Read Love, Unwanted (Discovering Love #3) Online

Authors: Ra'Chael Ohara

Tags: #Romance, #Contemporary, #New Adult & College

Love, Unwanted (Discovering Love #3) (7 page)

BOOK: Love, Unwanted (Discovering Love #3)
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The moment my lips touch his, his whole body freezes, and I’m petrified that I’ve made a mistake, that I read this entire situation wrong. My fears are squashed when he gently grabs my face and kisses me back. Holy. Shit. Does he kiss back.

I’ve read thousands and thousands of books and I’ve kissed before. I read all about how the sparks are supposed to fly, how you’re supposed to feel that kiss throughout your entire body. I thought it was a lie. It was all make believe, just like all the fairy tales, but this kiss with Phoenix is proving me wrong.

I feel the sparks and so, so much more, and I know instantly it’s because of who is kissing me. He’s the one, the one who makes me feel all the sentiments women are supposed to when they are with the right one. Phoenix is the one who will make me believe in all the fairy tales I gave up on long ago, and I don’t want it to stop with just a kiss. I don’t want it to stop with just one night. I don’t want to go home tomorrow, back to my same routine, and have him disappear from my life, never knowing if or when he’ll be back.

My thoughts come to a screeching halt when Phoenix pulls his lips from mine. “Let’s get out of here, baby.”

I feel that sentence in my core, and my mouth suddenly goes dry. I don’t think I could get an answer out of my mouth even if I tried, so he only gets a nod in agreement.

Without another word, just one more chaste kiss to my lips, he grabs my hand and leads me off stage, back toward our seats and Bubbles. The entire way, people are stopping me and complimenting me on my voice. My performance high is riding strong.

“Thanks for the service, man,” he calls to the bartender after tossing some money on the bar and scooping up Bubbles’s bowl. It’s raining even harder when we walk out of the bar than it was when we got here. We don’t talk and he doesn’t let go of my hand. We just start running toward the car.

“Shit, I forgot we’re locked out,” he yells over the rain when we reach the car. Just like earlier, I can’t help but double over in laughter, but stop when Phoenix walks over to me. He doesn’t stop walking when he’s in front of me. He keeps going, forcing me to walk backward until my back hits the passenger side door.

I open my mouth to talk, but I don’t get a word out before my he captures my lips in a steamy kiss. “You think this is funny?” he growls against my lips. I’m mute. I have no clue what to say because all I want is to feel his lips on mine once again.

“It isn’t funny, baby. It isn’t funny that I finally got to taste these sweet lips and now all I want to do is get in the back seat of that car and get this sweet, tempting body in my hands, but right now I can’t.” He gives me another small kiss. “It’s not funny.”

No, it’s not,
my mind screams.

“Here, I got an idea,” he announces while handing me Bubbles’s fish bowl. I watch in shock as Phoenix picks up a big rock from the side of the road, then goes to the back window of his manager’s car and smacks the rock through the window.

“Oh my God, Phoenix! That’s not your car,” I announce dumbly, like he doesn’t already know that.

“I’ll pay for it,” he assures me. He reaches through and unlocks the passenger door. “Get in, baby, and climb in the back.”

I push back the second thoughts that come barging in and do as instructed. First I make sure Bubbles is safely on the floorboard. Then I scoot to the side to make room for Phoenix.

As soon as we’re in the back of the car, it doesn’t take long for our lips to connect. I feel him reach up, then slowly drag my coat down my arms. I know I said I wanted everything from him, but I’m not ready for
that
yet.

“It doesn’t have to be about sex tonight, birdie,” he says, reading my mind. “I can only imagine what you’ve heard about me. I can sit here and tell you all night it’s different with you, because believe me, it is, but my actions will be louder than words, and tonight I just want to kiss you and hold you. I promise you…it won’t go any further until you’re ready.”

I don’t even have to think about it. I would never pass up a night of being held by this man.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Ten

 

 

Back To Reality

 

I fight back unexpected sadness when Phoenix pulls into my driveway the next night. I don’t want my time with him to end. Last night…there are no words that I could possibly use to describe how beautiful it was.

True to his word, we never went past the kissing, but holy hell was the kissing amazing. I could say I would be okay with just kissing him for the rest of my life, but that would be a lie. By the end of the night, I was a half a second away from really embarrassing myself and begging him to make love to me.

Unfortunately, I think he sensed that. Fortunately, because he sensed that and he knew I wasn’t ready, he took mercy on me and ended his phenomenal kisses, but he held me in his arms throughout the entire night.

I wouldn’t be Caroline Taylor, though, if I didn’t worry, and I have been worrying since the moment I opened my eyes. What is it going to be like now? Were we only more than buds in this car and on that trip? Will he go back to being Phoenix Castle, the guy who has a different girl every night, the guy who disappears? Or will he be the Phoenix I’ve met on this trip?

