Looking down, I found Julie directly in front of me. The light from her room cast a glow over her and my cock sprang to life once again. Cursing under my breath, I held still. She must have been coming out just as I was coming up the stairs and because I couldn’t see her, I had almost run her over. She was wearing boy shorts and a tiny t-shirt where the hem barely reached the top of her underwear. Vanilla filled my nostrils and I let out a groan. Her eyes were hooded and she licked her lips as she ran her hands down my abs, tracing over each of the bumps in the muscles. She only stopped when she reached the top of my athletic shorts.
Grabbing her hands in mine just as they started to dip into the waistband at my hip, I let out another strangled curse. I moved swiftly and had her up against the wall, her hands above her head clasped in mine and my leg between hers, before she could react. I knew that once she realized what she was doing, she would back off again. It was time for me to let her know I wasn’t giving up on her that easily.
“What did I tell you before about playing with fire, boss lady?” I growled, feeling the heat of her core against my knee.
“I…I…I’m sorry,” she stuttered, pulling on her hands, her eyes wide when her lust-filled brain started to clear.
“Don’t ever apologize for touching me,” I said, gentling my voice when I felt her stiffen.
“I shouldn’t have done that,” she replied.
Her head tilted up with the comment and her voice became stronger. I could see her walls going back up, one by one. Not giving her a chance to fight it, I pulled my leg back and immediately placed my body against hers, hip to toe. I knew by the flash in her eyes that she could feel my erection against her belly, and by the hitch in her breath, she was just as affected by me as I was by her. I leaned in, running my nose up her throat, and inhaled. The smell I had learned to associate with her was there and had my lips parting in a smile.
“You can touch me whenever you want,” I whispered in her ear, then grazed my teeth over the spot just behind it, causing her to buck against me. “If I didn’t think you would regret it in the morning, I would drag you back to my room and remind you of how good we were together.”
“I don’t think…”
“But,” I interrupted her, “we are going to take this slow.”
“We are, are we?” she questioned.
Her tone caused my smile to widen. I licked and nipped down the column of her throat and around to the front of her collarbone. Her fighting against my hands had seized and her breathing was now coming in shallow pants. I could almost bet that if I put my hands inside those little shorts, I would find her wet and ready for me. The thought had me rubbing my cock against her, wishing the layers of cotton were gone. This time, when she let out a small sigh, I covered her mouth with mine.
Julie tried with all her might to fight me physically, but the moment my lips touched hers, she caved. They parted to let my tongue in and as soon as she did, I backed off the pace. I lazily stroked mine against hers, twirling slightly when she pressed her hips against me. When I couldn’t take any more of the teasing myself, I pulled my mouth slowly away and rested my forehead against hers.
“Tomorrow morning, eight o’clock, we’re going to breakfast,” I told her. “You owe me.”
Giving her one more chaste kiss, I backed away and let her go. She seemed stunned at first that I had released her, but quickly recovered and scurried back into the room she had come from. The door shut with a defiant click, and I chuckled as I adjusted myself. Athletic shorts did nothing to hide a raging hard-on. So much for working out.
Sleep eluded me that night, and by seven o’clock the next morning, I was making my way down the stairs, carrying my cowboy boots so I didn’t wake anyone. The cold shower I had taken helped little with the pain radiating from the worst case of blue balls I’d ever had. I would continue to take things slow to warm Julie up to the idea of us, but damn, I was only going to be able to take care of myself so many times. Her warmth wrapped around me, sucking me dry, was going to have to happen sooner rather than later.
“Well, I guess I didn’t need to worry about waking anyone up.” I laughed when I entered the kitchen and found Avery dancing around making breakfast.
“Geez, Evan!” she shrieked, putting her hand over her heart. “Give me a heart attack, why don’t ya?”
“Sorry, sweetheart,” I apologized with a grin, moving to place a kiss on the top of her head. “No breakfast for me or Julie, I’m taking her out.”
