DECEMBER PART 1

CHASE:

"Fucking motherfucking hell." I run my hands through my hair in frustration. How the fuck did Angie fucking organize this ordering shit. I'm staring at the computer in the lobby. There's a million fucking folders with invoices from a million different places.

"Umm..Chase, is everything okay?" Maya's sweet voice asks me. I smile as I glance back at her, my frustration slightly dissipating at the sound of her pleasant voice. She's standing behind me looking at the computer screen with her hands in her pockets. She's wearing her ususal baggy overalls, long sleeve undershirt, and baseball cap.

It's 10 p.m. on a Wednesday and Maya's working late like always. She says she enjoys it. She's helped us catch up on the shitload of work we were overflowing with. I'm going to give her a few days off to make up for all the extra work she's been putting in.

"Yeah darlin'. I'm good. Just trying to figure out how Angie ordered shit from every fucking distributor available." I point at all the folders displayed on the monitor. "Looks like she ordered tires from one place, brakes from another, air filters from another, oil from another, it goes on and on. I'm fucking sure we can get most of this shit from just 3-5 different companies, right?"

Maya nods her head in agreement still staring at the computer screen. She takes her hands out her pockets and rubs them on the outside of her pants. A habit she does when she's nervous. She has something to say.

"Umm..Chase, if you're interested..."

"Yes." I interrupt her. She creases her forehead in confusion and wrinkles her nose. Cute. I have a strong urge to take her cap off so I can get a full view of her adorable expression.

I shrug my shoulders. "If it helps. I'm interested."

"Well..Umm..I installed this computer software program at my dad's shop. We ordered all our stuff from 3 different distributors. It took me a full day to install. I programmed every item we ordered in it with an estimated amount we would need monthly, quarterly, and yearly. If we needed more of something we could manually input it into the system. It automatically renewed each month and we were sent an itemized invoice every month. There was no need to order anything monthly unless we needed to adjust the amount of certain a item. It saved a lot of time and worked great."

"When can you install it ?" A smile lights up her face.

"I can start on it tomorrow."

"Fucking awesome, Maya." She stands there just staring off for a few minutes.

"Later." She says. Her smile fades and is only a shadow of what it was a second ago. She puts her head down and lifts the counter to walk out. She always gets in a solemn mood when it's time for her to go home.

"Hey." I grab her hand. She stops and turns to me. "You okay?"

"Yeah." She gives me a sad smile.

"Maya, if you need something or just need to talk, I'm here for you, sweetheart."

"Thank you Chase." She says gratefully. I let go of her hand and cup her face forcing her to continue to look at me. Her skin is so soft. I run my thumb over the cute little freckles on her cheek while I gaze into her beautiful almond shaped dark eyes.

"I'm serious Maya. Anything." I whisper. She closes her eyes and leans into my hand. I continue to caress her cheek. My gaze moves to her succulent full lips, I want to run my thumb over those luscious lips. I'm about to, when her hand removes mine from her face.

She's flustered and breathing rapidly.

"Umm..Umm.. Thanks." She gives me a quick wave good-bye and rushes out the door. I smile watching her fumble to her truck.

Interesting.

Cute.

Friday

MAYA:

I'm sitting at the reception desk in the lobby. I'm almost done installing the software I promised Chase.

Since I'm working on the computer stuff, Chase is taking my place fixing cars. I still wear my overalls and long sleeve minus my cap.

His arms cage me into my chair as he leans his body forward. His firm chest touching my back. Chase's face is inches away from mine trying to figure out what's on the computer monitor. His masculine natural ordor mixed with sweat and the familiar scent of grease and oil is so sexy to me. It's making my mouth water and my womanhood drip.

"How's it coming along?"

"Good. About 30 more minutes." I say just stiffly staring at the screen because if I turn to face him, my lips will brush against his. Not that I would mine. But he might?

I don't know what to think about Chase's affections towards me. I know it means nothing sexually. It's comes as second nature to him to flirt with women. But I can't help the way my body reacts to him. I huff. I don't like it.

"Let me know when you're done so you can teach me."

"Sure." He leaves, abandoning my personal space.

45 minutes later, I'm done. I checked and re-checked everything to make sure it was installed correctly. I walk into the lobby and yell for Chase across the half doors to the mechanic area.

