by Kristen Echo
Her sister and Cam rose from the couch. “Hi,” Meagan said, threading her fingers with her boyfriend’s. “You haven’t been taking my calls. I got worried.”
Hailey stood there numb. Not in the mood to have a heart to heart with anyone. “I had nothing to say. I’ve been busy with work. How are you?” She plopped down on the couch and removed her shoes. Instant relief.
Meagan and Cam stared at her like she had something on her face. Hailey wiped her cheeks and checked her hands. They were grimy but clean enough. Her sister put her hands on her hips, like their mother did before digging into an uncomfortable topic. Whatever problems they had, it was their issue.
The silence grated on her. “Spit it out,” she said, rubbing the insole on her injured foot.
“You’ve been living on the streets? Seriously. Hailey what the heck? You could have come to me when mom and dad threw you out. Why didn’t anyone tell me this had happened? You should have told me.”
Hailey glared at Joe. Damn tattletale. He smiled back not the least bit sorry. If she didn’t love her sister beyond measure, she would have hot tailed it out of there. Instead, she patted the seat next to her and regarded her younger sister. “No, I did the right thing. I’m letting you be happy. I didn’t see the point in interrupting your life. Like I told loose-lips over there, this is for work.”
Meagan sank down and placed her hand on Hailey’s lap. “You’re my sister. I’m always here for you. If you needed a place—”
“She has a place,” Joe interrupted. “As long as she needs one.” Rather than sit, he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. The vibrant blue color of his shirt contrasted with the scowl on his face.
Cameron shuffled his feet. “If Meagan wants her to stay with us, it’s cool. Hailey, we have the space and you wouldn’t be putting us out or anything.” His offer was sweet and unnecessary.
“Everyone calm down. I’m fine. I can take care of myself,” she said through clenched teeth. Tearing into them would solve nothing. Their hearts were in the right place.
“You’re really pale and it’s looks like you’ve lost weight since I saw you last.” Meagan took her hand and squeezed. “Are you sick? Talk to me.”
“So, I look like shit; big deal. I’m fine.” Her stomach rumbled.
Her sister shifted, and their legs touched. “I’m worried about you. Did you eat anything today?”
Hailey stood. “Not since yesterday.” Between the cramps and queasiness, she hadn’t eaten much then either. “I’m famished. I worked all day, and it’s been one disappointment after the next.” She wiped her sweaty palms on her yoga pants.
“We finished dinner over an hour ago, but I could reheat something,” Joe offered.
She wandered over to him. He was not the enemy, she reminded herself. She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “Thanks, but I can make my own plate. Where’s Renee?”
“In the guest room.” His hands moved to her waist, pulling her closer. “She said she wasn’t feeling well and has been in there most of the day. Was work the only reason you weren’t here when I got back?”
“My bag, my phone, everything was here. I am not avoiding you, Joe.” She cupped his smooth chin, knowing her sister and Cam were watching them. “Nor, do I want to talk about this with my sister here.”
Joe kissed her. A big over the top welcome home kiss she’d tried to avoid. The kind of kiss that implied I missed you and never want to be parted again. Her toes curled, and her body melted into him. Their kiss conveyed feelings she wasn’t ready to admit, but she didn’t stop him.
Behind her, she heard her sister gasp and Cam chuckle. Public displays of affection usually made her uncomfortable. She’d outright avoid them. This was different. With Joe’s arms around her and their mouths fused together, her energy soared. Rather than push him away, like she would have anyone else, she tugged him closer, giving him what he wanted.
“Did you know about this? You told me he offered her a room. This seems like much more,” Meagan whispered. A slap followed. “You could have warned me.”
Cameron laughed as Hailey unlocked her lips from Joe. She glanced over her shoulder to witness her sister pushing her boyfriend away. They were so cute together.
“I told you to get the story from your sister. What they do is none of my business. You, on the other hand.” Cameron scooped Meagan into his arms. “Are all mine.” He kissed her, ending their discussion about Hailey’s extracurricular activities.
