The Chase

by Lauren Hawkeye

  “Carly!” And then he’s running toward me, a wild animal in motion. I think he means to swing me up into his arms, but something in my expression stops him short.

  “Get back.” Miss Black waves to her goons, who advance menacingly. “Miss Daniels is no longer your affair.”

  Adam is ripped, hard bodied and strong, but he’s no match for men who are built like tanks on steroids. But Sax and one of the other giants climb out of the police car as well, and they might as well be emerging from a clown car, they’re so big.

  Beside me, Miss Black inhales sharply and lets go of my elbow. Two of Adam’s giants against two of her tanks equals a stand-off.

  I hug my arms to myself, not sure what to do. Adam eyes me, then, without warning, scoops me up, throws me over his shoulder, and carries me away from Miss Black.

  “Adam!” I beat on his back with my fists. “You can’t keep kidnapping me! It’s not normal!”

  “Nothing about us is normal.” Satisfied with the distance from Black’s goons, Adam releases me, sliding me down his body... and that bastard, he’s playing dirty, making sure I feel every hard plane of his frame, and I do mean every. “And kidnapping is a harsh word. How about rescuing? Saving? We really don’t have to regard it as kidnapping.”

  “Semantics won’t save you.” I glower, but I can’t stop everything inside of me from sparking to life. Yes, I want to survive on my own... but surviving isn’t the same as living, and this man makes me feel.

  “No. But maybe honesty will.” My pulse stutters, my heart actually aching, as Adam takes both of my hands in his and brings them to his lips for one soft, sweet kiss.

  “Why are you here?” My teeth chatter in the wind; turns out a tropical storm can be just as cold as the sun can be hot.

  Adam rubs his hands up and down my arms to warm me. “To grovel. To show you that I’ll do whatever it takes for you to give this—to give us—a try.”

  “You only want me so badly because I’m a novelty. I don’t know you, other than the fact that I’m a challenge to you.” I’m not expecting him to laugh, and have no idea what to do when he almost doubles over with laughter at my words.

  “I’m glad I entertain you.” I eye him frostily as he straightens back up. He shakes his head, wipes his eyes, then unexpectedly fists his hand in my hair, pulling me to him in a possessive move that makes me instantly wet.

  “You, woman, are the biggest damn challenge I’ve ever come across in my life.” He grins when I glare at him, placing a finger over my lips to quiet me. “I fucking love it.”

  “Oh.” I have no idea what to say, but he continues.

  “No, you don’t know that much about me. And I don’t know you. Yet. And I don’t think it’s fair to either of us to break this off when we haven’t given it a fair chance yet.”

  “There has to be give and take—” I start, but he cuts me off. He pulls my hair, just a bit, just to flex his muscles, and damn him, but it makes me hot. It’s a not-so subtle reminder that while I may fully intend to stand on my own two feet, he likes to be in control... and wants me to lean on him.

  It’s a strange-assed sensation for me... but I think I maybe, possibly, kinda like it.

  “Yes, there has to be give and take.” His hand slides down to cup the nape of my neck, then my throat. I should hate that, but the gentle gesture of possession makes me weak in the knees. “Which means you have to let me give, too. And I’m going to give you something right now.”

  I watch, stunned, as he fists his hands in the hem of his T-shirt and whips it up and over his head. It flies away in the wet, cold wind, and I can see his skin prickle with gooseflesh.

  “What are you doing?” I cry out, going to warp my arms around him. “You’re going to get pneumonia, you ass.”

  “Has anyone ever said you talk too much?” He bats away my arms and scowls. “Now just listen.”

  I should be salivating at the sight before me, Adam Kincaid standing in the middle of a tropical storm, wearing nothing but blue jeans and a half smile. But in that moment he’s not turning on the charm that’s second nature to him—he’s not Adam Kincaid, the rock star. He’s just plain Adam—Adam, the beautiful man who holds my heart in the palm of his hand.

  He rests one hand on his opposite forearm, over the tattoo of the T.S. Eliot quote. When he looks at me, I know he’s never let anyone else see him this vulnerable.

