by L. P. Maxa
Corey glared at him with her hands on her ever-expanding knocked-up hips. “What are you trying to say, Linc? Because I’m big and pregnant, I’m no longer pretty? Because I’m ‘around here’ all the time.”
He glanced at the hot-as-hell woman he was already crushing on, gauging her reaction. She was trying to hide her laughter behind her hand, clearly deriving pleasure from his current ass chewing. “Obviously, that’s not what I meant. You are gorgeous but you are also extremely taken.” Linc knew Corey was gorgeous. He remembered he’d thought so and wanted to nail her the first day he saw her when she was walking down to the ball fields. It was the end of practice and the moment she caught his eye, he thought she was stunning. But now that she was mated to his boss and one of his best friends, she was just his pain in the ass sister.
Corey broke into a big evil grin. “Linc Sumners, this is Madden West. She’s the new school nurse.”
He held his hand out. “Welcome to St. Leasing, beautiful. I’m Lincoln. I’m one of the baseball coaches. The best one, in my opinion.” He gave her his most charming smile. Her panties should be in a puddle on the floor about now. No one could resist him. Charm was his superpower. Literally.
Madden smiled, friendly and small, then put her hand in his. Linc felt a tingle travel up his arm, goose bumps breaking out on his skin. In his world, time stopped. In hers? Not so much. Before he could gather his composure, let alone manage a playful wink in her direction, she dropped her arm, turning her attention back to Corey. Totally unaffected by him. “All right, preggo, I’ve got to get back to my office. Are we still on for lunch?”
Corey cut her eyes to Linc, biting her lips together, clearly suppressing a smile. Of course this was fun for her. Little devil loved nothing more than to see Linc fall on his face when it came to the females. It rarely happened, so he supposed he couldn’t begrudge her the sick pleasure. Corey put her hands on her rounded tummy, nodding at Madden. “Yes ma’am. Meet me here when you’re ready. I love you, but I’m not waddling my pregnant butt all the way across campus.”
Linc watched as Madden, aka his new fling, strutted down the hall and out the large double steel doors he’d entered through minutes before. He stared, unashamed and unapologetic, until her perfect ass was all the way out of sight. Then per usual, he ducked, narrowly avoiding Corey’s flying hand. “Stop smacking me. I can look. That’s not against the rules. I specifically remember making Baze put it in that stupid contract.” He should have never signed that thing. No hooking up with medical personnel? Who makes someone agree to that? Sadists, that’s who. Ah, well. He wouldn’t let it get in his way; he’d talk to Baze. He’d have to see reason, make an exception. Baze was an uptight jackass, but he was still a dude. He wouldn’t deny Linc the chance to nail Madden.
Corey snorted. “Leer all you want, I suppose. It doesn’t seem like it’ll matter because Maddi didn’t seem all that interested in you.” She furrowed her brow in what he knew was a look of sarcastic concern. “Are you losing your powers? First Molly and now Maddi.” Her green eyes grew wide. “Oh, maybe she’s meant for Baze? Meant to be his forever? That would certainly explain why she’s not on her knees in your office blowing you right now.”
Linc clenched his jaw as he felt that unwelcome shiver run through his body once again. Shivers and goose bumps? Maybe he was getting sick; maybe he needed to go see the nurse. Her image popped into his head, and then suddenly the image morphed. Madden was under Baze, clawing his bare back, and her mouth was dropped open in pleasure. Linc shook his head, balling his fists so tight he was sure he was drawing blood in his palms. Corey’s suggestion and his vivid imagination pissed him off in a way he had never experienced before. “Madden is not meant for Baze. And I will have her.”
Corey cocked her head to the side, studying him. “She’s the nurse—you aren’t allowed to date her. The pack says no, and what the pack says is law. Remember?” He met her gaze, and the determination in his eyes must have been clear as day. “You can have any girl you want, Linc. Leave Maddi alone.”
He didn’t say anything; he was too afraid of what would come out of his mouth.
Chapter Three
Madden
Madden had known she wanted to be a nurse from the day she turned seventeen. On her birthday one of her friends, Kristian, had tripped over a lounge chair while trying to catch a football during her pool party. He’d busted his head wide open, the blood trickling down his face a few seconds after he’d sat up. Most of her girlfriends shrieked, and most of the guys had winced with their fists going to their mouths. But Madden had lunged for Kristian’s head, using her bare hands to hold his wound closed as best she could. She’d climbed in the ambulance with him after her mother announced she didn’t want to leave a house full of teenagers alone to drive Kristian to the ER, and Madden’s dad wasn’t home.
Madden had watched the EMTs with rapt fascination, and when she took in the hustle and bustle of the ER, she was hooked. Kristian had asked her to stay with him, and she was all in, watching him being stitched up, never taking her eyes off the gory wound. She’d known instantly that nursing was the escape she’d been searching for.
