Page 4 of Hide From Me (Chaotic Love #3)
“You're such a little ray of sunshine,” I say playfully, and she growls in frustration.
My heart sinks as she quickly turns away, and before I know it, my hand wraps around her wrist. She's so warm and soft that my fingers instinctively flex against her plush skin.
I can never get enough of this—the electric sparks that course through my body at her touch, or the concerning way my heart races because of her aggressive behavior.
She freezes, slowly turning her head to look at my grip before finally meeting my gaze.
God, that look. That fucking look right there has my already racing heart rate sending my blood straight to my cock fast enough that I have to physically swallow the urge not to make the wrong move right now.
“One,” she murmurs slowly, and I furrow my brows.
One? What does that even mean? One minute? One chance? One kiss? Please let it be one damn kiss…
“Two.” I tease, unable to suppress a chuckle as I tug her closer to the counter, forcing her to lean over it and into my personal space.
You’d think she’d learn by now, considering all the times she’s challenged me—whether it’s bringing me tea instead of water, which prompts me to waltz toward the kitchen just to assert my dominance and show her I’m not afraid to get it myself, or telling me to leave when I give her more than an average tip, which only leads to me waiting by her car to give her the proper amount. I don’t back down from a challenge.
I lean closer, and just like clockwork, she stands stiff—an unmoving wall refusing to yield. As much as I love my grumpy little rain cloud, I wish she'd smile; she looks like she needs one just as much as I do.
“Dance with me, and then I’ll leave,” I whisper, letting my words fan against her perfectly red-painted lips.
"That's three. You've had your warning. I don't want to hear you crying when they drag you out in cuffs."
She pauses and tugs at her arm. "And this isn't dancing music."
Can’t she just stay still for a moment so I can savor this? This only proves that I need to be careful while pursuing her. She spooks easily; she’s like a bird that fluffs its feathers to appear unafraid when frightened. But I know her, and by God, I’ll be the man she wants.
“For one, I love the idea of cuffs—we should try that sometime,” I say with a laugh. Her eyes widen as I raise my knee to the bar stool and slowly loosen my grip on her wrist. “Two, any music is dancing music.”
“What are you doing?” she huffs, a dusty pink hue filling her cheeks and contradicting the annoyance she’s trying to express. I release her completely, brace my palms on the counter, and effortlessly pull myself up until I’m standing on it.
“Well, I’m going to count in my head to the beat, since numbers seem to be your thing tonight. I might even shake my ass a little to prove that this can indeed be dancing music,” I reply, shrugging my shoulders as I glance up at the ceiling, as if my eyes can help me hear the song better .
“I meant like couple dancing music! Get down!” she screeches, but the pitch doesn’t bother me as I finally recognize the tune—the speakers blast a classic by MKTO as if it’s a private concert. Good thing too, because she’s the only audience I want.
“Come up here and make me!”
I start slow, rolling my hips to the beat, untucking my shirt from my pants since sweat is already sticking to the fabric.
“Where are those cops?” I point at her, grinning, because she’s already laughing—and damn, that laugh? It’s worth making a fool of myself.
I spin, do a mock bow like I’m some tuxedoed crooner, then snap my fingers in time with the chorus.
“I’m too embarrassed to even call them at this point,” her voice mumbles as she covers her face, her cheeks flushed but peeking through her fingers.
My boots slide on the bar top and I nearly eat shit but I recover with a smug little shimmy, dragging my hands down my chest like I’m the sexiest man alive.
“What a shame. I bet they’d join me.” I crank it up with a few stupid moves I haven’t pulled since I was drunk at the first and last karaoke night at Depth—finger guns, exaggerated body rolls, and the worst moonwalk known to man. Raylen doubles over laughing, clutching her waist.
As the song hits the bridge, I slow down, pointing at her like the lyrics were written for her as I sing— “You’re over my head, I’m out of my mind…”
She freezes, her eyes locking onto mine, and for a moment, the room doesn’t feel so empty.
“Come on!” I huff, dropping to my knees through heavy breaths as I extend my hand toward her. She shakes her head and steps back, so I take the chance to reach out again, gripping her bicep.
“No, I’ll get fired!” she yelps as I tug her lush form a little harder.
I could easily pick her up if I wanted to, but I know that thought is as dangerous as the action itself, given how it has me shifting on my knees to alleviate the rush of blood flow going to my cock.
I’d love to feel every soft curve against mine, to memorize the dips and planes she conceals beneath her baggy shirts and loose apron.
I tuck my lip between my teeth and scan her body, debating what to do. Apparently, she picks up on my thought process because she smacks my hand, trying to break free, and snaps, “Stop! You can't lift me.”
