by MK Meredith
“Ignore this,” he growled. And with the most infinite care, he molded his mouth to hers, sliding his tongue along her bottom lip to sip and taste, learning each curve, each angle, each delectable flavor. Her tongue tangled with his own, administering a punch to the gut like no other. His body tensed and choked on a moan as he dove deeper into the kiss. He demanded, she gave. Then with a growl, she shoved him back onto the table, pressing her lithe body into his.
His dick surged in hearty agreement, and his need to grind against her raged within him, but he tamped down against his baser need so that she could explore.
On an audible sigh, she continued to sample his mouth with her lips as her fingers fluttered against the scruff of his cheeks, down his neck and to his shoulders. Nothing could have rocked him more than this long, lean sprite investigating his body. Her hands slid around his upper arms, squeezing as she went, then rubbing up over his chest.
Everything in his soul screamed to remove the clothing that acted as a barrier between. But that couldn’t happen. Shouldn’t happen.
And he’d have to keep on reminding himself why.
She poured everything she had into this kiss, leaving his mind spinning and his body tormented with wanting. Her hands slid down the ridges of his stomach, bumping from one muscle to the next, and his ability to think threatened to fade as she closed the distance to his belt buckle.
On a growl, he grabbed her wrists. “There’s nothing that I want more than for you to complete your exploration.” He placed her hand over his aching cock and pressed firmly against it to try to curb his desire.
She gasped, her fingers flexing against him.
“I want to bury myself so deep inside of you that I never find my way out. But something tells me if you don't think this through first, we both might regret it.” Every fiber in his body raged at him for his idiocy.
There was something different about her. Something he’d felt from the beginning.
She locked onto him with eyes wide with shock as if suddenly aware of what she was doing and where they were. “Holy shit.”
With a curse, she scrambled off him, righting her clothes and combing her fingers through her hair. Darting her eyes around the study hall, she seemed to be looking for something.
“What are you doing? No one’s here,” he assured her.
“There are cameras.”
She looked so forlorn. He wanted to pull her back into his embrace but knew if he touched her, he might not be able to stop. Sliding from the table, he shoved his hands into his front pockets.
“Why did you do that?” she asked, her tone accusing, her fingers fluttering at her lips. She was flushed red, giving him an idea of how the rest of her would look after a good solid fuck.
He wished.
“Because I wanted to. And I think you wanted me to as well, but we both know you'd never be the first to take action.”
“I am quite capable of taking action when I want to.”
His body tightened in agreement, replaying the moment when she’d shoved him back on the table, but he kept quiet. Dragging his equipment bag over his shoulder, he directed her toward the door. “Let's get you out of here, professor. As long as we don't trip any suspicion, there’s no reason they should check the cameras from this evening. Besides, in the end, it was just a kiss, right?”
She stared at him like he was crazy. And maybe he was. Because her expression told him exactly what he needed to know.
What passed between them had been quite something…and anything but just a kiss.
CHAPTER 7
“O h my God.” Bel pressed her cheeks with her hands and faced her friends in Raquel’s living room before their yoga session began. They felt hot beneath her fingertips while a circus of butterflies was doing acrobatics in her stomach. “I kissed Jimmy in the Pepperdine library. Last Saturday night.”
When her announcement was met with silence, she stopped pacing to look at the four quiet women who stopped moving the couch to sit on it.
She glanced at her friends, one at a time. Raquel had her hands folded primly at her knees, and Addi was drawn up in the corner, her feet tucked under her bottom. Addi’s friend Chase perched on the arm of the couch, and Sam leaned forward with her arms crossed over her stomach.
And every one of them had the same expression on their face.
Shock and awe.
Mouths dropped in an ‘O,’ and eyes were wide. She looked at the women who had quickly become her sisters over the past few months and gave a weak shrug.
Then all hell broke loose.
“You waited four days to tell us!” Addi accused.
“I had classes,” Bel explained weakly.
