by Sophia Rae
Well, shit. Now he’d scared her.
“I didn’t plan on sleeping with you,” she said, head held high.
Nick stood himself, retrieved his towel from the floor and cleaned himself off. When he passed the towel to Eve, she jerked it from his hands.
“Like hell you didn’t plan on sleeping with me,” he countered. “You all but tried to yesterday in the hotel.”
Eve held the grimy towel as a shield in front of her flushed body. “I was just trying to get our feelings out in the open. I wouldn’t have followed through.”
Nick reached into his bag by the couch and pulled out a pair of boxers. “Bullshit. All I had to do was kiss you and you would’ve fallen apart.”
Those once passion-filled eyes turned into slits. “You aren’t that impressive, Nick. I knew this was a mistake to let you help me. You probably had this agenda all along once you knew I was dancing. Did you think I’d give you a special show?”
“That would’ve been nice.”
Eve jerked back as if he’d slapped her. Hell, he might as well have. Why did he have to be such an ass about this?
Because she’d caught him off guard. He didn’t like surprises and he sure as hell didn’t like that she’d given her virginity to him. She should’ve given it to someone who would stick around for more than a recreational screw in the midst of evading a killer.
Silence stood between them and Nick couldn’t think of a single thing to say that would make up for what he’d already said. He’d damaged her enough already. The harsh words couldn’t be taken back.
Carefully, Eve wrapped the towel around her body, clutched the opening together at the valley between her breasts. Without a word, she turned and all but ran upstairs.
“Damn!” Nick slammed his fist against the arm of the couch.
Okay, so he wouldn’t be nominated for Romancer of the Year Award. He still should’ve been more patient, more considerate, more…something.
As time passed, an eerie stillness settled over the house. Nick stood motionless, staring at the empty wooden staircase. The emptiness mocked him, as did the scent of jasmine and sex still lingering in the dimly lit room.
He’d just had possibly the best gift given to him and he’d thrown it back in her face, which did nothing but make him feel like the jerk she’d already thought him to be. Not to mention the fact it more than likely made her feel cheap.
The damaged look he’d put into Eve’s eyes had crushed something inside him. He’d never made a woman feel worthless, never made her feel vulnerable or ashamed. Somehow, he’d managed to do all that and more in the span of about twenty minutes. Nick cursed himself again, dropping his gaze from the steps to the floor.
Red leather stared up at him, mocking him. The image of her unfastening each hook-and-eye closure had him hardening again. He recalled how her hands had shook and he’d mistakenly taken it for arousal and not for what it really had been.
Nerves. The nerves of a virgin about to give herself for the first time to some asshole who had no clue how to appreciate such a delicate, special woman.
Guilt guided his hand as he bent to retrieve Eve’s forgotten outfit. His heart pounded in his chest as he approached the first step.
He’d never been nervous in his life. Not when he’d joined the Marines, not when he’d joined the police force, not when he’d faced down perps in back alleys at three in the damn morning before his backup had arrived. Never.
But nerves swept through him so fast. His knees nearly gave way as he ascended the steps. What would he say? What could be said? What he’d done was unforgivable.
When he reached the landing and turned to take those final three steps, he saw her. Lying across her bed, feet dangling off the edge toward him, towel still wrapped around her, stopping just under her perfect rear.
Shaking uncontrollably. Sobbing silently into the plain, white comforter.
Nick clutched her bustier and G-string. Only a low-life bastard could bring a woman such as Eve to tears. A woman who’d rather walk through broken glass with bare feet than cry. A woman who turned sadness into anger and sought revenge.
A woman who had touched a spot so deep in him he hadn’t known it existed.
***
How could she have been so stupid to think something about that arrogant, pompous asshole could be different than all the other arrogant, pompous assholes?
Eve had questioned herself over and over since she’d run up the stairs and fallen onto her bed. It felt like someone had taken a knife to her chest. The hurt, not to mention the humiliation, of listening to Nick’s tactless, harsh comments had left an open wound she wasn’t sure could ever be healed.
