Page 50 of No One But You

He grabbed my head and pulled me up to his lips and pressed them against mine, hard and desperate.

My pulse raced. He swept me into his arms and deposited me on the bed before I could object—though I wouldn’t have. He stripped off my tank top and my pants. My body was so ready for him, and as his eyes raked over me, anticipation filled me with excitement.

“I’m staying tonight.” His voice was thick and so masculine. He brushed his hand over my breast and down my body.

My skin tingled at his touch.

“I want you, Kora,” he said, his eyes filled with desire. “Do you want me?”

My heart strummed hard against my chest. “Yes, Kai. I’m yours. I’m all yours.” I melted into his kiss.

Chapter 19

Kai

Damn, life was good. It had been a long day, and I was finally on my way back to the hair salon. They were planning on moving into the space tomorrow, so one last coat of paint, and I could call it a night.

I was exhausted but had nothing to complain about. My boss, Christian Warren, gave me an on-site promotion. I heard from Sebastian—he had been promoted too—and Susie sent me a text. She was asked to work summer school for the reading program. Everything was good, and when I added in the weekend with Kora, life seemed about perfect.

Kora and I texted occasionally throughout the day, which was new for me. I couldn’t remember the last time I anticipated talking with a woman. Kora had a lot planned this week with a field day Thursday and only teachers at school Friday. Then she wouldn’t have any excuses to not spend time with me. She’d have nothing but time all summer. Maybe I could take some time off. Go visit her father with her.

I shook my head to get these crazy thoughts to go away. But then, last night popped into my head, and my blood started pooling in my crotch. The things she did to me and the way she felt and tasted . . .

Enough. This wasn’t the time for those thoughts. I needed to get the walls painted, not hop in a cold shower as soon as I got back to the salon. Think of something else. I turned the radio up and sang at the top of my lungs to classic rock.

It was late when I pulled off the interstate and entered the Orlinda Valley city limits. Most things were closed, and even Jerry’s Pub was empty. It was Monday night. Nothing to do. I turned right into the back of the salon’s lot and was greeted by a police car. “What the hell?”

I jumped out. “Can I help you?”

The policeman held out his hand. His badge said Pierson. I shook his hand.

“Kai, correct?” Officer Pierson asked.

I was on guard. I’d never had a good rapport with the law. In my experience, they never seemed to be very helpful when I needed their services. I nodded, reserved.

“I’m Patrick. It seems as if you took my place in the cornhole tournament.”

Patrick, Bryson’s friend. my shoulders relaxed. “Yes. Patrick. I haven’t had the privilege of meeting you yet. No one mentioned you were an officer.”

“Yeah, well, one negative thing about working in a small town, you’re not taken very seriously by friends.” He hooked his fingers through his belt loops. “Anyway, we picked up an older gentleman for public intoxication and disturbing the peace, and he said he knew you.”

My brows lifted. Why would anyone say they knew me? I shook my head, totally confused. “I’ve only been here a few weeks. I don’t know why someone would say they knew me.” Then it hit me. Like a slug to the gut. He found me. I couldn’t run far enough. But it can’t be.

“Does the name Terry Lawson mean anything to you?”

Holy fuck. I closed my eyes and dipped my head. How did he find me? I puffed out a deep breath and linked my hands behind my head. Relax and breathe. “Yeah. Why?” I didn’t want to hear what Patrick had to say. There was no possible way my father followed me here. I made sure to cover my tracks. Orlinda Valley was to be my hiding place. My refuge. A place no one would find me unless I wanted them to.

“We have him down at the station. He didn’t know your number but told us your name. He knew you were here somewhere.”

I lifted my face to the sky. The stars were out in abundance. It wasn’t something I would have noticed in Atlanta, but here, where there weren’t as many lights as in a city, it was easy to see. I wished I could have enjoyed it. “What do I need to do?” I said under my breath. My shoulders already seemed heavy with the extra burden Terry always brought.

“We’d like to keep him for the night, but if you could come by the station in the morning, you could pick him up and post bail.”

“Dammit!” I breathed out hard and paced. It’s happening again. I just got a promotion and need to take time off work to deal with my father. This was not okay. “What if I don’t? What if I choose not to post bail or acknowledge his presence?”

“He’ll have to stay. Trevor’s going to press charges. He did some damage at the pub.”

“Shit. Of course, he did.” I could feel my blood pressure rising. I clenched my fists tight. I had to relax. I couldn’t let him affect me this way. I wanted nothing more than to ignore the entire situation but couldn’t. He was my father, even though he never did anything but cause my life to be a mess. “Let him sit there all day. I just got a promotion and need to be at work. I’ll get off as early as possible and be by then. I work in the city, so won’t be able to get by there tomorrow until at least seven.”

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