The Agreement (An Indecent Proposal)

by J. C. Reed

  No one would hear my screams.

  And even if they did, people were too scared in those dark alleys. No one would put their life at risk to help a stranger. With rising horror, I watched him unzip his pants. But he never got round to fulfilling his plans.

  Two hands settled on his shoulders, yanking him away from me.

  My rescuer’s face was bathed in the darkness cast by his hoodie as he grabbed my attacker by his collar and kicked him so hard in the gut, I almost felt the impact. As my attacker lurched forward to fight back, the guy slammed his fist into his side. My attacker collapsed instantly to the ground, gasping for air, and then he stumbled to his feet, shaking badly.

  “Shit.” He groaned, the choked sound louder than his voice. “Shit.”

  I stared at the hooded guy dressed in a casual sweater, afraid to whisper my thanks; not quite daring to hope the worst was over. One of them could still pull a gun and the situation would escalate.

  Hooded guy stepped toward me, his hand extending. I eyed his outstretched fingers warily, unsure whether to let him help me up, because I couldn’t see his face.

  Couldn’t trust him.

  “You okay?” His voice was deep and dark, carrying not even the slightest hint of fear.

  His voice seemed familiar.

  My heart began to beat frantically in my chest the way it always did when he so much as said my name.

  “Chase?” I asked incredulously. My pulse raced so hard it almost drowned out my voice in my ears.

  Of all the people in L.A., it couldn’t possibly be him.

  My rescuer pulled back the hood, exposing the gray-blue eyes that seemed to see right through me whenever he looked at me.

  Oh my God.

  It was really him.

  “Why are you—” Here, I wanted to ask, relief streaming through me.

  “Get up, Laurie. We don’t have time. We need to get away before he gets help,” he whispered, his gaze scanning our surroundings. Not out of fear, I was sure of that.

  Help? I wanted to ask. The guy had attacked me, not the other way around.

  But instead, I let Chase lift me up to my feet and half tug, half carry me out of the alley, and back to the main street, toward a midsized sedan I had never seen before.

  It wasn’t the same car he usually drove to pick me up.

  “Is this yours?” I asked.

  “Get in.” Ignoring my question, Chase opened the door and motioned me impatiently to jump into the passenger seat.

  Chapter 5

  We sat in silence as Chase drove. Half an hour must have passed and yet my legs were still trembling. But at least my heart had stopped racing at some point. As we came to a halt at an intersection, I finally turned my head to regard Chase and noticed his rigid stance and the pallor of his face accentuated by the faint shadows beneath his eyes. He turned to shoot me a thin smile but the glint in his eyes didn’t escape me.

  Desperation.

  Fear.

  Something else.

  Something darker.

  Something I didn’t want to see.

  Whatever it was, I had no time to ask, because the lights changed to green and Chase floored the accelerator and the engine roared to life. I slumped into the comfortable seat, chewing on my lip.

  Something was bothering him.

  It wasn’t just the way the worry lines between his eyes deepened that made me think that. His jaw was clenched, too, and his hands gripped the wheel so hard I could see the paleness of knuckles shining through his skin. Finally he turned his head to me and our eyes met for a second, but his expression was enough to make me brace myself for what was to come.

  “What the fuck were you doing out there, Laurie?” he asked, his voice so low I could have almost missed the hint of anger in it. I looked at him, stunned.

  Chase had never been angry with me before.

  Wow.

  He sounded so sexy when he called my name that for a second I forgot to reply. He turned his gaze to the street ahead and then back to regard me, and his sexy eyebrows shot up questioningly.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t know I was supposed to ask for your permission before venturing out at night.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “I’ll make a note to keep that in mind next time.”

  “That’s not what I meant,” he growled, and rubbed his face with his hand before slamming it back on the steering wheel. “Jesus, Laurie. Do you know what could have happened back there? You should never ever be alone on those streets.”

  I shot him a venomous look. How dare he try to make me feel guilty?

