Thorne | Running Loops

This steering wheel can’t take much more of me choking it and I blame her. Someone must have called the cops by now with the amount of times I have circled this block, that’s her fault too. Fifteen minutes I’ve been driving around the same loop, why, because apparently people’s phones go straight to voicemail.

Could I have left her a message, sent an email, yes.

But instead, here I am, on a Saturday morning, running loops around Macis place. Now I’m pulling up in front of her building. What the fuck am I doing.

Apparently, my body is betraying me and has a shit load to answer for. First up I was calling her to tell her she got the job. Why she got the job I have no clue, following my gut is the only answer I can come up with. She's good, her ideas original, but the feelings she pulled out of me are not good.

There were other candidates that would have been ok, but that fire behind her eyes, I just couldn’t shake it and deep down I know she's going to be an asset. Then I couldn’t get through to her, just kept hitting voicemail.

And every single time I called and got nothing, my body was literally pulling me out the door, screaming at me to go because something was wrong. Now I’m parked across the street having completely lost any semblance of self-control.

The moment she stepped out of my office, something in me splintered, and I’ve been fighting it since.

Sleep evaded me last night, every time my eyes closed, she was there.

The more I sit here, resisting the urge to find her, the more sweat is starting to bead at my nape. Taking a full breath in is a struggle. Fuck this, I’m going home, it can wait until Monday. Leaning forward I grip the key and…that’s as far as I get.

I am staring at my hand, willing it turn, but nope.

Fine, I will just check that she is ok and then I can chill the fuck out and go home.

As soon as that decision is made, one leg is out the car before I can even think on it. Striding towards her door my stomach is in knots. Is that…butterflies? Every step is tight with an effort to keep myself steady. My fist is raised, and I wrench it back, this is it I know it.

A line I am going to cross and not be able to come back from. No, I'm good, this is fine. My knukles hit the wood, maybe a bit harder than I needed.

How long does it take a person to answer a door.

Ok I’m walking away.

No, I’m going to knock again so I can be done with this. My hand is halfway to the door when it swings open, and every reason I had for being here drains from my mind.

A vision stands before me, staring up with those big doe eyes wide. My eyes skim her from top to bottom. Jesus fucking Christ, she is covered in tattoos. Her arms and legs a patchwork of black and grey, if swallowing was necessary right now, I would fail, my mouth is bone dry. In my office she was attractive, the real her is devastating. 

Her hair is loose and wild, she’s in a worn baggy t-shirt that skims over her full curves, one shoulder slipping just low enough to expose the curve of her neck. The tiniest shorts ever made peek out of the bottom of her shirt and I cannot pull my eyes away.

She looks like she’s just woken up and is definitely not dressed for company, so who the fuck is in there with her.

“Mr. Wintermere?” her voice low and breathless breaks me out of my trance. “What…what are you doing here?”

I have no words, I’m totally caught off guard by this version of her, the one she hides so well, this is a secret I am not meant to know. My body is reacting to her, visibly sweating now and all my blood is rushing straight to my cock. Speak Thorne Jesus.

“I, uh…” I clear my throat “You didn’t answer any of my calls this morning.”

“Oh, right, I turned my phone off really early. I must have lost track of time.”

“Are you alone?” It just slips out and it’s totally inappropriate. I know it is, she knows it is. It is absolutely none of my business, but my teeth are grinding and I’m two seconds away from smashing this door off its hinges to find out.

“Excuse me…” Irritation slides across her face and it makes me want to spank that shit out of her, see how irritated she is counting to 10.

Now I’m getting pissed off, why can’t she just answer a simple question.

“Are. You. Alone” The words rumble out of my chest on a growl.

“Not that it is any of your god damn business Mr Wintermere, but yes, I am alone.” She growls out the last word, doing what I think is an impression of me and I swear my mouth drops open.

The corner of her lip turns up with the slightest grin and I am totally disarmed. Whatever was meant to happen this morning, this was not it. The moment she looked up at me, cheeks flushed, barefoot, ink on show my plan dissolved.

