be
in a lot of trouble if I stayed. Actually, I might be in a lot of trouble
either way.
My mind was
screaming at me to leave, but I forced myself to stay. I should talk to Laird,
like a grown-up, instead of running away.
He arrived a
few seconds later, panting to catch his breath, his eyes flashing. "In my
car," he ordered.
I hesitated
before finally opening the door and following Laird back to his car.
"I'll
be right back," I told Alyssa. My heart was pounding as I sat down in the
leather seat next to him. He got in next to me, and I felt electricity race
through my body. He smelled like expensive cologne, peppermint and something
else, something sexy and overwhelming. I was so nervous I was practically
shaking.
"You're
Hailey, right?" he asked, extending a hand.
"Yes,"
I gulped, accepting it. His handshake was firm, gripping me tight.
"Laird
Buchanan. Sorry to snap at you back there. I thought you were going to drive
straight back to New Jersey after that fight you had with my son."
I let my
eyes run over him. He was tall, around 6' 3", and his muscular body filled
out his clothes so well they looked as if they had been tailored just for him.
Was this really Zach's dad? He looked so clean-cut and athletic.
"Mr.
Buchanan, I'm so sorry--" I began, but he cut me off.
"You're
in a lot of trouble. But I think we can make a deal. I won't press charges or
anything crazy like that."
I paused.
What was he going to suggest? Whatever it was, it couldn't be that bad. "Uh,
what sort of deal?"
"Just
come to dinner with Zach and I. You can bring your friend along as well. My
company just acquired another holding and I'd like to celebrate tonight."
He reached
across and touched my knee. The way he touched me was cool, but friendly. "Please.
I'd really like to have a quiet celebration with some young people, instead of
the usual bacchanal with a crowd of perverted businessmen."
"Of
course," I blurted, my heart suddenly slamming into the wall of my chest
even harder. "I'd love to."
What was it?
Why did I feel so turned on? I knew he was just inviting all of us to dinner,
but by the way he was acting, the way he had found me and chased me down, it
felt like I was being pursued.
And his
touch, however gentle and innocuous, made me feel like I had been claimed.
Get a grip,
Hailey, I
told myself. I knew I was just imagining things, but the way he looked at me, the
way his eyes blazed into mine, gave me rippling sheets of chills.
"Good,"
he said, smiling. His eyes lit up. "I'll meet you back at the beach
house."
I got out of
the car, and to my surprise, Laird followed. His hand found the small of my
back, settling there gently as he guided me back to Alyssa's car.
That
touch .
You're
mine , he seemed to
be saying .
"I'll
see you in a little while," he said, his hand circling my waist and
starting to pull me closer to him for a hair-raising instant before he let go
and left.
"What
was that all about?" Alyssa asked, looking up from her phone as I settled
back into the car. Tinny top-forty music was playing on her radio. I blushed, suddenly embarrassed by the way he had claimed me
in public.
"Uh, that's
Zach's dad. He wants to take us all out to dinner."
"Hailey!
I drove all the way out here because you said it was an emergency, and that you
were breaking up with Zach. Now we're all going out to dinner? What's going
on?"
"Nothing's
going on! His company just went through a big merger, and he wants to take us all
out to dinner. I have to go; it would be super rude not to."
"What
do you mean, super rude ?! You said you never
wanted to see Zach again! Who cares if his dad wants to take us out to dinner?
Let's get out of here."
She fired up
the engine and shifted into reverse.
"Alyssa!"
I screamed, "stop!"
"Fine,"
she grumbled, killing the engine and looking at me sourly. "You
in a lot of trouble if I stayed. Actually, I might be in a lot of trouble
either way.
My mind was
screaming at me to leave, but I forced myself to stay. I should talk to Laird,
like a grown-up, instead of running away.
He arrived a
few seconds later, panting to catch his breath, his eyes flashing. "In my
car," he ordered.
I hesitated
before finally opening the door and following Laird back to his car.
"I'll
be right back," I told Alyssa. My heart was pounding as I sat down in the
leather seat next to him. He got in next to me, and I felt electricity race
through my body. He smelled like expensive cologne, peppermint and something
else, something sexy and overwhelming. I was so nervous I was practically
shaking.
"You're
Hailey, right?" he asked, extending a hand.
"Yes,"
I gulped, accepting it. His handshake was firm, gripping me tight.
"Laird
Buchanan. Sorry to snap at you back there. I thought you were going to drive
straight back to New Jersey after that fight you had with my son."
I let my
eyes run over him. He was tall, around 6' 3", and his muscular body filled
out his clothes so well they looked as if they had been tailored just for him.
Was this really Zach's dad? He looked so clean-cut and athletic.
"Mr.
Buchanan, I'm so sorry--" I began, but he cut me off.
"You're
in a lot of trouble. But I think we can make a deal. I won't press charges or
anything crazy like that."
I paused.
What was he going to suggest? Whatever it was, it couldn't be that bad. "Uh,
what sort of deal?"
"Just
come to dinner with Zach and I. You can bring your friend along as well. My
company just acquired another holding and I'd like to celebrate tonight."
He reached
across and touched my knee. The way he touched me was cool, but friendly. "Please.
I'd really like to have a quiet celebration with some young people, instead of
the usual bacchanal with a crowd of perverted businessmen."
"Of
course," I blurted, my heart suddenly slamming into the wall of my chest
even harder. "I'd love to."
What was it?
Why did I feel so turned on? I knew he was just inviting all of us to dinner,
but by the way he was acting, the way he had found me and chased me down, it
felt like I was being pursued.
And his
touch, however gentle and innocuous, made me feel like I had been claimed.
Get a grip,
Hailey, I
told myself. I knew I was just imagining things, but the way he looked at me, the
way his eyes blazed into mine, gave me rippling sheets of chills.
"Good,"
he said, smiling. His eyes lit up. "I'll meet you back at the beach
house."
I got out of
the car, and to my surprise, Laird followed. His hand found the small of my
back, settling there gently as he guided me back to Alyssa's car.
That
touch .
You're
mine , he seemed to
be saying .
"I'll
see you in a little while," he said, his hand circling my waist and
starting to pull me closer to him for a hair-raising instant before he let go
and left.
"What
was that all about?" Alyssa asked, looking up from her phone as I settled
back into the car. Tinny top-forty music was playing on her radio. I blushed, suddenly embarrassed by the way he had claimed me
in public.
"Uh, that's
Zach's dad. He wants to take us all out to dinner."
"Hailey!
I drove all the way out here because you said it was an emergency, and that you
were breaking up with Zach. Now we're all going out to dinner? What's going
on?"
"Nothing's
going on! His company just went through a big merger, and he wants to take us all
out to dinner. I have to go; it would be super rude not to."
"What
do you mean, super rude ?! You said you never
wanted to see Zach again! Who cares if his dad wants to take us out to dinner?
Let's get out of here."
She fired up
the engine and shifted into reverse.
"Alyssa!"
I screamed, "stop!"
"Fine,"
she grumbled, killing the engine and looking at me sourly. "You
Similar Books
