Next thing I know, my alarm goes off and it’s Monday already. I cover my head with my sheets and close my eyes again. Before the snooze goes off, Carissa rushes into my room, slamming the door against my dresser.
“What the fuck is this?” she yells, holding up a note in her hand. I have no idea what’s she talking about, so I rub my eyes awake and sit up.
“What is it?” I ask, holding my hand out.
You should really start locking your door. There’s too many weirdos out there.
Goodnight.
“Please tell me you had a late night booty call or something?” She looks freaked out. I haven’t told her about Eric coming in those couple of times—uninvited.
“It was Eric.” At least I’m praying it was. “He must have been the one to cover me up.”
“That’s fucking creepy,” she mumbles, and stomps out my door. Agreed.
I skip my usual morning run and head right into the shower. While I dress and get ready for my day, I think about this thing with Eric. Why is he coming to check on me all the time? Why does he act as if he cares one minute, and then has Skanky sleeping over the next? I remind myself this is exactly why I don’t date. Guys are messed-up jack-holes.
CHAPTER 4
I’ve barely recovered from the weekend’s events. I already regret skipping my run this morning. My head is spinning out of control from over-analyzing everything that’s happened.
Eric has seen more skin on my body than any other man has seen before. He sneaks into my apartment to check on me constantly. I run into him all the time at the very worst moments. One minute he’s all southern charm, and the next he’s rocking hips with another chick. Then, he comes to cover me up in the middle of the night—in the middle of his shift! He’s the most confusing man I’ve ever met.
I swing through the Starbucks drive-thru for a much-needed pick-me-up before I take the short drive to work. I need work to distract me today.
“Velaney, sweetie! You wouldn’t believe what those dumb fucks did!” Coach yells from his office chair. I know exactly who he’s talking about since I just bandaged a couple of guys over the weekend.
“Let me guess, just for fun,” I smirk. He glares at me. This isn’t the first time his players haven’t followed orders. “Did Thing One and Thing Two mess up their hands again?”
“Worse.” He slides his chair and opens the door up wider. There, sitting across his desk, are the same players I wrapped up previously, only this time they both have double shiners.
I walk over to his office and sit on the edge of the desk. “This is a little more than the typical boys will be boys, don’t you think?”
“Dude, whatever! People think they can mess with us! We have to prove them wrong!” Trey nearly yells, holding an ice pack to one eye.
“Yeah, those motha-fuckers won’t be messing with us again!” Brandon continues the roaring.
“You want to end your damn careers before they’re started? Get a grip!” Coach yells back and storms out the door. “Fix those morons up and send them home,” he yells from the hallway.
“You two have a death wish? You’re going to get in a fight with the wrong guy sometime.” I continue my lecture as I look over both their injuries. “I’m diagnosing you both with stupidity disease.”
I check out their wrists and make sure they don’t have a sprain. Rubbing out a few knots, I make them do a few routine hand movements and tape up their sore wrists. “Now, go home and try to stay out of trouble!” They moan at me once again and leave.
I see a few more players and spend the rest of my day doing paperwork. My mind stays focused on work, and by the afternoon, I feel much better.
“What are you smiling about?” Carissa asks as I plop on the couch. She’s cuddled into the recliner and reading one of her infamous must-have-you-now romance novels.
“Nothing. What? I can’t smile?” I smirk.
“No…that’s a smile that means something. I can tell, remember?” She grins, raising her brows at me to spill the news.
“There’s no meaning…just that I’m content.” She glares at me as if she doesn’t believe me. “Seriously, Riss. I’m happy. I love my job. I love you. What’s not to be happy about?”
“Would this happen to have anything at all to do with Eric?” She sets her book down as if we’re getting into deep conversation.
“There’s nothing going on with Eric. That’s just it. I’m content with that. I’m not going to let myself get involved with a man like him.”
