Kissing Her(4)

“Are you alone?” I ask, and when she nods I want to curse. Why is she being so unsafe? “You shouldn’t have come on your own.”

It sounds like I’m scolding her, but I can’t help it.

“I know. I had dinner and then I smelled the churros and I got excited.” She shrugs like this is the only acceptable answer.

“Well, you should be more careful.” I look around when we get to a nearby garage. “Where did you park?”

“Over there,” she says and points to a dark corner of the lot.

I curse under my breath as I step closer to her and we walk over to it. It would be all too easy for someone to pick her off and take her back to this very spot. When we get to her car I look around and don’t see any lights or cameras. She opens her bag and stands there digging for her keys for what feels like forever. Does she not know anything about being safe? How has she not gotten herself killed yet?

“Can I give you a ride?” she asks, looking up at me.

“You shouldn't offer rides to strangers,” I scold again, and her gaze drops to the ground. “Shit, I’m sorry,” I say, and I feel like I kicked a puppy. “I just mean that you should be more careful.”

“Sorry,” she mumbles, and I step forward.

“It’s okay, yeah, you can give me a lift,” I say, and her eyes meet mine. “I’d appreciate it.”

I could walk home from here to my condo, but maybe I’ll have her take me out to my house. I’m worried about leaving her alone and who might swoop in and try to hurt her. It would give me more time with her this way and right now that’s what I’m after.

“What’s your name?”

She tugs down the front of her scarf and reveals her full lips. “Bee,” she says, and even in the dark I can see her cheeks are pink. “Like a bumblebee.”

“I can see that,” I say as I reach out and touch a lock of her honey-colored hair. It matches her eyes and for a moment I wonder if she tastes like it, too.

“What’s your name?” she whispers as she bites her bottom lip.

“Me?” I say, taking a step closer. “My friends call me Ragnar.”

“Is that what you want me to call you?” she says. She has to lean back a little to look up at me.

“Yeah,” I say softly when I think about hearing her say it.

She nods and then drops her keys to the ground as her hands fumble with them. I wait for her to pick them up and then unlock the car. I reach out and grab the driver’s door and open it for her as she gets in.

There’s a single second when I could close this door and walk away from her. I could leave her unsoiled and innocent as fresh snow, but I’ve never done the right thing.

Instead, I close the door and walk around to the passenger side and get in. She’s mine now.





Chapter Three





Bee





“Turn here,” he tells me, and his deep voice fills the inside of the car.

I never thought the inside of this car was small, but with him in it it’s tiny. When he points which way to go, my eyes catch a glimpse of a tattoo that peeks out from under his coat. It’s too dark to see what it is, but it doesn't stop me from trying.

“Eyes on the road, Bee.” His voice is stern, but I hear a trace of masked humor in it.

I bite my lip, feeling my whole face heat up, and do as I’m told. I make the turn and try to keep my eyes on the road and not glance over at him. I’m clearly not good at hiding it and I hope he lives far away. I don’t want the ride to be over too quickly. What will happen when I stop? Will he get out of the car and then that’s it? I’ll never know what the tattoo is and my stomach aches thinking about never seeing him again. I lick my lips, feeling hungry for something else now. I just ate more than a person my size should be able to, but still there’s an ache in the pit of my stomach.

“And here.” He motions for me to turn again into a neighborhood. The houses are cookie-cutter. It’s so much like the place I grew up in, but ours is a little more dated. These all look new and I didn't even know they were here. I don’t know why it disappoints me that he lives here. My eyes flick to his hand to see if he has a ring on his finger and I’m relieved when I see it’s bare. These look like family homes, which is odd for an unmarried man. I can assume he doesn't have a wife, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have someone else.

“Keep going.” I glance at him and he’s smirking. Somehow I think he knows all the things I’m thinking. I look straight ahead and I can see up ahead the neighborhood ends and a long, empty road continues. The street is lined with lush trees and there are signs of spring trying to push through.

We ride in silence, but I can feel his eyes on me while I drive. It takes everything in me not to fidget in my seat under his gaze. I’m not used to having all the attention on me. Melina always makes sure it’s on her. I’m okay with it that way, but right now I’m enjoying having his attention all to myself. It’s only the two of us and it feels nice.

As the minutes tick by and we drive farther out of the city, I open my mouth to ask where we are headed, but just as soon as I do I see a giant gate ahead of us. I start to slow as he pulls out his phone and presses a few buttons. The large, thick, iron gates swing open for us and I drive through.