Chapter 154
[ 488 words ]
Chapter 154:
Caroline snapped her head around. Her gray eyes were wide and defensive.
“What are you doing?” she demanded, her voice tight. “Why are we stopping in the middle of nowhere?”
Jarrod didn’t answer. The massive SUV rolled to a smooth stop beside a quiet, tree-lined sidewalk, still miles away from the downtown penthouse.
He pushed his door open. The crisp, biting chill of the Washington autumn wind instantly flooded the cabin, sweeping away the heavy, suffocating scent of his cedarwood cologne.
Jarrod walked around the back of the vehicle. He pulled Caroline’s door open and stood towering over her.
𝗥𝖾а𝖽 f𝗿𝘰𝗺 𝘆𝘰𝘂𝘳 р𝘩оո𝘦 о𝘯 𝗀al𝘯o𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀.𝗰𝘰𝗆
“Get out,” Jarrod ordered.
Caroline pressed her back harder against the seat. Her hands flew to the seatbelt, gripping the thick nylon strap.
“No,” Caroline snapped, her heart hammering against her ribs. “I am not letting you kick me out on some random street.”
Jarrod let out a heavy sigh. The cold, military edge vanished from his voice, replaced by a low, almost indulgent rumble.
“Your stomach is cramping,” Jarrod stated bluntly, his eyes dropping to where her hand still hovered near her stomach. “You need to walk it off, or you are going to be sick when we get to the elevator.”
Caroline’s face burned. A hot, furious flush crept up her neck.
She couldn’t believe he had noticed. It was a deeply private, humiliating physical discomfort, and he had read her body like an open tactical manual.
To hide her burning embarrassment, she hit the seatbelt release button. She swung her legs out of the car and stomped her flat leather shoes onto the concrete sidewalk.
Jarrod raised a hand, signaling Bell. “Circle the block,” he commanded. “I’ll call you when we’re ready.”
The armored SUV slowly pulled away, disappearing around the corner, leaving them alone on the dark street.
Jarrod stepped up beside her. His long legs easily matched her furious, stomping pace.
They walked side by side under the yellow glow of the streetlights. The violent, explosive tension from the house slowly bled out into the cold night air, leaving behind an eerie, quiet calm.
Caroline walked as fast as she could, desperate to put physical space between them. But Jarrod didn’t even have to breathe harder to stay right beside her.
A sudden, sharp gust of autumn wind swept down the avenue.
Caroline was only wearing a thin blouse. A violent shiver ripped through her shoulders. Her teeth clicked together.
Before she could cross her arms again, a heavy weight dropped over her.
It was his military jacket. The heavy, dark green fabric carried the intense, radiating heat of his body and the deep, intoxicating smell of cedar and clean skin. The silver eagle insignia on the shoulder glinted faintly under the streetlights.
Caroline reached up instinctively to shove the jacket off her shoulders.
Jarrod’s large hand shot out. He grabbed her right wrist, stopping her movement.
Then he slid his palm down. His thick, rough fingers forced their way between hers. He locked their hands together in an absolute, dominant grip.
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