Page 2 of Stolen By The Beast
He’d also caught my wrist to topple me into his lap playfully, where he ‘accidentally’ buried his face against my breasts. Sure, he’dsoundedapologetic, but the hard erection that had pressed against my thigh told a different story.
It wasn’t long before the guests had noticed Telker’s touchiness, and they’d taken it as a sign it was open season on trying to seduce the five of us. The silly winks became crude lip-licking, the tipsy kiss-blowing became lips pressed into our hair, and the sneaky touches became open butt-pinching.
Frank, our chef, who was working in the kitchen, realized things were getting out of hand. Ignoring Telker’s demands that we were under contract to stay another ninety minutes, his two kitchen assistants began to load our equipment.
None of the men at the party had gone so far as to separate us from the rest of the party. And that was the only reason we hadn’t kicked up a fuss and remained professional, even in the face of their disgusting behavior.
But my luck hadn’t held long enough for us to get the heck-out-of-lodge.
Collecting the last of the metal buffet dishes, I’d dropped them in the kitchen to be loaded in our two vans. That task finished, I’d returned to gather the table skirts, only to be stopped in the hallway.
Telker.
Giving up on Frank, he’d decided to turn his full attention, and irritation, on me.
“Juniper. Let them finish packing and come talk with me.” He’d caged me against the wall with his arms.
I’d tried to duck under his arms, which shouldn’t have been difficult considering I was barely taller than a hobbit while wearing heels, but Telker had anticipated my move and blocked me.
“If you don’t want me to file a complaint against CwC for breach of contract, I think it is in everyone’s best interest if you spend a little time with me while they finish loading,” he growled, bending so his mouth pressed near my ear.
“And I think it’s in the best interest of your pork whistle for you to walk away. Now.” I’d bristled, annoyed that he’d mistaken me for someone missing a backbone.
Telker had chuckled, pressing his body against mine so I could feel the aforementioned pork whistle. “I love it when they’re small and feisty. Makes things more fun in bed.”
Every drop of blood in my body had turned to ice. Telker hadn’t sounded drunk at all.
He’d known exactly what he was doing and didn’t care. But it also meant I was at a staggering disadvantage. Fending off a drunk at my size was doable, but a sober man… that was a whole different matter.
“Get off me before I scream so loud I bring the house down,” I’d snarled, clinging to my spine with a stubbornness that would probably kill me one day.
Telker’s response had come in the form of his hand sliding up my ribcage to stroke against my breast. I wasn’t sure what would have happened next if it hadn’t been for three of his drunk friends stumbling from the billiards area of the lodge and staggering into us.
“WHAT THE HE—” Telker had roared, thrown off balance by his friends and throwing out an arm to balance himself.
That was all the opening I’d needed to dart between them and rush out the front door. Once outside, I’d gasped in lungfuls of the cool night air, fighting the urge to either vomit or sob… or maybe to do both at the same time.
I tried not to think about what could have happened, but it was hard with the memories of his scent and hands touching me so fresh in my mind. Telker had attacked me, and it was not okay.
Not wanting the awful man to find me standing on the doorstep, I’d made my way to the edge of the woods. My legs had wobbled, giving way as I’d dropped onto the thick pine needles that covered the ground.
I’d rest here until Frank and the rest of the team got everything loaded, and then I could just run around the side of the lodge and hop in the van parked around back.
If I went to get in the van now, Telker might confront me again, and I couldn’t handle it. I needed a minute to pull myself together.
Taking a deep, calming breath, I’d looked around the dark forest. With my eyes turned away from the burning lights of the lodge, they began to adjust to the woods.
To my delight, fireflies had begun to dance around me. I’d loved the insects since childhood, but living in the city rarely gave me the opportunity to see them anymore.
Several feet away, two large fireflies began to glow, far bigger than any I’d ever seen in the past. I wanted to go to them, as though their glow beckoned to me.
I’d pushed myself to my feet to answer their siren-like call and probably would have gone chasing fireflies into the woods if not for the sound of tires on gravel.
No, no, no!
Spinning around, I had rushed around the lodge’s grounds—just in time to see both vans’ lights fade into the darkness as they disappeared down the long country road.
Disbelief had hit first. They’d left me? How could they leave me?!
