Page 268 of Sinfully Savage Mafia

The area is a bit more wooded, so I have to sidestep trees and rocks to find the skinny stray who is bent on evading me. It finally peeks its head out and I jump from one rock onto a larger one right next to the puppy, the sole of my foot skidding and then slipping on the smooth top. I fly into the air, my arms flailing as I brace for my fall.

“Ahh!” I shriek, my body sailing forward as if in slow motion. I throw my arms over my face, in preparation for the impending crash, but instead of jagged rock, I collide with something else as a strong arm pulls me back to solid ground.

Something that smells like Prada cologne and has massive muscles gathers me tight. My heart thuds with increasing force as I gaze up at what…or rather…who…cushioned my fall.

Holy crap on a cracker. It’s the guy from the bar last night.

The big tipper with the delicious body and eyes I could stare into forever.

The guy who stood me up.

Joe.

But when those crystal blue eyes focus on me, I momentarily forget all about my search-and-rescue mission and my wounded pride. That is, until…

“Aarf! Aarf!”

I jerk my head around with a gasp, scrambling to regain my footing as the black puppy takes off like a shot, scooting out of the park under a broken bit of fence.

“Oh, no!” I moan.

“Your dog?” Joe asks.

“No,” I reply. “I think it was a stray. But I’m sure its owner must be looking for it.”

I look around at the park behind us. We’re so far off the beaten path, I don’t even know how I missed this guy hanging out back here. We’re in the most desolate area of the park.

Tiny alarm bells go off in my mind.

Nobody…except this guy who occupied most of my dreams last night…is around?

He’s here…but he didn’t show up back at the restaurant after my shift…

Something feels weird.

I bite down on my lower lip, his arms still grasping me. “You stood me up,” I say, narrowing my eyes at him.

How sick is it that I don’t want him to let me go even though he could be a total stalker? I mean, what are the odds we’d be here in the same place at the same time?

“I know. I’m sorry.”

I wait for more of an explanation but nothing comes. “That’s all you have to say?”

“I can tell you I fell asleep, and when I woke up it was three a.m.”

“Would that be true?”

“No,” he murmurs, his lips lifting slightly. “But it’s easier to swallow than the real reason.”

“And you just happen to be wandering around here in the most secluded part of this park, perfectly positioned to save me from face-planting in the rocks?”

“Fucking fate, huh?” he says.

I furrow my brow. “This isn’t exactly a place that the Village crowd frequents.”

“Who said I was part of the Village crowd?”

A tingling between my thighs makes me slam my knees together. This guy could be a total psychopath and here I am, craving his fingers, his mouth…everything. “So you’re saying this run-in is just a coincidence?” I say with a nervous laugh.

---