Chapter Ten

Chase

She was sitting beside me in my jeep with her hands in her lap. She had raced inside after returning home to change into something more comfortable. It turned out to be a pair of tight form-fitting jeans and a white sweater. I had a feeling she wasn’t wearing a bra. I was trying to determine if there was the slightest hint of a panty line through her jeans.

“I wasn’t able to make any headway with the IP address. Apparently, anyone can learn to track an IP address off Google but this one was encrypted. Unfortunately, I had to bite the bullet and go down and personally discuss this matter with Ethan.” I didn’t specifically tell her not to if something weird was going on with the IP address and that was on me.

“I don’t know how comfortable I am about involving somebody I don’t know.” If things worked out, I might have to consider using him to find out who sent the letter attached to the scorpion’s claw.

“I know we have been intimate with each other, but going with you to your home seems like a risk. I don’t get anything resembling a bad feeling about you. It could be what we did together is clouding my judgment.” I could easily reach out and touch her inappropriately.

I was determined to keep her as far away from me as possible. Being thrown together was asking for trouble. Keeping things platonic was the best way to prevent things from getting complicated. It wasn’t easy with the intense heat between us.

I weaved through the back roads with my hands instinctively knowing where the hairpin turns were. The knobby tires and the four-wheel drive made short work of the sloppy conditions. There was no snow in the city, but at this altitude, accumulation was more than possible. The change in temperature was dramatic and whatever rain had soaked the city streets can turn into ice fairly quickly.

“I don’t even know how you can see what you’re doing. I have to close my eyes and hope we don’t end up flying off the side of the cliff.” My place was off the beaten track away from the prying eyes of others.

“I should’ve considered this before issuing the invitation to join me at my place. I actually find driving during inclement weather to be soothing. It forces you to be alert, and I have the good sense to be driving in something known for its safety.” I loved the outdoors and found comfort in the sounds of nature. This was the first real storm of the year.

“I’m probably going to need a stiff one when we get there.” I smiled and then I felt her punching me in the arm. “I don’t mean that kind of stiff one. I know what you’re thinking and it’s written on your face. For a man who prides himself on keeping secrets, I can see through you like a cheap suit.” I handled the adverse conditions like a seasoned pro.

There were moments where I found myself sliding and I took my foot off the gas without panicking. I turned the steering wheel calmly shifting into a lower gear to find the traction on the side of the road. I kept my eye on the rear-view mirror. There was a pair of headlights that had been there from the moment I had left the city.

I sped up and slowed down finding the vehicle keeping pace with me. She had no idea we had a tail and there was no way I was going to take her to my place without losing him first. It was a good thing I knew the area like the back of my hand. There were several different makeshift roads. Nobody really knew they were there without personal knowledge.

“I’m going to need you to hold onto something. Make sure your seatbelt is securely fastened. This might be a bumpy ride.” I turned the corner and then veered off the road heading for a copse of trees which essentially was able to hide us from the road.

“I thought we were going to crash. My life flashed before my eyes.” I turned off the engine with the lights extinguished long enough to hear the vehicle passing without slowing down.

From the angle of the turn, the snow bank would hide the tracks from oncoming cars. I got out and quickly moved through the trees using my glove to shield my face from the falling snow from the branches. I got to the road and could see his tail lights a few yards ahead. He had stopped and was attempting to turn around.

I raced back and jumped into the driver’s seat with my gloved hands holding onto the steering wheel. I was on an old logging road which was going to take us right along the path to the back side of my property.

“Don’t you think you might be a little paranoid?” It was only paranoid if somebody wasn’t out to get me.

“It’s not unreasonable to take precautions when we don’t know who we can trust.” It could’ve been innocent, but I had two good reasons to think otherwise.

There was no way for whoever was tailing me to find the road in the pitch-black conditions. With the snow coming down it would be virtually impossible to find the road which was barely two tire tracks. I felt a little bit more secure. Taking evasive action was necessary to keep them from finding their way to my doorstep. Not even Mason had any idea of where I resided. I liked my privacy and I had made too many enemies in my past to think they wouldn’t come after me one day.

“I still think you went overboard, but I bow to your expertise in this matter.” Gail was white knuckling the dashboard and breathing heavily like she was in labor.

I began whistling making her believe there was nothing to worry about. It was a tactic I had used when soldiers were at their wit’s end. Soldiers never knew when provisions and reinforcements were going to show up.

Her breathing evened out and she smiled despite the fact that we were in the middle of nowhere without a compass. I knew exactly where I was going and how best to navigate the snowy terrain.

“I made a mistake by bringing you up here, but we can’t go back. This weather will pass quickly. It always does. I have a generator and a wood stove.” Her leather jacket with fur lining around the top was open.

The heat did nothing to keep her nipples from being on high beams. They were poking quite noticeably through her sweater making my lips desperate to have a taste of them. I remembered last night vividly and could bring to mind her naked body by taking off each individual item she had on. It was an easy exercise when I had already seen her unencumbered by clothes.

“Are you undressing me with your eyes?” She seemed perturbed and I shrugged my shoulders to give no definitive answer to her query. “I can’t believe you can think about sex at a time like this.” She pulled her jacket closed and zipped it up to her neck.

“It won’t help and I can picture you naked anytime I want. You forget, I did orally please you and I know your body like a blind man does Braille.” I was dangerously close to getting on her last nerve by poking fun at her.

“I can do the same thing.” She stared at my crotch trying to make me feel like she was picturing me without my pants and failing miserably.

Her attention awakened one piece of my anatomy that had been lying dormant all this time. It rose from the ashes of my previous orgasm to stretch to its full potential down the left side of my leg. She gasped and turned away as if she was disgusted by my behavior.

“You may not know this, but it sometimes has a mind of its own. I can’t be held responsible for how it reacts when in close quarters with you.” I flexed the bulge a few times to make my pants rise and fall.

“Do you really have to do that?” I cocked my head to the side with indifference.

“I don’t have to, but it’s fun to see your eyes grow big as saucers.” I laughed with no regard for her feelings.

It was a callous thing to do, but it was all part of the dance we were trying to learn the steps to. I felt it was necessary to keep her on her guard. She could despise me, but her instincts would be awakened to keep her alert to anything out of the ordinary.