by Olivia James
It wouldn't do any good though. Because he already knew that what he was doing was wrong. He knew because he was hiding his identity. He wasn't exactly proud of it but he was doing it anyway. She understood that she wasn't an actual person to this man with thoughts and feelings of her own. She was an object, a symbol. She might as well be a doll or a houseplant.
She might be the focus of his attention but this was truly all about him, and the way he felt about himself. Knowing it, however, didn't make it any easier. It was difficult to step back from her own emotionally charged situation and be cold and analytical. This was her life, her freedom. She didn't feel like she could go anywhere or do anything without him...watching.
It was creepy as fuck, to be blunt. It was as if she could feel his gaze on her all the time. And she didn't even know who he was.
Melissa and Taylor had done their best to comfort her tonight but they couldn't change the nasty fact that someone was following her, bent on making every day a nightmare.
Unless she gave him her attention. She wasn't going to do that.
Eventually, Austin had offered to drive Melissa home along with Taylor, Ryan had headed back to the office to try and get footage from nearby traffic cameras, and Luke had driven her home so she could pack another bag. He'd been quite adamant that he didn't want to leave her alone tonight. She hadn't argued.
"He certainly has a lot of time on his hands," Shaw remarked sarcastically while Luke made them hot chocolate in his kitchen. Dylan and Murphy were curled at her feet protectively, and she had to admit that she did feel better when they were here. All three of them - Luke and the two canines. "He should probably get a hobby or a job."
"You know how this works," Luke replied, pouring the steaming cocoa into two mugs. It smelled delicious even with her unsettled tummy. "You are his hobby and job. You're his whole world right now. Tomorrow morning, I'm going to check your car for a tracker and your house for listening devices."
Holy hell. Had it come to that? It had, apparently.
"Listening devices? Trackers? You have to be joking."
Now she really was sick to her stomach, the hot chocolate tasting bitter on her tongue.
"I wish I was, but he's already shown us he's at least a little tech savvy by switching profiles and IP addresses. There are tons of websites where he could get a car tracker and he had the opportunity to plant listening devices when he was in your home. I'm just pissed off at myself because I didn't think to do it before."
"You didn't know he was going to do this."
"I should have known. It's my goddamn job to know."
Luke sounded as frustrated as she felt.
"Don't do this to yourself. It can't be easy dealing with this when you're involved. It's easier when you’re just an innocent bystander. I'm having an issue with it myself, so I understand."
"Ryan is right," Luke ground out between gritted teeth. "He's going to mess up eventually. We thought it might have been tonight. We asked the manager for security footage so we could run facial recognition, but it turns out he's anti-technology. Doesn't have any cameras, for fuck's sake. He may be the last remaining public establishment that doesn't have any cameras. He kept talking about privacy concerns and the government looking over his shoulder. I get it but dammit, I wanted that video."
"What do we do in the meantime?"
Rubbing his chin, Luke shook his head. "I have a few ideas but I'm not sure if they're any good. I want to run them by Logan and Reed, get their input. We do know that his guy is escalating, moving closer to you. That's in our favor."
"Funny how it doesn't feel that way on my end."
His lips twisted in sympathy. "I know but it is good. He's not acting so controlled anymore. He's becoming erratic. That stunt with the bathroom door tonight? It was childish as hell, first of all, and second it was stupid. He could have been seen by anyone walking by. He's getting sloppy and that's exactly what we need."
With everything going on tonight, she'd completely forgotten about tomorrow.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
"Luke, I have that meet and greet tomorrow."
She'd told him about it before so he was aware, but he'd probably forgotten the date as well.
"Can you cancel? I'm not sure it's safe."
She shook her head. "Not this late, and not unless I was in bed with the flu. They're depending on me to be there. I can't let them down."
It was her job and she took it seriously.
"Then I'll be there too. Hell, maybe he'll show up. Your subscribers know about this?"
"They do."
"Then maybe we'll get lucky. I'll ask Ryan to help as well."
"I'm not sure I would classify my stalker showing up at my meet and greet as lucky."
"We need to see his face. That will change everything. Ryan and I won't let him get anywhere near you. We'll be watching the entire time."
It did make her feel better that they would be there.
Speaking of watching...
Her gaze drifted to the window where the drapes were pulled shut. "Do you think he's...?"
She couldn't say the words because she didn't want it to be true.
Luke placed his mug on the kitchen counter and walked over to her, pulling her into his warm, strong arms. This. Right here. This was what she'd been wanting all evening. Being with her friends was wonderful but luxuriating in Luke's arms made her feel safe and protected. A status she wasn't feeling much these days.
"I'm not going to let anything happen to you," he said, his lips grazing her forehead as if she were a child. She'd been whiny enough lately to qualify as one and she was exhausted from being unhappy. She was an optimist normally. "You're safe here with us. No one is going to get to you."
She believed him. But...
"You didn't actually answer my question. Do you think he's out there right now? Watching us?"
"If he is, all he's going to get is pneumonia from freezing his ass off. If he comes close the dogs are going to lose their shit. Murphy barks if a squirrel farts in the backyard. He won't get within thirty feet of the house."
