Leather and Sand (Riding the Line Series) (6 page)

Finally, he looked the stowaway full in the face and the shock of looking into her eyes took his breath away. Her face was just as expressive as he recalled. And just as hauntingly beautiful. More so, perhaps. Rhee’s eyes were wide, scared, and somewhat shocked as she regarded him silently. She blinked a few times, as if to confirm that he was really there.

Dax said nothing. He could think of nothing to say. What could he say?

Sorry I beat up your boyfriend?
Sorry I fucked up your life?
Oh, hey Rhee.
How have you been?

Dax’s eyes traveled from her bare feet to her rumpled dress. She shivered and he chastised himself for his insensitivity. Dax shrugged the stained gray jacket from his shoulders and approached to wrap it around Rhee’s shoulders. He was startled when she jerked away as though he was trying to burn her with a lit cigarette.

“Jesus Christ, Dax!” Rhee hissed, pulling away from his touch. “What the hell are you doing here? And what did you do to my boss?” Rhee’s voice was angry and accusatory.

Dax froze in his tracks, the jacket dangling limply in his hands. He was at a loss for words.

She
is angry with
me
?!

Dax could only stare in disbelief as Rhee crept to the man lying facedown on the ground. He rubbed his bruised knuckles as she tended to her boyfriend, or whoever the fuck he was. Dax felt a twinge of guilt as she worried over the douchebag. Had he misjudged the situation? It looked like Rhee cared about the schmuck.

Dax watched Rhee, morbidly fascinated, as she rummaged in her purse and yanked out her phone, presumably to call 9-1-1. Did she need a reminder of his ability to handle things like this? He lifted her phone from her so fast she looked down at her hands in surprise. Then, she got in his face.
Hm.
She’s changed.
Rhee was practically shouting, but Dax didn’t really hear her words. First, he was amused by her unexpected reaction. Then, he was distracted by her proximity, fascinated by her full, pink mouth as she railed at him. This was no timid college girl any longer.

Although he was indignant that Rhee failed to acknowledge his timely assistance, among other transgressions of hers, Dax found himself unable to respond and defend himself. If he did, there was no telling what he would say, or do. So, he let Rhee have her tirade while he slipped his own phone from his pants and shot off a few texts.

“A couple of affiliates will be here soon. They’ll patch up your boyfriend…”

“Darren is NOT my boyfriend, Daxter Jamison! He is—
was
—my boss! Shit! What am I going to do now! I
needed
that job Dax! But you never care about anyone else’s needs do you? You think you can just show up out of nowhere,
again,
and ruin my life?!”

***

Rhee was beside herself, anxiety mingling with exhaustion and abject fear. Once again, her world had come crashing down and the tall, blond, ridiculously good-looking cause of it was just standing there silently, with a familiar aloof and dismissive look on his face. Darren groaned again, reminding her that he could be seriously hurt. Even if he was a lecherous toad, her boss deserved medical care.

Dax moved like a predatory feline. He was silent and deadly, and you never knew when he was going to sneak up behind you. Rhee had forgotten just how quickly Dax Jamison could move. Dax pounced, swiping her phone before she could react. Infuriated, she whirled on him, ignoring the heat that raced through her body when his hand had brushed her palm.

Before she could even consider what she was saying, a torrent of angry words fell from her mouth, accusing him of ruining her life. Heat danced in his gaze, darkening the blue of his eyes to a stormy gray. Rhee knew that her words weren’t fair, but the tide of emotions that had arisen now that Dax was standing in front of her were wreaking havoc on her carefully constructed mask. What was he doing here? He could
not
be here! Feeling the prickle of hot, embarrassing tears threatening to slide down her cheeks, she turned on her bare heel to flee to the sanctity of her car. Perhaps, just perhaps, if she could just drive away, the entire scene would fade, like the nightmares she used to have.

“Fuck!” The expletive flew from her mouth as a piece of glass sliced into Rhee’s foot, stopping her in her tracks.

“Rhiannon…” She recognized that tone.

“No! Stop right there, Dax. Please. Just-just leave me alone!” Rhee panicked as the man who haunted her dreams stalked ever closer, a look of possessive determination on his chiseled face. She was barely holding herself in check, using an old trick of letting anger cover up her true emotions. Her mind raced through all the things that had just gone horribly wrong in her life.

