Liberated ° Steve Kemp °

▪︎° Chapter Three °▪︎

Steve smiled as the door to the apartment building opened and out walked Riley. He pushed off of his car and approached her, admiring her lack of makeup and the casual outfit she wore that matched his own black jeans and sweater.

“I see you got the memo about our matching outfits,” he remarked whilst gesturing to their sweaters that were only different by their colours; his being black and hers being cream.

“Yeah,” Riley chuckled, “I didn’t want to disappoint by wearing something dull.”

Steve smiled and shook his head at her, “You could have come out wearing a trash bag and I’d still have been impressed. You’re beautiful.”

The compliment rose a blush in her pale cheeks while her head dipped and her teeth nibbled on her bottom lip. Steve almost groaned at the sight, she did things no other woman did to him. Just the nibbling of her bottom lip alone rose a deep lust for her in him.

“You ready to go?” he asked with an adoring smile.

Riley lifted her head with excitement in her green eyes and her fingers twirling a lock of her chocolate brown hair anxiously. She nodded, “where are you taking me?”

“It’s a surprise,” he told her while moving towards the passenger side door and pulling it open for her.

“A surprise?”

Steve smiled wider at the hesitance in her gentle tone, her eyes alone gave away her concern about getting into a car to an unknown location with a man she barely knew, and so he asked her to do something he rarely asked women to do this early on. He stepped towards her and extended his hand with the same comforting smile, his gaze locking with hers. “Trust me,”

Riley flicked her gaze between his deep ocean blue eyes and the hand he had extended out to her. For a moment, she hesitated, unsure whether to do as he was asking. After all, he was a near stranger and could be a crazed murderer for all she knew.

But as her gaze met with his once more, her heart warmed and that calm he sparked within her spread through her being. It was all consuming. Therefore, with a deep breath and faith that perhaps the universe was sending something positive into her life, she reached out and tentatively took his hand. “Okay,” she breathed.

Steve grinned, “You’re going to love what I’ve planned for us, I promise.” he assured as he led her to the car and helped her into her seat. Then, once he closed her door, he rounded the front of the car and climbed into the drivers seat before starting up the engine and peeling down the long stretch of road.

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Riley giggled at the breeze whisking through her hair and the soft hands that were currently placed gently over her eyes; obscuring her view of Steve’s surprise. Her steps where cautious, even with Steve’s reassurance that he wouldn’t let her fall or hurt herself.

“Where are we?” she wondered with amusement.

“You’re about to find out.” Steve told her through a smile, “just keep your eyes closed until I tell you to open them.”

Again, Riley giggled and offered him an agreeable nod. She felt his hands slip from her face and his warm presence behind her move to step around her figure and ahead of where she was stood. She felt alone and cold once more causing her smile to slip and doubt to leak in.

What if this was some cruel prank? What if he just wanted to humiliate her or coax her into sleeping with him?

What if this was some awful mistake?