Smooth as Hell (Studs in Scrubs Book 3)

by Rhonda Lee Carver

  Years of wanting him surfaced. Her mouth watered and she couldn’t seem to drag her gaze away from him.

  They sat tangled up in some unforeseen draw for several seconds until her mind started racing. He was Merf, the man who loved his bachelor life and all the women who flocked to his charming smile. She was mature, responsible, and allowing herself to get caught up in a trap again wouldn’t happen.

  Apparently, she was allowing her creative mind to wander because when he blinked, she didn’t see the glimpse of sexual attraction any longer. He sat back and clasped his hands at the back of his neck and stretched his legs. His tongue swept out to roll along his full bottom lip and she knew exactly how good he could lick—

  She poured cold water onto to that thought before it had a chance to run wild.

  “You can’t get past viewing me as a playboy, can you?” His eyes teased.

  “Hmm. How many women were there before Danika?”

  He chuckled. “You’re asking the wrong question. You should ask how many there have been since her.”

  “Okay then. How many?”

  “Zero.”

  She tilted her chin. “Is that because you were heartbroken?”

  “No. If I was led by my zipper wouldn’t I have jumped any woman’s bones to move on?”

  “Why does it matter what I think?”

  “Maybe it does, more than you know.”

  Her heart did a flip. “Stop that.”

  “Stop what?” He lifted a brow.

  “Flirting. It’s useless.”

  His laugh made goosebumps scatter her skin. “Force of habit. You always bring out the best of me and I seem to always bring out the worst in you. How about you? The last I heard you were seeing some man by the name of Art…Otis…”

  “Ace. His name was Ace.”

  “Was, as in no longer?”

  “At least not with me.”

  “Ahh, I know that look. He cheated too?”

  She tipped her head. “Yeah. With Josie.”

  “Josie? He cheated on you with your sister? Wow. Scum of the Earth.”

  “It didn’t work out. Imagine that.”

  He raked his palm over his hair. “What is it with fucking people?”

  “If I knew I’d have a cure for stupidity.” She wiped up the bread crumbs with her fingers and swiped them into her plate.

  “Now that I’m away from Danika I can see that I was in it for the wrong reasons.”

  “Only now?” Again, she allowed her words to stumble freely.

  “I’m getting the hint that everyone had an idea.”

  “Everyone, but you.” She laughed.

  “Ouch!” The corner of his mouth dropped. “What’s the story with you and this Ace? Everyone know but you?”

  “I wasn’t with him long enough, and I especially didn’t invite him to family gatherings.” She swallowed a sip of the smoothie. “I guess I should be grateful my sister pointed out his faults.”

  “Maybe she should have stuck to just giving advice.”

  “Come to think of it, Danika and Josie have a lot in common.” She laughed and something changed in him. “What?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Come on. You can’t give me a stare like that and then say nothing.”

  He reached across the table and swiped something from the corner of her mouth. “You have a dab of butter right here.” He licked it from his thumb making her body tremble.

  Jayde almost swallowed her tongue. The last thing she expected this morning was to have Merf’s hands on her and it caused a circus of sensations in her body. Even if she’d expected his touch, she’d still be slammed in the chest with emotion. She didn’t like being this vulnerable to him, so haphazard. “The past is the past, Merf. You and I must move on with our heads held high. Karma is a bitch and I don’t want to be in her sites.”

  “You’re right, the past is the past. We should all have second chances.”

  Reading more into his words than probably was there, she realized she needed to get the hell away from him and fast. Her body had suffered enough upheaval under his stare. She pushed up from her chair and swiped her clammy hands down her thighs. “Okay. Time to get to work. The remodel won’t happen alone.” She chuckled, but even she realized it was shaky from her nerves. Taking her paper plate to the trash, he watched her and the effect traveled all the way into her core like some sort of Superman skill.

  Yeah, she was definitely allowing her mind to put more into this.

  “So, what’s on today’s agenda?” he asked as he stood.

