by Morgan Fox
His crooked grin turned her panties to air, but it was his slow, predatory approach that had her breath hitching and a moist heat gathering between her legs. “Anything I can do for you, Ms. Nixon?”
You can take me home again.
She moaned and then cleared her throat. Why did she suddenly picture him bending her over her motorcycle with his pants around his ankles as he took her from behind?
Whoa, stop that.
“No. I’m good.”
“I agree, you are.”
Heat rushed to her face, surging up from her belly. A hunger consumed her, pulsing through her veins with a savage need. She was coming undone just being near him.
I’m doomed.
“I thought maybe you came to see me.”
Did he want me too? “Why would I do that?”
He closed the distance between them, his eyes focused on hers. He looked at her with such familiarity. They’d only shared one night, but it didn’t seem like that. There was something different about the way he spoke to her, looked at her.
“I had hoped you couldn’t stop thinking about me.”
She held her breath. “I’m sure you’ve been pining away for me, huh?”
“And if I said I had been, what then?”
Did he know what he was doing to her? As it was, she was supercharged and ready to feel every inch of him pressed against her body. “You shouldn’t talk like that. A girl could get confused. It’s called a one night stand for a reason, you know?”
She was starting to hate herself for agreeing to it to begin with. She had to stop thinking things could be more than sex with Jace. He wasn’t interested in her outside of that. He’d been honest with her. She was the one getting too needy. She had been so prepared for the night to end badly that when it didn’t she didn’t know what it meant or what to do about it.
Nothing to do. It was just sex.
“Would you be interested in another night with me?” She bit her lower lip as he reached out and took her hand. “I enjoyed being with you. I enjoyed it very much.”
She stiffened, trying to keep her hormones from raging outward and revealing how much she loved the idea of going home with him again. She had to be careful. She wasn’t the gal who was used to getting the hot guys. She was the best friend. Never the lover. But for some reason, he singled her out at the bar and here he was again.
“Careful, Jace. This could turn into a habit. I wouldn’t want to be the reason your reputation is ruined. Think of the scandal.”
He didn’t laugh. He didn’t do anything. His expression was blank. Staring at him, her nerves began to twitch as if she were being electrocuted.
“Unless I’m mistaken, you’re on the same schedule as me, which means you’re off tomorrow, right?”
“Yes,” she whispered, swallowing the lump of apprehension that had bubbled up.
He wrapped one arm around her waist, while his free hand moved to cup the side of her face. The embrace left her breathless, her knees wobbly. Her heart clenched at the unmistakable need to have more in her life, something she hadn’t wanted until Jace had shown her that she wasn’t ugly, wasn’t worth throwing away, but to cherish instead.
“Come home with me tonight. I’ll make you breakfast again.”
I must be dreaming.
“Your breakfast was tasty, I’ll give you that.”
His hold on her tightened, his fingers kneading the flesh of her body. “Enough to make you say yes?”
The pulse at her temples beat like a freight train and her breathing labored. The idea of being with him again sent a jolt of electricity racing through her and firing straight to her pussy. Her body screamed yes, but her mind was unsure. She was starting to feel something she shouldn’t.
Awakening in her mind were silly girl fantasies. Jace was the first guy in her adult life to pay her attention, to consume her as she’d always dreamed. Maybe that was the reason she couldn’t get him off her mind. Why she was crushing on him so hard.
“I can’t,” she told him, trying to distance herself from the potential of heart break.
“Dinner then,” he countered.
Had she heard him correctly? She scanned over his deadlocked expression and couldn’t help but laugh. He was joking, teasing her. Their plan never included a repeat. “Right. The guy who doesn’t date, asks a woman to dinner. Classic opening to a joke. Good one.”
“Dinner,” he repeated in a guttural tone, swallowing hard and looking more stern, the lines around his eyes were deepening—a look she’d never seen on him.
