He walked me to my apartment door and asked me if I wanted to make sure the coast was clear inside. I wanted to say yes, but I knew if I got him inside I probably wouldn’t let him leave. I was still feeling the effects of his kiss, so I told him no thank you.
“Let me see your phone,” he said to me.
I pulled my phone out and handed it to him.
“Can you say please?”
He smirked at me and took the phone. I watched him maneuver through my phone and then handed it back to me.
“My phone number is in there. Please call me if you ever take another nose dive on the track, or anywhere else, and you need someone to help you up and tie your shoes.”
I laughed again and pushed him in the shoulder.
“Yeah, okay,” I said as I took the phone back and opened my door.
“Text me when you’re on your way to the stadium tomorrow.”
I turned back around, stunned. “You still want me to go with you to the game tomorrow?”
He frowned and moved closer to me. “Hell yes! Why would that change?”
Uh, I don’t know. Maybe because I’m not sexy like that black-haired girl is, I thought to myself.
“I thought that maybe you…” I started, but he gave me his signature frown, and I stopped talking.
He then said to me, “Look, Sweets, there’s no way I’m letting you back out of our date tomorrow. Get some sleep tonight, and I’ll see you at the stadium.”
He leaned into me and placed a chaste kiss on my lips. He backed away slowly, eyes still on my lips. I bit the bottom one, and I could have sworn I saw him stumble a little.
“Go inside, Sweets, we’ll talk tomorrow,” he said, his voice hard and grainy.
I nodded. “Okay… Good night Josh, and thanks again for the ride.”
“You’re welcome. Good night.”
Chapter 6
Joshua
“I’m fucked,” Josh replied as he drove himself away from the temptation that was Summer Dean.
Shit. She looked good, and no matter how hard he fought it, he couldn’t stop himself from tasting her. She was a walking, breathing, blushing turn–on, and again the bad part about it was she didn’t have a clue. She didn’t know how much she affected him. She didn’t and couldn’t have a clue how desperate she makes him.
He didn’t know much about her, but he didn’t care. He was still trying to figure out a way to make her his. She was breaking down his internal barriers and staking her claim on him.
He never expected to see her tonight. He thought he would hang out for a little while with Aaron and the guys then call it a night. Maybe he would find someone to go home with him tonight, finally lose himself in a woman’s softness. Going to sleep every night with blue balls, no matter how many times he tried to relieve the tension, wasn’t working. Tonight he needed a nice warm body underneath him. At first, he figured any woman would do; until he laid eyes on Summer, that is.
Summer wasn’t dressed to the nines like Paula was when she popped up tonight, but the tight shirt showed off a pair of tits he was becoming accustomed to dreaming about and shorts that showed off a pair of sexy legs he knew she possessed. They were toned and smooth, and all he could think about was being in between those thighs all night long. She turned out to be the one he wanted to take home and fuck senseless.
What he came to grips with was the fact that she was so sweet and amazing that he wanted to do more than just fuck her. He wanted her; all of her. He tried to rein in his emotions, but throughout the night seeing her around the guys at the table or around the bar had his anger rising. He didn’t like the way guys were touching her, looking at her. Hell, he wanted to punch Michael in his throat for the way he was eye fucking her. The feeling of possessiveness started to take over in him, which surprised him. He’s never felt possessive or jealous over any woman, but Summer was different. He wanted her smiles and laughter and touch to be solely for him and him alone.
When the night ended, he looked for Summer, but she never returned back to the table. The waitress that Aaron was after said she was working in the back. Josh refrained from going to find her. He needed to show some type of self–control. Besides, it seemed Paula was joined at his hip once again. He had to talk to Paula, he knew, and it needed to be soon. Summer was starting to occupy his inner most thoughts. Once he got a hold of her, he didn’t want anything or anyone getting in his way of making her his.
So, as they all called it a night, he walked out with everyone and even walked Paula and her friend, he couldn’t think of what her name was, back to Paula’s car.
