But if I kept looking, and I did, I saw what hid behind them were secret passages and doors.
And those secrets hid more mystery. Winding in sharp turns and curves and bends and dead ends that I could easily get lost in and leave me confused. Every time I thought I had it figured out, it would change its pattern.
I could have easily gone up to the roof and uncovered its secrets, but that felt like cheating. Besides, where was the challenge in that?
Kara reminded me of that maze.
I stared at her back, watching the rise and fall of her shoulders as she slept restlessly. Even in sleep, her mind hadn’t fully relaxed.
There was something inside me that yearned to comfort her. I wanted to gather her in my arms and tell her everything was going to be okay, that I’d take care of her troubles if she’d let me.
I nearly laughed at the ridiculousness of my thoughts. I couldn’t take care of anyone. And she’d laugh in my face if I told her that anyway.
It was the confined space, I thought as I turned to face the windshield, watched the rain slide lazily down the glass, listened to the drumming sound it made on the roof. I was alone in a car with the most alluring girl I had ever met. A girl I hadn’t stopped thinking about since I met her. A girl who was fighting the strong pull between us. All these things lulled my brain into dreaming up foolish thoughts.
It didn’t make sense that, of all the girls I’d been with, she was the one I’d want. She’d bite my head off if she had the chance. She never listened, was stubborn as a bull, and always disagreed with me. Except when we were kissing. That was a different story.
She turned onto her other side, facing me now, whimpering in her sleep. Her long hair slid down to cover half of her face. I held my breath, hoping she wouldn’t wake up.
She looked so soft, harmless, like a pretty kitten, but that would be a dangerous assumption to make. She was as safe as a ticking time bomb.
So why couldn’t I stop thinking about her?
I released my breath when her breathing steadied again. My hands itched to touch her, to skim my finger over her skin and tuck that lock of hair behind her ear, so I could see her face.
I couldn’t get her face out of my mind. Her hair. Her eyes. Her lips.
Her body.
Her fire.
I should be happy that she thought of me as an experiment. But goddamn that had pissed me the hell off when I’d heard her say that on Saturday night.
I’d decided I was going to forget about her the next day, but when I was at the site doing a reno, she was all I could think about.
I had a scratch on my back to prove it. I was distracted and didn’t see the sharp edge protruding from the wall. It ripped my shirt off.
The color of the bricks reminded me of her hair. Dark brown and gold. But then I realized it was the wrong shade. The color of her hair was richer and deeper.
Even the fucking lettuce I slapped on my burger reminded me of the flecks in her hazel eyes.
It was annoying the hell out of me. She was like an itch on my back I couldn’t reach.
I shifted in my seat when I saw her lips part. She was snoring lightly, and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why I found that so damn adorable.
Had she changed her mind about our deal? I had a feeling she’d bow out because of what happened on my couch two nights ago.
Especially when she came to pick me up with her windows down, freezing her ass off, and the hint of an unidentifiable stench in her car. It smelled like some poison they sprayed to kill cockroaches.
She was unpredictable. Every time I thought I had her figured out, she changed the pattern on me.
I wanted more. I wanted to know her, memorize every piece of her.
Just like I wanted to taste every part of her.
Maybe once I had my fill, this constant wanting would stop.
Her lips closed, then parted slightly.
Then she opened her eyes.
And I was lost.
I realized a few things all at once. The maze in my childhood both scared and excited me. I was always afraid that I would never find my way out the deeper I explored it, but somehow, it showed me clues, kept its doors open for me to come and go as I pleased.
I always found my way out.
Kara was like that maze. The only difference between them was that I might not make it out this time.
And maybe, I thought as I stared in her eyes, I wouldn’t want to.
Chapter 16
Kara
It felt like my soul was detached from my body the moment I woke up. I blinked and tried to focus, but my brain wouldn’t engage. It kept on chanting coffee, coffee, coffee.
Someone beautiful was staring at me. He looked awfully familiar, like I should care about him somehow, but like everything else, he felt unreal.
I sat up—slumped, really—and realized I was in my car, parked in someone’s driveway. I stared at the windshield and watched as rivulets of rain ran down it.
There was something wet on the side of my mouth. Drool, probably. I should wipe it, but it seemed like a lot of work. Besides, my arms felt heavy.
I heard a deep chuckle coming from somewhere in the car. I moved my head to search for it, and my eyes landed on the mug of coffee in the cup holder. Some sort of yearning sound came out of my throat, and I grabbed it possessively, glugging it down like medicine. It was cold, but it was this-shit’s-gonna-make-me-human-again cold.
A few minutes of this and my senses were starting to come back. Suddenly, I became conscious of everything around me. The toasty warmth of the car, the soothing pitter-patter of the rain, the scent of it—something unpleasant mixed with fresh, cool blue that my nose wanted to inhale. But most of all, I was painfully aware of a compelling presence beside me. My heart skipped a beat.
“Better?” A deep, masculine voice. A hint of amusement.