“It's about damn time if you ask me, darling,” Raquel stated, smoothing her already perfect hair.
At the same time, Sam exclaimed, “Holy shit!”
Chase slapped her hand to her chest, making a swoony noise. “Was it as great as I think it would be, love?”
Addi threw her arms in the air and waved her hand towards Bel’s vagina. “We wondered if that thing even had a pulse with how hard you’ve been playing hard to get.”
Bel rolled her eyes. “I have not! And don't be vulgar. I've just been too busy working.”
“Well, you know what they say. All work and no play makes—”
Chase put her hand up. “Oh stop.” Dismissing Addi, she turned toward Bel. “Ignore them, love.”
“Yes, ignore all of them and get your mats!” The demand was followed by a clap of Raquel’s personal yoga instructor’s hands. Cooper Jackson Smith. All three names because he was way too fabulous for anything so simple as Smith.
They all scrambled to set up their mats and take their places.
Bel settled into her Child Pose, mentally thanking Chase. She was the heir to the Huntington hotel franchise and a very savvy businesswoman. She oozed charm like a cherry Danish. The kind you couldn't resist slurping up. She had liked Chase immediately when they'd met.
Pulling in a deep breath, she pushed into Downward-facing Dog as instructed. “He stopped…for me. Said he didn't want to screw up my project.”
Raquel arched an eyebrow as she flowed in slow, precise movements from Warrior One. “Is that what you wanted?” Her question was quiet but direct as she slid into Warrior Two.
Bel held her gaze for a moment, debating what she wanted from a physical sense of the word with what she feared in her heart. Her fear won out. “Yes. I have to stay focused.” As the words came out of her mouth, she lost her balance.
“Ladies!” the instructor scolded. “Less gossip, more focus.” He fixed his mesh cropped top—lost somewhere in the eighties. “I know it sounds crazy from my lips, but really. You’re all worse than my sisters when we meet for drinks.”
Raquel waved a hand toward Cooper and studied Bel before dipping her chin in acknowledgment. There was no mistaking the fact that the woman didn't believe her one bit. Hell, Bel didn't expect any of them to believe her. Jimmy was as deliciously sexy as they came.
She pressed her lips together, trying to breathe calmly through her nose as she pulled a leg up for Tree Pose.
“I think making out is good for you.” Addi winked.
Bel wobbled as memories sprung eagerly to the forefront of her mind. So much for finding her Zen.
“What are your plans for the seminar?” Sam pushed the ponytail of her long, chocolate waves over her shoulder. “Ideally, I mean.”
Bel dropped to her knees and sipped her water, thinking on the question. “I want Pepperdine to adopt it into the curriculum. I’d love to be able to speak at other universities on the subject.”
“Love,” Addi stated.
Bel made a face. “Yes, love. The research I've done really helps explain a lot. When you’re hurting, especially from something like love, understanding why something happened eases the pain significantly. I want to help.”
“You want to hide.” Raquel sipped her drink.
“Excuse me?” Bel as
ked sharply.
Cooper rolled his eyes with a huff. “Seriously, ladies. Work on your Crow.”
“Wouldn't publishing a book support these efforts more strongly than just the seminar?” Raquel slid her knees against her triceps.
Bel had asked herself that question so many times, but the task seemed daunting. She was published in several peer-reviewed journals, but a whole book was a whole other story…bad pun notwithstanding. “I have but—”
Addi pushed her legs up to a handstand. “What is holding you back? Isn't your father always saying you need to take more risks? This could be great for you.”
Show-off.
The idea filled Bel with equal measures of excitement and absolute terror as she tried to balance. “It's a book,” she said, wincing at how silly she sounded.
“Yes, but from what Gage says, it's a book you’ve lived and breathed since becoming a professor at Pepperdine.” Raquel eased back.
Sam agreed with a nod. “I think you’re hiding from the book for the same reason you’re hiding from love.”
