully knock me out for the night. I’d been driving back and forth between my apartment and the salon to check on the progress of the renovations. One thing I’d learned was that it wasn’t easy to coordinate last minute, high-quality contractors—no matter how much you paid them.

The week had taken a toll on me and I’d been feeling something coming on for a couple of days now. I was supposed to go out with Emma tonight. Friday nights were our “thing,” but then again so were Saturday nights. This one I had to cancel, and, given the way I was feeling, Emma would be lucky, as I wouldn’t be able to continue our weekend tradition of dares.

Rain battered my windows, and the darkening sky and occasional flashes far in the distance didn’t look uplifting either. I hated bad weather. My mood fell, my blood pressure rose, and everything around me felt like crap.

I pulled on a pair of sweatpants and headed downstairs. The pharmacy was only a block away, and I could manage to stay dry on the covered sidewalk. When I pushed the door to the store open, bright fluorescent lights hit my eyes and I was forced to close them momentarily. With half-shut eyes, I walked through the aisle toward the counter at the back where I could refill my prescription. Honestly, I should have done it a month earlier when I ran out.

“It will be ten minutes,” the pharmacist said, handing me a pager. “We’ll let you know when it’s ready.”

“Thank you.” I stuffed the square box in my pocket and remembered that I was out of tampons and batteries. Strolling through the aisles I added my necessities to my basket, momentarily pausing, wondering whether I’d truly need the batteries again. Hunter had been over every day to check up on me, as well as some evenings. Given that it was the wrong time of the month, we didn’t get too close. Still, Hunter made sure I felt at ease, massaging my feet while I ordered new supplies for the salon and double-checked the upcoming load of appointments.

Someone stirred on my left and I froze. A peculiar feeling passed over me. I stood there, unmoving, taking in the negative energy I felt at my back, feeling someone’s gaze drill through my body, right to the bones. The vibe gave me the creeps and I slowly turned, but no one was there. Shivers passed over my arms and down my legs, and suddenly I felt like the rain outside had drenched me after all. Tugging at the hem of my oversized sweatshirt I pulled it lower, wishing I could somehow disappear, or at least teleport straight to my apartment. To my left, a man in a navy hoodie was looking for something in the fridge. Although he stood with his back to me, his movements appeared nervous. Not only did he wear the hood over his head, but also a baseball cap. For a moment, I thought he was deciding which frozen pizza to purchase, until I noticed he was looking straight at me in the reflective refrigerator glass. Something looked extremely familiar about him.