"Chase, I'm done." A few seconds later he answers.

"I'll be there in a few, sweetheart."

It's nice to stand up. I close my eyes, reach my arms up in the air and stretch. It feels good, my body isn't use to sitting for long periods of time.

"Hello Maya. Long time, no see. How are you?" It is a deep, raspy voice, full of ill will and insincerity.

My eyes pop open to look at the most despicable person I've had the unfortunate luck of knowing. I'm instantly filled with worry, not only for myself but also Chase.

Mr. Cristiano Domingo, an Afro-Cuban in his late 50's, is a scary and powerful man. He is standing in front of me wearing a crisp black and gray stripped Italien suit. His bodyguard, Hector, is equally as intimidating blocking the front door. Domingo is the head asshole in my neighborhood running the distribution of illegal drugs and weapons. And for some inexplicable reason he wants me. Auntie Glenda says it's because he had an unrequited love for my mother and I look just like her. But I'm not her. Not by a long shot. Damn. I wish he would just leave me alone.

"Amor, I think it is time for you to come home with me. I told you there's no need for you to work. I will take care of you." His long fingers reach for my face. I jerk away from his touch. He chuckles and drops his hand to his side.

"I've given you enough time to grieve." Then he gives me a sinister smirk. "And, enough time for your father's business to go under and you to go broke. Now, I'm willing to help you out. You need me, bonita."

That's when I feel two large hands turn my face and velvety soft lips land on mine. His tongue smoothly caresses my bottom lip. His teeth gently tug on it before his mouth engulfs it, gently sucking it. O My God! Is this what kissing feels like? So good. His lips lightly graze the outside of mine.

"Open." He whispers softly against my mouth and I obey. His tongue enters my mouth. I timidly offer him my tongue which he immediately accepts, first tenderly stroking it then delicately sucking it. Wow! I fist his white T-shirt at the waist to stop from falling. Chase maintains one hand cupping my cheek. The other moves to the nape of my neck pulling me closer, allowing him to thrust his tongue deeper into my mouth. O God! This man can kiss. He continues to expertly use his mouth, tongue, and lips on me.

I don't want it to end but our basic need to breathe makes us pull away.

Our foreheads align, eyes still closed,chests heaving, trying to catch my breath," Well, Damn woman." Chase whispers to me. And damn if that wasn't the most incredible first kiss any woman's ever had. Wow!

Chase's forehead leaves mine.

"I don't know who you are mister. But.." Chase laces our fingers together. I slowly open my eyes to see an extremely irritated Cristiano Domingo. "As you can see, Maya AND I are doing fine. WE don't need any help." Chase says meeting Domingo's firm gaze.

Domingo glances at me, then Chase, contemplating the situation. Then his eyes land on a scary looking Chico who's standing behind Chase, arms folded across his massive chest.

He nods his head coming to a decision." Okay Maya. I'll LET you play house with this man for a little while, chiquita." His tone cold and threatening. Domingo motions to Hector, his bodyguard and turns to leave.

"The fu.." Chase is silenced by Chico placing a large hand on his shoulder.

We watch as Hector opens the door to the black SUV for Domingo and they pull out of the parking lot.

Chase locks the front door and turns the red rectangular open for business sign to read closed.

"Time for a fucking staff meeting." He says turning to me and Chico. He ushers us to the back patio where we sit on the pinic table in our usual spots. Chico next to me and Chase across from us.

Chase sits back and crosses his arms.

"Start talking sweetheart." He tells me sternly. I lick my dry lips in preparation to speak and taste Chase on them. Mmmm. My eyes involuntarily close. Damn. That was one hell of a kiss.

"Maya!" Shit. I must have zoned out for a minute. I take a deep breath trying to calm my body and clear my mind from thinking about other things Chase can do to me with his tongue and mouth. Shit. Did I really just think that? I don't think I ever had a thought like that before. Stop it Maya. Stop it Maya. One more deep breath. What can I think of?   Cristiano Domingo.

"Cristiano Domingo." I say opening my eyes. Chase is watching me expectantly.

"Cristiano Domingo is the head asshole that traffics drugs and illegal weapons in my neighborhood."

