Read Online Connecting Strangers (Discovering Emily) by Rachel Carrington - Free Book Online Page A

passenger seat. His hands linger a little longer than necessary on my hips before he lifts me. The leather interior smells like him. Warm. Woodsy. Intoxicating.
    He climbs up beside me and looks at me, his gaze sweeping over me from head to toe, while the truck is idling. “You look incredible.”
    I smile. “I feel pretty close to that way, too.” Without restricting myself, I reach over and touch his knee. “So where are you taking me?”
    His hand scoops up mine. He kisses my knuckles then puts my hand back on my own side of the truck. “In a truck this size, it’s best if I keep both hands on the wheel. You can help me out by keeping both of yours over there.”
    Heat flashes down my spine. I barely know him, but I know I don’t want to waste this chance, this moment. Tonight there would be no doubts, no regrets. Only second chances. “You didn’t answer my question.”
    He hasn’t backed out of the driveway yet. Hazel eyes meet mine. “Where do you want to go?”
    “Not a busy restaurant,” I whisper, almost scared of saying the words aloud. I’m taking a risk, and my excitement is edged with uncertainty. I can’t be sure I’m really out from under Mark’s thumb. But I don’t want to hide from this connection with Adam. He makes me feel…well, he just makes me feel. And if I don’t take the risk that’s right in front of me, I know I’ll regret it forever.
    “There’s no rush, Emily.” Adam leans in and brushes his lips over mine.
    I catch hold of his shirt before he can move back to his side of the truck. We stare at each other for a long moment before one of us moves. Maybe both of us move. However it happens, we connect, kissing with such abandon we might as well be in a hotel room.
    Something ignites inside of me, and I let my hands travel everywhere. His arms. His neck. His leg. And below his belt buckle where his hardness presses against my palm.
    He makes a noise that sounds like a groan and catches my wrist. “Maybe we should go somewhere we don’t have an audience.” He indicates the front window of Francine’s house with a jerk of his head.
    I shift my gaze in time to see the curtain fall back into place. I don’t know whether to laugh or curse. Adam kisses me again and squeezes my injured thigh as he starts to pull back.
    Pain shoots down my leg and into my calf. I try to muffle the cry, but it’s not low enough to prevent Adam from hearing. His gaze whips to mine. “What’s wrong?”
    “Nothing.” I paste a smile on my face though my leg is on fire. My hands clench into fists because I don’t want to rub the wound. Sweat pops out on the back of my neck as waves of nausea roll through me.
    “Don’t give me that. I heard you. Where are you hurt?”
    I can see him doing the mental calculations. Where did he last touch me? Was it my face? My arm? My leg. His eyes clear, and he hovers his hand over my thigh. “Is it here?”
    I don’t move because I see our evening being shredded because of Mark even without his presence. “Adam, it’s fine. Let’s just go.” No amount of convincing is going to make him leave. The determination on his face is fierce.
    “As soon as you let me see the leg.” He touches the fabric of the skirt gently and begins inching it upwards. “I pictured doing this at a different time and in a much different way, but…” He stops talking when he sees the line of bandages I’ve used to cover the mark.
    I cover one of his hands with both of mine. “It’s just a small cut. It stings more than I thought it would.”
    “I’m trained in first aid, Emily, and a cut wouldn’t have caused you that much pain nor would it require that much bandaging. Let’s try the truth this time.”
    Instinct is telling me to get out of the truck. He wants answers I can’t give. Shouldn’t give. I close my eyes and tug his hand away. “Okay, it’s not a cut, but it’s okay. I’m taking care of it.”
    His face tightens, and his jaw clenches. “So what is