Read Flee (The Aurora Lockette Series, Book 1) for Free Online Page B

it. “I still can’t
believe he was waiting for you in the morning. I’d say it’s eighty
percent hot, twenty percent creepy.”
    “Hot. Not creepy.” I grabbed her arm. “Let’s
go!”
    She opened the driver’s door while I jumped
up and down outside the passenger door. “So, what are you
wearing?”
    That stopped me in my tracks. “Oh, crap! I
have no idea. What should I wear?”
    “Wear your tight aqua blue tank with your
nice jeans. It will show off your toned shoulders and collarbone.
Your butt is always a big hit in tight jeans.”
    “You’re the best stylist ever!”
    She flicked imaginary lint off her shirt. “I
do what I can, young grasshopper.”
    As soon as she dropped me off, I ran into my
apartment, stripped off my clothes, and jumped in the shower. I let
the warm water run over my body. It calmed me down and made me feel
whole again.
    I put on the jeans and shirt Bree had
suggested. The shirt did set off my shoulders nicely. It was
fitted, but not tight. It skimmed over my bust, hinting at the
fullness without showing any cleavage. I added some coral blue
stone earrings and smiled at the effect.
    I must admit, the blue made my skin look
creamy and smooth and set off my eyes just right. I added a bit of
eyeliner and mascara. I put on some lip-gloss and glanced at the
clock. It was then I remembered my apartment was tiny and dingy,
and right now it was a mess.
    Crap. I darted around the small living room
and picked up the clothes that had accumulated over the week. I
dumped them into my closet before loading up my arms with coffee
mugs and water glasses littering my table. I shoved my textbooks
into one giant pile. It was a marginal improvement.
    At precisely 7:30, there was a soft knock at
my door. After one more look at my humble surroundings, I opened
it. He was leaning against the doorframe, looking like he just
stepped out of a high-fashion ad. His hair was disheveled and wild.
He was wearing a t-shirt, a thin leather band around his wrist, and
black jeans. His gaze roamed up and down my body before meeting my
eyes.
    He abruptly pushed past me and shut the door
behind him. He grabbed my wrists and pulled me close to him. When
our bodies collided, he dropped my wrists, put both of his hands on
my face, and kissed me. His hands moved gently down my shoulders
and arms then skimmed along the small of my back. He paused there,
then wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me tight, crushing
me into his firm, muscular body.
    This continued for a several seconds before
he disentangled himself. “Sorry. I just couldn’t help myself,” he
said. “I’ll be a gentleman for the rest of the night. I promise.”
His finger traced the shape of my collarbone as he spoke. Heat
rocked through my body, along with the familiar buzzing sensation,
but I was in perfect control.
    “Okay. Let’s go.” He held out his hand. We
went out to his car with our fingers entwined. He weaved in and out
of the San Antonio traffic, glancing at me as he drove.
    “I should give you a heads up about
something,” he said. “It’s kind of stupid and I hate to even
mention it.”
    “What is it?”
    “Sometimes when I go out in public, things
will happen. Someone may come up and ask for an autograph, or
sometimes photographers will show up.”
    “You mean, like the paparazzi?”
    “Yeah. Sometimes employees of bars and
restaurants will tip them off in exchange for cash. I try to stay
off the radar and San Antonio is low key, so hopefully it won’t
happen. I don’t want you to have to deal with it. You’ll be safe
with me though. I won’t let them bother you.”
    “No biggee. I won’t pick my nose or
anything.”
    He smiled. “Thanks for being so cool about
it. It’s really embarrassing to even have to discuss this with
you.”
    We pulled into a non-descript strip mall in a
middle class neighborhood. He gestured at a small Italian
restaurant in the far end of the mall. “It doesn’t look like much,
but it’s