“Bye, daddy. Have a great weekend. I’ll see you Tuesday.”
“Yes, of course. As always, it was a pleasure, Miss Troy.”
I nodded in response and finished packing my belongings after dressing and leaving the room.
I walked to the elevator and as soon as the doors shut behind me was the first real breath I took.
Woot!
I didn’t think about Gage the entire two hours. It was really hard, but I finished without coming like a madwoman.
I always controlled what happened during a session. Thankfully it wasn’t hard for me to do this time. Especially seeing him here.
Seeing him tonight though? How did he come to be at this hotel the same time I was? There was no way he could be following me.
No. Of course he didn’t. I would’ve known if I was followed. He called me Sarah. He was with someone else and he was genuinely surprised to see me when he first looked at me.
It’s been two hours; hopefully he was gone already. Gage was with someone else, he should be gone. Probably with her.
Was I jealous? Nope. Not really.
Not really? I was not jealous. I repeat. Not jealous.
I shook my head and tried to forget all about Gage as I exited the elevator and made my way outside to hail a cab back to the parking garage around the corner. You wear four inch heels and walk a half mile. Uh. I don’t think so. I nodded to the doorman and all he ever said was ‘goodnight, Miss. Troy, have a pleasant evening.’
He never said it with anything other than professionalism and ease. I didn’t hear any condemnation in his voice or contempt.
Hailing the cab was easy and I could rest easy for the weekend. I gave the cabbie his money and a generous tip before getting out. I began walking inside the garage when I heard the growling roar of an engine, scaring the ever living hell out of me. I turned my head to see a monster truck pull up to the curb. I couldn’t see inside, but the truck wasn’t moving. The truck jerked slightly as it shut off and the door was opening.
My hand went into my bag and my thumb flicked open the lid on the can of mace I now kept in my purse at all times. I backed up, ready to burn this bastards eyes and fling my killer heels at the guy before making a run towards my car when a pair of boots hit the ground. Dirty, brown, cowboy boots and boot cut jeans. He stepped from behind the door and into the light.
Holy fuck me shit. My ovaries exploded.
“Gage?”
“Firecracker.”
Agh! Get your head out of the gutter. Your ovaries are fine, dammit. But you’ve got to be kidding me. He waited for me?
“What are you doing here?”
“Making sure you got out of there alive.”
“Ha.” I shook my head and turned away. I got out of there alive alright. Who did he think he was? My fucking keeper? I felt like growling. I fisted my hands and turned away. Maybe not the wisest idea but something about this guy just riled me up. And I never got riled up.
I made it to the entrance when I felt him close in behind me. My heart raced and I tried turning quickly to mace him in the face when of course, my heels evidently didn’t fucking agree with my plan because I twisted wrong and fell forward. But not before he reached out for my arms to catch me but not soon enough before I felt my ankle twist and I yelped out in pain.
I clutched onto his biceps and tears sprang to my eyes when he swept me easily into his arms. I held on tight as he carried me to the driver’s side of the truck and lifted me so I sat on the warm leather of the driver’s seat.
Wow, this was super comfy.
I wasn’t paying attention to what he was doing but when Gage tried taking off the heel, the slightest touch made me whimper out with pain.
“I’m so sorry, baby. I need to take off the heel. You are not going to be able to walk with these fucking death traps. Just take a deep breath, Sarah.”
Hearing him say that name made me cringe. I hated it. I didn’t want him to say that name.
“Sarah? Take a deep breath, honey.”
I nodded and when I did, he gently but quickly removed the shoe and with only a small squeak of pain. I looked down to see the beginning of a swollen ankle forming.
Fucking great. If this shit didn’t heal by Monday, I was going to be severely fucking pissed. I had three appointments at the beginning of the week before I had a five day weekend from SBS. Of course I was going to wait tables in the morning but with a swollen and twisted ankle I didn’t know now.
Fucking asshole.
“This is all your fucking fault, asshole.”
“Easy, honey. I know the pain is making you angry.”
“Listen, Gage. This is all your fault. If I’m not better by Monday, you will seriously fucking owe me some green.”
“Oh, yeah, babe? How much will I set you back if you can’t get back to work?”
“At least five grand.”
“Five grand?” He whistled before giving me a small smile. “Tell you what, if you can’t make it to your next appointment, or appointments, I’ll give you five grand.”
I narrowed my eyes when he emphasized appointments and I knew a small growl filtered through my throat.
“Is that so? And what’s in it for you, huh Gage?”
“Nothing.”
He was turning my foot this way and that with surprisingly gentle movements that didn’t shoot lightning sharp pain up my leg. Gently massaging around the swelling ankle with the rough pads of his thumb.
“We need to put ice on this.”
“I’ll take care of it when I get home, but thank you anyway.”
He gently lifted my leg so I could get a better look at it. Oh God. It was red and puffy. I was really going to be out some money. I did not want to have to reschedule appointments. My eyes flared up to his and I knew my jaw was tight and I was looking at him with all the anger I could muster.
“I swear I could kill you right now. With these said death traps too.”
“Honey, if we don’t get some ice on this now, it will not be better by Sunday. Here.” He shifted his hand behind my back and the other under my thighs and twisted me, moving me to the middle of the truck.
“What the hell are you doing?”
He didn’t answer me when he climbed up into the truck and settled in next to me.
“What the fuck are you doing? I’m not going anywhere with you! Are you absolutely crazy?”
Gage didn’t look at me but stared straight out of the front window. His bright gaze focused on something that wasn’t there. What was his problem?