Maybe he wasn’t kidding. But then again, it didn’t matter. She was getting too caught up in the fantasy to give in. The line couldn’t be crossed. “No.”
“Dinner.”
“Why?” she barked, a protective need springing up. Guarding her heart was priority. She had no intention of being used. At least, no more than she’d originally bargained for.
“Everyone needs to eat.” His answer was simple and annoying.
She couldn’t just say yes. It didn’t make sense, not with knowing just how adamant a man like Jace was about relationships. He hadn’t hid his lack of interest. Neither had she. But here he was asking her out to dinner.
She shook her head. “What happened to our sex only policy?”
“Sex comes after dinner.” He held her stare for a long moment and then backed away, raking his fingers through his hair. Scoffing, he said, “I’m not good at this begging shit, Sage.”
She snickered, feeling the pit of her stomach open up as if to swallow her whole. Begging? No one had ever deemed her worthy of such a thing, the girl with the nasty scars. “That would be a first for me.”
The look on his face intensified, and the pain etched look caught her by surprise. “You’re becoming a first of many things for me. I’ve never begged a woman, never worked so hard to get to know a woman.” His hand dropped with a solid slap to his thigh. “Not until you.”
* * * *
I’m losing my damn mind.
Jace didn’t know what the hell to make of anything. The draw of attraction to Sage was uncanny—an intense magnetic pull that sent his blood boiling and his mind to whirl in a fog. He had to figure out something.
From the moment he’d seen her, he was enamored by her, captivated by her laughter, the innocent flip of her hair, the soft pink of her lips, the fierceness of her desires, every damn thing. Wanting to nail a hot chick was one thing. Wanting to get to know her as he did with Sage was something else entirely.
“Come home with me tonight. Stay with me tomorrow for breakfast…maybe a bit longer.” He smiled. “And then have dinner with me.”
What the hell am I doing? My brain and mouth can’t possibly be attached.
He shouldn’t be standing so close to her. Shouldn’t be touching her, asking her to go home with him. He never did that. But the need for her was immense, overpowering, and unavoidable.
“You don’t know what you’re asking?”
Maybe I don’t, but I can’t stop myself. “Look at it this way. Dinner could suck.” He smiled. “If it does, then I’ll stop asking. Who wants to suffer through that kind of torture?”
She grinned, pursing her lips. “I don’t.”
“Me either.”
“But what if it doesn’t suck? What happens then?”
Her question should’ve bothered him, twisted his gut with the fear of having someone more than just a fuck buddy in his life. With Sage, he didn’t have those hesitations. Well, he did. They just weren’t as alarming. She wasn’t looking at forever and neither was he. They’d get their fill again and their lust would finally be sated. He was positive.
Just one more night is all I need.
And what about dinner? He’d asked her out. He couldn’t ignore that. He swallowed down the tight lump that swelled at the back of his throat. Biting the inside of his cheek, he forced the thought away.
“We’re professionals, right? We’ll keep it light. Dinner. Sex. Repeat. That�
��s it?” She glanced downward and he almost felt her hesitation. He glided his fingers around the nape of her neck and she looked up at him, desperation almost crippling him. “What could possibly be wrong with wanting another night together? If you don’t share my interest, just say so. But know that I can’t get you out of my head. I can’t stop thinking about how good you tasted and how much I want my mouth on you again.”
She looked back down, uncertainty blanketing her expression. He wouldn’t force her to come with him. She wasn’t like the other girls in his life that just melted the second he applied his charms. That’s one of the things he liked most about Sage. She was a challenge—one worthy of pursuing.
He backed away slowly, moving in the direction of his motorcycle. He picked up the helmet and placed it on his head. Then slid his gloves on. Mounting the bike, he glanced back to see her wide-eyed look. His lungs expunged every bit of air as he took in her beauty. No one had ever rattled him the way she had. One taste and he was hooked.
Gritting his teeth, he reeled in the disappointment of her potential rejection. “If you want me, I’ll be at home.” He mounted his bike, fired it up, and headed home, praying she would be only minutes behind him.
