Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 72090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
“Careful there,” he said as he reached over and fastened the seatbelt for me. He then walked to his side of the car and got inside.
The ride was quiet, but the tension between us was palpable. I could feel his eyes on me, his gaze burning into my skin, and it made me feel both desired and intimidated.
“So about last night,” he began.
I groaned. “Oh, please don’t make us talk about it.” I playfully held my ears.
He chuckled. “It was a well-deserved spanking, Storee.”
“One that we won’t discuss again,” I said, hating how heated my face was growing. I could only imagine how red I was.
“As long as you learned your lesson and don’t make me do it again,” he said, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. “But I have to admit, you took it like a champ.”
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the slight smile that tugged at my lips. “I’m glad you’re amused.”
I had never been so mortified but also so attracted to someone, and the thought of what could happen between us made my body hum with anticipation.
Locke pulled up outside my cottage, and I was hit with a sense of disappointment that the car ride was over.
I felt like I was walking on a tightrope, one wrong move and everything could come crashing down.
“Thanks for the ride,” I said, trying to keep my voice casual.
“Anytime,” he replied, turning to face me.
We sat in the car for a few moments longer, me not wanting to break the spell that seemed to be cast between us.
Finally, Locke leaned in and brushed his lips against my cheek. “Take care of yourself, Storee,” he whispered, his breath hot against my skin. “See you soon.”
I climbed out of the car, feeling his gaze on me until I got to the door. My heart was beating out of my chest as I fumbled with the keys, my hands shaking. I turned and waved goodbye before I made any more of a fool of myself than I already had.
As I entered my cottage and shut the door behind me, I let out a deep breath that I didn’t even realize I’d been holding. My mind raced, and my body still buzzed with the energy from being near Locke. I couldn’t stop thinking about the way his body had looked as he worked out, or the way his hand had felt on my lower back as he’d helped me into the car.
I needed to distract myself, so I decided to take a shower. As I undressed, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and cringed at the sight. My hair was a mess, and my face was flushed, giving away my embarrassment. I stepped into the shower and let the hot water wash over me, trying to clear my mind of all thoughts of Locke.
But as I closed my eyes and let the water cascade down my body, I couldn’t help but imagine Locke being in the shower with me, his hands on my body, his lips on my neck. I shook my head, trying to clear the image from my mind, but it was no use. The more I tried to push it away, the stronger the desire became.
No! No! This was Locke! An impossibility. A never can be.
Yes, I needed to distract myself, and luckily I had just the thing to do so.
The Hunt.
I needed something. I had to focus on anything else besides the man who was controlling every single thought of mine.
He was the one who had been warning me about danger. But if he only knew that the real danger was me. Me and my poisonous thoughts.
Chapter 13
Locke
Leaving Storee alone in her cottage after driving her home this morning was damn near impossible. I wanted to stay and watch in the distance like I had done so many nights before. But the island was full of people lingering about, and there was no way I wouldn’t get caught as the creepy stalker in the forest that I was. Trying to get her out of my mind all day was no easy task. All I could think of was her and the way her perfect ass had looked as I took my belt to it last night.
She needed to know I was a man to be feared when crossed, but had I gone too far?
Would she learn from what happened or only rebel more? Had I pushed her away?
I threw my reading glasses down onto the top of my solid mahogany desk, pinching the bridge of my nose hard. My eyes settled where they always did when I gave them free rein—which wasn’t often in my busy life running companies and acting as one of the operating managers of The Vault.
It was the picture of Gabriel, my best friend, and the family I had become part of. We were all posed around the table during a vacation.