I raise an eyebrow and say, “Is that a challenge?”
Without warning or giving her a chance to reply, I lift her onto the bar beside me, wrapping one arm tightly around her waist while my other hand grips her hip.
Raylen's eyes dart between mine, her pouty lips parted in shock. Has no one ever held her like this? Has no one ever picked her up and moved her as she deserves? This woman should be sitting on a throne, with people carrying her and waiting on her at her beck and call, yet she looks at me as if it’s a completely foreign idea.
God damn it. Now I understand how natural it is to fall for someone the way Caspian and Sam did. When there’s a woman right in front of you, looking like a walking dream, you want to do whatever you can to stay in that dreamlike state. I guess Caspian's house makes a little more sense now.
I dip her back.
“You're lucky I’m a gentleman. Typically, a man kisses a woman at this part,”
She shakes her head, her short hair falling toward the floor. “Do it, and I'll put a restraining order on you.”
Despite her words, there’s a smile she can’t fight—whether it’s from all the blood rushing to her head or simply from me, I’m not sure.
“I could only be so lucky to be important enough for you to file a piece of paper to keep us apart,” I muse as I pull her up with a twirl. She bumps into my chest, and I take a moment to focus on her dark lashes fluttering as she stares at her hands, which are firmly placed on my chest.
I have no shame in admitting how hard my heart is racing .
“That wasn’t a compliment,” Her voice is much softer this time, like a whisper of wind before a thundering storm. That only means I’m about to feel her mood shift.
“Now get out, you monster! I have to clean your dirty boot prints!” She playfully jabs at my chest. I tighten my grip on her hip, silently asserting that I'm choosing this, not just following her orders. I don’t mind letting others feel like they're in control, but in the end, it doesn’t matter who it is—I will always hold the power.
Her eyes lock onto mine, shifting from narrow to wide, the green deepening like a forest. I wish she wasn't so guarded; we could escape this miserable world for a while. But she’s different from other women.
I'll need to be patient, sneaking into the darkest corners of her mind until she believes she’s the one making the choice—to fall for me, all of me.
“Okay, okay.” I raise my hands in mock defeat, letting her go.
“I always keep my promises.” Hopping off the bar, I extend my hand toward her. She doesn’t hesitate to take it this time and slips off the counter with me.
“But that doesn’t mean I won’t be back,” I say with a grin, raising my fingers to push a stray strand of red-streaked hair behind her ear. Her head jerks back, but not fast enough for to stop the pad of my thumb from grazing her jaw.
“I figured,” she replies, smacking my hand away. It’s okay; she’ll learn to lean into my touch soon enough instead of pulling away.
I can’t hide my smirk as I backpedal towards the door. “See you soon, sunshine!”
“Hopefully not,” she snaps, rushing around me to open the door. Even though she says it, I know better. Her shoulders are looser than they were when I arrived, and now she won’t look me in the eye, even as she slams and locks the door in my face.
She’s totally into me.
Dragging my tongue over my teeth, I pull out my phone to check Cordelia's message, but one from Caspian pops up over it.
Let’s make a deal. Come back and play some cards with me and Sam, agree to be my best man, and in return, I’ll help you find him.
My smile fades, and my stomach sinks as I realize I've successfully manipulated the one person who deserves the best parts of me into doing exactly what I want.
I knew throwing a tantrum would change his mind; I knew it would make him feel guilty, yet I did it anyway.
Despite the anxiety gnawing at my chest, I can't help but feel a sense of relief—I'm one step closer; I have a deal.
I glance at Raylen through the window. Pursuing her means I’d have to lie daily—something everyone has done to me.
I refuse to play by society's rules; she deserves to know the truth.
But I need to figure this out without facing the consequences.
As the colonel's brother, I’d risk my job and my life.
My team would stand by me, but bending the rules could unleash chaos if another faction found out.
God, I don’t even want to think about how Caspian would react.
I have plenty of time for everything, though. I can perfect a transition so subtle that neither she nor my task force will even notice. I can handle hiding the truth from everyone, including her, for a little while. It'll be just like wearing one of my many masks.
This will also give her time to accept that I’m exactly what she needs: a little nightmare for her perfect dreams.
I grin as I walk past the battered silver hunk of junk she drives. As her official, unofficial boyfriend, my first priority is to ensure her safety, which is why I don’t hesitate to slip a tracker under the fender.
While I may not have the time to do everything I want, I can start with the most important tasks: keeping the world in check, getting my brother married, and watching over my little ray of sunshine.