Losing Her (Lost and Found Book 1) Read online

  This job was unlike any other job I’d ever taken in the past so I felt that some of my hard and fast rules didn’t apply. Our dinner date had run well into the night, so I hadn’t been able to update Jason with where I was on this special assignment. A quick text before we left for the night was all I’d been able to send. My phone had been pinging all morning with text messages from him, practically frothing at the mouth for an update.

  I figured, I told her I’d be back in the morning to check on her and that’s what I was doing. After this, I’d keep my distance. Observe her from afar. Unless something warranted getting close again. The more I thought about it, the better off that would be anyway. Alina was unlike anyone I’d ever seen before. Yes, she was beautiful, but there was more to it than just that.

  Her eyes drew you in. You knew there was more to their depths, but you couldn’t quite see it. Her laugh was infectious. Even if you didn’t get the joke, you’d join in anyway. Her warmth could bring out the best inside of even the coldest, most heartless human being. She was naive, sure, but not because she chose to be. Her entire life had been sheltered and organized to a T. Her beauty lied in the fact that she didn’t want to be naive. She wasn’t comfortable being guarded. She was the most open, genuine person I’d ever met. It was refreshing.

  I was pulling out ingredients from the refrigerator and kitchen cupboards, preparing to make a breakfast feast. Knowing she had quite

  a few bottles of wine the night before, I knew she must not be feeling very well. From the corner of my eye, I saw her studying me.

  “So what is your absolute favorite breakfast meal, Alina?” I asked, turning to face her.

  “I don’t really have one.”

  My mouth gaped, “You don’t like breakfast?”

  She smiled, a happy sound spilling from her lips, “No. I do love breakfast, but no one’s ever asked me what I preferred to eat before.”

  The way she spoke was simple and matter-of-fact. As if it was completely normal to not have a choice in the food one consumed each day. I felt a distinct aching in my chest.

  “Really? Why not?” I asked, though I knew the answer. I wondered how much she’d reveal to someone she just met. Especially after running away from home.

  Her eyes searched mine for a few moments. She almost looked sad. Reading her expression, it seemed like she was wondering if she could trust me or not. Finally, she let out a slow breath. “It’s a long story, Derrick. I’m not sure you'll even be interested.”

  “Maybe another time. For now, pancakes, bacon and eggs sound okay?”

  She nodded in response, the hint of a smile on her lips. I set about making the batter for pancakes, pulling out more ingredients from the cupboards. After mixing, I tossed a few pieces of bacon in a pan to start frying them. Making breakfast was my forté. I’d been making this staple meal for as long as I could remember. A memory crossed my mind. Making breakfast while another woman sat and watched the same way Alina was doing now. My fist clenched at my side for a second before I counted backwards from five and exhaled the large breath I’d been holding.

  I glanced furtively over at Alina to see if she’d noticed my momentary flashback. She was flipping through a book, resting her chin in her elbow, completely oblivious. I smiled. A total reflex from just looking at her and taking in all of her breathtaking beauty. Just then, her eyes flitted up and she was looking back at me. Her eyes lifted at the corners.

  “I’ll be done soon,” I said.

  A gracious smile on her face, “Okay.” she replied.

  Shortly after, I carried two plates over to the island where she sat patiently waiting, sliding one over to her. Her eyes widened greedily looking at the spread. Two fluffy pancakes with blueberries and strawberries and a dusting of powdered sugar on top. A few pieces of crispy bacon and a heaping of silky and cheesy scrambled eggs on the side.

  “You made all of this!” she exclaimed.

  I chuckled, sitting at her side, “You didn’t see anyone else in here, did you?”

  Her grin widened, “This looks amazing, Derrick. Thank you.”

  I felt a tugging sensation in my chest that stopped me short.

  Something i wasn’t used to feeling for anyone. Not since…

  No.

  I stopped myself from going down that path and refocused my attention on my food.

  “No problem. It’s the least I could do since I got you pretty wasted last night.”

  She laughed again before digging into the food. Her eyes lighting up as the flavors touched her tongue for the first time. Seductive moans of appreciation bubbled up out of her throat and I had to adjust my twitching cock more than a few times. Mercifully, she was completely unaware

  We ate together in comfortable silence. Only stopping a few times to talk about the food. I was grateful for that. I enjoyed sitting next to her and drinking all of her in. Yes, I was observing her for a paid contract, but I enjoyed observing her as a person aside from all of that.

  There was just something about her that kept drawing me in.

  I gathered her now empty plate and placed it with mine in the sink.

  “I’ll do the dishes.” she offered, moving to stand.

  I shook my head, “No ma’am. I’ve got it. You just relax. I’m here to take care of you today.”

  A hint of a smile on her face, she studied me for a minute, “I thought you were just here to check on me.”

  “True, but I feel somewhat responsible for allowing you to drink so much wine last night. I couldn’t just leave you out to dry just because you’re awake and not comatose.” She laughed at that. For whatever reason, I didn’t stop myself from adding, “Besides, I like spending time with you Alina.”

