Page 15

14

THE STALKER

I whistle as I walk down the sidewalk of the coffee shop, intent to watch Maddie as she works, as well as keep an eye on that asshole. My truck is across the street, parked so I have the perfect view of her and the baseball cap wearing asshole.

As much as I hated to leave the coffee shop, I couldn’t sit at another table and watch her. The need to be near her is entirely too powerful to resist. As is the urge to pick her up, throw her over my shoulder, and take her away from all the bullshit in her life.

Once I get her where I want her, she’ll never see these assholes again. Well, except for her mother. The final time she sees her will be the last time either of them sees anyone ever again.

I made a mistake asking what her book was about. I was unprepared for her honesty. The second she murmured, “ It’s a dark romance about a girl falling for her stalker,” her cheeks pink, my resistance nearly crumbled. I wanted so badly to take her into the bathroom, strip her clothing off, and give her all the inspiration she’d ever need to write it.

My heart still bangs inside my chest, my temperature running about five degrees warmer than usual. Her words changed me from a twenty-four-year-old man to a horny, adolescent teen in a matter of seconds. Maddie made it worse, flushing like a schoolgirl around a guy she was crushing on. It’s endearing as hell, yet at the same time, pushed all my buttons.

New kink: Maddie in a schoolgirl uniform. God, she’d be fucking delectable.

Although she’s always decadent in my book, like that triple-layer chocolate cake my mom baked me for my seventh birthday. She’s the type of woman you savor every touch, every inch, and every taste.

Leaning back in my seat, I watch her face scrunch up as she concentrates, her fingers moving over the keyboard. She’s absorbed in her work, typing frantically for the past forty-five minutes.

Maddie absently picks up her coffee, taking a drink, a smile pulling up her lips as she reads over what she wrote.

Is it a sex scene? I’d love to get my hands on it and read it. I wonder if I’ve been the inspiration for this book. I should have asked her.

My gaze lazily trails to the baseball cap-wearing asshole. He hasn’t looked at Maddie once since I approached him.

Good. She’s mine.

Her phone must be going off, because I see her looking at it, her brows drawing in. Her face grows red from her anger as she clenches it in her hand.

Slamming her laptop closed, she stands, shoving it into her backpack. She turns, her tight jeans hugging her ass as she throws her trash away. The mustard yellow cardigan and white t-shirt she’s wearing look amazing with her golden hair and porcelain skin.

Slinging her backpack over her shoulder, she snatches her cell phone from the table, stomping toward the door. I lean forward, rolling my window down as she steps outside. She stabs the buttons on her phone before lifting it to her ear. Pacing back and forth in front of the coffee entrance, I hear her yelling as soon as the phone is answered.

“What the fuck, Ben? Are you that pissed that you’re not coming home tonight?” She crosses her arm over her chest, shivering from the cold, her other hand still holding her phone to her ear.

Whatever Ben says makes her even angrier. “You know what? Do whatever you need to do. I’ll be fine on my own. It was the night of my dad’s funeral.”

Ouch. That was a good one, Maddie.

She lowers the phone, stabbing her finger into the screen, cursing. Turning on her heel, she stomps to her car.

I sit up straight as I see the baseball cap guy watching her through the window. His eyes are trained on her as he gets up, throws his trash away, and then hurries out the door of the coffee shop.

Oh, fuck no.

I’m out of my truck and running across the road to the parking lot without even locking my vehicle. As I round the corner, Maddie’s voice trembles from fear and anger. “What the hell are you doing? Leave me alone.”

“I heard you fighting with that guy. He obviously isn’t treating you right. Why don’t you give me—”

He doesn’t get a chance to say anything else as I spin him around, causing him to release his grip on Maddie’s arm. Then I punch the bastard in the face, holding onto his shirt so he doesn’t fall. Punching him in the stomach, his body goes slack, but can’t go anywhere because of my grip. Bringing my knee up, I ram it in his chest, releasing my hold on him. He crumbles to the pavement like a sack of potatoes.

Breathing heavily, I look up at her. She’s rubbing her wrist where he gripped her. She looks from him to me, her face pale.

In two steps I’m in front of her, my hands on her face, turning her head slightly as my stare bores into hers. “Did he hurt you?”

She winces, then moves her hand away from her wrist. I shake, seeing red, and start to turn around, planning to kill that motherfucker for hurting her.