“Oh?” she asked, perking back up.
I didn’t get a chance to answer her before Cooper came in like a whirlwind, totally bypassing me for his wife. He grabbed her, bringing her against him roughly, and kissing her long and deep. I coughed, turning my head to sit and put my boots on. If I watched them too much longer, I would have to go back upstairs and rub one out. Hearing soft steps on the stairs, I looked and saw Julie just clearing the last one with her bags in her hands. I smiled widely, knowing she had hoped to scoot out and miss our meal.
“Evan!” Cooper boomed, bringing my attention back to my best friend and his wife.
He stood with one arm around her shoulders, grinning like an idiot. I raised an eyebrow at him. I saw him moving his free hand, only to realize he was circling it on Avery’s belly. My eyes shot up to her face to find her cheeks flush, and a matching smile on her lips. They were going to have a baby. Jumping up with a “Whoop!” I brought them into a group hug. I couldn’t have been happier for them.
I felt, rather than saw, Julie moving toward the door behind me. Cooper must have caught her as well because he released us and made his way to her in three strides. Surprising everyone, he picked her up and whirled her around. The look on her face started as one of horror, but quickly softened, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, laughing. I felt my heart skip a beat. Avery squeezed my arm and when I looked down at her, she tilted her head in their direction.
“Coop,” I warned, a smile playing on my lips. “That one’s mine.”
I watched as he chuckled and set her back on her feet. He didn’t let her go right away, which had me watching them closely. There were whispered words and a sweet kiss to her forehead from him before he finally stepped back. I felt my gut clench at the intimacy of it, now I knew how he felt when I joked with Avery. Cooper stopped when he got to me and put his hands on my shoulders.
“Fight for that one,” he said, low enough for my ears only.
I nodded, dumbfounded. Julie quickly composed herself and reached for her bags again. I had already snapped out of my stupor and had them by the handles before she could get her hands on them. She narrowed her eyes at me, a look she seemed to have perfected, yet I threw her a grin and led the way out the door. Putting her bags in her backseat, I closed the car door and grabbed her hand before she could get in.
“You’re riding with me,” I informed her, leaving little room for argument when I led her to my truck.
“That’s just stupid,” she snapped, trying to tug her hand free. “I can just leave from the restaurant.”
“I’m going to take every second with you I can get.”
She stopped and her mouth gaped. It seemed I had finally rendered her speechless. Knowing it wouldn’t last long, I opened the passenger door of my truck and put my hands on her hips to help her in. It didn’t have a huge lift, but it was enough that even with the bars, a woman had to pull herself up to get into it. The smile never left my face as I made my way around the front of the Dodge.
The ride to the restaurant was quiet, not that I expected much different. Julie was still fighting this thing between us with all she had. Even if we had a short-term relationship, which wasn’t my endgame, why couldn’t it be enjoyable? Why exactly was she so gun-shy? The divorce, maybe? I snuck a glance at her just before I turned into the parking lot and found her looking out the window. The lines of her face were relaxed until she noticed where we were, then the walls were back.
The Full Belly was already bustling. It w
as a good-sized diner that had recently reopened after a major renovation. The owner, Morgan Kramer, had purchased the business from her aging aunt a few years ago, and it hadn’t taken long for her to realize that it needed some upgrades. When we stepped inside, I nodded in approval. She had kept the vintage look, but now everything was clean and shining in the sunlight that streamed in through the large windows. The long bar that sat on the right had bar stools that looked like they were right out of an old soda shop, and a register sat on the end closest to the door. Booths lined the walls and a scattering of tables were in the middle of the room, most of which were already filled.
“Hey, handsome!” came a greeting from behind the bar.
I turned and found Morgan pouring coffee into a customer’s cup. Her wavy blonde tresses were in a messy bun on top of her head while her blue eyes were sparkling. The curves under the fitted “My belly is full, is yours?” t-shirt would catch any man’s eye, as would the ass I knew was tucked into the tight jeans she was sporting.