“You forgot something.”
Eve froze at Nick’s low Southern drawl. If she hadn’t been so preoccupied with her own justifiable self-pity, she would have heard him come up the stairs.
There was no way she would sit up and let him see the tears on her face. She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing what his actions had done to her.
“You left your…um…leather downstairs.”
God, she needed to sniff, but she refused to let him hear her. “Leave it on the floor.”
His bare feet slid over the hardwood. The heavy material of the seductive lingerie thumped to the floor. Then silence.
Eve squeezed her eyes shut. She could practically feel his gaze on her back. Why wouldn’t he leave? Had she not suffered enough for one evening? Could a girl not cry alone in peace?
“Eve,” he said softly. “I want to apologize.”
Red, swollen, tear-stained face be damned. Eve sprang off the bed. Clutched her towel against her chest.
“Apologize? Well, if you think your apology is going to get you another fuck, you’re more of a dickhead than I thought. Get the hell out of here.”
Nick took a step toward her, only to come up short when she raised her hand.
“I’m not apologizing to have another ‘fuck’, I’m apologizing because what I said was wrong. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
A slight laugh escaped her. “You think you hurt me? You didn’t hurt me, Nick. I’d have to care to be hurt.”
“You’re crying.”
Eve swiped the back of her hand across her cheek as another tear escaped. “I’m upset because I was stupid to let myself fall into your trap. You’re supposed to be helping me find out who killed my father and who’s threatening me. Have you had it planned from the beginning to use this whole ‘bodyguard’ charade to lure me into bed?”
Nick shook his head. “I won’t deny that I found you attractive the second I laid eyes on you, but I would never use my skills or profession to get a woman to sleep with me.”
The tone of his soft voice made Eve want to throw up. This nice-guy persona did not belong to the same man who had berated her downstairs just a little while ago. She would not fall for his false charm again.
But, God, he’d been so easy to fall for. She’d have to be careful from here on out if he continued to “protect” her. Unfortunately, now that she’d had him, she feared resisting him would be that much harder.
Eve held onto the towel with both hands, grasping so tight she trembled. “Your apology is moot at this point. Tomorrow I’ll call Grady and tell him I’m either doing this on my own or he can be the one to help me. As for you, I hope to hell I never see you again.”
Nick’s jaw clenched, his lips tightened. “Good night, Eve.”
Bewildered, Eve watched him turn and go back downstairs. She sank back down onto the bed and sighed. His apology sounded so sincere, but she just couldn’t accept it.
A fresh, hot tear trickled down her cheek—Eve didn’t even bother to swipe at it. Losing your virginity only happened once. Had she known what a disaster it was going to be, she would’ve lost it a long time ago. She couldn’t help but wonder what would’ve happened if she’d told him the truth in advance.
He would have gone running in the other direction.
Eve didn
’t even bother with pajamas. She tossed the towel onto the floor and crawled beneath the cheap, white sheets and stared at the soft glow that filtered up the steps from a lamp in the living room.
After what seemed like hours, the light went out. Darkness and silence molded into one eerie setting. Eve rolled onto her back and tried to concentrate on her mission.
She’d let Nick sidetrack her too much and it was past time she got some control back into her life. All that mattered was finding her father’s killer, figuring out who the hell kept calling her, who blew up her car, and getting her suspension lifted.
Piece of fucking cake.
***
The sirens blared. Lights flickered off the wet, uneven pavement. Blood pooled around the man lying in the cold alley.
Nick ran to his side, crouched down. The dying man motioned for him to lean closer. As Nick leaned in, the man whispered something in his ear.
“Rom-”
That’s all he said before his eyes closed, his head rolling to the side.
Gentle fingers slid across his forehead. Nick jerked up, grabbed a hold of the hand on his face.