Darren deserved to be put in his place, but Rhee needed the meager income that job had provided. Now, she knew she should consider herself fired. Maybe the source of her anger wasn’t really Darren, anyway, but rather…herself. Given her past, she had been stupid as hell to let him walk her to her car, knowing his intentions. She just hadn’t expected the anger or aggression with which her boss had come on to her. That was her fatal flaw, perhaps. Despite all she had been through, Rhee still gave people like Darren the benefit of the doubt and she wasn’t sure why.

Underneath the useful anger she wrapped herself in, Rhee was scared. She was so very scared. Dax couldn’t find out. There was no telling what he would do. And if he put his hands on her right now…well, there was no telling what
she
would do either. He took another step, grim determination on his face, a storm of intensity in his eyes. Rhee glanced nervously at her car, seeking an escape.

Fuck!
The car seemed so far away, now that her mode of getting to it required her to hop like a drunken, one-legged bunny. She ventured a glance at Dax. His intense blue gaze swept from her face, down her body, to rest for several seconds on her bleeding heel. Dax had a protective streak, and from that look, Rhee knew he was about two seconds from pulling her into his arms to get her off of her foot. Although her head resisted, her body was already humming with a sweet-hot, fiery feeling that had become foreign to her over the last three years.

Don’t, don’t, don’t….Oh, God don’t let him put his hands on me…

“Let me help you, Rhiannon.” His voice was deceptively calm and soft, but she knew he was royally pissed.

Shit!
Rhee hesitated as old memories flooded her brain. Meeting Dax, waking up half-naked in his house…he had asked her to let him help her then, too.
More like demanded!
Feelings of déjà vu, nostalgia, and loss ripped through Rhee, nearly causing her to double over. She never could have predicted how things were going to turn out. Still, what she had now was so worth it. She would do it all again for Sirena.

Sirena!
Oh, God.
I have to get home.
Rhee forced herself to step firmly on her injured foot, stifling the sharp yelp of pain that resulted from the action.

“I’m fine, Dax. Really. I have to go now.” She turned away, feeling the bite of the glass in her heel, and the burn of his stare heating her back.

***

What the fuck?

After their cataclysmic reunion, she was just going to walk away? Again?
No fucking way.
Hot boiling rage threatened to spill over as Rhiannon pierced him with her words.

Ruined her life?
I helped that girl out!
More than once.
I just saved her ass again tonight!

In his mind’s eye, Dax saw himself throwing her facedown over his knee and yanking up the slinky material of her dress. The image was becoming quite compelling. And constant. Dax wasn’t sure why the idea of spanking the stowaway until her heart-shaped ass glowed red seemed so appealing all of a sudden. His jaw felt tight as he took a menacing step towards her retreating back. Then, something shiny glinted from the ground, and Rhee was suddenly hopping on one foot, swearing up a blue streak. The sight would have almost been comical had she not been bleeding. A single, red droplet splattered onto the concrete, and all thoughts of punishment evaporated from his mind, replaced by the urge to help her.

He stood there for a few seconds, watching her retreat.
Stubborn little girl.
She favored her right foot, but Rhee moved surprisingly fast despite her awkward, limping gait. She actually had the key in the door of her little hatchback before he reached her.

“I’m driving you home.” he growled.

“No!” Rhee practically yelled, cold fear lacing her voice. Dax narrowed his eyes at her.

“Look, I don’t care if you’re with someone, Rhee. As long as he’s less of a douchebag than that piece of shit,” he spat in Darren’s general direction. “But I’m taking you home.”

Rhee turned to the car, presenting him with her back. Ignoring him. Refusing him. Dax grabbed the girl’s arm before he could even process his own intent. He heard a stifled gasp, then Rhee jerked back so hard she banged her elbow into the door, like she couldn’t tolerate his touch. She yelped as her elbow made contact with the hard steel, and then she closed her eyes tightly, squeezing them shut as though she were willing this night, and him, to just disappear. Her teeth set into her lip, in that familiar gesture that used to bring him low with need.

