by N. Alleman
Both of them turned to look at me as if I were the crazy person in the cab. Regardless, I’d much prefer the driver’s attention on the road than on me.
“Watch out! Oh, shit, you’re going to hit that car.” My voice was shrill and loud as I pointed a finger to the vehicle in front of us. Alberto slammed on the brakes and came to a screeching halt. I caught the Spanish swear words flowing from his mouth as he shook a fist at the driver.
“Oh all right then.” My new friend sat back in her seat and folded her arms. “Slow down, mate. Our friend here is getting her panties tied in a knot.”
Alberto shook his head and made a clucking sound, but at least he slowed down a bit.
Was I the only sane person in this vehicle?
Twenty-three minutes and sixteen seconds later—yes, I was counting—the limo pulled up to a gigantic iron gate. It stopped for a few minutes, idling while the gates swung open, and I realized that if I wanted to get inside the property, I had to get my butt out of the cab and get through the gate before it closed.
Alberto had stopped diagonally across the street under a huge palm tree and was waiting for my next instruction. Grabbing a hundred dollar bill from my purse, I shoved it into Ruby’s hand.
“Listen, I gotta go. But you get Alberto to drop you off anywhere you want. Thanks for the ride and for helping me out.”
“Hey, don’t go. I haven’t had this much fun in ages. I don’t have many friends since I’m traveling a lot. Can we catch up sometime?” The smile she gave me was so genuine that I couldn’t resist her request. It wasn’t as if I knew anyone in LA either, and having a friend would be really cool.
I grabbed a business card from my purse. “It’s an old card, but my number is still the same. Call me tomorrow and we can talk. If you survive the rest of the trip, of course.” I gave her a wink and opened the door.
“Thanks, Alberto, for getting me here in one piece.”
“My pleasure, senorita. I take good care of your friend.”
“Wish me luck,” both Ruby and I said at the same time, then burst out laughing.
“Clearly we’re meant to be friends,” she said, grinning.
I grabbed my bag, keeping my eye on the limo as it rolled over the gravel into the property. Damn, the gates were already closing. I shoved my bag back at Ruby. “Here, hold onto that for me until we meet up. I need to run.”
Her eyes widened as she took the bag from me. I bolted across the road, my lungs and chest burning from the sudden burst of energy I expended. I sucked in a huge breath and lunged forward, just fitting through the narrow opening between the gates before they slammed shut with a thud.
I stifled a cry as I landed on the gravel with my arms outstretched to break my fall.
Thank God, I made it.
I rolled over just like I’d seen the action heroes do in the movies, cursing as I pushed to my feet. My palms and knees burned like hell and small pieces of gravel was lodged in my skin. I quickly wiped off as many as what I could, and bit back the tears that brimmed on my lashes. This wasn’t the time to feel sorry for myself. Heroines would be brave and strong and suck it up.
Out of breath and panting, I pushed myself against the brick wall beside the gatepost while I surveyed the surroundings. My gaze traveled up the long driveway to the parked limo. Thank goodness it was getting dark.
I wiped over my sweaty face with my sleeve. Darker brown patches mixed with the dust my previously white linen shirt was covered in, and I grimaced as I imagined what I looked like.
When Gramps told me stories of heroes fighting to save innocent victims, I conjured up pictures of glamorous guys and girls never breaking as much as a sweat. I chuckled softly at the irony, glad he couldn’t see how disheveled I was.
Sneaking closer to the sprawling mansion, I took a moment to assess my situation. Now that I knew where Foster lived, I needed to come up with a plan to become part of his life so I could find the information the detectives had clearly missed. I’d come this far, and frankly, I’d do anything to catch this thief and move on with my life. I was pushing twenty-five and I didn’t even have a steady boyfriend, never mind the whole happy-ever-after happening. All my friends were married or in the process of getting hitched, and some were even procreating already.
And me?
I was chasing after an impossibly handsome crook, hell-bent on making him pay back the money he’d stolen from my and other families. It consumed my every thought, and even when I’d gone on dates, I’d been preoccupied with images of Foster, always comparing the poor unassuming guy I was out with to the devilishly good-looking Mr. Cruise.
What was it about the man that captured my imagination? He wasn’t really my type, especially not with the beard, but I couldn’t stop wondering if it would tickle if he kissed me.
Focus, Addison.
A light went on inside the house. I sucked in a breath as Foster came into view. He stood in front of the window and stared out for a long while, giving me the opportunity to study him. But just as suddenly as he appeared, he pulled the blinds down, and a minute later, the light was turned out.
