Page 6 of Don't Call Me Daddy
I might be relieved that he isn’t a monster trying to eat me, but that doesn’t mean this guy isn’t going to try to kill me either. I’ve seen enough true crime documentaries to know that you don’t just trust every random man who sneaks up on you in the woods at night.
“What are you talking about? I was driving, and I saw your car run off the road. I thought you were hurt, but then you weren’t in your car, so I came looking for you. I called after you, but then you took off running and fell down the hill.” His voice comes out a little breathless, and I realize he must’ve been running to catch up to me.
I tilt my head, considering him. That actually makes sense, and he doesn’t look like a bad guy. He’s clean-shaven, and he looks like he’s showered recently … and he’s wearing a tie. Would a murderer go through the trouble of tying a tie to impress their prey? I wouldn’t think so but …
My endless loop of thoughts comes to a halt when I get a better look at him.
Holy shit, this guy is hot. Dark, wavy hair; strong jaw; big, broad chest, and he’s easily over six feet tall. There’s an expensive-looking gold watch around his wrist, and he’s got his sleeves rolled up over his forearms. His body looks like something out of a Marvel movie, and suddenly, I find myself more curious than afraid.
What the hell? If I’m going to be murdered, at least I’ll enjoy my view.
I hold out my hand, and he pulls me up, steadying me as my legs forget how to stand up properly.
“Whoa, you sure you’re okay? That was a nasty tumble.”
“Oh, yeah, I’m fine.” I bend attempting to brush the dirt from my overalls and almost fall over.
He grabs my arm to help stabilize me, and this time, my knees go weak for a different reason entirely. Maybe it’s his cologne?
I take advantage of his close proximity and lean into him, feigning weak knees again, and suck in a long sniff. My eyes nearly roll back in my head in pleasure, and I wonder if he’s wearing one of those pheromone enhancers. Maybe that’s how he captures his victims—by luring them in with his amazing scent?
I don’t have the energy to be suspicious anymore. I’m much more curious anyhow. I sway to the side and bump back into him, and he wraps a hard, muscled arm around me. And there it is again—that tingly feeling shooting straight through me. Weird.
Maybe I need to revisit this little scenario in the future. Who knew being chased through the woods could get me so worked up?
“Come on. I’ll give you a ride to town. My car’s just over here.”
He leads me back up the hill—the very one I just tumbled down—and we’re both out of breath by the time we reach the top.
There’s a small two-door black car parked on the side of the road, and I follow him on shaky legs.
He opens the passenger door and motions for me to get in. “Uh, you dropped this,” he says as he hands me the heavy, tattered bag before closing the door.
I can’t imagine what he must be thinking right now … and yet he’s still helping me.
His door closes with a thwack. “So, where are you headed?”
My eyes drift over his face, and he’s even handsomer than I realized. His sharp jaw is clenched, like he’s trying to keep from saying something.
“Do you do this often? Chase down women in the woods and convince them to go home with you, I mean. Or am I just lucky?” It’s hardly an appropriate time to flirt with the guy, but the words fly out of my mouth before I can stop myself. Maybe I hit my head harder than I realized.
He clears his throat, keeping his eyes trained on the road. “I, uh … that’s not what?—”
Oh my God, is he nervous? That’s actually adorable.
“I’m just fucking with you.”
I place my hand on his forearm, and his body goes stiff, like I frightened him. When I pull away, his shoulders sag in relief. Interesting. I can’t tell if he’s afraid of me … or disgusted.
I look down at my tattered overalls, caked in dirt and blood. I don’t even want to think about what my hair looks like, much less my face.
He clears his throat again, breaking the silence. “So, what’s with the rice?”
“Oh, I accidentally dropped my phone in a stream earlier when I was trying to hike to the waterfall,” I say with a shrug.
A flash of confusion crosses his face. “And you were walking in the woods at night without a working phone because …”
“An animal or something—it was big, whatever it was—ran in front of me. I ran off the road to avoid it.” I gesture behind us with my thumb. “Way back there. I don’t know where because I sort of got turned around when I freaked out and started running. I was walking to find a pay phone or somewhere I could make a phone call.” I shrug again, not knowing how much this stranger really wants to know.
