Her hands cupped his cheeks as she leaned forward and gave him the sweetest, hottest kiss he’d ever experienced. All the sweeter, because below she squeezed herself around him, holding him inside.
Chapter 8
Laura wielded her mop with zeal as she cleaned the shop floor. Not that she was angry. Oh no. The moment she’d shown the last customer to the door and told Katie to go home, she’d stood alone in the center of her shop and giggled.
Before she’d left, Katie had given her a high five and a sly, “Lucky slut.” Then, “Is he always that fast?”
She’d pressed her lips together then laughed. “No, I’m that fast.”
Now, she was rushing through cleanup because Preacher had gone to the diner to pick up a meal for them. He’d be at her house in half an hour. Hell, he’d wanted her to come with him to keep her safe, but she’d shooed him away, telling him she’d keep the doors locked and her car was parked out front. “I’ll be fine.”
Nearly done, she leaned on her mop, shaking her head. How could she have been so reckless? She had a business to run, a reputation to preserve… And she didn’t care about any of it. Their afternoon tryst in her office had been mind-blowing. Freeing. All the sweet aches—between her legs, her nipples—kept the pleasure she’d experienced in the forefront of her thoughts.
After only two days, Preacher filled her every thought. How had she gotten this lucky? Laura knew a lot of people considered her cute enough. Her blond hair and freckles were attractive, but she’d never had anyone look at her the way Preacher did. Like she was some sexy honey pot. And she knew he was sincere. Every time he was near, he touched her. His gaze grew smoky when it landed on her. Whenever she was near, his body reacted, something he couldn’t hide, well, because his “little man” wasn’t exactly small.
Good Lord, she did that to him. Her. Laura Pinchot, voted every guy’s favorite “girl friend” in high school because they’d felt so comfortable around her, and they could talk to her because she didn’t incite instant arousal like the girls in the cheer squad.
Suddenly, being viewed as a sex kitten was…exhilarating. Made her feel powerful.
Shaking off her giddy thoughts, she hung her mop and gathered the trash to take outside. When she stepped outside, she was humming to herself. As she moved down the steps, her footsteps felt light. She looked forward to spending another evening with Preacher, and whatever happened in the future, she’d carry happy memories because one strong, handsome man desired her.
She lifted the lid on the trash bin, tossed her bag inside, then turned. From the corner of her eye, she saw something swinging toward her. She raised a hand, but something crashed against the side of her head, and she went to her knees. Another blow landed on her shoulder and darkness enfolded her.
* * *
Preacher placed the takeout boxes on the seat beside him and picked up his phone. He’d give Laura a quick call to make sure she’d made it home, and then he’d head straight for her house. He couldn’t wait to spend more time with her. Not simply because he enjoyed having sex with her. He liked her sense of humor, her intelligence; he enjoyed just watching the way she moved so gracefully across a room. As well, he liked that she had no idea how beautiful she was.
And although he liked the quality, he was determined to change it. Laura needed to know how beautiful she really was. Sure, she wasn’t built like a model. However, those extra pounds cloaked a strong body. One made for a man like him to love.
He hit speed dial and waited but got no answer. So, he decided to drive past her shop first, just to make sure she didn’t need a little nudge out the door. When he slowed in front of Deadly Delights, he noted her car was still parked outside, so he parked and approached her door. It was locked, so he knocked on the glass door then cupped his hands and peered through the it. There was no sign of her.
Perhaps she was in her office. He strode around the building, thinking she’d better hear a knock there, but the moment he turned the corner, he broke into a run. Laura’s pink sneakers peeked out from behind the trash bin.
When he got to her, he knelt beside her and noted the blood darkening her brow. Her eyes were closed. Quickly, he checked for a pulse and blew out breath when he noted the steady beat beneath his fingertips. He raised his phone and tapped 9-1-1 on the screen. He reported what he’d found and requested an ambulance and that the sheriff be notified. Then he bent to her again and cupped her cheek. “Baby, open your eyes. Laura, wake up.”
He cupped her head and felt around the back of her skull. Other than the goose egg on the side of her head, he felt no other injury. He wanted to lift her into his arms and move her away from the bin. She didn’t deserve to be left there on the ground. More than anything he wanted to lift her into his arms, but he wasn’t sure of her injuries and didn’t want to do her more harm.
Minutes later, he heard a siren approaching. An ambulance turned to drive down the access road behind the row of buildings. He stayed beside her as the EMTs rolled out a gurney and brought a medical pack. He moved past her head when they came down on either side of her.
“She been here long?” one of them asked.
“I don’t know,” he said, his voice hoarse.
“She been out the entire time you were with her?”
He nodded. He ground his jaws together as they began to work on her. Throughout the long minutes, she remained unconscious.
Sheriff Brown arrived and began questioning him.
He quickly gave him a rundown of the few things he did know.
After the EMTs loaded her on the gurney, one of them asked whether anyone had her insurance card or ID to help her inprocessing at the hospital.
“I’m sure it’s in her office, through that door,” he said to the sheriff because he didn’t want to leave Laura. Then the EMT asked whether he wanted to ride along.
It was hard to say no. “I’ll follow you,” he said, because he had a call to make and wanted to have a vehicle at the ready should she be released.
The sheriff returned and handed him Laura’s purse.
“You know where I’ll be,” Preacher said. “Could you make sure her shop gets locked up? She’ll be worried when she wakes up.” If she wakes up. He shook himself. He couldn’t think that way.
“I’ll take care of things here, Preacher. Call me and let me know how she’s doing.”
Preacher nodded and ran for his vehicle.
Once in his SUV, he kept close to the ambulance as it sped through town and made its way toward the highway leading to the hospital in Bozeman.
He called Cage. Before Cage finished his greeting, Preacher barked, “Laura was attacked. She’s in an ambulance heading to Bozeman. Sheriff’s still at her shop.”
“I’ll get with him and see if he and his deputies find anything. What do you need?”
Preacher blew out a breath. Just hearing Cage offer made him grateful someone would have his back. Like he should have had Laura’s. “Have Fig review the feed on the security cameras.”
“Will do. And when Laura’s better, we’ll talk about what we have to do to keep her safe until they find whoever’s responsible.”