One by one, he went from room to room and turned on all the lights until the whole west side of the mansion was lit up. I’d ventured closer to the windows so I could see inside, but always took care to stay hidden behind a tree or thick, bushy plant.
Just as well because my heart leapt to my throat when Foster threw open the window of the last room he’d entered. He closed his eyes and took a few long, deep breaths.
God, the man was beautiful. A powerful and magnetic aura surrounded him, and I couldn’t stop staring. That was when something rubbed up against my leg and made me nearly jump out of my skin.
Fuck.
I wanted to scream. The thing attacked my leg, and I tried to kick it off without making a sound. Stepping away to distance myself from my attacker, the heel of my shoe snapped and I lost my balance, freefalling backward into a shrub. I bit into my lip to stop myself from crying out as a few thorns pricked and pierced my skin.
The white feral cat that’d been dry-humping my leg moments ago lost interest and disappeared into a tree. Pain burned through my skin; I had to get free from the branches holding me hostage.
As I disentangled myself from the thorny branches, a ripping sound cut through the silence.
Oh, God, this can’t be happening.
Tears sprung to my eyes, and this time, I didn’t stop them. One side of my shirt was ripped to shreds and hung off my body in ribbons.
Good luck getting home tonight, Addison. How was I going to explain why I looked like I’d just been dragged through hell?
A deep baritone voice brought me back to the man I was stalking. He stood near the window, peering out into the dark with a frown furrowing his brow.
I swallowed hard. I’d die if he discovered me in the state I was in.
He brought a phone to his ear. “Um, sorry. I heard a weird noise outside, but it’s just a cat. I hope the damn thing doesn’t become a nuisance.” From the irritation in his voice, I deduced he wasn’t much of a cat lover.
Foster cleared his voice before he spoke again. “As I was saying earlier, your company matched my tastes pretty closely and I’m happy with almost everything in the house, but the couch has to go. I’m not a fan of art deco furniture—it’s uncomfortable and, quite frankly, pretty ugly in my opinion. What I need is a deep, comfortable couch, the kind one sinks into to relax after a hard day.”
Pacing the room with the phone glued to his ear, he listened for a while and then returned to the window. “No, you don’t understand.” He sucked in a breath and his tone hardened. “For the exorbitant amount of money I paid Divine Decorating to fix this place—”
Although I couldn’t hear what the person on the other side said to him, the way he pinched the bridge of his nose didn’t bode well. Gramps always did that when he was losing his patience.
“Listen, Miss Miller,” he huffed, “I expect someone to be here with
in twenty-four hours to remove this hideous thing and replace it with something more suitable. Otherwise, you’ll be dealing with my lawyer.”
So, Foster isn’t afraid to play hardball. Interesting.
I made a mental note: Divine Decorating. He wanted to return a couch. Hmmm. At last there was something I could work with. And it certainly helped that I’d spent most school holidays working in a furniture store. I wasn’t a trained decorator, but it wasn’t rocket science either, and I’d picked up a few useful tips by paying close attention to customers when they came into the shop.
I smiled. I had an idea on how to turn his one disliked couch into a longer-term gig for me. It was almost too easy. God, I loved when a plan came together.
Satisfied that I’d gathered enough information to get me started, after I got fed and had a shower, I’d be up for the rest of the night scheming.
My stomach churned and rumbled like thunder in the distance when a storm threatened. Breaking the silence of the night, the rumbling got louder, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Foster could hear my stomach eating itself from where he stood by the window, unbuttoning his shirtsleeves.
It was time to leave. I still needed to check into a hotel, although the staff would probably mistake me for a homeless person. My skin crawled, and I was dying to get cleaned up.
With a smirk, I threw one last glance toward the man responsible for the mess I was in. Just wait—
My brain froze midthought. Framed by the window, the light like a halo around him, stood a shirtless man so gorgeous he took my breath away. I watched unashamedly as he unbuckled his belt, pulled the zipper down, and slid his pants down his legs.
Fuck me if the man wasn’t commando. I couldn’t tear my eyes away. He leaned over to pick up his pants, exposing the most perfect ass I’d ever seen.
This girl wasn’t going anywhere. Even my stomach stopped complaining.
As he straightened up, he turned away for a moment. Even his back was sexy. Strong. Muscled. Perfection in every movement as he placed his clothes over the back of a chair. This man worked out, all right.
And then he turned around.
Stripped and naked.
Leaving me panting. Staring.
My mouth dry. My heart hammering against my ribs.
The most glorious cock I’d ever seen belonged to the man I detested most.
