by Dawn Brower
Carter didn’t like pushing people away. It was necessary evil he’d learned to live with a long time ago. His lifestyle didn’t leave a lot of room for a family. He kept his interactions with women to a minimum and made sure they all knew he didn’t do long term. Some tried to convince him he needed them, but eventually they understood. He didn’t want commitment or someone to take care of him. He did fine on his own...
Olivia started to pound on the door. “Do you think they know we’re stuck in here?”
He shrugged. “Hard to say. Why don’t you call someone and let them know.”
“Who?” She picked up her phone off the floor. “The screen’s smashed. This is my luck.”
He glanced down at the device, and sure enough, it had more cracks in it than an abandoned building scheduled for demolition. He patted his jacket and cursed. “I forgot my phone in the car.”
“Of course you did.”
Carter opened the door for the elevator phone and found the inside empty. The remnants of the shredded cord were all that remained. Any other time he might chalk it up to bad luck, but the entire thing didn’t seem right. What were the chances he’d get stuck in an elevator with no way to contact anyone? Even if someone had planned to trap him there, they couldn’t count on him forgetting his cell phone. He was being paranoid and seeing plots where there were none. Coincidences happened all the time.
“We might as well get comfortable. I think we’ll be here a while.”
Olivia didn’t seem to like that suggestion by the way she glared at him. That woman had more disgruntled face expressions than Oscar the Grouch. The Sesame Street character always looked pissed off. Olivia, on the other hand, took that to a murderous level. Maybe he should try to charm her into a better mood. He might come to regret it later, but he didn’t know how long they’d be stuck in the elevator. He’d prefer not to argue with her the entire time.
“How do you propose we manage to find anything remotely comfortable in this small space?” She snapped her fingers. “I know! I’ll slide down the wall and sit on the floor. This skirt is perfect for that. It won’t rip at all if I attempt it.”
He glanced down at the skirt and had to agree with her assessment. It was tight, and she probably would destroy it if she tried to sit on the floor. He tilted his head to the side, and his next words were out of his mouth before he thought better of it. “You could take it off.”
Her mouth fell open, and she was blissfully silent for several moments. It was then that he thought fuck it and pulled her into his arms. His lips were on hers before she had a chance to respond. Immediately, she wrapped her arms around his neck and they lost themselves in each other. This was what he had been avoiding for so long? Heat filled him and went straight to his dick.
Olivia raked her nails through his hair, making him groan. She was a vixen and would be wild in bed—if they had a bed to use. Hell, those were overrated anyway. He could rip off her skirt and fuck her against the wall.
Bad idea... Elevators had cameras. They couldn’t do more than kiss each other into madness, but oh what a kiss it turned out to be. Nothing but fire, fury, and passion consumed them. If he didn’t stop soon, they’d take things farther than they should. He didn’t want to, but he pulled back. The elevator echoed with their heavy breathing.
“What was that?” Olivia asked.
“You looked like you could use a good distraction,” he replied cockily. “You’re welcome.”
“For a minute there, I was starting to think you were all right,” she said, and pushed him back. “Then you had to go and ruin it.”
“My kiss made you think I’m all right?” He grinned. “I can do better if you want.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “I admit, I wasn’t trying to make you fall in love with me.”
“You’re a dick,” she said.
“No,” he replied. “But I do have one.”
He should stop while he was ahead. Carter wanted to pull her back into his arms and kiss her until he forgot where he started and she began. He almost needed to do it, and if he baited her enough, she might give him what he craved. Another kiss might prove too much though. Kisses as hot as the one they’d just shared led to one thing—sex—and he refused to commit a felony by giving into his baser needs.
“What?” Olivia batted her eyelashes. “You do? Oh my, I never would have guessed.” She sashayed slowly toward him and then trailed her fingers over his already aching cock. “Is this it?”
“Don’t.” His voice was guttural.
“Don’t what?” She gave him a once-over. “Appreciate this fine appendage?” Olivia cupped her hand over him and squeezed lightly.
She was killing him slowly. He deserved every bit of it too. Carter had walked into this situation with his eyes wide open. There was a reason he’d tried to keep his distance from her, and he failed miserably. Something he couldn’t make himself regret. It was inevitable they’d come to this point, and now there would be no going back. He was about to lean in and kiss her again when the elevator moved up. The doors slid open and a group of people stared at them.
Carter cleared his throat. “Well, I guess that’s our cue to exit. I’ll see you later tonight.” He stepped off the elevator and didn’t look back. If he had, he might have yanked her with him to find a dark closet they could get naked in. He had to rein in his lust—for now. Later though, he would have her all to himself, and maybe it was time to explore whatever brewed between them. He was tired of fighting himself, and her. Some things were inevitable, and apparently Olivia and him fit that description.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Dane parked his car in front of Reese’s condo and took a deep breath. This was it—he was technically taking her on a date. He couldn’t wrap his mind around it no matter how much he tried. It was for her protection, but it didn’t feel that way. Something about it seemed all too real, and it terrified him. How was he going to make it through a whole evening if he couldn’t get it together outside her home?
