CHAPTER THREE
Millie
Hate wasn’t a word I used often, but Drew was going to make me use it soon. The man tested my limits and scared the hell out of me while doing it.
“Shut your headlights off once you get close to the driveway. I don’t want Daddy”— or Drew, for that matter—“knowing I’m leaving,” I whispered into the speaker of my cell phone. Yeah, I was old enough to come and go as I pleased, but Daddy didn’t like us drinking, and I didn’t like worrying him, so it was easier this way.
“Mill, if your dad finds out he will never let us hang out again.” Rae was a nervous wreck, and her anxiety over my daddy finding out made me laugh.
“Oh, stop. You’re going to give yourself gray hair.” I snickered and exhaled as I slipped from my bedroom, the door creaking only slightly. I could feel sweat forming on my brow. It had never been this painstakingly difficult to sneak out before, but with Mr. Brooding downstairs, it was a lot harder to do things around here.
“I’m going to hang up. I’ll meet you at the end of the driveway,” Rae whispered as if she needed to be quiet too.
“K.” I sucked in a nervous breath before hanging up. Knots filled my belly as I descended the stairs. My daddy’s snores echoed down the hallway. I tiptoed down a few more steps before pausing at the bottom. Drew’s bedroom door was downstairs and right off the living room.
Who cares what he thinks; it’s not like he can stop you.
The idea of him trying was a major turn-on though. I sneaked past his door, holding my breath as I made my way through the living room and into the kitchen. I was so close to escaping the house I could taste it. Slipping my feet into my brown boots, I didn’t notice the creaking of the wood floor behind me.
“Shhh…” Drew’s honeyed voice filled my ears as his hand covered my mouth in one swift move, stopping the scream that was building in my throat from escaping. I could feel his hard frame against my backside and my thundering heartbeat in my ears. I decided then that I wasn’t letting this brute of a man control me.
I opened my mouth, tasting the saltiness of his skin against my tongue. The taste shot through me and slammed into my core. God his hand was so big, and his body was possessing mine.
I squeezed my eyes shut and bit down as hard as I could, letting the relief flood me as he released me, giving me the chance to escape.
“Fucking Christ.” Drew’s angry voice filtered into my ears as I shoved through the screen door, letting it slam behind me. I ran full sprint with everything in me, my boots crunching against the gravel as I hustled down the driveway.
“Millie…” A deep growl ripped from Drew’s throat and pleasure filled my veins. It was such a strange feeling to be chased by a man that you wanted but didn’t all at the same time.
“Slow down. I don’t want to hurt you.” I could hear the sincerity in his voice, but I didn’t slow down. Air rushed into my lungs as I upped my pace. It didn’t take but a second for Drew’s much longer legs to catch up to my shorter ones, and just like that, I was being pushed to the grassy ground in the ditch.
My knees slammed into the grass first and I put my hands out in front of me to slow down my momentum. It was then that a scream ripped from my own throat. Drew chose that moment to roll me over, forcing me to face him. There was nowhere to run, not with his large body hovering over mine.
“You drew blood, you little brat,” he sneered, and though it was dark, I could see the creases from the scowl that was marring his features.
“You scared me and tried to stop me. Who does that?” The words rushed out of me as I mimicked his scowl of displeasure.
“I do when there’s a certain someone trying to sneak out.” Drew’s manly scent filled my nostrils. He smelled like sweat, masculinity, and there was a faint scent of sandalwood.
“I’m an adult. Now get off me. I’m leaving,” I grumbled, pushing against his solid shoulder. I couldn’t move him, not even if I put as much force as possible into the push.
“Where the hell do you think you’re goin’?” he asked with a deep, stern voice.
“Wherever the hell I damn well please,” I muttered out while attempting to catch my breath. My chest was heaving, my mouth was going dry. I’d never wanted something I couldn’t have more than what I did right now.
The sounds of the crickets off in the distance and the light breeze blowing, paired with his strong body over the top of mine, along with his sweat glistening from the moonlight, all heightened the tension of the moment.
I wanted to rub my hands all over his body and give him the most sacred piece of me, but I couldn’t. Not when I couldn’t even stand this asshole.
“Get off of me, Drew!” I demanded in a stern whisper.
