Free Fiction Friday- Bait Part Six

Sorry , I missed Wednesday. Back at the day job after two weeks off left me pretty busy this week. So first things first, the winner of the Happy New Year 2013 Blog Hop was Amy Craft. Thanks to everyone who followed and left a comment. Much appreciated.

So on to part six of Bait. Not sure if I'll keep posting on Fridays. I might start posting more frequently (Tuesdays and Thursdays, maybe) otherwise I'll be posting chapters of a Christmas story in April. :-) We'll see. In the mean time, here is part six. Remember to leave a comment, and I'll draw a name at the end of the month for a copy of Blood and Bone. The more you comment, the better your odds of winning. Enjoy!

Bait

Copyright © 2012 Dawn Brown

Part VI

For a moment, Ella stood frozen, unable to move, staring at the man dressed only in a pair of faded blue boxers hanging from his narrow hips. She should say something, or at least look away. Instead, she let her gaze move over the length of him, taking in each hard muscle, the smattering of golden brown hair on his chest, the smooth column of his throat until at last meeting his wide eyes. Who knew that under those rumpled suits waited a body like his?

            She gave herself a mental shake before she started drooling.

            “What are you doing here?” she hissed, putting herself back on task and keeping her voice low. “You didn’t have him under surveillance.”

            He snorted. “Obviously.”

            “Then why are you here?” And why wasn’t he making any effort to cover himself? Something stirred low in her belly, bringing with it the memory of his lips on hers. Heat crept into her cheeks, but she refused to look away as if doing so would somehow give credence to the sensations swirling inside her.

            His mouth curved into a slow smile. Had he guessed what she’d been thinking? Probably. Her face burned hotter.

            “I’m here for you, Ella.” His quiet voice wrapped around her and her nerve endings hummed.

            She swallowed hard. “I don’t need you here. I know what I’m doing.”

            “I don’t think you do.” He took a step forward. Instinctively, she tried to take one back, but the closed door behind her kept her from moving away. “You’ve put yourself in a dangerous situation and I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

            Not going to let anything happen to her? Who the hell did he think he was? She’d been on her own since she was eleven years old and done just fine. She didn’t need anyone. Except maybe for Phoebe. “I can take care of myself, thank you very much.”

            “Not this time.” He advanced on her again, just one step, but eating up the space between them too quickly. Her heart thudded against her chest so loud he had to be able to hear it too. She should leave. Get out of this room and regroup. But with a slow dawning horror, she realized she didn’t want to. In that moment, she wanted him against her. Those strong arms wrapped around her. She wanted him to engulf her in his warmth, to melt against him. And for one desperate instant she wanted someone to take care of her.

            “I need you to leave.” She didn’t like the note of desperation in her voice, but there was nothing she could do about it now.

            “I can’t my car battery is dead. Besides, by now the roads would be unsafe to travel on. I’m here for the long haul. Merry Christmas.”

            ###

            Coward.

            Ella sat on the edge of her bed, clutching the handful of sleeping pills she’d stuffed into her pocket earlier. When her chance came, she hadn’t been able to bring herself to do it. Hot tears pricked the corners of her eyes.

            She’d failed. Lost her nerve and let her sister down. Squeezing her eyes closed, she tried to keep her tears from falling.

            “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she whispered over and over again like a mantra. The only person she loved, who loved her, was gone, and the man responsible slept down the hall.

            She looked down at her closed fist, then opened her hand slowly staring down at the capsules. Why hadn’t she used the pills?

            Andy.

            They’d sat in the silent living room, sipping wine and engaging in awkward conversation, with only the fire and white lights on the Christmas tree for light, listening to the storm rage outside.  Andy’s hot amber gaze never left her face, even when Luke spoke to him directly.

She hadn’t lost her nerve. Andy’s endless scrutiny hadn’t given her the opportunity to act. Tomorrow the storm would let up, and he would have no excuse to stay. Then she could do what she came here for.

            With shaking fingers, she returned to the pills to the yellow plastic vial. She changed into a blue silk night-gown, climbed into the wide double bed and clicked off the lamp. The room was cold, even beneath the heavy quilt. Outside, the wind howled around the house and whistled through unseen cracks around the window.

            She forced her eyes closed, willing her mind to shut down and allow her to rest. Please, just one night of peace. Instead, Andy filled her thoughts.

            She wanted to go to him. She wanted to slip into his room and into his bed. To feel his body move over hers, fill hers, To have his hands, big and warm, gripping her against him.

She threw back the covers, stood in the icy black of her room and crossed to the door.

She would have this one night for herself. For one night she wouldn’t feel alone, she would feel like she mattered to someone. It might just be an illusion, just sex, but she would take it.

            Cold to her soul, she crossed the short distance from her room to his. Her feet padded across the smooth hardwood. At his door, she hesitated. Should she knock? She didn’t want to risk alerting Luke.

            She looked down. Warm yellow light seeped from under the door. He was awake. Her hand closed on the brass knob. She turned it, pushed open the door and stepped into his room.