Her parents had wanted her to settle down with a nice Southern boy and spit out a bunch of grandkids. It’s what they had done; it’s what all their friends had done. And, it was what was expected of her. But it wasn’t what she wanted, not by a fucking long shot. And really, they had no one to blame but themselves.
So Madden had studied nursing in college and left school as an RN. Once she graduated she started to travel the world, learning so much more from experience than she ever did in a classroom. She worked by accepting short-term contracts at different hospitals, depending where she was at the time. Last May it had been three years since her feet had touched the rich Louisiana soil and almost four since she’d last seen Corey.
Madden liked to think that running into Corey this past summer had been fate. Old friends, they had caught up on the years in between, and through Corey, Madden had gotten the opportunity to try something new. To experience another part of the country, another way of nursing. She had been excited. She thrived on the unknown, on the adventure.
Today, however, she’d spent all day alternating between trying to get everything organized in the nurse’s office the way she liked it, and handing out Band-Aids to boys who hadn’t really needed them. Not so exhilarating but oddly exhausting. Her only break had been lunch with Corey.
At least all the boys she’d come into contact with were nice and respectful in their attempts to get a look at the new school nurse. Well, all of them except for the gorgeous baseball coach from earlier that morning. He’d basically screamed the words I want to fuck you for the whole building to hear.
He was hot as hell, she had to give him that. She wasn’t opposed to a little fling. What was a fling if not a short-term adventure? Maybe she’d take him up on his unspoken offer for a few weeks. Madden didn’t do long term, didn’t do relationships. But sex? Sex she did, and she did it well.
“Knock, knock.”
Speak of the devil, and his sexy ass shall appear. “Linc? Right?” She narrowed her eyes and bit at her recently re-glossed bottom lip, like she wasn’t too sure she remembered his name. Boy like him? That should be a little blow to his already inflated ego.
“Very good.” He smiled at her, practiced and charming, seemingly unaffected by her attempt to unsettle him. “How was your first day at our fine institution?”
“It was great, thank you.” She stood and leaned her hip against the desk. She was waiting to see what his angle would be, his excuse for being here in her office. The lines he’d no doubt spout to try to get into her bed. It was comical watching men like Linc try to play her, try to win her over in a game when she’d already decided their fate.
“Any of the boys give you any trouble?” He tilted his head to the side, studying her like he was genuinely concerned.
She raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Just you.”
/> His handsome face broke into a big grin. “Let me take you to dinner.” He crossed his arms over his chest, obviously flexing his muscles for her benefit. She’d never admit it, even if she was impressed. It wasn’t her style. “Welcome you to Haxton the right way.”
She had to stop herself from rolling her eyes at such a blatant proposition and overt display of manhood. “I can’t. Thank you though.” She could tell by Linc’s shocked expression he didn’t get turned down often. She sort of liked being the one to do it.
“Tomorrow night then.”
Madden let out a quick, humorous sigh, noticing that he hadn’t actually asked either time. He’d demanded, and that just wouldn’t do. “Let me make this easy on you.” She gestured between them. “You and I? Won’t be going to dinner.” Dinner implied a date and Madden didn’t date. She was certainly entertaining the idea of fucking him, but that was where it would end.
Linc’s smile never faltered. “Look, I was just trying to be polite.” He shrugged casually like her turning him down was no big deal. “But if you don’t want a free meal and a new friend, that’s okay.” He pushed himself off the door and turned to leave.
She couldn’t help herself—she started to laugh. “Really? That’s how you’re going to play this? I’m going to be honest. I expected more from you.” And she had, more bullshit. Linc wasn’t the first man who’d taken one look at her body and decided he wanted a go. She’d heard every line under the sun, and Linc seemed like a man who’d had most of them memorized by his twelfth birthday.
Linc looked over his shoulder and winked. “I’m not playing games, Madden. I don’t need to.” He walked out the door, that damn smile still in place.
She shut the door behind him and went to sit at her desk. Men like Linc were a dime a dozen. They wanted one thing from her and one thing only. She was used to it, and for the most part, she was fine with it. She only wanted one thing from them too so it worked out well. He’d be back; he’d try again. And if he didn’t? All well; there was no doubt more than one fuckable man living in Haxton, Colorado.
She gave herself a mental headshake and forced the sexy baseball coach out of her mind. She had paperwork to get caught up on, protocols to put into place. Work. But when she opened her laptop to start in on her projects, for some stupid reason all she could think about was how good Linc’s ass looked as he walked out her door.
Chapter Four
Linc
The first week of school flew by. He was up to his ears in wannabe ball players. It was part of his job in autumn to try to figure out who would be good on the field in the spring. That meant he’d spent the last week surrounded by cocky young athletes, every one of them thinking they were the next Sammy Sosa. Some of them were dead wrong.
All the while, he’d stayed away from the nurse. It was part of his game plan; make her think he didn’t want her. That she hadn’t been constantly on his mind. Easiest way to get a woman in bed, so he’d read.