“So if you are alone, why aren’t you inviting me in Maci”

“Of course, sorry” Mumbling to herself, she takes a step back and opens the door wider for me to enter.

One big step and I’m in, immediately hit with her scent, it’s like I’ve entered her world.

This place is tiny, I barely fit in it. This is too small for her, she should have something grand, maybe I should buy her a place. There is clutter everywhere, nothing like the pristine, sterile spaces I’m used to, but it’s undeniably hers. A mix of dark, moody decor, haphazard stacks of books, just a lot of things everywhere. I slowly turn and she’s there, in the middle of it, staring at me like a deer in headlights, trying so hard not to show me how flustered she is.

But I can smell it, the nerves.

“Just…give me a second,” and then she’s darting around like a little bunny, grabbing things off a DIY coffee table, shoving books and sketches onto shelves.

Her movements are fast, frantic, does she think tidying will somehow fix the tension crackling between us. Even I can’t fucking deny it now, if anyone walked in here they would taste it.

Leaning back against the front door, I brace my arms across my chest, studying her, a grin pulling at my lips. Oh she’s nervous alright and god if that doesn’t make me happy. We are getting back to level ground, where she’s the prey and I’m the predator.

“If I didn’t know better, Maci” letting each word drop heavy, “I’d think you were nervous.”

Her whole-body stills, and I feel the glare before I see it. Slowly turning round, she crosses her arms, which pushes her delicious tits up, “I’m not nervous.”

“No?” I take a single step toward her, slow, deliberate. “Because from where I’m standing, you look a little…flustered.”

Her eyes widen and if I had blinked, I would have missed it. I catch the way her breath hitches, her pulse flickers at her throat. I’m close enough now to feel the heat rolling off her, that intoxicating scent so much stronger.

I shouldn’t be this close, invading her space like this. But the temptation is too much, she’s delectable when she’s scared.

She looks up at me, her depthless eyes unreadable. “I think…” she bites that plump lip and I want to reach over and squeeze it.

“Yes?” I’m close enough now that I have a front row to every muscle movement, every beautiful flaw of her face.

She chews her lip, and that small gesture ignites the primal beast inside me.

“I think you’re standing too close" she whispers, but there’s no real protest there.

I’m outside myself looking down, her aura has pulled me in, only half aware of my hand lifting. The very tips of my fingers brush a wispy strand of hair from her face. The moment my skin is on hers I know it’s game over, she’s mine.

"I could come closer, Maci. But if I do, you’ll feel exactly what you’ve done to me."

Her skin is warm velvet beneath my fingertips, I couldn’t pull away even if I wanted to. Her inhale stutters and her whole body reacts to my words. I hear her pulse pick up and she leans towards me a fraction. Every small shift of her is sending a current straight through me, straight to my dick.

“There’s that look again” murmuring to myself, my thumb hovering by her jaw, and her rawness is laid bare.

That vulnerability will make a man want to claim her, keep her safe and that man is me.

Fuck no its not. I snatch my hand back and take the same step back, so I am almost at the front door. What am I doing, this girl is not the one. She is a tiny human, scared of everything.

Then why is my heart pumping like I’ve just finished a deadlift set. Why is my body screaming at me because I have backed away from her.

Dropping my features back to neutral, I push against the raw need to touch her again.

“Of course,” forcing calm into my voice “If you say so.”

The blush spreads from her neck, across her cheeks. If she feels even a fraction of what I do, there’s no way this tension between us will stay buried for long.

“You got the job” the words rougher than I intend.

For a moment, I think she hasn't heard me as she just stands there. Then, the sun comes out. In this shitty apartment the whole place lights up, because Maci smiles. A real, teeth out, genuine smile.

“I got it?” Her voice is so soft anyone else would have missed it.

I give her the slightest nod and she laughs. When I first heard that in the car yesterday it felt like the key to a lock I didn’t know was sealed. Hearing it the second time, my chest cracks open.

“I tried to call but you didn’t answer, I thought you would have wanted to know sooner rather than later”.

