“Well, it’s getting late…”
He motioned to the overflowing basket in my arms. “Let me.”
At those two words, just an innocent statement, my heart jumped forward, smacking against my ribs, my quickening pulse relocating itself between my thighs. “I’ve got it. Thanks, though.” I stumbled back another step. Like I had two left feet. “You have a good evening, Eli.” Then turning away, I hustled my ass inside.
And somehow I knew his intense stare followed me the whole way.
…
“Girl, I’m sick of your damn teasing.” Kyle dragged his sweaty hand higher under my skirt. “You finally gonna give me what’s under here, or what?”
There was a slight slur to his voice, a slur I hadn’t noticed when we left the bar. “How much did you have to drink? You said you only had a couple beers.”
He shrugged. “A few shots as well.” He grinned in a way I knew he thought was charming, but with a gut full of beer and whiskey, he just looked like a big, dumb idiot.
I’d known Kyle since high school. Back then he’d been a chauvinistic, irresponsible asshole; it seemed nothing had changed. When he’d asked me out a month ago, I’d decided to give him the benefit of the doubt, hoping he’d matured. The fact that he was good-looking, built, and had all his teeth may have played a part in my decision to give him a shot. Not to mention an eight-month-long dry spell and an itch that needed one hell of a good scratch. But nothing was going to happen here tonight. Not now, not ever.
I shoved the passenger door open and slammed it shut behind me. His door wrenched open as well, and he rounded the car fast. Grabbing my arm, he hauled me back and pinned me to the car before I’d barely taken two steps.
“Where d’you think you’re going?” He pressed into me, the liquor on his breath invading my nostrils. “Time you paid up, honey. I’ve done the time, taken you out, bought you a burger, drinks, all that shit. Time to give it up.”
I shoved at his shoulders. “You’ve lost your goddamn mind, Kyle Harris.” I tried to wriggle free, but he wasn’t having any of it. “Back the hell up, get in your car, and get out of here.”
Grinding his hard dick against my leg, he grunted and nipped my earlobe, yanking my shirt down over my shoulder. “Cock-teasing whore. What the fu—”
Kyle was on me one minute, then being pulled away the next. My jaw went slack as Elijah, fingers wrapped around the back of Kyle’s neck, dragged him like a sack of potatoes to the driver’s side and slammed him face-first against it. Kyle flailed and cursed while he was being manhandled. The door was yanked open, and Eli shoved him in like his own personal rag doll, then slammed it shut behind him.
The expression on Kyle’s face as he blinked up at the big man through the window was priceless. He looked shit-scared when he realized who he was staring at. The car started a second later, then it was gone the next, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake.
My gaze shot to Eli. I don’t know how it was possible, but the man looked even bigger, muscles flexing, jaw tight, nostrils flaring with each angry breath. “Elijah?” I took a step toward him, and he jerked back suddenly, shock covering his face, before he turned and stormed toward the barn. The bang of the door after him was loud, echoing through the quiet night.
I had two options: I could go inside like a coward and pretend what just happened hadn’t, or I could go after him, thank him for coming to my rescue, and attempt to erase some of that worry I’d seen in his dark eyes.
Wiping my sweaty hands on my skirt, I headed toward the barn. It was still hot out, but there was a breeze, and the light floaty fabric of my skirt whispered around my thighs. Anticipation ignited low in my belly as I neared, then the deep, repetitive thump of those solid fists connecting with the punching bag in the corner of the barn reached my ears.
I’d heard the same sound often as he beat the crap out of that bag, but this time was different. He was hitting harder, faster, working off his anger and frustration. Maybe I should be afraid. Maybe going in there now was a damn stupid idea, but I couldn’t make my feet stop, couldn’t make them turn me around. Pressing a hand to the barn door, I pushed it open and stepped inside.
The familiar scent of hay and motor oil hit me first. Every light was on, throwing a golden wash into the corners. A tractor took up one side of the barn. Tools and other equipment were scattered on the workbench that ran the length of the wall. On the other side was a rough wooden staircase that led to Eli’s rooms, and in the corner, beating the hell out of that bag, was the man himself.