Road to Redemption (3 page)

“What?”

“Kissing you.”

I frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“I know,” he said, his arm wrapping around my back. “I thought I’d get you out of my head, but I just want more.”

He kissed me again, but this time I was prepared and forced my mouth away from his. “We can’t do this.”

“Why the fuck not?” he challenged, his face inches from mine.

“Um, gee, I don’t know. Maybe because we don’t know each other.”

“Babe, you’re fuckin’ hot and I know you think I am, so what the hell’s stopping you?”

I took a deep breath and fought back a few choice swear words. “Please let me go.”

“What the fuck?”

I shoved at his chest again. “You heard me. I’d like to go back inside.”

“Babe, don’t play hard to get.”

I gasped. “Oh my
god
, Alex, I’m
not
playing hard to get. I really
am
hard to get. Let me go!”

He released me immediately and stepped back. I turned to go, but he caught my arm again. “This isn’t over Payton.”

“I beg to differ.”

He chuckled. “You call me Alex, you kiss me like that,
and
you look the way you do? Babe, I’m puttin’ you on notice. This isn’t fuckin’ over.”

I couldn’t stop the shiver that ran up my spine, but I squared my shoulders and pulled away from his touch. “And I’m putting you on notice, Alex James. I’m not some whore that will melt at the sight of your pretty face, or the sound of your sexy voice. I own my own mind and I don’t fold easily. I’m also unlisted and I know for a fact, there isn’t anyone in that room currently who either knows where I live, or would tell you. So good luck with your pursuits, sir, but you’re going to get nowhere pretty damn fast.”

He laughed.

Laughed!

“Fuck me, you’re hot,” he said, and pushed me against the wall again.

“What are you doing
now
?” I demanded, and yet, I went with it. I couldn’t seem to help myself. I wanted him to possess me… so much for having my own mind.

He grinned. “I need to explain somethin’ to you, baby. You challenging me only makes me want you more—”

“Well, I have no intention of
not
challenging you, so it looks like we might be at an impasse.”

“Shit, an impasse.” His grin widened. “That’s just gonna make this all the more fun.”

I blinked. “I’m afraid you’re going to be stuck playing with yourself on this one.”

He cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing along my jaw. “Gorgeous and funny. Baby, you’re just puttin’ the nail in your own coffin.”

“Lovely,” I retorted. “You’re planning on burying me?”

“The only thing I plan to bury is me inside you, so wrap your mind around that, Payton. You need a day to come to terms with that fact, then, I’ll give you the day. But I always get what I want.”

“As romantic and appealing as that sounds, handsome, you’re barking up the wrong tree. But you feel free to fantasize all you want. Day after tomorrow when you still can’t find me, you’ll figure it out.”

Alex lifted my chin, his smile softening from leering to sweet and sexy.

Well, crap!

“When I find you tomorrow, baby, you and I are going to have a very intense conversation before I share those fantasies with you. And as far as hard to get, I’ll be hard when I get you, but you’ll enjoy every minute of it.”

He leaned down and kissed me again. And I let him. There was no way he’d find me tomorrow so I might as well enjoy the hell out of this kiss. I’d kissed a lot of men in my time, and by far, this was the best. After a few seconds, I smiled against his lips and patted his chest. “You can kiss, Alex, I’ll give you that. Hope that holds you over for a while.”

“I think I can wait until tomorrow.”

I chuckled and smiled up at him. “You won’t find me, bub. You can’t.”

“Challenge accepted, beautiful.”

He leaned down to kiss me again, but this time, I stopped him. “I’m going back inside.”

Alex let me go and I walked back to the group. Macey and Dani were in the middle of heated debate about our favorite zombie show, while Booker watched with amusement at the varying opinions.

“Back me up, Pay,” Macey demanded. “Daryl?”

“Sexy as hell,” I said.

“Ew! No way,” Dani said. “He’s so… I don’t know… just, no.”

