Stunned, she stood there for several seconds, trying to get her thoughts together, her feelings over his messed-up, highly arrogant declaration. In the end, all she could come up with was, “Wow.”
His smile grew wider. “I know. I’ve surprised you. I mean, we’ll have to keep our relationship quiet until we have you looking your best, but I think—”
“Travis…”
“You’ll be more than acceptable after you’ve dropped a little weight, done something with that hair, maybe dye it? Lose the red; it’s kind of, well, it’s red…”
“Travis.”
She said his name with more force, and he finally shut up.
“No.”
His brow scrunched. “No?”
She shook her head. “No. I won’t be going on some crash diet, and I sure as hell won’t be dying my hair. My hair is the same color as my grandmother’s was. I like my hair, and I like my life.”
“Darling…”
She shoved his hand away from the side of her neck. “Why you think I’d be jumping for joy over your offer, I have no idea; maybe you’re delusional? Even if you wanted me back the way I am, I would tell you to take a flying leap. You want me but only if I’m someone else. You mocked me to your friends, to cover your embarrassment when they found out you were seeing me. Like I was some charity case. Like I was some pity fuck.”
He flinched. “Shay.” This time his voice was sharp, reprimanding. Travis didn’t like it when she cursed, which was why she’d done it.
“Look, Travis, don’t take this the wrong way,” she said, firing his words back at him. “But I could do better. In fact, I have done better.”
His mouth tightened, lips thinning. “Don’t play games with me. I know you haven’t been with anyone else.”
She just smiled.
Travis grabbed her arm. “You haven’t.”
“Walk away, Travis,” she said, yanking her arm free.
He stared at her for several seconds, face red with anger, then finally he spun on his dress shoes and stormed off across the parking lot. She slumped against the fence, getting her emotions, her heart-rate back under control, then pushed off and started toward the street before she missed her bus. He wasn’t worth the slice of pain his words had caused. He wasn’t. He never had been.
“Shay?”
She jumped at the deep, rumbling voice coming through the darkness. Then he stepped forward, big body moving out of the shadows.
Hugh.
“Who was that? You okay?”
Her gaze moved over him, ate him up. “What are you doing here?”
“I was working late; thought I’d stop by.”
She swallowed the lump forming in her throat. “But your garage is twenty minutes away.”
He shrugged. “You gonna tell me who that guy was talking to you?”
“My old boss.”
His brows lowered. “Was he giving you a hard time?”
She hugged herself. “Yeah, but I don’t think he’ll be bothering me anymore.”
His wide shoulders seemed to grow wider, expression going from easy to hard in a split second. “He’s been bothering you?”
“I’m fine, really.”
“Your car here?”
“No, I…”
Closing the gap between them, he planted a hand on her lower back and directed her to his truck. “I’ll drive you home.” He pulled open the passenger door.
“No, I couldn’t…”
“You could.”
It was late. She didn’t want to walk to the bus stop, even though it was only half a block away—and Hugh made her feel…good. Just being around him made her feel good, and she needed that right then. A solid reason to stay away from him. Still, when she opened her mouth, instead of declining, she said, “Thank you. That’s really very nice of you.”
For some reason, her statement made him grin. It was highly attractive, but then she lost sight of it because she climbed up, and he shut her in. His smile was gone by the time he got in with her.
A few minutes later, they were on the road, Hugh’s formidable presence filling the cab.
“What was that back there?”
She blew out a breath. Telling him about the most humiliating moment in her life was not something she relished, but she got the feeling he wasn’t in the mood to drop the subject. The determined look in his eyes, not to mention the way the muscle in his jaw jumped every so often, spoke volumes. Why he cared, she had no clue. They’d shared a night, and yes, he’d shown up at her work and offered her a ride for some unknown reason. And okay, she was a little confused about that, since he’d made it clear he didn’t want anything more than casual. They both had. Still, she found herself confiding in him. “That was my ex-boyfriend.”
“You were fucking that guy?”
