The Very Worst Man

by Laura Stapleton

  “Does she usually stay there overnight?”

  “Yes, only as long as I need sleep. Otherwise, it’s mayhem and playtime.”

  She laughed and took his hand, letting him pull her off the sofa and lead her to the bedroom.

  He grinned, glad he’d made his bed and tossed yesterday’s clothes into the hamper last night. Nothing like dirty underwear to spoil a mood. Hayden reached his bed, still holding her hand, and swung her around as if they were dancing. “I’m so ready for this.”

  “Does that explain the silly walk?”

  Laughing, he nodded. “Yes, and I’d hoped you wouldn’t notice.”

  “Your cute butt gave it away.”

  “Glad you were looking, then.” He cupped the back of her head with his left hand and buried his fingers in her hair.

  She smiled up at him and gave a little wink. “I can’t help it. You’re irresistible.”

  He kissed her, his other hand at the middle of her back and sliding down to pull her hips against his. She breathed in sharp when they touched there, and he knew she felt exactly how ready he was. He growled, digging his fingertips into the fleshy curves. At her squeak, he stopped kissing her to ask, “Am I hurting you?”

  “A little. You’re going way too slow.”

  “Oh?” He stepped a little bit back and untucked his shirt. “How’s this?” Forcing his most serious expression, he pulled apart his shirt, making the buttons pop off like they were spring loaded.

  “Holy cow, Hayden! I didn’t mean for you to ruin your shirt!”

  “You’re next.”

  “What! No!” She stepped back, stumbling onto the bed. Alexandra clutched her shirt as if he’d rip it off of her in an instant. “Don’t you dare!”

  He couldn’t help but laugh. “The look on your face.” Her frown calmed him a little and he leaned over her, putting his hands down on either side. “It’s an old shirt with stains on the cuff. It was doomed from the start.”

  She relaxed completely on the comforter. “Oh my God, you had me worried I really was next.”

  “You are.” He put a knee to one side of her and eased down to his elbows. “I’ll take my time with your clothes, though. No ripping or tearing.”

  “Mm, sounds good.” She wrapped her arms around him, her hands cool on his hot skin. “Should we get naked, get a condom, and get under the covers? Or just do this for a while?”

  He brushed her lips with his own. “Doesn’t matter. As long as you don’t feel like I’m rushing you.” Kissing across her face to her earlobe, he whispered, “It wasn’t that long ago you hated my guts, remember?”

  “I still do.”

  “So what happens when you fall in love with me?”

  “This, most likely.”

  Her statement froze him in place. Did she mean it, or was he misinterpreting? His heart felt three sizes too big for his chest. He didn’t know what to say without sounding like a lovesick fool, so he eased up to standing, then helped her to her feet. Continuing to hold her close, he leaned over and pulled down the comforter. She grinned, kicking off her shoes and wriggling out of his embrace.

  Alexandra pulled off her shirt. “Now we’re even.”

  “Are we?” He held his arms open, showcasing his bare chest. “I’m not wearing a bra.”

  “Easy, tiger. Let me get your pants off, first.” She reached over and undid his belt buckle.

  Taking a hold of her pants at the buttoned front, he said, “Then yours?”

  She brushed aside his hands, undid her pants, and shimmied them down her legs. “Of course.”

  He undressed in a hurry and worked out the details in a fever. If he got into bed first, it meant she’d be sleeping on his side, where the condoms were. “Get in bed first and I promise to follow you.”

  “Well, since you promised.”

  Hayden loved her wicked little grin as she climbed into bed. He opened the nightstand drawer and got a condom packet. A quick twist to start a tear and he put it on top of the nightstand. He slid in under the covers, still wearing his underwear. “I need to adjust the thermostat timing, it’s getting colder earlier in the day.” Snuggling up to her, he snapped one of her bra straps. “Good thing we have all this underwear on to keep us warm.”

  She chuckled, relaxing into him. “I wanted to talk to you about that.”

