WHO KILLED EMMALINE? (10 page)

The following day, I’m sitting outside with Cord during lunch. I’d expected him to pull out his sketch pad or homework, but instead, he turns his attention on me. “Dane mentioned that Riley was in the store harassing you last night.”

Oh great. I can just imagine how that conversation had gone. I had been hoping that Dane wouldn’t say anything. With Cord’s temper the way it is, the last thing he needs is to learn that his nemesis is causing trouble at the store he owns with his brother.

“Yeah, your brother intervened. Nothing happened,” I say lightly.

“He really has it out for you, doesn’t he?”

I shrug, not wanting to make a big deal out of last night. “His dad cheated on his mom with mine, so yeah, he definitely doesn’t like me. To be fair, I don’t really blame him. If it were the other way around, I’m betting I’d feel the same. I just wouldn’t be so mean about it.”

Cord’s expression darkens. “He’s being a pussy for taking it out on you. If he’s that pissed, he should take it up with his father and your mother. You just happen to be the easier mark, and he’s taking the coward’s way out by going after you. Have you told your mom what’s been going on at school?”

I shake my head and dip my spoon into my yogurt. “I did that first day when he played that conversation over the intercom. After that, it just wasn’t worth stirring up more drama.”

Cord’s expression lightens. “About that conversation, you really thought you could take on the football team?”

I shoot him look. “No. He completely twisted that conversation to benefit himself.”

His eyes gleam. “So you never said he has a good body? Or that he’s hot?”

“Shut up.” I grab a grape and throw it at him, and it bounces off his chest. I’d wanted the mood to lighten but not at my expense.

Cord smirks. “So you did.” He shakes his head. “I’m disappointed.”

I throw another grape, and it hits him in the shoulder. He quickly grabs it before it can fall and pops it in his mouth. “Dane mentioned Riley and Emmaline dated on and off?” I ask, switching the topic.

Cord looks at me sharply. “How did you guys get on the topic of Emmaline?”

“Dane was concerned that Riley was harassing me, and he warned me to be careful around him. You don’t think he had anything to do with what happened to her, do you?”

Cord is silent a moment as he thinks over my question. “He doesn’t strike me as the type to plan a murder, but then again, most killers don’t wear a sign on their forehead announcing their intentions, either. The possibility is there.”

I search his expression, but I don’t see anything in it that tells me he blames Riley for Emmaline’s death. “But you don’t think it was him, do you?”

Cord shrugs, his expression shutting down. “I have no idea.”

I fall silent, picking up my yogurt again.

Cord, deciding our conversation is finished, turns to his backpack to pull out his sketch pad.

It’s Thursday night, and the store closed five minutes earlier. Music is still playing overhead since Dane is working in the back. He won’t shut off the stereo until just before he leaves. Cord is also here tonight, helping Dane with Halloween prep work.

On the nights I help close, I spend about an hour tidying up the store before heading out. My mom hates that I come home so late on school nights, but I’ve assured her that once October is over, my hours will go back to normal. Dane tries to be respectful of the fact that I am still in high school, but I’ve insisted that a few late nights here or there won’t hurt anything. I have a study hall every day, so I have plenty of time to do my homework then. If I still don’t have it done by the next day, I work on it before school.

As I approach the hall leading to the fitting rooms, I pause and turn off the fog machine. The fog swirls around my ankles as I enter the red lit hallway, and I slip into the first fitting room on the right. The light flickers on overhead, and I start grabbing discarded clothing. This is probably my least favorite part of my job on closing nights. It’s just eerie back here, and it doesn’t help that at the end of the hall where a large mirror is located, Dane has a monster standing guard.

It takes a while to clean out the rooms, and when I enter the last one on the left, the light flickers on, and I see a couple of corsets hanging on a hook. Unable to resist the temptation, I set down my handful of clothing and pick up the first corset. It’s my size. It’s black with buckles and spikes, and it’s wickedly sexy.

My head tilts to the side as I envision it on myself. I step closer to the mirror as the fitting room door closes behind me. I glance at the door, then hesitate. It’s not very often anyone interrupts my nightly duties.