She ignored the slight growl to his voice and carried on. “We were dating. Well, that’s what I thought, but in reality, I was his dirty little secret.”
She watched his fingers tighten on the steering wheel. “He screwed you over?”
“I, ah…I heard him talking about me, making excuses for seeing me. He said a bunch of things, hurtful things… He was…embarrassed of me.” She glanced over at him. “I was forced to quit my job. I’m a graphic designer, and finding another job doing what I was at TBS is proving difficult.” She motioned to her Woody’s shirt. “Which is why I work three jobs.”
“What did he want just now?”
She swallowed the lump in her throat. “He told me he’d take me back.”
“What?” Okay, now his voice was all growl.
She wrapped her arms around her waist, trying to stop the nausea caused by just thinking about Travis’s words. “Yes, and all I have to do for the pleasure is lose weight, change my clothes, my make-up, and dye my hair a different color.”
Hugh was silent, so she kept talking. “But there’s another condition on top of all of that…we have to keep our relationship a secret until I look…” She lifted her hands, doing air quotes. “Acceptable.”
“Motherfucker,” he finally said, quiet fury radiating from his deep voice.
A sudden rush of emotion rose up from nowhere. Hearing it out loud, that she wasn’t good enough, hit hard. Why, she didn’t know. She’d heard the words before, many times, and not just from Travis. Her mother had said the same on numerous occasions. She turned away as hot tears suddenly filled her eyes, ran down her cheeks.
“Babe?” Hugh reached out, took her chin between his thumb and finger and made her look at him. “That asshole still mean something to you?”
She shook her head. “What? No. God, no. When he touched me my skin crawled. Ignore me, I’m just…”
“Don’t let that fucker get to you. He sure as hell isn’t worth your tears.”
She smiled through them. “I know you’re right. It just doesn’t feel good to have all the reasons you weren’t good enough, all your faults, listed and thrown back in your face.”
“Faults?” He was growling again. “Not faults, Shay. You do not need to lose fucking weight. You got curves, and those curves are sexy as hell. As for make-up, clothes? I don’t know shit about that stuff. But I like the way you wear what you have, it’s you, it’s hot, it works in a seriously good way. But your hair, your hair is fucking gorgeous. I’d be pissed if you dyed it.”
Everything he said, God, the way he said it…she couldn’t doubt he meant every word. Hugh was real. He didn’t play games. She’d learned that the first night she met him. Her face crumpled again, a fresh round of tears sliding down her face. “That was a really nice thing for you to say.”
“I meant every word,” he said, voice gruff, then he surprised her by reaching out and brushing some of her tears away with the pad of his thumb. “Shit. Was trying to make you feel better, not make it worse.”
“You did make me feel better.” It was almost alarming how much better she felt hearing that from him, how important it was that he felt that way, saw her that way. “Bu
t unfortunately, you’ve caught me at a weak moment. I used up all my fake attitude yesterday on you at the garage.”
He was quiet several seconds. “You what?”
“When you asked me for drinks.” She sniffed and rummaged in her bag for a tissue.
“I’m not following.”
She wiped her eyes and blew her nose. “I’m not feisty or…or one of those strong, independent types. I try to tell myself I am, but I’m just…” She glanced out the window. “I’m just not. I faked it.”
“Bullshit.”
His voice was extra low, and she turned to look at him across the cab. He glanced at her then back at the road.
“But I’m still not following, sweetheart.”
“I turned you down for drinks.”
“I’m aware.” He gave her a small grin, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Why would turning me down use up all your attitude?”
After repeating her words back to her, the grin did reach his eyes. The effect was devastating.
She ignored how ruggedly handsome he was, or tried to, and carried on. “Fake attitude,” she corrected. “And, well, it’s because I…I didn’t fully, one hundred percent want to say no.”
Everything seemed to grind to a standstill, the air in the truck changed and though she wasn’t looking at him, she felt his gaze move back to her.
“Look at me, Shay.”
