355 500 произведений, 25 200 авторов.

Электронная библиотека книг » Rachael Duncan » Hidden in Lies » Текст книги (страница 10)
Hidden in Lies
  • Текст добавлен: 9 октября 2016, 11:41

Текст книги "Hidden in Lies"


Автор книги: Rachael Duncan



сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 10 (всего у книги 14 страниц)

THE RICH SMELL of coffee wafts through my nose, rousing me from my sleep. Blinking my eyes open, I’m met with the best morning wake up I’ve had in a very long time. Alex is perched on the edge of the bed, coffee in hand with a brilliant smile on his face.

“Wake up, sweetheart. We’ve got plans today.” There’s a little gleam in his eye that looks so much like a little boy on Christmas. It warms my heart. Stretching my arms above my head, I arch my back as I shake off the sleep. When I look back up at Alex, his darkened gaze is focused on my chest that’s thrust up in the air, my hard nipples poking through the thin fabric of my nighty. Clearing his throat, he says, “So, how’d you sleep?”

“Great, actually. I haven’t slept that well in ages.” I slept in one of the guest rooms per Cal’s request since I’m “sick,” but I didn’t mind. I hate having to pretend that I enjoy being cuddled up at his side at night. I don’t sleep well since I’m constantly fighting the urge to recoil from him. Last night I slept like the dead and I feel refreshed, like a whole new woman. Sitting up against the headboard, I reach for the coffee Alex has in his hand.

“Good. Cal left about thirty minutes ago. He told me to tell you that he’d call you later and let you know if he’d have a late night or not.” Yeah, late night with Mona is the first thing that runs through my mind. “But we have plans. So get up and get ready so we can have some fun.”

Fun.

I smile at the idea since that’s something that I haven’t had in a long time. Fun isn’t exactly in Cal’s repertoire. “What are we doing?” I ask as I bring the coffee up to my lips and look at him over the rim of the mug.

“That’s for me to know and you to find out.” He hops off the bed and taps my nose with the tip of his finger, making me squish my face up at him. “Just wear something comfortable that you don’t mind getting ruined.” As he’s about to walk out of the room, he turns back around and says, “And wear tennis shoes.” Then he’s gone.

My mind immediate recalls the last time he ruined a piece of clothing. A blush creeps up my face and I clench my thighs together to ease the ache the memory brings. Suddenly, going out doesn’t sound as appealing as staying in. Knowing these thoughts can never be acted on again, I stand up and get ready.

“I like this casual look on you,” Alex says as he drives us to wherever we’re going.

“You’ve seen me in jeans and a T-shirt before.” I tuck a few loose strands of hair that have fallen out of my ponytail behind my ear self consciously.

“I know, but I like it,” he says softly as he places his hand on top of mine while it rests on my leg. I blush at his compliment and turn my attention toward the window, not really sure what to say. We’re quiet the rest of the drive, the only sound coming from the radio and him whistling softly along with the music. Soon, we’re pulling up to a building and when I look at the sign, my heart drops.

“Paintball? You can’t be serious.” I look at him with a flat expression letting him know that I’m not that excited about this. Actually, I’m terrified.

A mischievous grin spreads slowly across his face. “Come on, it’ll be fun. I promise.” He exits the car and comes around my side to help me out. I sit there even though he’s waiting, contemplating if I’m going to do this or not. “Let’s go, sweetheart. The next round is going to start soon.”

I shake my head at him several times. “No way. I’m not going to run around while people try to shoot hard balls full of paint at me.”

I give him credit, he at least tries not to laugh at me, but he chuckles anyway. “Do you trust me?” His expression has gone serious now, waiting for my answer. Do I? Without hesitation I know unequivocally, that yes, I do trust him. Probably more than I have anyone else in my life. But that doesn’t mean I’m willing to go out there and be target practice for a bunch of jerks.

“Yes, it’s the other people out there that I don’t trust.”

“How about this: we’ll watch the first round so you can get a feel for how it works. You can see where they hide and get a study of their strategy. I’ll help you. It’ll be fun, I swear.” With a huff, I get out of the car. How could I not? The hopeful, excited look on his face did me in.

