Pursuing Miss Introvert

Chapter 21. Unexpected Stalker

"Hey, chill."

Matt grabbed his arm after he was called out for another foul.

Laurence was panting hard but not so much because of exhaustion. He'd been in a sour mood since they left lunch and he seemed out of control in this game. His teammates did notice and now Matt felt the need to tap him.

"De Niro!"

Their coach signaled him as soon as they approached for a quick huddle.

"What's the matter?"

The man asked.

He was in his late forties and had been the head coach of the varsity team for Saint John for more than ten years.

"You seem so out of it today."

He sounded more worried than upset.

"Sorry, coach."

Laurence apologized and stood next to him.

"Whatever it is, snap of it, okay?"

Coach Cal tapped him on the shoulders.

"Or I would bench you."

That wasn't a warning, and he knew that.

Their coach was a considerate man for the most part, but when it came to discipline, he didn't mess around.

Laurence nodded and took a gulp off his tumbler.

He couldn't let his emotions get in the way of their team, regardless if this was just a practice match. They have a couple of days left before their first official game of the year and if he wanted to help his team, he had to focus.

He let out a loud sigh and stretched the muscles in his neck. When the referee whistled, he jogged back to court to join his team.

Amelia was exhausted. Their last professor for the day dragged on and on in class until it was already almost seven in the evening. They were supposed to finish at six-thirty.

Inserting both her hands in the pockets of her loose skirt, Milly walked leisurely on the sidewalk. At this hour, cars were lining up in traffic once in a while and although she should have taken a cab home, she somehow needed to be on her own for a while. And what better way to enjoy one's company than walking alone at night? She almost scoffed at herself.

Still, the early evening weather was nice today. Good thing she wore her favorite comfy flats or she wouldn't enjoy walking five blocks home at all.

She crossed the first intersection easily and hurried to the small ice cream stall. She deserved that treat after a stressful afternoon, Milly relented. A rock frozen almond chocolate popsicle would melt away her tired brain for sure. Milly paid for it and eagerly hopped back on the street.

Unexpectedly feeling free tonight, she was oblivious to the pair of eyes following her since she left the campus.

He hovered just a safe distance away, unwilling to reveal himself when she looked having a good time on her own.

He smiled a little, watching the small hop in her steps while licking the ice cream. What a sweetheart, he thought. He could easily put her in his pocket and imprison her there so no one would dare touch her again.

He shook his head in disbelief and continued following. The feelings he had were getting serious and he knew it. He had to make a move on her, and soon. Seeing that she was entering the unlit part of the long street to her house, he quickened his pace to close the distance between them.

Amelia felt that someone was following her the moment the streets darkened. This part of the road was lined with low-lying trees but strangely, the streetlights weren't enough to brighten the area well.

Heart racing, she hastened her pace while nervously pulling out the pen from the pocket of her shoulder bag. She mentally scolded herself for being so distracted that she didn't check her surroundings until it was too late. Why the street was so deserted right when she needed other commuters was beyond her. Letting out a determined breath, Milly cast a glance at the man behind her and made a sharp left towards the small residential building.

Leaning flat on her back to the concrete wall, Amelia gripped the pen tight in her palm. She poised herself ready and listened to the footsteps coming closer. The wind was mildly shaking the branches of the trees in front of her, their shadows dancing against the warm light of the bulbs in the distance. She could hear him running now, maybe because he lost sight of her. Lifting her chin in defiance, Milly counted her breath in time with his footsteps.

Three...

Two...

One!

Amelia swung her arm straight to his chest as he turned the corner towards her, grazing his left shoulder with the tip of the pen.

"Ahh!"

He felt the sting but his arms were faster to react. Moving fluidly by instinct alone, he grabbed both her arms and pinned her back to the wall, his right leg pressing on her lower body to stop her from kicking him in the groin.

"Stop!"

She was screaming now and was angling her body to get away from his grip.

"Milly, stop!"

He shouted her name right on her face.

"It's me...it's me!"

When she finally looked at his face, she was breathing hard from her efforts to get away.

Amelia's heart hammered hard against her chest and for the longest seconds, she just stared at his eyes. Until recognition dawned on her.

"Laurence!"

She swallowed hard and tried to get away from his arms but he refused to release her.

"You gave me a f*****g scare, you bastard!"

Milly felt the rush of her emotions at the same time now that she knew she was safe.

Laurence blinked, surprised that she was cursing him.

"I thought I was in real danger, you i***t!"

She closed her eyes for a moment as her muscles started to relax.

"Why would you sneak on me like that, huh?"

She was pissed.

Really pissed at him for scaring her like that.

"You could have called me or something and told me it was you!"

Milly nagged him non-stop, needing to let her feelings out or she would burst.

Looking at his worried face, she gritted her teeth.

"I hate you!"

She declared in anger.

Her voice quivered at the realization that she was so scared for her life, and scared that she could have hit him fatally in the face. Or worse.

"I'm sorry..."

Laurence murmured.

"I'm sorry I scared you."

He loosened his hands on her arms and lowered them to her chest.

"I should have realized I'd probably scare you although my intention was the opposite."

His voice was soft and soothing as his fingers massaged both her wrists slowly.

When he saw that she calmed down a bit, he raised both her hands in front of him.

"Sorry..."

Laurence whispered one more time and pressed his lips right into her palm.

He could hear the sharp intake of her breath as he hovered his lips on her skin.

Good.

He wanted her to calm down and the only way to get her attention away from being scared was...this.

Laurence buried his face in her palm once more, inhaling her scent, that faint jasmine fragrance still there, along with the intoxicating aroma of the chocolate ice cream she held just minutes ago.

Milly's lips parted as she felt her belly tighten in unwelcomed anticipation from what he was doing. The skin on her back tingled with every brush of his lips on her palm, holding her hostage against the wall.

Was the concrete cold earlier?

She couldn't remember. Now it felt hot and burning.

Laurence looked up at her, his eyes focused and intent only on her as his lips hovered still on her fingers.

"What scent is this?"

He asked softly.

"What?"

Milly struggled to focus on his question when he lowered his head again, tracing her wrist with his lips, planting small kisses on the inside of her arm and back.

"This scent...what is this?"

He brought his attention to her other wrist, repeating the same pattern it nearly made her shiver.

"Ahh...lotion."

She mumbled.

"That's my...lotion."

He was distracting her, she knew.

And was doing a very good job of it.

"Laurence?"

She braved calling his name, hoping that would stop him from going any further.

"Hmmm?"

But he merely hummed in response, his attention still on her wrist.

His leg was pressing hers open and she couldn't help but feel other things down her body. She was almost ashamed to admit but she felt herself responding in a different way. She felt...

We...t.