Addison (The Mitchell/Healy Family #6)(18)

“You have to trust me.” I wanted her to.

“I barely know you.”

“You can tie my hands behind my back.” When she didn’t seem amused, I changed the stakes. “If you don’t have fun I promise I’ll find another ride to all the meetings. I’ll never ask you for anything else again. I seriously don’t have anyone to hang out with. Joe is a tool, and I’m already bored as shit. I’m not planning on going out to score. That’s not me. I know it was a shit decision to get hooked on the pills. I’m clean now, and it’s going to stay that way. Instead of being two addicts, how about we’re two normal people for once? Please, will you just spend one damn afternoon with me?”

“I’ll do it, as friends only. If you can promise me that, I’ll agree. If you make one move, I’m done.”

I let out an air-filled chuckle. “It’s a deal.”

I wasn’t happy about not being able to flirt, but somehow I didn’t think it would matter. I’d show Addison a good time, and hopefully she’d want to do it again. If she didn’t I’d back off, because I wasn’t desperate.

One way or another I was going to make this woman see what was happening right in front of her na?ve face.





Chapter 7


Addison


We’d been driving for nearly twenty minutes, and now we were going down a dirt road surrounded by thick vegetation. “If you’re taking me someplace to kill me, I’ll have you know I can fight. I carry a taser too.”

He laughed, throwing his head back like he couldn’t control his amusement. “I’m not going to kill you. You’re way too pretty to waste.”

“Oh, that’s supposed to make me feel better?”

He pointed to an opening in the road. “Turn left up here.”

When I did so, I noticed a bunch of cars parked. Some people were standing behind an old pickup truck with the tailgate lowered. Inside was a cooler.

“What is this place?”

“It’s a secret spot. There’s a large lake down that hill over there.” He was pointing again to show me.

“How come I’ve never heard of it?” I asked.

“Probably because you’ve never had to leave your property for a good time. I’m sure your fancy school friends didn’t hang out in places like this. This is where the poor kids spend their summers.”

I felt strange when he explained it that way, almost like I was too good to know a place like this existed, because I was privileged and he wasn’t. I’d never throw my families wealth in someone’s face. It hurt me that he would. “It’s not true, you know. I don’t differentiate myself from other people. I feel we’re all equal, especially in the end.”

“You never cease to amaze me.” He quickly opened the door and exited the vehicle. “Hurry up, we’re wasting time.”

I climbed out slowly, wondering why he’d take me to a swimming spot with no bathing suits. “If you think for one second I’m swimming in the nude you have another thing coming.”

He hunched over and pointed again, this time to the group of teenagers. They were looking at me like I was crazy. When I peered over the hill I saw everyone was in bathing suits or fully clothed. No one was naked. Leave it to me to assume it would be some kind of nudist group. I shook my head and felt like an idiot. “My bad.”

He walked over to the young group of people standing around drinking beer. “Hey, man.” He addressed one particular guy. “Have y’all been here long?”

“Yeah, dude. We were about to bounce.”

“I’ll give you twenty bucks for two waters and one of those blankets you’ve got thrown in the back.”

“Twenty bucks?” The young guy verified the amount. He looked to his girlfriend who just shrugged. “Yeah, f*ck it. Less shit I’ve got to take back.” The female fetched us two cold waters out of a cooler and handed them to Cole, while the male reached in the truck bed and grabbed the blanket. “Here ya go.”

Cole pulled a twenty out of his wallet and handed it over. “Thanks, man.”

When he turned back to me he lifted his arm for me to latch onto so I wouldn’t fall walking down the steep hill. It was the first time we’d touched in this way, and as reluctant as I was, it was impressive at the same time. I wrapped my arm inside of his and held on tight, focusing on where we were headed instead of the strong, irresistible man I was holding on to.

Once we made it to flat ground he spread the blanket. “Don’t get any ideas. This thing has probably seen a little too much action.”

“Eww. That’s disgusting.”

“Just sit down.” While he said it he pulled his shirt over his head. My mouth dropped, literally, as I sat there watching every single psychical attribute coming to life. He was so defined. I silently wondered what it would be like to run my hands up his strong chest, what it would feel like to dig my nails into his pecks as he brought me ecstasy. “Addison. Hello? Up here.” Embarrassingly enough, he was waving for me to pay attention. How was I supposed to respond? He’d caught me checking him out again.

I cleared my throat. “Sorry. Your tattoos are distracting,” I lied.

He fell down beside me and opened a bottle of water. “Yeah, I’m sure that’s what you were seeing.”