  He was a good head taller than her, but instead of making her feel intimidated, he made her feel protected and safe. How was that possible? One friendly conversation and she was practically his bed buddy. Nope. Couldn’t happen. Wouldn’t happen. It didn’t change who he was, and the last thing she needed was another Ace slipping his hand down her pants and making her forget all logic.

  “You any good with a hammer?”

  “I don’t think you’d be disappointed.” He grinned.

  Her knees threatened to give out, but she grasped the edge of the counter for dear life. This was going to be a very difficult test of inner strength…

  3

  MERF DRAGGED THE back of his hand across his forehead, wiping a layer of sweat from his brow. He reached for the bottle of water from the cooler and guzzled half of it. No doubt, Jayde was a beast when it came to remodeling. They’d been at it non-stop since that morning and he was starting to doubt his masculinity when compared to her capabilities. For a petite, sexy woman that probably didn’t weigh more than one-twenty, she certainly did have balls of steel.

  The thought of her automatically sent his gaze scanning the house for her. Then he spotted her and almost choked on the water. She was kneeling on all fours, painting a window shutter. Her cut off shorts scooted high on her firm bottom giving him an amazing view of rounded ass and a glimpse of lavender panties. The crotch was loose on the shorts and he could see the shadow of her treasure. He wondered if she still kept a triangle of hair.

  She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, revealing a long, expanse of her slick neck, reminding him of the time he’d kissed the silken skin while she squirmed. The memory of her soft curves under him was a shot of adrenaline.

  And if this wasn’t enough, she pulled out the neck to her tank and blew onto her chest as if to relieve herself from the heat. Fuck!

  He didn’t realize he had squeezed the plastic bottle to oblivion until water squirted out, soaking the front of his jeans. With a sigh, he tossed the crushed bottle aside.

  Damn. He should have caught the ferry back to mainland. Cooped up with Jayde would be a tremendous test on his control. She was completely different than the women he dated, and yet she turned him on more than any woman ever had. And that was the honest truth. His jeans stretched and became too small and he reached down to adjust his fly. Best thing for him was to get back to work and stop admiring the ass of the beauty on the roof. The sooner they hammered in the last nail on the house, the quicker they could put it up for sale. And the sooner he could get himself out from underneath this blanket with Jayde.

  *****

  Jayde climbed down the ladder and dropped the paint brush into the pan and the hammer into the toolbox when a flash of sweaty, tanned skin carried her focus onto Merf who was diligently hammering nails into the white picket fence. He’d lost his shirt sometime between the last time she saw him and now. With each move his rippled muscles coiled under slick skin, bulging and virile. His large biceps glistened in the sun and an image of those guns wrapped around her caused a flood of juices to flow between her thighs.

  From her position in the shade of a large tree, she glimpsed the intricate design of his cross and ivy tattoo on his back that covered shoulder to shoulder. He reached down to grab another handful of nails, and her gaze naturally latched onto his bottom that looked exceptionally nice in the worn jeans. Bringing her gaze upward, creeping her gaze along the helica
l muscles that embraced his spine, drops of sweat gathered on his skin, and she forgot to breathe. She became woozy and leaned against the coarse bark of the tree. Even if this man irked her beyond belief, she couldn’t deny that she found him fascinating, and unbelievably sexy. No porn could compare to watching him move, the sleek, masculine dip and path of his defined muscles and how indecently the waist of his jeans cradled slender hips. She wanted to take a picture and have something to masturbate to later.

  She swiped a drop of her own sweat from her forehead as she continued to stare at Merf, consumed in his work. Her tongue moistened her lips as she imagined sashaying her way across the grassy short distance that separated them and licking a moist trail on his body from chest to waist. The bark scratched her arm as she leaned against it to keep herself from fainting in need.