“What season are you on?” I asked.

“Just finished the first.”

I giggled. “Wait it out, Dani. You’ll see.”

“I think we’ll stop where we are,” Booker said.

Dani wrapped her arms around her husband’s waist. “Don’t worry, honey, I’ll never find anyone sexier than you.”

He slipped his hand to the back of her neck and kissed her temple, but didn’t comment. From the size of her grin, I figured they’d shared something secret.

“Um, can I confirm something with you?” I asked.

“Of course.” Dani frowned. “Everything okay?”

“You wouldn’t give my information to anyone, would you? Like my number or address?”

“No,” Booker said. “Didn’t matter who asked. You don’t want your info out, we won’t give it out.”

I nodded. “Thanks.”

“You got a problem with someone I need to take care of?”

“No. Thank you,” I rushed to say. “If you don’t share my information with anyone, there’ll be nothing to take care of.”

Booker looked at something over my head and I turned to see Alex watching us. I turned back toward Booker and forced myself not to smile in triumph.

“What have you done, missy?” Macey whispered.

“I haven’t done anything,” I whispered back. “That’s the point.”

She giggled. “Can’t wait to hear the story.”

“I’ll share everything on the way home.”

“Deal.” Macey raised an eyebrow. “Where’s your wine?”

“Hmm. Must have lost it somewhere.” I grinned.

“Well, let’s get you some more.”

“Lead the way,” I said, and Macey grinned and headed to the kitchen.

* * *

“Oh my god, Pay. He said all of that?” Macey asked as I drove home. We’d slipped out when Alex had put Lily to bed. The last thing I wanted him to see was which car I drove. He could trace me through my license plate if he had that ability.

“Yep.” I nodded. “Weird, right?”

“Um, no, not weird necessarily.”

“What?” I glanced at her when we stopped at a red light. “You’re not thinking this is romantic are you?”

She shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know. As long as he doesn’t cross the line between romance and creepy stalker dude, then yeah, it’s kind of romantic.”

“Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?”

Macey laughed. “Dallas has reformed me.”

“Remind me to hug him… or hit him next time I see him.”

“You got it,” she said. “So what are you going to do?”

“Nothing.” I drove through the green light and headed to Macey’s. “I don’t have to do anything, right? He can’t find me, so I’ll just see him if I go to another party, which I won’t for a while, by the way. So, it’s all good.”

Macey giggled. “Okay, honey.”

“What?”

“Nothing,” she said, overly sweet and innocent like. “I’m just going to sit back and watch the show.”

“I hate you so much right now.”

“I know. And let me tell you, I’m loving
that
.”

“Suck it, Mase.”

“I plan to… when Dallas gets home.”

“
Ew
! Mase! Ew, ew, ew.”

She laughed and I pulled into the parking garage and into her extra space. I watched her as she continued to giggle, but she followed when I got out of the car, so I waited out her mirth which finally stopped once we’d walked into her apartment and poured wine.

The rest of the night was gratefully not on the subject of Alex ‘Hawk’ James.

“
F
UCK!” HAWK BELLOWED. It had been three weeks since he’d met Payton and he still hadn’t been able to find her. He slammed his hand against the steering wheel, grateful Lily wasn’t in the truck with him.

Payton had been right. He couldn’t find her. Well, he could if Booker would give him any information, but he refused to, so Hawk was fucked. She was officially a ghost. Hawk didn’t even have a last name. Booker wouldn’t provide that either.

“Fuck!” he snapped again.

Unfortunately, he didn’t have time to deal with the elusive Payton. He had three hours before he needed to relieve his sister from watching Lily, and he had a shit ton of work to do. He was currently in a Fred Meyer parking lot in Vancouver waiting to meet with his contact.

“Hawk, come in, over,” Tammy’s voice came over the radio.

“I’m here, over.”

“Kenny’s sitting outside Starbucks. He’s in red hoodie, over.”

“Copy, over.”