“Not everyone’s a trained soldier like you,” I grumble, still making my protest known. He simply laughs at me and grabs my hand and leads me in through the doors. We walk into this place and I’m immediately overwhelmed by all the gear that’s tacked up to the walls and hanging from racks.

“We’ll need to get you suited up before we go out,” he tells me. There’s gloves, helmets, goggles, clothes, everything. By the time he’s placed everything in my arms, I almost can’t see over the pile. Finding a dressing room, I pull on a set of overalls over the clothes I already have on. I pat my legs and arms testing the cushion it provides. It’s not much. Man, this is going to suck. Walking out of the dressing room, I hold my arms out and do a spin for Alex’s examination. “Perfect. Let’s go pay for all of this and I’ll help you put on the protective gear.”

As we’re walking to the register, I dig through my purse to locate my wallet. Alex sees me struggling and says, “Don’t worry, I’ve got it.” I open my mouth to protest but he takes his index finger and places it over my lips effectively shutting me up, making me immobile. He drags his finger down my lips, pulling the bottom one down slightly before releasing it. “No argument, Elizabeth. My treat.” Turning back around, he pays for all of our stuff like nothing just happened. Me? I haven’t moved, my mouth practically hanging open.

Alex flashes me his million-dollar smile once the transaction is complete. “Let’s go, gorgeous.” We walk out the back door, him carrying my bag in one hand, while his other hand holds mine. The simple contact sends a flurry of butterflies to my stomach. It makes me feel like a teenager all over again. Once we reach a table, he sets everything down and starts explaining all of the equipment to me. “I’m going to strap the chest protector on you now, and we’ll put the helmet and everything else on before we go out.” It has a back and a front that’s held together by straps at the shoulders. He slips it over my head before securing the straps at the sides to help hold it together. My breathing accelerates with his close proximity as his fresh scent engulfs me. I take a small step back to regain my senses.

“This is kinda heavy.” I bounce a little at the knees, testing the weight.

“That’s nothing. You should feel the body armor I used to wear.” I smile softly. This is the first time he’s offered up anything about himself without me asking. It’s very minor, but it’s something. “Alright, you’re set. Now let’s go set up a strategy.” His look is so boyish. I can feel the excitement pouring out of him and can tell that he lives for this kind of thing.

We stand by the fence that marks the perimeter and I take in my surroundings. There’s a big open field with huge red, inflatable objects scattered around. People are diving behind them, shots being fired out in rapid succession. Oh God, I don’t think I can do this. “Do you want to be the aggressor or the cover fire?” My head whips around to look at him. He’s got to be high if he thinks I’m going to go out there on the attack. As soon as I set my eyes on him, the grin on his face widens at what I’m assuming is pure horror all over mine. I playfully smack him in the arm.

“Very funny, mister. Now get serious. I don’t want to get hurt.”

“Let’s watch and see what obstacles are good places to hunker down behind.” I have no idea what I’m looking for, so I wait as he surveys everything laid out before us. “To win, someone on our team has to be the last one standing. You’re gonna want to get to one of the outside edges and hold up there. Stay away from the middle. That’ll leave you exposed and vulnerable to attacks from your blind spot. We’ll be on a team with a few other people, but we’re not going to trust them to cover our asses, so it’s up to you and me to stay in the game.” Alex has his game face on while discussing strategy and it is seriously sexy. His concentration and confidence does weird things to me. I have to resist the urge to say the hell with this game and have him take me somewhere more private.

“You see that X to the right?”

Locating it, I point and say, “That one?” He grabs my hand and pulls it down.

“Don’t point. You’ll give away our plan.” I bite my bottom lip to keep from laughing at him. “But yes, that one. You’ll want to set up in the corner that faces this way. You’ll be protected from three sides that way. All you have to focus on is straight ahead. Since it’s facing away from the opponent, they probably won’t know you’re there. When they walk past you, you pop a cap in their ass. Got it?”

“Got it, sir.” I salute him teasingly and his eyes darken. He moves closer to me, his gaze focused on my lips until his body is pressed firmly against mine.