  “It wasn’t my fault, you know?” I said. “The door closed behind me and I couldn’t get back inside.”

  “The guy was about to rape you,” Chase continued, stating the obvious, probably not hearing a word I’d just said. “He was so fucking close to hurting you, to…”

  He broke off, unable to finish his train of thought, but there was no need. The memories of the guy’s grip on me, his hands on my legs, his putrid breath in my face, feeling his intentions even before he had unzipped his pants, would surely haunt me for the rest of my life.

  I closed my eyes to stop the disturbing images running like a movie inside my head. For a few moments, I was rendered unable to reply. The silence felt oppressing, but truth be told I had no idea what to say to him. Incidents like that weren’t supposed to happen. He wasn’t supposed to have witnessed what was one of the most petrifying incidents of my life, and yet I couldn’t be more thankful for his presence at the right time.

  That I got myself into such situation made me feel shame and guilt, even though I knew it really hadn’t been my fault.

  “What were you doing there?” I repeated his question, unable to process the fact that he had rescued me. Of all the people in the world, and all the places he could have possibly been, he was there, in a tiny alley, at the time of my attack.

  At the right time.

  At the right place.

  Like fate. Except my life had been so rough, at some point I had stopped believing in something greater.

  Fate didn’t exist.

  “Chase?” I prompted when he didn’t answer straight away.

  “Shouldn’t you just be happy that I was?” His gaze remained glued to the street ahead, his features a hard mask unbroken by emotion.

  “Were you following me?” I asked, ignoring him.

  “What?” He shook his head slowly and frowned. “Jude texted and invited me to join you. Said something about the evening needing at least a guy, so I came as quickly as I could.”

  “Oh my God. Jude,” I whispered, as I realized I had forgotten all about her. “I have to go back to her. She’s probably waiting for me.”

  “No, Laurie.” His frown turned into a scowl. “I don’t think that bar’s the right place for you. Text her to tell her you’re with me.”

  I hesitated.

  He was right, of course. If I went back, there was the slight chance that the guy was waiting for me, ready to get revenge for Chase kicking him. No, make that a big probability. Only this time, I was sure the guy’s friends would jump in to help.

  Shuddering, I grabbed my phone, then texted Jude that Chase had picked me up. I also instructed her to get home safely, leaving out my little incident, and then stashed the phone back inside my handbag.

  I knew I could never go back to that place, and I’d have to explain to Jude what happened at one of her favorite bars. And to think, I had even considered applying for a job there, desperate to make some cash, even though the area code should have been reason enough to stay clear off it. Sooner or later something would have happened, and Chase might not have been there to help me.

  I had been so close to being raped.

  The thought struck me with full force.

  “You’re right. I shouldn’t have been out there alone,” I whispered at last, not even daring to look at Chase as the truth escaped my mouth. “I can’t thank you enough for coming.” My voice sounded choked, trem
bling. “You saved my life, Chase.”

  For a few moments we remained silent. The car slowed down and eventually came to a halt. I could feel Chase’s gaze on me. Eventually his hand touched my face, his fingertips tracing the contours of my chin.

  “When I saw you on the ground with that guy on top of you, you scared me. I thought I was too late.” He cupped my face into his hands, forcing me to look at him. “I’m just glad nothing else happened. That’s all I’m saying. And I want you to know that I won’t let anything like that ever happen to you again.”

  My breath hitched. He made it sound like we had a future. Like he’d always take care of me. Jude’s words popped into my mind.

  Relationship material.

  As I gazed at him, my blood rushing in my veins, I braced myself for his kiss. He was so close I could feel his breath on me. I opened my mouth slightly—welcoming, inviting him. Chase looked up from my lips to my eyes, hesitating.

  Ruining the moment.

  “Do you know what you want?” he asked, and let go of my hand.

  For a moment, I just stared at him. Had I spoken my thoughts out loud? Startled, I closed my mouth, my cheeks burning. His eyes narrowed on me questioningly, and a smile lit up his face. “I can park somewhere until you decide.”

