Up in Flames
Page 7
“No, and he won’t hurt her unless she’s guilty. Right now, he’s doing things that I’m sure she’s enjoying. Now, get the fuck away from his door, because I can assure you there is nothing to see but a bed and shitty furniture.”
I wasn’t convinced that she was safe. “How do you know he won’t hurt her?”
Captain raised an eyebrow. “Because he likes women, and he’ll try the fun way of getting what he wants before he tries the hard way.”
Fun way? He thought Cope could fuck her? “He hasn’t got a chance with her.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. I’d venture to say he’s already been there, done that, and doing it again.”
A sick knot formed in my stomach. At least the times I’d been with Nan were because I really wanted to be with her. Not because I was trying to get information—though I was trying to get information. Still, I wanted her. Cope would just use her and toss her. Hell, he’d probably be brutal.
“I need to know where she is,” I demanded. I wasn’t fucking around now. I wanted an answer.
“I honestly don’t know where she is. I just know Cope would have you by your throat if she had slipped past him, too. So you can get over it and calm the hell down, or run around in circles looking for her.”
I threw Captain one snarl before stalking back to my truck. I used to like that guy. Not so much now.
“Where you going?”
I didn’t answer him. He didn’t need to know I was going to go question everyone who knew Nan. Starting with Rush.
“I’d stay clear of Rush,” Captain called after me. “He thinks you hurt his sister and she’s run off because of you.”
For fuck’s sake! It wasn’t like I was in a relationship with Nan. Jesus, why did everything have to be so damn serious around here? Why couldn’t we all just get along?
I climbed into my truck without responding and headed to the Finlays’ house. I didn’t care what Captain said. I was going to go find her. If I had to deal with her protective, slightly pissed-off brother, I would.
Nan
My phone started vibrating again. Major’s name was lighting up the screen. He had left me alone most of the day, but he was going strong now. He needed a taste of his own medicine. The only difference was, when he ignored me, I didn’t keep trying. I had more pride than that.
His early texts had tried to charm me, but now they had a worried tone. He wasn’t happy about not knowing where I was. Served him right. I was not the kind of girl who sat around until someone gave her attention. I went after it.
“Boyfriend?” Gannon’s voice broke into my thoughts, and I put my phone down.
“No. A friend. An annoying one.” He wanted us to be friends. He was getting that now.
“You going to answer?”
I thought for a second, then shook my head no.
“Good,” Gannon replied, then held out one of his hands. “I planned something for this evening I thought you’d enjoy.”
Wow. OK, so he hadn’t come over here thinking about sex. That had been only me. Nice. We had just finished our drinks, and I was wondering where the night was going to take us.
“What?” I asked, putting my hand in his and standing up.
“You ever seen the Grand Canyon at sunset?”
I shook my head.
“Good. This will be your first time, then.”
“How?” I asked, a little confused.
“Helicopter tour.”
Oh. Nice.
The driver pulled the Mercedes up to a building with a sign outside that said Maverick Tours. There were several buses unloading and loading people. Gannon was watching me closely.
“We have a private tour scheduled. We won’t be riding with everyone else.”
“Do you fly?” I asked, confused.
He smirked. “I have. Illegally, but that’s another story. I won’t put you through that tonight. We have a pilot.”
My stomach did a nervous flip. The way he admitted to flying a helicopter illegally as if it were no big deal was exciting and terrifying. Who was this man?
“Did you go to jail?” I couldn’t help but ask.
He didn’t bat an eye. “Several times.”
The door beside me opened, and he nodded for me to get out. “After you.”
When a man admits to you that he’s gone to jail “several times,” the smart thing to do is get the hell away from him. However, I wasn’t very smart. The area between my legs actually tingled, and I felt like squirming. It absolutely turned me on.
I was screwed up in the head.
I slid over and stepped out of the Mercedes without taking the hand the driver had held out for me. I didn’t need his assistance, nor did I want to touch another man at the moment. I was more than turned on by the fact that I was with a man who was exactly what I suspected him of being: dangerous.
Gannon’s large body came up behind me, and his hand rested on my hip. I felt my panties get damp, and I inhaled deeply. I needed to get hold of myself. This was ridiculous. He’d been in jail. That wasn’t sexy; it was scary . . . no, it was sexy. As. Hell. Who was I kidding? I was completely hot for his dangerous side.
“You keep panting like that, and I’m going to throw your ass back into that car and fuck you until you become one with the leather seat. You understand?” His voice was in my ear; it was hard, and the warning tone in it made me shiver. Fear? Yes. Definitely fear. Lots of fear, but my female parts didn’t seem to get the fear memo, because they were humming with an ache I hadn’t felt before.