  Sliding her palm along her sweaty neck, down her chest, she brushed her fingers over one beaded nipple under the thin tank top. While she worked, she never wore a bra and the cotton fabric only made her more sensitive. Gliding her hand lower over her flat stomach, she paused at the waist of shorts, craving to touch herself as she admired Merf. He dropped the hammer and reached for a bottle from the cooler. She expected him to drink thirstily, but instead he lifted the bottle above his head and tipped it, spilling water over his head, down his shoulders and back.

  No longer able to deny herself, she slipped her fingers to the hem of her shorts where tingles erupted over her flesh. Skimming one finger inside, she touched her trembling lace covered slit, mesmerized that she was hot and wet so fast by just watching.

  Her gasp busted her.

  His head came around, straight on her.

  Jerking her hand up, she believed she was fast enough, but the teasing grin that lifted one corner of his heavenly lips told her he suspected what she’d been doing which only made things hotter. No matter what though, she couldn’t indulge in her fantasies, even if she’d give an eyetooth to have him inside of her right here, right now.

  Merf threw her a dazzling smile and a quick wave. The victory in his cocky stare should have made her turn away, but she was locked to his gaze. His penetrating stare screwed with her core and made her knees wobbly. Thankfully, she had the tree to hold on to, otherwise she’d be a puddle in the grass.

  As if slowly, he dropped the bottle and strolled toward her, his expression morphing from cocky to something more primal. His shoulders were wide and his hands clenched into tight fists. She could practically smell his virility in the slight breeze.

  His steps quickened and her body throbbed in expectation. Would he kiss her? Would he rip her clothes off and take her here against the tree? She could only hope he would.

  He sprinted the last few feet and she closed her eyes, parted her mouth slightly, anticipating his touch…but it didn’t come. Flinging her eyes open, she almost swallowed her tongue when she saw what he was holding. “What the fuck?! Where did you find that?” She pointed at the slithering snake he held tightly in the grip of his hands.

  Terror froze her insides as she backed closer to the tree, her insides screaming bloody hell.

  “This little thing is harmless, but I figured if he slithered any closer to you, we might have an injury on our hands from you climbing that tree like a cat.” He held up the snake. Merf’s smile riveted through her almost seizing the fear, but not entirely.

  “Shit!” She couldn’t manage anything but one curse. She hated snakes. Always had.

  “You okay?” He lifted a teasing brow. Did he find this amusing?

  “I will once you get that thing away from me.”

  He laughed. “Sure. Let me do that now before you pass out. You’re as white as a ghost.”

  She couldn’t think of anything less fun than having her fantasy ruined by a slimy snake. Merf was right. If she’d spotted the slimy thing by her she would have jumped into the tree and clung to a branch and he would have had to pry her away.

  4

  MERF BROUGHT HIS head up as Jayde stepped out onto the porch and handed him a cold beer. “Wow. What did I do to deserve this?” He smiled.

  She dropped down into the rocker beside him and took a long drink from her own bottle. “For saving me from that beastly snake.”

  He laughed. “Beastly isn’t the word I would use, but anything that makes me appear more of a hero is fine. Make sure you tell all your friends.” He winked.

  Her laughter was caught on the breeze. “Sure. I’ll do just that.”

  “The end is getting near.” He nodded toward the house. “You worked my ass off today.”

  “I still can’t believe that the Doctor Merf Cross can actually take orders from a woman.”

  “I’m not sure who you get your information from, but I’m not a chauvinist. I don’t care who’s giving the orders. Somehow, I didn’t mind that you’ve been in control today. Usually I’m the one in charge and the change was good. A man needs to hand the reins over on occasion.”

  “Well, this is definitely a different side to you. I’m surprised.” She saluted him with the bottle.

  “Stick around. I’m sure I can keep surprising you.” He took a long guzzle and she watched how his throat moved.

  “I wanted to talk to you about something. Selling.”

  “Ready to call the realtor?”

  “No.” She attempted to ignore the tingling spreading through her at being so close to Merf. The urge to find herself sprawling on his lap grew heavier by the second.

