Drift

I could tell this girl was lost.


She was also scared and alone. This life was going to destroy her... If I let it.


She refuses my help and protection until she realizes the audition she's attending isn't an audition at all. It's an auction. And she's about to be sold to the highest bidder.


I've got the money to buy her, but better than that, I've got the power to save her.

CHAPTER 2

Billie

"Where are you from?"

"What makes you think I'm not from here?"

His eyes trail down my body, past the place where my dress hits my thighs all the way down to my tennies before they come back up and stop on my face. "You have an accent."

"I do not. Why does everyone say that?"

"Because you do."

I roll my eyes, seeing exactly where this is headed and wanting no part of this guy's notches. "It was nice meeting you, Carter, but I've gotta go."

"Wait." He rubs the back of his neck, and the surfer boy charm vanishes right before my eyes. In its place is a nervousness I would have never thought he had in him. "Can I get your number?"

"Why?"

When he laughs this time, it sounds forced, and I can't believe he's anxious about it. "You're really gonna bust my balls, aren't ya?"

"I'm not doing anything to your balls nor do I want to."

He moistens his bottom lip with a roll of his tongue. "Oh, honey, don't say things you don't mean now."

I cross my arms. "Why are you calling me honey?"

He looks into my basket, eyeing the organic honey I purchased, and then he smirks. "You're sweet, aren't ya, Billie?" He takes one step closer, and I get a whiff of him. He smells clean... like soap and the ocean. "The dress, the hair, the damn smile. Those eyes. Sweet, baby. Like honey."

I put one foot behind the other and focus on backing away from him. If he's the kind of guy to come up to me at the farmers market, lord only knows how many other women he's picked up whenever and wherever he feels like it. I get the feeling he's a good guy, but there's no way a guy like him would want anything more than just one night with a girl like me. And I won't be that person again. "Bye, Carter."

"You're a smart girl to walk away from me."

"You haven't given me a reason not to, surfer boy."