Licking my parched lips, I kept my eyes trained on his dick, admiring the pure beauty of its entire length and breadth. It was downright dangerous—a girl could so choke on that monster. I’d bet Mr. Cruise knew exactly how to use it in the best possible way.
Desperately squeezing my thighs together, I fought the rush of warmth that flooded my body and aimed straight for the sorely neglected region between my legs.
God, it’s been ages since I’ve had a real cock inside me.
And even then, it wasn’t anything near as magnificent as this one.
Just my luck. When I finally met a cock that would do me right, I hated its owner.
“What did I miss?”
The voice behind me made me jump. I swung around and nearly knocked Ruby out cold.
“Shhhh,” I hissed, and slapped my hand over her mouth. “What the hell are you doing here?” It came out so much louder than the whisper I intended, and I couldn’t keep the annoyance from my voice. “I thought you were long gone.”
Grabbing hold of her arm, I steered Ruby away from the window before she could utter another word.
“Shit, what happened to you?” Her eyes widened as her gaze ran down then back up my body. “You look as if you’ve been in a fight.”
“You probably wouldn’t believe me if I told you. Anyway, I was just leaving.”
“Wow, that was quick.” There was a measure of respect in her tone. “You got the dirty on the sleeze-ball already?”
“I got some great information,” I said cagily. Yeah, I was grateful to her for the cab ride, but that didn’t mean we were suddenly BFFs.
Her eyes brightened. “Awesome. Let’s nail the bastard.”
“Hon, there’s no we in this. I want his balls all to myself.” Fuck, what did I just say? I must have his package on my mind. And yes, I’d love to give those balls a whirl. All for my mission, of course.
“Listen, Alberto and I were two blocks away when I realized you need a wingman and made him turn around. Hell, I think it will be fun helping you catch the cheating scumbag.” Her face fell, and for a moment, she looked sad and lost. “It’s part of the reason I’m traveling... the asshole I was engaged to cheated on me, so it will give me great pleasure to get some sort of revenge.”
Usually, I was a lone operator, but something in her tone and expression resonated with me. Maybe a friend who had my back wasn’t such a bad idea.
“Hey, I’m starving. How about we go and get something to eat?”
I could eat a horse; the rumbling had taken over again and I felt faint. Besides, I had no damn idea how I was going to get out of the walled and fenced property, and it seemed as if my new best friend could help me out on that score.
Her smile lit up her pretty face. “I’ve still got money left over from the cab fare. Maybe we can hitch a ride and spend the cash on food, huh?”
“Where are our bags? You didn’t—”
Ruby chuckled. “No, I didn’t leave them in the cab. I hid them behind a bush before I jumped the wall. Come let me show you how to get outta here so we can go feed our faces. My stomach is shrinking by the second.”
“Excellent. C’mon then.” Seemed like I just got myself a wingman... or wingwoman to be correct.
About N. Alleman
USA Today bestselling author Normandie Alleman is a former psychologist who has always been fascinated by human behavior. She loves writing quirky characters that are all too human. "I'm interested in the kind of relationships people have in real life. So I write about my characters' messy, unpredictable, and inexplicable journeys to love.
To receive email notifications about Normandie's new releases sign up on her website or text RACYREADS to 24587.
www.normandiealleman.com
[email protected]
About J. Chase
Jocelyn Chase has been a lover of romance books for years. Now she’s writing them too. A part-time author, Jocelyn is a also a full-time vegan, artist, and dog lover.
[email protected]
Also by Normandie Alleman
The Web Master Trilogy
In eBook, Print, & Audio
Her Web Master
Tested by Her Web Master
Claimed by Her Web Master
The Barnes Family Romance Series
The Baller’s Secret Baby
MACHINE
Bishop’s Desire (coming October 2017)
The Daddy’s Girl Series
In eBook, Print, & Audio
Daddy Morebucks
Daddy’s Game
Poor Little Daddy’s Girl
Becoming Daddy’s Girl
The Daddy’s Girl Collection (Books 1-3)
Pirates of the Jolie Rouge Trilogy
Rescued by the Buccaneer
Bound by the Buccaneer
Tamed by the Buccaneer
Stand Alone Titles
Taken by the Tycoon
The Professor’s Plaything
Surrender to a SEAL
Daddy Knows Best
Venice Bound
Subterfudge
Co-Written Novels
WANTED: A Monster Billionaire Romance with Jani Kay
Falling for the Hitman with J. Chase
Anthologies/Collections
Little Haven
Tease to Please
Whip It Up
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