Daddy’s here.” Gingerly stroking Trevor’s
hair, Drake leaned in close and kissed his cheek.
“Help me, Daddy,” he moaned.
“I’m right here, sweetheart. I’ll never leave you, ever
again. I promise,” Drake choked out on a sob.
Like a slap to the face, I suddenly felt out of place. I was
invading the private lives of strangers. What the hell was I doing talking
about BDSM and spankings with Drake? I’d never be a part of their kinky world.
I certainly had no business traipsing into the waiting room in hopes of getting
laid by a man who got off spanking women and god knows what else. Drake, James,
and Mika must think me a blithering idiot.
“I hope Trevor has a good night. I’ll be back tomorrow,” I
blurted in panic as I raced out the door.
“Liz,” Drake called after me, but I kept right on going.
Escaping out through the employee door, I stepped into the
hall, anxiety blocking my airway. Cursing under my breath, I clenched my jaw.
In order to reach the elevator, I had to walk past the glass wall of the ICU
waiting room. Tucking my chin, I prayed James was engrossed in a magazine or
the television, and I could skate past the glass partition undetected. Wishing
I had a superpower of invisibility, I hurried to the elevator and pressed the
button to go down. Mentally screaming at the damn thing to move, I watched the
numbers slowly make their way to my floor. Just a couple more seconds and I’d
be home free.
When the doors finally opened, I bolted inside. Before I
turned, I had my finger poised on Level P for the parking garage as someone
stepped through the doors. Lifting my eyes, dread slid down my spine as I spied
James pinning me with a critical stare.
“So you decided to blow me off, huh?” Laying his finger over
mine, James pressed the button I’d selected.
Blowing you would be a privilege.
“Mika did give you my message, correct?”
“I didn’t see Mika after I left Trevor’s room.”
“Ah, I see.” James looked grossly insulted. “So you’re
giving me the kiss off, huh?”
Dammit. Will you please stop using such suggestive words
for the love of...
“No worries. I can take a hint. But I’m still going to walk
you to your car.”
Stating his intentions, James pulled out his phone and
started texting.
“Honestly, I didn’t see Mika.” I huffed. I hated that James
had caught me trying to make a clean getaway. “I’m not lying, but go ahead and
ask him.”
He chuckled, and ignored my belligerent tone. “Oh, I believe
you, Liz. I’m simply texting my
lover
to let him know that I’m
escorting you to your car.”
Arching his brows over those gorgeous bedroom eyes, an
infectious grin slid over his inviting lips. I couldn’t help it…I smiled, then
quickly caught myself and sobered.
“You just had to rub my face in that, didn’t you?”
“Oh yeah,” he drawled in a low, seductive rumble before his
expression turned solemn. “What did I do to scare you, Liz?”
His freakish perceptiveness prickled. I lowered my gaze.
“You didn’t do anything,” I lied.
Moving in close to my ear, his raspy breathing had my head
swimming. “Tell me,” he coaxed in a whiskey-smooth voice I wanted to get drunk
on.
“I’m just not myself tonight, that’s all.”
James eased back slightly but held me with an inquisitive
stare. “I’m listening.”
“I hear it too. They’ve piped in a lovely piano rendition of
‘
Ice, Ice, Baby
,’ don’t you agree?” I taunted, rolling my eyes toward
the speakers in the ceiling.
“That’s one,” he murmured.
Tucking that obstinate strand of hair behind my ear once
more, James let his hand linger and traced a feathery caress over the shell of
my ear. No matter how hard I tried to shove down the ridiculous way he turned
me on, I couldn’t ignore the current of electricity racing within my veins.
Dammit, I needed to take control of