The damp cold of the pavement was oozing into her bones causing Abby to shiver as she tried to figure out how this evening had turned into such a disaster. Every part of her body ached, but the pain was the least of her worries at the moment. Avoiding the hand dangling in front of her face, she looked around urgently trying to think of something that would get her out of this situation, but no inspiration came.

Dammit! She bit her bottom lip hard to keep from screaming out in frustration. One drama queen for the night was enough, although, at the moment she would give anything to be sitting pretty with crazy Bitch Barbie in that cab. Peeking out of the corner of her eye, she tried to catch a glimpse of what spooked her into colliding with Adam Steele's limo, but she saw only shadows. Had she imagined it? Abby frowned trying to recall exactly what she'd seen, but the pounding in her head kept the lines firmly blurred.

"Trixie?" His voice penetrated her anxious fog, but the name coming off his tongue made her grimace. Of all the streets in New York and of all the vehicles clogging up those streets, she inconceivably ran into his. The worst part, as if getting hit by a car wasn't bad enough...he was the most attractive man she would probably ever meet, and she couldn't even tell him her real name.

A horrible pang of yearning coursed through her along with a need to wail at the unfairness of it all. But, she didn't have time to host a pity party. What she required was some divine inspiration. Abby needed to think of how to get out of this mess, there would be plenty of time to do the woe-is-me's later. She'd barely managed to tilt the tide of chaos in her direction when it came to the police fiasco. A shudder worked through her body.

She hadn't forgotten, nor would she ever forget, how close she'd come to being caught the last time she screwed up. It took her months and many states to crawl back under the radar. Glancing again at the corner, she wondered briefly if she actually was.

"Come on, baby. Let me help you up." Abby's head snapped back to the hand.

Holy crap on a cracker! He was tall, she thought, as she cranked her neck up to look at him. Despite the pain making her wince, she couldn't help but stare. His chocolate hair was haloed by the street lamps, giving him the look of a beautiful dark angel. His once pristine suit was now covered in grime from the road, but it didn't dim his appearance. If anything, it made him look more roguish. The men on the cover of GQ magazine had nothing on Adam Steele. Even though her body played some kind of weird see-saw game over which part could fire off the most pain receptors in her brain, it was still able to feel the inner burn this man created.

Dragging her reluctant eyes away from his mesmerizing dusky ones, she focused on the hand in front of her. His fingers were long, masculine and the nails obviously well-manicured. Gold cufflinks twinkled in the lights, and his shirt had ridden up enough to reveal a large, heavy looking gold watch. Abby was almost afraid to touch him with her work roughened ones and she hid them under his jacket which had slid down into her lap, wishing feverously she'd taken Jo Jo up on his offer to paint her nails. Abby snorted. It was a stupid thing to wish for at the moment. Instead of pining for a coat of Jail Bait red on her fingertips, she should be wishing for a complex escape plan like in the Mission Impossible movies, she thought staring down at the elaborate coat in her lap.

The richness of the fabric was soft and pliable under her touch as she nervously rubbed it between her fingers. It was something Tom Cruise or 007 would have worn. But it was the smell still lingering in her senses which held the greatest affluence. It was a scent unlike anything she ever encountered. Some of it was a delicious masculine cologne, but the rest, she knew must be all Steele. Whatever it was, it made her pheromones hopscotch and she fought the urge to bring the jacket up to her nose for another sniff.

"Come on, I promise I won't bite." He wiggled his elegant fingers, beckoning her to grab hold.

"Said the Big Bad Wolf," Abby replied cautiously, uncertain she would be able to stand of her own volition because the knock to her noggin was still making her head spin like a roulette wheel. She stalled for time to pull herself together. Pain, fear, adrenaline and the warring emotions caused by his presence were making her body shiver. Or maybe it was only the cold and she couldn't make sense of anything because the tweety birds were still busily swirling around her skull.

He threw his head back and laughed. "I would hardly consider myself big, but I presume from your perspective it would appear that way."

"A short joke? Really? You hit me with your car and you go with a short joke?" She quirked an eyebrow at him.

"According to my driver, you dove in front of my car." Although his tone was stern, the deepness of his voice distracted her enough that it took her a second or two before what he said actually registered.