  Her eyelashes fluttered as she blinked rapidly, processing what I’d said. It had been true. One hundred percent honesty, but in my line of work this was all wrong. I was playing with fire, but the way she was looking at me made the risk of burning so enticing.

  “I like spending time with you too.”

  “Good.”

  I walked back over to the island, leaning forward and resting my elbows on the surface, just inches from her face. Her eyes roamed mine, darting back and forth from my eyes to my lips.

  “A penny for your thoughts?” I teased, curious what was going on in that mind of hers.

  The next few moments were a blur. She leaned forward and our lips touched. She was tentative and hesitant, but her intention was clear

  and direct. I felt my cock stirring again as her pillow soft lips melted against mine. She parting them momentarily and I slid my tongue against her bottom lip. Her breath was hot and heavy as the kiss deepened. I moved closer to her, stroking one of her soft cheeks before clasping my hands on either side of her head.

  Her lips tasted just as exquisite as I imagined they would.

  Sweet. Supple. Her mouth was so soft and so yielding to me. She laid her hands on my chest and a soft moan came out of her. The sound was erotic and sexy as fuck. Feeling her body melt against mine had my dick throbbing harder than before. My hands slid down the front of her, over the swell of her breasts. Her nipples peaked instantly through the thin fabric of her tank top as my fingertips brushed over them.

  She inhaled sharply, our tongues still swirling together. Then she clamped down on my bottom lip, sucking and dragging it slightly. The kiss had taken a lustful turn, and as my hands settled on her hips, I realized what was happening

  I was a private investigator. I was just hired by the Prescott family to find Alina. I had found her and now I was in her kitchen, stirring up trouble because I had gotten carried away. I couldn’t afford to get carried away. I needed this contract. My reputation was on the line.

  I pulled away from her. Harsher than I had intended to, but I needed the distance. My eyes averted to the ground. I blinked a few times, swallowing and shaking my head to clear the sexual fog she had stirred up within me. When I finally looked up at her, her hands were limp at her sides. Her breasts moved as
she breathed deeply. Her taut nipples still straining through her shirt. Her eyes were wide and full of surprise and unanswered questions.

  “Derri..” she breathed.

  “I’m sorry,” I cut her off, my hands going up as if I was defending myself. I took a measured step backward. “I’m sorry Alina. I have to go.”

  “Wait, what? What do you mean you have to go?” Her voice was wounded.

  I looked at her, pained to see the fear and confusion in her eyes.

  I felt like an asshole. I was taking advantage of her and she had no idea.

  This is why I couldn’t get close to her like this. It was wrong.

  “Alina, I’m sorry. I’m going to go, okay?”

  Her face fell even more, which hadn’t seemed possible before then. I felt a sinking feeling in my gut. I hated that I’d done this to her.

  She didn’t say a word. She just stood there, looking at me with a sad hopeful face.

  “I’m sorry.”

  With that, I turned and walked out of her house. I made it all the way to my car parked right in front of her place before glancing back at the apartment. She was standing in the window, watching me, a solemn expression on her face. I swallowed hard, turning the key in the ignition.

  She closed the curtains on me once she heard the engine roar to life.

  Less than twenty minutes later, I was stalking through the front door of my condo. I tossed the keys on the kitchen counter and wrenched open the refrigerator. Grabbing a Yuengling bottle, I twisted the cap off and took a long swallow before walking back to the living room where I flopped down on the sofa, rested my head back and let out a frustrated groan.

  I was a piece of shit.

  I had gotten close to Alina. Too close. Just two days after exchanging words with her. We had drifted into dangerous territory.

  Uncharted dangerous fucking territory and I had far too much to lose if this whole thing fell out from underneath me. As if on cue, I felt a twitch

  in my pants. My dick was feeling pretty neglected these days and what had just transpired with Alina hadn’t made it any better.

  My eyes closed and I was back at her place. Her mouth was back on mine and I had her body between my hands. Perfection wouldn’t even come close to describing how good she felt. Her skin was soft and warm. Her mouth tasted sweet, remnants of maple syrup still on her tongue. One of my hands rubbed the length of my growing sex as I tortured myself with the memory of it.

  If she hadn’t been the subject of my investigation, I would have considered shredding the celibacy promise I’d made to myself. I would have laid her on the countertop, kissed every inch of her toned thighs and licked and sucked her until she exploded all over my mouth. Just thinking about her legs, how sexy they had looked when she had spilled her coffee the day before, had me unzipping my jeans and freeing myself.

  My cock sprang out pointing towards the ceiling. I gripped one hand around the base and slid it slowly to the tip and back down again.

  Behind my still closed eyelids, I thought of Alina. A dab of pre-cum leaked from the tip as I stroked myself. My tempo increasing as the memories came into sharper focus. The sexy sounds that spilled from her lips as we kissed. The way her nipples hardened at my touch straining for more stimulation. The feel of her sucking on my lip. The breathless way she said my name.

