One Bad Day (One Day) (2 page)

She heard a loud noise to her left and the lights in that section went out.

Right it is. She turned to the right and those lights flickered and then went out as well.

Crap. She was not a fan of walking through dark parking garages alone late at night dressed like a prostitute. Then again, who was?

She debated. She could turn around and ask hotel security to take her to her car or she could try to brave it out. There had been a nice burly security guy at the hotel entrance this morning. She bet he had a nice, big, fat flashlight he could use to help her find her car. Tessa turned around and standing between her and the hotel was a large, dark shadow. She squinted and saw that the shadow was a man—a big man—and he was heading in her direction. Definitely not a security guard. And he looked…
Oh shit.
He looked angry.

Deciding that the dark parking garage didn’t look so bad, she turned around and began walking. The sound of the big scary man’s footsteps echoed behind her. Tessa picked up speed and heard the echoing footsteps pick up speed as well. She risked a glance over her shoulder and saw that Scary Guy was closing in the gap between them.

She looked around for an area where there might be light or other people and spotted an enclosed stairway that led to the different floors of the garage. Taking a deep breath, she bolted toward it. She heard a scuffle behind her.

“Don’t run, girlie,” Scary Guy called out. “I’ve got all night. If you give it up without a struggle, everything will be easier for you.”

Chapter Four

Parked next to a pole in the back of the parking garage where it was pitch-dark, Gray watched as Legs ran toward the stairwell, followed by a guy in a dark suit. Neither one had seen him in the shadows. Fuck. All he wanted to do was go home, take a hot shower, and go to bed. The last thing he needed was to play hero for a prostitute with nice legs.

She yanked open the door and darted inside, the guy in the suit chasing her.

A muffled scream coming from the stairwell set him in motion. Gray hopped out his car, unclipped his side holster, and crept toward the stairwell.

“Motherfucker! You bitch!” A deep male voice reverberated in the enclosed area of the stairs.

Legs dashed out of the stairway in a blur, carrying one shoe. Gray reached out an arm and snagged her around the waist. She squirmed and attempted to hit him with her shoe, but he was prepared, grabbing it before she could do any damage. With one arm, he hefted her up and over one shoulder, then hauled ass to his car. He heard her gasp when her stomach made contact with his shoulder. She went limp for a moment and then began to struggle just as he reached his car.

He opened the driver side door and tossed her in. She landed with a grunt, half in the driver’s seat and half in the passenger seat, her beautiful ass in the air. Nudging her out of the way, Gray climbed in the car, started it, and took off. As he peeled out of the garage, he glanced in the rearview mirror and saw Suit Guy come running out of the stairwell.

Legs began kicking him with her bare feet.

“Dammit!” he yelled while dodging her strikes and trying to drive. “Knock that shit off! I’m a fucking cop!” He reached down with one hand, pulled out his wallet, and flashed his badge.

The barefoot blows stopped and Legs scrambled around and sat in the passenger seat.

Gray glanced over at her. “Put your seatbelt on.”

She stared at him with wide eyes, making no move to reach for the belt.

He leaned across her and yanked on the seatbelt. “I don’t know what you did, sweetheart, but you’ve got someone pretty pissed off at you.”

She shivered when he snapped the belt in place.

Gray reached down and turned up the heat in the car.

“You’re safe now.” He tried to get a good look at her in the dim light. “Did he hurt you?”

She shook her head.

“Are you okay?”

She nodded.

“What’s your name, honey?” He checked the rearview mirror then made a quick left.

She brushed a caramel curl away from her face and looked over at him. Momentarily stunned by her vulnerability and breathtaking beauty, he forgot what question he’d asked her. Shit. This was not good.

Chapter Five

Tessa had no idea what was going on. How did she end up in a car with a big, sexy cop who sent her heart racing and had her thinking dirty, naked thoughts? And who would steal her clothes? And why would someone chase her down in a parking lot? And... oh God, she’d hit someone! Granted, he was a scary stranger and she’d hit him with one of her new high-heeled shoes, but she’d never hit anyone in her life. She knew she should have said no once she saw the stripper light bulb costume.