Throwing caution to the wind, I quickly strip off my shirt, and then hesitate with my bra. Oh hell, why not? I undo the clasp, allowing the bra to fall to the floor as I pick up the corset, slipping my arms through it. It takes a bit of time to fasten the front, then I have to do a little twisting and arching to pull the strings in the back so that the corset tightens around my waist. When I feel it’s cinched enough, I tie it, and then peer at myself in the mirror.

Daaaaamn.

I wish I had my phone. Sidney would flip if she could see me now. The corset has pushed my breasts up much higher than they should be. My now smaller waist causes my hips to look curvier in the short, black skirt I’d bought—the one with the safety pins going down the sides. I’d paired the skirt with my combat boots, and my makeup is much darker here at the store.

I definitely do not look anything like my old self.

Movement in the mirror draws my attention, and I spin around to see that Cord had slipped into the room when I’d been distracted. With the music on, I hadn’t heard the click of the door being opened or shut. His green eyes roam over me from head to toe in a way that has my lower belly quivering.

I feel suddenly embarrassed over the corset I’d chosen to try on. I never do this kind of thing when I close up. Wait—no, sometimes I do when I’m thinking of purchasing something new, but I’ve never gravitated to the corsets.

“Uh, it’s not really…” I’m not sure what to say.

Cord’s eyes simmer with heat. “Buy it,” he says, his voice just loud enough to be heard over the music.

The desire in his eyes is causing my heart to thunder in my ears. Looks like Cord isn’t as unaffected by me as I had once assumed. I try to control my hormones. “What are you doing in here?”

“I had a question, and when I couldn’t find you, I checked in here.” His eyes sweep over me again. “Perfect timing on my part. I had no idea I’d find you wearing something like that.”

I touch the waist of the corset self-consciously. “I didn’t mean to try it on…”

He arches an eyebrow, and his eyes drop to my discarded shirt and bra. “But somehow, off came your shirt and bra, and on came the corset,” he murmurs. His eyes lift and zero in on my breasts. “You should buy it.”

“It’s not really my style.”

His eyes burn into mine. “I don’t think you really know what your style is yet. I’ve seen the way you look at the clothing with interest. You like being different when you’re here at the store.” His eyes drop to the corset. “You like being sexy.”

I lick my lips, trying to figure out how to navigate this conversation. “This would be a waste of money since I’d have nowhere to wear it. Dane insists there’s rules to the employee dress code.”

Cord’s expression shifts. “Not a waste of money if it can turn a guy on like it’s turning me on.”

I can see on his face that he isn’t kidding. “You like it that much?” I dare to ask.

His eyes run over me again. “I like the entire outfit put together. Want some help taking the corset off?” When his eyes lift back up to mine, there’s an unmistakable glint in their depths that tells me he wants to do a whole heck of a lot more than help me with the corset.

The bottom drops out of my stomach as a new heat begins to grow much lower.

This is bad, bad, bad…

My body craves what he wants, and my mind is wanting to shut off so that I can do something reckless for once. If I thought he was playing with me, I’d end this conversation immediately, but I can visibly see the effect I am having on him. His jeans hide nothing. I could just imagine Sidney, the queen of hook-ups, cheering me on, urging me to do something wild for once. I’ve never had sex with anyone that wasn’t my boyfriend at the time, but I definitely want to with Cord.

It’s just sex, I tell myself. It’s not like he’s asking me out on a date, and we obviously need to work this sexual tension out of our systems. It’s only become worse since he’d kissed me at the warehouse. I’ve been achingly aware of his every move, even though I haven’t wanted to admit it to myself.

I hold his gaze and nod.

That’s all the answer he needs.

His eyes darken with raw hunger as he slowly walks over to me, gently nudging me back against the wall as his lips claim mine. The kiss is deep and hot right from the start, and the little hint of doubt that starts to filter into my conscious fades from my mind.