“Hi, gorgeous,” I replied. “Can we sit anywhere?”
“Yep, help yourself and one of us will be right over.”
I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing when I felt Julie stiffen over our exchange. Putting my hand on her back, I steered her toward a corner booth I saw was empty. She went willingly, yet her back was ramrod straight again. Oh, this was going to be interesting.
“Did you bring me here just to show off your girlfriend?” she finally snapped as she settled herself into the seat across from me.
The minute the words left her mouth, I knew she regretted them. Her cheeks turned that cute shade of pink and she quickly hid behind one of the menus that was already on the table. I let out a slight chuckle that earned me a glare over the top of the plastic-covered paper. Coughing, I tried unsuccessfully to cover it up, along with my growing grin. She was jealous. All hope was not lost.
“Hi there,” Morgan greeted as she came to a stop at our table. Turning over my coffee cup and filling it, she gestured to Julie. With a flip of her own cup, my companion pushed it toward her.
“Morgan, this is Julie, Avery’s business partner,” I introduced, leaning back slightly to watch Julie.
“Oh! It’s so nice to finally meet you!” Morgan exclaimed. “Avery has told me so much about you!”
“Umm…thanks,” Julie murmured, confusion all over her face.
“Avery and Morgan were friends in high school and went to college together. They both have their MBAs,” I supplied, enjoying the show.
Julie’s eyes snapped up to Morgan, who wore a warm smile, then back to me. She hadn’t expected that one. The childish part of me wanted to keep dragging this out and to push more of her buttons just to see her brown eyes light up, but I was getting hungry and I was smart enough to know when to stop.
“Can I get a Hungry Man?” I asked, turning my attention back to the shop owner.
“Yes, sir,” she said, writing on the pad in her hand. “And you, darling?”
“I’ll take a western omelet with a side of bacon.”
When my old friend left the table, I put all my focus back on Julie. She was still ruffled from the conversation with Morgan and busied herself with preparing her coffee, never looking up at me. The stirring seemed to go on forever after she had put a single packet of creamer and two sugars into her mug. Finally, I put my finger on her chin and lifted her face so I could see her eyes. There were a hundred emotions raging behind them.
“I meant what I said last night,” I told her softly. “We’ll take this slow.”
“I’m not going to be another notch in your bedpost,” she whispered.
Ah, so that was what this was all about. She thought I was just out for the conquest. I guess I was going to have to convince her otherwise.
“That’s not what is going on here,” I said simply.
“Isn’t it?” she asked, jerking her chin from my grasp. “You could have any woman in this place, including the one that was just at this table. I’m a little more of a challenge because I’m Avery’s business partner and I’m a bitch.”
I wasn’t surprised at the sass, but the tone behind it had more of a bite than I had heard from her before. It made me wonder what exactly her ex had done to her, and it also made me want to punch the fucker in the face for breaking her heart.
“Morgan and I have been friends since we were in high school, and I’ve never had feelings for her that way. As for you being a bitch, that is still up for discussion,” I joked, throwing her a grin and flashing my dimples; the mood needed to be lightened.
The laugh that escaped her surprised her so much that she slapped her hand over her mouth. She had wanted to stay mad at me. I wasn’t about to let that happen. I knew she was softer under that tough exterior than anyone knew. The night of the wedding, I had seen a side that I’m sure not many got to see. She had been relaxed and responsive in every way. I just needed to remind her of that. I pulled her hand away from her lips and watched as she slowly eased her shoulders down. After squeezing her hand, I released it and took a sip of my coffee.
“Oh, and Evan?” She smirked from behind her cup, causing my eyebrows to lift. “I’m not yours.”
I think I had run more in the past two weeks than I had in years. Sure, it had become a regular part of my routine, but now I was doing it twice a day and for longer. My quick two-mile runs had turned into four miles. I had to, though; if I didn’t, I was going to gain weight. I couldn’t stop eating. Damn stress.