  “I’ve only had sex with one girl in my entire life.” His voice is steady, but tinged with bitterness. “I was fifteen, and really fucked up about my sexuality. I liked boys. But I didn’t stop liking girls. It was a lot for a kid to take in.”

  He pauses, takes a deep breath. “I was a fairly normal kid, looking back. A little obsessed with the music, but I didn’t see anything wrong with that. And I, this skinny, pot smoking loner who was always lugging around his guitar had my first guy crush on the captain of the freaking football team.”

  His voice shakes a bit; without thinking, I reach out and place my hand on top of his.

  “Was I ever surprised when, one night at a party, he came on to me. We messed around... it was my first time with another guy.”

  I don’t want to speak. He clearly needs to get this out.

  “We were just cleaning up when two of his buddies came into the room. We both had our shirts off, and it... well, it smelled like sex. It was pretty obvious what we’d been doing.” He smiles ruefully. “But he—Dave—he freaked out. He told his friends that I’d come on to him, that he was so drunk and high that he hadn’t been able to defend himself.”

  “Oh no.” Seeing where this is going, I find that I can’t breathe.

  Adam continues as though I haven’t spoken. “The three of them beat the shit out of me that night. I would up in the hospital with broken ribs, a concussion, and a fractured jaw. But those weren’t the worst things—it was what was inside that was the hardest to heal.”

  “But none of this is your fault!” I can’t hold back, full of righteous indignation for the boy that Adam had been. “You were the victim!”

  “I’m not done.” For the first time since he started talking, Adam focuses on me, and I shiver when I see the chill in the depths of those eyes. Whatever he’s about to tell me, I’m pretty sure I’m not going to like it.

  “That incident woke something up inside of me, something black that I couldn’t quite control. The whole time I was in the hospital, all I could think of was getting back at that fucker.”

  “Once I healed, I set out to seduce Dave’s girlfriend. It wasn’t hard to do, since he was a dick to her. And it confused me even more because I liked it. Not just because it would get back at Dave, but because Tracey was genuinely sweet. Not to mention that she legs that went on forever and tits that fit perfectly in my hands.”

  “You were just a kid.” I whispered. “We all do stupid things. And he deserved it.”

  “He did. She didn’t.” Adam’s words are flat. “I was only with Tracey once, but she got pregnant. For months she pretended it was his, but the timing... I knew it was mine.”

  I start to speak; he shakes his head.

  “She was seven months along when they had a fight. She told him the baby wasn’t his, that she’d cheated on him with me.”

  I close my eyes, dreading what’s coming.

  “He tried to beat the baby out of her. He succeeded. The baby was stillborn, and between that and her own injuries, Tracey was never the same again. Eighteen years old, and in a psychiatric hospital for the rest of her life.”

  Every one of his words is weighed down with guilt. The hand that I have tangled with his own squeezes, holding tight.

  “I pay for all of her care, not to be honorable, but to remind me of what I carry inside of me. And I got this tattoo in honor of them both—Tracey and the baby.” His free hand strays to his side, to where the sun tattoo stretches out over his ribcage. “And this one... in my own blackest moments, this was my reminder to greet every day like a new one, because life was jus
t too short.”

  When he finally meets my eyes again, it breaks my heart to see that his—those crazy, beautiful eyes—are full of tears. I know without being told that he’s never told this story to anyone before.

  He’s giving it to me. And I’d be a heartless bitch not to take it, just to save my own pride.

  “Adam.” I don’t have any words. Instead, I burrow into his arms, wrap myself around him try to warm flesh that’s gone scarily cool. He’s stiff at first, but after a moment of absorbing my warmth he seems to soften, to fill back up with that brightness that is so essentially him.

  “Told you I was fucked up.” He smiles wryly. I arch an eyebrow.

  “Did you ever stop to think that’s you’re not the villain in that story?” I press a feverish kiss to his cool chest, and then another.

  He draws back, clasps me by the elbows. “I’m not a nice man, Carly. I want what I want, when I want it. I have enough money to make that happen... usually. And I know it has to make you wary that after years spent preferring men, I’m into you.”