  My hand was a blur as it moved faster and faster. My breath coming out in short grunts I felt my balls tighten, my entire body tense. I was close. One last image of her fluttered behind my eyes before I exploded. I kept moving, squeezing and milking every bit of orgasm out of me. My hand was slick with my semen, some landing on my jeans in the process. My body shuddered and I gasped, releasing the breath I’d been holding.

  I fucking needed that.

  Cleaning myself off and stuffing my dick back in my jeans, I grabbed another beer before settling back on the couch. My phone vibrated violently underneath me almost as soon as my butt touched the seat. I wrestled it out of my pocket.

  It was the boss.

  I had been ignoring his frantic text messages for most of the day today, so now was probably a good time to answer.

  “Derrick Williams.” I rumbled my practiced greeting into the phone. Though I was sure he knew exactly who he was calling.

  “What the fuck have you been doing all damn day, huh?”

  Jason’s angry voice growled through the receiver.

  Heat flooded my chest. “Excuse me?” I countered, my voice measured.

  “I’ve been calling and texting you all day. We are paying you to do a job and you are required to report to me when I request information.”

  I smoothed a hand over my face, remembering my techniques for cooling down when my anger was sparked in this way. I counted backwards from five and took another deep breath.

  “Hello?! Derrick? Answer me dammit.” His impatient voice interrupted me and all technique flew out the window.

  “Jason! I couldn’t very well call you or text you when I was at her apartment last night and this morning.” I roared, “If I’m not answering you, it’s for a fucking good reason. I’m not required to respond at your beck and call. Stop blowing up my shit and let me do my goddamn job!”

  The line crackled with silence as the last of my words hung in the air. My chest was rising and falling with my quick breathing after shouting so loudly. I reached for the first beer, nearly empty now, and swallowed the rest of it in one gulp before slamming it down and tossing

  the other one back. The cool and crisp flavor soothing the heat of my anger.

  Fuck this guy. Fuck this job. Fuck my progress.

  I hated when I let my anger take over this way, but it was happening so I went with it. I was still breathing heavily when I heard Jason clear his throat before continuing.

  “Alright, “ he began, “I’m not used to not knowing what is going on in every situation. This is a first for me and obviously I’m not handling it well.”

  “No, you’re not,” I added, the sting of irritation still in my voice.

  “Again, I apologize.” His usual condescending tone dulled a little. My outburst must’ve inspired something in him to back off. “Do you have any updates on Alina?”

  Maybe it was my anger making me hypersensitive, but there was a distinct shift in his voice when he said her name. I couldn’t quite place it, but I knew I didn’t like it. I frowned.

  “I do. Hold on,” I said curtly, standing and walking into the office, just off the living room, where I kept my case files. My computer was already fired up and the files were open so I didn’t have to wait long. After typing my password, the screen lit up and she was the first thing I saw.

  It was a photo I’d snapped of her standing outside of a flower shop in town. She was wearing denim shorts and a black and white raglan t-shirt with nondescript looking running shoes. Holding a small bouquet of flowers, no doubt a custom arrangement, she was talking to who I assumed was the shop owner. Her face was bright, a wide smile on her face. She was absolutely radiant. That was the only way to accurately describe her when her guard was down. It seemed like the last two days, I’d seen more of her authentic self than most people had her entire life.

  I minimized the photo, determined to get my head back in the game over this case. I felt so out of sorts over this woman.

  “Alright, I’m back,” I said gruffly.

  “Okay. What have you found so far?” Jason asked. I could imagine him sitting up anxiously in his office, waiting for what details I had to divulge. Again, I didn’t like the mental picture.

  “I found her pretty easily. You were right about her using family money. I tracked her to the Cold Spring. She’s living in an upscale neighborhood. I just found her place yesterday. It seems well outfitted on the inside.”

  “You were inside of her apartment?” His voice was low and tentative. As if he was being careful about the way he spoke his words.

  I paused for a beat, “Yes I was.” Nothing about my tone was apologetic or hes
itant. I had been to her apartment and I had been inside. I wouldn’t lie about it or try to hide it from him.

  “Is that standard protocol?” he asked.

  “No, but an opportunity arose for me to get closer to her and I took it.”

  “Alright then,” He switched gears, “Has she made any mention of returning home?”

  “I haven’t gotten that far. Last night at dinner we talked mostly surface things and today,” My mind raced back to us standing in her kitchen, our lips pressed together. “Well, today, our interaction was brief.”

  “Hmm,” he murmured.

  I couldn’t shake the odd feeling that something wasn’t right about this conversation. Not what we were saying, but Jason and his reactions.

  “Are you sure you don’t want me to report to Mr and Mrs Prescott about this?”

  “Yes. I’m sure,” he answered hurriedly. “They have their own matters to attend to. They don’t need to be burdened with more of Alina’s shenanigans.”