I wasn’t convinced that she was safe. “How do you know he won’t hurt her?”
Captain raised an eyebrow. “Because he likes women, and he’ll try the fun way of getting what he wants before he tries the hard way.”
Fun way? He thought Cope could fuck her? “He hasn’t got a chance with her.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. I’d venture to say he’s already been there, done that, and doing it again.”
A sick knot formed in my stomach. At least the times I’d been with Nan were because I really wanted to be with her. Not because I was trying to get information—though I was trying to get information. Still, I wanted her. Cope would just use her and toss her. Hell, he’d probably be brutal.
“I need to know where she is,” I demanded. I wasn’t fucking around now. I wanted an answer.
“I honestly don’t know where she is. I just know Cope would have you by your throat if she had slipped past him, too. So you can get over it and calm the hell down, or run around in circles looking for her.”
I threw Captain one snarl before stalking back to my truck. I used to like that guy. Not so much now.
“Where you going?”
I didn’t answer him. He didn’t need to know I was going to go question everyone who knew Nan. Starting with Rush.
“I’d stay clear of Rush,” Captain called after me. “He thinks you hurt his sister and she’s run off because of you.”
For fuck’s sake! It wasn’t like I was in a relationship with Nan. Jesus, why did everything have to be so damn serious around here? Why couldn’t we all just get along?
I climbed into my truck without responding and headed to the Finlays’ house. I didn’t care what Captain said. I was going to go find her. If I had to deal with her protective, slightly pissed-off brother, I would.
Nan
My phone started vibrating again. Major’s name was lighting up the screen. He had left me alone most of the day, but he was going strong now. He needed a taste of his own medicine. The only difference was, when he ignored me, I didn’t keep trying. I had more pride than that.
His early texts had tried to charm me, but now they had a worried tone. He wasn’t happy about not knowing where I was. Served him right. I was not the kind of girl who sat around until someone gave her attention. I went after it.
“Boyfriend?” Gannon’s voice broke into my thoughts, and I put my phone down.
“No. A friend. An annoying one.” He wanted us to be friends. He was getting that now.
“You going to answer?”
I thought for a second, then shook my head no.
“Good,” Gannon replied, then held out one of his hands. “I planned something for this evening I thought you’d enjoy.”
Wow. OK, so he hadn’t come over here thinking about sex. That had been only me. Nice. We had just finished our drinks, and I was wondering where the night was going to take us.
“What?” I asked, putting my hand in his and standing up.
“You ever seen the Grand Canyon at sunset?”
I shook my head.
“Good. This will be your first time, then.”
“How?” I asked, a little confused.
“Helicopter tour.”
Oh. Nice.
The driver pulled the Mercedes up to a building with a sign outside that said Maverick Tours. There were several buses unloading and loading people. Gannon was watching me closely.
“We have a private tour scheduled. We won’t be riding with everyone else.”
“Do you fly?” I asked, confused.
He smirked. “I have. Illegally, but that’s another story. I won’t put you through that tonight. We have a pilot.”
My stomach did a nervous flip. The way he admitted to flying a helicopter illegally as if it were no big deal was exciting and terrifying. Who was this man?
“Did you go to jail?” I couldn’t help but ask.
He didn’t bat an eye. “Several times.”
The door beside me opened, and he nodded for me to get out. “After you.”
When a man admits to you that he’s gone to jail “several times,” the smart thing to do is get the hell away from him. However, I wasn’t very smart. The area between my legs actually tingled, and I felt like squirming. It absolutely turned me on.
I was screwed up in the head.
I slid over and stepped out of the Mercedes without taking the hand the driver had held out for me. I didn’t need his assistance, nor did I want to touch another man at the moment. I was more than turned on by the fact that I was with a man who was exactly what I suspected him of being: dangerous.
Gannon’s large body came up behind me, and his hand rested on my hip. I felt my panties get damp, and I inhaled deeply. I needed to get hold of myself. This was ridiculous. He’d been in jail. That wasn’t sexy; it was scary . . . no, it was sexy. As. Hell. Who was I kidding? I was completely hot for his dangerous side.
“You keep panting like that, and I’m going to throw your ass back into that car and fuck you until you become one with the leather seat. You understand?” His voice was in my ear; it was hard, and the warning tone in it made me shiver. Fear? Yes. Definitely fear. Lots of fear, but my female parts didn’t seem to get the fear memo, because they were humming with an ache I hadn’t felt before.
