Primal (3 page)

She listened to him tell how he’d come up on them and what he’d seen. His voice was strong and deep, his words clear and concise as he gave an amazingly detailed description of the attacker who’d gotten away.
 

Military
. He had to have a military background to fight the way he did, move the way he did. It sounded like he’d heard and seen a lot in those very few fast seconds. His hair was a bit longer than standard though, and some of the rigidity she’d seen in many active soldiers was more relaxed in him. He was more in a constant state of readiness than rigidness.
Ex-military
.
 

“Are you okay, ma’am?”

“Huh?”

“Are you okay?”

She realized then that the other officer was talking to her, and she gave herself a mental head slap. The scene played over in her mind, and the words tumbled from her lips. As the officer listened to her story, other people finally came out of the shadows, watching the scene, wondering what had happened. A crowd, a small one, grew around them, and Olivia felt sad. Of course there were still people around, but none of them had stepped up to help a stranger. Only one man had done that. She fought not to look over at Adam, and told the officer that, yes, she certainly did want to press charges. When he took her personal information, he stalled for a second.
 

“Dr. Olivia Hamilton? The shrink?”

“Yes.” She glanced at his name then met his sharp gaze. “Rennick?”

“Gwen Rennick is my sister,” he said. “She said you were actually pretty cool when she had to see you.”

Olivia smiled at him. “I’ll take that as a compliment as I know exactly what most police officers think of being made to visit a psychologist after an incident.”

He chuckled. “It’s not our favorite thing to do, that’s for damn sure.”

Officer Rennick finished taking her statement and then gave her a card and case number before asking if she wanted him to call another car to escort her home.
 

She glanced over to where Adam was leaning against her car, watching her. “No, I think I’m okay now.”

Rennick followed her gaze. “Do you know him? Ever see him before tonight?”

She shook her head. “No, but I doubt he’d save me, stick around to give a statement, and then do something stupid like hurt me.”

“Are you sure? You should know better than anyone that some people are crazy stupid.”

Not him, she thought.
 

She smiled at the officer and held out her hand. “I’m sure. Thank you for everything, and please say hello to your sister for me.”

Officer Rennick shook her hand then walked her to her car where she pretended to not see the hard look he gave her hero before heading back to his patrol car.
 

They watched each other until the patrol car was gone, then Olivia spoke. “Can I give you a ride home?”

He looked at her, dark eyes intense and sharp. “You have a first aid kit?”

“In the trunk,” she said with a nod.
 

He reached inside the still open door of the car and popped the trunk. At least someone had thought to turn the engine off before now, so it hadn’t been running the whole time. Of course, that meant it might not start again, she thought ruefully.
 

She looked at the man coming back toward her with the little red bag in his hand. She wasn’t alone anymore though, so she wasn’t worried.
 

“Sit.” He pointed to the open car door, and she moved forward, sitting sideways so she still faced him.
 

He knelt down in front of her. “I’m Adam,” he said.
 

Warmth settled into the pit of her stomach. “I know. I listened to what you said to the officer. I’m Olivia,” she said, holding out a hand. “Doctor Olivia Hamilton.”

He nodded, his lips twitching at the corners as he took her hand in his large one. “Hello, Olivia.”

Neither said anything for a moment, they just looked at each other, the heat of his touch sending warm lightning
 
bolts up her arm and straight to her lady bits.
 

His eyes weren’t as dark as she’d originally thought. They were more of a medium brown or amber, with streaks of gold through them. Like a good quality whiskey.

He was good quality. She knew it instinctively. Not just because he’d come to her rescue, but because he’d stayed instead of chasing after the runner, and because when he looked at her, as he was looking at her right then, she knew he saw her.

It was as if he looked right past the shell of her flesh and blood and saw deep inside. When he reached up with his other hand and cupped her cheek, rubbing a gentle thumb across her sore, scrapped cheekbone, everything inside her came loose.
 

Her spine softened, and her skin chilled everywhere except where he touched her. A trembling started deep inside and, before she knew it, tears filled her eyes. He moved forward slowly, pulling her into him gently until her face was buried against his warm neck, and she let herself fall apart while he held her.
 

“It’s okay. You’re safe now,” he crooned. “You were so brave, and strong, and smart. You fought like a little hellcat. That’s it, let it all go, now. I’m here.”

He was there. It didn’t matter that they were still in the middle of a parking lot. All that mattered were those strong arms around her and the warm hard body against hers, keeping the world at bay while the night’s events finally caught up with her, and she crashed. She knew what was happening to her was a natural physiological reaction to the stress of the incident and the adrenaline that had shot through her veins. She’d expected it to happen when she got home, safe inside her house with the doors locked and her own things surrounding her. Instead, all it had taken was one touch from this man.
 

It didn’t last long. Her tears dried quickly, and the trembling eased, but she was still reluctant to leave his arms. She pressed her nose against the side of his neck, breathing in the smell of saltwater and sweat. Without thinking, her tongue slipped out and she tasted him.
 

He stiffened and pulled back.

She wasn’t sure what he saw as his gaze roamed her face, but his eyes darkened, his heart beat pounded under the hand she still had on his chest—his well-muscled, hard, hot chest.
 

Oh, boy
.

His hands left her back and gripped her shoulders, gently easing her away from him. “Let’s get you cleaned up, Beauty.”

She settled back into the car seat and watched as he sifted through her small first aid kit. “Beauty?” she asked as he ripped open an alcohol pad.

“You’re a beautiful woman,” he said as he gently pressed the pad against the scrape high on her cheek. “You’re gonna be a bit bruised for a time though.”

“Do you mind?”

He stilled. When he met her gaze straight on, the fire there made her catch her breath. “I mind that you were hurt. A lot.”

