Chapter 2
TARA
E ven in a completely dark room, with our only light source, strobe and spotlights, Hush has a way of engulfing me in his shadow.
Tall, broad-shouldered, and well-built, he’s a hard man to miss, and tonight is no exception.
He doesn’t have to say he’s here for me to know he’s right behind me.
Something about his presence alone is enough to make me feel warm and safe.
As if there’s a chance anyone else could carry the same raw essence, I look over my shoulder to make sure it’s him and not someone thinking they have a shot with me. I shouldn’t have doubted myself, because lo and behold, my silent monster waits patiently for me to finish what I’m busy with.
“See?” I say to the bartender, who stares wide-eyed at Hush in disbelief at his sheer brutish size. “Told you he was a giant.”
“You weren’t wrong.” The bartender, who isn’t small in his own right, shifts his attention away from Hush and back to me. “It’s like I’m staring at a dang tree come to life.”
“Quiet as one too,” I say, looking back over my shoulder at Hush, who nervously snaps his eyes away from my ass and up to my face. My pulse quickens, catching him in the act. After all, it’s what I was hoping would happen when I pulled on these pants.
Bought them a size too small, thinking I’d return them someday, but never got around to it. I knew they’d come in handy at some point, and now they’re paying dividends.
“So, you’ve been talking about me?” Hush doesn’t sound angry, but it’s hard to tell when it comes to him. He’s a closed book when it comes to showing emotions. And speaking. Reserved sums him up perfectly.
“Who wouldn’t?” the bartender answers for me. “But you can rest assured that Tara’s only told me the best of things.”
Hush furrows his brow, not used to another face interrupting our one-on-one time. With a sideways bounce, I’m facing him, smiling brightly. “Hush, this is Robby. Robby, Hush. We studied together at Winchester.”
“Pleasure,” Robby says, giving Hush a two-finger salute.
“Likewise.” Hush doesn’t move at all, eyeing Robbie through long strands of messy black hair hanging over his eyes.
“Strong silent type, huh?” Robbie snickers. “Well, can I get you anything to drink?”
“No. I’m just here to get Tara home safe. Ready to hit the road?” Hush asks, fighting his natural urges to look down the top of my shirt. I don’t always dress provocatively; sometimes I choose dresses, and at others, I favor simple outerwear to stay comfortable.
Nights like these, I can’t help myself. Wanting nothing more than to tease this hulking brute to breaking point. Have him show me that beneath the stoic statue he presents the world hides a savage beast that indulges itself in earthly pleasure. Carnal pleasure.
Let it be me he ravages.
“Sure, paid up and ready to go.” With Hush struggling to focus his attention on my face, I push out my chest so he can get a better view of my cleavage sticking out of the very open V of my top.
He never asks for money for these rides, doesn’t accept a thank you when offered, might as well give him some eye candy to enjoy.
Well, that’s what I tell myself. More than anything, I enjoy seeing him inspect my body. Watch his eyes as they trail my curves, hunt for secrets, and overindulge in my womanhood.
We start walking to the exit, Hush leading the charge and blocking anyone from crossing our path, and me behind, gawking in awe at him.
Even from behind, his body is carved from tip to toe in muscle.
There isn’t a soft spot on him, and his clothes show their struggles to contain it all, with every seam straining at his movements.
With no trouble on our departure, we make it outside to a mostly empty street. A few stragglers hang around their cars, some on their way to scoring for the night, others on the verge of collapse from hitting the booze too hard.
We pay no mind to them as we walk to Hush’s bike. It’s here, in the silence of the night, that I choose to make my move. Rushing to catch up to his side, I slot my arm around the crook of his elbow and lock in tight. Nothing big that might scare Hush off, but a gesture to show my interest.
In the beginning, I was way more subtle in my approach to catching his attention.
Dropping a sly comment here and there to see what he’d do with it.
However, I’ve found him to be a tougher nut to crack than I’m used to.
Simple tricks won’t work on him, and I’m not sure if it’s from a lack of interest or nerves, but it’s time to get this ball rolling, one way or another.
Hush looks down at my arm as I lock it with his. I take him not pulling away as a good sign, nuzzling deeper into his side as the smile on my face stretches wider.
“Straight home or do you need to make any stops on the way?” Hush asks, locking his arm with mine, as we trudge onward.
“Straight home.” To my bedroom, with him and me doing the dirty tango to finish the night off.
We get to his bike, and Hush pulls two helmets off one side.
His is shaped like some ancient piece of armor, like a Spartan soldier would’ve worn when rushing into battle.
The one he hands me is closer to the classic motorcycle helmet, round all around, with a visor to protect the eyes.
He gets on first, offering me a hand to help slide in behind him.
