Page 5 of Tracked By the Fixer

“No, it’s not…she–”

“Shut up,” the man says, shoving Mr. Tomlinson into the doorframe. “She said she wasn’t interested. So get your ass inside andnevercontact her again. Got it?”

Instead of fighting, my ex-boss nods. After a moment, the man lets go of him. Then, without looking back at either of us, Mr. Tomlinson opens his door and rushes inside. I hear the sound of each of his locks engaging as he shuts us out.

Relief courses through me. He’s no longer a threat, and thanks to thisveryhandsome stranger, I don’t think I’ll have to worry about him bothering me ever again. Sure, I’ve got money to worry about now, but I’m resourceful. I’ll figure it out.

“Your boss is a jerk,” the man says, breaking the silence I didn’t realize we fell into.

“You can say that again,” I laugh, running a hand through my blonde hair. “But I’m pretty sure he’s not my boss anymore.”

“That’s probably for the best,” the man says, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He offers me his hand, and I take it without question. “I’m Isaiah, by the way.”

“Lilly,” I reply, my knees weak when I realize how strong he is. It was one thing watching him restrain Mr. Tomlinson, it’s another actually feeling his grip around my own hand.

“Lilly,” he says, my name sounding delectable coming from his mouth. He holds onto me for another second before finally letting me pull away. “You know, we might want to get off his property just in case he calls the police. I don’t think either of us were in the wrong, but cops usually side with guys like him.”

“You’re right,” I say, unable to make myself move. I think the shock of the day’s events is starting to catch up to me.

“You know,” he murmurs, his voice warming me like my favorite hot chocolate, “I’d love to help you get your mind off of this. Let me take you out. It’ll be my treat.”

“I can’t,” I say, the response more of a reflex than a genuine expression of my desires.

It’s just that I’ve never been on a date before. Part of it is that I’ve been too focused on myself to care much, but another part is that I’ve never been asked by anyone I’ve been genuinely interested in. Maybe if I ran into this guy at another time, I would have thought before I answered. Instead, my default response fell from my lips.

Isaiah clicks his tongue, raising an eyebrow in an obvious challenge. He crosses his arms over his chest, sizing me up and not bothering to hide it. With a teasing lilt to his voice he says, “Where’s all that fiery passion and bravery from a few minutes ago?”

My jaw drops and I start to sputter. He’s challenging me. It’s abundantly clear by the way he’s holding himself and that infuriatingly handsome smirk he’s wearing.

“Don’t tell me I’ve left you speechless,” he says playfully. He hums, the sound drawing me in even closer. “Or maybe that brave little display from earlier was just for show.”

“I am brave!” I say, feeling a little childlike at my outburst. I take a deep breath, steadying myself. “That wasn’t just for show.”

“Oh, really?” he asks, the smirk on his face growing into a genuine smile. It seems like he liked my response, even if it was a little juvenile. “Then prove it.”

I shouldn’t let him goad me into this. I know that. But… something about Isaiah ignites a part of me that’s been buried under layers of forced responsibility. I’ve never let myself really let loose. Not only is he offering me the opportunity, he’s actively encouraging it.

So, against my better judgment, I say, “Fine. I’ll let you take me out.”

“That’s more like it,” he says with a grin. “I know this place–”

“But,” I say, cutting him off. He might have convinced me to say yes, but I still need some sort of control over this situation. “I get to pick where we go.”

Isaiah tilts his head, that smile still on his face. God… I think I want to kiss it away. Is that normal? Do people normally feel like this when they meet someone they’re attracted to?

I don’t back down, despite the fact that I feel like I’m going to turn into a puddle at his feet. After a beat, he laughs, the deep timbre of his voice making a home in my heart. When he recovers he says, “Of course, Lilly. Wherever you want to go, I’ll take you.”

So, with a nod, I start to walk away. Isaiah catches up with me at the bottom of the stairs. With a confidence that’s intoxicating, he grabs onto my arm, looping it with his. I let it happen, my knees going weak as butterflies flutter pleasantly in my stomach.

Chapter Four

Isaiah

“This is really where you wanted to go?” I ask as I lead Lilly onto the putt-putt course.

I was all for her picking where we went, I know all the best spots in town, though I figured she had a favorite restaurant in mind. I wasn’t expecting her to want to do something so… Well I’m not sure what to call this. It’s not a bad thing, but it’s different from what I’m used to.

Even if I were to take someone on a date, I wouldn’t do something like this. I’ve actually never even been to a putt-putt course. If you asked me even a few hours ago, I’d say that I was way past the age for it.

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