“Go ring the doorbell, asshole,” he muttered to himself. “Carter has his own date to pick up.”
He gathered what little courage he could muster and stepped out of his car, shutting the door behind him. His tie seemed like it was hell-bent on strangling him. He wrenched his fingers underneath the silk wrapped around his neck and yanked it loose. It probably looked awful now that he fussed with the damn thing. Reese would think him uncouth and too rough around the edges to take any place nice. He grumbled and pushed her doorbell. The chimes echoed around, announcing his arrival like a prince there to collect the fair maiden—and he was a maudlin fool. He was the last person anyone would think of as princely.
The door opened and Carter greeted him. “Took you long enough.”
Dane lifted a brow. “Have a hot date or something?”
His mouth formed a hard, white line. “She’s definitely something... Come in. Reese is finishing up, so I don’t know how long she’ll be. She’s already been closed off in her bedroom for an hour. I’m afraid to knock again. The last time, she darn near bit my head off.”
“She probably didn’t appreciate the interruption.” Dane made a similar mistake the first morning he’d spent at her condo. “She’s particular about how she does things.”
“I know that,” Carter grumbled. “I did grow up in the same house.”
“Then why are you surprised?”
Sometimes he forgot that Reese was Carter’s sister. They hadn’t traveled in the same social circles and it was a fluke he’d met Reese at all. If she hadn’t been dating someone at the school he went to as a teen, he might not have. Well, that wasn’t true either. At some point, he probably would have since he was Carter’s partner, but he wouldn’t have been in love with her since he was eighteen. It would have just happened a lot later on. Of course, by the time he saw her again after the prom, she’d been dating Nolan. That had soured his stomach in ways rotten food never would. Who knows how he’d have felt about h
er seeing her on his brother’s arm. He’d hated it when he was already in love with her, and if he met her for the first time in that scenario he might have hated her.
“I thought maybe she’d have grown out of it.” Carter shrugged. “Now that you’re here, I’ll go collect Miss Prissy and meet you two at the Roseland hotel.”
“Wait,” Dane said. “I didn’t realize this was in a different town.”
Roseland was where his prom had been held and not too far from the Shelton Academy where he’d gone to school. The first time he’d held Reese in his arms was there too. He’d relived that moment over and over throughout the years. Now he might get a chance to dance with her again in the same spot. There was something poetic about that.
“Yeah,” Carter paused. “Is that a problem?”
“Were not exactly authorized to act legally in a different town.”
“Well, if a problem arises, we’ll let the locals sort it out. This isn’t a sting operation or something. All we’re doing is taking dates out to this nice little fundraiser thing. Though it is odd that it’s being held in another town... I wonder how they decided on that.”
Dane didn’t like it. Something was off about the whole thing. He didn’t question the fundraiser’s veracity, but the location felt wrong. It was for Reese who worked at Envill East. Shouldn’t it be in the same town as the hospital she worked at?
“What is it?” Carter asked. “I recognize that look on your face.”
“It’s probably nothing...” Dane scrunched his eyebrows together. “But keep your eyes open. I have a bad feeling.”
He wished now that he could talk Reese out of going. If it wasn’t being held in her honor, he might have a chance of doing that. Now though... There wasn’t a chance in hell she’d back out. She would go whether he liked it or not, and he didn’t like it one bit.
“I planned on it anyway.” He nodded at him. “I’m going to leave now. I’ll see you there.”
Carter turned and left Dane alone. There was no telling how long Reese would take. He might as well get comfortable. He headed toward her living room and stood in the middle of it. Several nights ago, she’d tried to seduce him in there, and the memories still haunted him. He wanted her to love him, and everything about that night hadn’t seemed right. A part of him had wanted to believe she desired him, and maybe she had in some way. It hadn’t been real though. Not in any way that counted. Reese had been using him to forget her problems, and if he’d been willing, she might have for a few hours. When they finally came together, he wanted it to mean something. He didn’t doubt for a moment that they would. They were on a path that led to one place—with her in his life forever.
Her bedroom door opened, and Reese exited. The light behind her glowed around her in the dark hallway—almost like an angel stepping out of heaven. He couldn’t make out what she wore, or even her features, but her silhouette took his breath away. If she looked even half as good in the light as she did in the shadows he wouldn’t be able to function. He wanted the right to pull her into his arms and kiss her. By some miracle, he held back.
She flipped the light off in her bedroom and strolled toward him. Her hips swayed with each step like an invitation he desperately wanted to accept. He clenched his fists at his side and remained in place. She hadn’t done anything that should indicate she wanted him for anything other than an escort to the fundraiser. He would not act like a male pig entitled to touch when she hadn’t offered.
The light in the living room was on low, but it was enough for him to see her in all her glory. The hem of her dress floated across the floor. It had a neckline shaped in a V pattern that dipped below her breasts and almost touched her navel. The color was a vibrant red that bordered on fuchsia depending on how the light hit the satin. Tiny gems decorated the waistline and trailed upward on the outside of the straps tied around her neck emphasizing the outline of her bosom. Everything about the dress enticed, and he wanted to strip it off her slowly.
