Page 46 of A Stop in Time

I slump against him, my cheek against his shoulder, and only one thought runs through my head.

Ho-ly shit.

22

MAC

I’m so screwed, I’m so screwed, I’m so screwed.

I need to leave. Scratch that, I should’ve left hours ago. Maybe even the instant he kissed me after calling me beautiful and saying all the guys here are numbnuts.

What is wrong with me? I know better than to believe I’m beautiful. Hell, one outing in public, and I’m quickly reminded of that.

Daniel Madrano’s simply a guy who wanted to get laid and didn’t mind slumming it.

I tiptoe toward the door with my boots in hand, but something compels me to turn and take one final look before I leave.

He’s sprawled on his back with one arm still outstretched toward the space I’d vacated, part of the bedsheet is cast over him. It barely covers that cock that lies thick against him even in rest.

The edge of the sheet bares one muscled thigh sprinkled lightly in dark hair, swirls of black ink depicting a fierce-looking but smaller scorpion than the one inked on his chest.

He’s unbelievably sexy, even with those dark smudges beneath his eyes, telltale signs that he hasn’t been getting enough rest. Hair mussed from my fingers, a few marks now mar the skin at the juncture of his neck and shoulder from where I’d lost control the second round.

A shiver of arousal rolls through me, and I force myself to snap out of the lust-filled haze.

“Goodbye, Daniel Madrano.” My whispered words get lost in the mix of the loud hum of the motel room’s air-conditioning unit.

As quietly as possible, I pull the door closed behind me and slide on my boots before descending the stairs to the parking lot. It’s silent and peaceful, with most people asleep at this hour, but the instant I plant one foot on the chunky gravel parking lot, I freeze.

The sensation of being watched has all the hairs on my arms and back of my neck standing on end. I glance around, carefully scanning my surroundings, but I don’t find anyone lurking.

I turn to see if maybe Deiter’s actually awake and peering out his motel room window, but all of them remain dark with the curtains drawn.

I sweep my hands over my arms in a weak attempt at ridding myself of the unsettling feeling. With one final glance around, I set off to walk home.

All the while, I do my best to ignore the increasing churning in my gut the more distance I put between myself and the man in that motel room.

* * *

“How am I still a horny mess after I scratched my itch? How is that even possible? And who the hell expected the second-in-command of The Scorpions gang to be so damn amazing in bed?”

Now, I’m talking to myself while walking a deserted road at three in the fucking morning. Nothing says mentally unstable like this does.

Nothing.

“I’m just dick-struck. That’s all this is.” I try to reason with myself as I continue walking home. “It would be ridiculously stupid to get swept up in the fact that he wanted to fuck me face to face.” My voice trails off. “Just stupid,” I say on a sigh.

Dammit. This isn’t like me. I don’t get tangled in feelings. I’m allergic to those bastards. So, why the hell do I have this sensation of a weight pressing down on my chest, that’s getting heavier as I put more distance between us?

I come to the end of the road where I normally turn right, but something compels me to stay on this road and take the long way home.

Maybe it’s my brain telling me I need a bit more time to work out what happened between Daniel and me. Either way, I venture down the poorly maintained road, passing trailer after trailer. Double-wides and single-wides alike, most of them rundown with a few nicer, well-kept ones interspersed.

All is quiet and the solitude is comforting as I conclude that I did the right thing in leaving that motel room, regardless of what my horny lady parts rant on about.

A coon dog howls in the distance, drawing my attention a second before lights flash on inside the nearest double-wide. The metal skirt bordering the bottom of the trailer has seen better days, parts of it dented while portions of it are missing.

A man’s voice booms from the trailer, pouring into the eerily quiet night. “The fuck you think you’re doin’ tiptoein’ around like that?”