“Not until you tell me where you’re headed.” He spat off to the side, his gaze shooting back to mine.
“How is it any of your damn business? You ain’t my boss, and you sure as shit ain’t my daddy,” I growled. He leaned in closer; his nose was a mere centimeter from mine.
“I ain’t your daddy, but I will tell him that you snuck out if you don’t tell me where the hell it is you’re running off to.”
Car lights beamed down the driveway
Rae. My lifesaver.
She shut off her headlights as instructed, the dim orange parking lights reflecting back at us as she pulled slowly down the drive. The only issue now was that I was being held hostage in the damn ditch and she wouldn’t ever see me unless she was looking for me down here.
“Get the hell off me right now! I’m goin’ to a bonfire with my best friend, and that’s her pullin’ down the drive, so, let me up!” My voice cracked in frustration and the asshole smiled. He literally fucking grinned, and the worst part was I couldn’t take my eyes off that grin of his. There was something about him that further spread the fire inside me.
The pressure of his body eased off mine, and I missed the heat immediately. “See, darlin’. It wasn’t that hard, was it?” He extended a hand to help me up, but I shrugged it off. I didn’t want him thinking I couldn’t help myself.
I shoved off the grass, giving him my back, my dress riding up from the interaction. While I was in the process of adjusting it, he twirled me around, my eyes dancing across the starry night sky. He pulled me into his broad, firm chest and gripped my shoulders.
“Don’t be doin’ anything foolish, you hear me?” I failed to find a smart-ass reply. I swallowed hard and gained my composure.
“You better get back to the house. Daddy usually has his workers up at three-thirty in the morning getting ready for the day, and since you’re nothing more than a worker, you should probably run along,” I sneered. I wanted him to know where he stood with me, and it would be easier this way. I could fight off the attraction better if I thought of him being some lowlife, even if he wasn’t.
The air left my lungs as he gripped me gently by my upper arm. “I should take you over my knee for talking to me and behaving so fucking horribly. A beautiful girl like you out at this kind of night… Anything could happen.” I could feel my heart thudding against my rib cage.
Was he warning me about others or himself?
“Millie…” Rae whisper-yelled from the Jeep as if she was just seeing me, and I hadn’t been standing here for the last ten minutes arguing with Drew the caveman.
“Just a second, Rae!” I hollered over my shoulder, and my eyes darted back to Drew. I would have to get rid of him before I could leave.
“I ain’t scared, not of anything,” I hissed standing on my tiptoes while leaning into his face. His scruff covered jaw tightened as if he was holding back some type of anger. Good, if he was angry, maybe he would leave.
“Well you should be, because a man like me out in the dark with a girl like you ain’t safe. You’re far too sweet and naive to know, sweetness, but you should’ve already started running by now.” I licked my lips, heat pooling between my thighs.
This was crazy, and I didn’t have the time to let my hormones speak for me. Even though I was attracted to this crazy man, I wasn’t dumb enough to act on that attraction.
Was I?
“You don’t scare me. Now go the fuck away.” I turned on the heels of my boots and headed toward the Jeep, praying he would let this shit end right here. If he tried anything else, so help me…
“I don’t…? Then why did your eyes grow big at the thought of me taking you out here in the dark? Why did your tiny breaths start coming out in pants?” I couldn’t see him, but if I turned around, I was sure his eyes would be black pools of obsidian.
“You want me, you just don’t want to admit it.”
I squeezed my eyes shut and willed the man away. “I don’t want you, and I ain’t scared of you or anyone else.” I was seconds away from being in the Jeep and away from this asshole.
“Well, if that’s so, then you won’t mind if I tag along. I could use a drink or five after dealing with your ass.” I clenched my fists at his comment.
“I do mind, actually.” A growl emitted from my throat.
“Oh, well, that sucks, darlin’. ‘Cause if I ain’t goin’, then neither are you.” I could hear the amusement lacing his words.
This asshole. I should’ve known he wouldn’t go away.
Sighing in defeat, I gripped the door handle and noticed Rae’s concerned expression reflecting back at me through the Jeep window.
“Whatever,” I whispered as I opened the door and slipped into the front seat.
This was not my idea of fun.