Chapter 2 #2
As she reached for her card, her fingers brushed over his, lingering a few seconds too long. Embarrassed, she snatched back her hand as if she’d touched fire and stuffed the card into her purse. Flushed, her body immediately heated, and she almost forgot what she was doing.
“You okay?” he asked.
Skylar looked into his eyes, her mouth slightly ajar as she stumbled over her words. “I, uh, I’m fine thank you.”
The stranger shot her a knowing smile. “You’re local?”
“Um, yeah. For now, I mean. How’d you know?”
“Just a hunch.”
“I, uh, I’ve got to go meet with my friends.” A smile bloomed on her face. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hailey wave to her. Her attention snapped back to the stranger. “Well…thank you again.”
“Any time.”
Skylar turned to her friends and casually walked out to the dance floor. Don’t look back. Don’t look back. The band began to play AC/DC, and patrons poured onto the floor. She stole a glance at the bar, but he was gone.
“Who’s the hottie?” Eva yelled to her.
“Just a guy.” Skylar zipped her purse. “I dropped my card on the floor.”
“Maybe it’s a sign?” Hailey suggested.
“What?” Skylar struggled to hear over the music.
“I said…it’s a sign!” Hailey pumped her fist up into the air and began to gyrate suggestively toward her.
Skylar laughed, taking her hand. Within minutes, she’d lost herself in the music, relieved the momentary flirtation had broken. Whatever she’d just experienced had been merely a fleeting temptation. Nothing more, nothing less.
Yet as the song continued, and she spun dancing, her eyes were drawn to the bar where he sat talking to an older attractive gentleman. Eva reached for her hand and recaptured her attention.
As the song tapered off to an end, Skylar tapped at the screen on her watch and looked at the time. Twelve forty-five. Nothing good happens after midnight. Except tall hot guys rescuing your credit card. She laughed inwardly and leaned over to talk to her friends.
“Hey. Guys. I think I’m going to head home.”
“One more drink,” Hailey pleaded.
“I think I’m good. I have to get back because—” The microphone squealed, the singer of the band announcing the next song. “I have a ton of work to do in the morning.”
Eva frowned. “Come on, one more for the girls. We can go for beignets after.”
“I don’t think I should—” Skylar eyed her friends with suspicion as their expressions morphed to wide smiles.
Skylar sensed his presence seconds before she turned to look behind her. The handsome stranger wore a sexy smile. Skylar gave a nervous laugh as he strode toward her. Her heart pounded like a drum as he extended his hand.
“Can I have this dance?” he asked.
Standing still like a deer in the headlights, she failed to resist the temptation.
Transfixed on his eyes, she nodded and placed her hand in his.
Willingly she fell into his embrace and swayed to the slow Cajun waltz.
As if they were the only two people in the room, they moved in tune with each other.
Her skin broke out in gooseflesh as their arms entangled bringing their bodies closer.
As he spun her, her back brushed against his hardened chest. With each slow movement, her body lit with desire.
As the music slowed with a final beat, Skylar fought to conceal her attraction to him. His piercing eyes locked with hers, and she bit her lip. Oh no. Girl don’t get involved. You’re leaving. But he’s so so…hot.
Her body thrummed with longing as he released one of her hands to focus on her other. His thumb swept over her inner wrist sending shivers up her arm. As he released her hand, she stepped back, her pulse racing.
“I, um, thank you. I—” I’m leaving.
A broad smile crossed his face. “Thank you for the dance, cher.”
“You’re welcome,” she replied, her voice soft. “Thank you.” Tall, dark stranger. Sexy as fuck stranger. You’re moving, Sky.
“My pleasure.”
Laughter behind her drew her attention and she caught sight of Hailey entertaining two men at the bar who had no chance. Skylar snapped her focus back to her dance partner, her heart pounding in her chest. Her eyes widened. He was gone. “What the fu…dge?”
Skylar scanned the bar for him, the hard reality of the situation settling in her stomach. The former two-minute lust of her life had completely disappeared. Ghosted.
She shook her head and sighed. “Well, if that isn’t the story of my life.”
Head on a swivel. Skylar looked over her shoulder and quickly focused ahead as she hoofed it towards her house. The wind howled as it whipped across her body and she shivered. She clutched her arms across her chest wishing she’d worn more than her thin leather jacket.
Almost home. She walked at a brisk pace, stilling as a loud bang echoed to her left.