Hawk guided his truck to the spaces across from the coffee store and parked far enough away that he’d be somewhat obscured. As he climbed out of the cab and locked the doors, his eyes caught a glimpse of someone very familiar. His heart stuttered momentarily as he closed his eyes and opened them again to make sure he was seeing what he thought he was seeing. Payton was walking out the south door, one hand holding a grande coffee, the other her cell phone and purse. Her long, straight hair was pulled into a ponytail and she wore jeans, knee-high boots and a tight, cream turtleneck sweater that did incredible things for her tits.

Hawk stepped closer to his truck and watched her as she climbed into her car and pulled out of her space. He grinned as he took down the license plate, along with the make and model of the car. His little ghost had just materialized.

* * *

I pulled into my parents’ driveway and turned off my car. After hitting Starbucks, I’d met Macey at Jantzen Beach and shopped for my nephew’s birthday present. Billy was turning seven in a week and I had finally found him the video game he’d been begging for. I couldn’t help but grin… I was going to be firmly in the favorite aunt category.

Popping the trunk, I stepped out of the car, my eyes on my purse as I dropped my keys into it and slung it over my shoulder.

“Hey, babe.”

I squeaked, my phone dropping to the ground as I looked up to see Alex walking toward me. He wore jeans, motorcycle boots, his vest and signature thermal. Lordy, lordy, he was gorgeous.

“Wha—what are you doing here?”

He picked up my phone and handed it to me. “I told you I’d find you.”

“And, uh, how… how did you do that exactly?” Again with the squeaking. Holy crap, I needed to get it together.

“Babe.” Alex chuckled. “I did it and that’s all you need to know.”

“Okay,” I said, and crossed my arms. “So, you’ve found me. Congratulations, you deserve a major award. But now that you’ve ‘won,’ what’s the plan, handsome? Because I’m not really interested in a one night stand, and you’re hell-bent on getting me out of your system, so you can see how this might be a conflict of interest, right?”

He smiled and I forced myself not to let out a sigh. “You and I are gonna get to know each other.”

“We are?”

Alex nodded.

“And if
I
don’t want to? Then what?”

He leaned against my car and raised an eyebrow. “You want to.”

I took a deep breath, stuffing both the feeling of arousal and irritation. “Alex—”

“I fuckin’ love it when you call me that.”

“
Hawk
,” I corrected.

“Don’t do that, baby.” Alex cupped my cheek. “Although, it’s almost as sexy.”

I stepped away from his touch. “Where’s Lily?”

“She’s with my sister.”

“You have a sister?”

He nodded. “And a mother.”

“You’re close?”

“With my sister, yeah.” He crossed his arms. “She’s stayin’ with me while she sorts shit out with her ex.”

“Where’s Lily’s mother?”

Something scary crossed his face. Rage was far too simple to describe his expression.

“Sorry,” I rushed to say. “It’s none of my business.”

“It’s part of getting to know me,” he said, although, he sounded irritated. “I don’t know where her mother is. Honestly, I hope she’s dead.”

“Harsh.”

“The whore is the biggest bitch on the planet, so, no, babe, it’s not harsh enough.”

I bit my lip. “Okay, right there is why I’m not sure this is a good idea.”

Alex ran his thumb across my lip, tugging it from my teeth. “Break it down for me.”

“You hate the woman who gave birth to your beautiful little girl. You don’t seem interested in giving her the credit of at least gifting you with something incredible. Instead, you wish her dead. This doesn’t bode well for someone like me who couldn’t be less suited for you than any other woman on the planet. If you can’t find even the tiniest bit of compassion for her, what happens to me when I do something you don’t like? Will you wish me dead?”

“I’m not having this conversation with you in your parents’ driveway.”

“I don’t think there’s any point in having this conversation, period. I think you and I are ill suited to be anything other than acquaintances, so I wish you well, Alex James, but I think it’s a good idea that we part ways.”

