I sucked in a deep breath of the cool, crisp air as soon as we stepped outside. I’d been locked inside all day, first at my office, then at the bar, and I was going a little stir-crazy.
I hit my key fob, unlocking my black Lamborghini Urus before I walked around to the passenger’s side and opened the door for Briar. “I should’ve asked before, but you didn’t drive here, did you?”
She shook her head. “No, I’d planned to have a few drinks so I grabbed an Uber.”
“Good.” I didn’t want the added complication of having to pick her car up the next day. I should have been averse to taking care of her, or doing nice things for her by now, but something about this woman brought out all my protective instincts. And I didn’t want to analyze what that said about me.
I started the car and eased into traffic before I selected a classic rock playlist. I needed a distraction, time to collect my thoughts. I was alone in a car with Briar, heading towards her house. Under the cloak of darkness. With her perfume tempting me to the point I had to crack a window. This couldn’t end well for me.
“Ok, so tell me what brought you to my bar tonight.” I knew Briar didn’t go out drinking alone, which meant she’d been looking for me.
She shifted to face me, biting her bottom lip. “Do you think we could wait until we get to my place before we get into this, Rhett? It’s kind of heavy.”
That made my gut clench. I’d hunted the kingpin of drug cartels, negotiated delicate hostage situations, uncovered terrorist threats, and managed to keep my cool. But a few words from Briar and I was tied up in knots. What the hell was that about?
It had been six months since we slept together, so it couldn’t be a pregnancy scare that got her so worked up. Not that pregnancy was a real threat with her. She was on the pill and insisted on condoms, claiming she wasn’t willing to take any chances.
“You shouldn’t go out alone at night.”Looking so hot.I glanced at her bare legs and shifted in my seat to relieve the bulge in my pants. “It’s not safe.”
Ashland wasn’t exactly a crime mecca, but a girl still had to be careful going out alone at night. And the thought of anything happening to Briar— yeah, not gonna go there.
“Aww, you do care.” She batted her long eyelashes at me for effect before laughing. “Come on, Rhett. Lighten up.”
I was wound tight, but there was only one thing I could think of that would ease my tension. And I’d sworn off Briar. Of course, if she invited me to spend the night, it’s not like she could ghost me again, unless she intended to leave me alone at her place. But I wouldn’t put anything past her. She’d perfected her vanishing act over the years, and I suspected I wasn’t the only poor bastard left alone to deal with the fall-out of his Briar fixation.
I hated myself for being so into her. I hated her for making me want her. I hated the weakness that drew me to her, over and over again. Because I wasn’t a weak guy. I didn’t give into the vises that plagued a lot of guys. I’d never been a big drinker. Didn’t smoke. Do drugs. Gamble. I enjoyed sex, but didn’tneedit. Except when I was alone with Briar. Then I was a slave to my insatiable cravings. I suspected that was the reason I got so pissed every time she ghosted me. Because I couldn’t seem to get enough of her and I resented the fact she didn’t seem to have a problem with the cut and run.
I realized I’d been lost in my own thoughts when I turned onto Briar’s street and a set of headlights flashed in my rear view. I frowned when I side-eyed Briar and she had her hands clenched in her lap, her eyes fixed on the side-view mirror.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, turning into her driveway.
She tapped her phone. “Can you pull into the garage? We’ll go in through the house.”
“I can’t stay long—”
“Please,” she whispered.
It felt like a gut punch when she looked at me and I saw her eyes brimming with tears. The only time I’d ever seen her cry was when her brother and his wife exchanged their wedding vows. “What the hell is going on with you?”
“I promise I’ll tell you everything.” She took a deep breath. “Can we just go inside first, please?”
I could tell she was desperate, but none of this made sense. I’d suspected something was a little off with her at the bar, but the closer we got to her house the more uneasy she became.
I watched the garage door roll up and pulled inside, cutting the engine before she lowered it.
“Let’s go,” she said, reaching for her door handle. “Hurry.”
She snuck a peek out of the windows on either side of the garage before she dashed to the door leading into the house.
I came up behind her and her hands were shaking so badly she couldn’t even fit the key into the lock. WTF? “Let me.” I took the keys from her and unlocked the door before gesturing for her to enter ahead of me.
She stepped inside and turned the lock before she said, “Let’s just leave these lights off.” She pointed to the family room at the rear of the house, which was attached to the kitchen. “We can talk in there.”
I’d been to her house plenty of times. Her brother and I helped her move in. She’d hosted a few parties for her brother and parents, that I’d been invited to, but I’d never been alone with her at her house.
I followed her into the family room and watched her cross the room to turn on a tableside lamp instead of the overhead light fixture. This was getting weirder by the minute. “Briar, you need to tell me what the hell is going on.”
She turned to face me, squaring her shoulders as she looked me in the eye. “I have a stalker.”