“Keep it up and I’ll drag you out of here where I can show you a real salute.” He moves his hips against me once and I gasp when I feel exactly what he’s referring to. Our eyes connect in that way that lets me know something is about to happen between us. We lean into each other slowly.

“Hey lovebirds, I think you’re on our team,” a guy says behind me. We pull away from each other, and I quickly glance around to see if anyone was watching us. God, what am I thinking acting this way in public? Anyone could be watching and Cal could find out. It’s Alex. I lose all sense of rational thinking with him. Everyone around us doesn’t exist. When he looks at me the way he does, it’s just me and him. Turning my attention to our new teammates, I see two guys. “Hi, I’m Ryan and this is Matt.”

“Hi, I’m Elizabeth and this is Alex.” We all shake hands and exchange hellos. They start to tell us the strategy they’ve formulated when Alex stops them.

“If you guys don’t want to get shot, then follow my lead. Most people I think will fly out to the perimeter. I’m going to charge up the middle. If you want to cover me as we go, that’s fine. Elizabeth is going to stick to the outside so she can get anyone who tries to double back on us, okay?” They stare at him for a few moments before agreeing. Did I mention how turned on this authoritative side of him makes me? After getting a quick rundown on how to operate my paintball gun, I’m told we’re good to go. I don’t know about him, but I’m not so confident.

Soon enough, it’s our turn. “You gotta run fast, got it? Get to your spot. I’ll be watching out for you so listen for my voice. If you need to get out of there, I’ll let you know.”

The adrenaline is starting to course through my body, making me antsy. Butterflies swarm and hold my stomach hostage as the anticipation starts to slowly kill me. Suddenly, a horn sounds, making me jump out of my skin. “Go!” Alex yells. I take off running, my only goal is to get to my designated spot. I stay as low as I can while sprinting to the inflatable X that will keep me safe. Hopefully.

The blood pounding in my ears drowns out most noise. Every now and then I hear, “I’m out!” signaling that someone got hit. I don’t think I’ve heard Alex’s voice yet. If he gets shot, I’m done. There will be no one left to save me. I take a couple breaths to slow down my heartbeat so I can pay attention. The low hum of shots being fired followed by the loud splat of contact puts me on high alert. I have my gun raised, ready to fire should anyone cross my path.

“Elizabeth, you need to move! Get out of there!” I shoot up from my spot, making sure my head doesn’t peek out from the top of my cover. Shit! Taking one final breath, I make a run for it not even sure of where I’m supposed to go. Then it hits me. I scream out, first in shock, then in pain.

“I’ve been hit!” I crumble down to the ground, clutching my ass cheek. I can’t believe I just got shot in the ass!

Alex comes running toward me but stops so that he’s still covered. “Don’t worry. I’ll avenge you.” He takes off again and I lose sight of him. If I weren’t in so much pain, I would laugh at his playfulness. I get to my hands and knees and crawl off the course, scared to death that some asshole is going to hit me again. I take a seat on the bleachers making sure to lean to my left to keep off of my injured side.

Looking at the field, I see that it’s down to two guys now: Alex and one from the opposing team. Alex’s moves are calculated and stealth like. He reminds me of a panther stalking its prey, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. They’re on opposite sides of the course, but Alex stops advancing toward him. Instead, he holds his position and lays on his stomach with his gun raised. He’s patient as he waits for the guy to make his move. Finally, he does. He makes a break for it from behind his cover, and that mistake costs him. Alex lands a shot in the middle of his chest and is declared the winner. I hop up, clapping and cheering, wincing in pain as I do.

Hobbling over toward Alex, he wraps me up in a hug before spinning me around. My pain has been forgotten as I enjoy this carefree moment. “That was awesome!” he exclaims.

“Yeah, you did really well. Great job!”

He sets me down and concern takes over his face. “Where’d you get hit? Are you alright?”

My lips press together, slightly embarrassed by the location of my injury. “I’m fine.” I’m trying to evade his first question, hoping he moves on.

He looks me over for a paint spot. “I don’t see any paint. You got hit, right?” I nod and slowly turn around. It takes a second, but I know the moment he sees it because I hear a deep chuckle from behind me. “Of all the places to get shot, you take one to the ass. Nice, sweetheart,” he says with mirth still in his voice.

