He made the turn and entered the highway that headed into Tulsa.
She thought about the number of streets in Tulsa, how many hours it would take to comb them all. She looked over at Zach, at the determination on his face. She so appreciated him doing this for her, but it was a futile endeavor. She reached over and laid her hand on his arm. “Tulsa’s a big city, Zach. We’ll never find her.”
“Will texted me with the locations of a few places she might hang out, so I have some starting points.”
She knew what he meant. “Druggie hangout locations.”
“Yes.”
“Okay. We’ll look at some of those, but after that, we’re done.”
He gave her a quick nod. “Sure.”
They made their way to one of the areas. It was downtown, dark, fairly deserted, and Josie wanted to shudder as they drove slowly under the overpass. Shadows flitted here and there, and she knew those shadows were people running from what they likely thought was the police. She strained her eyes searching for the pink slicker, knowing that even in this blackness the hot pink would show.
She didn’t see it. More important, she didn’t feel her mother’s presence. “She’s not here.”
“How do you know?”
“I just … know.”
“Okay.” He stepped on the gas and drove away. A few miles later, they landed in a dingy area that was much more populated. There were a few strip joints, convenience stores and gas stations, and a sprinkling of fast-food restaurants, but otherwise nonthreatening.
Zach drove into one of the strip club lots and parked.
Josie shifted to face him. “Got your dollar bills ready?”
He laughed. “There’s a spot behind this building that Will said is frequented by some of the meth crowd. But you can’t drive through it.”
She grabbed the door handle. “I’ll go look.”
“And I’ll go with you.” He turned to Wilson. “Be right back, buddy.”
It was a cool night, and Josie was glad she had her sweater.
“Take my hand,” he said.
She looked down at the hand he’d held out, then up at his face. “Why?”
“Because I have no idea what kind of element we’re going to find back there, and I want to make sure we look like a couple of lovers looking for some … privacy.”
“Really. You know, just because people take drugs doesn’t mean they’re all muggers or potential murderers. Mostly they keep to themselves.”
“Uh-huh. First, you’re too trusting. Second, I’m not taking any chances.”
He squeezed her hand as they walked down the hill behind the building. Just as Will had said, a group of about six people was leaning against the building’s wall. Josie knew that vacant, stoned look. They all gazed up as Josie and Zach casually walked by. Josie searched the other side of the walkway but didn’t see anyone else lurking in the dark corner. They ended up on the main street’s sidewalk, and walked around past the strip club toward the parking lot and back to the car.
She masked her disappointment by smiling at Wilson, who was licking the window.
“He probably needs a short walk,” Zach said.
“No problem.”
Zach took Wilson to the grassy area over by the convenience store while Josie leaned against the car and waited. She watched as he waited for Wilson to do his business, then walked back and forth on the grass with his dog, talking to him the entire time.
For a guy who’d never had a pet, he was doing a great job with Wilson. They were good for each other.
When Zach got back to the car, he came up to her and wrapped his arms around her. “You’re cold.”
“Am I? I feel fine.”
His fingers slid down her back and rested just above her butt. “Yeah, you feel pretty damn fine to me, too.”
He dipped his head and took her mouth in a kiss that made her forget about everything except the fire of passion he always seemed to be able to ignite within her. And suddenly she didn’t care that they were in a strip club parking lot, or that her mother was missing, or anything but the way his hands restlessly roamed her body, and the need she felt for him.
And maybe this wasn’t the best time to be thinking of sex since her mom was missing. And sure, this wasn’t the greatest location. But sex was a good distraction, and she needed just a few minutes to not worry about her mother, to worry that something bad had happened. All she wanted was to lose herself in Zach and passion and let her mind go blank. And if there was one thing Zach was exceptionally good at, it was making her lose all focus on everything except touching and kissing and hot, passionate sex.
When he pulled back, she licked her lips. “Ever have a quickie in the car?”
“Yes. But not with you. And the last time I did, I might have been seventeen and had no idea what I was doing.”
Her lips curved. “So you’re saying you know exactly what you’re doing now?”
His gaze was intense. “Hell yes. Get in the car.”
He opened the door and she slid inside, her pulse racing while she waited for him to put Wilson in the backseat. He got into the driver’s side, locked the door, then pulled something out of his pocket and tossed it on the center console between them.
When she glanced over at it, she saw it was a condom.
She kicked off her tennis shoes, slid out of her pants, and climbed over the center console to straddle him.
“I do like a man who’s always ready for action,” she said.
He grasped her hips and rolled her back and forth against his cock, which was already hard and straining against his jeans. “You’re beautiful, and hot, and sexy as fuck.”
He reached to the side of his seat and pressed a button, moving the seat back. She unzipped his jeans and pulled out his shaft, then reached for the condom, opened the package, and rolled it over his cock, watching his face as she did.
A storm gathered in the deep gray of his eyes, and when she grasped the base of his shaft and positioned herself over him, he dug his fingers into the flesh of her hips.