“You mean a fucking sexy firefighter with southern charm? The one who’s always around and apparently sneaks into our apartment in the middle of the night to cover you with a blanket?” Well, when she says it like that… She sits on the edge of the chair, closer to me now. “Lane, you know I love you. I do, but sometimes, you’re a real pain in my ass.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” I laugh at her blunt humor. “I don’t get him. Why is he so sweet and charming, and then pretends to forget my name when his bimbo is around? Come on, explain that to me.”
“He’s trying to get your attention, Lane! He doesn’t know how fucked up you really are, so he’s trying amateur techniques. You need to let him in. Tell him you’re interested and he’ll stop being a twat waffle.” She sets her palms down on my knees. I let out a small laugh.
“Gee, doc. How much do I owe you for the psych session?” I tease. I hate situations like these. I’ve never been good at hearing it like it is.
“Fine, don’t take my advice. But for the love of all that’s holy, get laid already, would ya?” She leans back and grabs her book again.
I ignore her and decide to go for an afternoon run. She just put a black cloud over my good mood. Damn her.
I decide to run up to the woods instead of my traditional routes. Staying on the path before sunrise is mostly a safety reason, but since the sun is still up, I’m going for a nature run.
The traffic is low for a Monday evening and the grass is greener than usual. I don’t know if I’m noticing these things because I’m more attentive, or if I’m desperately trying not to think about him. I run past a few dog walkers, a couple of mothers pushing strollers and several cyclists as I make my way up to the woodsy part of my neighborhood.
The air is cooler over here, which feels amazing against my sweaty, hot body. I stop and run in place while I reprogram my iPod. Once Macklemore pours through my earbuds, I start running again and lose myself in the music.
I’m dripping with sweat more than usual. The cool air helps me breathe, but the deeper I run, the farther away from the city I get. I’ve never been this far in the woods before, and soon I realize I’m not quite sure I know where I am.
I stop to get a glimpse of the view. As breathtaking as it is—leaves blowing, birds chirping—I have no idea how to get back home. The trail I ran wasn’t a straight shot. In fact, I ran off trail for a while before finding another one.
The sky starts to get darker and I realize I must have been gone for hours now. It’s not like me to run this long, or this far even. I don’t know how it’s possible, but I was so consumed in my thoughts and in the music, that I continued running.
I look around frantically for any clues of which direction the city is. I’m surrounded by trees, bushes and nature sounds. I decide to sit on the ground for a moment until my head clears and stops spinning.
Glancing at my cell phone, I notice I barely have one bar. Go figure. I dial Carissa’s number and wait for my phone to ring.
“Ring, darn it. Ring!” I beg my phone and hold it above my head. I put it on speakerphone as I finally hear it ring.
“Laney? Wh—you—been—worried.”
“Riss? Are you there? Can you hear me?” I yell.
“Lane? Hello?”
“Riss, I don’t know if you can hear me, but I’m lost in the woods. I don’t know the way back to the city. I need help!” I try to remain calm, but deep inside I’m panicking. Before she can respond, I lose the si
gnal.
I decide to walk until I get a couple more bars, heading in one direction to see if my signal gets stronger.
“Just my luck,” I mumble to myself. I lose the connection completely, turn around and start walking in the other direction, hoping I’m at least getting warmer.
The sweat that once covered my body is now cold. The sky is dimmer and goose bumps have peaked up and down my arms and legs. I hold my phone up again to see if I get my signal back. It flashes, beeps and shuts off.
“Dead battery!” I yell. “Ugh, why! Why!” I scream, not even trying to hide the panic.
I continue walking and soon realize I’m heading nowhere. I’m lost. There’s no telling which direction I’m headed in, where I came from or which way is out. I surrender to the woods and collapse next to a tree. Pulling my knees up tight to my chest, I try holding in as much body heat as I can. I lower my face to my knees as tears fall down my cheeks.
I feel dumb for crying. Even more dumb for going into the woods in the first place. I felt high earlier—in a good way—and I let that high take me out here and now I’m lost. Who’s going to find me way the heck out here?