Before I have even finished the sentence she launches across the room, throwing her arms around my neck, feet dangling off the floor. She’s hugging me and the smallest moan escapes her. I have no fucking idea what to do. I don’t hug. So why are my eyes closed, breathing her in, my dick stirring.

I bring one hand up and pat her on the back, barely touching her. Slowly she releases my neck and her whole body slides down my front until her feet hit the floor.

She turns her back to me to walk away and I take that split second to adjust myself so my growing hard on is no more obvious than when she was pressing against it.

”Sorry about that, I’m just so excited. It won’t happen again. My freelance gigs are finished for now, so I can start Monday if that suits you?”

She’s facing me again now and the mask is firmly in place. I want it to happen again, I want her to wrap her arms around me and never let go.

I nod, clearing my throat “Monday works. I’ll email you the details later today.”

Her lips quirk up in a tiny smile. “Thank you again, Mr. Wintermere. This means a lot to me, more than you will ever know.”

Hearing her use my last name, after this weird interaction is jarring. My whole body feels itchy.

“Don’t thank me yet Maci. We don’t hold back, and I expect you won’t either.”

Her chin raises, determination flashing in her eyes. “I won’t.”

I nod once and turn to leave; my hand lingers on the door handle. I glance back at her, unease clawing at my gut.

“Why was your phone off, Maci?”

Her head snaps up and our eyes clash together. Her cheeks flame and she’s subconsciously rubbing the back of her neck. Something is off.

“It’s nothing for you to worry about Mr Wintermere” Like hell it isn’t.

“Maci, I will ask you one more time. Why was your phone off for hours.” She will tell me, because I am not moving until she does.

Now I know she’s hiding something, I am a wolf with a bone. I pin her with my gaze, not blinking.

She’s whisper quiet when she finally relents, the slightest wobble in her voice. “I kept getting these weird messages. I figured it was just Mi…spam, so I just switched it off.”

She stumbled over her words. Was she going to say someone’s name then, Mike was it. Who the actual fuck is Mike and why is she scared of him.

A ripple of heat, pure fury vibrates through my whole body.

“Weird messages?” My voice is calm, but inside, the beast stirs, sensing a threat.

She gives a small shrug. “It was probably nothing. Just strange from a number I didn’t recognise. It creeped me out a bit. I'll block the number when I turn my phone back on.”

My whole jaw tightens, and I force a deep breath. On the inhale I can smell her fear, whatever those messages said, she’s worried. I know I should be unaffected; I shouldn’t care. But something dark unfurls inside, urging me to find whoever has caused her even the smallest harm and slowly peel their limbs from their body.

“That’s not ‘nothing’ Maci” my voice barely a whisper.

The smallest flicker of worry crosses her face.

“It’s honestly fine Mr Wintermere” she tries to reassure me. “It was just a few weird messages, not anything for you to even think on”

“What did they say?”

I catch her flinch and see her guard coming up. She hesitates for a fraction before relenting.

“Honestly, nothing that makes sense. Things like, ‘Did you sleep well’ and I had just woken up and or ‘Be careful who you trust’. Silly really, like I said I think it was just spam”

The possessive rage that rolls through me makes my whole-body shift. I grip the doorframe so hard it cracks beneath my fingers. Whoever sent those messages doesn’t know it yet, but they’ve signed their death warrant. No one threatens her. No one.

I force my face into a neutral mask, giving her a slow nod as I try to reign in the beast.

“If anything, else happens” holding her gaze “You come to me immediately. No exceptions.”

She just blinks at me, “No that’s too much, you are my new boss and these are just some random messages that mean nothing”

“Maci, if someone threatens you, they make it my business. I protect what’s mine.”

“Yours…”

But I’m already out the door and halfway to my car before she can reply. I can’t get a handle on my thoughts, my whole head is spinning. I’ll find out who’s behind this, even if it means tearing through every contact I have in this city. And when I do, they’ll wish for death before they the end.

The beast stirs, demanding blood. She has no idea what she’s unleashed.