HIDING: Book 5, The Stranger Stand Alone Series, A Dark Romantic Suspense Read online

  “Is it too late?”

  She’s beautiful. And guarded. There it is again. What is her problem with me?

  I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her. Every time I wasn’t preoccupied, she seeped into my thoughts and clouded my mind. An oasis in the shitstorm of drugs and death I walk in everyday, soothing the darkness inside me, whispering to the secrets. I hear her voice saying things to me she would kick my ass for. Wild things, things I’m sure she’s going to. Eventually. If I let her.

  It was aggravating.

  It made me come back.

  “Um, no it’s not too late,” she looks side to side, hoping to see someone else around, searching for a way to make a quick escape.

  “Good,” I follow her gaze around the empty dining room, “and it looks like you’re free. Join me.”

  I clasp her elbow and begin to lead her to an empty table.

  The strong suggestion surprises me just as much as it does her.

  The move was possessive, the words demanding. Now that it’s out there, I won’t take no for an answer.

  “Are you out of your mind?” she shakes off my grip. “I’m working.”

  “Maria, I thought I heard the front door,” Julie comes out of the kitchen wiping her hands on her apron, the woman who’d taken Maria’s place the other night.

  “Yes, Titi, Rico just came to get something to eat,” she answers, folding her arms tightly across her chest and throwing me a glare.

  My words are for who I now know is her aunt, but I’m still looking at Maria. I should have seen the resemblance. “Buenas noches, Julie, I was hoping Maria could join me.”

  I leave no room for an argument.

  When I want something, I get it.

  I want her. I’m going to have her. I might not have wanted to admit it, but I can’t deny it.

  She can say yes on her own, or I can make her.

  The attractive older women’s brows rise as a playful smile slowly spreads across her face.

  “I think that’s a great idea. No one’s here, and if someone does come in, I’ll take care of them. Maria’s been working so much, it’s all she ever does. She needs the company of someone interesting. That’s very nice of you to ask, Rico.”

  Being nice had nothing to do with it.

  “No, Titi, I don’t…,” Maria starts to refuse. Again.

  “Nonsense. Go. I insist,” she shushes her.

  “I’m not hungry,” Maria states flatly.

  “That’s ridiculous, you haven’t eaten a thing since breakfast,” Julie waves her off.

  A loud rumbling from Maria’s stomach puts its two cents in.

  I smirk at her and dare her to argue now.

  “Fine,” she rolls her eyes.

  I’m already leading her with a hand on her back to the most private table in the back corner of the dining room. The heat from her body shoots up my arm, her soft curve under my palm almost makes my mouth water. I want to growl; I want to pull my hand back. I want to pull her to me and kiss her. It takes all my willpower not to slip my hand lower and smooth it over her round ass. I feel her gasp under my touch, the impulsive response sends another tremor through me as my dick starts to swell.

  Fuck.

  She felt it too.

  “What would you like to drink, Rico?” Julie asks over her shoulder on the way into the kitchen, obvious humor in her tone.

  “A beer would be great.” I pause, watching Maria’s jaw clench. “And one for Maria too.”

  “Your such an ass,” she grumbles as she slides her sweet ass into the corner booth.

  The image of hers bare, ripe, and plump in front of me makes my now awakened dick throb.

  “And you’re too uptight, you need to relax a little,” I slide in on the other side of the table and make myself comfortable next to her, close enough I can lay my palm on her knee under the table.

  She begins to move away, but I stop her with a hand firmly on her thigh.

  The closeness of her body is wearing down my resolve. I have to fight every instinct pushing me to let my hand travel up the inside of her leg and capture her heat. Make her squirm under my touch as I rub her through the tight denim, melting every single stubborn defense she has until she’s soft, wet, and compliant beneath my fingers.

  “Don’t.” My tone is firm, my expression serious. Commanding? Yes, because that’s what she needs. “The other night didn’t happen. This is our first date.” My lips twitch with a smile.

  Date? Where the hell did that come from?