Tessa looked around. Under the car stereo were a CB-like radio and a panel with switches and buttons. Above her head attached to the sun visor was a black box with red and blue plastic that looked like a flat flashlight. Shit. She was in a cop car.

The sexy cop had asked her for her name but she was afraid if she told him, he’d find out about all her unpaid parking tickets.

He released a heavy breath and she peeked at him again. From the momentary shine of the streetlights she could see that he had dark hair and eyes. He had on a well-fitting suit and was huge—linebacker huge. Big enough to throw her over a shoulder and run twenty feet without her weight slowing him down. He gripped the steering wheel with one large hand, while he ran the other through his now-tousled hair. Despite his size, he’d been gentle with her. More than she thought someone his size would be.

He drove the car up and down different streets, taking hard turns, speeding up and slowing down.

After driving for almost a half-hour in silence, he pulled to the side of the road and turned to her. “All right, honey. Do you want to tell me what the hell is going on?”

Could she get arrested for unpaid tickets? She looked at him, unsnapped her seatbelt, and turned to open the door. She planned to run as far and as fast as she could.

“I don’t think so.” He clicked the door locks in place. “Let’s start with your name.” He leaned back in his seat as if he has all the time in the world.

She thought about her parking tickets while staring at the misty car window and said the first thing that came to mind. “Misty.”

He looked her up and down, causing her to squirm in her seat. “Misty, huh? Misty what?”

She pulled at her skirt. It felt like it was getting shorter. “Uhh, Misty...Waters.” She wanted to smack herself in the head.

“Misty Waters?” He laughed. “Is that your street name?”

“What?” Oh no. He thought she was a hooker. She
knew
she looked like a hooker in that skirt. “No!”

He laughed again. She liked his laugh. His eyes crinkled in the corners when he laughed.

She wondered if he would laugh while he was taking her to jail. “Uh... look, Mister, er... Officer. I appreciate the ride and everything, but I’d like to go now. So,” she gestured to the door, “if you could please just open the door, I’ll be on my way.” She gave what she hoped was an innocent I-have-no-parking-tickets-so-please-don’t-arrest-me smile.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Gray.”

“What?” She blinked.

“My name is Grayson. Gray.” He sighed. “Look, ah,
Misty
. I can’t let you out on a dark, deserted road dressed the way you are. It’s not safe.”

She felt her face growing warm and was glad that he couldn’t see it in the shadows. She wondered if Gray would still be this kind once he hauled her off to jail and fingerprinted her.

“Take me back to my car then.” She kept her gaze on her lap.

“I’m not taking you back to a dark parking garage where you were recently jumped by a big guy in a suit.” He turned farther in his seat to better face her.

“I’ll be fine. I just want to go home.” She smoothed her skirt with shaking fingers and then gripped her hands together in her lap.

He let out a long breath. “Where do you live? I’ll drive you home.”

***

Gray had a feeling it was going to be a long night. The good thing was that Legs had told him where she lived, the bad thing was that she still hadn’t told him her real name. And now he was involved, which made him responsible for her.

“What are you doing?” She looked pointedly at him while he texted her information to one of the other detectives at the PD. He suspected that she had gotten herself into some kind of trouble and wanted Burg to run her and see what came up.

“Getting directions to your house,” he lied.

“Oh,” she said quietly.

He glanced over at her as he drove. She sat silent, looking out the window with her arms wrapped around herself. She didn’t look like she could be much trouble. She was petite. Delicate looking. And she was a terrible liar. Her facial expressions said as much.

He pulled into the parking lot of her apartment complex and parked under a streetlight.

“Well, thanks,” she said before trying to dart out of the car.

He grasped her arm and, with a gentle tug, pulled her around to face him. He looked her over. Her wide eyes shimmered in the yellow haze of the lamppost and he noticed for the first time that the bridge of her pert nose was covered with a light dusting of freckles.

She sure didn’t look like a hooker—at least from the neck up. She was too cute and fresh-faced to be a prostitute.