“Are you ready?” She squeezed the small silver purse in her hands. Was she as nervous as him? “It’s a half-hour drive to the hotel.”
He wished he’d thought to ask where the fundraiser was being held earlier. He’d never thought to and he should have. It was his job to protect her and he’d failed in that regard. At least Carter had the foresight to check. His partner would have ensured it was safe. A hotel though? A young man going to prom might have secured a room for the night, hoping to spend it there with his date. A man would do more than hope if he played his cards right. He didn’t have any sway with Reese, but he wished he could convince her to spend the night with him. The temptation was quite real, and he didn’t know how he’d make it through the night.
He cleared his throat. “You look lovely.”
She brushed her hand over imaginary wrinkles in her skirt. “Thank you.”
“I suppose we should go.”
She nodded but didn’t make any moves to exit her condo. Reese stood there, staring at him, and Dane had no idea what she wanted. He was equally transfixed. This moment wouldn’t ever come again. It took every one of his breaths, and his soul wanted to absorb it. He fell in love with her all over again, and she’d done nothing other than put on a pretty dress.
“Dane?” She tilted her head. “What is it?”
He shook his head. Her beauty and grace healed scars in him that he hadn’t realized still ached. It was enough to make a man fall to his knees and worship the goddess before him. She’d been difficult over the past few days, but he didn’t blame her for that. In her situation, he might have done the same. It had to be hard to deal with being a target for a psychopath. “It’s nothing. You’re right. We should head out.”
“Right.” She licked her lips.
If she did that again, they might not go anywhere. He became hypnotized watching the slow slide of her pink tongue over her full lips. She was his one weakness, and he was crumbling fast. “After you,” he said, gesturing toward the door.
She stepped toward him instead and placed her hand on his chest. “Your tie is messed up. Let me fix it.”
He stood there like an idiot, reveling in her touch. She undid his tie and then slowly redid the knot. She slid her hand over the length, flattening against him. “You’re a mess.” Her voice was husky and warm. “You don’t dress up often, do you?”
“When I have to testify in court. I don’t have a reason to otherwise.”
“No female to impress?” The corner of her mouth tilted upward. “Don’t you date? Women like a man in a suit. You look fine in this one.”
He had one suit, and it was for as he’d said—court appearances. It was charcoal gray and his tie a dark blue. Paige had helped him pick it out. She’d said it matched his eyes, and he hadn’t really cared, so he’d bought it all. Now he appreciated the purchase and Paige’s advice. He didn’t have any other females to ask. His mother still worked too hard and kept to herself.
“Thank you—I think.”
He didn’t know how to respond to her appraisal of him. Dane didn’t receive compliments much, so he didn’t have much practice in how to accept them. He liked that she seemed to savor him with her gaze though. If she liked what she saw, perhaps they were already heading in the direction he wanted. If he thought she’d allow a kiss, he’d already have placed his lips on hers. She was his drug of choice, and he was desperate for a fix.
“Oh, it’s definitely a good thing,” she reassured him. “Maybe I should do more to convince you.” She wound her arms around his neck. “Kiss me like you want me.”
“Wanting you has never been a problem.” He shouldn’t do as she suggested, but he wasn’t strong enough to say no. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. She tasted like heaven, and he was the devil sweeping in to claim her. Heat engulfed him, and he gladly stepped into the flame. She opened her mouth, and everything blazed hotter with the touch of her tongue against his. He moaned and kissed her until their breaths became one.
Dane lifted
his head and met her gaze. Sparks of desire nearly glinted from her eyes. He imagined his was equally heated, and if he pushed, he might convince her to stay in for the night. He decided against that plan though. Dane hadn’t lied earlier; he’d always wanted her and always would, but he loved her enough to put her needs first. The fundraiser was something important to her, and he’d ensure she made it there.
“Kiss me again,” she demanded.
“I will,” he assured her. “Later, when this is done. There are more important things we have to do tonight. Those kids are counting on you making a lot of money for your research. Let’s go make bank.”
“And after?”
“We’ll make this a night to remember for the rest of our days.”
“I’m going to hold you to that.” She lowered her arms and sashayed toward the door. She glanced over her shoulder and asked, “Are you coming?”
Not yet... But later they both would do that and more. He lifted the corner of his lips up into a wicked smile. Sometimes being bad could be oh so good. “Right behind you, sweetheart.”
Then they exited her condo and headed toward the fundraiser. It was going to be a long night, but at the end of it, she’d finally be his—and he never wanted anything more...
CHAPTER TWELVE
Dane parked the car and then rubbed his palms over his pant legs. He didn’t know why he was still so nervous, but he couldn’t shake it. In a lot of ways, this was like turning back the clock ten years and reliving his prom. The difference was this time he had a date, and not just any date. Reese had been the girl he wanted then and still desired now. It was crazy thinking that someone like him could get the girl when, in the past, he hadn’t had a chance. No wonder he kept going back and forth in his mind. He kept seeing himself as unworthy, and in the eyes of the students of Shelton Academy, he had been scum. To them, he’d never been good enough, and he’d believed it for too long. His emotions were a roller coaster of chaos, and he didn’t know which direction they’d take from one moment to next.