Finding Our Forever: (A Defining Moments Novel) (11 page)

My hands slide down her back, cupping her ass to hold her against me. She moans and squeezes her legs tighter around me, bringing her once again to just where I need her. She pulls back, gasping, her eyes searching mine.

“I thought you didn’t want this?” she murmurs.

“It wasn’t a favor to begin with, crazy woman. And I just didn’t want it to happen in my truck. I want to savor every single second of whatever happens between us, and I can’t do that while being worried someone will see us. I’ve wanted you since the moment I saw you in the hospital.”

She giggles before she kisses me again, gently this time, nipping at my bottom lip like she can’t get enough.

“Eli, I’m not ready to sleep with you, but I really enjoyed what was happening in the truck,” she blurts out a little too loudly, and then her face is red again.

“You don’t have to be embarrassed about any of this, gorgeous. We’ll go at your pace, and just so you know, I’m up for anything you’re ready to give,” I assure her before returning the nips to her bottom lip.

She nods her head to the side, and I look over to where she’s motioning to and see a big leather couch. I head to it quickly with her still wrapped around me and continuing to pepper my face and neck with kisses. Sitting down with her on my lap, we continue to make out like a couple of horny teenagers, hands groping each other everywhere. Her boobs are freaking amazing, and when I push the neckline of her T-shirt and the cup of her bra down, a perfect pink nipple comes into my view. Running my tongue over it, her body arches toward me, and she starts grinding on my lap again. I pull back, putting her bra and shirt back in place.

“Sara, I think we should probably halt this amazing make-out session before I take you into your bedroom and do dirty, dirty things to you. You’re not ready for that. You already said so, and I’m about at the end of my rope.”

She giggles and then climbs off my lap and sits beside me, leaving her hand on my thigh when she’s settled.

The moment becomes awkward because neither of us knows what to say now. There is so much sexual tension that you could cut it with a knife.

I need to get out of here. I seriously have the worst case of blue balls ever.

I stand up, grabbing her hand and pulling her with me as I head to the door. I stop before I open it to adjust the enormous bulge that’s completely obvious to anyone who sees me. Sara watches with fascination before she puts her hand on mine, causing me to freeze.

“I really wish you’d let me take care of that, Eli.” She runs her hand along my length, but I grab her hand and pull it away, bringing it to my lips and placing a gentle kiss on her palm.

“Next time, babe. Right now, I’m past the pleasure point,” I say with a wince and she bites her lips to keep from smiling.

“I’m sorry,” she purrs.

I kiss her lips softly and then open the door.

“I’m going to need to see you again soon,” I tell her as we make our way to my truck.

“Shit, I just remembered my car is at Ramzi’s,” she blurts.

“Jump in. I’ll take you to get it, babe.”

“Let me grab my purse. Be right back,” she replies and then runs back to the house.

Settling myself in my truck, I’m trying to think of everything except the memory of her on my lap. I’m going to need a cold shower and a cold beer when I get home.

She jumps up in my truck and immediately adjusts the radio again. When I look over at her, I can’t help but laugh. She’s so playful and fun. It may be the first time I’ve ever really enjoyed just hanging out with a woman. She’s definitely different.

The drive to her friend’s house is uneventful. We chat about getting together again later this weekend before I return to classes on Monday. She has to work most of next week too, so this weekend will be our only chance for a while.

She directs me to Ramzi’s place, and when we pull up in front of a beautiful two-story house, I’m shocked. Her friend must be loaded. She points to a newer, red Honda Accord and says, “That’s me.”

I pull up behind her car and kill the engine. Before I can even turn to her to say anything, I hear a door slam and look up to the house. Coming down the front stairs is a woman, looking right at my truck with a huge smile on her face. She’s tall with dark auburn hair down her back, dressed in skinny jeans and some sort of thin, flowy top. She’s wearing heels, but I can tell even without them she’s at least five feet ten or taller. She’s hot, but with a definite bad-girl vibe. How in the hell is this girl Sara’s best friend? They’re complete opposites.

