She gritted her teeth. Okay, that was just mean.
“Jessica?”
She dragged her gaze to his. “Um….”
“Dinner?”
“Right.” She eased him to the left as the sedan glided behind him. God she felt like an ass. I can’t get him involved in this. “I’m not really dressed for dinner.”
“True.” Straightening, he looked up and down the sidewalk. “Where’s your car? I can follow you back to your house while you get cleaned up.”
“You haven’t changed a bit. Never take no for an answer.” Just another moment or two and the sedan would be far enough away she could escape.
“From you? No.” He chuckled. “Where’s your car?”
“I don’t…have a car.” Damn, why did she admit that? Don’t get him involved, Jessica.
“You don’t?” His eyebrows shot up. “You live around here?”
“No.”
“Then how’d you get here?”
She angled around a bit farther. Get rid of him, Jess. “I walked.”
His head canted forward as he peered down at her feet. “Well, at least you wore sneakers.”
She leaned just a little to peek past him. The silver sedan pulled to the curb. Panic slithered into her lungs. Run!
They’ll see me. I’ll never get away.
The car door opened. A man got out—six foot tall, shoulder-length brown hair held back at his nape. Shifty, dark eyes. Him! The man strode toward her. How had he found her?
Shit! Do something!
Aiden still clasped her hand, holding her captive. Keeping her from escaping for whatever reason. Dinner. He wants to take me to dinner.
Instead of getting rid of him before he got sucked into this mess, instead of pushing him away, she lifted up onto her toes and pulled him toward her. Her lips collided with his, and—
Oh. My. God.
Heat overrode the fear twisting through her. How many times had she dreamed of this moment?
This is wrong, Jess. On so many levels.
But kissing Aiden MacKay under the hot California sun in her coffee-soaked pj’s while trying to keep from getting killed far exceeded any fantasy she’d ever had of him in high school.
Chapter Three
Holy shit! Kissing Jessica Parker outside the café was the absolute last thing he could’ve guessed would happen today. He’d thought coffee and a doughnut would be the highlight, but Jess’ lips? Yeah, way better.
She clung to him like a lifeline, as though her next breath depended on him. When had any woman ever kissed him like this? Dropping the to-go bag to the ground, he cupped the back of her neck, angling her head to deepen the kiss. Her ball cap slipped off, releasing waves of soft hair to fall over his hand. He threaded his fingers into the silky mass and licked the seam of her lips, the light flavor of coffee a surprising turn on.
She opened for him. Dear God. Nothing ever tasted as sweet as her surrender.
He dove in, caressing her tongue with his own. Stroking. Savoring. Exploring every inch of her mouth.
She moaned, the erotic sound an electric pulse through his veins. Damn. Blood rushed south.
She moved closer, her damp tank top pressing to his button down. Her breasts crushing against his chest. Her taut nipples straining to reach his skin.
So hot.
She darted her tongue against his. Dueling. Teasing.
Pressure grew behind his zipper.
Jingle-jangle-jing.
Someone entered the café behind him.
Jess pushed away from him, the hot summer air suddenly cool between them. Glazed green eyes stared up at him. Her lips swollen and wet, and thoroughly kissed. Waves of long wheat-blonde hair a halo around her face. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be.”
Her fingers slipped from his grasp. He wanted to kiss her again, but no sooner had he given thought to the idea than she backed away a step. She snatched her ball cap from the ground, gathered her mass of hair in a quick twist, and pulled the hat on her head to hold it all in place. She yanked the brim low over her eyes.
“So, I’ll take that as a yes for dinner.” He jerked his thumb out to the side. “That’s my truck. Let’s get you cleaned up then I’ll take you to a nice restaurant and we’ll catch up.” And maybe a repeat of that kiss.
“I, uh….” Her gaze flicked from his truck to the café then to him. “Sure.”
She headed for the king cab. Aiden bent to grab his deli bag, his attention split between that and his eye-level view of her well-rounded ass. Every quick step she took, her hips swayed, the pink-and-green camo flannel cupping each cheek and outlining her heart-shaped bottom. Lord have mercy.
