HARDCORE: Storm MC(173)
“I…I have to work tomorrow.”
“Take a vacation day.”
“I can’t just do that. It has to be approved in writing six weeks out…”
“So tell them you have a family emergency or something. The kind of thing they can’t give you shit over. Leave a message, tell them. It’s Sunday night. Nobody will be at school right now.”
It was like he’d already thought it through. How did that happen, this half-brained moron outthinking me?
It was convenient to think of him that way. It made life easier. The reality was he was anything but a moron. He had the savvy to lead a club the way he did. He had the charisma and wisdom to influence others. They followed him, trusted him. A moron couldn’t do that.
“No! I can’t do that! Damn it, don’t tell me what to do. I’ve worked hard to make a life for myself, and you’re screwing it all up with these stupid head games. I don’t believe you. Nobody’s after me. I don’t have anything to do with anything. I’m leaving, and you can’t stop me!”
He didn’t answer. He only took me by the shoulders, pulled me to him and crushed his lips against mine.
My eyes flew open in surprise, and I instinctively tried to fight him off. I pounded my fists against his chest, but it was about as effective as pounding granite. It did nothing. He kept kissing me.
After a few moments of that, his strong arms holding me close, his body pressed against me as his lips moved sensually against mine, I did the unthinkable. I stopped fighting and started kissing him back.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, giving over to the sensations rushing through my body. The almost giddy feeling of his mouth on mine, his tongue darting out to lick my lips. I opened them, letting him invade me, touching my tongue to his. He licked me, then withdrew…licked, then withdrew…on and on, driving me crazy, making me press my mouth harder to his. Drawing little whimpers from my throat.
My heart raced, my blood pounded in my ears, and the only thing in the world that mattered was the way he kissed me. I didn’t know it could be like that.
He pulled away, and I followed for a brief moment. Wanting more. Then I got hold of my senses and pulled back.
He was just as breathless as I was, and more than a little smug. “Call out,” he whispered. “Stay here.”
I disentangled myself from his arms, straightening myself out before leaving the room without a word. I didn’t stop to speak to anybody, not even Gigi. I walked straight upstairs to my room and slammed the door.
I leaned against it, catching my breath. Holy crap. What was that all about? It felt like my body was on fire. I put a hand to my chest, feeling the way my heart still beat against my ribs like a bird in a cage. I had never understood before how people got swept up in passion. It was the sort of thing that happened in the movies—man kisses woman, and in an instant they’re in bed, rolling around, clawing at each other. I never could understand how that happened.
Until Lance kissed me. I could easily have sunk to the floor with him and let him take me then and there. That was how passionate, how intensely erotic the kiss had been. I ached between my legs, and the wetness there was surprising. It was just a kiss, and it hardly lasted twenty seconds. But it might as well have lasted forever.
And I wanted more. So much more.
I looked at the bed, where I’d left my suitcase. I was ready to leave. I wanted to take Gigi with me.
I didn’t want to leave. Not when I knew everything Lance told me. Not when Gigi was in danger. Not when I knew how he could kiss.
Instead of picking up my things, then, I pulled the cell from my purse and dialed Vickie’s office line.
“Hi, Vickie. It’s Jamie. I just got word of a family emergency. I need to take a plane out tonight. It should only be a few days. I’ll forward my lesson plans for the week, just in case, before I leave. I’ll give you a call to keep you updated. Thanks in advance for your understanding.” I hung up before I lost my nerve, then stared at my phone. I remembered Gigi asking me if it was okay to lie.
I would have to tell her that it was also okay to lie when you thought you were protecting somebody you cared very much about. The way I cared about her.
All I could do was hope to get out of there soon. I needed to get away from Lance—and my attraction to him—before it was too late.
Chapter Eleven
Lance
I hardly had time to catch my breath after the kiss before Jamie ran away. She went up to her room, and I knew she was avoiding me. I also knew she would make the phone call to her boss. The look in her eye told me she would. I knew the way a woman looked when they decided to do what I asked them to do. I had seen it plenty of times.