Bel tried to steady her Crow Pose. “Oh, yeah, big sister,” she said sarcastically. “And why’s that?”
“You want them both too much.”
And down she went.
“Uncle Jimmy, can you come get me? Please. They’re yelling, and I'm scared.”
The rush of fear that swamped Jimmy almost made him lightheaded. “Where are you, Cleo?”
“In my room. I'm hiding under my bed.”
“I’ll be right there, sweetie. Hang on.”
Grabbing his helmet and his keys, he tore out of his driveway in record time. If anything happened to Cleo, that was it, he was done.
The trip up PCH and out toward the hills seemed to drag through each second, but finally he pulled in next to Margo’s banged up Toyota. He could hear the screaming from the open apartment door.
As he approached, Margo shoved a guy who stumbled, righting himself at the frame. The man drew himself to his full height and took a step toward her.
“Lay a hand on her, and you're gonna be face first into the pavement without the help of the stairs, my friend.”
The dude spun around with a look that was all kill and no cool. “Who the fuck’re you?”
Jimmy stepped close, towering over the guy by a full head.
Either the man was stoned or stupid because he didn't back down, instead adding, “Walk away, motherfucker. This doesn’t concern you.” He turned back to Margo. “Where's my money?”
But before the question was finished, Jimmy had him by the collar of his jacket and hurled him toward the door.
The guy caught his balance. He charged back and swung. Jimmy yanked his head back just in time.
The dealer crouched with a growl and charged again.
The last thing Jimmy wanted was to scare his niece even more. The only solution was a quick and quiet one. Absorbing the blow of the guy's head against his gut, he reversed their direction, using all his weight to shove him out the door and down the walkway to the steps.
He grabbed two fistfuls of the dude’s shirt and yanked him up to his chest, nose-to-nose. “This is your only other warning, asshole. Get the fuck outta here, and don't come back, or I'm going to make good on my first promise.”
He jerked the guy over by the railing, somewhat relieved when the man's eyes flared with fear. Refusing to give the scumbag one more thought, he turned to go find Margo.
“She owes me money, God damn it. I'll be back.”
Jimmy gave him a finger over a shoulder. “You know what will happen if you do.”
Once inside, he locked the door. “What the hell’re you thinking?”
“Don't you dare get all holier-than-thou on me, Jimmy.” Clearly stoned, his sister-in-law did what she did best and resorted to vicious attacks and blame. “We wouldn't even be in this mess if it wasn't for you.”
Guilt gnawed at him from the inside out. Sometimes he wondered how the hell he’d managed to stay whole. He'd heard the same story so many times he could recite their conversation before it happened. “You can't keep doing this to Cleo. One of these times, she's going to get hurt, and you will never forgive yourself.”
“I already never forgive myself!” she screamed, dropping to her knees.
Jimmy's chest burned with emotion, but his priority was his niece. He couldn't help a grown woman who didn't want to help herself, though he’d never quit trying. But tonight was all about Cleo.
With a light knock on Cleo’s door, he opened it and said, “Hey, Clee, you can come out now.”
Met with silence, he dropped to his hands and knees and searched the darkness until he saw her small form huddled in a ball under the bed. He reached out for her. “You don’t have to be afraid, Clee. I’m here now.”
“Did he leave?” Her small whisper hit his ears with a bang.
“Yes, he’s gone. You and your mama are both safe. I'm sorry it took me so long to get here. Can you forgive me?”
She sniffed with a nod. “I know you'll always come.”
And right then and there, Jimmy promised himself that no matter where he was, no matter what was happening, he would drop it all for this little girl.
It was the only answer, the only thing to do.
“That’s right,” he said softly. “So how about you come out now so I can give you a hug. I need one after that scare.”
He could see her eyes glisten in surprise. “You get scared?”
“When it comes to losing you? Terrified.”
Finally, when he thought he couldn’t bear it another second, she slowly slid out from under the bed and wrapped herself around his waist.
“Please don’t leave me, Uncle Jimmy,” she wept.