“No,” she grips my forearms, her pleading voice drawing my attention back to her. “I’m fine. Really.” She forces a smile on her lips.

My eyes narrow, fire flowing through my veins, ready to spark into an inferno. “You don’t look fucking fine,” I growl.

She heaves out a breath, her gaze dropping to my chest. “Um…” She blinks a few times, heaving out a breath. “I just need a minute. That was just so unexpected.”

There’s a buzzing noise inside my ears as I stare at her, waiting until she makes eye contact. I lower my voice, trying to remove the venom from it. I’m only scaring her more, and that’s not what she needs.

“I’m sorry that jackass grabbed you like that. Some men are assholes, Maddie.”

“Some men, huh?” Her lips tilt in a slightly flirtatious smile, hitting me square in the groin region.

Jesus, she’s enticing. I wink. “Maybe all men are assholes. Just to varying degrees.”

She laughs, then grows serious, her eyes darting back and forth between mine. “How did you know my name?”

“I know a lot about you, baby girl.” I smile at her, knowing there’s no way my words aren’t creepy. “More than you realize.”

She swallows hard, her lips parting slightly.

Goddamn. I want to kiss her so fucking badly.

But I can’t. She’s been traumatized enough tonight. “Let me walk you to your car, baby girl. Then you can lock your doors and I can follow you home.”

She looks uneasy until I nod my head toward the jackass lying on the pavement. When she nods, I release my hands from her face.

Grabbing her small hand, I clasp it within my larger one, feeling how cold it is. “You’re cold.”

She shrugs. “It’s a little chilly out here.”

Releasing her hand, I shrug out of my jacket. “Here. Put this on.”

She looks surprised as I hand it to her, looking at it, then up at me. I shake it gently at her, a smile on my face. “This will warm you up.” I coax her gently.

The smile she gives me nearly makes me drop to my knees. “Thank you.”

Waiting until she slides her backpack from her shoulders, I hold my jacket, helping her put it on. As she zips it, I pull her silky locks from beneath the coat so they fall in a golden halo around her.

Fuck. She looks incredible.

She turns around, facing me. “I didn’t peg you as a gentleman, stalker.” Her eyes twinkle at me.

Ah. The sass is back .

A wide smile stretches my face, glad she’s back to being feisty. I like it.

“I’m not. Just looking for an excuse to follow you home.” Clasping her hand in mine, I guide her away, glancing at the idiot stirring on the pavement behind me. He locks his gaze on mine, then scrambles to his feet with a groan. Running to his car, he jumps inside, starts it, and tears out of the parking lot.

Maddie watches him, then looks at me. “I get the feeling you don’t need an invitation. You just do what you want.” An amused smile curves her lips.

I chuckle, shrugging a shoulder. “Well, I am a stalker, right?”

“Do you always pummel random guys who inappropriately hit on a woman in a semi-dark coffee shop parking lot, or am I just the exception?”

“You’re special. I make exceptions for the women I stalk.” A thrill runs through me as I look at her irritated face. She clearly doesn’t like the idea of me stalking anyone else.

Reaching her car, she pulls the keyless entry from her pocket. Her honey-brown eyes shift to mine and she bites her lip. “Um… Do you want your jacket back?”

I shake my head. “You can give it back to me at your apartment.” I lean closer to her, my lips grazing the shell of her ear. “You’re the only one I stalk, baby girl.”

Her expression softens, eyes like melted caramel. She affects me more than any person I’ve ever met. But then her face tightens, her smile disappearing as uneasiness replaces it.

“Worried about your boyfriend seeing me, baby girl?”

Maddie blanches, her face turning bright red as she averts her gaze.

I take the keyless entry from her hand, unlocking her car. “Lock your doors. I’ll run across the road to my truck, then follow you home.”

She hesitates, as if she wants to say something, but doesn’t. Handing her the keyless entry, then her backpack, I feel that spark as our fingers touch. Her gaze is on mine, and I see it in her eyes the second it goes through her.

She slides into the car, and I wait until she throws her backpack onto the passenger seat, then pulls the door shut and locks it. Smiling at her, I turn, jogging to my truck.

She backs out of the space and then turns onto the road as soon as I start my truck. I follow her like I’ve done so many times before.

The only difference is, this time, she’s aware I’m behind her.