I jumped.
Cameron.
When did he become Cameron to me and not my blackmailer or the spawn of Satan? Must have been some really magical coffee I just drank.
“I can make you a fresh cup.” I glued my eyes to the windshield, refusing to look at him, but in my peripheral, I saw him gesture to his house. “But you’d have to come inside.”
Something told me that wasn’t a good idea. He sounded like a dark sorcerer who came to offer me the best deal of my life…in exchange for my body.
Okay, soul.
“Want to?” he asked softly.
I must not look at him. I must not.
“No thanks,” I croaked, feeling warm. “Listen,” I started, cranking the window open just a little to cool me down. We needed to discuss important things, and right now was the perfect time. The time! “Holy shit. What time is it?”
I couldn’t help it. My head whipped in his direction. He moved his head slightly, toward the clock on the dash.
His hair, as black as crow’s wings, was rumpled boyishly as if he’d been sleeping. His clear blue eyes were gleaming with amusement. And the way he sat in the seat… Well, he took over the space.
“It’s 10:15,” he provided. “You’ve been sleeping for two hours.”
“I thought you had classes in the morning!”
“I did.”
“Why didn’t you wake me up?”
“It looked like you needed some sleep.”
“But you…skipped classes?”
He shrugged. “I’d rather stay here with you.”
I didn’t know what to say to that. I didn’t even know how to feel about that. It seemed…sweet.
He’s not really sweet. Remember what he wants from you. Don’t get taken in now. You know what happened in that movie because of a pretty face.
“Right. I haven’t forgotten why I’m here,” I said, putting my seat belt on. “I’m supposed to drive
you. I don’t want you to come back later and say I didn’t hold up my end of the bargain.”
When I looked at him again, the warmth in his eyes was gone. “Is it just me, or are you like this with everyone?”
Was he upset? “What do you mean?”
“What does it take for you to accept kindness? Or do you just really not trust me?” His voice had turned cold. “Is that it?”
Kindness? Had it been kindness he was bestowing upon me all this time? I must have missed the damn memo.
“Well, you didn’t really do anything to earn it, did you?”
Suddenly, he moved away as far as he could from me in the confined space of the car, and it dawned on me how close we were leaning toward each other. In defense, I mirrored his actions and crossed my arms in front of me.
“Seat belt,” he growled.
I already have it on, Mr. Grouch. “You should be in the CIA. Your observational skills are so on point.”
I looked outside my window, watching the rain. It was only drizzling now, but the dreary sky promised more of it.
“You were already late this morning,” he said. “Is that what you meant by holding up your end?”
His temper was nasty, but so was mine. I faced him.
“Why don’t you kiss my fine, grade-A ass? You’re not worth an explanation. Start the damn car and let’s go.”
“Know what?” he said, his voice had turned low. Dangerous. “Why don’t you drive?”
“Why don’t I?” I shot back.
Kindness? This is why I don’t accept your kindness, you stupid, muscular, pig-headed baboon.
His black temper pushed him out of the car, and he slammed the door closed. And while he walked around the front to the passenger side, I locked the door.
In a frenzy of movements, I unbuckled my seat belt, leaped to the driver’s seat. Adjusted it so my legs reached the pedals, put the gear in reverse. I waited until he was about to reach for the door. Then I stepped on the gas and reversed.
Just a couple of feet away. Just enough to send him a message that he couldn’t intimidate me. I would match his temper with mine.
His glower could have burned villages. I gave him a smile.
The rain was slowly soaking his black hair. It curled under his sharp jaw, over his forehead, and dripped rain on his face.
We stared at each other for a few seconds—two fighters unwilling to budge. I could feel my skin prickle with electricity at his challenging stare, at the silent invitation in it.
And then he shook his head. He looked down and bit his knuckles, his shoulders shaking. Was he laughing at me?
Talk about hot and cold.
I blew out a breath. He swaggered the few feet to my car and opened the door. I heard the thump of metal as the lock prevented him from opening it. He rapped his knuckles on the window, leaned down so his face was visible to me.
He was smiling.
“The accessories I want cost a couple grand,” he said through the crack in the window I hadn’t closed.
Goddamn it. I threw him the nastiest glare I could manage and unlocked the door. He got in, a smug look on his irritatingly handsome face.
I gritted my teeth, contemplating the cost of paying his insurance company instead, the premiums in Dylan’s insurance, the negatives in his credit. Besides, how bad would it be if Dylan spent some time in jail? He could use the time to reflect.
The spawn of Satan closed the window. As if he owned the car, he lowered the back of the seat—lower than I had it before—and relaxed back into it. He closed his eyes.
“Like I said the other night,” he said lazily, “you drive me fucking crazy.”
He didn’t sound too bothered by it.
“I don’t want to drive you anything,” I said. The last thing I wanted to remember was that night. “Just to your destination, thank you very fucking much.”
His lips twitched. Cool as a cucumber.
