Page 56 of Further To Fall

“Of course, but he doesn’t need to be trained to be a vicious attack dog.”

“Not an attack dog, a guard dog.”

“Semantics.”

“I give up.” Austin sank to the floor next to me and the pup. “Liam dropped off a dog bed, food, and some toys that I got with Taylor while we were at the observatory, and I have his crate in the garage.”

I leaned in closer to Austin. “Thank you so much for this, I have always wanted a dog.”

“I know you have. And I can keep him with me at the gym while you’re at work.”

I smiled at his thoughtfulness and touched my lips to his. “You’re the best.” Another touch. Just as Austin deepened the kiss, the puppy yipped and launched himself between us.

Austin scratched behind the puppy’s ears. “I think we’re going to have to name you Cockblock.”

“Austin!” I smacked his shoulder and cuddled the puppy to my chest. “I think we should call him Blue since he’s got this blue-gray coat and those soulful eyes.”

“Blue.” Austin scratched his chin. “I like it.”

30

Carter

Iwas packing up all the quizzes I needed to grade tonight when my classroom burst open, and a beaming Taylor came whirling in. “Oh my God, Carter, you will not believe this!” Before I could get a word out, she shoved her phone in my face. Plucking the phone from her hand, I stared at the screen. There, in high definition color on some entertainment news site, were dozens of pictures of Austin and me at the Griffith Observatory. Ones of us holding hands, kissing, our foreheads touching. My stomach dropped when I remembered all we had talked about while those photos were being taken.

Quickly, I scanned the article. It started off with, “It looks like the reigning bachelor of the UFL may be off the market” and went on to say there was no confirmation of who the woman in the photos was. When I reached the last line, and no personal details had been revealed, I breathed a sigh of relief. “Carter, you’re white as a sheet, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I just had no idea someone was taking pictures, and we were talking about some pretty personal stuff when those photos were taken. I was freaked the photographer might have overheard, but there’s nothing in the article from our conversation.”

Taylor’s own face paled a bit. “Oh, God, I’m sorry, Carter. I didn’t even think about that possibility. Everyone has been in a tizzy about you and Austin, and I got excited when I saw your hot lip-lock on the site. Now that I think about it, it’s got to be weird for you.”

I handed Taylor back her phone and continued to organize my papers to take home. “It’ll sure take some getting used to, but he’s worth it.”

Taylor did a little bounce. “Y’all are so stinking cute, I can hardly stand it! I know you gave me the date details last night, but seeing pics…holy shit, girl, I had to start fanning myself.”

I laughed as I slid the last of my necessary belongings into my bag and hoisted it over my shoulder. “You are too much. I have to get going to pick up Blue at Austin’s. Want me to cook dinner tonight?”

Taylor gave me a one-armed hug. “You are an angel from Heaven and the best roomie ever.”

“I take that as a yes?”

“You know I never say no to food I don’t have to cook.”

“I’ve got you covered. See you tonight!” I called as I headed down the school hallway and out into the sunshine. I set my bags in the back seat and climbed in the front. My fingers slid across my phone’s screen as I punched out a text to Austin, letting him know I was leaving school before I dropped my cell into the cup holder.

As I made my way through the Eastside and into Hollywood, my stomach started to churn with the anticipation of seeing Austin, feeling the heat of his body, the pressure of his lips against mine. I had become addicted to his touch. Even the innocent brushes fed a need to be as close to him as humanly possible. The desire ratcheted up a notch as I turned onto Mulholland but stalled for a moment when a black SUV appeared much too close for comfort in my rearview mirror. I glanced down at my odometer. Had I been traveling at a snail’s pace while lost in my thoughts about Austin? Nope, I was going five miles over the speed limit.

LA drivers were so impatient. I tapped on my brakes, hoping the person behind me would get the message and back off. It must have just pissed them off because they pulled even closer. The windows were darkly tinted so I couldn’t tell if it was a man or woman driving. My stomach tightened as the SUV gained even more ground. What was this idiot thinking? One wrong move and we would both go sailing off a hillside.

My heart thudded in my chest, and my knuckles turned white as I gripped the wheel as tightly as possible. Thoughts raced through my mind. How could I get out of this? Should I try to call 911? I glanced at my phone in the cupholder, but the idea of taking one of my hands off the wheel had my palms turning slippery with sweat. My body jolted forward as the SUV hit my bumper.

I couldn’t get a full breath as I frantically scanned the road for escape options. Rock face on one side, a cliff on the other. Was this psycho trying to kill me? Hope flared as I spotted an overlook up ahead. I just had to make it to the pull off. “Come on, come on,” I kept chanting to myself.

I was seconds away from the lookout. I could do this. I would make it. The SUV slammed into me again. It was as though the world had shifted into slow motion. My head snapped as the seatbelt jerked me back into my seat. I pumped the brakes in a frenzied rhythm as my car spun onto the gravel turn-off. My eyes slammed closed as I prayed I wouldn’t go over the edge. Then, everything stopped.

Ever so slowly, I peeled open a single eyelid. My car had landed three feet from the edge. The tears came then, hot and vast, streaming down my cheeks. Desperately sucking in air, I jerked my head around in search of the SUV, there it sat, idling in the middle of the road. My heart thudded so hard in my chest, I could feel the vibrations down to the tips of my toes. No concerned citizen or ax murderer exited the SUV. The engine revved, and it took off down the curving road.

I closed my eyes and leaned my forehead against the steering wheel, trying to take slow breaths to bring my heart rate down to within normal range, staying that way for I don’t know how long. When my heart finally slowed, I inhaled deeply and sat back. My chest burned where the seatbelt had kept me in place. Crap, that hurt.

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