“Hold on tight,” he says, but there is no question about that. I plan on feeling his body up as best I can, the same way I do every time he gives me a ride home.
He starts the engine, and his bike roars to life, and before long, we’re riding through the streets of Boulder with the wind in our hair and not a care in the world.
God, I love this feeling. Zipping through the streets with our bodies entwined. My fingers digging into his hard abs, brushing over every groove while I cling to him for dear life.
But as the best things in life have a way of going, it’s over too soon. A ten-minute ride, gone in the blink of an eye, and my high-rise apartment looms overhead.
“Can I steal you for a while, or do you need to rush away to save the world again?” I crawl my way off the back of his bike slowly, and he follows, answering my question without needing to say it.
“A few minutes couldn’t hurt.” Hush’s lips tick up in a half smile, enhancing the intense glow of his emerald gaze. “You need help with something or…?”
“Company.” From the front facade of my six-story apartment building, only three lights are on. That means once Hush leaves, it’s another quiet night in my bedroom with thoughts of Hush and boredom, my only companions.
Of course, entertaining those thoughts could bring me momentary respite from the emptiness, but that can only go on so long.
At some point, I want to feel his hands traveling across my body, his breath caressing my skin, bathing in the woody cologne he wears, and soaring to new heights of pleasure only he can deliver.
God, I need this.
“I’m not much good at being company.” Hush casts his eyes to the sky, where a few of the brightest stars still manage to pierce through the light pollution surrounding my building. “Talking isn’t my strongest trait.”
Before he can bring himself down any further, I swing my arm around his again. This time, he doesn’t stare at it quizzically, accepting it as if it’s our new normal, which, if it were up to me, it would be.
“Who says we have to do any talking?” I ask, scanning the side of his face to read any emotions he won’t be able to convey with words.
But for the first time since the night we met, Hush’s emotions bubble straight to the surface. His head snaps back in my direction, mouth agape and eyes wide at the implication of my comment. He stays like this, frozen in time for a good long while, trying to process what’s on offer.
“What do you propose instead? Because trust me, if it’s cards, you really don’t want to open that rabbit hole.” His stunned expression gives way to a smirk.
“Only card game I’m good at is strip poker.” I eye him squarely, trying to convey the message of ‘Let’s fuck’ without directly saying it. “I mean, the one with the least clothes is the winner, right?”
Hush chokes on the spit in his mouth, nearly losing a battle to a coughing fit while he tries to stay in control.
But there’s a twinkle in his eye that gives me pause, makes me know that he wants to say yes, throw away his night for me, and give in to those base desires I’ve tried to light for so long.
Instead, as we get to my front door, he sighs, long and deep. That’s the last sound I want to hear from him. Makes me feel like I pushed too hard, and now he’s regretting his decision to stick around.
“I like seeing you like this.” Shift the conversation back to something lighter. Away from my mind’s filthy wants, and back to where we were before I blew it.
“Like what?” He lifts a brow and spins to face me, still keeping our arms close together.
“So talkative. Happy. Not sure what to call it, if I’m honest.” Leaning in closer, with the sole intention of inviting him to do the same, I wait a moment to see if Hush will pick up on the signal.
When he doesn’t, to avoid embarrassment for both of us, I continue, “You’re like a whole different person from the silent monster who drove me home the first time. ”
“Must be you,” he says, prying himself away from me reluctantly. “You bring it out in me.”
He sighs again, and this time my heart sinks into my guts because his mouth is moving before I have the chance to pull him back to me. “Look, I understand what you’re trying to do, Tara, but I can’t go up there with you.”
“Why not?” My lower jaw quivers, making me stutter the words.
“It doesn’t feel right.” He turns away, locking eyes with whatever he can see through the window on the upper half of the door. “You’ve been out drinking. You’re not in the right state of mind. I don’t want to take advantage of that.”
Yes, I’m a little tipsy, but I’ve wanted this for months. I think about him drunk, I think about him sober. For shit’s sake, Hush is all I ever think about. But there’s no way to say that now without him thinking I just went overboard.
“I understand.” Much better than I’m letting on, too. If he thinks I’m going to roll over and give up because of one small setback, Hush has another thing coming.
With a subtle nod, Hush pulls the door open for me. “I’m around, whenever you need me. Just a call away.”
Don’t you worry, big boy, I know.
I step inside and make my way to the elevator. When I step inside, facing the direction I came, Hush is still standing at the door, watching me. Enjoying the view, perhaps, but more likely than not making sure I get upstairs safely.
And as I enter my empty apartment, deathly silent and too cold for my liking, I know it won’t be this way for long. Hush overplayed his hand, whether he thinks so or not.
All I have to do is pounce on the opportunity offered to me.