She sucked in a shuddery breath, but did as he said, was powerless to do otherwise.
“You wanted to have a drink with me?”
Her mouth felt dry all of a sudden. “Ah, maybe.”
His gaze moved between her and the road ahead. “You gonna tell me why you said no?”
Why had she opened her big fat mouth? “No.”
“I’m gonna need a different answer.”
She played with the edge of her bag. “Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but that’s the only one you’re going to get.”
He shook his head, eyes aimed forward. “And she says she’s not feisty.”
His words made her belly do a loop-de-loop.
“You’re full of shit, babe. Know that for a fact. If I hadn’t been there when that fucker in the Batman costume cornered you, I get the feeling that guy would still be walking funny. Your fuck-wit ex? I saw him get into his car. Guy looked as if he’d just eaten shit. I don’t doubt you tore the little prick a new asshole before he stormed off.” His voice dropped. “And, babe, that isn’t the only way you’re feisty. I’ve had the pleasure of you unleashing it on me when I was in your bed, in a way that’s had my dick hard for a fucking week. So, yeah, I call bullshit.”
She was speechless. No one had ever said anything like that to her before. Ever. “Hugh…”
His thick fingers flexed around the steering wheel again. “Now, you gonna tell me why you turned me down?”
He’d been sweet and kind, in his gruff, blunt way, and he deserved the truth. She cleared her throat and blurted, “Because I wanted to say yes.” Then for reasons unknown, she added, “Badly.”
Chapter Seven
Because I wanted to say yes.
She licked her lips, and Hugh’s dick jerked behind his zipper as if she’d just swiped her tongue across the head of his cock.
Shit.
He’d pushed for her to tell him, and now she had—he was screwed. Totally and royally.
When he’d gotten into his truck and driven to Woody’s, he’d known why he was going, he’d wanted—no, needed—to see Shay. It was messed up, out of character, but he’d banked on her telling him to get lost.
He’d needed her to tell him to get lost.
When she brought his keys to the garage, she’d turned him down flat. It was for the best; he was no good for her, no good for anyone. But he’d seen the heat in her gaze, he’d felt sure of it. It had fucking niggled at him the last few days, to the point he’d had no choice but to get into his damn truck and drive over here—just so she could tell him he was wrong.
The plan had blown up in his face.
“It’s not just a drink you want from me, though, is it, Shay?” he asked, voice shot to shit. Pushing when he should be keeping his mouth firmly shut.
She shifted in her seat, and he glanced over. Her lids lifted, and her green eyes locked on his.
“No.”
Shit. His cock pulsed, trying to fucking punch through his jeans. “You remember what I said to you that first night? I’m not looking for a relationship. I don’t have room for that in my life right now.”
She shook her head, gorgeous red hair sliding over her shoulder. He still couldn’t believe her asshole ex wanted her to dye it. Fucking twat.
“I’m attracted to you, and I…I want you, but I don’t want anything more. Me and relationships…” She shook her head again. “Well, let’s just say I don’t have room for one in my life, either.”
His heart started to pound. “So, what’re you saying here, sweetheart?”
“I’d like to…”
She blushed. Even in the dark cab of his truck, he could see her cheeks darken. Made his cock even harder.
“Us…to have an affair,” she finished.
Even the prim way she said it, calling it an affair, just turned him on more. Made him want to corrupt her, do dirty things to her, taste every damn inch of her sweet body and not stop until she was screaming his name. “I’m in your bed, or you’re in mine. Nothing more?”
“Yes. That’s what I’m proposing.”
He was insane for considering this, with the way things were right now, but he didn’t think he could walk away from her offer, either, not until they’d had a few more wild nights. Not until he’d well and truly gotten his fill. The entrance to her trailer park loomed ahead. She shifted beside him again, but he kept his eyes on the road as he turned in, pulled up outside her trailer and shut off his truck.
The cab was engulfed in silence.
She stayed put, quiet at his side, waiting. Goddammit.
Undoing his seatbelt, he reached out and undid hers. “Look at me.”