“Let’s leave them,” Joe breathed in her ear. “You need to eat, and you can tell me all about work and what’s going on in your head.”
Her desire for food rushed back. “Okay. But my head is my business.” She followed him into the kitchen.
Joe piled her plate high with spaghetti and meatballs. He sat next to her at the table and watched her. “At some point, you’ll tell me about your past. Ask and I’ll tell you anything you want to know about me. I’m an open book. You aren’t. The only stories you tell are about your previous missions and army stuff. Those are interesting, but I want to know why you are closed off.”
Two bites into the meal her stomach roiled. “I have my reasons. Why do you care? It’s not like we’re friends.”
He leaned in closer until his lips hovered near her ear. “We could be friends. Would that be so wrong?”
Meagan and Cameron joined them at the table and both had extra rosy cheeks. Seeing her sister so in love made her smile. She avoided his questions and took another bite.
Joe leaned back in his seat. “You’re not as tough as you let on,” he commented.
She rolled her eyes. He was wrong, but he’d have to figure that out on his own. “You’re too soft. You can’t please everyone, Joe.” Her stomach settled, and she moaned as another mouthful slid down her throat. “Did you make this?”
“Ordered. I aim to please,” he said and shifted his chair closer. “Once we’re alone, I can show you.”
“The lines just roll out. Your mind is on sex twenty-four-seven. Must take an army of women to keep up with your appetite,” she teased.
He shrugged off her comment with a lopsided grin. “I think about hockey too.”
Exactly what she thought. He wasn’t interested in more than good times. There was no worry about attachment or the future. Their time together had a shelf life and would expire soon enough.
“Speaking of hockey, the playoffs are about to start. Are you guys excited?” Meagan switched the subject, and they spent the next hour discussing the hockey schedule.
The guys explained what it meant to be the number one team in the league and how that improved their odds. Soon they’d play the wildcard team and have home ice advantage. The first two games would be at home, followed by two on the road. The first team to win four games out of seven advanced. It seemed like a lot of playing with little downtime. Joe would be busy if his team won all three rounds, making it to the championship series. It wasn’t a shoe-in as all the teams were great and had their strengths. Still, both men were confident they’d bring home the Cup.
His confidence attracted Hailey. Joe loved his sport and his silky voice lured her in. She could have listened to him talk shop all night. As the men continued their hockey strategizing, Hailey and her sister moved to the living room.
Meagan updated her. She was no longer working for Mr. Northcote and had officially moved into Cameron’s house. She gushed about Cameron’s daughter, April, whose nightmares had reduced in recent days. Hailey wished she could say the same. Either way, it lifted her spirits to see someone in her family living a happy life. Her sister idolized Joe and wanted all the details about what they were doing together. “Spill. No more evasive questions. I want details.”
“There’s nothing to tell. It’s not serious,” she answered truthfully.
“Looks like more to me. Let me give you my two cents. Joe is a good man. Remember that he’s the one who saved Connie and I from those men. There’s a special place in my heart for
him, but if you think he’s not boyfriend material, then that’s too bad.” Meagan gave a wistful smile.
No longer wanting to analyze her relationship with Joe Larson, Hailey switched gears. “Speaking of that event, do you remember much about the men who chased you? I wonder if there’s any connection to my case. It’s a long shot, but any details might help.”
“Gosh, I’ve been trying to forget it ever happened.” Meagan closed her eyes. “Um… the truck was white, I think. There were two men. I’m sorry, it’s been too long.”
“It’s okay,” she patted her sister’s hand. “If you remember anything let me know.”
Joe and Cameron approached, and Meagan jumped into her man’s arms. “We should head home. It was hard enough convincing Dora to babysit in the first place,” Cam said, hugging Meagan close.
“Won’t you consider coming with us?” Her sister asked as they moved towards the door.
Hailey shook her head. “If I need you, I’ll call.”
“She’s staying here. Case closed.” Joe hugged Hailey from behind. His head rested on her shoulder. “You two run along and send April’s grandma home.”