Not wanting him to keep laughing at the bright-orange dot on my butt, I turn around. “I feel like Forest Gump,” I deadpan.

“Well let me see your buttocks then,” he says in a slow southern drawl mimicking Tom Hanks from that movie. I can’t help myself, I start laughing. It is pretty funny when you think about it. He joins me, the corners of his eyes crinkling in amusement. “Come on, Gump. Let me take you home.” Throwing his arm over my shoulders, he walks me to the car.

Once I’m buckled into the passenger seat, I take my phone out of my bag and check it. I have five missed calls from Cal.

Great.

“Cal called five times,” I tell Alex. “I guess I better get this over with and call him back.” With great dread, I dial his number.

“Where have you been?” With the way his words come out, his teeth must be clenched. I also take notice that his voice is low, so he must not be alone and doesn’t want to cause a scene. Thank God.

“I’m sorry, love. I went shopping and left my phone in the car. I’m on my way home now.” The lie falls from my mouth before I can give it much thought. If he’s home he’ll know I’m being dishonest by my attire and lack of shopping bags.

“I called to tell you that I’m going to be home late tonight. Everything’s going to hell in a handbasket on the Senate floor and it’s going to be a long night.”

“Alright.”

I hear him talking to someone away from the phone in a muffled tone. “Elizabeth, I’ve got to go. I’ll call you later.” The phone disconnects before I can respond.

“Looks like it’s just you and me until later tonight,” I say to Alex as I slip my phone back into my purse.

“What do you want to do?” His eyes remain on the road.

I give it some thought. What I want to do and should do are two different things. “Let’s go home and have a drink.”

“WHAT DO YOU want?” I ask as we walk through the front door.

“I’ll just have a beer.” I walk to the fridge to get a beer for him and a glass of wine for me.

“Here you go.”

“You sure you’re okay? You’re limping.”

“I’m fine, it’s just a little sore.” I wave him off hoping to convince him that it’s not a big deal. Truth be told, it hurts quite a bit and I’m sure it’s going to have a nice bruise. But I don’t want to make him feel bad.

“You’re lying. Do you want me to look at it?” Surprisingly, there’s no flame of desire when he asks this, just concern, worry, and affection. Still, my cheeks redden at the thought of him examining my ass.

“No, I’ll live. I’m just going to run upstairs and change real quick.” Today was definitely out of my element, but it was the most fun I’d had in a while. It would’ve been better if I hadn’t been shot, but it was a neat experience nonetheless. I was able—well, forced—to step out of my comfort zone and I love that Alex made me do it.

Stripping out of my clothes, I walk to the full-length mirror in my bra and thong to get the first glimpse of my wound. A gasp comes out when I take in the red and purple welt marking my skin. “Shit, Elizabeth, I’m so sorry.” I spin around, startled by Alex’s presence and very aware of my half-naked state.

I try to cover my body with my hands, but my attempts are in vain. “Jesus Christ, what are you doing in here?”

He holds up an icepack. “I came up to give this to you. Thought it might help, but now I feel like shit.” His shoulders sag, emphasizing his guilt. “I didn’t realize you’d get hurt like that. I’m so sorry.” Walking closer to me, he cups my face in his hands while searching my eyes. He does this a lot, always looking into my eyes for something. It used to be unnerving, now I find it comforting. The idea that he sees into me, into my soul, a welcomed difference from the passiveness and disregard I receive from Cal.

“I just bruise easily,” I say with a shrug. “It looks worse than it is.” Neither of us speak or break eye contact. Lust and desire slowly cloud over his baby blues as a throbbing pulse starts up in my core. It dawns on me that this is a very bad idea and I’m playing with fire with a bed sitting directly behind me. When we’re locked into each other like this, the sexual current flowing freely, things tend to get out of hand. I don’t trust myself to stop whatever might happen once the first move is made. “Let me finish getting dressed and I’ll join you downstairs, okay?” My voice comes out in a whisper. He nods, but doesn’t let me go. A few moments pass by before he shakes his head infinitesimally as if pulling himself out of his trance. He leans forward and kisses the tip of my nose before walking out of the room and closing the door behind him.