"He's a dangerous man, Chase."Chico adds. I nod my head in agreement.

"He has an obsession with me. My Auntie Glenda says it's because I look like my mother and he was in love with her. He never hid the way he felt about me while my daddy was alive but he never tried anything either. My father told him if he did, he wouldn't rest til Domingo's ass was 6 feet under and that wasn't a threat but a guarantee." I smile remembering my daddy's over-protectiveness. He loved me.

"Domingo wasn't scared of my father but I guess he thought it wasn't worth causing a neighborhood uproar over. My father had a lot of friends.  If he forced me to be with him and killed my father then that meant he could take anyone's daughter, sister, niece, or granddaughter. He would definitely get himself killed then.

It's funny how people don't do anything if you indirectly get their family members hooked on drugs or killed with an illegal weapon they don't know how to use. But, when the threat is directly and undeniably in front of them, they can't ignore that.

After my father passed away, I didn't have anyone that cared enough for me to threaten him. He came to see me at the shop. He told me he was going to give me time to grieve and he would be there for me when I would need him. He said I would definitely need him because I didn't have anybody. I guess I know now why people stop coming to the shop.

He has his men watching my house all the time, it scares the shit out of me." Chase reaches over and holds my hand.

"Is that why you look so fucking depresed when you have to go home?" I nod my head slowly looking at my favorite crack on this table.

"Fuck Maya, why didn't you tell me?" I feel tears welling up in my eyes.

"Umm.." I shrug my shoulders."It's not your problem. You've done more than enough for me already." Chase starts rubbing soft soothing circles with the pad of his thumb on my hand. "Besides," I say with a humorless laugh."I've got a gun I sleep with under my pillow. I know how to use it."

The gravity of the situation hits me. I guess saying it out loud made it real. I pull my hand from Chase's and cover my face as my tears fall. I feel two enormous arms surround my smaller frame. I wrap my arms around Chico's gigantic chest and bury my face in it. I release all my pent up emotion in the form of tears and loud sobs.

I sleep with a fucking gun under my pillow. Every little noise makes me jump and my heart race. I haven't had a restful night sleep since my father died. I'm scared shitless of this man. He wants me. And what can I do to stop him? Shoot him. Yes. But, I'll be shooting and killing another human being. If I don't. What? He rapes and beats me because I would never give myself to him willingly. And who would really care? Maybe Chase and Chico. But I don't want to endanger their lives too. What the fuck am I going to do? A fresh batch of tears flow out. I hug Chico tighter. It feels good to have someone hold me like this. To be able to cry on someone's shoulder.

It feels like forever before I finally compose myself and let go of Chico.

"Thank you Chico." He gives me an extra squeeze before removing his comforting arms.

Chase is watching me with a genuinely tender smile.

"Maya, sweetheart, you're coming to stay with me."

"What? No Chase. I don't want to put you in any danger." His smile drops and his piercing blue eyes focus on mine. His eyes are intense and beautiful. I never really looked at them.

"It wasn't a fucking question." He says with a strong deep sexy southern drawl. Damn. My pussy clenches and releases fresh fluid in response.

"This is what's going to happen." He looks at Chico who nods his head." Chico is going to take you to your house. You are going to grab some clothes and any other shit you need. Then you are coming to my house to stay with me until WE get this shit settled. Got it." God, the way he's talking to me is turning me on like I don't know what. My body feels like it's on fire and my pussy is throbbing like crazy.

"Umm..yes." I say breathlessly. I stand up and start fanning myself.

"It's ummm..really hot...gonna..water." My words stumble out. I need to get away before..what? I start masturbating in front of him? I wonder if he would like that. Damn. Stop it Maya. Stop it. Take deep breaths. Damn body. Calm the fuck down. It's not like you've never been around men before. Well actually, I've never been around a man that looks that gorgeous and who's kisses taste and feel like heaven.

CHASE:

I watch as Maya walks inside the shop to get water.

"Hey man, can you find out about this guy, Domingo?"

"Yeah. I'll see." Chico answers." I do know he's a bad motherfucker, Chase."

"Yeah. I can tell but I'm fucking determined to keep that girl safe."

"I'm with you holmes."

"We'll figure something out." I say not completely confident. I run a worried hand through my hair.