  Her eyes dart back and forth on mine, reading me, searching for something, reaching deep down inside me, confusion and uncertainty swirling around inside them. “A fresh start, Maria.”

  The only thing I allow her to see is I refuse to let her run.

  Our gaze locks. Each of us not giving into the other. There’s a battle going on behind the dark depth of her eyes. She’s fighting something, maybe herself.

  I’m going to find out what that is, sweet thing. I’m going to make you trust me. And when I do, there’ll be no stopping me from finding out what you’re running from.

  I can see some of the tension slowly leave her. Her shoulders relax slightly and her body becomes less frigid.

  “This isn’t a date,” she snaps, breaking the moment and lowering her gaze.

  “Yes it is. A little impromptu, spur of the moment, us having dinner together. Some of the best things happen that way, don’t you think?”

  She glares at me again.

  A give her a cocky wink and a grin.

  Her eyes glimmer as a smile teases her luscious lips.

  Very, very soon I’m going to taste those lips. The thought flashes in my mind. It surprises the hell out of me. The idea of her lips makes me want to salivate.

  “You’re impossible.”

  “Yeah, but you love it,” I smirk at her. “If I wasn’t, you wouldn’t like me as much.”

  She laughs. It’s a beautiful sound, and if I had to bet, I would say she doesn’t laugh often enough. I can see it in the way her body has shifted from ready to attack, to open and welcoming as her expression softens.

  A hint of sadness haunts her eyes, like a fog rolling in the distance.

  The idea that this beautiful woman is hurting grips my heart and twists it. I’m slammed with wanting to protect her and take care of her, and wipe away every stain that mars her soul.

  No. She’s just a puzzle you need to figure out. Keep your distance, nothing personal. She’s only a challenge.

  Out of the corner of my eye I see Julie approaching with two beers. The expression on her face tells me everything I need to know and confirms some of my suspicions. Surprise, joy, hope. A relaxed Maria with a smile on her face is not something she sees very often. Pain jabs at my heart. No attachment, Rico. As she gets closer, she wipes away all the emotion, apparently hiding them from her niece.

  Whatever’s going on with this woman has something to do with a lot more than just me. Or whatever it is about me.

  “Here you go. You’re officially off, Maria. I think you should get drunk,” Julie puts the two bottles of Corona down in front of us. “Not you,” she says looking directly at me, “unless you call a cab.”

  “Drunk?! Me, I don’t think I’ve even had one beer in the past six months,” Maria laughs.

  Until she realizes what she did. Then the walls slam back up and she’s wound tight again, panicking she let something important slip. Something that would give away the secrets she keeps locked up inside.

  The first piece of the puzzle. Apparently something happened six months ago. Something that changed her life.

  “I promise Julie, if I have more than I should, I’ll call a cab,” I pretend I didn’t hear that piece of information she unknowingly divulged. “But I think I can get off with just a warning. I’m a cop.”

  Julie’s eyes pop open in surprise. I notice Maria isn’t surprised though. My guess is Elsie must have already told her.

  “You’re a cop?
You’re kidding,” Julie laughs, then looks to the woman sitting next me already nursing her beer.

  Maria’s mouth is set in a tight line.

  “Maria, he’s a cop,” Julie repeats the newsflash.

  “Yep, I heard,” she mumbles, elbows on the table, swinging the bottle back and forth between two fingers in front of her.

  Rolling her eyes, Julie turns to leave. “I’ve got food cooking for you two. No need to order.”

  An awkward moment quietly passes between us as Julie heads back to the kitchen.

  What happened to you six months ago, kitten? My guess is it was something big to make you so skittish.

  Placing my beer down on the table, I lean back and stretch my arms along the top of the seat behind us. I study her quietly for a moment out of her line of sight. The temptation to reach out a fingertip and stroke Maria’s long dark hair is strong. The desire to feel her skin against mine, her silky hair wrapped around my hand while I devour her mouth in a rough kiss is stronger.

  She can’t see the lust in my eyes as I try to figure out this puzzle between us.

