He finally got out of his cruiser and approached my driver window. It was already rolled down and ready. My truck sounded like a wounded animal sitting in idle. “Evening, ma’am. Do you know why I pulled you over?”
“Yes.” I handed him my information. He took it and used his flashlight to read it.
“Is there a reason why you ran that light back there?”
I chewed on the inside of my cheek, contemplating a lie. I sighed, “I thought I saw something.”
“And what do you think you saw?” His voice held genuine curiosity.
“Well, I read that story in the paper and it sort of freaked me out,” I replied, forcing an embarrassed smile. “Probably my imagination.”
“Yes, ma’am, probably.” His radio cracked and he stepped away. “I’ll be right back.” I tapped my steering wheel and waited. He didn’t get back into his car. He stood there talking over the radio for a moment. Then I watched as he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. As he spoke to whomever he had called, he kept glancing in my direction. I couldn’t help but wonder if there was something wrong with my insurance or tag. In my rearview mirror, I watched him conclude his call and slowly walk back to my window.
I smiled at him as he handed me my verification and license back. “I’m only giving you a warning tonight. Might I suggest not paying attention to crazy stories in the paper and watch the road.”
“Agreed. Thanks.”
“Have a good night, Miss Hale.” He grinned at me in a strange way and nodded as he backed away from my window. I watched him get back into his car before getting back on the road. I was only two blocks away from my house.
“That was weird.” I continued to watch for the creature as I turned into my driveway. Gage was still gone. I turned off the engine and gathered all the cold foods in one hand. It was heavy, but I didn’t want to come back out tonight if I didn’t have to. I already had a run-in with the law. I didn’t need any more police coming to investigate a gun shot. I unlocked my door and slowly stepped out of the truck looking in all directions. I quickly walked to the back door and put my key in the lock with a shaking hand. I finally felt safe once inside. I took a deep breath, set the food on the floor, and sat at the kitchen table. Tank came up to me and I gave him a pat, he looked up at me.
“I’m fine, only freaked out. I made a mistake and stayed out too late, didn’t I?” I knew he couldn’t understand me, but it made me feel better.
CHAPTER
7
Once I had calmed down, I changed my clothes. My pajama pants were my best friend. Hopefully, Jay didn’t have any work for me tonight. The sound of the door made me spin around in surprise.
“Honey, I’m home,” Gage called. He was smiling until he saw my face. “What happened?”
I debated on telling him what I saw, but he and Jay thought I was crazy for even thinking there was something else out there. “You just startled me.”
“It smell’s good in here.”
“Thanks. Tacos for dinner.”
“Sound’s great.”
“What did you do today?” I was mixing the meat, trying to make small talk in order to avoid the topic of last night.
“I went to the gym and worked out.”
“All day?”
“This doesn’t happen naturally, Jess,” he chuckled, gesturing to his muscular body.
I chuckled, “Conceited much?”
He came up behind me and snatched a piece of meat right out of the pan. He put it in his mouth and then kissed me on the cheek. My skin burned from the contact. His mouth was close to my ear. “It’s good.” My body was frozen. He was so close, I felt his cock brush against my ass slightly before he pulled away. “Do you need any help?”
“Nnn…no, I got it.”
“I’m gonna jump in the shower.”
“Sounds good.” Literally. Good grief, help me now. The images in my mind were a pit of lust. An image of his naked body with water rushing over every muscled tattoo flashed in my mind. There was no real way to get my mind out of the gutter. He was an attractive man and I’m a single woman who hasn’t been laid in four years. Sad but true.
I fixed my food and waited for him at the table. I began eating without him, though we usually ate together. I wasn’t exactly hungry, but I was keeping my mind, hands, and mouth busy. Unfortunately, he was taking forever. I made my way up the stairs to tell him the food was ready. When I reached his door, I was forced to stop by the sound of his voice.