My thoughts wander and my eyes get heavy. The tears continue, but I huddle up closer to the tree and let my eyes close. My head is heavy and my mind is exhausted. I let my body relax as my mind shuts off completely.
My eyes shoot open as my body shivers from the cold breeze that has arrived. The sky is no longer there and it’s completely dark. I’m surrounded by trees and darkness. I’m scared, but I don’t want to admit that to myself now.
I sit back up and clench my knees up to my chest again. Rocking my body slowly, I desperately beg for heat. In the midst of planning my funeral in my head, I hear a faint voice shouting. I must be hallucinating now. There’s no way someone’s out here this late.
I rock some more and hear it again. This time I stand up, urging my ears to find the voice. I walk a few feet to my left and notice the voice gets louder. I continue walking slowly, trying to grasp where the noise is coming from.
“Velaney!” I hear clear as day. Holy hot balls, someone is calling my name!
“Over here!” I shout back, pressing my hands to my mouth to echo the words louder. “I’m here!”
I crunch my feet against the leaves that have fallen and notice the voice getting louder and stronger in my direction. “Yes, finally!” I mutter to myself.
“Velaney, I’m coming’! Don’t move!” the voice orders. It sounds like a man, not Carissa. Perhaps she called for help…
“Okay, I’m over here!”
“Keep talking’!” he orders. I don’t know what to say. Therefore, I just keep yelling that I’m here. “I think I see you,” he says much quieter now.
“Eric?” I ask, puzzled at the familiar southern tone. “Is that you?” At this point, I really don’t care who it is. As long as he gets me out of here, I’ll take it.
“Yeah, it’s me.” He finally comes within view. “Carissa called me.” He looks stunning, as usual, but more so, he looks concerned. “Why are you out here so far away from the city?”
“I got lost. I didn’t mean to,” is all I say and then he wraps his big, solid arms around my shoulders. I don’t resist or budge. His body heat surrounds me completely, leaving me breathless. His body against mine feels good…too good. Amazing actually, and not just because of his heat. “Thank you,” I finally say, breaking the silent sexual tension.
“I was so worried, Velaney. What were you thinking’, coming into the woods?” He pulls back to look at me.
“I went for a run. I decided to take the scenic route,” I mutter, just above a whisper. “Are you mad?”
He chuckles lightly. “Velaney, I could never be mad at a beautiful woman like you. It’s just that you’re too precious to be running out here all by yourself.” He looks me right in the eyes and pulls a piece of my hair behind my ear. I don’t know why my whole body quivers every time he’s near, and this time isn’t an exception.
Part of me wants him to kiss me, while the other part wants to back away. His face is close to mine, looking soft and intimate. I’m not sure what to do, or if I should just wait for him to make the move. I stand there, waiting. He doesn’t move. His hand is still wrapped around my ear as he looks at me intently.
“You’re freezing,” he states with concern. He leans back just enough to slide his jacket off and wrap it around my shoulders. “That’s better. Let’s get you back home.” He smiles, moving his thumb across my cheek, then down my arm where he reaches for my hand. My body feels like I've been hit by lightning. The intense emotions that overtake my body are too much for me to handle. I want him to touch me so freaking badly, and the ache that stings between my thighs tells me just how much I want it.
We walk back to the car in silence. His hand is still holding mine, which is the only warm surface on my body. He’s close to me so it’s nearly impossible to ignore his scent. His musky aroma is mixed with aftershave; it’s the most amazing combination I’ve ever smelled. Perhaps it’s the way it smells on him, but the more I smell it, the more I want it. Want him.
Our arms brush each other as we walk out of the woods. I can finally see city lights and the beautiful, dark sky. I expect him to release my hand now that we’ve reached the sidewalk, but he doesn’t. He clenches it tighter as if he’s sending me a message.
“How did you know where to find me?” I ask, as we approach his car.