  “I hope you like where I brought you for our first date, the foods pretty good.” I lean in close to her ear. Her scent fills my senses, muskiness and headiness, and all woman. I practically moan. It’s been so fucking long. “But there’s this woman who works here. She’ll kick your ass if you piss her off.”

  She turns to look at me, a scowl already pulling on her features. Until she sees my expression. Then she smiles.

  “You were just as bad.”

  “We were both that bad. The boys have been ragging me since that day.”

  She shakes her head and rolls her eyes, “Elsie came in here and ripped me a new one, too.”

  “I’d take the guys over Elsie’s wrath any day.”

  “I don’t blame you, I thought I was bad,” she chuckles.

  Maria relaxed, it’s a fucking beautiful thing to see.

  “Elsie’s tough, but she’s got a heart of gold.”

  She’s loosening up, her body tilting in to mine, close enough for me to feel its heat.

  There’s a grin on her beautiful face, telling me the beer is doing what I’d hoped it would.

  She tips the bottle back and takes a long sip. Then her brows pull together.

  What’s she thinking about now?

  “I was a little bit of a bitch; I didn’t mean to be.” It’s hushed, but still, that’s her form of an apology.

  I’ll take it.

  I pick up my Corona and let that first cool drink slip down my throat. “Yes, you were, but I was a prick too. I’m sorry.”

  She turns to face me, gaze piercing, staring at me. Pointing a finger, still clutching the beer between two fingers, “What’s your deal? You don’t seem like a cop. At all.”

  Now we’re getting somewhere.

  “Being a cop is my job. Me, and you, we’re so many different things,” I try to keep her talking, wanting her to continue questioning me. If she keeps asking me questions, she’ll open up, then I’ll find out what’s really bothering her.

  What she’s so afraid of.

  I’ll be patient. The fox will come when she thinks the wolf isn’t going to attack. Closer and closer she inches.

  “Yes, I know, but being a cop is not who you are, who you were.” She leans in closer, a coy smirk on her sinful mouth, lifting those lips I want to suck. Focus. Before I take the other ones, the ones that’ll be slick with her wetness, into my mouth and make her scream. Not on that.

  That’s when she rests her hand on my leg, dangerously close to my stiff cock.

  It’s all I can do not to throw her on the table and fuck her right here.

  Maria

  I’m going to make him admit it.

  My body has been humming since the moment he walked into the restaurant. Who am I trying to fool? Ever since I laid eyes on him, I’ve been ricocheting between wanting to run away from him, and wanting to grab him. He’s danger and seduction, I’m afraid of him, but there’s something that draws me to him. I want to hate him, but I want him. Really, really badly. He makes my blood boil, and my body tremble.

  He’s everything I’m hiding from.

  He’s everything I want.

  But I need answers.

  “What were you in New Jersey, back home?” I dare him try to and lie.

  His expression turns tight, a switch flipped from a man having dinner with a woman, to a man fighting demons holding on to control, I can see it in his eyes and the way his lips thinned in to a line, biting back his words.

  “I wasn’t an officer back then. I was still a kid. A stupid kid who made some stupid mistakes. Mistakes I’ll spend the rest of my life paying for.”

  Rico lifts his arm from behind me. I can feel the tension rolling off him, his brows knit together, lips tight, and hands clasped in front of him, his arms on the table.

  Something happened. Something horrible. Something he blames himself for.

  Suddenly I see my misery reflected in Rico’s pain, the pain he’s spent years, not months like me, running from.

  In that instant, I realize he’s suffered as much as I have. Pain lances my heart, not only my own, but his as well.

  These are not the answers or information I was looking for. But they’re so much more profound. Telling me things I would never had allowed myself to open up and learn about him, his depth, his loyalty, and his capability to care.

  And I was such a bitch to him. I judged him and attacked him.

  “I’m sorry,” I mutter.

  He shakes his head once. “Don’t be. It was another lifetime ago.”

  I lift my almost empty bottle to him. “To fresh starts.” The words are quiet and almost shy, but filled with hope.