When I asked myself that question this morning, my answer was sadly that he would probably go back to being the old Phoenix, but today he’s proven that answer to be wrong.

When he woke up, his first act of business was to walk until he found cell reception and then call a tow truck, but after he was always, in some way, showing me things are going to be different between us now. He showed me through the small kisses to my temple and the deep kisses to my lips and the way he always held my hand, never letting me stand too far away from him.

Even with all of that assurance, I still felt a depression like no other settle over me as soon as I saw the

Welcome to Lishoy’
sign. The depression became heavier and heavier the closer we got to my house. Now that we’re pulling into my driveway, I want to cry.

Even still, I paint on the best smile I can and act like none of this fazes me. I look down in my lap at Bubbles’s bowl and mumble, “We’re home, Bubbles.”

My gaze snaps to Phoenix when I hear him whisper, “What the fuck?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Your front door is wide open,” he says while putting the car in park.

“What?” I ask, but I don’t wait for an answer. As soon as the vehicle is stopped, I’m out of my car and heading toward my house, ignoring Phoenix’s calls for me to wait for him.

I can’t wait for him to catch up because my only focus is making sure my house and things are the way I left them. I can’t imagine what I would do if they weren’t.

I came to Lishoy with nothing. I’ve had to work hard for every little thing I bought. I was young, and despite all the good people I came across along the way who offered to help me in one way or another, there were twice as many people who never looked twice at me. To have anybody or anything take any of that away from me would be absolutely devastating.

I’m almost to the front door when Phoenix wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me back into his chest. “Next time I tell your little ass to wait, you wait,” he growls in my ear. “Now keep your ass right here until I go in and look around to make sure it’s all right.”

Normally I would just melt at Phoenix’s alpha maleness, but now isn’t the time. “It’s my house and stuff, Phoenix. I’m not just going to sit here and do nothing while you look around.”

I’m serious right now. Like, really serious, so I’m not understanding why he’s barely holding back a smile when he comes to stand in front of me.

“I love the attitude, killer.” I growl when he winks at me. “I understand that this is your house and these are your things, but you are mine.”
His? Did he just say I was his?
“And because of that, you are going to keep your ass in this driveway until I make sure it’s safe to go in. Get me?”

My heart melts at his obvious concern for my safety and the fact that he just called me his. I stop arguing. “Yeah.”

“Good.”

A kiss to my forehead and he disappears into my house. Ten minutes later, he comes back outside. I watch his body language for any signs that he’s about to tell me bad news, but he just grabs my hand and leads me inside.

“I haven’t noticed anything missing or out of place, but I’ve only been here a couple times. Does anything seem out of place?”

I look around my living room first, then slowly make my way through the rest of my house. Relief swoops through me when I see that nothing is missing and nothing destroyed.

“Everything looks like it’s here. Maybe we just left the door open?” I say when he walks into my room.

“Yeah, maybe.” He doesn’t look convinced. “Maybe we should call the police anyway, just to file a report, make them aware of the situation.”

“I really don’t think that’s necessary, Phoenix.”

Phoenix crosses my bedroom on his way to me, grabs my waist and pulls me into his arms. I don’t think about my next action, and I have no clue what prompts me to do it. I bury my face into his hard chest and breathe in his scent.

Instantly, all my troubles and worries start to ease. Just by being in his arms, just by breathing him in, I can feel myself calming down. Neither one of us says anything for a while. I just let him hold me.

All good things must come to an end. Our moment is interrupted by his cell. He lets me go to pull it out of his back pocket. He looks at whoever’s name is on the screen and groans. “Shit. Back to reality. I gotta take this, baby. I’ll be right back.” He tenderly kisses my forehead and disappears out of my room, then out the front door.

I distract myself by feeding Bubbles and taking care of my bags until I hear him come back into the house. He looks significantly more stressed.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, baby, everything is cool. Just my manager. I got to bounce as soon as the police leave. Mick is about to blow a gasket.”

“Mick?”

“Manager.”

“Right.” I nod and start toward the kitchen. I’m both irritated and sad that he’s leaving. “I really don’t think it’s necessary to call the police.”

“I do. I want you to be safe. That door didn’t just open itself. Even if nothing is missing I don’t think it would hurt anything to at least let the police know something is going on. That way they’ll know to keep an eye out for you.”

The entire time he’s talking, I’m making myself look busy by cleaning my already sparkling kitchen. I really don’t care about the break in anymore. Nothing was taken and the odds are we just forgot to close up before leaving.

Right now, my mind is preoccupied with Phoenix and me. Is there even a Phoenix and me? I’m not a blunt person and I’ve been known to shy away from asking questions that may have an answer that could affect me negatively, but I can’t let him leave this house and still have no clue what’s happening between us.

“I don’t want you to call the cops,” I repeat for the last time. I can’t even hide the frustration in my voice, but if Phoenix’s catches it, he doesn’t lead on.

“I know you don’t want me to,” he growls. “But I’m not always going to be here to protect you.”

