OBSESSED

24

LEAH

The further I moved from Jarrod's condo, taking the elevator down to the street level where I'd parked, the more my frustration mounted.

I didn't blame him, of course. He couldn't help being called in and lives literally depended on him.

Nevertheless, I was sour about ending our night so prematurely. I knew he liked me for more than just sex, but, considering how many times we'd fucked over how many dates we'd planned, it was hard for me to feel like our relationship was more than just physical attraction and chemistry.

Not that I was complaining about our sex, though. He understood my body and how to please me even better than I did, and I was appreciative of that. I did, however, want to be liked for more than just my body.

Shuffling through the lobby, I pasted on a smile and waved at the security guard. He nodded but quickly diverted his focus back to the security cameras.

I wondered what it would be like to have someone watching over my residence like that. I never felt unsafe in my neighborhood, thankfully, but I think I liked my privacy too much.

As I slid behind the wheel of my Benz, my mood turned more sour at the warning lamp on the dashboard for low tire pressure. It should be fine enough to get me home. Shivering against the cool leather, I put the car in drive and pulled away from the curb.

I made it a few blocks before my growling stomach got the best of me. The last thing I felt like doing was cooking right now, so I swung through a fast food drive-through.

Within seconds of leaving the restaurant, a loud noise ricocheted through the cab. The steering wheel jerked in my hand and the fry I'd been about to stuff in my mouth went careening into the passenger seat floorboards.

"Damn it!" I hissed.

I hit the brakes and guided my limping car into an empty parking lot off the main road. I took a deep breath to gather my wits, stuffed another fry into my mouth, and climbed out of the car.

The biting December wind through my dress. I rubbed at my arms as I circled the Benz, finding the front right tire flat.

Groaning, I squeezed my eyes shut and turned my face up to the sky. This just had to happen at night when I'm in a dress and Jarrod is unavailable.

I kind of knew how to change a tire?

Shivering again, I hustled to the trunk and pulled up the floor where the spare tire was hidden. With one last look at my dress, I lugged the heavy ass spare out and set it on the ground. The oiled rubber immediately left black streaks down my dress.

Lovely.

"Okay," I assured myself. "Now I just need to find the lug wrench and the car jack."

The wrench was in the same compartment but there was no jack. I dug around the trunk and then the rest of my car in search of the jack until I realized my fate. I didn't have a car jack.

How the hell was I supposed to change the tire without a jack? I couldn't.

Flopping down into the driver's seat, I tried to warm up while I considered my options.