“It’s okay, Nick,” Eve said softly.
He blinked as he looked up and tried to make her out through the darkness. “Eve, what are you doing down here?”
“You were yelling. I thought something was wrong, but you must’ve been having a bad dream.”
The dream. Oh, God. Nick’s mind replayed the dream. His heart stopped.
Roman.
Roger had been trying to say Roman. Icy shivers ran all over his body.
Had Roger known Roman was Nick’s stepbrother? Had he known the name of his killer beforehand? Why hadn’t he been able to figure this out before now?
Nick cursed himself for not realizing this sooner, but he’d been trying for a year to put Roger’s death out of his mind. He didn’t want to remember anything about that night. Unfortunately, those demons from his past wouldn’t let him rest. He prayed to God this dream where Nick recalled Roger’s last word would be the last. He didn’t want to keep reliving that night.
“Nick.” Eve stood beside the couch. Her shadow loomed over him. “Are you okay?”
“Um…yeah. Sorry I scared you.”
His eyes finally focused to the dark room. He looked up at Eve and…
“Holy shit!” Nick jerked into a sitting position and stared at the woman who looked like she was ready to enter his wet dream.
She was stark naked. Her pale skin nearly glowed in the darkness. His vision had focused so well now that he could see her erect nipples and the concern on her face.
“Why are you naked?” he asked, once he could speak.
“When you yelled, I just jumped out of bed and ran down here.”
Nick jumped to his feet, causing Eve to take a step back. “Are you crazy?”
Her head snapped back as if he’d slapped her. “Excuse me?”
“There’s a killer out there and someone who’s more or less stalking you, so when you think there’s trouble, you rush down here? With no clothes? Are you completely insane?”
Eve hands came up to her hips, the angry motion made her bare breasts lift. Nick clenched his hands into fists to keep from reaching out and taking handfuls of pure sin.
He didn’t know how much more he could take of seeing her naked body without having her again. Unfortunately, Eve had put a halt to that before he really even got a chance to enjoy it.
“I thought you were in trouble,” she snapped. “Did you just expect me to stay upstairs and let you fight off a killer on your own?”
“Yeah,” he yelled as he stepped within an inch of her, his face dangerously close to hers. “I’m experienced in handling psychopaths. What would you have done? Give him a lap dance?”
The second those hurtful words slipped out of his mouth, Nick regretted it. “Eve, I’m sorry.”
She held up a hand and shook her head. “Forget it. Honestly, I don’t know what I would’ve done, but I didn’t think at all. When you yelled, I ran.”
Nick smiled. “You think like a cop.”
Eve’s body stiffened, her eyes widened for a second…long enough for him to notice. She opened her mouth, then closed it.
“You okay?” he asked.
A fake smile spread across her face. “Of course. I feel a little silly standing here naked.”
His eyes raked down to her chest, lingered on her perky buds, then drifted back up. “You don’t look silly. Intriguing, beautiful, sexy as hell. Definitely not silly.”
In a move he hoped wouldn’t reward him with a knee to his balls, Nick lifted his hands, gently placing them on her slender shoulders. Much to his surprise, she didn’t stiffen beneath his touch. Their gazes held.
“Nick, this is a mistake we already made,” she whispered.
He slid his hands to the base of her neck and stroked her delicate jaw line with thumbs. “The only mistake was the way I acted afterward. I want to try again. Will you give me a second chance to make you see how good it could be?”
When her eyes closed, Nick feared she would tell him to go to hell. Every muscle in his body tensed. His cock was so hard, so ready for her, he was afraid he’d come before she answered him.
“If I give you another chance,” Eve began as she opened her eyes. “Will you tell me if I’m doing something wrong? I don’t want it to be bad for you because of my lack of experience.”
“You did everything right last time.”
“Promise me,” she said again.
Nick nodded. “I promise.”
“One more thing,” she added.
“God, woman, I’m dying here.”
