Page 4 of Well Played

“Damn, girl. You’ve got some reflexes.”

I pivoted just in time to prevent from overshooting her position and grazed my palm over her elbow–not exposed, because hardly any of her could be seen. I always loved that about her. Unlike the regular WAG crew, Hallie kept herself covered up. It just made me want to peel those layers of clothing from her body to get to the soft, sumptuous curves underneath, and she had plenty of those.

Or maybe rip her layers right off.

Yeah, that’d be more fun. See if she made more of those little sounds.

“Stop chasing me.” Her exasperation creased her brow as she started walking again, a touch slower this time.

I knew she wasn’t a fast walker, because I kept pace with her most nights, just not this close.

And being this close was a heady damn thing.

“I wanted to walk you to your bus.” I shrugged like it was a normal thing. Not stalkerish at all.

Which, of course, it wasn’t.

She rolled her eyes. “I knew you were there, Solace. When you walked behind me each night. Every night. You’re not half as stealthy as you think.”

I coughed into my fist. “Well, shit.” I risked a look at her sideways. “You angry with me?”

Hallie let one shoulder rise and fall. “I mean, as long as you’re not beating the crap out of me and loading me into the back of your trunk and towing me away, I guess it was kinda sweet. Like I felt safer knowing you were there.”

That one earned her a choking sound like a dying fucking llama. I hadn’t realised anyone saw me that night. Hell, she could have gotten herself hurt or worse if our vandal had a crew about and I hadn’t been there to handle him.

“Jesus, girl. Beautiful, smart, and ballsy. Is there anything you can’t do?” I stopped and gripped her upper arm, pulling her to face me sharply as I frowned. When she didn't struggle, I yanked her into my chest because Ineededher to know I wasn’t half as safe as she seemed to believe. “Actually, scratch that. Do you really think telling someone you saw them attack another man when you’re alone at night with no one damn well around is smart? There’s no one fucking well here, Hallie.” I gestured to the sparsely lit area around us.

It was one of the reasons I spent the last months following her at night. One of. The rest weren’t half as chivalrous.

She shrugged.Shrugged.“Probably not.”

My grip tightened as I arched over her. “You should be screaming,” I warned her softly.

Hallie stared up at me, her dusky pink lips parted the way they did at her desk. I wanted to bruise them with my mouth, push my tongue inside and find out how wet and hot she was.

“I didn’t think you’d want someone noisy,” she whispered.

My cock thickened in my jeans painfully. “So if I pushed you back against that building and found all those soft, sensitive spots on your body I’ve fucking dreamed about, what sort of noises would you make for me, Hallie?” I growled, pulling her flush against my body so she could feel every tortured inch of my need.

Her breath came fast and shallow, matching my own pants. Fuck, we were both halfway gone already. This was beyond dangerous, and not part of the plan at all.

“You’ve dreamed of me?” she whimpered, confusion twisting her plump lips.

Pressure built in my chest that matched the rumble of her bus rocketing along the street adjacent to us. I could put her in my car and take her home, but that would be a terrible fucking idea right now.

“Go, Hallie. Run,” I murmured. “I'll wait, make sure you’re safe.”

She shook her head, blinking slowly at me as the world seemed to register back at her, and then her feet were moving as she flurried toward her bus, her hand raised as she called out. The vehicle slowed. She climbed on, her arms wrapped around herself.

I watched her move halfway along the bus, staying exactly where I was, though she never looked back as she found a seat and sat with her back to me. I kept watching until I couldn’t see her anymore, then pulled out my phone and used the number I stole from the office when she first arrived.

Solace: Tell me when you get home or I’m coming to find you.

I waited a solid minute for a reply and when there wasn’t one, I sent the next message.

Solace: I don’t play games, Hallie. I need to know you get home safe.

The next ten minutes were utter torture as I perched my ass on the hood of my car and waited, flipping my phone over in my hand. Finally, a message buzzed through. Certain she would tell me where to go, I found myself looking at a forlorn, gray cat.

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