  “No need, I’ve got this.” He slid his hand down, taking her bra strap with his fingertips and following the touch with kisses. Following along and over to the middle of her back, he unhooked her bra with an eighth grader’s skill. His heart thudded in his chest at the thought of seeing her breasts. A hard, insistent part of him wanted to rush, but the rest of him enjoyed the slow unwrapping of this perfect woman. She buried the fingers of one hand in his chest hair while the other propped up her head.

  “This is nice.” She traced a line down the middle of his stomach and to the waist of his boxers. “But these have to go.”

  Hayden hooked a finger into a bra strap and tugged. “What about this?” He eased it from her and she helped, lying on her back. Transfixed by her nudity, he watched as she pulled off her panties. “You’re beautiful.”

  “Thank you, so are you.” She giggled when he cupped her breast and kissed her nipple. “That tickles.”

  Sensitive, hmm? She’d need a heavier touch, he decided, and let his fingernails give her a light scratch. Almost enough to leave a mark, but not quite enough. He didn’t want to mar her smooth skin. Her shiver confirmed his speculation. “Just a moment.” He rolled away from her, not able to take his boxers off fast enough. Freeing the condom from its wrapper, Hayden hesitated in putting it on him. He wanted her touch on his bare skin, first. Turning back to her, he asked, “Would you be willing to do the honors?”

  Laughing, she said, “Honors? Oh my, how will I ever? Come here, handsome.”

  When she wrapped a hand around him, he gasped at how good her grip felt. Was she giving him a little more of a caress than necessary? His hips arched a little, needing more. “This is great.”

  “Good. If I weren’t so impatient to slip you into me, I’d take my time in rolling this on you.” A smooth move and the condom stretched to the base of him. “As it is, I’m tired of waiting.”

  She straddled him and he struggled to not force his way into her. Hayden suspected Alexandra was ready for him. No harm in feeling for himself. He pulled her shoulders toward him until her hard little nipples pressed into his skin. Kissing her, he slid his hands down her back and further, letting his fingertips caress her center. As he touched her hot and wet skin, she gave him a little bite on his arm. She felt as ready for him as he was for her. He didn’t break their kiss and gripped her butt cheeks. Using his knees to lift her, Hayden tilted his hips and slid into her. She moaned the entire time until he bottomed out in her. When he reached the end, Alexandra shuddered and he broke their lip lock. “Damn woman, I had no idea.”

  “Me neither.” She lifted away from him, propped up on her hands. “I’d imagined this but had no idea you’d feel so good.” Relaxing a little, her cleavage almost touching his nose, she began rocking back and forth on him. “So good, Hayden, so very good.”

  “Yeah,” he said, grinning at how his voice sounded muffled by her breasts. Needing to please her, he caressed and kissed her tender skin, enjoying every second. The pleasure in him built to near climax several times due to her riding him. He’d breathe in deep, inhaling her perfume mixed with her natural scent. Once calmed down, he’d again focus on caressing her. He sensed she needed a little more of a nudge than the physical. “Next time, I’m pinning you down and spreading those beautiful legs of yours.” She rewarded his sexy talk with a shudder. He grinned, knowing she was close. Hayden held her ass with both hands and squeezed. “I’ll do things to you that make this look like Sunday school.”

  “Oh, I’d like that, Hayden. Yes, please,” she panted.

  Now, he decided. They were at the same place physically and he opened his knees a little more. “Hold o
n, baby.” He upped the tempo of his hips, crashing into her harder than she’d bounced on him. Alexandra let her forehead fall onto his shoulder, resting on her elbows and knees as he took her. Their angle of contact gave him more distance to pull out and push back in. He held onto her, moving faster and harder. “Close?” he ground out.

  “Yes! I’m there!” she cried out, lips pressed against his skin. She gave a screamy little moan to each of his thrusts, driving him insane.

