I Can Give Hope {on hold}

Prologue

A hand covered her mouth robbing her ability to scream. Hope didn't hear the descent of her cup of coffee to the ground, but she felt it when it made contact with her tennis shoes.

"What do we have here?" Calloused fingers tangled into her hair while one finger reached out to stroke her high cheek bones. Hope's immediate reaction was to jerk away only to be rewarded by a tighter grip on her hair.

"Hey. Hey now," he spoke softly. Newport and whiskey engulfed her senses and she squeezed her eyes closed as he tilted her head to nuzzle her neck. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Said the spider to the fly.

Every defense class proved to be worthless as she squirmed to get away. He was stronger. The truth hit her like a slap in the face. Hot tears pricked the corners of her eyes.

"I just want to keep you warm." The hand covering her mouth was a vice as the other traveled down to caress her thigh. Her heart was racing. And she could feel all of the heat rush to her face. This could not be happening. Not here. Not now. All she could imagine was Jonas's pleading face and the warm bed she could have been in at this very moment.

The man pressed his front area into her back humming in delight.

My name is Hope Harvard. I am twenty-one years old and a journalist at Middleton Press.

His hand lingered on the zipper of her jeans and her breathing hitched.