Her small, soothing hands ran up his chest and stopped just above his pecs. “This is just sex. I don’t want a commitment. When this is all over, we’re finished. My life is too complicated for anything else.”
A lump formed in Nick’s throat. He’d never been on the receiving end of the “just sex” speech. For some reason, he didn’t like it.
“Fine. Just sex. Really, really great sex.”
Eve’s smile lit up from within as her hands roamed up to his face. Before he could think, she yanked him down to her mouth and devoured him.
Her aggressiveness nearly undid him. He plunged his tongue inside her mouth as he bent down, wrapped his hands around a firm, round ass and lifted her off the floor. Her pebble-hard nipples rubbed up his chest.
Nick tore his mouth from hers. “If I’m not inside you in about one second, I’m going to explode.”
With a naughty grin, Eve wrapped her legs around his waist. “We can’t let that happen.”
One hand remained on her bottom while the other yanked his boxers down. His erection sprang free, the tip grazed against her moist center.
He leaned down to grab his jeans from the side of the couch, fumbled with one hand through the back pocket for a condom. With one of her hands guiding his, they covered his shaft.
“I’m sorry I can’t slow this down,” he said against her mouth as he walked around the room with her wrapped around him.
All the restraint he’d promised her went to hell the second her back rested against the nearest wall. He plunged inside her, pausing only a moment when she cried out. But the look on her face was definitely not one of pain.
The little vixen licked her lips as she arched her back. “I can’t stand it, Nick.”
He began to move, slowly at first. “You feel so good, so hot and wet.”
Eve’s legs formed a vice-like grip…like caging in an animal. He pumped in and out of her slickness, grabbing handfuls of taut breasts.
He tore his gaze from hers only to bury his head in the valley between her breasts. While his hands continued to squeeze and rub her tits, Nick ran his tongue along the narrow patch of skin between the mounds.
“Nick…I feel…God…”
She teetered on the brink as he slid his hands back to her ass. Her own hips began to pump uncontrollably, her high, firm tits bounc
ed, begging to be sucked.
Once again, he dipped his head. He captured a pink bud between his teeth and flicked it with his tongue before opening his mouth and taking in all he could of her softness.
Eve’s hands squeezed his shoulders. Nails bit into his hot flesh. Her inner muscles clenched around his cock as she screamed. Nick forced himself to move from her breast—he captured her mouth with his and swallowed her cries of satisfaction.
Even when her convulsions stopped, her hips kept a fast, hard rhythm. She ground against him, keeping him right where he wanted to be—in her tight pussy. It wasn’t going to take too much more for him to blow.
She matched him thrust for thrust, stroke for stroke. When she broke off the kiss, she looked into his eyes. That simple, innocent look drove him over the edge.
With one last thrust, he clenched her ass in his palms and erupted. She rode him until the last spasm faded, then framed his face with her hands and placed a simple kiss on his cheek.
Chest heaving, Nick smiled at her. “What was that for?”
“You promised great sex. You provided.”
“I also promised I’d go slow,” he countered.
Eve ran her lips along his neck and murmured, “Then take me upstairs and we’ll try it until we get it right.”
Nick jerked his head back and drew his brows together. “You don’t act like a virgin.”
With a slight tilt of her hips, she grinned. “I’m not anymore.”
He hardened again inside her. “You’ll be sore.”
“I think it’s worth it, don’t you?”
“We’ve still not slept very well,” he argued.
Eve unwrapped her ankles and pushed against his chest until he stepped back. She disengaged their bodies.
“Well, then, I’ll let you get back to sleep.”
The cool tone of her voice had Nick cursing and reaching for her before she reached the first step. “I’m fine, but I don’t want to wear you out.”
“No problem,” she said as looked up. “You’re right. I am sleepy. I’ll see you in the morning.”
He let her get to the first landing before he went after her. By the time he got to her room, she was adjusting the covers that she’d obviously left in disarray to come to his aid.