Twenty
Most people thought I was stupid. It came with being younger than thirty, blond, and kind of an airhead.
So while it was true that I had the attention span of a goldfish—oooh castle, oooh castle—I could actually use my brain for complex reasoning.
I didn’t go to the hardware store or anyplace else to get the handcuffs off.
I hailed a cab with the handcuffs on, and asked to be driven to a store that specialized in adult sex toys.
“Awww, man,” the cabbie said, shaking his head. “That’s fucked up. You should break up with your girl.”
“You’re not even kidding,” I agreed. “I mean, I look like an escaped prisoner or something with these on.”
“Yeah, ya do.”
“Thank you for stopping.”
“I promise you, compared to other guys I’ve picked up, this ain’t nothin’.”
“You should write a book.”
“That’s what my wife says.”
“Confessions of a Cabbie or something like that.”
“I like that title, man.”
“All yours.”
When we reached the sex shop, I had him fish a twenty out of my pocket.
He appreciated it and even opened the front door for me.
Once inside, I explained to the cashier that my boyfriend had lost the key for the cuffs we had bought the day before.
She laughed, her manager laughed, the guy in charge of the viewing booths laughed, and the stock clerk got the bolt cutters and separated my hands before another stock clerk, coming back from break, picked the locks on each cuff for me.
They were impressed by how real they looked as they tossed them into the steel wastebasket behind the front counter.
I gave the manager a fifty and asked him to buy everybody lunch.
He invited me to go line dancing with them after work, since I was obviously in the market for a new boyfriend.
I graciously declined before ducking out of the store.
I caught another cab, had the driver take me to a Radio Shack, and purchased what felt like my tenth prepaid phone. As soon as I was outside, I dialed my own number.
“Jory, goddamnit! Where the fuck are you?” Sam asked when he answered on the second ring.
“Do you have my phone?”
“Obviously,” he barked. “What the hell happened? You were supposed to wait!”
“Ask Agent Calhoun.”
“No, I know he…screwed up. He said… Shit, are you cuffed?”
“Not anymore.”
“Jesus.” He deflated. “Baby, you—”
“I gotta get out of here, Sam. If I stay, I’m gonna get hurt.”
“Jor—”
“I’ll see you at home, okay?”
“No, it’s not okay! I need to—”
“I’m not gonna fly.” I was thinking out loud. “They might be looking for me at the airport, so I’ll drive or take the bus or—”
“No,” he said flatly. “Just meet me at the hotel. Dane and I got two rooms, and I’ll—”
“I don’t want you to get in trouble for harboring a fugitive.”
“Love, you are not a fugitive. The only thing Agent Calhoun wants to do is hold you for questioning.”
“The way he talks… He scares the shit outta me. And whatever he wants to do, it’s out of your hands at this point.”
“He’s not going to—”
Aaron Sutter suddenly popped into my head. “Shit, I just thought of something.”
“Baby, just please, meet me at my hotel. Dane and I are staying at the airport Hilton. I’m in room nine-twelve. Please, just be there.”
“I think I have a better idea.” Aaron had a private jet—he could send it for me, and would, I was sure, if I asked him nicely enough.
“No. Don’t call anybody else. Do not turn to anyone but me right now, it’d be a mistake.”
There was no denying that the man knew me well. “But, Sam, I—”
“Baby,” he said, and his voice was like honey. “Please.”
I let myself take a breath, and as I did, the sound of his voice seeped into me.
“Don’t leave without me. I need you.”
There could never be any doubt that Sam Kage knew how to talk to me. I basically puddled into goo right there. “Okay. I’ll go get my stuff and meet you at your hotel.”
“I’ll get your stuff. Just go to the hotel. I’ll call and tell them to give you a key.”
“Are you sure you won’t get—”
“Jory, just go to my room and wait for me. Please, I’m begging you.”
I was useless when it came to saying no to Sam Kage.
“Tell me where you were staying so I can grab your crap.”
I told him, then hung up after he extracted another promise to meet me at his hotel. The man was determined to see me, and as always, my stomach fluttered just thinking about him. I wondered vaguely if that would ever change.
I smelled bad and I felt grimy, so I took a shower after I’d been in Sam’s room for an hour. When I opened the bathroom door a while later and stepped out into the room, I found him standing by the window. He still had his coat on, like he had just gotten there.
“Hi.” I smiled over at him, and I couldn’t keep the sigh out of my voice.
He didn’t answer, just crossed the room and grabbed me, yanking me forward, crushing me against his big, hard body.
I felt myself shaking, but I was powerless to stop it. It felt so good to finally be safe. He was warm and solid, and his lips on the side of my neck felt like heaven.
