Page 33 of Love Me Carefully
Chapter Seven
Just as Terrell was about to remove his hand from her mouth they heard another gunshot ring out, then another. They couldn’t see what was happening but they jumped at the loud blasts. Leah trembled in his arms. Guilt, and fear that something might happen to her, had him cursing under his breath. He should’ve never called her, even though the thought of being in an alley witnessing a murder had never crossed his mind. Still, he’d put her in danger, and for that alone he was a bigger jerk than she probably already assumed him to be.
He’d wanted proof that Donald wasn’t good enough for his mother. Tonight he had gotten that in spades, but at what price? Leah was shaking, her body almost limp in his arms as they huddled behind the dumpster. He had to get her out of there as quickly, and as unscathed, as possible. Releasing his hold on her mouth, he grabbed her hand, running across the street and pulling her behind him. He prayed no one had seen them.
When they were safely in the car, they both sat in silence for a moment, trying to catch their breath. Terrell thought for sure the next sound they’d hear would be police sirens, considering the close proximity of the police station, but he was wrong.
“I don’t believe it, I just don’t believe it! And don’t you tell me again that you knew it, because I don’t give a damn what you knew! If you knew he was involved in murder, then why the hell did you call me? Why did you have to get me involved?” Leah screamed.
She was absolutely right, and he was kicking himself right now for that very stupid mistake. But her frantic yelling wasn’t going to help the situation now. They needed to get going. “You can yell at me later, but now I think it’s time for us to get the hell out of here.”
For once, she completely agreed with him. But where were her keys? Bending over, she slid her hands beneath the seat, clutching at nothing. Oh no, not now, she prayed. Reaching across Terrell’s lap she opened the glove compartment and rifled through the things in there. Cursing, she returned her attention to beneath her seat.
“What are you doing?” He’d surmised that she was looking for something, but he hadn’t a clue what. “For a person who didn’t want to come here in the first place, you sure are taking your time leaving.”
She stifled a smart retort. “I can’t find my keys.”
“What?”
“I can’t find my damn keys! I’m not used to chasing around bad guys, you know. I must’ve dropped my keys when some lunatic left me alone in the car while he went off to save the day.”
“Oh please, don’t tell me that,” Terrell groaned.
Her sarcasm wasn’t lost on him, but the missing keys took precedence over her anger about their situation. The car doors were unlocked when they’d returned because she’d most likely neglected to lock them when she’d ignored his directive and jumped out to follow him.
Terrell was searching for the keys when suddenly she yelled, “Sheesh, they’re right here.” Leah pulled the keys out of her coat pocket and held them up. But before she could start the car, out of the corner of her eye she saw the men emerge from the alley.
“Terrell, look, they’re coming out,” she whispered, as if they were going to hear her from across the street.
Terrell leaned over to see out the driver’s side window. Donald and his partner had come sauntering out of the alley. There was no sign of a gun and no sign of the five men that had gone into the alley with them.
“Where are the others?”
“Do you have to ask?” Terrell replied blandly.
Abruptly, Leah sat back in her seat and stared straight ahead. “Oh God, they’re going to walk right past us.”
Looking through the window, Terrell confirmed that they were, in fact, heading in their direction. Thinking quickly, he grabbed Leah by her jacket and turned her to face him. “Just follow my lead,” he told her before his lips pressed roughly into hers.
Blinking in confusion, it took a moment for Leah to realize that Terrell was kissing her. Well, not exactly kissing. His lips were awkwardly pressed against hers, nevertheless causing an amazing bolt of stimulation throughout her body. His eyes were closed and his goatee tickled the sensitive skin around her mouth. His hands were fisted around the lapels of her jacket; still, she felt the smoldering heat of his knuckles as they brushed against her breasts.
Time stood still for all of the three minutes it took as the men passed the car and climbed back into their truck. Terrell heard their retreating footsteps, but was reluctant to break the connection.
Leah, after conceding that this was their only choice, had relaxed into the kiss. His lips still clung to hers and she itched to take the contact further. Her thoughts scattered as she realized this was Terrell—safe, intellectual, quiet Terrell. But it wasn’t the serene, subdued man she’d thought he was. Tonight she’d seen a completely different side of him, a reckless, bold, intoxicatingly sexy side and he was now kissing her senseless. Damn, if he had nothing else, he had one amazing pair of lips—and he knew how to use them.
Terrell, about to burst with his own needs, seized the opportunity and pushed his tongue into her mouth. Fervently stroking his tongue against the warm contours of hers, he reveled in her hungry response. While she tried to appear reserved and serious, Ms. Leah Graham was one passionate sister. She kissed him as if she was starving for him—he could only wish. Still, her tongue dueled with his until all he wanted to do was tear her clothes off and make wondrous love to her.
But this was neither the time nor the place.
In the back of her mind, she knew they should be leaving. She should be driving like a bat out of hell to get home. Instead, she relaxed, allowing her tongue to be stroked and caressed by his. She didn’t see stars, and bells didn’t ring, and yet she was engulfed in warmth that caused her whole body to go limp in the seat. Everything else ceased to exist. The car was their private haven, its close confines blanketing them in intimacy. When his hands moved from the lapels of her jacket to lightly cup her breasts, she thought she would scream with pleasure. Spiky tingles soared through her chest, landing in the pit of her stomach where they expanded and shifted to throb between her legs. The whimpering sound she heard, to her surprise, came from her. She wanted him as she’d never wanted another man in her life.
But this wasn’t the time.
Through the thick haze of his own pleasure, he felt her pushing against his chest. She didn’t like it; she wanted him to stop. Disappointment at her rejection clutched his heart.
Reluctantly he pulled away and willed himself not to look at her. He didn’t want to see the disappointment he was sure would be clear in her eyes. But once the physical connection was broken, her eyes held him captive. He couldn’t turn away, not if his life depended on it.
Leah looked at him. She simply stared into the face that was quickly becoming too familiar. The freshly cut and trimmed goatee looked soft in contrast to the prickliness she’d felt against her skin. His nose was straight, free of bumps and curves, hence the reason his glasses always slid down. Unable to resist the urge, she lifted her hand and, with her index finger, pushed the wire rims up to their rightful position.