"I didn't dive in front of your car," Abby said defensively. "I thought I saw..." she stopped and slammed her mouth shut. The stupid is, as stupid does line from Forrest Gump, bonked her on the side of the head for her feeble-minded fumble. Men! Men were bad! Particularly men who looked like him and had voices like caramel.

"Saw what?" Adam and Erich questioned at the same time.

"Nothing...I mean...I saw a bug or something and I tripped and fell."

"You're either incredibly clumsy or you are lying to me." Adam's chiseled jaw clenched and his lips thinned in disapproval.

Those dark brown eyes flashed as if he could sense she was lying through her teeth. Brushing away the guilt buzzing at her like an annoying insect, she refused to worry about how any of this was affecting him. This was about survival and keeping all her body parts firmly attached to their appropriate positions. At the end of the day, he would be safe and secure in his mansion. None the wiser for having met her. She hoped.

Her heart pounded as those assessing eyes narrowed, gauging her reactions. What? Was he a human lie detector or something? Lifting her chin in defiance, she boldly met his gaze straight on. "I hardly think one small stumble makes me overly clumsy, Mr. Steele. It was accident." Their eyes clashed for a brief moment and she stayed strong.

"A very costly accident."

"I think your limo did more damage to me than I it. I'm sure my blood stains will buff out nicely with a little elbow grease."

He rolled his eyes. "That is not what I meant." He sighed in exasperation. "Are you always this argumentative?"

"NO!"

A small smile played on his lips, fetching her attention to them. She noticed the lower one was fuller than the upper one and, when he wasn't snarling, they seemed to be the type of lips which could cause a woman's toes to curl. In a flash, Abby's mind conjured up pictures of those sensual lips upon her own. She moaned, loudly.

"Are you hurting?" Worry etched his face and voice.

"No...I mean...Yes..." She shook her head in confusion. A warm blush swept over her at being caught ogling and lingered deep inside.

"Well, that's incisive, but, I believe, its progress from your previous answers of fine," he said drily.

Abby was about to tell him exactly how decisive she could be, but before she could utter a word, the hand he'd been holding out turned palm out, silencing her. "As much as I am enjoying this exchange of wits, it's late and cold. Any more chit chat would simply be a waste of our time. Would you please allow me to help you off the ground so we can, at the very least, finish this stimulating discussion in the car and out of the rain?" Once again, his elegant hand was proffered.

Not knowing if it was his commanding voice or the challenging arch of his brow, but Abby found herself reaching out and putting her hand into his. A sharp tingle flowed between the two clasped palms as soon as they touched. As he pulled her towards him, the longing of earlier vaulted into a ravenous hunger and she wanted to feel those refined fingers of his, skim more intimate parts of her body.

"Fuuuuuuuck me!" Abby cried in dismay when she tried to put her full weight on her left ankle. The unbearable pain raced up her leg snagging her breath away. Efficiently wiping away any thoughts of desire. A sob broke out of her throat and she clambered into Adam's arms in an attempt to escape the agony.

"What's the matter?" Not able to see his face, because hers was presently buried into his chest, she could only judge by the alarm of his voice that she had succeeded in freaking him out. Taking a deep breath, she fought the urge to cry. But, damn, it was hard. The ache in her ankle was keeping perfect rhythm with her pounding heart. Balancing precariously on her right ankle and using his shoulders for leverage, she managed to pull away from his enticing body.

"I think I sprained my ankle," she guessed in a small voice.

It didn't feel broken, or at least she didn't think it was, though it did a great impression of feeling like it was about to fall off. Abby tried to give a reassuring smile, but the throb distorted her grin. Adam pegged her with a look she was positive made people think of putting their affairs in order, write a will or suddenly develop the urge to create a bucket list. It was intimidating and frankly, hot as hell.

"Enough of this," he gritted out. Before Abby could protest, he leaned down and scooped her knees out from under her and tossed her up against his chest.

Momentarily, she was distracted by the pure male wall of muscle she was cuddled on. For a beeshey suit, he was in fantastic shape. Her hands prickled with the desire to creep under his shirt and feel those pecks flex and move under her fingers. A sudden dryness of her mouth made her lick her lips. He easily toted her towards the car without as much as a huff of exertion, before it dawned on her to protest.

"Put me down!" She cried kicking her feet, but that only sent an answering pang of roaring pain down her leg and she decided it was not her most brilliant of ideas. Choosing to try a different tactic, she slapped him hard on his shoulder until those burning dark amber eyes focused on her. She gulped, but straightened her spine. "You put me down this instant, Mr. Steele or I swear I will sue you for everything you're worth!"