  My gaze traveled from him to the fast food restaurant on the left side, where cars waited in line to communicate their orders via speakers and drive-thru windows. That was when the meaning of his words dawned on me.

  Both disappointment and relief whipped through me.

  Obviously, I couldn’t have him realize just how much I wanted his body. But, for some reason, I almost wished he knew, so we could do something about it.

  “No, it’s all right.” I eyed the restaurant. I had been there a couple of times during my college years, and while it wasn’t my favorite place, the food was delicious. “I’ll take the double-double animal style with fries.”

  “Drink?”

  That was a no-brainer. “Vanilla milkshake, if they have one. What about you?”

  “The same.” He smiled as he headed for the drive-thru. We ordered our food, then, after repeated insistence, Chase let me pay and picked up our order.

  “It appears we like the same food,” he said, and handed me the vanilla milkshake. “That’s the second thing we have in common. There’s also a third.”

  I knew it was an attempt at easing the tension between us. And it worked, because I felt compelled to ask, “What’s the third?” I recalled his words. “We’re both in love with independence, and we like the same food. What else do we have in common?”

  He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes in that incredulous ‘You don’t know?’ look.

  “We both like it when I eat out.” His lips twitched. I stared at him, not comprehending the meaning of his words…until the naughty raise of his brows and glint in his eyes gave him away.

  I almost choked on my drink. Surely he didn’t mean what I was thinking. And then his perfect lips turned into a lopsided grin.

  Oh, God.

  “You know why I like the taste of anything sweet?” Chase asked. ”It reminds me of you, and it makes me wonder what you taste like today.”

  “Won’t happen,” I said, mortified. “Last time was a mistake. You got lucky. It was a one-off mistake.”

  “I doubt it. You were very much into it, as far as I remember. It’s only a matter of time until you’ll want it again. I bet you’ve already thought about it.”

  He was right, as usual.

  I tried hard to think of a snarky remark, but, as usual around him, my brain eluded me.

  I turned away, pressing my lips into a tight line to hide my smile. Who knew chemical reactions could be so strong? Whatever he said or did, Chase always seemed to bring a grin to my lips, even when he wasn’t even trying. As much as I wanted to push him away and keep both my physical and emotional distance, it wasn’t possible. Not when he was around. Not with those dimples I adored. Not when he touched me the way he did with his eyes and his hands, as if he somehow knew what to do to stir the kind of emotions in me no other man had invoked before.

  My stomach growled, reminding me that we hadn’t eaten yet. We were back on the highway now. Only this time I had no clue where Chase was taking us. Even though I was hungry, I couldn’t just tuck into my food. I decided to wait until he stopped somewhere.

  “Where are we going?” I asked casually when he took the exit onto Interstate 405 toward Sacramento.

  “I’m taking you to a special place for a special meal. Just wait and see.” He gave me a short glance, and then his eyes were back on the road. “But if you’d rather not, we could stop somewhere and take a break.”

  “No, it’s okay,” I said casually. “Surprise me.”

  For a few minutes, silence ensued. Chase took another exit, and I decided I couldn’t take the thoughts in my head anymore and asked him to switch the music on. As a soft-rock ballad blared through the speakers, I tuned out, my mind focusing on the curvy road that separated the cars from the side of a cliff with just the tiniest bit of old and rickety guardrail. My heart pounded as the bends came and passed, some sharp, others hidden—all of them frightening. My fingers curled around the soft leather of my seat, and several times I found myself gasping for air.

  Chase didn’t seem particularly fazed.

  “You should keep your eyes closed,” he said, his hand briefly squeezing mine for assurance.

  “Please keep both of your hands on the wheel,” I said, which was rewarded with a laugh.

  “Relax, Laurie. I know this place. There’s nothing to worry about.”

  “He said before he crashed and burned.” I smirked.

