Page 4 of Bounty Hunter's Obsession

“My mom skipped town with some dude when I was two or three. My Nan raised me, but she passed away about 18 months ago. I barely graduated high school and didn’t want to lose the house, so I tried working a ton of jobs. They never lasted long or didn’t pay enough. Then I ran into Tony at some clothing store I worked at briefly. He brought me in about two months ago, but then everything went to shit…again.”

“Halo,” Hayden starts but pulls my car behind the only other car parked on the street. It’s too nice to be outside of this junkyard masquerading as an impound lot.

I’m still looking around the industrial neighborhood when his voice pulls my attention back to him.

“I know what I’m asking you to do is crazy, but I need you to trust me. From the moment I set eyes on your picture today, there’s been a tug on my nerves. Something’s telling me to protect you, to keep you safe, and I ain’t never felt that for anyone outside of my siblings.”

“Oh, so you see me like a little sister?” I immediately sulk, believing that my virginity no longer makes me a viable woman in his eyes.

“Not at all. The things that have crossed my mind watching you move through that diner wouldn’t be acceptable at any family function. Come with me,” he tells me as he gets out of the car. I’m shuffling to get myself together, wondering if I need the paperwork for the impound lot. I have no idea what he’s about to do.

Hayden rounds the front of the car to open the door for me, holding his hand out. The roughness of his palm folding around my fingers makes it feel like he’s swallowing my hand. I wonder if everything else is big on him. My eyes won’t stop traveling the length of his body—from his thick leather boots to his denim jeans and t-shirt. I want to see him out of his clothes.

“My eyes are up here, Halo,” he smirks, pulling me away from the car, and I let myself fall against him.

Warmth radiates through my body as I feel his strong arms brace me. I want him to lean down, to kiss me, to touch me everywhere. Why does he have this power over me?

3

HAYDEN

The look in Halo’s eyes tells me I’m the only man who’s dared to treat her with some respect and honesty. She deserves so much more than life is giving her, and I want to be the man to give her the world.

“Come on before I do something crazy,” I tell her, taking her hand in mine and leading her toward the impound lot.

“Crazy like what?”

There’s curiosity in her tone, but there’s lust in her eyes. I pause, turning to her. In the middle of the sidewalk, I back her against the building. Her gaze never leaves my face as I tip my mouth down to cover hers. She moans, sending a jolt of adrenaline and lust to my crotch where an erection is threatening to announce itself.

She won’t see that here, not outside. Well, not for her first time. It needs to be more than a random fuck on a random street in Conklin County. Instead, I let my mouth move, pushing my tongue past her lips to taste her. I’m getting lost in her, in this passion, nearly forgetting my goal for coming here.

A few powerful passes of our tongues over one another, like we’re two teenagers making out under the bleachers, has me ready to take her home. When I stop the kiss, pulling away, her mouth is red and her eyes are still closed.

She’s panting, breaths coming in sporadically to the point she places her hand over her heart and the other over her mouth.

“That’s spontaneous, Hayden. Not crazy.”

She’s challenging me and it only makes my dick harder for her. I can show her crazy, but right now, I have to refocus.

“We can’t do crazy until I take that precious gift you’ve been saving for me.”

She chuckles, “I’ve been saving myself for you?”

“Yeah. You just didn’t realize that until now. Come on. We have to take care of something.”

“We? What do we have to take care of?” she asks.

The answers she wants are right in front of us when the asshole from earlier comes to the window of the security booth. He looks at me then at Halo. I already want to punch him in the throat.

“What do you two want?” he asks.

“I’m sorry,” I yell. “I can’t hear you.”

“What … do … you … want?” He slows his pronunciation down.

I shrug my shoulders. “I’m sorry man, I can’t hear you. The car I picked up had some weed in the glove box and it’s not hers-”

He immediately comes out of the booth with greed in his eyes. He’s about my height and similar build, but where I have abs of steel, he’s sporting a beer belly.

---