“Carissa called me in a panic, saying you were lost and that your phone dropped the connection. She begged me to get the whole fire department out here.” He chuckles as he recalls their conversation. “I told her I’d find you just fine.” He smiles and opens the passenger car door for me. “And it looks like I did.”
I smile back, getting in the car. I feel dumb…absolutely dumb. First, I get lost in the woods, and then he comes to my rescue…again. And now I’m so sexually frustrated, I can’t even make words come out. How is he doing this to me?
“I think you get in trouble on purpose,” he snickers at me.
“Yeah…totally planned this out,” I say sarcastically, rolling my eyes. He’s back to his sweet southern charm, making me wish I was still lost in the woods.
“I think you just like me rescuing you.” He grins, wagging an eyebrow at me.
“Your ego is on overdrive,” I tease back, grinning at his attempt to flirt. “I didn’t ask you to rescue me by the way. You’re just always…there.”
“What did you do before me?” he teases.
“Hmmm…let’s see.” I pretend to ponder, giving him my best thinking face. “I was able to go for runs without knocking into you. I walked around my apartment naked without giving anyone a show. I was able to lock my door at night, knowing no one would get in.” He chuckles, facing the road again. “Oh, and I was able to go to work without having a ‘big brother’ to fight my battles.” The smile on his face disappears. He looks irritated…he’s no longer his fun, playful self. “What? I was just messing with you.” Shit, what did I say?
“You think of me as a big brother?” He frowns.
“Well, in the sense that you are always saving me, I guess. Is that bad?” I ask, trying to read his nonverbal cues. Damn, I wish Carissa were here to do this for me. I’m horrible at this stuff.
“Sure. Whatever.” He grips the steering wheel harder, not even glancing over at me. My stomach is in knots and my heart thumps out of my chest. I feel like I’ve just been kicked in the gut. I’ve upset him and now it feels awkward being in the same car with him.
I can’t let him get close to me. It’s better this way, I think to myself over and over. As much as I try to convince myself of this, I know I want to fight it. Eric makes me feel things I haven’t ever felt. He’s different…but not necessarily in a bad way. He definitely has that southern charm to him, always helping me and caring for me.
“Thank you,” I mumble, trying to break the tension.
“No need to thank me, sweethe
art.” His smile reappears, bringing relief over me. “Do you want me to walk you to your door?” he asks, pulling alongside our apartment building.
“You aren’t going home?” I ask.
“No, I’m still on my shift. I snuck out to come find you.” Oh my God…if my life was a cartoon there would be floating hearts coming out of my chest right now.
“Now I feel horrible!” I mope, feeling guilty he left his job once again to check on me.
“No biggie. I guess that’s what big brothers are for, right?” he retorts, slapping my words right back in my face.
“Sure.” I smile and get out of the car. “Thanks again, Eric.” I slam the door shut and walk up to my apartment…alone and confused.
Why is this so hard? Isn’t love supposed to come natural…easy? Not for me. It never will.
“Velaney! Where the hell have you been?” Carissa screams at me the second I walk in the door, then scoops me up in a big bear hug..
“I tried telling you. I went for a run and got lost.”
“I was worried sick, Lane. Like seriously. I was pacing back and forth this whole time.” She pulls back, pressing her hands into my shoulder.
“I’m sorry. It won’t happen again, I promise. And um, thanks for sending Eric…I think.” I giggle a little. “I mean, he rescued me…once again.”
“I didn’t know what else to do, Lane. Lord knows I don’t run. If I went looking for you, we’d both be lost and die out there.”
“Well, that’s a pretty picture.” I smile, hugging her tight again. “Well, I’m off to shower and bed.”
“So, any woodsy outdoor sex happen?” she asks, smirking.
“Oh yes. Lots and lots of steamy outside sex. In fact, I think I have twigs still in my hair,” I say sarcastically, acting overly dramatic just to mess with her.
“You go, girl.” She winks at me and I roll my eyes as I walk away, wishing things ended differently tonight.
Alphas & Millionaires Starter Set Page 24