Attraction Series Boxed Set: Books 1-3

by J B Heller

  Squeezing my eyes closed, I bought myself back to the moment and what I needed to do. “Mia, have you seen a doctor yet?”

  “No. I don’t have enough money yet. I used to work in the local supermarket, so I was planning on getting a job first. And I’ll use my first pay to get checked out.”

  She sounded sincere, and it sounded like she had given it some thought. But it wasn’t good enough. “Not a bad plan, but I have a better one.” I took her small hand in mine. “Let me take you to see Ivy’s doctor. I already asked her about it, and she’s going to call her doctor this morning to make you an appointment.”

  “NO, Kai! I can’t do that. I can’t afford the kind of doctor Ivy can.” She was in full panic mode, and her palm began to sweat against mine.

  I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “I’ve got it covered. You said you’d let me help you. This is me helping you.”

  Mia was shaking her head. “No, you said you would help me find a place to stay. Not pay for me to see expensive doctors.”

  I shrugged. “It’s not a problem. First, we’ll get a résumé sorted, then we can work on finding you somewhere to stay. Gabe and Ivy are okay with you staying here until I find you something more permanent. And in the meantime, I’ll take you to see the doctor.”

  Pulling her hand from mine, she pressed her fingertips to her temples and began to rub in small circles. “You don’t get it. I can’t let you do that. Letting you help me find somewhere safe to stay, I can deal with. But when it comes to the baby, I have to do it myself.”

  “You’re right. I don’t get it. Why is it okay for me to help with the roof over your head but not get you an appointment with an OBGYN?”

  I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why she was being stubborn about this. I thought she would be happy— hell maybe even grateful. Fucking women, I’d never understand them. Admittedly, I’d never really been all that interested in understanding them, but this was really doing my head in.

  She was still rubbing her temples. “I don’t know. I just, I need to do something. I know you’re not Trent, but I feel like I’ve escaped one control freak only to end up accepting help from another.”

  My brows shot up. “I’m not trying to control you, Mia. I’m sorry. I really am. I never… I… Jesus, I didn’t mean to back you into a corner.” That was the last thing I wanted to do.

  “I’m just so powerless. When I walked out the door and left Trent, I felt amazing and strong. But now I’m seeing how stupid I was. How could I possibly do this on my own? I didn’t even make it a full week before I accepted help from a perfect stranger. How pathetic is that?” A torrent of tears spilled over her high cheekbones and dripped off her chin.

  I hated it when people cried. I felt awkward and uncomfortable with so much raw emotion. But I’d taken it upon myself to help her, and sitting here like a jackarse wasn’t helping anyone.

  I shuffled around until my back rested against the couch next to her, and then I pulled her into my lap. She came easily, wrapping her arms around my shoulders and burying her face in my neck. “Shh, don’t cry. You’re so much stronger than you think, Pretty Girl. You left a controlling relationship with nothing but a garbage bag full of possessions and the clothes on your back. That takes strength, baby.”

  She shook her head but didn’t lift it from the crook of my neck.

  “Trust me, a lesser woman would have just accepted her fate. But you knew you and your baby deserved better. You did what you had to do to make that happen. That took strength, it took guts. Fuck, it took balls, Pretty Girl.”

  Mia finally lifted her head and looked me in the eyes. “Balls?”

  I laughed. “Yeah, real big ones.”

  Her answering smile took my breath away. “I believe you.”

  “You should. It’s true.” A section of hair had fallen over her face, and I reached up to sweep it away. “I’m glad I found you, Mia.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  What was I doing? Staring dreamily into Kai’s deep, chocolate orbs and losing myself there. I squeezed my eyes shut. If I kept looking at him, I would do something stupid like kiss him.

  When Trent and I first got together, I was sort of attracted to him. He was tall, lean, muscular, and he had a smile that I was told could melt panties. My panties never did melt, though. I knew he was good-looking, and everyone told me how lucky I was that he was even interested in me. So, when he asked me out, I said yes. The rest is history I guess.