“Never. I promise.” Cradling her against his chest, breathing in the strawberry scent of her favorite lip gloss, he knew what he had to do.
“Grab your bag, kiddo. You’re gonna have a camp-out with me tonight. I'll get you to school in the morning.”
Hope filled her eyes, and he was relieved to see she was no longer crying. “Really?”
“Yes, really.” They gathered her things and made their way through the front room.
“You have no right, Jimmy Callahan.”
“It’s just a camp-out, Mama,” Cleo’s voice trembled. “I'll come home tomorrow after school.”
Jimmy didn't wait to let Margo answer and, after making sure the damn asshole wasn't lurking about, encouraged Cleo down to his bike. “Let's get you home.”
She wrapped her arms around him, her helmet against his back. She was safe…for now.
There was no mistaking the sniffle that came across the speaker in his headpiece. He made his way slowly back to the 1, easing into the curves and coasting through the straightaways. Cleo never once let up her grip around his waist, but he felt her little body relax into his back as they went.
How much could one little heart ache? Memories of him and his brother trying to protect each other from drunken foster parents boomed in his head. He could not, would not, allow Cleo's childhood to be so tainted with similar memories that she couldn't recall the good things.
He had to manage the situation carefully.
She wasn’t safe at home, but he didn’t trust the system either.
It had failed him and his brother way too many times.
“I've got you, Clee,” he whispered through his mic.
He felt the small movement of her helmet.
“I know. I'm not scared when I'm with you.”
Jimmy clenched his teeth together.
It was damn hard to drive looking through tears.
CHAPTER 8
Bel followed Jimmy up the trail, enjoying the view as they went.
And she wasn’t staring at the foliage.
The sight of his bulging calves with each step and his ass in those cargo shorts was good for her, not to mention the fresh air and sunshine.
“I swear I'm not this out of shape,” she huffed, picking her way
around a thorny bush on the hill. “I don't know what my problem is today.” Truth be told, she didn’t really find it a problem at all.
No matter how solidly she was set in the idea that love was not going to be found in her lifetime, there was no denying that she was a hot-blooded Malibu woman. As if on cue, Jimmy reached back over his shoulder, gathering his t-shirt in a handful of fabric and yanking it over his head.
“What are you doing?” She wanted to sink in a hole at the breathless sound of her voice.
He glanced at her and shifted his bag from one shoulder to the other. “It's warmer than I expected today. Taking advantage of it and getting a little sun.”
The tattoo that wrapped around his chest continued along the broad expanse of his back, making her want a closer look. “Don't you worry about skin cancer?” She wished she could sew her mouth shut to prevent any more stupid questions.
“Not in the amounts that I get it. The vitamin D, the warmth, keep me feeling steady.” His tone was matter-of-fact.
“Steady?” The sight of all the muscle striations in his back made her feel all sorts of things…not one of them was steady. She snorted.
“Are you doing okay back there?” he asked though the question lacked the warmth it usually held.
He seemed more subdued than normal, and every time she tried to pull him out from under the cloud hanging over him, he resisted.
Gritting her teeth, she forced a smile. “Doing great. What’s the plan exactly for today?”
“You'll see. I have some ideas on a few great shots for platonic relationships.”
She didn't doubt him, though there was something he wasn't telling her. But she followed along anyway. The muscles in his lower back flexed one side then the other, lulling her into an easy gait. The long strips disappeared beneath the band of his shorts, and she decided she’d do just about anything he asked at this point.
They skirted some scraggly bushes along the edge of the hill, and the terrain opened up to a small watering hole fed by a creek.
“Oh!” Bel exclaimed. “How did you ever find this place?”
It was the sweetest little slice of paradise in an area known for its wildfires more than its lush flora. She did a slow circle to take it all in. There was a small natural pool within a short horseshoe of rock that had a couple of little waterfalls. The surrounding plants were small, but there were plenty, providing privacy and blocking out the rest of the world.