“Hey! I’m talking to you, asshole. Put me back on the ground. I can take care of myself. Like I need a man to take care of me. Ha! Useless. Every single fucking one of you.”
I moved to the passenger side when he shut his door and put the truck in drive.
“You’re kidnapping me? Oh, my God.” I reached into my purse and grabbed my mace and I was about to turn it on him when he yanked it from my hand and tossed it in the back seat. “You’re fucking crazy. I’m calling the police.” He reached out towards me and I shoved myself all the way to the passenger seat. “Don’t fucking touch me!”
He turned back straight and said with a gentleness I didn’t think he’d have right now. “I only want to help, firecracker. I would never hurt you.”
“Ha. Want to know how many times I’ve heard that before?”
He took a few deep breaths before turning my way. His eyes were gentle as he looked over me.
“Let me help you. Let’s get some ice on your ankle. There’s an IHOP around the corner. That’ll be best right now. You most likely won’t be able to walk on it this soon anyway. Please, trust me.”
“I don’t trust anyone.”
“Then let me be a Good Samaritan. I made this happen, let me correct it.”
Ugh. It really was throbbing something bad. I didn’t want to have to cancel and reschedule all those appointments. I hated getting off track. I wanted to get the appointments out of the way.
“Fine. But you stay right there. I don’t need your help right now.”
He nodded, giving me a sweet smile before reaching over me.
“HEY! What did I just say, asshole?”
“Easy, honey.” He reached just beside me and grabbed the seatbelt, easing it over my shoulder and lap.
“I could have done that. I don’t need a fucking keeper.”
“Damn, you have such a sassy mouth, firecracker.”
“Fuck off.”
He laughed and belted himself in. “Being belligerent isn’t helping your cause either, babe.”
“I am not your babe, dammit.”
“Okay, firecracker.”
“My name is Sarah. Use it.”
I didn’t want to hear him use that husky, honeyed voice calling me that name but him calling me endearments was making me feel weird. And I didn’t do weird. I don’t like it.
“I don’t like that name.” He said in that deep, dark drawl he had.
Something inside me cracked again. But still. I wasn’t about to tell him my real name. Ha. I wasn’t an idiot. What was I saying? Of course I was. I was still in this fucking monster vehicle with him.
“Well, that’s my name, Gage.”
Gage had an easy smile and he drove carefully as he turned and twisted to get to where we were going.
“I like firecracker better. I’ll use that.”
“Whatever.”
“I knew you’d see it my way.”
I snorted and shook my head.
“You have some serious issues, asshole.”
His threw his head back laughing before quickly putting his eyes back on the road.
“Firecracker, that’s not the first time someone has said that to me.”
“Where’s your girlfriend?”
He looked at me sharply and crunched his eyebrows. “Girlfriend? What girlfriend?”
“Forgot her already? The stunning blonde beauty from earlier?”
Laughter rang free again as he shook his head. “You’re cute. That was my sister. Half-sister.”
“What, daddy Swift knock up someone other than your mom? Big surprise there, hotshot.”
The laughter died and a serious, almost bitter expression came over Gage’s face. Somehow it made me feel contrite.
“Gage?”
“You’re right. It’s not surprising that a scumbag like him finds woman after woman and doesn’t do the first woman right. He’s lower than dirt. However, I foiled his plans to get with you, so I call that a win-win for me.”
We pulled into IHOP and he turned the truck off.
“Yeah? Why’s that?”
Instead of responding, he winked at me, got out of the truck and walked around front. He looked so good like this. So…normal. It didn’t mean anything though. He was still a rich man’s spoiled little baby. Even if his views on his father were less than appealing.
He opened the door and crossed his arm over me to unlock the belt. He took off my other heel and then moved away, opening the back door. I heard a zipper move and I was suspicious until he brought around a pair of socks and Nike slip-ons.
“Uh, what are you doing?”
“I’m not letting you walk barefoot out here. That’s silly.” That was all he said as he turned me to the side, letting my feet dangle from the truck. He eased the socks over my feet, going over my swelling ankle very carefully. “There we go.”
He reached around me and lifted me easily and with great care out of the truck.
“Thanks.”
That came out so weird, but I didn’t want to be rude. At least not right now.
“Welcome. Now, I’m going to gently ease you down and see how you settle on your feet.”
When he did, holy shit. A whimper shot out from my lips and he supported my weight, but still let me try to walk. It was only a few steps to the front door, but I couldn’t take it. My ankle hurt too much.
“Gage.” I hated that it came out like a weak whimper but it couldn’t be helped. My ankle throbbed like a bitch.
He seemed to know because without a second thought, he picked me up and carried me the rest of the way inside.
“Let’s get some ice on your ankle and if you want, let’s grab something to eat. I’m starving.”
“You ate at the restaurant!”
“Firecracker. I was only meeting my sister for a while. We had a few drinks and an appetizer that cost an arm and a leg before I took her back to her dorm. Then I came back to the hotel in hopes you hadn’t left yet. And I’m always hungry. I’m a growing boy, you know.”
I laughed out loud and rolled my eyes.
“Whatever, Gage.”
“Eat with me?”
I shrugged my shoulders and didn’t say anything. I could eat, I guess. Besides it gave me time to look at him. And I felt stupid thinking that, but that girly part of me that wanted to stare at him like a love-struck teenager was excited.
My heart began to feel weird. I rubbed my chest and he quickly asked if I was okay.
I said yes, but no. Everything wasn’t okay. I felt…different. And I didn’t know if I liked it.