Page 76 of A Perfect World
My orgasm erupted, her name falling out of my mouth in a flurry of repetitive murmurs and moans. Through the aftershock, she sucked me dry until I was trembling and oversensitive. Satisfied with my utter destruction, she carefully tucked my cock back in my pants.
I braced myself against the wall. “Holy fuck.”
She rose in front of me, grinning. The beautiful flush in her cheeks and her puffy lips burned into my memory. I grabbed her face, pulling her mouth to mine and tasting myself on her tongue.
Rustling.
The euphoria of my climax dissipated.
That sounded like footsteps in the underbrush.
I locked an arm around Courtney's waist, tucking her head into my chest as I scanned the woods, heart slamming against my ribs.
Movement in the trees and retreating footsteps.
“Shit,” I hissed, releasing her, ready to bolt.
“Oh mygod,” Courtney gasped, her voice segueing from shocked to a whimper. I whipped around, eyes burning in preparation to blast anyone attacking her.
Both hands over her mouth, she stared into the preserve.
“Him again,” she stammered, her hands muffling her words. “He- he watched.”
“Who?” I asked, my voice raw.
She fisted my shirt, tears pooling on her lower lashes.
“I don’t know his name. It was the same guy from the other night.”
Merit.
I knew it in my bones.
Jack claimed we didn’t have proof, but who else would stalk us, threaten us and attack us? Whether it was one of the AEP assholes or a new informant, it didn’t matter. They were getting bolder, and it was only a matter of time before they caught one of us off guard.
No.
I wouldn’t let it get to that point.
I pulled Courtney into me, kissing her forehead, her hair, her wet eyes, her nose and her lips. “I promise, whoever he is, Iwillfind him, and he won’t know what hit him.”
37
Courtney
“Stop,”MissLeah,thesenior directing the spring ballet, called out. I slumped, sweat collecting on my brow under the bright lights. She crossed her arms over her chest as she leveled a disappointed glare at me. “You’re distracted and it’s showing.”
I crumbled to the stage, my rosin coated pointe shoes scuffed to hell; they’d reached their last leg for the week.
“Sorry,” I panted, smoothing sweat into my slick bun. It was standard to practice on stage the night before a performance but being in the theater at night put me on edge.
I shivered at the memory of void eyes lusting from the tree line. Though, it wasn’tmethey watched with untampered desire.Your pretty freak.He’d called Ollie pretty and I should’ve noticed. The haunting, hungry stare of a nameless figure in the woods confused me. Was he working for Merit, or was he only interested in my boyfriend? Tons of men and women lusted after Ollie, but I’d never seen anyone so disturbingly fixated on him.
“Is it nerves?” Miss Leah pressed, bringing me back from the brink of a panic attack. I rolled my sore ankles, my toes completely numb after hours of practice.
“I’ll do better.”
She stopped at the lip of the stage. “I’m not scolding you, Courtney,” she sighed. I hugged my knees to my chest and tucked my chin down. “I know you’re insanely talented, but something is clearly limiting you from tapping into the dance.”