His rumbling chuckle rolled over her and practically melted her into his massive chest. "By all means Ms....?" He cocked his head to one side in a silent bid for her to fill in the blank.

"Trixie will do," she sniffed, clenching her hands into fists to keep her fingers from running through his dark locks. Seriously, she needed to get a grip. This was not the time to let her hormones out of their cage and go on an adventure, she scolded herself.

His eyebrow shot up at her refusal to give him her last name. Abby had a feeling he rarely was refused anything and it gave her a satisfactory taste of victory to be able to do it. It was also worth having to deal with that God awful name falling from his sumptuous lips.

"Well then, Trixie," he drawled her name as if it tasted as bad as it sounded, stopping short of the limo door Erich held open. "If that is your agenda, then I suggest you let me call the police so there are documentations to support your case."

His tone was flippant, but his eyes where cold and laced with something Abby couldn't recognize. It was more than anger. Disappointment, maybe? Whatever it was, it dissipated quickly leaving behind nothing but bitter darkness. Shivering from more than the chill of his stare, she stiffened uncontrollably in his arms once he threatened calling the police.

"No...no, that won't be necessary," she stammered, immediately regretting her thoughtless outburst. "I...I didn't mean it." A gust of wind blew strands of hair into her eyes and she swiped at them, but the dampness from the drizzle kept them glued to her face.

"Are you certain?" Adam asked crisply, obviously still in a foul mood if the grinding of his teeth was any indication. Not trusting herself to not make another stupid comment, she simply nodded her head.

He watched her for what seemed like an eternity, before he came to some kind of decision. Giving her a brief nod, he ducked down and gently placed her inside the waiting limo. No sooner was her butt on the leather; Abby scampered over to the other side, dragging her worthless ankle with her while the two men mumbled in low tones outside.

Her mind raced a mile a minute searching for possible escapes out of this situation. At least the limo was blessedly warm, she thought as she huddled in the corner wrapping her arms around her chest. Her eyes skated around the lush interior of the limo before landing on the handle of the door she was leaning against. If it wasn't for her bum leg, she could simply pop the handle and take off in the opposite direction, but even the thought of putting weight on her ankle made her stomach turn.

Abby's planning and scheming faltered to a halt as she watched him fold his large body gracefully into the car. She never considered climbing in and out of vehicles to be particularly sexy before, but there was something about the way this man did it which kept her mesmerized.

The subtle way he shifted and adjusted his jacket with quick sharp movements. Not a wasted motion. The snick of the power locks brought her head up in alarm.

"What are you doing?" Fear crept into her voice, and she cleared her throat. Fear was a weakness she couldn't afford, not when dealing with a hunter and there was no doubt in her mind Adam Steele was a predator. A sexy, handsome, magnificent predator, who she needed to keep her distance from for her own peace of mind and his protection.

"I am not doing anything, Trixie." Again, the name sounded foreign and revolting though it was spoken softly.

"You locked the doors."

"They automatically engage when the vehicle is put in gear."

Sure enough, Abby felt the limo pulling smoothly into the street and saw the building moving past the window. Past her bus stop. She glanced back at Adam, who observed her thoughtfully. "Where are we going," she demanded.

"Home."

"But you don't know where I live."

"Not your home, Trixie. My home," he said impassively, a slight smirk dancing at the corners of his mouth.

This is why parents warned their children to not get into strangers cars. What had she done? Her hands shook and she felt a little light-headed. How the hell was she going to get out of this? Obviously he wasn't a criminal...Oh God! Maybe he was. Just because he was beautiful, didn't mean he couldn't possibly be bad. Think Abby! Think!

"I have the clap!" she blurted.

"Excuse me?" his eyebrows lifted so high they intermingled with his hair.

I wanted to take this time to thank you for reading! I really hope you enjoyed this installment of Bending Steele, and that you'll consider giving it a vote. I can't tell you how much  your support means to me and how much  it  motivates me to keep going.

If you find any errors along the way, don't be afraid to point them out and I always enjoy any recommendations or critiques you may have. As always, I will try and update once a week, usually on Thursdays, but if you don't see  an update here, check out my other story When Roses Collide. Thanks  again!