Paula did attempt to get him to go with her, using her body as bait. Josh didn’t bite. There was one woman he seemed to be unable to stop thinking about and the moment she said he could take her home, he knew he had a chance.
His phone ringing brought him out of his Summer fest, and he pushed the Bluetooth button on the steering wheel to answer.
“Cooper.”
“Are you alone?”
“Yeah, I’m in my car. Why? You have something for me already?”
“Yup.”
Josh turned onto Penn Avenue heading toward his downtown apartment.
“That was fast.”
“There’s a lot of shit though. A lot you aren’t going to like,” the caller announced.
“Okay well, what are you waiting for? Tell me.”
Josh listened quietly as Junior, one of his direct reports, brought him up to speed on everything he asked him to look into. Fuck, he wasn’t lying. There was a lot of shit, but it wasn’t enough to make him angry, Josh thought to himself, but that changed quickly. It seemed Junior was saving the best for last.
As Junior spoke, Josh felt the heat rise within him.
“Are you fucking sure?” Josh asked, allowing the anger to seep through his voice.
“Yeah, I’m sure. I double–checked everything before I called. This shit is true, man.”
“What the fuck is his name?”
Junior paused a second then said, “Noah Baxter.”
Junior spoke quickly, filling him in on details that even he didn’t want to repeat ever in his life.
“How much did he put her up for?”
“Five hundred K.”
“Did anyone bite?” Josh asked.
“Yup, a few did actually. One even paid in advance.”
Josh parked his car in his designated parking spot below his apartment building and turned off the engine, still trying to not rip his car apart. When he gave Junior Summer’s name, he never thought it would be something like this.
Junior remained silent on the phone, knowing that Josh needed that moment to gather himself.
Finally Josh said, “First things first, I need the information on the fuckers that actually paid and wanted to pay for her. Then I need to know everything you have on Noah Baxter and his company, and any other company affiliated with his. I want everything, Junior, and I mean everything. I don’t care how small. I want to fucking know about it, understand?”
“Yes, sir. Anything else?” Junior asked.
“Keep an eye on him, Junior. The second he does anything you think I wouldn’t like, call me.”
Junior scoffed. “Huh? That could be anything.”
“Then, I guess I’ll be hearing from you often then,” Josh replied and then ended the call.
Josh sat in his car for a long time, thinking, contemplating on turning around and going back to her apartment. He thought about telling her what he found out, but he didn’t. The only thing that he learned was he was right about her. The fear she had in her eyes was real. The level of the fear though was a mystery, but he vowed he would find out everything about her. He would protect her with everything in him. He would make sure nothing ever hurt her again.
Kenya
I was having the best time of my life. Josh and I seemed to find it completely easy to talk to each other. It was unreal. I had a smile plastered on my face the moment I found him outside the stadium. I got a chance to hang out and eat by Aaron’s truck with some of Josh’s co–workers like Mike, Derek and others, who I just met that day. I also learned that Derek was the one that was really cool with Steven, Sara’s son. Steven had hung out multiple times with the guys, which was how Steven knew Josh, besides the few times he’d been to the Café. I can’t begin to tell you how good that makes me feel. Not to say I thought Josh was a stalker but it makes Joy theory so much easier to believe.
Josh had great tickets that placed us in a booth in PNC Park that was filled with all the food and drinks you could manage. I indulged happily and made sure I took full advantage of the bar and buffet.
I must tell you that Josh looked scrumptious in his Yankee Tee. It was just the right size to show the world that he definitely had a great body, and the jeans he wore hung loosely, but not too loose to where they would fall off his hips. He wore a black NY hat that hung low and covered most of his face, but no matter how low his hat was I could feel his eyes on me, no matter where I was in the booth.
I started not to come today. But the moment I expressed how I felt to Joy, she pretty much kicked me out of my own apartment telling me that all I was feeling would probably go away the instant I saw him. And I have to say, she was right. The moment he saw me and embraced me tight against him, I felt like I was home.
During the game and the many alcoholic beverages we consumed, we talked a little bit more about his family and what I could bear to tell him about mine.