“No, you can’t. I’m living someplace else.” His voice was a deep whisper. Then it was a long pause. “I’m not giving you any money. Well, we will see what I can do.”
Bad timing. I made my way back to the kitchen. Gage came down minutes later with a look of displeasure on his face.
“What is it? Please don’t tell me we have to leave again tonight. I need a day off.”
“No. Jay needed someone to talk to.”
“Oh, that’s good. Is he alright?”
“Yes, he’s fine.” He sat down and began to build his tacos. The night before came to mind. I was embarrassed about what I had done. I opened the worms to clear the air.
“Hey,” I sighed and stared at my food for a second. “I’m really sorry about last night. I know my limit and I let myself get carried away.”
He looked up at me, “Why are you sorry? I’m not.” He smiled and winked before biting into his food.
“Making a move on you was never the plan. I overstepped. I’m sorry.”
“Jess, seriously, my only regret was you were drinking. If it were under different circumstances, maybe we could have gone further.”
My cheeks burned. “Seriously?”
“Sure. You’re single, I’m single.” He continued to eat.
“I think it could get weird and I don’t want to ruin what we have.”
“And what do we have?”
“We are not only roommates, but we are also working colleagues, as well as friends.”
“Would me moving out justify sex together?”
I smirked at him, “Stop teasing me.”
“You know you love it,” he winked and took another bite. “Seriously, don’t worry about it.”
“Thanks.” I felt better once we talked. Not only was the air clear but he admitted his attraction to me. Though I had to avoid it, I loved the potential for future affections. After cleaning up the kitchen, I grabbed a bottle of water and found Gage lounging on the couch watching TV with my dog on his lap. It was good to see Tank finally settling, though it was against my wishes. It wasn’t intentional on Gages’ part. “Good night.”
“Do you want to watch some TV with me?”
I smiled at him, “I don’t think that would be a good idea tonight. Maybe next time.”
“Come on.”
“I guess he like’s you now.”
“I’m sorry.”
“There is no changing it now. He trusts you at least.”
“I guess so,” he chuckled and petted Tank’s big head. My dog was content on his lap. There was no room for me to sit down, so I sat on the arm of the couch. “Down,” Gage barked and Tank jumped down so he could sit up. “Here.” He patted the cushion next to him.
“What are you watching?” I sat as far away as I could. I didn’t want to risk getting too close.
He looked over to me, “Um…Titanic”.
“I wouldn’t have taken you as a chick flick guy,” I accused with a smile.
“Yeah, but I like this movie.”
“I do too. I hate how it ends though.”
“Doesn’t everyone? I mean, they both could have fit on that damn door.”
I smiled, “Exactly. Selfish bitch.”
He looked at me in surprise and laughed. “You are so bad, Jess.”
“No, I’m honest.”
We watched quietly for a while. The car scene made being next to Gage unbearable. I began to blush next to him and my stupid mind drifted again. When he got up and walked into the kitch
en, I watched his every move.
While he was gone, I fluffed my hair and adjusted my tank top. My nipples weren’t visible. He returned with a bottle of water and the outline of what he had to offer in those sweat pants graced my eyes. From what I could see, his cock was adequate. He sat in the middle of the couch next to me. I smiled to myself and took a drink of my water. Watching the movie, he looked over at me.
“Thank you for letting me stay here, it already feels like home.”
“You’re welcome.” I took another deep drink of my water, trying to wash away all the impure thoughts I was having.
For three and a half hours, he was sure to shift closer and closer to me. He made a point to touch some part of my body with a part of his. He would press his leg into mine and put his arm on the back of the couch, but never around my shoulder. His hand would dangle off the back of the couch and I could feel the tips of them touch my arm. I was so close to him.