“When are you going to be here?” I blurt before I can think better of it. I focus on the cup in my hands that I was washing in the sink while I wait to hear his answer.

“What?” I can hear the shock and confusion in his voice. I don’t know if he’s shocked that I asked him or what, but in this moment I wish I could take the question back. Since I can’t, I keep going.

I turn from the sink to see him standing at the island in the center of the kitchen. “When are you going to be here, Phoenix? I mean really, what are we?” I can’t stop the questions once I start. They all just come pouring out like word vomit. The entire time I’m screaming in my head,
Shut up, Caroline!
“What happens now? Are we going to go back to the way we were before the trip or—”

“What do you want me to say? You want me to label us, Caroline?”

The confused tone in his voice when he says that makes me want to run from this kitchen and hide. Well, that and kick myself for opening my big mouth in the first place. I’m just another girl in the long line of girls he’s been with. I was an idiot to think I was different.

“No, never mind.”

“Don’t shut me down.” Phoenix’s tone is significantly softer now. He leaves the island and stands in front of me. I’m looking at the floor, but he changes that by taking my face in his hands and making me look at him.

“Honestly, I have no clue what we are. There are only two things I’ve been sure of since you walked into my world. One, I’m not good for you. I should walk away and let you live your life, let you find the Prince Charming you deserve.”

Okay, this doesn’t sound good. Why? Why did you have to open your big mouth, Caroline?

“Two, there is no way, after the last two nights we’ve spent together, I could walk out of that door and let things go back to normal.”

Just like that, my heart, which was starting to crack at the start of his speech, began to repair.

“The way I live my life, I can’t make any promises to be here every day, but I can promise I won’t do anything to hurt you. That’s the last thing I want to do. I say we take it slow and see where this thing goes. You with me?”

“Yeah,” I agree immediately.

“Yeah?” The smile on Phoenix’s face is breathtaking.

“Yeah, I’m with you.” The words barely leave my mouth before his lips are on mine. The kiss is too short. Before I have time to blink, it’s over.

“Good. Now let’s call the cops.”

“Phoenix, no. It’s not necessary. I’m sure we just left the door open. It’s fine, I will be fine.”

I can see the frustration on his face and I know he’s about to argue with me, but before he gets a chance, we’re interrupted once again by his cell ringing.

“Fuck,” he hisses. He ignores it, lets out an exasperated breath, and rubs his hands down his face. When he looks back at me, I know I’ve won this argument. “Fine. We won’t call the police, but if anything like this happens again, you get no choice.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

My stomach fills with butterflies when I see Phoenix change from serious Phoenix to the Phoenix I know, the one I was with in the backseat. I giggle when he grabs the front of my hoodie and gently tugs me toward him. Phoenix captures his lips with mine, swallowing my giggle.

This isn’t like the kiss he gave me a few minutes ago. It’s so much more. I moan when I feel his warm hands snake under my hoodie and run up my back. Just like last night, even the simplest touch from him can set my body on fire.

Phoenix keeps me wrapped in his arms and starts backing me up until my back hits the counter. I let out a small squeal when his hands go to my hips and he hoists me so my bum is on top of the counter.

Our lips connect once again, but only for a brief moment. I want to cry when he pulls away. His fingers go to my forehead, where he tenderly moves my bangs out of my eyes. “You’re the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on.”

My face heats and I break our connection. Out of all the women he’s been with, I doubt I’m the most beautiful.

“Yeah…right.”

“Don’t do that,” he commands. Our eyes connect again. “Don’t hide your eyes and don’t doubt your beauty.”

I don’t have a chance to respond before his lips are on mine again, which is good because I don’t know what I would say to that.

This time I release a frustrated breath when his phone goes off again. “I really need to go this time. I promise I’ll call you later. I just have to go deal with Mick.”

He gives me three more quick kisses before he helps me down off the counter, grabs my hand, and heads toward the door.

“Lock this door, baby. Call me if anything else happens. I’ll talk to you soon.” One more kiss and he’s gone, but not before he hollers through the door, “Lock the door!”

I feel the loss instantly. I was with him for two days straight. Other than the few hours a day I’m at the library or eating at the pub, I’m always alone. Being with him for so long and then being alone, the sadness and loneliness hits me right away, stronger than ever.

Would I still feel this way if I had just spent two days with anyone else? I don’t think so. Phoenix Castle just has this way about him. It doesn’t matter if I’m with him for one hour or forty-eight, I would miss him.

Fifteen minutes later, I decide the only way I’m going to stop thinking about him is to take a nap, and since I’m dead tired, that shouldn’t be a problem.

When I start to get in bed, I hear a crinkle and feel my foot touch something. I jump out of my bed, throw the covers to the floor, and see a folded up yellow piece of paper lying on my cover.

My world once again spins when I read the note:

 

He’s mine. Stay away!

You’ve been warned.

BOOK: Love, Unwanted (Discovering Love #3)
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