Just when he was about to go onto Main Street, where there were a few late-night stragglers on their way home from bars, the black BMW pulled to the side and turned on its brights. The driver honked three times, and Pepper turned around, using his hand to stop the lights from blinding him permanently. A leg appeared out of the driver's side door, and a man stepped out--a familiar man.
It was the blond man from earlier. His mouth was a thin line, his blue eyes were sharp, and his blond hair was now pasted to his forehead. It was like the world's biggest oxymoron--he was a boy with the face of an angel, but yet he wore an expression of a thoroughly pissed-off predator. Pepper wasn't sure if he wanted to kneel or run away while screaming.
"You're the man from the performance tonight." It was a statement, not a question.
Pepper gulped.
The blond man stepped forward, extending his hand. Pepper wished that he would turn off his bright lights. Not only were his retinas getting burned, but it was hard to shake off the surrealism of the blond man when he was shrouded by light.
When Pepper did not respond to the blond man's extended hand, the man seized it anyway and crushed Pepper's fingers in a hard grip. It was not painful, but it got the point across even more than the blond man's hard expression--he was not to be trifled with. It didn't matter how angelic the blond man may have appeared, he was strong and forceful.
"Let's talk." Once again, it was not a question. It was a demand.
Pepper knew that he could have--and probably should have--run away as fast as his legs could carry him, but the blond man had something that he had never seen before. He was intrigued. Fear and attraction caused his heart to pound.
Pepper nodded.
The blond nodded once at the car in response. Pepper eyeballed it wearily. Under normal circumstance, he would have loved to have taken a ride in such an expensive vehicle, but the blond man was making him weary and horny at the same time. He didn't know what the blond man wanted with him either.
"You seem pretty young to have a car like that," Pepper said.
"That's none of your concern."
Ouch, point taken. Pepper nervously walked forward and wound around the side of the car. Once inside, he breathed several times, trying to ease his shaking. He half wished that this had never happened, that he had never laid his eyes on the beautiful blond who had a stare that was as frigid as ice.
The blond climbed gracefully inside of the car and drove down Main Street. They went by all of the main bars and shops that were still open and turned right. They appeared to be heading to a public park, one that was usually empty at this time of night. That increased Pepper's uneasiness. There is going to be no one around if he kills me. Holy shit. I am going to be murdered by the angel of death.
They parked between the plastic play area and some trees. The blond man turned off the car and reclined in his seat, not saying a word. Pepper stared at him. Say something, you bastard. He couldn't believe how nervous the blond was making him. The blond man had to have been at least a head shorter and thirty pounds lighter. There didn't appear to be much muscle on him--he was soft, skinny but soft.
When the blond man turned his blue gaze on him, Pepper felt as though he had received an electric bolt up his balls. The blond's eyes were gorgeous, but they were also incredibly cold. He felt horny and scared, excited and nervous. It was as if he was in college and his first lover was taking him back to his dorm room all over again. It had been a long time since being alone with someone had terrified and intrigued him this much.
"I frighten you." The blond continued to stare at him.
Pepper sniffed. "You do not."
"Your hands are shaking."
Pepper looked down. Sure enough, his hands were trembling on top of his jeans. He wondered whether they were shaking because he was scared or because he was excited. It felt as though he was feeling both emotions with equal intensity.
"Why did you bring me here?" Pepper asked.
"I have a proposition for you."
"Huh?"
Faster than Pepper could even exhale, the blond man grabbed him by his collar and yanked him over. Blue eyes focused on his own directly, cold and intense and incredible. Pepper shuddered and flinched, but the blond's grip was so strong that he couldn't get away. He had no idea where the blond was hiding all of his strength.
"I want you," the blond said. Pepper was overwhelmed by how sweet his breath smelled. "I want you to be mine."
)