Once the movie was over, he stood and turned off the TV. I looked at the clock. I couldn’t believe it. It was 3 am. I stood up and stretched. Putting my arms up, my tank top pulled up enough to show my tummy. He walked up to me and smiled that great smile. He was as close to me as the night before. My heart was pounding. He knelt to kiss my cheek but allowed his lips to linger close to mine. He put his hands on my exposed waist. His touch was pure heat. “We aren’t drinking tonight,” he whispered softly and moved in for a real kiss.
I dropped my water bottle and wrapped my arms around his neck. My lips parted and his tongue invaded my mouth. The heavy panting and stroking had me on fire. Heat raged between my thighs. I hadn’t had anything remotely close to this in so long. I wanted him to take me right there on the couch. It was wrong, oh, so wrong. I should stop but I couldn’t. I needed to feel desired. I needed to feel wanted, if only for a while. His mouth released mine and traveled down my throat. He was licking and nipping at the tender flesh as he tasted me.
“Yes,” I whispered as I gripped his hair, holding him close. I didn’t want the adrenaline to stop. He put his arms around me and pulled me closer. He groaned deeply as he pressed his cock into my hip. His left hand slipped under my shirt and stroked my tight nipple. As he rolled it between his rough fingers, sending shivers through me, I felt a sharp but pleasurable pain on my neck. I hissed but didn’t pull away from the feeling of his lips and hand. I wanted more.
“You taste like honey,” he whispered as he kissed my neck and nipped at my ear. “Your body is perfection.” The feeling of his tongue and hot breath on my skin made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. With eager hands, he reached and picked me up by my bottom. I wrapped my legs around his waist. He pulled me closer and I could feel his need pressing hard in the right spot. I pulled away from him.
With me wrapped around him, he settled me down on the couch. His weight felt amazing pressed against me. When our lips met, he began to thrust against me. He slipped both hands up into my shirt and cupped my breasts. His touch made my hard nipples ache with anticipation, sending warm pulses to my core.
“Is this okay?”
“Are you crazy? It feels amazing.” I sounded a little like a panting dog. It had been too long.
He chuckled and began to kiss and lick my neck again. I ran my hands up his back and started pulling up his shirt. He took it as a hint and the shirt found its way into the floor. All I could do was touch his hard body. His skin was soft and warm. He sat up and pushed my shirt up to expose my breasts.
“Jesus, your tits are perfect.” He cupped them a few times and worked himself against me. He was saying and doing all the right things. It felt amazing to finally be touched, caressed. I watched as his eyes rolled back and closed as he thrust against me. I was spinning, he was pressing in the right spot. I slipped my hand down into my pants and stroked my mound. I released a moan and he looked down at me. “Fuck, that’s sexy. Don’t stop.” With the constant friction, I found my release, but he was still looking for his.
I could see him struggling. I wanted to touch him and bring him to bliss. I coated my hand with my own release and slipped it into the hem of his waistband. He clinched when I wrapped my hand around his shaft. As I predicted, he was suitable, not freakishly large. When I began to stroke him, he was like a wild animal. He grabbed my wrist and held my hand in place.
“Oh, shit,” he roared and found his release.
Our breathing was still cooling as he snuggled me on the couch. “Jess, that was great. I haven’t cum that hard in years,” he said into my neck. That made me smile and he took a deep breath. “Was everything ok for you?”
I smiled and let a little giggle, “I feel like a teenager.”
He laughed with me, “I know what you mean. Dry humping was not what I planned. You are just too irresistible.”
I woke alone in my bed. He must have carried me up. I got up and used the bathroom. After I finished, I walked the house. Tank was sleeping by the back door, so I looked out the window. Gage’s truck was gone. I thought it was weird for him to leave so early in the morning. The sun wasn’t up yet but would be soon. Maybe Jay called him out. I thought about calling him but he didn’t need his phone ringing during a vampire hunt. I made my way to my room and crawled into bed. The softness engulfed me.
The next thing I remember was waking up in the afternoon. I showered, but before I could get dressed, my cell phone rang. “Hello?”
“Jessica, I need you to come in today.”