She lifted her head, beautiful eyes meeting his.
“You sure this is what you want?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
He cupped the side of her face, smoothing his thumb over her cheek. Her eyes were still a little puffy from crying. “You want me in your bed tonight, sweetheart?”
She licked her lips, gaze never leaving his. “Yes.”
She’d taken the keys to her place from her purse already, and he slipped them from her fingers. “Let’s go.”
“Pardon?”
“Inside, beautiful.”
He shoved open his door, and she met him at the front of his truck. His gut tightened when her small, warm hand slid into his. Shit, just the feel of her skin against his set him on fire.
He opened the door, and she followed him inside. Dumping her keys on the counter, he watched Shay do the same with her bag then move to the middle of her tiny trailer. She was standing three feet away, looking cute and sexy and nervous as hell.
He wanted her under him badly, but first, he wanted that lush mouth on his. “Come here, Shay.”
The uniform she wore hugged her curves. The woman was a perfect hourglass. All tits and ass, and lots of both. She came toward him, hips moving in a way that made his balls ache. But it wasn’t an act or a come on; this wasn’t Shay trying to be sexy, it was just her. And he got the feeling she didn’t have the first clue how damn hot she was.
“Woman, you are goddamn gorgeous.”
She was right in front of him now, and at his words, she stilled, blinked up at him, eyes wide.
“You don’t have to say things like that. I know I’m not…”
“Not what?” He slid a hand up the side of her neck, tugging her closer.
“Well, I’m—I’m not slim, I’m…”
Jesus. “Babe, I don’t know what kind of guys you’ve been hanging with…no, scratch that, I fucking do.”
She shifted, as if she was g
oing to take a step back, but he grabbed her hip with his other hand and kept her close.
“Let me make one thing clear. I like curves. I like soft, and I like round. I like a woman who, when I fuck her hard, her hips, ass, they’re cushioning mine while I’m doing it.”
“Oh.”
Her lips parted, not much, but enough he could see the tip of her little pink tongue. He wanted a taste.
“Yeah, beautiful, I think you’re getting it. What you got going on fucking turns me on. Makes my cock hard as goddamn steel. Don’t ever think otherwise.”
“Okay.” Her eyes crinkled at the corners and even though her lips only lifted a little, her entire face lit up.
Jesus, she was gorgeous.
Cupping the side of her face, he threaded his fingers in her hair. The soft, smooth strands were warm and silky against the back of his hand. Tightening his grip on her hip with the other, he pulled her even closer, so her tits were flush against his abs, and leaning in, brought his mouth close to hers. “Can’t wait to get inside that body. But first, I want a taste of this mouth.” Then he closed the gap.
Her lips were soft and pliant under his, and he nipped her lower one so she’d open for him. She did, moaning softly as he slid his tongue inside. Finally getting the taste he was starving for. She tilted her head back farther, and he kissed her hard and deep. Her hands came up to his chest, gripping his shirt, holding him to her as he took her mouth the way he’d wanted to since he found her in the parking lot earlier. She clung to him, kissed him back, as hot for him as he was for her.
They did that for a while, until he couldn’t wait any longer. Bunching up her shirt, he dragged it up, breaking their kiss to pull it over her head. He stared down at her. Shit, her tits were perfect. So pale, so full her bra was struggling to hold all she had. He wanted to bury his face between them, use them as a pillow after he’d fucked her. Feel the heat of her skin against his cheek, his lips. Sleep like that all night. “Take off the bra.”
A blush brightened her cheeks, turning them a lovely shade of pink. Then traveled down, doing the same to the tops of her tits as she reached back and unhooked the thing. She slid the straps off her shoulders and let it drop to the floor. Shay stood in front of him, naked from the waist up, breathing rapidly, nipples pebbled and hard. A goddess. He dropped to his knees, because he had every intention of worshiping her magnificent breasts before he did anything else.
Swerve: Boosted Hearts (Volume 1) Page 7