  “Tell me,” Chase said, ignoring my comment. “Why did you ask for my sign?” It was a means to divert my attention, for which I was thankful.

  I closed my eyes and begged my racing pulse to slow down. “I didn’t. It was Jude who wanted to know.”

  “Speaking of signs and meanings. Do you know what Laurie means?” he asked.

  I opened my eyes, eyeing him, my curiosity awakened, the road momentarily forgotten. “No idea. Maybe you’ll enlighten me.”

  “Laurie originates from the Laurel plant that was used as a crown to symbolize victory in ancient times. It’s a symbol for honor and prize.”

  “Right.” I smirked again. “So I’m a prize.”

  He laughed, the tinkling sound igniting something inside me. “Maybe. Who wouldn’t want to be some treasured prize?”

  “Says the guy who likes to do the chasing.” I grinned at him.

  “A prize to chase,” Chase added meaningfully. “Laurie and Chase. The two words fit. Don’t you think?”

  My heart began to hammer hard. I opened my mouth to reply when the car slowed down, then the engine died.

  “Here we are.” He pulled the key out of the ignition. “Technically, the parking lot is closed at night, but no one’s here to check on us. It’s a good place for privacy, you know, if you wanted to enjoy a meal.”

  I could hear the undertone in his voice. He was definitely not talking about food, but for once something outshined his sexual innuendos.

  I peered out the windshield and my jaw dropped. Stretched out in front of us was Los Angeles, lighting up the night sky. For a second I felt overwhelmed.

  It was so beautiful I slowly sucked in my breath and held it. Thousands of lights scattered across the city, shimmering like Christmas lights on a tree. The black sky looked like a canvas with millions of stars glinting brightly, creating a scenic view worthy of a blockbuster movie.

  It was, in one word—breathtaking.

  “Wow,” I whispered, and stepped out of the car, completely immersed in the view before me. “You should charge for sightseeing.”

  A soft wind blew my hair into my face. Chase reached me and gently pulled my hair back.

  “Maybe I’ll do that someday, if my income sources ever dry out. You’ve really never have been here?”

&nbs
p; I shook my head. It had been in L.A. for three years, but I wasn’t quite the explorer, so never really ventured into unknown territory—similar to my sexual life. “Don’t start. I know I’ve been missing out.”

  He shook his head. “No, I don’t think that’s it. You’ve just been waiting for the right person to show you the view.”

  I looked at him silently. In the darkness under the stars, surrounded by glimmering lights, he was beautiful, his lips kissable, and his breath intoxicating.

  So close I could call him mine.

  Mine.

  My mouth went dry at the thought. I opened my mouth to reply when he leaned into me, his hot lips lowering onto mine. And then he kissed me, his hands roaming over my body, fingers squeezing beneath my clothes, all in front of the city—as if we were the only people in the world. His tongue dipped in and out of me, tangling with mine, leaving me in want. I moved my hands around the back of his neck, eager to deepen the kiss, but he pulled back, leaving me in a daze.

  I almost asked him not to stop.

  But only almost.

  Frowning, I watched him walk back to the car and get the fast food bags, before reclaiming his place next to me.

  “I promised you a date with a meal,” he said. “I can’t let my girl starve.”

  His girl.

  My heart fluttered.

  “Usually, dates are overrated.” I grabbed my handbag. “But this…I think it’s the best date I ever had.”

  “Well, we still have plenty of dates left, and I still have a few tricks up my sleeves, so don’t get too impressed too easily.”

  “You’ve been counting?” I asked, surprised.

  “Aren’t you?” He smiled coyly. I stared at the tiny dimple in his cheek like an idiot.

  God, he was so beautiful, it took my breath away…and something else.

  My inhibitions.

  My wish to keep the honey pot sealed when all I could think of was the fire he’d ignite in me if I only let him have it.

  “Maybe.” I had been counting more than just our dates. Like the times he had smiled at me and made my heart flutter.