"That doesn't stop him from watching."
Creepy. Creepy.
"No, but it makes getting close to you a hell of a lot more difficult. My number one job is to keep you safe while I catch this guy."
Slumping against him, she laid her head on his chest. His heart beat strong and steady underneath her ear. "What if you don't catch him?"
"We'll get him. Please trust me."
She trusted Luke. She had to. The alternative was far too awful to contemplate.
Shaw was finally asleep. It had taken two hot chocolates and Luke giving her a long back rub while the television had played in the background, but she'd eventually succumbed, her eyelids fluttering shut just a few minutes past midnight. She had to be exhausted and he hoped she'd sleep through the night.
He, on the other hand, was far too restless. She'd brought up a damn good point earlier when they'd been talking about what had happened.
Are you out there, asshole?
Lifting the edge of the curtain, he peered out onto his front yard. He'd purposely left on his porch light and the lights above his garage and back doors as well. If Shaw's stalker was out there, Luke wasn't about to make it easy for him.
Dylan nudged at Luke's hand, his snout pushing the curtain slightly farther aside so he could see outside too. The canine had to be wondering what was up with his dad. Normally they'd all be sprawled out asleep at this time of night, Luke on his bed and the dogs on their huge cushions only a few feet away.
"Where's your brother, little buddy?" he crooned to Dylan, giving him a loving scratch behind the ear. "Is he snoozing?"
The dog whined and pushed his head under Luke's finger, begging to be petted.
"You knew I was patrolling the house, huh? You had to be part of that. Well, what do you think, Dylan? Do you hear or see anything? Is Daddy getting paranoid?"
The canine tilted his head as if tr
ying to decipher the whispered words. Eventually he decided that a tail wag was his answer.
All was right in the world, according to Dylan. If he didn't hear anything, then there was no one out there.
Right now. But later? This bastard wasn't going to give up, and Luke would be waiting for him.
Shaw's lids fluttered open, awareness returning slowly as she yawned and stretched, squirming into a more comfortable position. Somehow she'd managed to get some sleep last night, pure exhaustion being the only reasonable explanation. She'd assumed that she'd have horrible nightmares but instead she'd slept hard, which was making it more difficult to wake up this morning.
And it was morning. Light filtered through the blinds, letting her know that the sun had been up for more than a few minutes. Reaching out for her phone on the nightstand, she checked the time. Eight o'clock.
Turning over, she looked at the man that had become so important to her in such a short amount of time. Right now his features were soft and relaxed in sleep, but last night he'd been furious. Yet he remained controlled at the same time. She couldn't say that she hated his protective mode either. With any other guy that she had dated in the past she would have railed against it, crying out about how capable she was and that she didn't need anyone's help.
Luke didn't make her feel less because of this situation. He was so calm and matter of fact. As in of course you need help getting rid of a stalker. Everyone would. Of course, you're scared. Everyone would be.
He was almost too handsome. Not in a pretty boy sort of way. Only inches away from his face, she could see that his nose was slightly crooked, possibly from being broken in the past. He'd told her that he'd played sports in high school so it could have happened then. His jaw was strong and square and those lashes... Why was it that men seemed to have the longest and thickest lashes while women spent half their lives putting on mascara?
She was so lost in studying him that she was surprised when his eyes popped open and a smug smile crossed his face.
"Are you staring at me, Shaw Parker?"
He didn't sound mad. Actually his voice was a little gravelly and it sent a tingle down her spine.
"Why on earth would I stare at you?"
"Because I'm so good-looking."
Sputtering, she rolled her eyes but managed to scoot even closer to him so she could feel the heat from his body. "I can see that humility isn't a thing with you. Arrogant much?"
"It isn't arrogance if it's true."
"It is arrogance. Do women tell you you're good-looking or is it something that you've always just known deep down?"
His shoulders shook with laughter as he lifted her hand to press a soft kiss onto the palm.
"I only care if you think I'm good-looking."
It wasn't an answer to her question, but it sounded just fine.
"You're...adequate."
Next thing she knew she was flat on her back staring up at a very handsome and aroused male.
Lucky me.
"Adequate, huh? That's a little hurtful, Shaw. I find you so much more than adequate."
He did? She wanted to explore that further. For a few minutes she wanted to forget the outside world and simply be close to Luke. As close as possible, to be specific.
Running her fingertips across his biceps, she rubbed the sole of her foot against his leg.
"Why don't you remind me just how much better than adequate you are? With everything going on, I get so forgetful."
With an evil grin he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips, then to her jaw and ear, then finally at the base of her neck where her pulse was beating frantically. It hadn't taken much to raise her temperature and now the bedroom was hotter than hell.
"How could you forget this?" he asked, running his tongue across her collarbone and then nipping at the flesh of her shoulder. She quivered and sighed as his hand glided down her back to cup her bottom. "Or this? Was it really so unmemorable?"
"Maybe not completely forgotten," she choked out as his tongue encircled an already rock-hard nipple. Her fingers curled into his soft, springy hair, desperate to pull him closer. "Don't stop."