  He grins, and the expression is tinged with a hint of the Adam Kincaid wickedness that I love. “My only explanation is that I’m drawn to the person you are, not the gender. But... I can’t tell a lie. I really like that you have such great tits.”

  He runs his hands over the sides of the tits in question, and I shiver. I have so many things to say, and have no idea how to spit out any of them.

  Moving one hand up, he places a finger under my chin, tilts my head so that I have to look at him. And what do I find?

  Honesty. Need.

  Maybe even the start of love.

  “I know neither of us can make promises. That’s not how the world works. But I want to... to pursue you. Without any forced abductions or seductions.”

  The rat bastard chooses that moment to turn on his full superstar charm, the one that he sometimes has a dimmer switch on in private. But after the turbulence of the last few days, when he hits me with that cocky grin, that sexy swagger, I’m no more immune to it than a thirteen year old fan-girl.

  “I’ve worked too hard to quit school. More—I don’t want to.” I say honestly, my mouth set in stubborn lines. “It’s nice that you have money. But I don’t want it.”

  “That’s fucking hot. You’re turning me on.” He nips at my lower lip and I pull away, laughing a bit.

  “I graduate in six months. Six months long distance is enough time for us both to figure out if this is what we really want.” The thought of six months apart almost kills me. “This is where your money comes in. You can visit.”

  “Conjugal visits?” He smirks, and I hesitate. Yeah, about that...

  Miss Black does not allow her girls to date. And I still owe her eight thousand dollars.

  “Well, that seems like the perfect moment to interrupt this nauseating love fest.” Adam and I turn to find Miss Black standing several feet away, her foot tapping on the tarmac and disdain curling her lip. Despite the storm, she doesn’t look cold at all... though I guess it’s hard to freeze the heart of an ice maiden.

  “What Miss Daniels is about to tell you is that she owes me money for her time with you. In full. And since she has none, that means she has to work it off.” Miss Black seems smug, like she knows she’ll win me over if she just has a little more time.

  Adam regards the madame thoughtfully, then reaches into his pocket. He hands me a massive wad of cash, just like he did the first time we met, but this time his expression is serious.

  “I want to use this to pay her off. Believe me when I say I won’t miss it.” He holds up a hand to stop my protests. “Remember what I said about give and take? This is one of those times. You let me give, so you can take your life back without all of this shit in it.”

  I wrap my fingers around the cash, my stomach doing a slow roll. He’s giving this willingly. And the fact is... leaning on him in this case would make my life a whole lot easier.

  “But it’s not mine.” I whisper, and ignore Miss Black’s exasperated sigh.

  Adam bites his lower lip, considering, and I’m transfixed by the sight. When his face splits into a naughty grin, I know I’ll take it, just to keep him around.

  He bends and whispers into my ear, low enough that only I can hear. “If it makes you feel better, we can hash out a list. Twenty dollars to hold hands. Fifty for every kiss. Two hundred for hand jobs.”

  I’m laughing so hard it hurts when he scoops me up in his arms. Holding me close, he carries me over to Miss Black. Solemnly, I hand her the stack of bills.

  She looks like she might hit me, but instead just turns on her heel and stalks away.

  “Come on.” With me held tightly in his arms, Adam starts to run, carrying me to his haphazardly parked car. “I’m fucking freezing. And you have a lot of debt to start working off.”

  Chapter Eleven

  “You did that on purpose.” I can’t help but snicker as the door to the room swishes shut behind us. “The poor woman isn’t going to be able to talk for a week. And all because you wouldn’t put your shirt back on.”

  “Far be it from me to deprive the woman of all of this.” Adam grins smugly, gesturing to his chest. I roll my eyes, and he spanks me lightly on the butt, pulling me in for a long, slow kiss.

  And then a harder one.

  And then one more.

  I gasp as his hands fist in my hair, holding me close. I’m pressing against him, grinding, not sure I’ll ever get close enough.

  This is it. We’re going to do this. And once we do, I don’t know if either of us will ever be the same.