  But Kai? He did something to my body. Something I’d never felt with Trent in all the years we were together. It was like we were magnets, and my body was trying to close this distance between us whenever it could. I was fighting it, but sitting in his lap while he comforted me was weakening my resolve.

  I didn’t understand what was happening. I didn’t know anything about him other than he wanted to help me. And God help me, but I believed him. There was this sincerity to him, this complete honesty. I could feel it whenever he spoke or looked at me.

  His big, warm hand cupped my cheek, and my eyes flew open. His head was tilted to the side as he examined me. I swallowed hard, then bit down on my bottom lip to stop myself from leaning into him more.

  “What are you thinking? I’ve never been good at reading women, so you’re going to have to talk to me, Mia.” His husky voice washed over me in a seductive wave making my lady bits clench.

  “I’d like to kiss you, but I don’t know why.” HOLY CRAP! Why did I just say that? Oh my God, Oh my GOD! He’s going to think I’m a stage 5 clinger who’s just attached her pregnant self to him. Crap!

  Before I could explain myself better, he closed the small distance between our mouths and kissed me. My panties didn’t just melt. They went up in flames.

  My hands slid up from around his broad shoulders and into his hair where I grabbed fistfuls and held his head in place so he couldn’t pull back. He let out a slight moan as his fingertips sank into my jaw where he was cupping it. When his tongue slid against my bottom lip, I shuddered and opened for him.

  If my legs had been circled around his waist instead of pressed together in his lap, I would have been grinding against him trying to relieve this sudden throbbing ache building inside me. I pressed my legs together tighter, desperate for some small amount of relief.

  “Fuck, Pretty Girl,” he groaned against my lips without breaking contact.

  I could feel him growing hard against my butt cheek, and it was like a bucket of cold water had been thrown over my head. I let go of his hair and pushed against his chest to separate our mouths.

  Neither of us spoke for a few beats as we regained our breath. I searched his eyes for answers, but they were every bit as confused and aroused as my own. He ran his hands through his messy hair, smoothing it back down before resting his hands behind his neck and hanging his head. Right before I lost contact with his eyes, I saw a flicker of shame.

  “Please, don’t do that,” I whispered. I was surprised I could even find my voice.

  He glanced up. “Do what?”

  “Blame yourself for what just happened. It wasn’t your fault. I don’t even know why I said that. I’m so messed up, Kai. I’m sorry.” I told him exactly what I was thinking. Again.

  His brows furrowed. “Don’t apologise. Whatever you do, don’t apologise. It was one hundred per cent my fault. You’re vulnerable and emotional right now, and I took advantage of it. But you know the most fucked-up part,” he paused and I shook my head in response, “I’m not even sorry. I felt more in that kiss than I have in years. And I wouldn’t take it back for the world.”

  I blinked, and when I opened my eyes, he was still holding me in his big, tattooed arms, waiting for me to say something. But I had nothing, nothing at all. No one had ever talked to me like that.

  Taking a deep breath in a lame attempt to gain some composure, I decided that I would just keep going with the full-on honesty approach. “I’m not sorry, either. But that doesn’t mean it should have happened. Or that it sh
ould happen again. I’m in no position to be kissing men I barely know. I’m pregnant and homeless, for goodness sake. I have bigger issues than being horny to deal with right now.”

  Kai raised a questioning brow. “You’re horny?”

  “Of course, that’s the important part of what I just said.” Sarcasm dripped from my voice.

  He smiled. “Well, kinda. I am a gentleman, you know, and it’s bad form to leave a woman needy.”

  “Oh, you’re smooth. Smooth as snot,” I shot back.

  A full belly laugh erupted from him. “Well, I was trying to be,” he finally said when his laughter died down. “But seriously, I know what you’re saying and I agree. I’ve got my own shit going on, too. Not that I’m pregnant or anything, but I’m messed up. As far as barely knowing me, I’d like you to know me. Well, parts of me anyway.” He bounced his brows in jest, and I punched him in the shoulder.