I can’t get over the tenderness of what he just did. That kiss was something different. It wasn’t about raw need, passion, or attraction like when we’ve kissed before. This was gentle, kind, and sweet. It may be the exact opposite of what we’ve shared before, but it affects me just the same, maybe even more. When we’re frantic, I could attribute our behavior to lust. But when he does things like that, it makes me feel like I mean more to him, like I’m cherished.

Once I’m downstairs, I find Alex on his trusty barstool drinking his beer. “You love that barstool, don’t you?”

Looking over his shoulder at me, he says, “Huh?”

“It seems like you’re always sitting there. There are more comfortable places to sit in this house.” I lean my hip against the island and grab my wine before taking a sip.

“If I sit here, I have a clear view to the front and back door.” That’s right, he’s working. It’s strange that at times I forget the reason he’s here is to protect me.

“Ah, I see,” I say on a slow nod. “The whole reason you’re here.”

“Maybe at first it was,” he says in a low voice. He looks down at his beer bottle appearing conflicted as he lets those words hang in the air between us. What does he mean by that?

Trying not to analyze what he said, I try for a change of subject. “So, you were really in your element out there today.” I nudge him playfully, causing a grin to turn up the corners of his mouth.

“Eh, I did alright, I guess.” He shrugs, trying to downplay

“Look at you being modest. What happened to the cocky guy I know and love?” The word is out of my mouth before I can take it back. My eyes go wide at the same time his snap to mine. “Well, I didn’t mean—what I meant to say—” I stop stuttering when I hear my cell phone ringing. Oh, thank God. Dashing to my purse to dig it out, my relief floats away when I see Cal’s name flash across the screen. Swiping my finger across the screen, I answer. “Hello?”

“Hello, Elizabeth. I’m calling to let you know I won’t be home tonight. We’re going to be here for a while trying to get this budget bill passed.” My ears perk up when I swear I hear a woman’s voice in the background, but I’m distracted when what he says sinks in. Budget? The fiscal year starts in October. It’s November. Wouldn’t a budget have already been passed?

“I thought budgets were passed before October, it’s mid-November.”

The line goes quiet and I have to check to make sure the call didn’t drop. Finally, he responds. “Not that I have to explain anything to you, but a budget never passed for this fiscal year. It was only an extension. That extension is set to expire in a few days, which means the government will shut down unless we pass something. Is that okay with you?” I hear his restraint with every word he grates out. This isn’t an explanation, it’s a warning. A warning not to ever question him again.

“Yes,” I reply meekly.

“Good. I’ve wasted enough time explaining things to you, and now I’ve got to go.” He hangs up. It’s amazing that Cal is able to ruin a fantastic day in the span on five minutes. I’m deflated, no longer floating on cloud nine. When I return to Alex, he must sense my mood change.

“Everything alright?” he asks, eyebrows furrowed.

“Yeah, it was just Cal telling me he wouldn’t be home tonight.” I slump down on the stool next to him before taking a sip of my wine.

“And that upsets you?” He’s trying to hide it, but he seems a little perturbed thinking my bad mood is because I want Cal home.

“No, that doesn’t upset me at all.”

“Then why the sourpuss?”

Exasperated, I sigh. “Cal was just being Cal.”

“So he was being an ass.” I notice he’s not asking. He’s been around long enough to see how Cal talks to me.

“I guess. Anyway, what were we talking about before he called?” The smirk he gives me shows that he knows I’m trying to change the subject. Luckily, he lets it slide and we go back to talking about his prowess on the paintball field.

“We were just talking about how awesome I was today,” he says smugly. I roll my eyes pretending to be annoyed, but I secretly love this side of him.

“I knew you couldn’t hold it in for long.” My head shakes while a smile spreads across my face.

He shrugs. “What can I say? I’m a man who knows what he’s good at. I’d be more than happy to show you some other activities I excel at.”

“Alex!” I chastise as I swat his arm.

“What? Cards. I was talking about poker. Geez, get your mind out of the gutter, Elizabeth.” He winks and takes a drag from his beer.