He doesn’t have his hair pulled back tonight, and I enjoy sinking my hands into it and tightening my fists around the soft strands. I try not to lose myself to his seduction as his mouth melds to mine, his fingers niftily working the little cinches on the front of the corset. It’s a lost cause as we both seem to lose a bit of control.

The corset is tossed to the floor, and Cord pulls back so he can allow his gaze to roam over me. His eyes turn heavy-lidded, and he reaches down and pulls his shirt up and over his head, tossing it carelessly aside.

If there were any hidden doubts waiting to snap me out of this mindless lust for him, the sight of his ripped abs and the giant, black, detailed cross tattoo along his left side erases them. I step forward, ready to explore with my hands, but Cord lightly pushes me back against the wall again as his lips begin to explore down my neck and to my chest.

My head falls back, my hands tightening in his hair as I close my eyes and enjoy what we’re doing. Music still plays overhead, and I lose myself to the sensations of those sexy lips roaming over my chest as I arch my back.

As Cord’s mouth explores, I run my hands over his broad, smooth shoulders. There’s so much I want to do, but he distracts me as he straightens and captures my lips with his. His hands are on my thighs now, going beneath my skirt. My panties quickly join the growing pile of discarded clothing on the floor, and soon he has me writhing in his arms as he explores me intimately.

Cord breaks the kiss and looks down at me, his eyes searching mine as his hand slides out from beneath my skirt. “You sure?”

I quickly nod. We can’t stop now. I want this too badly now that he’s got me primed and ready.

He flashes me a sexy smile as he pulls his wallet out of the back pocket of his jeans. While he retrieves a condom, I go to work on his belt, then the button on his jeans. As I’m easing down his zipper, Cord rips open the condom and then takes over, brushing my hands out of the way. A second later, he has me pinned against the wall, my legs wrapped around his hips as he begins to move inside me. He quickly adjusts his hold, gripping my hips tighter as the pace changes, and we both grow more frantic.

My lips clamp shut as I try to muffle my moans as pleasure spirals throughout me, and soon, Cord is groaning into my ear until we both still against the wall. Neither of us move from our intimate embrace as we take a moment to catch our breath. After a few minutes, Cord shifts my hips as he eases out of me, and then he gently lowers my legs to the floor. He keeps an arm around my waist until he’s sure I’m steady on my feet before releasing me so that he can remove the condom. I look away as I tug my skirt back down over my hips. Reality is beginning to set in as the fitting room comes back into focus.

I just had sex at work.

With Cord Bodine.

What the hell has gotten into me lately?

Cord zips up his jeans, fastens his belt, and picks up his shirt off the floor. His eyes connect with mine as he slips it on, hiding those delicious abs from my sight. “See you at school,” he murmurs with a satisfied smile before he runs his hands through his hair and saunters out of the fitting room.

I blink, then realize I am still standing there in just my skirt and combat boots. My face heats up as I quickly grab my bra and rush to put the rest of my clothes back on. With shaking fingers, I comb out my tousled hair and then grab the corset, hurriedly cinching it back up and fastening it to the hanger. I have a job to do; I’ll worry about my momentary lapse in judgement later.

When I’m positive I have my composure in place, I open the fitting room door and step into the hall. I freeze when I see Dane and Cord talking at the entrance of the hallway, and I watch as Cord says something to Dane, then turns and walks off. Dane just shakes his head, and then he must sense me, because his head turns as his eyes connect with mine. Disapproval is written clear across his face.

He
knows.

My face is probably turning scarlet, and I quickly duck into the opposite fitting room, pretending I haven’t searched it already for discarded clothing. As my eyes scan the empty room, I feel anxiety swelling in my gut. I love this job, but having sex when I’m supposed to be working is likely going to get my butt fired.

Knowing I need to face the consequence of my actions, I step back into the hall, fully expecting to find Dane waiting for me, but he’s not. A relieved exhale escapes me. If he were going to fire me, he would have sought me out in the fitting room or he would have waited until I came out. Then again, he could wait right up until I’m about to leave. Less hassle that way.

Damn stupid hormones.

They may have just cost me the one thing I look forward to the most since moving here.