* * * *
Sage had a decision to make, one that could impact the rest of her life. Go home with Jace and have another amazing night. Or go home and sit in her apartment wishing she could stop being a hermit, afraid of someone seeing her flaws. Jace had seen them. He had kissed them. He made her feel special. That hadn’t happened since the day of the accident when she flew out of her parent’s car like a missile.
What do I do with these emotions? How do I keep my heart from getting involved?
“Did your period just start?”
Sage shifted her attention in the direction of the voice. It was Zerina. “What did you say?”
“You look like you’ve got really bad cramps. Are you okay?”
No. she wasn’t. She was confused and afraid she was getting in way over her head. Things weren’t supposed to feel this good with Jace. She wasn’t supposed to be thinking about a possible future with him. Their time spent together was supposed to end at sex.
Sage sighed and rested her rear against her bike. “I’m an idiot,” she muttered, a sense of foreboding washing over her. “I know it’s quick and I know it’s most likely a crush because he’s the first man to show genuine interest in me, but I can’t stop thinking about Jace as being something more than he is.”
Zerina furrowed her brow. “I don’t follow.”
She glared at Zerina, wishing her friend could read her mind. Saying how she felt aloud had her heart swirling at the back of her throat and her chest compressing as if an elephant sat on there. “I like him. More than I should.”
“Well, duh. I knew that. That’s why I told him to get his ass out here before you ran away.”
She scrunched up her brow. “You did?”
“You’re so predictable, Sage,” she replied. “You never veer off your path. Jace is the first person to make you take a new direction. He’s tempting you and apparently you’re tempting him, too. And believe it or not, that’s a good thing.”
She groaned. Hearing that didn’t help. It didn’t feel like a good thing. It felt like her stomach was being torn out and tossed into a blender.
“What’s wrong with just enjoying—”
“I don’t want to be the girl sitting on her sofa with a gallon of ice cream and a box of tissue crying out, ‘Why did I let this happen to me?’” She rolled her eyes up to the sky. “I don’t want to end up with a broken heart because my brain and vagina can’t get on the same page. Sex is fucking, remember? Plain and simple. If I give in to allowing more than that it becomes a relationship.” She locked eyes with Zerina. “I know nothing about dating. What I do know is that he never wants a relationship. So regardless of how I’m feeling, he doesn’t really want me. He wants my pussy.”
Zerina burst into laughter. “You said pussy.”
Sage glared at her.
Zerina placed her hand over her chest and covered her mouth. “I’m sorry, but you are so not the girl who uses the word pussy.” She laughed harder. “He really does have your girly bits and brains in a twist.”
She folded her arms over her chest. “It’s not funny.”
Zerina offered her a soft smile. “I’m sorry. You’re right, it’s not. I remember how I felt when Jeremy wanted to be with me and I wasn’t ready. I freaked out. But not doing anything only gives you what you’ve already had. What if taking another step with Jace gives you more than you ever dreamed?”
Did she even know what she dreamed? Was there a piece of her heart that was ready to accept a life with someone else? Thinking she had no other choice, but to be alone, likely set her up for failure.
But Jace was different. The way I felt with him was…perfect.
Swallowing down the lump in her throat, she dug her keys out of her pocket. “I’m not up for drinks anymore. I’ll catch up with you and Jeremy later, okay?”
“Sure.”
* * * *
Jace hadn’t seen or heard from Sage in over a week. He’d hoped to catch her at a few of their emergency calls, but she was never at the scene. It was as if she dropped off the face of the earth.
Or just avoiding me.
He didn’t understand what happened. He guessed he’d unintentionally scared her off. He’d asked her to dinner and for one more amazing night together and she hadn’t given him the answer he’d hoped. She didn’t show, didn’t call. Nothing. Complete disappointment had taken up residency in his chest and he didn’t like the sensation.
