“Cal has no complaints,” I throw back, giggling.
“Maybe I should watch you give him one. You know, to critique your form.”
“Bad boy,” I tease.
He’s still smiling when he picks up his acoustic guitar off the coffee table. Leaning back on the sofa, he strums a few chords, his eyes closing. In this moment, he’s the most relaxed I’ve ever seen him.
“I’m going to head out,” I say, leaning forward to kiss his forehead. “Call me tomorrow.”
“Want me to walk you?”
“I’m good. I’m going to surprise Cal a few minutes early.” I waggle my brows at him. “See if I can’t practice my blowjob skills.”
He laughs. “Love you, dirty bitch.”
“Love you too.”
I throw on my coat and grab my purse, stuffing my phone inside. When I open the door, icy wind blasts my face. Pulling my hood over my head, I trudge through the snow, keeping my head down low to hide my face from the harsh elements.
Cal’s truck is parked crooked and crazy. It’s one of the cute things I like about him. That he drives that big dumb truck and parks it wherever he wants like he owns the world. I walk past his truck toward the steps of his porch, slowly so I don’t fall, when I hear a crunch.
I turn my head toward the sound, wondering if Cal’s come out to try and scare me.
Smack!
Pain explodes inside my head as I crumple to the snow in a heap. Something hit me in the head. Hard. Metal. Powerful.
A small groan rattles from me as I’m lifted into someone’s arms. As soon as I get a whiff of the familiar scent, I try desperately to open my eyes.
No.
Please, no.
My words don’t work because I’m blacking out as this monster carries me away from my happily ever after and right into what I know will be a haunting nightmare.
Please, God, no.
Cal
Don’t be a stalker.
Don’t be a stalker.
Don’t be a stalker.
Fuck this. I’m a stalker. She’s mine and if she wants to taunt the beast inside me, then so be it. Twenty minutes turned into thirty. I warned her I’d come for her if she kept me waiting. Knowing my fucking girl, she probably did that shit on purpose.
I can’t help but smirk as I throw on my coat, hat, and gloves before heading out. The snow is heavily falling, making it difficult to see. I take long strides from my cabin to Loden’s. At first, when she told me a while back that he wanted to move here, I was annoyed. And, at first glance, he always seems to be flirting with my girl. But, the more I get to know Loden, the more I realize he’s just needy as fuck. Charlotte is a good friend and a good person. Of course he’s drawn to her light. If he weren’t gay, I’d have a huge problem with his affectionate way toward her. Since I know he’s not trying to get into her pants, I deal with his annoying ass.
It will be convenient having him nearby, especially if she plans on hanging out with him a lot. I want my girl close. In fact, I’ve been wanting to keep her by my side permanently. Ever since the fire, something shifted between us. An unbreakable bond formed. I’m going to ask her to live with me, but I have to find a way to delicately propose it to her in a way she doesn’t think it’s just some possessive caveman reason to keep her safe and watched over.
I love her.
I want her.
I need to protect her at all costs.
I’m trying to imagine her sleek sense of decorating style taking over my cabin. Honestly, it makes my dick hard thinking of her permanently there, spending each waking minute with me. A grin tugs at my lips as I push into Loden’s cabin.
He’s sprawled out on his couch in nothing but his boxers looking like a fucking tattooed porn star. I admit it’s irritating that he’s glued to my girl all the time when I know he’s a good-looking guy. But seeing him in his fucking underwear around my fucking girl has me seeing red.
“You look awfully cozy,” I sneer, my gaze sweeping his cabin, looking for Charlotte. “She better not be naked and dripping with your jizz, or so help me I’ll beat you over the head with your guitar.”
“Charlotte?” Loden says, sitting up and placing the guitar down on the coffee table. His muscles flex, which, in turn, makes me fist my hands, ready to pummel this guy.
“No shit, Sherlock.”
He rises to his feet, displaying all his rock god glory down to the giant fucking dick he’s packing in his boxers. Yeah, I’m going to kill him.
“Dude, she left like thirty minutes ago.”
His words take a second to sink in. “What?”
“When I got out of the shower, she left.”
“Where the fuck is she?” I demand, my blood running cold.
“I don’t fucking know.” He picks up his phone and dials. “Not answering.”
“Maybe she went to see Mom and Dad,” I mutter, my mind racing. “Call her parents and her siblings. See if she’s with one of them. Get dressed and meet me back at my place in a few.”
I run out the front door, easily finding the path that leads to the old Campfire Chaos cabin that my parents took over. I dial her a few times on the way there, but she doesn’t answer. The lights are on at my parents’ cabin, and I hope like hell Charlotte stopped by to visit them. Mom and Dad adore Charlotte. Even after the fire, which she for some reason feels guilty for, they love her.
After stomping up the steps, I push open the door, my eyes searching for her. Dad’s in his recliner watching television and Mom is sitting on the couch reading.
“Where’s Charlotte?” I demand, my chest heaving.
Dad cranes his