  “I wish I had something fancier. Roses. Champagne. Pearls.” Adam wiggles his eyebrows at the last, and I flush, thinking about just what he might do with those pearls. “But seriously. I’d say we can wait for something fancier, but I think I might die if I don’t get to taste you.”

  My face flames, and I cover it by looking around the room. In a rush to be alone, we had the nice, somewhat confused police officer take us to a nearby airport hotel. It’s a nice one, large and clean, but I’m sure it’s nothing like the luxury Mr. Rock Star here is used to.

  “What’s that? Is my call girl blushing?” Adam growls with delight. Catching my hands with his own, he walks me backward until my knees hit the back of the bed. I fall back, and he kneels in front of me, looking like nothing so much as a fallen angel.

  “Kitten, I’ve never gone down on a woman before. I’m going to need lots and lots of practice to make sure I’ve got it right.” Dipping his head, he presses a kiss to the hollow of my throat, where my pulse is beating wildly. “I might just have to put my mouth all over you, over every last inch of this gorgeous skin.”

  “Not if I get to you first.” I mutter. Adam’s still shirtless, and I tug at my hands, which he’s holding captive, dying to run my fingers over those solid planes.

  “I’ll tie you up if I have to.” His grin promises wicked, wicked things. “Because there’s a method to my madness. See, I have to taste every bit of you... because I’m pretty sure that once I lick it, it’s mine.”

  Oh. My. Fucking. God. He did not just say that.

  Looking at me with heavily lidded eyes and desire on his face, he fists my T-shirt in his hands and yanks, splitting the cheap fabric down the front, sending rhinestones flying. He presses his lips to the space between my breasts and assures me that yes, he definitely, definitely did.

  “You’re going to have to let me know what you like.” Adam keeps his eyes on me as he presses a kiss to my collarbone, then gently sucks my lower lip into his mouth. Undone, I crush my mouth to his.

  When he sighs into my mouth, his warm breath fanning out over my lips, I can feel my heartstrings quiver. And then I’m lost, oblivious to anything but Adam and the way he make me feel.

  We kiss for a long time, his hands stroking through the heavy length of my hair. I wonder if it’s any different, kissing a woman… though I suppose he said he’s done that a time or ten. He just hasn’t don
e relationships with the supposedly fairer sex, and after listening to his tale, I’m not really surprised that he didn’t pursue his natural attraction to both sexes.

  He was terrified. And now here he is, taking a chance with me. It’s a precious thing, held tightly in the palm of my hand, and I know I have to take extreme care.

  “What are you thinking?” Adam pulls away just long enough to look into my eyes. I can see the warring colors of his, and impulsively press a kiss to each lid.

  “I’m thinking of how lucky I am that you’re taking a chance on me.” A trailer park chick turned escort? Yeah, they wouldn’t have been lining up around the block. And if they had, I probably would have kicked them to the curb… or else fallen prey to my upbringing and wound up with a half dozen children, by an equal number of baby daddies.

  Some people might be happy that way. But I want something different.

  Adam sees something in me that I don’t even see in myself, and I’m overcome by how much that means to me.

  Adam chuckles, the sound vibrating against my throat and making me shiver. “I’m pretty sure I’m the lucky one here, Carly Daniels. I kidnapped you and you seem to have forgiven me.”

  He presses a warm, unexpected kiss to my belly, just above the waistline of my jeans. My skin heats, and I squirm, my legs closing involuntarily but instead just wrapping around Adam.

  With just his kisses, I’m hotter than I’ve ever been. I need to press my thighs together, to alleviate the pressure. I need something.

  We’ve waited long enough.

  “Or maybe I should make it up to you?” Eyes on mine, he dances clever fingers over the button of my jeans. I think he’s waiting for me to say no, but instead I shift my hips to urge him on.

  “Well then.” He gives me a crooked grin as he easily opens the top fastening, then clasps the zipper tab between thumb and forefinger. I wish I had a camera to capture the image, those wicked fingers, glittering black polish at their tips, cleverly baring me to him while the zipper rasps against the thick air.