He frowned. “Fuck, Payton. You’re givin’ up before we’ve even started!”

“Better now than to end up hurting each other later.”

“I didn’t peg you for a coward.”

I knew he said this to goad me, but I wasn’t particularly liking the emotions running through me, so I wasn’t going to bite. I needed to stay strong, not allow the sadness of never seeing him again rule my actions. “Yep, I’m a coward. And if you knew anything about me, you’d pick up on that pretty quickly.”

“What I’m pickin’ up on, baby, is you’re a shit liar.” He smiled. “So, how about you come with me and we’ll talk some more.”

I let out an irritated groan. “Have you not heard a word I’ve said?”

“Have you eaten?”

“Alex.”

He pushed away from the car, closing the distance between us. “Babe, have you eaten?”

My traitorous stomach rumbled. “No. But I’m just a step away from a food source, so I’m all good.”

“Come eat with me.” Alex took my hand and gave it a squeeze. “We’ll talk.”

“I don’t do this, Alex.”

“Pickin’ up on that, Payton.”

“Why are you pushing?” I demanded, but of course I still stood there holding his hand.

“Can’t tell you why, babe, just know I have to.”

I studied him. Wrong choice. He was far too gorgeous for his own good and staring at him just made me want to get naked, so I looked at my feet. But that brought into view his muscular legs and sexy as hell motorcycle boots, so I moved my eyes away, catching a glimpse of our hands entwined, a silver dog skull ring on his finger, and that just about had me kneeling before him. Gah! I was far too easy.

“Fine. Dinner,” I said, and pulled out my cell phone. I texted my mom to let her know I wouldn’t be home for a few hours, even though my car was in the driveway. My parents were out anyway, so it’s not like they would be peeking out of the front room window to see who I was with, so I didn’t give them any further information.

After locking up my car, I let Alex lead me to his truck. It wasn’t old, but it was certainly beat up. He held the passenger door open for me and I had to climb into it, it was so high. As he made his way around the front of the truck, I took in the CB radio, grate between the front and back seats, and general disarray of the cab.

He climbed in beside me and started the engine.

“What do you do?” I glanced around the cab. “Assuming you do something outside of the club.”

“Bounty hunter.”

“Of course you are,” I muttered under my breath.

Alex laughed. “I get better looking by the second, admit it.”

“Wow,” I said. “Cocky much?”

He didn’t answer as he grinned and pulled away from the curb.

As we drove toward I-5, my phone rang and I pulled it out to find Macey calling. “Hey, Mase.”

“Hey. Did I leave one of my bags in your trunk?”

“I have no idea,” I said. “I’m actually not home right now, but I can check when I’m back.”

“Where are you?”

“With Alex.”

“Shut the front door. How did that happen?”

“No clue. He just showed up at home as I pulled in.”

“Are you okay with that?” she asked. “’Cause I’ll get Dallas to track you and pick you up if you want.”

I glanced at Alex who raised an eyebrow at me before focusing back on the road.

“I’m fine, Mase. But I’ll keep that in mind if he gets out of hand.”

“I want details.”

“It’s just dinner.”

“Still want details when you can talk,” she said.

“Yeah, yeah.” I smiled. “I’ll call you later.”

“’Bye,” she said, and hung up.

I dropped my phone back in my purse and glanced at Alex again. “Why are you called Hawk?”

“I was a sharp shooter in the marines.”

“Did you do any tours?”

“Two. Iraq.”

“Wow,” I whispered. “Thank you.”

He took my hand, linking his fingers with mine. “You’re welcome.”

“Where are we going?”

“What do you feel like?”

“Typically on a first date, I’d say somewhere I can get a salad.”

“But?” he countered.

“But, that’s because I usually eat beforehand in an effort to keep the fact that I eat like a four-hundred pound man a secret for a while. And since I didn’t do that, I’m in the mood for burgers, fries, and a big ass chocolate shake,” I admitted. “You wanted to get to know me. Welcome to the show.”