It was no different now, he realized, his groin growing taut. In fact now, it was very nearly worse. An ache developed in his balls, one that he was suddenly desperate to relieve. Dax was rigid in his tailored suit, watching Rhee’s small, white teeth worry that full bottom lip until it swelled in protest. His head swam, his fingers itching to trace that lip with his thumb, tug it from beneath those small, perfect teeth, and capture it in his own mouth. A low growl escaped him as he placed both hands on either side of her shoulders, effectively trapping her within the confines of his body. Dax tore his gaze away from her mouth to look into her eyes, losing the will to fight the animalistic urge that compelled him to crush her mouth underneath his own. Then, he stopped cold at the look on her face.

Rhee’s green eyes were nearly black with anxiety, and he could see barely restrained tears shimmering in their depths. Her pulse fluttered in her neck as she cringed. Away from him. Remembering her past, Dax immediately removed his hands and took a small step back, giving her some space. He shook his head, trying to physically shake the desire out of himself. What the hell was wrong with him?! He glanced back at Rhee’s boss, who remained crumpled on the ground, moaning like the pussy he was.

I’m no better than that asshole.

***

Rhee’s foot was going numb and so was her mind. The adrenaline that coursed through her was fading. Her brain was still in full fight or flight mode, but resisting Dax would be a losing battle. She was still in shock that he was here and at the turn of events that had brought them back together so aggressively. He was standing so close—it would be so easy to just lean her head on his chest and let it all out. But, she couldn’t.

I’m so tired.

Rhee took stock of her jittery limbs and her foggy brain. The tears she had been holding back began to seep out from beneath her half-closed lids. Rhee hated to admit it but the domineering outlaw was right. She was in no condition to drive. She took a deep breath and regained some of her composure. It was no easy feat, considering that Dax Jamison, all six-feet, two inches of him, was standing over her, glowering, and staring at her mouth in a way that made her knees even weaker than before.

“I’ll call a cab.” Rhee held out a remarkably steady hand for her phone. For a minute, she thought Dax was going to acquiesce, but the low rumble signaling the arrival of a dark van interrupted any response he may have had. The driver acknowledged Dax by shooting him a hand sign before screeching to a halt. As Rhee watched, another guy bent over Darren. It looked like he was taking his pulse.

“What will they do to him?” It was a husky croak. She swallowed reflexively.

“Patch him up. Drop him off at home if he isn’t too bad off. His wallet’s in his pocket, so they’ll know where to take him.”

She nodded. “If he is—bad off?”

“There’s a hospital down the road.”

Dax eyed her as she placed weight on her foot. It hurt.
Fuck.
Rhee tried unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn. While she was struggling to process the situation, he knelt slowly and carefully picked up her injured foot. She quivered at his touch, but this time, she allowed him to examine her heel, holding herself taut.

Rhee stifled a moan as he ran his rough thumb over the delicate arch of her foot, and then encircled her dainty ankle in his large hand. It stung, but the wound didn’t feel that bad. Still, Rhee knew that Dax wasn’t the sort to rescue a damsel in distress only to let her wrap her car around a palm tree on the way home. It was going to be an argument. But…she couldn’t let him find out where she lived.

“Don’t see how you can drive safely with this cut,” he challenged.

“I’m fine,” Rhee countered weakly.
Stay strong.

“You look exhausted. Please, Rhiannon. Don’t make this difficult.”

Rhee struggled not to react as his long fingers grazed over the sensitive skin of her ankle, but a shiver went down her spine nonetheless. It was probably after three in the morning. Manali would be wondering where she was. Sirena would be up in a few hours. Tomorrow was not going to be pretty as it was. Rhee tried to think rationally. It would be much faster and easier to have him drop her off. Getting a cab at this hour would be dicey anyway. She could call Max and he would leap out of bed to get her, but she didn’t want to worry the older man.

What to do?

“What about your bike?” Rhee stalled, trying to gain a few precious moments to think.

“A buddy will pick it up. It’s a loaner anyway.”

She hesitated, her fried brain rationalizing.
He can drop me in front of Manali’s.
What’s the harm in that?
There was no reason for him to see her actual place. Even if he did come back unannounced, Manali wouldn’t let him past the front gate. She was an effective man deterrent, that woman.