Nevertheless, I pushed him off, got my opening and surged to my feet on the bed in order to run. This was not smart considering the platform where my bed sat had a five foot ceiling.
I slammed the top of my head against it and then went down, hard, on my knees. I saw stars and my right palm went to my head, my left palm came out to steady my body and landed on Crowe’s chest. I settled my ass on my calves.
“Jesus, Law, you okay?” Crowe asked, coming up from his back, taking my hand with him.
I blinked to take the stars away. This didn’t work so I blinked again.
“Jules?” Crowe cal ed, using my real name for the first time. One of his hands went to my hip, the other one was sliding up the arm that was lifted toward my head.
With effort, I focused on him. “Yeah, I’m okay.” I was sitting back on my calves, my hand stil on his chest. He was sitting up, torso twisted to me, hands on me.
His face had softened to concern, a look that did something to my heart rate.
I took him in.
He was wearing his clothes from last night, without the jacket, a black henley now untucked and jeans. His feet were bare.
For some reason, I stared at his feet.
Most feet weren’t very attractive but his were somehow sexy. How he could have sexy feet, I did not know, but I figured if anyone would have sexy feet, the unfair laws of the universe that made everything about Vance Crowe sexy, would also give him sexy feet.
This reminded me I was pissed off.
I made a move, hopeful that I’d take him off guard but, alas, I didn’t.
His hand moved from my hip, his arm swept under my legs pul ing them out from under me and I landed, head on the pil ows again.
He got on top and we struggled. I looked for a chance to knee him in the ‘nads but he got up, sat astride me, making my legs useless even though I kicked out to dislodge him.
He caught my wrists and held them down at the sides of my head and loomed over me. I pushed my wrists against his hands and bucked my hips. He didn’t move.
“Get off!” I shouted.
“No. You lose, now you talk,” he said.
“Get… off,” I demanded.
“What were you doin’ last night?” he asked, ignoring my demand.
I stared at him, stopped struggling and kept silent.
“Who was that kid?” he went on.
I kept my mouth shut.
“Is he from King’s?” Crowe continued.
I felt my heart begin to race but I kept my face blank or at least I hoped I did.
“He one of your street kids?” Crowe kept at it and I kept silent.
“This have to do with Park?” he carried on and, I couldn’t help it, my body stil ed at his use of Park’s name and my head turned slightly to the side in an attempt to hide my reaction.
How he knew about Park, King’s and my “street kids” I didn’t know and I didn’t want to know. But he told me.
“You’re on record as finding Park’s body. You made a statement to the police, told them you were workin’ with him at King’s. Park had a juvie file a mile long, last few years of his life, your name is in it,” he paused, “Jules, your name is in it a lot.”
I looked back at him and frowned but kept silent.
He changed tactics. “Tel me about Cordova.” I clenched my teeth and just stared at him. When I didn’t speak, he stared back at me.
Then he did the change. I saw it, felt it and was captivated by it.
I watched, enthral ed, as his head came toward mine. My racing heart skipped into overdrive and I felt a bel y flutter so strong it had to be off the charts.
When his face was an inch from mine, he said, his deep voice silky, “See I’m gonna have to make you talk.”
“No,” I final y spoke but it was too late.
His mouth came down on mine and the bel y flutter broke the Richter scale.
You should know about something I hadn’t yet shared.
See, I was not exactly experienced in the boy department. I’d had a few dates here and there, some kissing, some groping but other than that, nothing.
Yes, I was a twenty-six year old virgin.
Many women would be embarrassed by this. Not me. I had no interest in sex, relationships, romance and I had no time for it. I was out to save the world, or at least save a few kids. And anyway, people in my life had sad and awful ways of dying on me, Park being the latest. I had to guard my heart and I did, like a vicious, trained Rottweiler.
My body tensed and I tried hard not to react but the kiss was nice. I liked his hands on me, even if they were holding me down, and I liked his heat.
Then his tongue touched my lips and I felt a strong, pleasant tingle strike me between my legs. I opened my mouth to say something, get him off me but his tongue slid inside. He slanted his head and the kiss got serious.
I was not experienced but I could tel he was good at it, mainly because I melted, my lips fitted themselves to his and I kissed him back.