Obsession (12 page)

“I’m yours…” His hand tightened,
waiting for me to add the most crucial part of his
statement.

My lip trembled as I finished his
sentence. “I’m yours, always.”

He claimed my mouth with more lust
than ever before. His hands stayed firmly planted on my neck,
uncomfortable on my throat.

***

“What’s got you all cheery?” Landon
asked as I hopped into the car.

“
Something interesting
happen with Garreti?”

I couldn’t contain the snort that
escaped my mouth. “Most definitely not.”

Landon tapped the steering wheel as he
turned out of the parking lot of the station. “Yeah, something to
do with that chummy-looking cadet who was grabbing your ass on the
way out?”

My eyes bugged out as my head whipped
in his direction. “He did not!”

Landon laughed.
“You’re right, he
didn’t, but he sure looked like he wanted to.”

“What can I say? I have a nice
ass.”

“Now we both know I have the best
ass,” Landon teased.

“Whatever!” I smacked him on the
shoulder. “How was Lucy at the Country Club?” Turning the tables
had always been more fun.

Landon sighed dramatically. “I think
I’m in love.”

“That good, huh?”

“She almost gave me her number
tonight.” His brown eyes left the road for a moment to look at me.
“You’re changing the subject.”

“No, I’m not,” I lied.

“Then tell me about that dude.
Otherwise, I’m going to go interrogate him while Dad’s
working.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Oh, I would.” The devious look in his
eyes was unmistakable. He’d totally do it, and it’d blow my cover
and piss a whole bunch of people off. Warmth filled me when I
thought about Rod being happy we’d be out in the open, but I knew
it would be an uphill battle even more so if word got out he was
involved with the sheriff’s daughter who happened to be
underage.

“All right, we may be interested in
each other.”

“Go on…”
Landon
encouraged.

“I love him,” I whispered. Landon
slammed on his breaks, causing me to lurch forward and feel the
sting of the seat belt. “What was that about?”

“We’re at a stop light. You’re not in
love with him. You can’t be,” Landon scoffed, speeding off once the
light turned green again. “You haven’t even introduced him to me.”
Landon sounded offended. He was my brother, and he normally was a
big part of my life. I didn’t mean to hurt his feelings.

“He’s a lot older than me.”

“No shit. How much older?” His voice
was stern now, his protectiveness shining through.

“Well, not that much older. Only six
years.”

“Jamie,
that’
s
illegal!
” he shouted at me, causing me to
flinch. “Have you even hung out with him outside of the few hours
at the station?”

I shook my head, realizing how silly I
was for thinking I could be in love with someone I hardly
knew.

But wasn’t that how love worked? It
would hit you hard and out of left field, completely blindsiding
your heart and dissolving your perspective on what’s right and
what’s wrong.

“You need to be careful,” he said
gently. “Older guys only want one thing.”

I looked out the window, not wanting
to meet his eyes. I know he was just being protective of me, but
him figuring out I’d given away that part of me felt
awkward.

“I know, but Rod’s not like that. I
promise.”

Chapter Nine

Jamie.
Age 17.

“Are you sure the beach will be a safe
spot?” I asked skeptically as I squirted suntan lotion into my
palms. “I know we’re forty-five minutes away from home, but Boynton
Beach is pretty popular.”

Rod pulled a cooler from his trunk
along with a bag loaded with beach supplies. “It’s not as popular
as Palm Beach, where I originally wanted to go,” he muttered,
setting the cooler down by our feet.

He crossed his arms as he stared down
at me. His floppy blond hair was waving in the wind, and I couldn’t
tell if he was frustrated with me or not. This was our first outing
in public.

“You wanted to come here,
so this is where we are. I’d appreciate it if you’d quit being so
nervous and relax.” His teeth were clenched at first, but a slow
grin formed on his mouth. “
Besides, I
’ve been
anxious to see you in the bathing suit I bought you.”

A flush formed on my cheeks as my head
dipped down at my feet. Rod chuckled, his hands finding my sides
underneath my tank top. “You sure are cute when you’re embarrassed.
Come on, let’s go find a place to sit.”

“How’d you get today off anyway?” I
asked while following him to the sand. My feet flinched at first
from the heat, but with a few steps I got used to it.

“I have my ways,” he said slyly,
looking over his shoulder and giving me a wink. I couldn’t help but
grin back at him. He gave my stomach the best
butterflies.

The beach was packed, from families
with teenagers to college kids. I felt uneasy with so many people
around. I was bound to run into someone I knew.

“Let me get your back.” Rod dug
through the beach bag for the sunscreen as I took off my tank top
and skirt. The bathing suit he’d gifted me the previous night at
work was bright white with rhinestones throughout the hip and a
triangle shaped top. There wasn’t much to the suit, when I’d first
observed it in the mirror, I was embarrassed by how much skin was
showing, but I wanted to please him.

When I faced him, his eyes went wide
with excitement, causing me to grin. His hands massaged the
sunscreen deeply into my shoulders and back, then underneath my
bottoms.

“Rod,” I scolded, swatting his hands
while wiggling from his reach. He chuckled, then slapped my ass,
causing my face to turn bright red from the mother of three who was
watching us intently.

“There are people everywhere. Can you
not?” I grumbled, finding my place on the blanket.

The wiggle of his eyebrows irritated
me. “Who cares? You don’t know who they are. Do me now,” he
demanded, sitting down next to me and handing me the
sunscreen.