She wanted to ask why. He didn’t know her; she was just some random woman he’d saved. Yet, something in his eyes warned her that now was not the time to press. As gentle as his touch was, there was a wild, unpredictable energy arching between them. It was unlike anything she’d ever experienced.
 

You’ve never been attacked and then saved by a ridiculously hot stranger before either,
she told herself.
Get a grip, be a lady, and just stay quiet.

“How’s your vision?” he asked after a moment of silence.
 

“Excuse me?”

“Your vision,” he repeated. “Everything clear? Anything blurry? Spots dancing in front of your eyes?”

She smiled, understanding. “I’m fine. I did bang my head a bit when he took me down, but no concussion. Just a bit of a headache.”

He talked while he cleaned the scrapes on the side of her face that had bumped the pavement, his eyes coming back to hers often. “You’re probably going to feel a few more aches and pains tomorrow, too.”

She covered the hand he’d placed on her shoulder with hers. “He didn’t hit me,” she said. “He tackled me, and once we were on the ground, it became more of a wrestling match than anything.”

“Don’t,” he said firmly as he cupped her chin in his large hand. “Don’t minimize what just happened to you.”

He was right. She told the victims she counseled the same thing. Yet, now that the adrenaline crash was over, she really didn’t feel like a victim. She felt like a fighter, and she kind of liked it. So, she told him so.

Adam let go of her chin and shook his head, eyes full of admiration. “You’re amazing.”

Pride filled her, and she grinned. “I think you’re pretty amazing, too.”

Sweet Jesus, he was in trouble.
 

Adam knew who he was, what he wanted, and what he was good at.
 

He was a hard man who wanted little more than to protect the vulnerable, and he was good at it. Some might disagree, since he hadn’t always been able to do so in the past, but he was just a man. Olivia looking at him like he was some kind of hero wreaked havoc with his brain and his body.
 

He wanted nothing more than to take her home and carry her up to his bed, where he could alternately fuck her brains out and hold her safe in his arms, but that was
not
a smart move. Not only did she not know him at all, she was way out of his league. Smart and sexy, with an inner strength and fire that sucker punched him right in the gut. Christ, she’d just been attacked. He was a fucking asshole to even be thinking about sex around her right then, but fuck if he could help it. She’d fit perfect against his body, filling his arms with a softness that had long been missing from his life. She’d cried on his shoulder, and his heart had filled with a tenderness that was so foreign to him it had taken a minute to identify the emotion. Then she’d licked him.
 

That hot, wet tongue of hers just brushing against his skin was a sultry surprise that had made his dick swell and his heart pound. No problem identifying
that
emotion.

Get a fucking grip, man.
 

He swept some antiseptic cream over her cheek, brushed his thumb over her full bottom lip then pulled back. He lifted one foot up and brushed the gravel and sand from the bottom gently before sliding the shoe he’d grabbed from the floor of the car onto her foot. He did the same for the other foot then stood, zipping the small kit closed and stepping back from the car, and the woman who tempted him beyond reason.
 

“Done.”

She stood and looked at him. “Can I give you a ride home?”

No. No
.
Bad idea.
“Where do you live?”

She cocked her head to the side. “Downtown, but I’ll drive you anywhere. I owe you at least that.”

Fuck
. “I’m on East Sixth.”

What was he thinking? He was thinking they weren’t that far from each other, and he wanted to make sure she was good on the drive. Yeah, right. That’s what he was thinking.
 

An internal battle raged during the silent drive. He wanted her, and not just for one night either. Which was totally fucked. She was a doctor in designer clothes with a classy car and manners that spoke of high society. He was a gym rat and sex club owner who did the odd mercenary job for financial and emotional reasons. She was so far out of his league he was an idiot to even think of taking a swing.

When Olivia turned into the small parking lot next to his building, he was confident he could ignore his throbbing cock and do the right thing.

“You got a pen?” he asked before she could say anything. “Better yet, hand me your phone.”

She handed it to him, and he mentally called himself ten kinds of fool while he added his name and number to her contacts before climbing out of the car. He walked around the back end of the car and went to her window. “I’m under AK. Call me when you get home. If you don’t call in the next twenty minutes, I’ll be checking hospitals for you, Dr. Olivia Hamilton.”

The mix of disappointment and pleasure in her big green eyes mirrored the one in his gut, but it didn’t change his mind. That didn’t mean he could stop himself from leaning down, cupping the back of her head, and slanting his mouth over hers.
 

Her full lips parted easily, and he thrust in deep and fast; tasting, taking, and briefly claiming what she eagerly offered. “I want you, Beauty. Too much,” he said when he was able to stop himself.
 

He pulled back enough that he could see her clearly, and she could see him. “You’re too vulnerable for me to take what you’re offering tonight. You’re way out of my league, and in the cold light of day tomorrow, you’ll realize it, and I don’t want to be a regret. But if you ever feel like slumming, you have my number.”

He leaned in, placed another, gentler, kiss on the corner of her mouth before stepping back a final time. “Now, go straight home. And call me when you get there safely, so I don’t worry.”

Standing on the street in front of his building, he watched the Jag until he couldn’t see it anymore.

She drove home on autopilot. Her heart pounded, and her pussy pulsed as she relived Adam’s kiss over and over in her mind. It had been way too short. Just an appetizer served up to a starving woman. Part of her hated that he’d been able to tell what she’d wanted, but it was only because her uptight bitch of a mother had drilled it into her since birth that sex was only for serious committed relationships. She’d always thought her desires wrong and over the top until she’d roomed with Jazmin. Her sex education had really begun then, and as much as her mother’s voice often whispered in the back of her mind, she knew it wasn’t wrong to enjoy sex. Even if it was with a relative stranger.