Meagan smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “That woman hates me. But she loves April.” She pulled on her coat and zipped it. “Hailey, you won’t call, but I love you anyway. Be safe.”
Joe hugged both of their guests and Hailey waved goodbye. She leaned against the wall as he locked the door behind them. Alone at last. Only she wasn’t in the mood to rest.
She gazed at Joe. “So…”
“Are you going to fight me now? Do I need to convince you stay?” He stepped towards her and his fingers trailed along her arm.
There was no fight left in her. All the guilt and fear faded when she looked into his eyes. Living for the moment was all that mattered.
“I could be persuaded.” Hailey fisted his shirt and dragged him towards his bedroom.
Once there, his big hands convinced her to stay. His mouth convinced her to get naked, and his cock convinced her to come. As their bodies wrapped around each other in a heap of sweaty limbs, the warmth of his body convinced her to sleep.
Chapter 10
Damn that dream. Hailey retched forward in bed. Her heart raced as the pieces of the dream lingered. This time it wasn’t Ryan. It had been Joe’s slack face pressed against the desk surface as she shook his lifeless body.
She pressed both hands over her heart, trying to calm it and catch her breath.
“You’re okay,” Joe croaked from beside her. His hand moved in a circular motion over her back, spreading his warmth. “They’re waking you earlier each day.”
“I’m sorry.” She glanced at the clock and scrunched her eyes shut. Four a.m. “Go back to sleep. You need to rest. It’s game one tonight.”
The days had blurred as she waited for word from Frank. He had yet to reach out. Hailey had convinced Renee to go home though she wasn’t sure she’d stick there for long. Joe practiced most of the day perfecting his skills on the ice. When he wasn’t at the rink, he napped. At night they were alone. They spent those hours conditioning his body for the games ahead by getting sweaty. Hailey had enjoyed their time together, but Joe seemed determined to pry into her personal life. Her diversion tactics wouldn’t hold out much longer.
“Nah, I’m up. Do you want to talk about it?” he yawned, and his body stretched next to her. “I’m willing to listen.”
She faced him and rubbed her hand over his flat stomach. “It’s not something you need in your head today. Your focus needs to be chasing pucks. I’ll shake it off and be good as new in a minute.” The lie fooled no one. Once she woke, she wouldn’t fall back asleep.
Joe propped his head in his hand, twisting his body towards her. “Don’t worry about my game, baby. Come here and talk to me. I’ve asked you to tell me about your dreams and you keep shutting me down. I won’t stop asking. Are they about your time in the army or your injury?”
She’d told him about how she’d been hurt. Those moments didn’t haunt her. Saving the kid was something she’d do again in a heartbeat. She had no regrets.
“No. They’re about my… Joe, I really don’t want to talk about this.” She moved her hand lower, dipping under the sheets.
He gripped her hand, halting her from reaching her prize. “Sex won’t cure you. Don’t get me wrong, I love keeping up with your insatiable hunger for cock. I never thought I’d meet someone who loved sex as much as me. But…”
“But what? Are you saying you can’t keep up?” She cocked an eyebrow, and he smiled in response, igniting the fire in her belly. She fought against his hold, but his grip wouldn’t budge an inch.
“Every time I try to get personal, you distract me by getting physical.”
Hailey swung her leg over his, climbing on top of him. Her ass wriggled over his cock. It stiffened. She opened her legs wider, rubbing her juices over him. “This is getting personal; wouldn’t you say? Plus, I like getting physical with you. It makes me smile. Don’t you like my smile.” She batted her lashes as she leaned in.
His gaze turned hot. She pressed her lips to his chest, never taking her eyes off him. Her tongue flicked over his nipple and he groaned.
“Hailey, stop.” His grip on her hands tightened, but she refused to listen.
He flipped her onto her back. “You want me inside you, baby?” He slid his length through her folds. “Will this make you feel better?”
“Yes. Whatever ends with you inside me and us both coming, I’ll take it.” She panted as he pressed his weight onto her.
Joe leaned over and grabbed a tie from the ground. “Put your hands together,” he said, running the fabric over her lips.