  “Ow, who taught you to hit?” he complained as he rubbed his shoulder.

  “Mostly myself but my gym teacher in high school gave me a few pointers, too.” I shrugged.

  The playfulness in his eyes disappeared. “I don’t want to know why you had to learn how to pack a punch, do I?”

  I shook my head. “No, you probably don’t.”

  Kai’s fists clenched, and his jaw went ridged. Silence filled the room, and I began to feel uncomfortable sitting in his lap like this. I went to stand up, but his hands wrapped around my waist. “I’m sorry.” He whispered.

  “For what?” I asked.

  “For going all intense on you there. I just, I had a younger sister once.” He had moved his hand back to his neck again and was rubbing the tense muscles there. “I’m glad someone taught you how to hit.”

  I wasn’t sure what had happened to his sister since he spoke about her in past tense, but I knew he wasn’t ready to talk about it. Even though I could tell he needed to. So I let it go and changed the subject. “Umm, about this morning when you got back from your run…” I trailed off as his expression changed again, making me feel as though perhaps my choice of new subjects was not a good one.

  “Yeah,” he said, “about that. Where were you going?”

  I cleared my throat. “I told you last night I don’t belong here. This house, it’s so much more than anything I’ve ever known. I can’t stay here.”

  His eyes narrowed on me. “Where were you going to go? Another park bench? Back to your boyfriend? Hmmm?”

  “I umm, well I hadn’t thought that far into it. I just, I’m sorry, Kai. I appreciate what you’re trying to do for me. I really do. But surely there’s another way. You know I can’t afford a place of my own, and even when I do get a job, I still won’t be able to afford anything like this place.”

  His shoulders finally relaxed. “I don’t expect you to get a place like this, Mia. Gabe inherited this house from his grandparents. I was thinking more like an apartment or something.”

  I nodded. “An apartment sounds much better. But I don’t have that kind of money yet, so maybe a women’s shelter would be a better place to start?”

  His face turned stony again. “No. I’m not trying to pull a Trent on you here, but a shelter isn’t good enough. Not when I can help you get something better, safer, more secure, and more permanent.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “For someone trying not to be controlling, you suck at it.”

  He scrubbed his face with his hands. “I know. I’m kinda sorry, but not really. I’m not trying to take away your freedom. I’m offering you a better alternative. For you and the baby.”

  Crossing my arms, I continued to glare at him. “Don’t try using the baby card on me. A women’s shelter would be perfectly acceptable and probably better than what I’m used to anyway.”

  “That doesn’t make me feel any better, Mia,” he responded in a flat tone.

  I rolled my eyes. “I wasn’t trying to make you feel better. I was just letting you know it will be fine for me. I’ll be happy enough there. I’ll be safe and warm, and I’ll be able to look for a job. It’s perfect. Plus you will have me off your hands sooner rather than later.”

  He pulled back as if I’d slapped him across the face. “Who said I want you off my hands? Have I given you that impression? Have I treated you like a burden? Or like you’re not worth my time?”

  I was shocked that he took offense to my comment. “What? No. Why are you getting pissy about it? You offered to help me find somewhere to stay, and a women’s shelter is the perfect solution for both of us. You get to feel like the hero, and I get off the park bench.”

  Kai slid his hands around my waist again, but this time, he used them to lift me up and remove me from his lap. Then he stood up and started pacing the room. Seriously, what was wrong with this guy? He was bent on helping me but only on his terms. I was beginning to get pissy with him myself.

  I jumped to my feet and positioned myself right in front of him. “What’s your problem?”

  His brown eyes were swirling pools filled with confusion and something I couldn’t put my finger on. “You are my problem. All I want to do is help you, and you won’t let me.”

  “How am I not letting you? I stayed in this house last night because you asked me to, and I trusted that you wouldn’t hurt me. I trusted that all you wanted was to help me, but you only want to help me in a way that suits you,” I fired back.