  Hope for something better. A hope to start living again.

  A slow grin spreads across his dangerously handsome face. It sends a ripple of need coursing through me, full of promises I haven’t dared hoped for in six months. Six very long and lonely months.

  “This is how it’s going to start,” he shifts his eyes to peer at the kitchen door where Julie’s exiting now with our food. Looking back at me, “First, we’re going to eat. And talk.” His grin gets a little broader, a little more mysterious as he brings his face closer to mine. My heart beats faster. “Then I’m going to take you home.”

  I suck in a quick breath.

  My eyes shift to Julie, she’s halfway here.

  A flash of heat shoots through me as my nipples pucker and rub against my bra.

  His face moves another inch closer to mine. I stop breathing as his gaze dips to my lips. All feeling has been sucked to my mouth by his eyes.

  Is he going to kiss me? Here? Now?

  “When we get there,” his voice drops, “I’m going to walk you to your door. Then I’m going to kiss you.” His eyes travel over my lips again slowly, so incredibly, seductively slowly, the stroke of his gaze feels like a caress. “Like you need to be kissed, Maria.” His look alone heats the skin of my lips and makes them tingle with want.

  I can feel his intensity stroking me, soft, sure, commanding. It owns me just as sure if it were his finger, his lips, or his tongue.

  Oh. My. God.

  “Think about it,” he winks at me.

  Everything inside me clenches and tightens as my mouth salivates and dries up all at the same time. My heart pounds and my breathing starts again, quick and short.

  It’s been so long since I’ve been kissed, held, touched.

  Wanted.

  My lips aren’t the only place I’m imagining him kissing me.

  I can’t want this, there’s no way I can let this happen.

  Any moment I’m going to tell him he’s out of his mind. Tell him he’s crazy if he thinks I’ll even let him.

  Any minute now.

  As soon as my mind unpuckers her lips and opens her eyes.

  He straightens as Julie gets closer and my heart pounds relentlessly in my chest. She places our dinner on
the table in front of us, not making eye contact with either me or Rico. Not saying a word, but I can see the smile she’s fighting, she quietly turns and leaves.

  “Now eat,” he picks up his fork and points to my plate. “We’re not leaving until all of that’s almost gone.”

  “You are a bossy one, aren’t you,” I mumble, still reeling from our moment.

  He gives me another sly grin.

  “Kitten, just wait.”

  Kitten? Did he hear me purring? ‘Cause I definitely felt like I should be.

  I don’t know how I made it through dinner without choking. Maybe it was the two more Coronas, maybe it was how Rico distracted me from thinking about the kiss he promised with stories about criminals and the stupid things they do and say. I don’t know. Internally, I’d fought with feelings of betraying Rafi, and the desire to finally feel alive again, wanting so badly to just feel again. He gently, and unknowingly, quelled all my silent battles by just being him. His charm, his kindness, his strength and assurance. But the minute the plates were empty, he turned to me and murmured in a voice that made my toes curl, “Time to go,” my stomach dropped and I almost hyperventilated from nerves the whole ride home.

  One thing’s certain, I was scared shitless while I counted the minutes.

  I couldn’t wait.

  When we pull into the driveway at my aunt’s house, I can hear the blood whooshing in my ears as the thud, thud, thud of my pounding heart bounced against my chest.

  Rico gets out of the car and walks around to my side.

  My palms are sweating.

  Am I going to let this happen?

  “This is a beautiful car,” I mutter when the door swings open.

  He gives me a half-cocked grin. “Thanks.”

  He holds his hand out for me to take it.

  Do I want this to happen?

  Placing my hand in his, the surge of sexual tension sparks between us again, just like when he had his hand on my back leading me to the table. I lift my eyes to meet his. All traces of humor are gone. I suck in a breath.

  This man is fierce.

  This man is powerful.

  This man takes what he wants.

  He’s the hunter, and I’m the hunted.

  And for the first time in so long, this is exactly where I want to be.