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“Stop it, Tiera. I’m soaking wet because of you.”
“No one told you to run after me.”
“You left me no choice. And if you don’t stop struggling, I’ll toss you over my shoulder and carry you to the car.”
Tiera scoffed. “When I was younger, you could do that. But now I’m… oof.”
Before she could finish her sentence, he’d lifted her big ass and tossed her over his shoulder, shocking her and knocking the wind from her. What the hell? He carried her across the parking lot. The valet guy smiled. Tiera rolled her eyes at him. The guy may not know this, but he was an accomplice in a kidnapping. The valet dude held the passenger door open for Caleb, further incriminating himself.
“Thanks,” Caleb told him as he lowered Tiera to her feet.
Caleb stood in front of her, blocking her from fleeing again. Defeated and slightly embarrassed, she turned and got into the car. She expected him to close the door and walk around to the driver’s side of the vehicle. Instead, he leaned close to her. What was he doing now?
Tiera stared straight ahead, trying not to look his way. From the corner of her eye, she saw him drawing closer. Seriously, what was he trying to do? And why was she sitting there, allowing him to do it? He was invading her personal space. She didn’t have to put up with that. She faced him, prepared to order him to back the hell up.
Instead, she froze. The words were on the tip of her tongue, but her lips wouldn’t move as she stared into his eyes. She hadn’t expected him to be so close. His lips were inches from hers. A shiver crept down her spine as her heart raced. She squeezed her thighs together as another set of lips yearned to be close to his lips. Swallowing, she tried to pull herself together.
“What are you doing?” she whispered, thankful her voice hadn’t shaken.
Smiling, he leaned forward a little more, then clicked the seat belt into place. Oh. He’d been reaching for the seat belt. To cover up her embarrassment, she unbuckled the belt, then buckled it again.
“I can do it myself,” she told him.
Chuckling, he asked, “What did you think I was trying to do?”
“Nothing.”
“You sure?”
“I could’ve walked to the garage by now, Caleb.”
He chuckled again as he moved away from her. Still staring at her, he closed the door. She inhaled deeply and released the breath slowly when he finally walked away. Pull yourself together, Tiera. And you pull yourself together too, she told a different part of her. A part that yearned for a taste of Caleb.
That part of her had forgotten how badly he’d hurt her feelings years ago. But her heart remembered. And her heart would never let her make that mistake again. The driver’s door opened. Caleb slid into the car and buckled his seat belt.
“Do you have your garage ticket?” he asked.
Without replying, she pulled the ticket from her purse and gave it to him.
“Thanks.”
They began their ride to the parking garage.
“Can you speed up?” Tiera asked, irritated by the intoxicating scent of his cologne. “Our mothers drive faster than you.”
“Do you want me to run over these people?”
“Go around them.”
“Be patient,” he drawled. “Relax. I’ll get you there in a timely manner.”
Relax? How could she relax in his presence? Her gaze drifted to the steering wheel and his large hands that were clutching it. She remembered the night he’d held her just as tightly as he was holding the wheel. Tiera stared out the passenger window. Forget him and his big hands.
“What made you decide to stop being a nurse?” Caleb asked.
Oh, no. They were so not doing this. She turned the volume up on the radio, drowning him out. He got the picture. They continue the rest of the short ride in silence. When they reached her car, he unbuckled his seat belt. She got out before he could and sprinted to her car, almost falling down on the slippery ground.
Her hand shook slightly as she unlocked her car. When she was safely inside her vehicle, she gripped the steering wheel tightly. Unfortunately, a new problem had arisen. Caleb’s car was still parked behind hers. Why wasn’t he driving off? Move. Ugh. Her phone rang. She fished through her purse. Got it. It was Caleb.