“Look at me.”
When I lifted my head, his mouth was on mine.
It was a devouring kiss, nothing gentle about it, his tongue tasting me, claiming me.
He lifted me off my feet and carried me to the bed, where he fell down with me still wrapped in his arms. I expected to be ravaged, but instead he straddled my hips and sat up.
He pulled off his coat and scarf and threw them on the floor as he looked down at me.
“God, you look so good,” I sighed, taking in the sight of him…so much better, healing, back in one piece. “How do you feel?”
“Me?” He scowled. “Jesus Christ, J, you look like shit.”
I tried to get up, to move away, but he held me down easily.
“Stop screwin’ around, you know you’re gorgeous. I just mean that you look like you’ve been through it and… Christ, I’m never gonna let you outta my sight again.”
His eyes were so dark and beautiful. “Okay.”
He grunted before he lifted my chin to look at my neck. “Jesus, baby, you’re covered in bruises. How did—”
“But you still like me, right? You still want me?”
“What are you talking about?”
It took me a minute to answer. “I’m not pretty right now.”
He lay down beside me, reaching out to touch my cheek. “Jory, I love the outside of you, I do. You’re beautiful, and just seeing you gets me going. But, honey, really…I’d never stick around if that’s all there was.”
I nodded, my jaw clenching tight.
“I love you, Jory. I love your good heart and your kindness and the way you bring out the very best in everyone you meet. I need you, because without you, I’m empty and mean.”
“No, you’re not,” I said, leaning into his hand.
He eased me close and kissed up my neck. “I can feel your heartbeat right here, under your skin.”
I felt my breath catch in the back of my throat. Just having him close to me was causing rippling heat to run through my body.
“You scared the hell out of me, again,” he said, rolling over on top of me.
“I’m sorry,” I said, staring up into his eyes. “I just knew that Susan Reid was the one who—”
“I know, I know, but listen,” he said softly, his voice deep. “Don’t go anywhere without me from now on. I’d love to be your sidekick.”
I smiled up at him. “I think we both know who the hero of the piece is, Sam.”
“No, I don’t think we do,” he said before he leaned over and kissed me, slowly but thoroughly, taking his time, his tongue exploring my mouth. It wasn’t full of the usual heat and urgency, but I felt it sear through me just the same.
I whimpered when he pulled back.
“You need me.”
“Yes,” I agreed wholeheartedly, wriggling around under him.
He smiled suddenly. “What are you doing?”
“I’m trying to get rid of the towel.”
“I can see that.” He grinned lazily. “But, baby, you are in no shape for me to—”
“Oh yes, I am,” I assured him, grabbing his hand and sliding it down over my groin, only terry cloth separating our skin. “Does that feel like I’m not ready?”
“Love,” he said gently, “you—”
But I pushed up, shifting him off-balance enough that I could roll over on my stomach and breathe.
“And now what?” he asked as his hands rubbed over my ass.
“Sam…please…show me you’re all better. I don’t wanna be the strong one anymore.”
There was no movement.
“Sam?”
“You’ve been doing all this to try and protect me ’cause I was hurt.”
“Yes.”
“So if I’m better, you’ll stop playing detective?”
Playing? “Now wait.” My voice dropped low. “I’ve done pretty well to—”
“Shut up,” he growled before he yanked the towel away, leaving me naked beneath him. “Guess what I brought you?”
“I’m sure I have no—”
“Don’t move.”
His weight was gone for only seconds before it returned. The sound of the cap opening let me know what he had retrieved from his duffel bag on the floor.
“You weren’t worried about me,” I teased him. “You just wanted to fuck me.”
He grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked my head back hard. “No, J, you want me to fuck you. I have been sick just thinking about you dead or raped or God knows what else.”
I shivered; I couldn’t help it. My brain understood that we were having a serious conversation, but my body was just processing the dominance and strength he was exerting over me.
He let go of my hair, and I pressed my face down into the pillow. I felt his slick fingers pressing inside my body and let out a low moan.
“I’m all better now, J, so you need to do exactly as I say from now on. Do you understand?”
I nodded, unable to speak, feeling his hands slide over my ass and spread my cheeks.
“You need to remember who you belong to.”
“I know who I belong to.” I whimpered, trying to move back into him.
He kissed the back of my neck, then moved to my shoulder before he bit down and pressed deeply inside me. He didn’t thrust, he moved slowly, but still, he didn’t stop or slow, just pushed forward, stretching me, filling me, until he was buried to his balls in my ass.
I moaned his name.
“Had to be inside,” he whispered, “but we’re both gonna stay right here, still, until you’re used to me.”