  He threw his hands in the air. “Well, sorry if I don’t think a shelter is good enough for you.”

  “You don’t even know me! What does it matter to you? As long as I’m off the streets, your good deed is done,” I huffed in frustration.

  Kai’s hands wrapped around both my small shoulders and held me with a firm but tender hold. “This isn’t about doing good deeds, Mia. You’re under my skin, and I won’t be able to get you out until I know you are taken care of properly. Not in some fucking shelter that’s overflowing with drug addicts and alcoholics.”

  “Oh.” I tried to stay mad, I really did. But the way he laid it all out there like that made it hard. Throw in the way he was looking at me, and it was impossible. Slowly, I nodded my head in acceptance of his demand. “Okay then, we’ll do it your way.”

  He released what was clearly a sigh of relief, and then his hands slipped up over my shoulder and gently rested at the sides of my neck. “Thank you.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  Being around Mia was slowly driving me crazy. I had a constant semi and my brain was wired for sex. Somehow my mind found something dirty in everything she said. And that kiss, that kiss had kept me up half the night with a raging hard-on. We’d decided to skip the apartment hunting yesterday when Mia had a breakdown over her shabby clothes.

  I thought she looked fine in her denim cut-off shorts and the skin-tight tank top that her boobs almost fell out of. But she said she didn’t want to have to add slut to her résumé and then burst into tears. Ivy came to the rescue on that one and gave Mia some clothes to borrow. She then told me the names of some good charity clothes shops that she thought Mia would like.

  We spent yesterday afternoon in The Salvos and Lifeline digging through racks of second-hand clothes until Mia had enough outfits to last her a week without washing. I would have taken her to any clothes shop she wanted, but it was pretty clear she didn’t like me spending money on her.

  It was the strangest thing. Women I’d spent time with in the past had always wanted me to buy them shit, but here was Mia, carefully adding up the cost of the clothes she had picked in a charity store to make sure she could pay me back one day. I would never accept her money, but it wasn’t an argument we needed to have, so I left it be… for now.

  We’d spent this morning doing up Mia’s résumé. It was a very informative exercise. I found out her last name is Lynn, she’s twenty-three, and hasn’t worked for the last three years. She explained about Trent making her quit her job when they moved in together and how things got subtly worse from there.

  It was easy to see why she let it happen. The more s
he spoke about her life with and before Trent, the clearer it became. She was so determined not to end up like her mother that when she was offered a different future, she took it without a second thought.

  I had conflicted feelings about this Trent guy. In one way, I was glad he got her out of her mother’s home. But then I was furious with the way he treated Mia— as if she were his maid not his woman. Then I was back to glad again because if he hadn’t been such a controlling wanker, I would never have found Mia.

  Earlier, I’d sat down with Mia and quizzed her on her previous employment history and education while scribbling down notes on a pad at the kitchen bench. Now I was sitting at my laptop, typing up what I hoped would be a decent looking résumé.

  “How’s the résumé coming along?” Ivy asked from behind me. I was still sitting at the kitchen counter when she got home from grocery shopping with the girls. Mia was taking a nap.

  “S’ok. I think it looks alright, but she honestly doesn’t have much work experience. The douche she was with made her quit her job a few years ago, and that was the first and only job she ever had.”

  Ivy nodded her head thoughtfully as she put the groceries away. “What did she do?”

  “Checkout chick. She’d been promoted to supervisor a couple of months before she quit. She’s smart, like really smart. She aced everything at school, and she said she took a few free online courses at the library on the sly over the last few years, too.

  “I’m just not sure who would take a chance on her when she’s been out of the workforce for so long, you know? I mean, she could easily pick up work at another supermarket, but she’s better than that.”

  Ivy remained silent as I rambled on, just listening to what I had to say. Then Gabe walked down the hall from his office. “What kind of courses did she do?”

  I grabbed the notepad off the bench beside my laptop. “Umm, she did her certificate in office management, one in customer service, and another in basic computer skills.”