She eased down, and the pleasure was explosive. She wasn’t sure if it was their location, that they could be caught doing this, or because he fit so perfectly inside of her, and she wanted him so badly she was ready to come already.
“Kiss me, Josie,” he said, his voice rumbling low and gruff and so damn sexy, her body trembled in response.
She pressed her lips to his and moaned as he gripped her hips. She leaned forward and braced one hand on his chest, the other on the armrest. Then she moved forward, and back, sliding herself along his body, filling herself with every inch of his length.
“That feels so good,” she murmured, lost in the feel of him, the way he gripped her and pulled her toward him and arched into her.
“You feel good. God, Josie, the way you look right now.”
She searched his face, soaking in the hot intensity of his gaze. She was close, so close to losing it, to giving it all to Zach.
He swept his fingers against her and took her right over the edge. She clenched around him, the spasms of her climax rocketing her into oblivion. She fell forward and kissed him, winding her fingers in his hair as the waves of orgasm continued to make her fly. And when he thrust deeply into her and groaned, she held on to him, wound her tongue against him, and sucked.
“Goddammit,” he groaned out against her mouth, finishing with a hard shudder.
She panted and smiled against his lips. “So, was it good for you?”
“I might be having a stroke.”
She swept her hand over his jaw. “You seem fine to me. Extremely fine.”
He palmed her breasts, cupping one and teasing her nipple. “Yeah, it’s too bad we’re in the car. In the parking lot. Not naked. I’m ready for round two.”
“Dammit. Quit teasing me.” She rolled off him and maneuvered her way back into her seat. While he pulled off the condom and righted his clothes, then left the car and disposed of the condom in the Dumpst
er, Josie climbed back into her clothes and slid into her tennis shoes. She checked the backseat to find Wilson curled up on the blanket, sound asleep. Obviously he found sex boring.
She, however, did not. Her body still sizzled from her scalp to her toes. And, like Zach, she was ready for round two.
Zach came back and slid into the seat. “Well,” he said, leaning over to cup her neck and brush his lips across hers. “That was fun.”
Her heart rate was still working its way back to normal. “I agree.”
He started up the car and headed back onto the street. “So, what do you think? Once a week in the strip club parking lot?”
She laughed. “Oh, sure. The law of averages won’t get us caught having sex in public, will it?”
He slanted a wickedly sexy smile at her. “Oh, come on, Josie. Where’s your sense of adventure?”
“You just saw it. I’m good for the year.”
She thought about it for a second, about how hot it had been, then said, “Or maybe half a year.”
“Can I convince you of quarterly?”
She laughed, realizing how relaxed she felt right now. She was so grateful to have had those few moments to let go of some of the tension she’d felt the past couple of days. She slid her hands along Zach’s arms and smiled at him. “I’m open to negotiation.”
Her phone buzzed and she pulled it from the console, her heart rate picking back up again, but this time for an entirely different reason. She pushed the button.
“Mom, where are you?”
“I’m at your house, Jo Jo. I rang the bell and knocked, but you didn’t answer. Where are you?”
“On my way there now. Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. I’m tired, honey.”
Josie sighed, trying not to imagine where her mother had been or what kind of shape she was in. “I’ll be there in about twenty minutes, Mom. You just hang tight on the porch. And don’t leave, okay?”
“All right. See you soon.”
“Bye, Mom.”
She clicked off and stared down at her phone, wishing she could just materialize at her house. She didn’t trust her mother to stay put, and the last thing she wanted was for her to bolt again.
Zach reached out and squeezed her hand. “I’ll get us there as fast as I can.”
Josie nodded. “It’s okay. Don’t break any speed laws or anything.”
He continued to drive, but she could see he was hovering just above the speed limit. She wanted to tell him to slow down, but she didn’t. If she’d been the one driving, she’d have done the same thing.
She held her breath when he pulled into her driveway. Since she’d turned on the porch light, it was easy to see the figure curled up on the swing. She exhaled in relief.
“She’s still there.”
“That’s good. You want me to stay?”
She unbuckled her seat belt. “No, that’s okay.” She reached over and grasped his arm. “Thank you for tonight. For helping to look for her. For … everything.”
“You’re welcome. I’m here for you, Josie. Anything you need.”
Her heart tumbled in her chest. She wanted to spend more time with him, to ask him to stay over so she could curl up against him in her bed tonight and soak up his warmth.
His strength. She could really use some of Zach’s strength right now.
But she had to deal with her mother by herself. She always had, and there was no reason to drag Zach into her nightmare.
She leaned across the seat and pressed her lips to his. “I’ll talk to you soon.”
He held on to her arm. “If you need me—for anything—you call me. I can come over and help you.”
His words were sweet and she knew he meant them, but she wouldn’t ask that of him.
“I’m good, but thanks. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
She slid out of the car and waited for him to back down her driveway. When he’d disappeared around the corner, she turned and walked up the steps and went to wake up her mother.
Chapter 22
* * *
ZACH PACED THE house on Sunday, and, despite having football games on to distract him, he found himself staring at his phone, waiting to hear from Josie.
