Chapter 7

As I stood, unmoving, Brice tossed a half glance in my direction, then quickly crossing the floor, he grabbed my arm and began pulling me across the room. After leading me down the hallway, he came to stop before the open door to my room. Afterward, shoving me through it, he growled thickly, “Dammit, Rylee. Please!”

Taking a deep breath, I reached out grasping the door, then as I prepared to close it, I whispered, “Sorry,” and pushed the door to.
~~
The next day, as the first glow of the morning crested, I was still awake, my thoughts not having allowed for sleep. With a huge yawn, I climbed out of bed and made my way toward the bathroom. As I stepped up next to the shower, I twisted the knob and adjusted the water temperature. Within seconds I was completely stripped of my t-shirt and panties and was stepping beneath the warmth of the water flowing from the showerhead. At its soothing warmth a soft groan escaped my lips, and I reveled in the relief the water gave my muscles. My whole body felt bruised from the restless night, and for several minutes, I did nothing but let the water flow over me.

When my muscles finally began to relax, I reached out and picked up the soap, and began lathering my skin.

Moments later, and shower out of the way, I stepped out and draped a towel around me. Grabbing my hairbrush, I began raking it through the tangled strands of my hair.

When the honey-toned mass finally fell in a smooth golden mass, I set the brush back down on the countertop. Afterward, grabbing a band, I pulled my hair into a ponytail. However, before exiting the bathroom, I paused taking in my reflection in the mirror, examining my features. I didn’t like my lips, they were a little too full in my opinion. My nose was of average size, so I could deal with the light smattering of freckles that spattered across it and lightly spread to my cheeks. My eyes were the one outstanding feature I felt I had—they were a dark violet and enhanced by thick, almost black lashes.

For several seconds more, I scrutinized my features, weighing their pros and cons, then making a face at my reflection I shrugged and blew out of the bathroom.

~~

By ten o’clock, after a silent Brice had transported me to work, I sat at my desk, lost in thought and chewing on the eraser of my pencil. From somewhere in the room, I could hear the rapid tap-tapping of a keyboard and knew someone wasn’t having the same problem as I was of finding the will to do a damn thing.

Brice hadn’t come to his desk since we’d arrived, and his absence placed me in a strange frame of mind. Part of me was thankful he hadn’t appeard yet, but another part felt like his absence was a form of torture sent straight from hell.

Another fifteen minutes passed and Brice was still a no show, so, pushing my chair back, I stood. I needed a break from how busy I was at doing nothing.

With one final glance at Brice’s empty chair, I headed toward the break-room for a cup of coffee.

As I was rounding the corner on my way to the break-room, I gave a start and pulled in a shaky breath, watching as Brice came in my direction; his stride revealed his foul mood as his feet slammed against the floor with angry steps. When he finally drew up next to me, he reached out with a quick movement and grasped my arm, twisting me around, as without stride faltering, he continued bulldozing his way forward, dragging me behind him like a child’s pull toy.

Struggling to keep up with him, I watched as he carried his free hand to his temple, working the pressure point.

“You okay?” I questioned.

He gave a shrug. “Yeah, just a slight headache.”

A grin sliding across my lips, I murmured, “I can’t imagine why.”

As my words died in the air, his cell began to ring, and letting go of my wrist, he fished it out of his shirt pocket, and raising it to his ear, he snapped, “Rowland.”

I watched the play of emotions on his face as he asked questions and listened to the caller’s answers. After a few seconds of conversation, he stated, “Yeah, got it,” then listening again, he finished with, “On our way.”

After tossing a glance in my direction, he turned and walked away, barking over his shoulder, “Get moving, Cody.”

Brice's long stride had taken him halfway down the hall by the time I kick-started my body and began to jog after him. “Are you going to clue me in?” I asked as I caught up with him.

He ignored my question as he pushed through the double doors, and continued to cross the parking lot silently.

As we came to a stop beside his pickup, I climbed in the cab, then sitting with my arms crossed in front of me, I stared out the windshield. *”Well, if he doesn’t want to talk, fine by me”*, I growled inwardly.

After climbing in the pickup’s cab as well, Brice tossed a glance in my direction, before with a snarl, he threw the pickup in drive and peeled out of the parking area. The smell of rubber floated in the air and wafted in through the vents, causing me to murmur, “Damn Brice. How old are you?”

“Excuse me, did you say something?” His return question snapped through the air.

*Moody bastard*.

After a second, I nodded, then stated, “Yeah. Fuck you, Rowland.”