"I'm just getting started."
Shaw's heart thumped against her rib cage as Luke placed open-mouthed kisses down her abdomen, each one setting off a shower of sparks against her damp skin.
"Yes," she hissed as his tongue traced patterns on the sensitive flesh of her inner thigh. "More."
Chuckling at her demands, he didn't argue, exploring every intimate nook and cranny until she was panting, her back arched off the mattress. A coil of arousal was tightening in her belly, inexorably pulling her closer to the edge until she was teetering on the brink, ready to explode at any second.
When her orgasm did hit only moments later, she dug her nails into Luke's shoulders as she rode out each intoxicating wave of pleasure. Hot lava flew in her veins and she called out his name in a strangled voice that she barely recognized as her own.
Still floating on her sparkly cloud of pleasure, she barely registered him fumbling in the drawer next to the bed, but she heard the crinkle of foil and then he was there, exactly where she needed him to be. He pressed in slowly, letting them both savor the moment until he'd pushed all the breath from her body and all she could do was cling to him like a ship in a storm.
"Ready, baby?"
Wrapping her legs around his lean middle, she pressed kisses to his chest and shoulders, everywhere she could reach. His skin tasted salty and she swiped at his skin with her tongue. His strokes started out languid and sweet as if they had no place to be that morning and no one to answer to. Only the two of them existed in their world. Their gazes met and locked as his thrusts sped up, their urgency building as they both climbed toward their peak.
"Can you?"
His question was bit out between clenched teeth. His jaw was tight and his expression raw and primal, only serving to amp up her own arousal ten-fold. She loved that she could make him feel that way, and that he had to work so hard to keep himself in check. One day she was going to take great pleasure in helping him lose just a little bit of that control.
"I can. I just need..."
She didn't have to finish her plea because his fingers were on her swollen clit, circling and teasing until her climax slammed into her, sending her flying into outer space complete with shooting stars and fireworks. Luke followed her off the cliff, his face tucked into the crook of her neck, and his warm breath caressing her shoulder.
Eventually they collapsed on the bed, both smiling and giggling, still wrapped in their warm and comfy cocoon. At some point, they'd have to face the real world but for now they'd simply enjoy lying close, their damp skin pressed together and their breathing ragged from their exertions.
But for now, she'd cuddle close and pretend that all was right in her world.
22
The meet and greet for Shaw's subscribers was located at a downtown Seattle restaurant for lunch. She'd made reservations weeks ago when she had the final count and the management had helpfully offered up a small back room for the gathering, which would be far more private and much quieter.
She was nervous but excited, looking forward to meeting some of the people that had been following her channel, many from the very beginning. She'd done several of these meet and greets, one as far away as New York City, and it was always fun and interesting. At no time did she feel uncomfortable or threatened.
Let's hope it's that way today too.
Luke was with her, of course. He had hopes that perhaps the stalker might show up even to just watch the get together from afar. Ryan had staked out a spot in the main dining room and was currently flirting with a pretty waitress and ordering mountains of food that would hopefully keep anyone from getting suspicious as to why he was sitting there far longer than usual.
The guests had trickled in, but she now had a full house. She greeted each one and took a selfie with them if they asked. She tried to give every one of them some individual atte
ntion. She would have done it no matter what, but Luke had encouraged it as well. He wanted her to engage with each of them in case anyone said something suspicious or behaved strangely.
This part of her job didn't come the most naturally to Shaw. She was often uncomfortable meeting new people, but her agent had assured her that she needed to have a more personal touch with her fans since they saw her exclusively online. Her first meet and greet had almost been torture but now she had a system for how she dealt with it. She’d learned to relax and enjoy herself.
They all had ordered their drinks and the restaurant had placed a buffet on the far wall that smelled delicious. Shaw encouraged everyone to fill their plates, relax, and eat.
There were about twenty people and the restaurant staff had set up the rectangular tables in a U-shape so that everyone could see each other and be heard. Luke took a chair in the corner near the door and tried to be inconspicuous, which he couldn't be if he threw a sheet over his head that matched the wallpaper. The group was mostly female and every single one of them had looked him up and down, a few of them making it obvious that they were enjoying the view.
After their stomachs were full, Shaw started the question and answer section of the meet and greet. This was honestly her favorite part of these events. Most of the questions were about their personal problems, although one or two were about Shaw in particular, such as if she was married or in a relationship, did she have children, what made her start her channel, what her future plans were. Harmless stuff. Generally, only super fans were going to take a few hours out of their day to have lunch with a channel creator.
The questions started out with the usual - roommate drama, toxic relationships, making friends, and one extremely concerned woman who was dating a guy with three cats. She was allergic to cats. Did they have a future together?
Shaw's friend Taylor was allergic to cats and she had two of them. She liked them more than she hated to blow her nose. She took medicine every single day and Shaw had never once heard her friend complain about it. Taylor just loved kitties and she was going to have them as long as they didn't kill her. Not knowing the extent of the woman's allergies, however, Shaw crafted a more middle of the road response - asking if medication helped.