“Please, for the love of all things holy, tell me you did naughty things to whoever is driving that truck,” she yells so loud I’m sure the entire neighborhood heard her, and I can’t help but laugh.

I jerk my head over to Sara, who has her face buried in her hands, and I can’t tell if she’s laughing or hiding in embarrassment.

When I turn back to the woman, she is getting into an old muscle car, not even attempting to stick around and chat.

“Ramzi, I presume?”

Sara lifts her head and glares at me, but then rolls her eyes playfully. “The one and only.”

BY THE TIME THE
weekend is over, I’m exhausted. Between playing catch up on my school work and spending longer than normal hours at the gym to work out the sexual frustration Sara leaves me with, I could use a good solid twelve hours of sleep.

We decide to meet at a new Tapas bar, which just opened. She said it’s dangerous when we’re in a vehicle together, so she wants to meet there. My guess is that, after she stepped back and looked at what had happened the last date, she isn’t ready to move to that level. I’m cool with it.

As I pull into the parking lot, I spot her little red car toward the back and see her heading toward the entrance. I pull into a spot and start to get out of my truck but stop when I hear her shouting. When I look to where I last saw Sara, she isn’t there, but when I hear the shouting again, I turn to see her up in some guy’s face and he looks pissed. I slam my truck door and start heading that way, noticing a young woman on the ground behind the guy she’s screaming at. When I hear the words Sara is shouting, I break out into a sprint. This guy is going to hit her.

“What kind of weak pansy-ass hits a woman half his size? Get out of the way so I can check on her!” Sara screams, her face blood-red and her finger getting dangerously close to touching his chest, which he has puffed out.

“Why don’t you mind your own business, bitch?” he shouts in her face. “This ain’t got shit to do with you!”

The moment her hands push into his chest, I know shit is about to hit the fan. Why the Sam Hill would she watch that guy hit his girl and think he wouldn’t hit her back when she tried to push him out of the way? I’m going to have to have a serious talk with her.

I make it to her just as he brings his hand back to hit her. I pull her body to the side as his eyes land on me.

“This your nosey bitch?” he growls into my face.

“Sure is, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll put your hand down before I break it. She’s right, man. What the fuck are you thinking hitting that girl?” I roar. I let my eyes fall to her quickly. She’s out cold on the gravel parking lot, blood trickling out of her nose and mouth. She’s as small as Sara, and this big son of bitch is over six foot and 250 pounds easy.

“You need to mind your own business too, man,” he grumbles, kicking his foot out slightly and nudging the girl on the ground. She doesn’t look a day over eighteen, and this guy’s closer to thirty.

“Don’t kick her, you asshole,” Sara screams and tries to go around him to get to her. I grab her hip and once again pull her to me.

“Dude, you need to step away from her so she can check her out and make sure she’s okay,” I tell him. He looks down at her and his face changes from anger to concern and he starts to bend down to her.

“Don’t touch her!” Sara screams and pushes away from me, basically throwing herself between the asshole and the girl. He pushes her sideways, but she catches herself against the car before hitting the ground.

Oh hell fucking no.

“That’s it,” I bark just as the guy stands back up and comes at me. The moment my knuckles connect with his face, I know I broke his nose. I feel the crunch and he drops to his knees, grabbing his face as the blood pours out of his nose. Sara is behind him when he drops and she takes that moment to kick him in the back as hard as her little legs will allow, causing him to pitch forward onto the gravel.

She immediately puts her fingers to the girl’s throat to check her pulse. Then she puts her head down close to the girl’s ear and starts to talk to her gently. The girl’s eyes flutter open and tears immediately start to fall. Sara continues to talk to her very low, trying to keep her calm.

“Eli, you have to call an ambulance,” Sara says to me calmly, never taking her eyes off the young girl.