I was annoyed. I didn’t want to go to work but my day off was yesterday. “I’ll be there within the hour.”
“Sound’s good. See you soon.”
I dressed quickly and headed down stairs. I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and picked up my black bag with all my hunting goodies inside. I wasn’t going to be caught without it again. I turned for the door and a voice behind me made me jump.
“Where are you headed off to so early.” I turned around to spot Gage behind me.
“It’s not early. Where did you come from, anyway?”
“I fell asleep on the couch last night.” He gave me a sexy look and grinned.
My brow furrowed, “You weren’t there this morning.”
He stepped closer to me. He was so near, his sweet breath wafted in my face, “Do you think I’m lying?”
“I didn’t say that. I woke up and you were gone.”
He smiled, “Jay needed to talk.”
“At five in the morning?” I stepped back from him and looked at the clock on the wall. I was going to be later than anticipated, “I’m actually headed up to T&J if you wanna come.” I was getting too deep. I was acting like a jealous girlfriend. Though I was a little offended that he left after our intimate moment, I had to get myself in check. Gage and I were roommates, I had to stop this now.
“Sure, I’ll be ready in a minute.” He left the kitchen. I went out to the truck to wait for him. After several minutes, he finally emerged. He was dressed in his usual leather jacket and jeans but his dark hair was free flowing. It was usually tied back or braided. When he opened his door, he looked down into the passenger seat. It was full of the plastic shopping bags from the night before.
“Sorry. I went shopping last night and I forgot to take this stuff in.” I grabbed the bags and tossed them into the small back seat for later. I didn’t want to tell him about my experience, or even how strange the cop was acting. I got the distinct feeling the cop was trying to detour me from the story. He climbed in and I turned the key.
“What were you doing out alone so late anyway?”
“How did you know I was out late? You came in after me.” Now, he was beginning to sound like a jealous boyfriend.
“I saw you from the Quickie Trip.” The convenience store was right off the highway. Due to my shock of the sighting, I wasn’t paying attention to much of anything else. Hence getting pulled over.
The drive wasn’t long to T&J but I wanted to get there in a timely manner. Jay had asked me to get there ASAP. When I pulled into a p
arking spot, Gage’s phone rang. I grabbed my bag and turned off the engine. It gave a rough shake in protest as it died. I would have to get a new one eventually. Before I could get out, I heard a woman’s voice on the other end of the call. Curiosity made me want to linger and listen but I had a job to do. I closed my door and left him alone.
The inside of the office was all a deception for the public eye. Behind a section of the wall, resided a hidden door. Behind that was the location of my true place of employment. When you first walk into T&J, you are hit with a putrid smell of motor oil. The building used to be a mechanic’s shop before Jay purchased it. There was an old dial-up computer, a lamp, and a phone on a desk. It may be a cover but the business does do what the cover implies. The guys did go out and catch critters and kill bugs for the locals. Jay and the others were busy day and night.
If you continue down the small hallway and toward the public bathroom, that was where the door was hidden. You would never know it was there. Jay had a genius way of keeping it locked to everyone but employees. I typed in my personal eight-digit code into the ten-key pad on the keyboard of the old computer and a second later, the hidden door popped open.
The room we entered was not another office or a mechanic’s shop at all. It was a huge space which we call the gym. Heavy bags hung from the high ceilings and weight sets were on the walls. There was even a wrestling ring equip with gloves and protective gear. That was where we did most of our hand to hand combat training, but I noticed a few wrestling mats out on the floor. That wasn’t normal unless it was being used. Gage came in soon after I entered.
“I thought Jay would be here.”
“He’s probably in the back,” he expressed with a nod of his chin toward the door on the back wall. Behind it was a small soundproof firing range. Jay went to great extents to secure out activities and true purpose. We couldn’t have the law knocking on the door about gunshots. To the left of the door was a dressing room for those who wanted to shower after training.
Hunting Jessica Page 6