I snatched it from him, loading my
hands so I could rub it across his broad shoulders and back. My
annoyance faded as my hands caressed his bare skin. He’d always
kept the majority of his clothing on while we were together. Having
his flesh under the pads of my fingers was arousing. The dips in
his back where his muscles flexed were hot, allowing my mind to
ease about the crowdedness of the beach.

“So where are you from?” I asked,
clearing my throat and attempting to change the path of my
thoughts.

He casually laid back on the blanket,
making himself a pillow with his forearms. “I’m from Miami
originally. I grew up with my grandparents. My dad died when I was
seven, and my mother isn’t really around.”

The awkward silence filled the space
between us, causing my legs to draw to my chest, wrapping my arms
protectively around them. “I’m sorry. Do you ever see your
mom?”

He sighed, moving so he was on his
side. “Sometimes. She’s in an institution. My grandfather
encourages me to visit but, it’s… hard.”

My eyes scrunched. “Hard?”

Rod pulled his glasses from his head,
his blue eyes dull as they looked into mine. “Let’s just say she’s
lived in a padded room most of her life.”

I cocked my head, pity filling me for
a boy who lost his family at such a young age.

“Don’t look at me like that.” His
voice was low and defensive.

My eyes darted to my fidgety toes. “I
can’t imagine not having my family. They mean everything to
me.”

“I thought I meant everything to
you?”

“I care about you a lot, you know
that,” I whispered, feeling a flush run up my neck. “But I’m sure
you’d feel lost if something happened to your grandfather. What
about your grandmother?”

“She died a few years back.” His arm
reached for my wrist, pulling my attention from my feet to his
stormy eyes. “I do care for my grandfather, but you’re my world,
Jamie.”

I gulped, feeling exposed by his
stare. His words made me feel like a sappy teenage girl in love,
but deep down they were frightening as well. My hand moved to his
cheek, cradling his firm jaw as he clenched his teeth.

“You’re intense.” I smiled, trying to
lighten the mood with a joke.

Rod sat up, both his hands reaching
for my jaw, his thumbs brushing down my chin to my neck. It was
uncomfortable, especially the way his eyes burned into mine. “I
love you as much as the air we breathe. Don’t ever forget
that.”

His hands moved down my jaw to my
neck, possessively massaging. I didn’t like it, so my hands found
his wrists, gripping them so he’d release me.

“I love you too, Rod. I just want to
know more about you. We never talk … Please don’t be angry.” His
eyes closed briefly, then his hands softened on my neck. I guided
his hands into the sand, my nostrils inhaling a breath of
ease.

“Let’s go for a swim.”

I watched him stand, all emotion
dropping from his face in his movements. Hesitantly, I followed,
hoping his mood would lift after the swim.

By the time I caught up with him, I
was waist deep, the cool water, startling me with each step I took.
Rod turned with a smirk, his hand scooping the water and tossing it
at me. I squealed from the sudden sting of the salty ocean
water.

“Rod!” I giggled, holding my hands
over my face.

His arms were around me now. “It’s
best to just go under.”

We dipped low, water taking over my
senses and consuming me. I gasped when he brought us back above
water, wiping my eyes and smiling at his playfulness.

“Thanks for coming with me today,” he
said softly, kissing my nose.

My heart fluttered as my smile
broadened from his gentleness, happy his mood had
shifted.

***

“
I’m going to use the
restroom before we leave.”

Rod nodded as he watched me. “Put your
tank top and skirt on before you go,” he commanded while packing
our things.

I squinted at him, unsure why it
mattered. Quickly putting on my skirt, I grabbed my tank, carrying
it with me as I walked toward the bathhouse.

“Jamie Rae!
”

I froze, realizing someone recognized
me when I didn’t want to be seen. The voice belonged to Kevin, my
older brother’s friend. My eyes searched the group he was with, and
thankfully Landon was nowhere to be seen.

“Hey there, cutie pie, what are you
doing at this beach?” he questioned, his eyes hazy from drinking,
and most likely other substances. His arm moved around my neck,
pulling me to his side as we walked to the bathhouse.

“Just soaking up the sun,” I said as
nonchalantly as I could.

“You by yourself? Come hang with us.
You need to stop being such a downer, Jay,” he teased, hugging me
closer.

“She’s not alone,” Rod’s low voice
muttered from behind us.

Shivers ran up my spine from his tone.
He wasn’t happy.

Kevin turned, keeping his arm around
my shoulders. “Hey, how’s it going, bro?” Kevin greeted in his
stereotypical Floridian surfer accent.

“It’d be going wonderfully if you’d
get your hands off my girl.” Rod’s eyes were on fire, his fists
balled at his side.

I gently nudged Kevin with
my elbow. “This is Kevin, my brother’
s best friend.
”

“Um, yeah… Who the hell are you?”
Kevin said protectively, the hint of my elbow nudge not enough for
him to let go of me.

“I’m her boyfriend.” Rod reached for
me, yanking me from Kevin.

Kevin crossed his arms in front of his
chest. “Does Lando know about this guy?”

I was dying inside now. “Of course he
does. See you later, Kevin.” I quickly darted under Rod’s arm,
walking quickly toward the parking lot.

This wasn’t going to be good. I didn’t
feel him following me right away, but by the time I’d found the
car, he pressed his body into mine, forcing my back against the
car.

“I told you to put your fucking
clothes back on,” he growled, his eyes murderous.

“I was.” My voice was small, taken
back by his anger. “Kevin stopped me before I could—”

“You’re not allowed to see
him again.
I
don
’t even want you to look at him.” His
voice was like venom as his eyes bore into mine.

I was stunned, shocked by his anger at
the situation. “He doesn’t mean anything to me—”