Oh, but those glorious legs. He glanced over at her stocking-covered feet and up her torso. Rust-colored splatters on her tiny white skirt caught his attention.

“Are you hurt anywhere?” he asked, making eye contact again.

She bit her lip and glanced down. “No.”

Gray nodded at her skirt. “That looks like blood.”

“It’s not mine,” she said, jerking her arm from his grasp. She shoved open the door and got out without looking at him.

Chapter Six

Tessa stood outside the car in the chilly night air and took deep breaths to control the burning behind her eyes. She refused to cry until she was alone in her apartment.

Talk about a bad day. She was shoeless, tired, cold, and dressed like a stripper with speckles of a strange man’s blood on her slutty skirt. Thank God she was home. All she wanted now was a nice hot shower and her warm, cozy bed.

She walked up the steps to her apartment and was not surprised that Gray was right alongside her. Whether it was because of chivalry or his ingrained training as a cop, his presence somehow comforted her. His body blocked the cool breeze and when his large hand touched the small of her back, tingles of warmth flooded through her. Standing next to him made her realize how big he really was. She barely came to his shoulder.

When she drew closer to her doorstep she noticed that her door was open a crack. Lights from inside reflected a sliver of light on the step. The doorframe was dented.

“Oh shit,” she whispered under her breath. Why would someone break into her place? The most valuable thing she owned was a knock-off Louis Vuitton bag she bought from a guy who’d sold them out of the trunk of his car. Could this day get any worse?

“Aw, hell.” Gray pulled a gun from the holster under his suit jacket.

He moved his hand from the small of her back to her hip and tightened his arm around her. Keeping a firm hold, her turned her around, and escorted her back toward his car in hurried strides. Then he opened the door and with a gentle shove, pushed her in. He rushed around to the driver’s side and plopped down, setting his gun on the dashboard.

After pulling out his phone, he dialed. “Yeah, same to you, asshole.” he said to the person on the other end.

Tessa turned to look at him. With narrowed eyes, he leaned forward and watched her apartment. For a moment she envisioned him watching her like that. Heat infused her face and she looked away.
Get a hold of yourself, Tessa.
Someone had broken into her apartment and she was fantasizing about the police officer who was kind enough to help her. She clearly needed to check her priorities.

“I’ve got a burglary in progress.” He paused a second before barking out a quick “Yeah” then hung up.

Minutes later another car pulled next to them.

“Stay here,” he said, picking up his gun. He got out of the car and went over to talk to the men in the other car.

She closed her eyes and leaned her head back. It was one
really
bad day.

A few minutes later she heard the car door open and then close.

Maybe if she stayed just like that—eyes closed—everything would go away.

Gray cleared his throat.

Clearly that wasn’t going to happen. She lifted her head and turned to look at him.

He was staring at her. The intensity of his chocolate gaze had her squirming in her seat. She tried to remember exactly how many parking tickets there were. Five? Six? She was sure it was enough to get her arrested if the cops found out.

“I’m officially off duty, so as soon as we get the all clear, we can go in,” he said. “Afterward, you’re going to need to answer some questions so that the detective can fill out a report.”

Tessa watched as one of the officers came out of her apartment and called out to Gray.

Gray turned to her. “Stay here.”

She nodded.

Gray got out of the car and strode up the steps to her apartment. With one hand holding the door open, he turned and shot her a fleeting glance before going inside.

Tessa rubbed her eyes. It was a very,
very
bad day. She didn’t have much but the thought of someone pawing through her things and taking what little she had of value made her feel even more shaken than she already was. She leaned her head back and took deep breaths. She was
not
going to cry.

Tessa startled when her door opened. Gray stood on the other side and handed her a pair of shoes. They were her running shoes that she always left near the door. With rapid movements, she laced them up and then stood.

“It looks like someone was searching for something.” Gray took her elbow with a light touch. “Any idea what they’d be looking for?”

Tessa shook her head.

They made their way to her apartment, then Gray stopped her before she could enter. “I want you to be prepared. Your place is completely trashed.”