“Our ride is here.” Mycah gently grasped Paisley’s fingertips and pulled her up with little effort from her seated position. She wasn’t quite prepared for the move and her body launched forward. She practically slammed into his broad chest. Large hands instinctively wrapped around her waist, securing her body against his hard frame.

      She let out an “oomph” when she collided with him. “I’m so sorry,” she said embarrassed. He held her, studying her face. The distance between their lips was feather thin. He smelled clean and earthy, like a forest after a summer rain. She inhaled deeply and licked her lips.

      “I’ve got you,” he said, leaning into her, whispering in her ear.

      The bulge in his pants was undeniable as it pressed into her stomach. He stepped back and motioned towards the waiting limousine. With his hand on the small of her back, he ushered her forward and closed the car door. Paisley felt like she’d just taken two shots of Patron, straight up, no chaser. Heat cloaked her body and lust ricocheted through like a bullet firing from the chamber of a gun. Caught off guard, she thought surely she’d pitch forward, ending up on her face. Don’t let me fall and bust my ass! Coming to her senses, she remembered she had items

“Coming to her senses, she remembered she had items from the store in the trunk of his car.

“I need to take my things inside.” Though she hadn’t intended, she said it in a ‘come hither’ voice.

      “Yes,” Mycah agreed. “Let me help you carry them and-“

      “No! I mean no thanks,” Paisley said less excitedly. “I’ll only be a minute.” Mycah told her to wait a moment and went to grab her things.

      “Are you sure I can’t accompany you?” Mycah’s eyes smoldered and Paisley almost swooned. “My mother taught me to be a gentleman even if I sometimes forget myself.”

      “I’ve got it,” Paisley said, taking the two bags and pillows which had morphed back to their original state of fluffiness. “Ten minutes tops.”

      Paisley’s heels click-clacked rhythmically on the pavement as she quickly walked to her entrance. She scanned her key fob and before entering, looked back over her shoulder to see Mycah leaning against the limousine, legs crossed over and hands jammed into the pockets of his designer suit. She flashed a nervous smile. “I’ll only be a few minutes,” she called out and then entered the building.

***

Once inside her entire body seemed to suck in all the air surrounding her. “Holy fuck! What am I doing?” She got to the elevator and furiously punched the up button while glancing over her

shoulder. She was certain Mycah was standing at the glass entrance door to the building, watching her. He was not. Inside the elevator, she carried on a whispered conversation with herself, wherein she talked herself out going back outside for fear of encouraging a man who could very likely be dangerous. It happens all the time. Girl meets guy. Guy seems great. Girl is found with the fishes weeks later. Then she’d talk herself down, rationalizing that if he’d wanted to do something nefarious, he could have done so on the drive from Meijer. “He’s just pushy. A little overly confident in his own abilities? Some would call that arrogant. But he’s been a perfect gentleman and after today, I can ignore him again, for good!”

By the time she reached her floor. She stopped by Ms. Dane’s apartment to deliver her medicine, immediately letting her know she didn’t have time to chat. To her surprise, her neighbor didn’t seem interested in talking and Paisley knew it was because one of her investigative shows was on television. They were one of few things for which  Ms. Dane would cut a conversation short. Approaching her own door, Paisley decided to take the leap and have the adventure, even if it’s for one night. She did, however, text Jett the details right down to Mycah’s description and his license plate; SemprFi.

Inside the limo, Mycah sat across from Paisley. Better to keep her at a distance. Safer for him. Safer for her. The primal urge to strip away her clothes and sheathe himself inside was overwhelming. He watched her. In the dark, the rise and fall of her breasts were evident in the dull moonlight illuminating the inside of the cabin.

      If only she knew what it took to orchestrate all this. Troi’s sleuthing came in handy today, hacking the BMV to get her VIN and syncing her coordinates with his phone; genius move. Mycah thought how Paisley would have his head on a pike if she knew the lengths he’d gone through to see her again. What choice did I have? She left me no choice by continuing to ignore me. He tried to rationalize his behavior. Not that it mattered in the end as long as he got what he wanted. The flat tire was improvisation, but it did the trick. He had not, however, banked on Jett which meant he’d have to come up with a new plan. He knew Paisley wanted him as much as he wanted her. He only needed the right moment to sway her to give herself over to him.

      Mycah replayed the last hour in his head, and he concluded, he’d make good on his plan. He needed her surrender. Paisley was staring out the window. Her body was turned toward the door, legs crossed and folded against the edge of the seat. Mycah

crossed over the floor to slide next to her. Her head turned with eyes suspicious.

      “What are you doing?” Paisley asked. Too close. Way too close. Thud-thud. Thud-thud. Her heart palpitated, cresting like the opening notes of John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme.”

      Without warning, Mycah lightly gripped her chin, tilting it and claimed her mouth. Paisley unabashedly moaned. Shocked by his boldness, she attempted to turn her head away but his grip, though gentle was firm. She stiffened.”

Mycah’s body was pressed against her. There was nowhere for her to go. He had her right where he wanted, caged like prey and unable to extricate herself from his snare. At some point, he’d managed to untangle her legs from one another and turn her body to face his. His left arm encircled her trim waist while the other was free to explore her luscious curves. Paisley’s mind was saying, “No,” but her mouth, welcomed each thrust and tango of his commanding tongue. She softened against him.

      Paisley, though her mind denied it, wanted this for so long. The wild abandon with which she responded to him belied any protestations she may have made. She asked herself what he was doing to her and if she should stop him. Shouldn’t let him continue but I ache so much. She didn’t care that they were in the back of his limo. There was no thought that she barely knew him. One resounding

thing screamed loudly in her mind, overriding all logic. Fuck me!

      As if reading her innermost thoughts, Mycah reached for her blouse, tugging at the buttons to free her breasts. He could smell the mix of her desire and the Jasmine perfume she wore. The heady scent made his blood race…straight to his trousers.

      He licked at her earlobe, her neck and trailed hot kisses along her now exposed collarbone. “Tell me you want this. Tell me you desire me; want to feel me inside you as much as I need to be inside you.” His voice was raw and reverberated deeply, sending chills along her spine. He continued unbuttoning her blouse until her toasted almond breasts were revealed in a black, lace push up bra. He pulled away from her, momentarily catching her eyes. The desire he saw bore into him like lasers, singeing his soul. She was panting heavily, and her lips were parted. Before she could change her mind or protest, he popped the edge of one lace cup down, cupped her breast and his wet mouth latched onto her hardened peak.