Straightening, he dug in his pocket, fishing out his keys, then thumbed the fob, remotely unlocking the vehicle. Coming up next to her, he reached to open the door for her.
A timid smile flitted over her lips—completely at odds with the brazen way she’d kissed him just moments ago. “Thanks.”
He reached up, tucking a wayward strand behind her ear. “No problem.”
He waited while she crawled into the passenger seat then pushed the door closed. As he rounded to the driver’s side, his big head did what the little one wouldn’t—questioned what the hell he thought he was doing. Yes, it had been almost a year since he’d gotten close to a woman. Melanie’s abandonment had shredded his heart. Her complete rejection—returning his engagement ring via FedEx no less—had stomped whatever bits remained of that sucker flat.
But seeing Jessica again had caught him off guard. And his heart had thump-thumped more than a few beats.
Stop. You’re done with women.
Jess is a friend.
Yeah. Snort. A friend you’re hoping to have benefits with. After Melanie, what makes you think any woman in her right mind would want you?
He frowned, piteous anger slashing his insides. Yanking the truck door open, he hoisted himself in and set the bag between them on the bench seat. Jess had already buckled herself in, her chin dipped, and her hand up to the side her face as if to block the sun pouring through her window.
Except, the sun cooked his side of the truck, his left forearm already roasting nicely. I don’t know what’s going on with her, but she needs me.
Sure it’s not the other way around?
He jammed the key into the ignition and cranked the engine, the hemi roaring to life with well-timed precision then settling into a powerful loping idle. Doesn’t matter what I want. Because, though she tried to distract me with that kiss, it’s obvious she’s worried about something. He adjusted the air conditioning to high then lowered both windows to let convection do its job and release the cab’s scalding air outside. He shifted the truck into gear. As he eased away from the curb, he glanced toward the café. Some big dude exited.
After maneuvering into traffic, he risked a quick look at Jess hunkered down in her seat. Why is she so nervous? And what is she doing out in her pajamas?
Thank God for A/C. Jessica sighed with relief.
When Aiden opened the truck’s door, a furnace blast had greeted her. Less than a second after he closed it, sweat coated her skin. Big, fat drops rolled down her neck, over her collarbones, and between her breasts to steep in her coffee-infused tank top.
Jessica fought not to slump in her seat—doing so might give Aiden an opportunity to ask more questions. Instead, she did her best to shield her face as they passed the silver sedan. Aiden’s arrival couldn’t have been better timed. Seemed the Fates were watching over her for some reason. Better not to question. Just go with it.
Cold air blew over her face. Nothing had ever felt better.
Except Aiden’s lips.
Her nipples tightened. She crossed her arms over her chest to conceal her body’s reaction. Damn A/C’s making my tank top like ice.
Yeah, keep telling yourself that.
“Which hotel are you staying at?” His gaze remained locked on the road.
“Um….” Crap. She rummaged her brain
. If she could get him to drop her off somewhere, she could disappear and keep both him and herself safe. “The Best Western.”
They drove in silence until he pulled into the hotel lot and parked, leaving the engine idling so the cab stayed cool.
He angled toward her. “I’ll wait while you get cleaned up. Then we’ll go eat.”
She glanced at the hotel entrance then at him. “You don’t have to. Besides, you need to change, too.”
He plucked at his shirt where coffee had splashed on him, too. “Yeah. Guess I do.”
Clutching her pack in one hand, she reached for the door with the other. “You go get ready, and I’ll call you in an hour or so.”
“You don’t have my number.” He held his hand out. “Give me your phone, and I’ll put it in for you.”
She swallowed. “I…left it in my room.”
He nodded. “Okay. I’ll walk you up to your room, make sure you get in safe, and then you can give me your phone.”
Could she give him the slip once they got inside? Her grip tightened on the handle. Maybe. “Okay.”
“Cut the crap, Jess.”