“My phone is in the truck. Give me yours.” She throws me her tiny purse thing that she had around her wrist. I pull the zipper back and pull her cell phone out, hitting 9-1-1.

“9-1-1 what is your emergency?” a deep voice questions.

“Yeah, I need an ambulance dispatched to 2711 North Haywood Blvd. A woman has been hurt,” I tell him quickly.

“Can you see any visible injuries?” he asks calmly.

“Her mouth was bleeding a little bit. My friend saw a man punch her, and then she went down. She’s awake now but still laying on the ground. My friend is a nurse, so she’s keeping her still until the ambulance gets here,” I reply.

“Okay, good. They’re only a few blocks away,” he confirms, and as soon as he finishes the sentence, I hear the siren.

“Can you please dispatch a police officer too?” I ask him a little quieter, turning my body away from the asshole so he can’t hear me. I don’t want him to run. He’s still sitting on the ground with his face in his hands, bitching about his broken nose.

“Yes, sir, I’ve already dispatched them. They should be there momentarily too.”

The moment the ambulance comes into view, I thank the operator and hang up. When they stop, the back doors pop open and they rush over to the girl on the ground.

“Ma’am, my name is Eric. Can you tell me your name?” one of the EMTs asks her.

She looks up at his face before answering. She seems confused and out of it. “Bella,” she croaks out.

“Can you tell me where you’re hurt?” he asks gently.

She tries to sit up, but Sara tells her not to move. The EMT looks at Sara as if she’s crazy, and when he starts to chastise her about it, Sara shuts him down quickly.

“Look, Eric, I saw him hit her twice before I got to them, and they were full hits by that huge pile of shit over there,” she blurts while pointing at the guy before she continues. “The last hit knocked her unconscious and she hit the ground head first. She could have a head and/or neck injury. You need to immobilize her.”

Eric nods without another word, standing back up and going for the gurney and brace I assume. When he returns, he’s carrying a board and what resemble foam blocks. Weird.

My attention is bouncing between the idiot and this poor girl when the police show up. The moment the bastard sees the cops, he stands up and starts to walk away as if he’s not involved, which is hilarious because his face and T-shirt are covered in his blood.

“Stop and put your hands up right now,” I hear shouted from behind me.

Asshole stops moving and throws his head back in irritation before turning around and just staring at me. If looks could kill, I’d be in a world of hurt. He’s glaring at me, but the moment he hears Sara talking to the police officers about what she saw, he moves that icy-cold stare to Sara. He takes several steps toward her before the cop looks up at him and tells him to stop and put his hands in the air or he’ll tase him.

Within minutes, Bella is in the ambulance and the asshole is being read his rights and placed in the squad car.

I have my arm around Sara, and the moment the squad car pulls away, her body starts to tremble. I look down at her and her face is pale.

“You okay?”

“No, I’m not. I’ve never seen anything like that Eli,” she chokes out. “I mean, I grew up with brothers. I’ve seen guys fight each other and I’ve seen girls fight, but I’ve never seen a grown man punch a woman. It was so scary. She hit the ground so hard.” I can tell her adrenaline is pumping because her whole body is vibrating.

I hold her against me, rubbing my hand up and down her back, trying to soothe her.

“Thank you,” she whispers. “He was going to hit me. I saw the look on his face when I tried to protect her.”

“I need you to promise me you’ll never do that again,” I blurt. “I know you wanted to help her, but if I hadn’t shown up, you’d have been on the ground beside Bella and that wouldn’t have helped either of you. Next time, call for help. Please.”

She nods into my chest but doesn’t respond. I have zero doubt she’d do it all over again to get that man away from Bella.

I steer her over to my truck and lift her into it without any hesitation from her. I think she’s in shock. I know I’m no doctor, but I can see the signs. I climb into the truck and pull her into me, cradling her to my chest as if she were a child. She’s completely limp in my arms as I rub my hands up and down her back, trying to pull her out of whatever her mind has dragged her into.