How could two people with explosive chemistry not reconnect?
He brushed his hand over his head, stopping to palm the back of his scalp. Tension rose up into the muscles of his shoulders and neck. Nothing felt right. His body hated him, aching as if he’d spent one too many hours in the gym. Worse still, his mind was wrecked with thoughts of a woman who didn’t want him.
What a joke?
“Did somebody step on your dick?”
Jace rolled his eyes and closed them for a moment, silently praying for mercy. His night at Iron Horse was about to get worse. Two fellow officers had arrived to bust his balls. Great. “Luke. Daniel. To what do I owe the pleasure of your harassment?”
“I’m here for my wife,” Daniel corrected with a chuckle.
“Seeing you was just the bonus,” Luke added with a lopsided grin.
“I get why he’s here,” Jace noted, pointing to Daniel. “His wife owns the bar, but you? Hm, did Layla finally dump your sorry ass to find a real man? Don’t tell me, Daniel’s letting you tag along out of pity?”
“Ouch. That hurt.” Luke placed his hand over his chest and feigned a fatal wound. Then his eyes locked on his as if he had a thought. “Perhaps you can relate from personal experience?”
He sure the hell could. Sage had pretty much crushed his nuts hard with her dismissal. “Not a chance. You couldn’t catch me walking down the aisle anytime soon. That love bird shit is for you dumbasses.”
Luke’s mouth curled. “Right. I’ll remind you of that when you finally get lucky enough to find that special one.”
Not if other women responded to him like Sage. In that case, he was likely to be single forever. Which shouldn’t bother him since that’s what he always wanted.
Not so sure that’s true anymore. He dismissed the thought. “That’s not likely to happen,” he argued.
“No?”
“No,” Jace replied sharply.
Luke nodded, but his smirk said he thought otherwise. “What, too much man to let just one woman into your life?”
Jace’s eyes narrowed. If anyone should understand where he was coming from it should be Luke. He was a cop before he’d hooked up with his fiancée. He knew the risks, but still he fell in love with Layla, the sweetest girl from Kentucky he’d ever met. She was completely opposite of Luke, but somehow they fit together.
&nbs
p; Daniel was no better, a retired military man who married Sam, and then become a cop.
What’s wrong with these people?
“I have plenty of women in my life,” he said matter-of-factly.
“But none you’d marry and trust with your soul,” Daniel pointed out.
“And none you’d want to share your name with,” Luke added directly. “I consider myself lucky finding Layla. I almost can’t believe she wants me.”
“Yeah, we can’t either,” Daniel replied, nudging him.
“You’re one to talk,” Luke muttered. “Sam should’ve kicked your ass to the curb. Not given you another chance. Talk about luck.”
“You’re right. I’m one lucky man.”
Jace’s stomach hurt, ached like it was tearing itself apart from the inside. Lately, he felt this way—sick to his stomach and twisted with unease. Listening to his colleagues talk about the women in their lives left a bitter taste in his mouth. His heart sank and an emptiness filled him.
“There’s that look again,” Luke said, waggling a finger at Jace.
He furrowed his brow. “What look?”
“That look,” Luke and Daniel said in unison.
Jace glanced over his shoulder to the mirror behind him. Instead of seeing his face, his gaze wondered to the table behind him, the one where Sage had done shots with Jeremy and Zerina. Again, his mind was overrun with images of her and the taste of her that had filled his mouth. He swallowed, closing his eyes to clear the vision.
Even if he wanted Sage, how could he ever get past the fear? How could he ever believe that a life with her was possible? The risk was too great. The impact on their lives even greater.
He faced Luke and Daniel. “How do you do it?”
Luke’s expression sobered. “Well, you start by getting naked.”
Jace tossed a bar rag at him. Luke caught it and threw it back. “Not sex, asshole, letting down your guard to allow someone in?”
“I’ve always loved Sam, so I never had to do that. It was as natural as breathing.”