Page 167 of Exposé

"Because I’m not leaving you alone to do something stupid," He stepped out of the car with my bag in his hand, rounded the front, and yanked open my door. "Keep up and stay quiet." Leaning in, he released my seat belt and grabbed my upper arm. "Let’s go."

"First a stalker, then kidnapper, and now grand theft. How is it that you're supposedly the good guy I'm supposed to trust again?" I stumbled out after him, my heart pounding.

Thick forest shadows swallowed us as he led me off the gravel road—my feet stumbling through the pine. His grip jerked me upright, then stopped, his head tilting to the side.

"What are we—"

He put his fingers over my lips. "Shh."

His sharp gaze swept across the darkness, then pointed across the field toward a trailer park.

"Stealing a car from the poor. Robin Hood would hate you."

Nate turned towards me, his hand clamping around the back of my neck, and stamped his lips over mine.

I melted, my lips warming against his, then stiffened as his tongue pressed against the seam of my lips. Yanking away from him, I stomped my foot with a growl. "You are so lucky I can't slap you right now."

Nate smirked as I wiped his kiss off my lips with my shoulder. "And you're lucky I don't have duct tape."

He released my arm and trekked across the field, a beaten-up suburban in his trajectory.

"What was that even for, huh? To annoy me?" I whisper-yelled as I followed behind him, high-stepping crunchy weeds.

"Honestly," he stopped in his tracks, "I don't know." He picked up the pace, his hand resting on his side as we approached the suburban, then crouched in the weeds—his grip bringing me down with him.

"This thing?" I scowled. "It looks like Tetanus on wheels."

His eyes flashed a warning. "Wait here, Ava. And I swear to God—"

"I won't do anything."

He crab-walked toward the side of the suburban and tested the handle. The door opened with a faint creak, and he slid inside.

I could leave.

He'd never know.

My knees twitched as I shuffled the direction we'd come.

Can I make it back to my car?

I rolled my eyes.

How would I drive?

Fuck.

Bowing my arms outward, I shifted my hands beneath my butt and shimmied them forward, my arms hitching on my hips.

Come on.

Stupid wide hips.

I inched my elbows one side at a time until they hit my knees.

Moments later, the engine coughed to life, and my foot slipped through the tight loop of my arms. My stomach tightened, my heart racing as my second foot slipped free.

I let loose a quiet squeal, staring at my hands in the dim light.

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