  He didn’t breathe, so focused on pistoning into her. His body felt like a rubber band stretched too far and ready to snap. Every muscle in his legs had one function, to continue the relentless thrust he needed. He breathed in deep as the dam within him neared bursting. When it did, everything restrained in him flooded out. “Ah, Alex!” His body and mind both stopped working from the intense pleasure. He stayed still, the throbbing from him almost hurting it felt so good. “Wow. You’re amazing.” The last few pulses eased and he opened his eyes to see her smiling at him. “We don’t have to talk about this again, do we? Just fall into bed and let this happen as often as possible?”

  “Yeah, as often as possible.” She leaned forward, kissing his forehead. “Are you in favor of snuggling, or should I get dressed and go? Keep this low key and no pressure?”

  “I’m in favor of ditching this condom and keeping you in my bed for the night.” He left off saying for the rest of his life, but his mind was made up and his heart sold on the idea. Hayden spent as little time as possible in the bathroom and hurried back to her.

  His breath caught. She slept, her hair framing her face. He already missed staring into her eyes, so clear, blue, and beautiful. Hayden eased into bed and under the covers, working hard to let her sleep instead of caressing her awake to make love again. Her lips stayed in a smile as she lay facing him, her hand in front of her on the pillow. Careful and slow, he placed his hand over hers, loving the warmth. She had him enslaved and he didn’t care who knew. When he felt her breath on his skin, the decision rolling around in his mind stopped and took root. He was hers now and he’d do whatever it took to keep her in his life as long as she wished.

  “Hayden, sweetheart,” she said while kissing him.

  Wanting it to be real, he peeked out from squinted eyes. “Alex, dearest.”

  She pulled away before he could coax another kiss from her. “I’m not telling anyone about last night, especially Stan. He’d been planning on us having sex so he could use it to discredit you.”

  Hayden froze. Their lovemaking had been Bromley’s idea? He struggled to keep from rushing to judge. “Tell me more about this scheme of his.”

  Alexandra snuggled him, playing with his chest hair. “I’d mentioned something one day about you and me, and he just ran with the idea. For him, the next logical step was my seducing you.”

  He relaxed his jaw before saying, “I see. How was this going to work?”

  “In his mind, I’d sleep with you, tell him, and his case would get reexamined for ethics violation.” She kissed his neck. “To be honest, I’m not sure if his plan would have worked.”

  Hayden waited for a few seconds for her to continue, not wanting to interrupt any more information from her. When she stayed quiet, he said, “Sounds like it was or is a viable option to you.”

  “God, no. After he suggested it, I thought about researching what relationships would be impossible or possible but haven’t had the time.”

  It seemed like last night had been spontaneous, at least. He wanted to see her reaction to how little their intimacy would affect Bromley’s sentence. “I’ve checked on the ramifications, especially after the other night when I visited you. I’ve not found any laws specifying a conflict when the attorney and relative of a person convicted are in a relationship after the case is settled. Probably because it’s rare or hasn’t happened yet. In my experience, putting away a family member tends to dampen women’s lust for me.”

  She laughed and ran her hand down his body. “Well, I’m very lusty for you and love being an exception to the rule.”

  His face grew warm at her intimate touch. “I love it too. So Stan’s idea of using you to sleep with me won’t work. I’m not going to be discredited and he won’t walk.” Hayden wanted to relax and make love to her again, but his heart ached at possibly being used by her. “If I’d presented a weak case and he was out free, there’d be a problem. As it is, he might manage to make my life unpleasant for a while, but as far as going free, he’ll have to try again in court.” He had to test her intentions one last time and said, “Maybe he should have had you sleep with the warden. It would have been more productive than being with me at this stage.”

  Her jaw dropped before she gasped out, “Hayden! That’s horrible. I wouldn’t do that.”

  He raised his brows, somewhat surprised by her intensity. “No? Then why are you here in my bed if you hadn’t bought into his idea even a little bit?”

  Not meeting his eyes, she rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. “I don’t know for sure,” she said in a quiet voice.

  “You can try to tell me what you’re doing here, really, and don’t lie to me. It won’t work.”

  She snorted. “Oh. Ok, Mr. Human Lie Detector. The unvarnished truth is that I’d almost liked the idea of being sexually irresistible to you until you mentioned the warden.” She wrinkled her nose. “Seduce him? No. Seduce you? Yes.”