My phone dinged, signaling a message, and I groaned before reaching for it. I was sitting on the couch in my office, papers spread out around me, trying to get myself organized for meetings with two possible new clients for the Maine office. Along with their financials was a stack of resumes for accountants and office personnel. Swiping my finger across the screen, I tried not to smile when I saw Evan’s name pop up. The man had been incorrigible.
E: Whatcha doin’, boss lady?
J: Working
I had tried keeping things light and simple with my messages, but he hadn’t gotten the hint nor had he stopped sending them. As much as I wanted not to get involved, the man made me laugh. The good looks were such a small piece of him. He was tender, caring, and knew the right things to say to make a bad day better. I was struggling to keep him at arm’s length.
E: You do that too much
J: Part of running your own business
E: Have you eaten yet?
What was it with this man and feeding me? Though I really couldn’t complain about our last meal together. While it started a bit awkward, thanks to a little bit of jealousy, it had ended up being very enjoyable. Our conversation had flowed into business talk. Evan had asked about Lane & Son, genuinely seeming interested, and I had been more than happy to oblige.
Had I eaten yet? It seemed like that was all I had done lately. The stress of the business and trying to keep my thoughts of a certain bassist out of my mind had me turning to food. Potato chips, chocolate, and ice cream were just a few of my go-tos. Kelly had started teasing me when I brought in a candy jar and placed it on my desk, fully stocked with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and mini Twix bars.
J: Not yet. Wow, hadn’t realized it was so late.
I really hadn’t. The screen showed 6:40 p.m. Everyone else in the office was long gone. A vague memory of Kelly letting me know she was leaving and locking the door behind her came to mind. What time had that been? Shrugging, I put my phone back down on the coffee table and got up to stretch. Just as I was bending over to do my hamstrings, a noise out front startled me, nearly sending face first into my carpet.
Before I could gather my wits, I caught a whiff of Chinese food. Shaking my head, I straightened and was about to make my way out of my office when I heard footsteps and rustling bags. I didn’t have time to be scared because right along with the smell of the food was the aroma of a cologne I knew all too well. How the hell?
“You really do work too much, you know,” he te
ased the minute he stepped over the threshold and put the bags down on my conference room table.
I watched him, unable to speak. I was pissed that he was here; he certainly wasn’t taking my hints. Yet, a piece of me was also happy to see him, touched that he wanted to take care of and fuss over me. Before I could move toward him, Evan turned and weaved around the papers to reach me. Stopping so we were only an inch apart, he tucked a loose hair behind my ear and ran his fingertips back across my cheek. When he reached my lips, he brought my bottom one down with his thumb and placed his fingers beneath my chin to hold me in place.
“Hi,” he whispered, his breath causing me to shiver.
“Hi,” I responded just as softly, fighting the urge to close my eyes in surrender.
After taking me in for a few moments, he leaned down and ran his tongue over the lip he still held captive. I sighed when he released it and moved to cup my cheeks. The kiss was sweet; just a brush of his lips against mine. Our bodies didn’t touch in any way. I felt the passion behind it all the way to my toes.
“Let’s clean this up so we can get some food in ya,” he said, when he finally broke away.
I had to keep myself from swaying toward him when he let my face go and started moving piles. Slapping his hands away, I pointed to the table where the food was. He chuckled, leaving me to my papers. It may have looked like chaos, but in reality, I knew where everything was. Making quick work of putting everything back in the files where they belonged, I moved them to my credenza and had to stifle a groan when my stomach started to roll with a hunger I hadn’t realized had been there. The sound it made earned a chuckle from Evan and I had to smile in return.
“Okay, how did you get in?” I asked, once we were settled back on the couch with open containers spread out on the coffee table in front of us.
The Unknown (The Comeback Series Bonus Book Book 2) Page 4