“This is stupid,” he mumbled. Staring at the phone wasn’t going to make it ring.
He took Wilson for a walk in between games, and they played with the ball out in the backyard. After that, he settled in to watch the next set of games—and also checked his phone.
Still, nothing. He didn’t want to call Josie and bother her in case she was in the middle of things with her mom, but damn he wanted to check on her to make sure she was okay. He wasn’t going to, though. He knew she needed her space to be with her mom to figure things out. So he was going to let it be. If she needed him, she’d call or text.
He made himself a sandwich and settled on the sofa with Wilson to watch the late games. Or, at least he was watching the games. Wilson curled up next to him and passed out on his back, his feet up in the air.
He was deep in the fourth quarter of a tied game when he got a text message from Josie.
Are you available to talk?
He texted her back right away. Sure. Call me.
His phone rang, and he punched the button. “Hey, how’s it going?”
“Actually, pretty good. Mom and I had a long talk last night.”
“A good talk?”
“Yes. She couldn’t score any drugs after she left my house, and she ended up frustrated and sick and tired and hungry. She slept behind a Dumpster one night, shaking and going through withdrawal. I think that was it for her. She’s sick of the need for drugs. She wants to go to rehab again.”
“That’s a good thing.”
“Yes. But she doesn’t want to go back to Talihina because all her drug connections are down there. So she wants to stay up here, where she’s close to me, but she doesn’t know anyone.”
“Okay, that’s a good sign.”
“It is. So, I’ve made some calls today, and we’ve got her scheduled for a three-month stay at a rehab facility starting tomorrow.”
“That’s great, Josie.”
“I’m encouraged by her desire to quit. I also know it won’t be easy, and she has a tendency to quit things that aren’t easy. She’s tried rehab before.”
“Maybe this time it’ll be the one that sticks.”
He heard her sigh. “I don’t know. It costs too much to hope.”
He hated that it had come to that for her—for both of them. But he understood. Family letting you down hurt. He knew that all too well.
“Is there anything I can do for either of you?”
“I appreciate it, but no, thanks. I just wanted to get you up to speed on what’s going on and to let you know I’ve already called in to have a sub fill in for me at school tomorrow while I get all this taken care of and get her settled.”
“Okay, thanks. I’d have worried about you if I didn’t see you there.”
“That’s what I figured. And do me a favor and just tell people I’m sick if anyone asks.”
“You already know Chelsea and Jane will ask about you.”
“I know they will. I’m just not ready to talk about this—talk about her—yet.”
“You got it. I’ll tell them you got some stomach bug. That usually prevents people from wanting to know details.”
She laughed. “That’s true. Thanks, Zach.”
“No problem. Hey, check in with me tomorrow after you’ve gotten her settled in, okay?”
“I will. Thanks again for all you did for me yesterday.”
“No need to thank me. If you recall, it was an enjoyable experience.”
“Yes, it was. I wish we could have built upon that experience. I wanted to bring you back here and get you naked.”
Just thinking about it made him hard. “You did, huh?”
“Yes. I wanted you in my bed last night. Or, you know, right now?”
Her talking to him like this w
as not helping his … situation. “Yeah, that sounds good.”
“Well, now I guess we’re both frustrated.”
“Hey, you started it.”
She let out a soft laugh. “I did, didn’t I? I suppose next time I see you, I’ll have to finish it.”
“Let’s make that soon, okay?”
“Very soon. I’ll talk to you later, Zach.”
“Bye, Josie.”
He clicked off and dropped his phone to the couch, dragged his fingers through his hair, and blew out a frustrated breath.
He saw the football game he’d been watching was going into overtime, but now he was hard and frustrated and needed to work out his frustrations.
He rubbed Wilson’s belly. “Come on, buddy, time to go for a run.”
Wilson leaped up and dashed off the sofa, his tail whipping back and forth in excitement.
“Okay, little dude, let’s do it.”
He grabbed Wilson’s leash and put on his harness, then, since it was a cloudy and cool day, put on a hoodie.
Wilson pulled at the leash. Despite having only three legs, his dog loved to run.
“I guess my frustration is your gain, huh, Wilson?”
Wilson barked as if to say, Suck it up, dude. Let’s run.
“Yeah, yeah, let’s go.”
Chapter 23
* * *
“I’M NOT GOING to let you down this time, Jo Jo.”
Josie’s heart clenched as she pulled into the parking lot of the rehab facility in Tulsa.
She put the car in park and turned to face her mom. “You know you have to do this for yourself, Mom. Not for me or for anyone else.”
Her mother nodded. “I know. This time it is for me. I ache inside. It hurts all the time. And then I get better, but it’s only for a little while, and then it hurts again. I’m so tired of chasing down my next fix. I’m just … so tired, Jo Jo.”
She did look tired. That was the first thing Josie had noticed when she’d seen her mom on her porch. Sure, she’d seen her haggard and high and coming down off a bender and rough-looking from no sleep the night before, but she’d never seen her mother look this broken down. It was like she’d finally hit the bottom. Maybe that was a good thing.