Three glasses of wine in, and I’m starting to feel a buzz. I hardly drink and don’t handle my alcohol very well. I’m not sloppy, but I can get a little loud, and a little honest. Hence why I never drink. Honesty is not the best policy in this house.

“How’s that ass of yours feeling?” Alex asks, amusement lighting up his face.

“Fine.” Standing up, I make my way to the wine rack to open another bottle.

“Yes it is,” I hear him mumble behind me.

Spinning around quickly, I lose my balance and stumble slightly. I place my hand on the counter to steady myself. “Why do you do that?” I’ve wanted to ask this question for a while now, but haven’t had the nerve to say anything. I’ve wondered if he knows the affect his words have on me, and if he does, why does he keep torturing me?

“Do what?” His lips twitch and his eyebrow quirks. He’s enjoying this.

Jerk.

“Flirt with me?” My voice sounds stronger than I feel. The rhythm of my heart accelerates, afraid to hear his answer. What if I’ve misinterpreted everything and now I look like a fool? I’ll die of mortification for sure.

“Is that what I’m doing?” He leans his elbow on the counter, seemingly unaffected by my questioning. While my insides are a mess, he comes off cool and collected. It almost pisses me off that he can appear so unaffected.

“Cut the bullshit, Alex. The comments, the looks, the kissing . . . you know what I’m talking about.” We stare at each other seeing who will break away first. The wine has made me bold, so I’m not backing down.

He lets out a sigh and looks away. “The short answer? I don’t know.” He shrugs.

“And the long answer?” I ask quietly. There’s a long pause, and I’m terrified to hear his answer. Afraid of what it’ll do to me. What it will mean to me.

His eyes find mine again. “I can’t help it. When it comes to you, I feel like a magnet, and no matter how hard I run in the other direction, I’m always pulled back. I fought it in the beginning, reminding myself that I was here to do a job. But then you got me with that damn smile. Not that fake shit you give everyone else, but the one you try to hide. I reasoned that we could be friends and everything would be fine, but that’s a lie. I don’t want to be your friend, and it fucking sucks because you’re married to this douche who doesn’t realize what he has. He doesn’t see the beautiful soul you are, or the brilliant mind you have. He doesn’t cherish and worship you like he should.” He scrubs his hand down his face. I’m not sure if he meant for all of that to come out, but I’m feeling very sober all of a sudden. Then he sends a sucker punch right to my gut. “I could be that guy for you. I want to be that guy for you.”

The air leaves my lungs and I’m astonished by his admission. But it could never be. I can’t leave Cal no matter how much I despise his existence. I shake my head, tears welling in my eyes. No, he can’t say stuff like this to me! He can’t show me the light when I know I must stay in the dark. I have to push him away. “No.”

He stands up, walking toward me. “Yes.”

“I’m married, Alex. What we did was a mistake.” He looks as if I’ve just slapped him. “I can’t leave Cal. I won’t leave him.” I assert as much confidence into my words as possible. I hold my head high hoping he believes me.

“A mistake? You can’t lie to me, sweetheart. Your body tells me otherwise. I know you feel this connection between us.” He’s right, dammit. My eyes close on their own accord as my mind thinks of all the things Alex made me feel when we kissed. “See? You’re thinking about it now. We’re good together, Elizabeth.” As if to prove his point, he seals my lips with his. I instantly melt into him. I hate my treacherous body, but, like him, I can’t help it either. There is this invisible pull between us. I tried to ignore it, too.

The first day I met him I was taken by his utter sexiness, and each day after that he’s been slowly getting under my skin. God help me, but I like—no love—the way he makes me feel. But at what cost? Am I willing to throw everything away on the off chance that Alex and I will work out?

No.

Reluctantly, I push him away. When he tries to kiss me again, I turn my head to the side to avoid his lips. “Stop,” I whisper. “I don’t want you to kiss or touch me anymore. I’m a married woman and I took my vows seriously. Please, leave me alone.”

He steps back slowly, staring at me the whole time. “Is that what you really want?” His jaw ticks while he waits for my answer. Every fiber in my being is screaming at me to say no, that’s not what I want.

Instead, I say, “Yes.” He walks away without so much as a backward glance.


    Ваша оценка произведения:

Популярные книги за неделю