AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Andre, we’re not at the office. We’re a quarter-mile away from Cherise’s home.” I spit out her address to him, making provisions to inform Cherise of that straightaway. “If you’re calling me, you’re not flying. I bet the passengers love that. How did you get here two hours early if you’re here that is?”
He snorted. “I’m here after annoying the hell out of the pilots instead of the passengers this time. Kind of got myself detained on the plane. They couldn’t kick me off it midflight, so they sped up. Everything went according to my plan. I can meet you at Cherise’s in an hour and a half if you need me to, got my own transportation. Isn’t it a little early for her to be knocking off for the day?”
“I’ll be there to let you in the apartment, and it is a little early.” I grew furious just from recalling the reason why she was headed home. “Chad Lowell struck again. It was sliced fruit, omelets, and toast with avocado spread this time. Orange juice and a Moet to wash it down. She lost it big time.” I got to hold her, touch her, and breathe her in. If I was desperate, I’d tell Chad to keep it up. The results of his lunacy were marvelous for me. But he had to go. Cherise was reaching her breaking point with his stunts.
“He’s got good taste in food and women at least. What else happened?” Andre pressed.
“Nothing,” I conveyed as we took a right onto the inbound lane onto the property of Cherise’s home. “But, he’s getting bolder. We’re going to the carnival tonight to work on me and talk about Cherise’s situation. Instead of coming here, meet me at the carnival tonight at eight.”
“Watch your backs from afar and scope out the place for the idiot carrying a torch for the woman who’d rather he put it down. Got it. Hold the hell up. You two are going on a date now?” His astonishment was almost tangible. “What happened to get her switch for professional conduct turned off?”
“I suspect Chad’s antics turned it off. I asked her about going to the carnival with me to talk, called it a date by mistake, and she co-signed it. I’m still shocked by the turnaround from her demanding professional distance to it being a date.” I’d probably still be shocked when we were on the date.
An automated system’s voice announced the successful change of destination on Andre’s end. “That means she likes you, Tobin. She probably did from the beginning. Some situations wake people up about letting a good thing slip by.”
“She sure opened my eyes the first time I met her,” I mumbled to myself. She had done more than open my eyes, she set my life on a whole new course. Had it not been for meeting Cherise, I never would have joined the military and left the bad elements I was involved in.
Of course, he heard me. “You should thank the fucker for opening her eyes and seize the chance to make her yours before she changes her mind.”
“I will if she lets me, Andre. Hold on.”
At the eight-foot wrought iron gate around the two-story townhomes, Cherise had yet to punch in the access code for entry. With no idea why she was procrastinating, I scanned the background in my rearview mirror. A white Dodge truck emerged at the end of the street, creeping down it. It was the same truck from yesterday, moving at the same pace. There was no coincidence that it meandered past her office and now her home. Deeply ingrained instincts began clanging like church bells in my head. Chad was here.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I roared as he got within yards of us.
Cherise leaned out the window, reaching for the keypad. The worse time ever to enter the code.
“Tobin!” Andre thundered back. “What the fuck is going on?”
Slinging my driver’s door wide, I jumped out with the phone, running between Chad’s line of vision and the keypad directly in it. The last thing he needed was the code to the gate. Our stalker was getting busy. He’d make a bigger play for Cherise soon. We had to get more vigilant. I was already working on it, coming to a stop at her outstretched arm to block Chad’s view with my body.
“Stop, Cherise,” I ordered.
Cherise paused in the middle of punching numbers to stare at me like I’d misplaced all my good sense. “What the hell, Tobin?”
Andre hollered my name again. Then, one more time for good measure.
Fixated on Chad’s truck, I replied to them both, “I think the fucker’s here. I need to get his license plate number this time.”
“This time?” Cherise parroted behind me.
Chad crept by. She gasped, obviously recognizing the truck.
I took off after it, shouting, “He rode by the office yesterday! Go inside, Cherise!” I wanted her out of harm's way like I wanted another tomorrow to be with her.
She yelled my name. Chad hit the gas. He knew that I was after essential details about him. He’d be stupid to not watch me as much as I was concentrating on him, closer than close. There were a lot of horses under the hood of his automobile, but every powerful engine required time to gain speed. I took advantage of the delay. Getting a good glimpse of the rear plate, I slowed to a stop a quarter mile down the road. Cherise rolled up beside me, standing next to the curb.
“Get your ass in the car now, Tobin!” She exploded on me. What was she doing here?
I swung around. “I told you to go in the house.”
She hurled her head in the direction Chad went. “Not when you’re out here dealing with that. Never do that to me again.”
“What did I do?” If I was crazy, I’d think she was pissed and cared for me as much as I did her. I did know she was absolutely stunning when mad. The only thing I wanted to do to her was kiss her at the moment. The other things on my list could come later.
Cherise jabbed a manicured finger at me. “You chased a maniac by yourself, and you thought I was leaving you out here?” Then, she jerked back in her seat, crossing her arms. Yes, she was pissed.
“That’s exactly what I wanted, Cherise.” Getting in the car, I realized keeping her alive was likely going to kill me. I’d take that chance every day, all day for her. Cradling her face in my hands, I turned it to me. “Cherise, you have to do what I tell you when I say it. It could cost you your life if you don’t. Do you really want to put me through that?”