The softness made her shiver. She held out her hands, and he looped it around her wrists. Tugging her arms high above her head, he tied her to the headboard then settled his hips between her spread legs.
“Kiss me and make me come,” she said, testing the restraints. They held.
Their lips joined, but only for a moment. “Tell me what you see when you dream.” He teased her opening with the tip of his cock. Hailey moaned as he rubbed over her clit. He did it again coating the head with her arousal. She kept her mouth closed, letting the connection transport her.
“Silence won’t get you what you want, Hailey. Do you want me?”
“Yes,” she hissed as he pressed harder against her center.
He pushed the first inch inside then halted. “Why do you wake freezing and breathless?”
“Joe, please. Don’t,” she breathed as he pulled out and rubbed the tip against her clit again. Soft gentle strokes. She needed more.
“Harder,” she begged.
“Not until you tell me everything.” He licked along her neck and between her breasts. He cupped one and nuzzled her erect tip with his nose. “I can handle it,” he said, sucking her into his mouth.
She howled into the quiet of the morning. “You really want this?”
He tugged her elongated nipple between his teeth, sending a shot of bliss to her core. Rather than speak, he nodded.
“I see death. I dream about when I found my ex dead from an overdose of pain meds. My dreams are always about the day he killed himself. I reach out to touch him and the cold wakes me. His heat is something I’ll never feel again, and I miss it like crazy. I shiver and can’t breathe because his room was so cold, and I froze. It took me minutes to get my shit together before I tried to save him. He was gone, but I pounded on his chest and pressed my lips to his for close to thirty minutes before help arrived.
Joe stilled as she spoke. Her breast remained in his mouth and his cock poised at her entrance, but he didn’t move. This was a mistake. Baring her soul wouldn’t make the dreams stop, but she soldiered on because he’d asked for everything.
“He was my fiancé. Ryan was my anchor and I wouldn’t have survived boot camp without him. But even the strongest fall. He watched my brother die, and he blamed himself for not saving his friends. Ryan
took his own share of bullets but survived. He was in-fucking-vincible.” Her tears trickled onto the pillows.
“Hailey.” Joe’s voice lost the gruff animal roar that called to her inner beast. His tone was too reverent.
“No. You wanted to know what’s in my head. It’s a dark and cold place; filled with death, violence and horrible shit. There are no puppies, unicorns or rainbows in my dreams. I’m a fucked-up mess. Does that turn you on? Does knowing this make you—”
His lips covered hers and he sank balls deep inside her. The burn was exactly what she needed. She opened her mouth, licked and sucked his face. It was sloppy and chaotic, but he let her go wild. She closed her eyes, and he fucked her hard. Pounding her into the mattress until her walls tightened and an orgasm burst through. One wasn’t enough. He tilted her hips and placed her legs over his shoulders. He pressed in deeper. Owning her. Thrilling her until the second climax rippled and squeezed through her.
Joe slowed his pace only long enough for her to catch her breath. He didn’t pull out, but he stopped fucking her. “Hailey, you’re not fucked-up. You’re a survivor. If you saw the nasty shit in my head, you wouldn’t feel so alone.”
She opened her eyes. “What do you see? Because I’ve killed people. Joe, I don’t deserve happiness. I’ve lost so much; I can’t breathe sometimes. The world is punishing me for my wrong doings.”
He kissed her tears and pressed his body over her like a blanket. Connecting them. “Everyone deserves to be happy and to be loved. I’ll admit I don’t have the first clue how to love anyone. I had zero role models and I’m too selfish to get it right, but I try my best to make people happy. Do you want me to stop, or shall I keep going?”
She nodded. “Don’t stop.” Hailey swiveled her hips, coaxing him to move.
“I told you my sis was older and that my folks were useless. Donna bought me my first pair of skates because our parents shoved every dollar into their veins.” He propped his elbows on either side of her head, so they were nose to nose. He mashed his pelvis against her. “They’re the ones that got her hooked on drugs, and they didn’t care whether we lived or died.”