The one thing that pissed me off more when I was already pissed off was when the person I was supposed to be pissed off with wasn’t as pissed off as me.
“You can take a picture of me if you like,” he said easily, opening his eyes and catching me looking at him. “Or you can drive me to my destination.”
“I’ll drive you to your final destination, all right.”
He replied by closing his eyes and laughing softly.
I gritted my teeth and stepped on the gas.
I was painfully aware of him sleeping lightly beside me. He crossed his arms across his chest. Probably protecting his stone-cold heart from the ancient, cursed dagger that I wanted to bury in there.
But I couldn’t resist glancing at him. He was like a black panther in the jungle. Too beautiful to ignore. Sleek and dangerous. Even when he looked relaxed, there was an edge to him that kept my gaze coming back.
I released a sigh of relief when I saw the campus sign.
“I’m parking on the street,” I said. “I can’t afford to pay the campus parking.”
He shifted his wide frame, adjusting his seat so he could sit up straight. The top of his head grazed the roof of the car.
“I got it,” he said. “Just drive us to school.”
“What do you mean, you got it? You’re paying for parking?”
He shrugged.
“Do you know how much parking is on this campus?” I asked. It cost a fortune.
“I don’t want to walk a couple of blocks just to go to school,” he drawled.
I threw him a quick glance from top to bottom. If he was this lazy, where did he get all those muscles from? They must be silicone. That was why they felt big and hard. They didn’t…feel like silicone though. They felt real and warm and good. I kinda wanted to feel them again…
No you don’t!
“Really,” I croaked, erasing the memories that started to bombard my mind.
I found it hard to believe that walking a couple of blocks would bother an athletic guy. What I knew for sure was that he always had an ulterior motive. What was it this time? What would it cost me? He had another reason he was hiding.
“I’ll pay for gas too.”
Now that was really shady… I stopped at a red light and threw him a suspicious look. “And you’re doing all this because you don’t want to walk a couple of blocks?”
He shifted in his seat, his body turning toward me. My eyes were suddenly drawn to his lips. His lips…
“What do you think?” he purred.
My face felt hot. I could feel his gaze roaming over every part of my body. Was he checking me out like I was checking him out earlier? Why did it always turn sexual around him? Some guys just seemed lame and gross when they tried, but with him…it felt as if I was playing with a pro. And the worst of it was, it bothered me…in a good way.
“I think you have a sinister plan for me again. And I want to know what it is.”
He didn’t respond.
“Well?” I prodded.
“A student was robbed at knifepoint last week in one of these streets,” he said quietly.
My heart did a slip and slide.
“I just want you to be safe when I’m not there to protect you.”
Slip and slide. Slip and slide.
I didn’t know how to process this side of him or this side of me that was feeling all these emotions for the first time. I put my signal on, preparing to turn left at another traffic light, onto a campus street. It looked deserted, light fog and rain covering the grounds.
“Fine,” I said. It seemed fair to give him my schedule, something to give him in return for what he’d…offered. I gave him the schedule I’d memorized. “Weekends are tricky. I work at the coffee shop from one to five in the afternoon, but I’m always on call for night shifts at the nursing home or hospital. Weekdays too, but they don’t call all the time.�
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I threw him a look when he didn’t say anything. I sighed. “Look, I can still drive you. If I can’t, Dylan will.”
“The deal was that you’ll be giving me the ride. Not your brother.”
Before I could say anything, he added, “My schedule’s more flexible. I’ll work around yours. If I need a ride, I’ll borrow your car to get around and I’ll come pick you up from work.”
I shifted in my seat. That seemed too…personal.
“How much do you get paid?” he asked, straight as you please. I didn’t think we were close enough for him to ask me that question.
I glared at him. “Why do you want to know?”
“I don’t think you’re getting paid that much at the coffee shop. Are you?”
“At least I work. Do you?”
“I’m only a part-time student, but I need you to pick me up and drop me off at work.”
I snorted out a laugh. “You work?”
“I freelance. Flipping houses,” he said. “When I don’t have a project, I work for a friend.”
That put me in my place. “Oh.” Hence the god body and the hard hands.
I glanced at him quickly when he wasn’t looking. He owned a business? Looks could be deceiving, I thought. He looked like someone who bossed around people to wash his underwear.
I pulled into a spot in the campus parking lot. I put the gear in Park and turned off the ignition.
“You should take care of yourself,” he said softly. “You’re working yourself sick. You don’t even have a day off.”
“I don’t need you to—”
“Just an observation. Your eyes were really tired this morning.” I held my breath as he leaned close to me. I could see worlds in his eyes. Hundreds of galaxies in different shades of blue.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered. “Spitfire.”
My lips parted, and my body involuntarily drew closer to him.
“I’m going to kiss you now,” he whispered.
And then he did. I closed my eyes, my breath hitching as his lips touched mine. It was only a meeting of lips, barely. So soft, so swift it was over even before I could blink.
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