  “So you want me for no other reason than me and we can quit talking about your reprobate brother now?”

  “Absolutely.” She sat up. “I need to get home and start some laundry. Sundays are my only day in the week to clean and run errands.”

  He did not want to start the day without making love to her again. She seemed to be busy dressing already and he frowned. “Of course. Same here.” He peered over the bed and found his boxers from last night. They’d do until a shower. He scooped them up, putting them on. “I always work on Saturdays too.”

  Looking over her shoulder at him, she said, “I wouldn’t mind coming back, though. I know it’s inviting myself over, but not really when you’re welcome at my house as often as you’d like to visit.” She went back to putting on shoes and socks.

  “Sounds good.” He followed and watched as she searched her purse for car keys, using every ounce of willpower to stop from keeping her here. Looking at her face and watching her move increased the loneliness at the thought of her going. Crime scene images flashed in his mind, the long work hours, having to end this relationship with her. Their lovemaking changed everything for him. “I don’t want to keep seeing you and still be a state prosecutor, Alexandra. You know that, right?”

  She paused, still at first, before giving him a little grin. “Yes, I knew it might be a problem for you, but didn’t we discuss this last night?”

  “Some, yes, but not everything.” He shivered a little, the hour too early for the heater to kick on. Wrapping his arms around himself, Hayden looked into her eyes and said, “Last night made a lot of things clear to me and now I need to choose between being with you and continuing my job. I hope you understand.”

  “I do. Fine and thank you for being honest. I appreciate that.” She smiled at Lily and glanced back at him before looking away again. “Bye, Hayden. Last night was amazing.”

  He grinned, leaning against the wall. Soon, every night for the rest of their lives would be just like that. “Yeah, it was, and drive home safe.”

  She nodded with a fading smile. “Will do.” Her chin trembled and she turned, going to her car.

  He watched until she drove around the corner. She seemed so sad and he shook his head. Silly woman. Resigning as the state prosecutor would be far easier than passing up a relationship with her. He closed the door before picking up Lily and going to his computer to see how easy a transition into private life would be.

  Chapter 9

  Alexandra managed to keep it together until closing the door to her home. She turned the lock, and like a bursting water balloon, her sobs broke out of
her. Leaning her head against the door, she cried, hoping the pain would ease a little. In a little while, her eyes felt gummy and her throat hurt. She needed to breathe and went for a tissue to blow her nose.

  Feeling a little better physically, her heart still ached. Last night hadn’t been anything more than a hook up, yet felt like so much more. Sweet and simple surpassed any wild fantasy she’d dreamed up about him. She did need to leave, but had wanted him to ask her to stay. He hadn’t, and then the final nail in her heart? One night was all they’d have, and she wanted so much more.

  Numb, finally, she loaded the washing machine and the dishwasher. She needed to go grocery shopping but didn’t even want to bother. In the remote possibility of her getting out in public, she went to take a shower. She undressed, her body feeling as if it glowed from his every touch. Alexandra soaped up the loofa extra sudsy, intent on scrubbing him away. She rinsed her hair and tears began stinging her eyes. He’d been so adorable, so loving, and yet she should have known it couldn’t last. He’d said as much in the beginning with the ethics issues and his occupation. She wiped water from her face. His decision wasn’t a surprise. Of course he’d stay. Who gave up a career for a beginning relationship? Especially their relationship. They’d been frienemies with one passionate night together. She should be shrugging it off far more than crying about it.

  A little clearer after giving her heart a pep talk, she dressed in comfy sweats and went to her phone. There was no need in keeping his cell number. Every time Maxine would text her, she’d hope it was him. She scrolled down to his name, hesitating before deleting the contact. Alexandra didn’t want to remove him, but he was a prosecuting attorney and what was she? A murderer’s sister. She pressed delete, pressed yes, she was sure, and his number was gone. Taking a deep breath, she added tissue infused with aloe to her mental shopping list and wiped away the tears.