She was very naïve, that's what she was. But even at that, she had the most dangerous type of beauty. Hell, she was a walking disaster. She didn't even have any idea what she did to him.
And if he had to watch her bite that lower lip of hers one more time, he might not be able to keep his hands off her. Although she was adorable when she got all worked up, the pink stain on her cheeks making her clear beautiful eyes pop.
She even smelled like summertime, like a field of untouched wildflowers filled with daisies and lavender. Right now he wished they were surrounded by nature and nothing else. He wished he wasn't here just to protect her.
He would lay her down on a blanket hidden by tall grasses and taste her lips. Slide between her thighs. Make love to her for hours. The image made him hot, made the blood flow heavy in his veins. He began to think that taking this job had been a terrible idea. Having such intense thoughts about his client couldn't come with any good.
His room was to the right and next to hers. There was an adjoining door, but it was locked tight.
He didn't have the key to it, but he doubted he'd be able to get one if he wanted it. Kimberly Blake wasn't hiding the fact that his presence was something she neither wanted nor thought she needed.
"Hey, James," he said into his phone as he unpacked, leaving a message after the beep. "Just got settled in with Miss Kimberly Blake. How's it going over there? I want an update about everything that goes on there. Call me as soon as you get this."
Asher unpacked quickly, not as neatly as he'd noticed Kimberly's room to be, and reflected on what he knew about the woman next door. His mind kept finding a way to drift back to her.
He thought about the last time a woman had heated his blood. Still thinking about Kimberly. Asher clenched the phone and his teeth. He needed to stop thinking of her, but not thinking of her was nearly impossible.
Dark sparkling eyes, full luscious lips, curves… Damn, the woman's curves were amazing. Smooth, golden tan skin that had sparkled with a glittery lotion that smelled as enticing as she looked. And that thick dark hair-he'd wanted to reach out and touch it.
He didn't know everything about her, but he knew enough from what he had read about when he was planning her rescue. He knew that Kimberly Blake was definitely not his type... maybe physically she was... But definitely not the kinda woman he would want to get involved with. Maybe sexually she was.. But emotionally? He didn't even do stuff like that. He was always focused on his job.
But his thoughts remained on her even as he went into the bathroom to take a cold shower.
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Kimberly's heart thundered violently in her chest as she ran from the hooded figure. He was big, yet agile, and faster than any man had a right to be. And he was intent on catching her, hurting her, making her pay.
Her lungs pushed air out, sucked it in, as she struggled to stay ahead of the hunter chasing his prey. Chasing her. She couldn't let him catch her, because he would kill her this time. She knew it, sensed it, anticipated it…unless she got away.
Move, Kimberly! Her heartbeat roared in her ears, pulse pumped so hard it made her skin burn, as she struggled to use every ounce of strength she possessed to find a way out of the darkness, to find the light, to find…safety.
She ran faster and faster. Only she wasn't fast enough. The hooded figure caught up with her and pushed her to the ground.
"Got you now" The hooded figure said. "You can't escape. There's no one to save you"
Kimberly peered into his face. It was Alex.
"No! No!. I won't let you take me" She screamed as she fought back, trying to get back on her feet, but Alex pinned her down.
"Shut up, bitch!" he said aggressively.
There was no way she was going to let him take her again. No way. She had to escape again. She couldn't go through that hell again. Someone was going to come save her.
Asher! She thought. Asher Adams was going to come for her again. Like he saved her before.
Alex grabbed her and suddenly she was back in the room where they had kept her during her kidnap.
No! This couldn't be happening. She screamed.
There was a tap... A knock... A repeated knocking actually.
Kimberly jerked and opened her eyes slowly, feeling weak, her head ached, her throat was dry, and there was a repeated knocking sound in her head.
It took her a while to realize that someone was knocking on her bedroom door.
She stood up slowly and walked to the door. Her legs felt weak, like she had run miles.
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Asher knocked repeatedly on Kimberly's door. He had been working and studying the case James had sent to him and was forcing his eyes to focus on his computer.
It was two in the morning and he was a bit exhausted, plain and simple, but he really wanted to find more on the case before he went to sleep. His team had two weeks; he had to make the most of them. And he wanted to help James from here since he couldn't leave Kimberly.
He was used to long hours-but the responsibility of trying to protect Kimberly from her kidnapper had upped his usual stress level exponentially. He dealt with life and death almost every day.
He was working when he heard Kimberly scream and he went to her room. It was locked and she was taking some time coming to open the door.
"Oh Hell" he said.
He was considering kicking it open just in case she was in danger when he heard the door click and she opened it.
Her bedroom door creaked softly as it opened. Asher eyes lifted from the door knob to Kimberly's face, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly opened, probably from finding him cursing in front of her room in the middle of the night. She looked scared... Or something. Asher couldn't tell.