  “No?” A big smile crossed his handsome face. “I’d think you’d be anxious to move on.” He brought the bottle to his lips again and she watched how his mouth wrapped around the lid, reminding her of him suckling her nipples.

  Shaking her head slightly, she looked out at the setting sun. “I’ve put a lot of thought into this, but I don’t think I want to sell.”

  His snort brought her stare back on him “Come on, Jayde. That’s the heat talking. That’s why we’ve made all the renovations—”

  “We?” She narrowed her gaze.

  “Okay, why you have spent many weekends here. We had a plan.”

  “Plans change.” She shrugged. “People change.”

  “You’re getting sentimental. After a good night’s sleep, you’ll see that selling is the only way.”

  She shifted in her chair to look straight at him. “Allison and Devon loved this place. Doesn’t that connect with a compassionate side to you, no matter how small?”

  “Trust me, I have a big compassionate side, but not for material things. You know as well as I do they left us this house hoping we would remodel it, just as they’d wanted to do, and sell to someone who will love it as much as they did. They knew we’d carry out the plan.”

  She picked at the label on the bottle. “I thought that too, but now I’m not so sure.”

  He blinked. “Okay. Then what are you thinking?”

  “I’m going to throw this out there and hopefully you won’t think I’m too crazy.”

  “Can’t promise that, but be my guest.”

  She placed her beer on the small glass table between them and brought her legs up to tuck under her bottom. “Knowing Allison and Devon the way that I did, they would never do something so unexpected without purpose. I mean, they never thought they’d both die at the same time, so maybe them leaving us the house was just a fluke of sorts. Maybe they were flirting with the idea that this would bring us together.” His eyes flashed something she couldn’t read. “Okay, here it comes. You’re looking at me like I’ve grown horns. I guess it was a stupid thought.”

  “Knowing my brother, he probably wanted you to give me a hard time. He always thought our relationship, or lack of one, was hilarious. He always thought it was some sort of pent up sexual energy thing that we were denying ourselves.”

  She couldn’t hold back a sharp snort. “Me give you a hard time? That’s laughable.” She’d completely ignore the rest of the sentence.

  He crooked a brow and smiled wickedly. “I think it has become your
goal in life to bust my balls every chance you get.”

  The low, sexy timbre of his voice made her heart flip. His blue eyes were on her, finding every pulse point on her body. Dang. How did he manage to reach in and connect every pore like a dot to dot picture? “I do have a life, you know.”

  “I think Devon was onto something.”

  “Did he know that we…you know.” Why couldn’t she form the word?

  “Had sex?” He shook his head. “No. I didn’t tell him.”

  “Why not? I thought you told each other everything.”

  “Did you tell Allison?”

  “No.”

  “And probably for the same reason.”

  “Because I was embarrassed?” She pulled a strip of the label off her bottle and rolled it between her fingers.

  “I guess embarrassed is better than regret.” He sighed.

  “Did you regret what we shared?” She shifted awkwardly.

  “No.” He looked out toward the edge of the water. “What ever happened to us anyway?”

  She plucked at a loose thread on the hem of her shorts. “We made a mistake.”

  “You think so?” He scrubbed a hand down his cheek.

  “Don’t you? After all, you must have been embarrassed since you wouldn’t even look my way afterward. And you didn’t call. A woman knows when a man isn’t interested.”

  He blinked. “Wait, you’re blaming me for this? You must not remember things correctly.”

  “I remember things perfectly well.” In fact, many nights she was kept awake remembering how he’d made love to her, bringing her to so many orgasms that she’d lost count.

  “I woke up and you had disappeared. No note. No goodbye. No kiss my ass. Just gone.”

  “That was hardly my fault. One, we were in the guest room at Allison and Devon’s. I wasn’t wanting to spill it to everyone that we had sex. You shouldn’t have been either.”

  “So, do I have this right? You were waiting for me to call you? I didn’t and that’s why you’ve been giving me the cold shoulder for years?” He blew out a long breath.