She jolted. “What?”
“I’m not stupid.”
“I never said you were.”
He jerked his thumb toward the building. “Then why are you telling me this is your hotel?”
“Because it is.”
“Bullshit.”
“Whatever.” She yanked the handle. “Good seeing you, Aiden.”
He grabbed her arm, his long fingers hot against her skin, hindering her escape. “Jessica.”
She faced him. Big mistake. His ice blues lasered through her, burning away her pretenses. She sighed, defeated. “How did you know?”
He tilted his head to where she clutched her pack. “You stuffed a shopping bag in there. Why would you walk over five miles to a drugstore to buy something—in your pajamas, no less—when there’s a store just down the street?”
She slumped, released the door handle. “So there’s that.”
“Yeah.” He leaned toward her. “I don’t know why you’re lying to me. But it’s clear something’s up.”
She was trying to keep him safe, damn it. But, instead, he wanted to help her. He’d always been a good guy.
He straightened, put the truck in gear, and drove out to the road again.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m taking you to my house.” Finality rang in his words. “We’ll get you cleaned up. Then you can tell me what the hell’s going on.”
Chapter Four
Aiden followed Jessica inside the house, closing and locking the door behind him. He waited while she looked around.
She turned toward him. “It’s nice.”
“It’s not much, but it’s home.” He led her past the kitchen, tossing the paper bag with the food on the counter, then continued to the hall bathroom. “There are towels and washcloths in the linen closet. And some kind of girly soap and shampoo under the sink.”
She eyed him with a raised brow.
He chuckled. “Kat and Brigit are trying to make me into an enlightened, progressive man.” When she giggled, he held his hands up in mock surrender. “Their words, not mine.”
She entered the bathroom, set her pack on the counter then bent to peek underneath. She drew out a bright-pink caddy with body washes, shampoos, and several lotions along with a lot of other items tucked in to fill the gaps. When had Kat and Brig stuffed all that in there? As Jess set the caddy on the counter, a fuchsia shower pouf rolled off the top and bounced into the sink.
She plucked out a bottle of something, popped open the top, and inhaled. “Mmm. I always liked your sisters.”
The look of bliss on her face mesmerized him for a moment. When she closed the bottle—snap!—the spell broke. He dragged his gaze to the counter.
“Do you happen to have a change of clothes in your pack?”
“Um, no.”
“Okay. Just drop your clothes outside the door and I’ll throw them in the wash.” He backed out into the hallway. “While you shower, I’ll find something for you to wear.” He left and went to his room, digging through his dresser drawers for something that wouldn’t swallow her. While his sisters had brought various girly items to his house, neither had left any clothing.
He pulled out a gray T-shirt and held it up. Dallas Cowboys. The team’s name along with their signature star sprawled across the front. He’d bought the shirt while doing some benchmark training at Station 58. There, he’d met Jax Malloy, and they’d become friends. Later, he and his wife, Skye, had shown him around Dallas. Aiden had always planned to go back, but then his whole life had changed.
He shook his head, clearing it of the past. The part of his life where he ran into burning buildings and saved lives had ended. He’d tried to overcome his fears, but fire had won.
He clenched the T-shirt in his fist and squeezed his eyes shut. Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself. The Cowboys shirt would do fine. Opening another drawer, he grabbed a pair of cotton jogging shorts then returned down the hall.
No coffee-stained pajamas lay on the floor, so he tapped on the bathroom door. “Hey, Jess.”
The door opened just a bit, and she peeped her head out. She’d ditched the ball cap. Long wheat-blonde strands wafted through the opening. “Yeah?”
“I got some clothes.”
Her gaze moved to where he held the items out to her then returned to his face. Her eyes darkened with desire—the same desire he’d seen outside the café. Maybe the kiss meant something. Right. Which is why she lied about the hotel.
She needs my help. He leaned toward her.
She licked her lips then thrust her hand out to take the clothing. “Thanks.”
She shut the door.
Okay.
