Emotionally Compromised (Emotionally Compromised Series)
Page 34
“Jeremy, pay attention!” She manually raises my arms for me.
Apparently this lesson is no laughing matter.
“I’m sorry. You are just a very delectable distraction.”
She rolls her eyes and shakes off the comment, deciding to side step it entirely. “Now, I want you to take a stand with your feet and hips shoulder width apart, and bend your knees slightly.”
I do as I am told but can’t help my wolfish grin as she walks behind me to my other side, swiping her hand across the waistband of my jeans. Cheeky much?
“Ten-four, Agent Turner,” I quip.
“You’re mocking me. I’d be careful if I were you, and I’d remember that I am doing this because I want you to be safe.”
Keeping my arms raised I turn to her, “Want me to be safe? I’ll never even own a gun.”
“What are you talking about Mr. Hunt? The gun in your hands is now your own personal one.”
I want so badly to throw a fit, but she stops me, knowing me far too well. “Arms up! No more talk. Legs shoulder length apart, and bend those knees!”
I let out a huff feeling my brimming anger at the fact that I am holding my own gun that I want to have nothing to do with.
“Alex, you really like to put me on the brink, huh?” I make it a point to keep my eyes straight ahead, knowing she is probably smiling at me.
I sense her taking a step closer. “Hmm, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Now focus. Pick a target in the distance.”
Her tone is luke warm, and it takes every fiber in my body not to drop this stupid thing, throw her over my shoulder, and head back to the house to teach her a lesson.
She puts her hands on my shoulders, pushing them down from their current tense position, and I am trying my damnedest to focus as she continues. “You want to aim with your naturally dominant eye. Then align your sights. Your handgun has a front sight and a rear sight notch. Aim at your target and align the top of the front sight so that it lines up with the top of the rear sight. There should also be equal amounts of empty space on both sides of the front sight.”
Feeling the rising technicality to her words I try my best to aim on one of the cans she has put out in the distance.
OK, I think I have it, though I have no idea what she is talking about.
“Now on the count of three I want you to pull the trigger of the gun three consecutive times on what you have your sights on, OK? You got this babe.”
Her endearing comment of support has me taking in a deep breath. I find that in that moment I fear what the gun will feel like when I do as I am told.
“One ...”
I clench my jaw, noting in my head everything she has said so far.
“Two …”
I bend my knees, bracing myself, taking aim on the distant can.
“Three!”
BANG. BANG. BANG.
My whole body jolts at each sounding round. The first two miss, but the third skims the can with a ringing sound of ping, and the can wobbles but doesn’t fall down. Regardless, I feel like a champ.
I turn to Alex and grin wider then I realized I would.
“You did it Jeremy!” She is all grins too, obviously incredibly proud. “You’re a natural” She winks.
Not so fast.
I laugh a solid laugh, shake my head dumbfounded by this mild success, and the odd sense of exhilaration I didn’t expect.
I quickly turn to lay the gun carefully on the table next to me, and then whip around to face a girly-grinning Alex.
I love her.
I don’t hesitate to wrap my arms around her, lifting her off the ground, and twirling her around dramatically.
“See? I can shoot a gun,” I retort, not wanting to let go, and officially deciding that this lesson is over.
She laughs trying to escape my onslaught of kisses. “Jeremy, I never said you couldn’t. I always knew you were capable.”
“I’ll show you what I am capable of.”
She let’s out a series of giggles, and as if satisfied with the gun lesson as well, she crashes her lips to mine possessively.
I would do anything for this girl.
I command her lips to open for me so I can tangle my tongue with hers, tasting her, and owning her. A satisfying moan escapes her lips as I drag my hands down her body, over her waist, and then take a firm grip of her behind, pulling her flush against me.
Willingly she arches her back, pressing her hips against mine as she tugs roughly at the back of my hair.
“Sorry to interrupt.”
Abruptly we leap out of each other’s grasp, and turn around at the sound of my father’s voice. I feel like a teenage boy caught making out with his girlfriend on the couch. How ridiculous.
Alex, embarrassed too, wipes at the corners of her mouth, and is the first to speak, seeing as my father seems to favor her more than me on more than one occasion. “Hello, Sir.”
My father shakes his head, blushing red at his interruption. “How many times do I have to tell you, please, call me William.”
Well, Dad, right now might not be the best time to ask her to be informal with you.
She purses her lips into a smile, not sure how to move forward. I decide to help her out, trying not to make it obvious I am adjusting my pants. “What is it Dad?” I cannot help my harsh tone.
My dad knows this is awkward. “Sorry kids, how’s the gun lesson going? I think I heard a few rounds?”
Dad, this is not the time for chit-chat.
“Yeah, it was me. I managed to nip a can. Shooting wasn’t half bad.” I try to make my answer short, and sweet.
“Glad to hear it.” He rubs at the back of his head, “Well, I came out here for a reason.”
Not realizing there is a cellphone in his hand, it begins to ring loudly.
He laughs and shakes the mobile device for us to see. “This phone has been ringing off the hook for the past hour. I figured I should bring it out here.”
Knowing immediately it isn’t mine, my grimace is quick to appear as I turn to Alex who is already cowering in mock guilt.
Alex skips over to my father, smiling meekly, still recovering from her embarrassment, “Thank you sir—William—“
She grabs for the phone and answers. “Go for Turner …” as she meanders away to take the call.
I cannot help my audible sigh and shoulder slump, feeling on the brink of another tantrum as I watch her stroll out of earshot.
My dad laughs at my reaction as he says, “The girls got a serious job, ey?” He jabs me in the shoulder playfully.
I raise an un-amused brow. For once I am in no mood to humor anyone when it comes to the topic of Alex’s work ‘demands’.
Getting off the phone quicker than anticipated she comes back into view, no longer all smiles.
A wave of concern washes over me, and I walk up to her, hastily closing the distance between us. I place my hand at her elbow. “What’s up babe?”
She chews her lip, and with her own disapproving tone for her own job says, “We have to head back to Boston. I have to attend an emergency meeting with a government official.”
She utters the words simply, and seeing her stark look I nod my understanding. “Okay, we’ll leave tonight.”
“I’m sorry.” Her apology is practically a whisper. At least she seems to be feeling the frustrations of her own job too, and it isn’t just me.
I shake her statement off, and brush a piece of hair out of her face, placing it behind her ear. “No, no. It’s fine. You have a job to do. I know what I signed up for.”
The comment makes her smile and I notice my heart clenches at the wonderful sight.
“I love you,” she says.
I grin. “I love you too. I’ll call the pilot.”
TO BE CONTINUED…