The hairs on the back of her neck stood as she heard a cat’s wild cry from behind.
She breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of a stray cat ducking behind a truck tire.
She resumed walking, increasing speed as she approached her block.
Her instinct warned her to hurry. The sound of footsteps sounded, and she whipped her head around to find an empty street. She stabbed her fingers into her purse, searching for her pepper gel.
An eerie fog rolled towards her. “Who’s there?”
Her skin prickled with gooseflesh as she became aware of a presence she couldn’t see. “Where are you? I know you’re here.”
She withdrew her pepper gel, the ridges of the cartridge button brushed her thumb. A fresh surge of bravery rushed forth as she kept her eyes trained on the empty street. A few hundred feet and she’d be safely inside her home.
The little pink lights on her shotgun home flickered, and she considered her options. She was so close. Stay and fight in the fog? Call the police? Scream? All of the above? The sound of a car door slamming thumped, and in an instant, the decision was made. RUN!
Skylar bolted towards the door. As she slid in the key, she heard someone behind her. Her heart pounded in her chest, but her mind didn’t falter as she spun toward it and pointed the pepper gel at the stranger.
“Hey, Sky.” The man stepped under the streetlight.
“Who are you?” With one hand on the key and the other on the pepper gel, she kept the weapon pointed at the stranger. He wore a grey pea coat and jeans. She glanced at his expensive leather loafers.
“Hey, hey. You can put that down. It’s me. Greg.”
“I don’t know a Greg. Get away.”
“Yeah, yeah, sure you do. It’s me.” His creepy smile warned her he wasn’t playing with a full deck.
“Greg. Back the fuck away. Go home or this might be the last thing you remember.” Skylar feigned bravery, refusing to let him see her fear.
“No, come on now. Don’t you remember we met at the con last year. You know, it was last March. St. Paddy’s Day horror fest.”
A fan? A demented fan. A stalker. “I’m giving you a chance to leave now. Forget about me forever.”
“Remember the slasher flick you were in? Die Cabin Twenty-Five? I loved you in that. Yours was the best death scene. Anyway, I thought I’d swing by while I was here.”
“You thought wrong.”
“I really think it’s a good idea you reconsider. We could do a reenactment of that last scene. Work out the kinks.”
Skylar’s stomach tightened as the smile fell from his face and he balled his fist. Shit, shit, shit.
“I came just to see you. Let’s talk.” Then he lunged at her.
Though Skylar had never expected anything to ever happen, she had trained for fight scenes for her Police Officer role.
“No!” As she depressed the pepper gel, her foot swung between his legs. He doubled over, his screams echoing down the quiet street.
Skylar waited as he stumbled but didn’t fall down. On autopilot, she swung her foot toward him in a roundhouse kick, the bridge of her foot stung with a sharp pain as it crushed onto his nose. As he tipped backwards, the thud of his head cracking the pavement came with a sense of relief.
Skylar didn’t hesitate another second as she sprinted to her front door. She switched her grip on her keys, shaking as she jammed it against the lock.
“Please, oh God, please. Yes!” The key slid into the slot and she twisted it, opening the lock. Her relief was short lived as pain stung her head. She screamed, dropping her purse as he’d grabbed her hair from behind.
“Get off of me! Help!” Adrenaline surged through her veins. Determined to survive, she fought back.
“Get the fuck off me! Now!” She threw her elbow back, landing in his gut and drew her fist back upward to his face.
Released from his grip, she slipped into her house and slammed her door shut, quickly locking the deadbolt. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her chest tightened as she crumpled onto the floor.
“Call 911. My phone. Where’s my phone? My purse.” She sucked a breath, searching for it. “No, No. No.”
Skylar forced herself to calm down and assess the situation. With no purse and no phone, she’d be forced to wait until the morning.
“What the fuck?” Sitting against the wall with her knees drawn to her chest, her mind raced.
Who the hell is Greg? She didn’t recognize him, but it was possible he’d met her at a con.
Or he could just have been some random drunk who had one too many.
Regardless, she was trapped in her own home without her phone.
Skylar glanced at the door, her heart still pounding in her chest. He was probably still out there.
She needed a weapon…. fast. She shoved to her feet and padded into her kitchen, careful to avoid the windows.
She tore open a kitchen drawer, rummaging for a knife.
She fingered the smooth handle and retrieved it.