He wandered toward his bedroom again, but the sound of the bathroom door opening had him spinning around. Her arm stuck out into the hallway, pajamas dangling from her fingertips. Two strides and he took her clothes, her fingers brushing his palm. Heat dashed up his arm and straight to his groin. Damn.
“Thanks.” She shut the door again.
The sink tap turned on.
His mind concocted all sorts of scenarios regarding running water and Jess’s naked body. He groaned and turned away, clutching her pajamas. Passing through the kitchen, he entered the laundry room. He opened the washer, tossed her clothes in, and added the requisite detergent and softener. As he reached to close the lid, he paused.
Why do two loads? He toed off his shoes then stripped down to his boxer briefs where his erection poked at the cotton fabric. He dropped his clothes in on top of hers…an image of him dropping on top of her popping into his head.
They’d been best friends in high school, even had a “moment” or two, but neither had pursued anything more. Him because he didn’t want to chance her laughing off his advances as a joke. Her? He had no clue. She had her reasons.
But now….
Now what?
What the hell is wrong with you? The second she learns the truth, she’ll run screaming—just like Melanie did. Face it. No matter how hot that kiss was, no matter what you thought you saw in her eyes, she won’t want you.
Grimacing, Aiden shut the washer lid, set the program to a small load, and started it. He padded barefoot to his bedroom where he entered the master bath and stepped out of his underwear, tossing them in the hamper. After grabbing a washcloth from the linen closet, he turned on the faucet and, not waiting, held it under the stream. Ice-cold water soaked the cloth.
He wiped himself down, starting with his raging boner. Yeah, no. Not even the frigid washcloth could cool the heat running through him.
His hand moved up and down his length. Maybe he should help himself out, relieve the pressure. His hard-on bobbed against his palm. It wouldn’t take much.
Mer-row?
Aiden jumped. “Jesus, Ptomaine. You scared the shit out of me.”
The large gray tabby sauntered
to him, arched his back, and rubbed against Aiden’s calves. The stunted tail wrapped around to press against his shins as his thrumming purrs echoed against the tiles.
M-yow.
O-kaaay. The cat worked better than an icy washcloth.
His boner flagging and his libido under control once again, Aiden finished wiping the last hints of coffee from his torso and thighs. After toweling dry, he went to the bedroom, pulled clothes from the dresser then dragged on clean underwear and a pair of loose cotton shorts. As he headed out to the kitchen, he yanked a T-shirt over his head.
At the counter, he set the coffeemaker to brew a fresh pot, and tried not to think of Jess, naked…with only a single door separating them. A simple twist of the knob and—
M-yow.
He peered down at expectant bright-gold eyes. “Dinner. Right.”
Aiden got a can out of the cabinet, dumping the contents onto a paper plate. He set it on the floor. The big guy dug right in.
“You’re welcome.” He leaned against the counter, the rich aroma of fresh-brewed coffee filling the air as the maker chugged and coughed next to him. “How was your day, Ptomaine?”
The cat bit and nipped at the food.
“Mine was interesting. I ran into an old friend from high school. Literally.” He checked his watch. Jess had been in the guest bath for over forty-five minutes. His sisters took notoriously long showers, but thirty minutes or so was all they needed. His gaze drifted to the hallway. What was she doing in there?
“Her name is Jessica Parker. I knew her in high school.” He looked at the cat who tore up his dinner. “You wouldn’t know her. That was a while back. You weren’t even a glimmer in your daddy cat’s eye back then.”
Opening a cabinet, he got out two plates and two glasses and set them on the counter. “Jess is nice.” Retrieving the bag he’d dropped off on the way through earlier, he pulled out the food. “She was my best friend in high school.” He unwrapped the sandwich, setting half on each dish, then checked the doughnuts. Mangled, but still edible. He gave Jess the better one and tossed the crushed one onto his plate. “Not a gourmet meal, but….”
Dallas Fire & Rescue: Hearts Afire (Kindle Worlds Novella) (MacKay Destiny Book 3) Page 2