Until recently he’d never actually had to work for a chick’s attention. And it was fucking killing him. He thought about her tight little body at least fifty times a day. He dreamt about her full lips every single night. Linc had to have her. He knew it was the only way he would get any peace, the only way to get her out of his system.
He’d never had to want for a girl for longer than it took to find a door with a lock. So this lust-fueled Madden obsession had him entirely out of sorts. Luckily, it was Friday and the pack was headed to Moon Bar to let off a little steam after work. He was hoping, praying Madden would be there too, tagging along with Corey and Molly. He grabbed his phone, an idea forming in his testosterone-laden head, and shot Corey a text.
Linc: Hey Dom’s baby momma, is Madden coming to Moon Bar tonight?
He drummed his fingers impatiently as he waited for her reply. His phone dinged and his heart leapt. It must have been from the surprise; he’d forgotten he’d changed his text alert. It had nothing to do with Corey’s answer, nothing at all.
Pain in the Ass: Dom’s baby momma? You’re a douchebag. And yeah, Madden said she’d stop by.
He smiled. He hated that just the thought of seeing Madden again was making him grin like a freaking moron. He felt like a lame ass, like Keller. Or worse, Dom. He shuddered in disgust as his phone dinged again.
Pain in the Ass: Why? She blew you off in the trainer’s office, and then I heard she turned you down yet again the same day after school. Twice in ONE DAY.
He chuckled out loud, humorlessly. Leave it to Corey to kick a man when he was on the ground curled into the fetal position. He knew she was loving this, just like she’d enjoyed the hell out of watching Molly shoot Keller down again and again. But that was before they’d realized she was Keller’s soul mate, so really those rejections didn’t count.
Linc: Madden turned me down for dinner. Doesn’t mean she’ll turn me down for sex.
The text bubble appeared almost as soon as he’d sent his text. Ding.
Pain in the Ass: First of all, you aren’t even allowed to hook up with her. Also, you’re incorrigible.
Incorrigible? That was a good thing, right? Whatever, he’d Google it later.
Linc: Give me her number, I’m going to call her and ask if she wants a ride.
Ding.
Pain in the Ass: No, not a chance in hell.
Linc: What do you mean, no? I’m trying to be a gentleman here. You should reward this behavior, not hinder it. This was what you and Molly were asking for, a better example. How can I set it if you guys don’t give me the chance?
Ding.
Pain in the Ass: No. End of discussion. You run out of girls in Haxton to bag? Move on to the next town over.
Linc groaned in frustration, slamming his cell on his desk. Why was she so damn difficult all the fucking time? He didn’t know how Dom put up with her.
“Hey, Coach Sumner, how’s it hanging?”
When Riley walked into his office, Linc sighed with a small smile on his face, putting his hands behind his head. “Hard and frustrated. That’s how it’s hanging, Riley. What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be down the hall kissing Corey’s ass?”
Riley grinned, big. And then started cracking up when Dom walked through the door and punched Linc in the arm so hard that his chair rolled to the side. He hit the wall with a grimace. “Fuck, Dom.”
“What did I tell you about mentioning another male and my mate’s ass in the same sentence?” Dom sat down in one of the two chairs in front of Linc’s desk.
Riley sat down in the chair next to Dom, a smile on his freckled baby face. He was the youngest in their pack—well, until Dom and Corey’s baby girl was born anyway. Linc and the rest of the coaches had been training Riley since his freshman year at St. Leasing, but over the past seven months or so, he’d become more like family than a student. “Why are you scowling at your phone like that? Wi-Fi too slow for porn today?”
He wrinkled his nose, making a face at their young protégé. “No. Corey won’t give me Madden’s number.”
Dom laughed. “Why do you want Madden’s number? Corey told me that her girl already shot you down. Twice. Glutton for punishment? I thought S and M was Baze’s thing?”
Asshole. He narrowed his eyes, more than irritated. “You two working on a slapstick comedy routine now? Let me save you the trouble. You aren’t funny.” He threw his hands in the air. “I was trying to be a nice guy and ask Madden if she needed a ride. That’s all.” Usually he was the one busting chops and making fun of his packmates’ ridiculous behavior when it came to females. Being on the other side wasn’t all that fun.
Fucking karma.
Riley gestured with his head toward Linc’s laptop. “If you want her number, why don’t you just look it up in the staff directory?”
He grinned at Riley, slapping the top of his desk. “Genius. I love you, you little ass kisser.” He made a shooing motion with his hands. “Now, you guys leave, I don’t need an audience.”
Dom stood but
didn’t make a move to vacate. “You know the rules, Linc. You aren’t allowed to sleep with Madden. Baze will kill you. And after what happened with Agent Brooks last spring, so will Keller.”
“Yeah, whatever. I’ll be good.” He waved his hand in the air again, dismissing them. How many times was he going to have to hear it? So Brooks made their lives hell because someone slept with his fiancée. It was over and done with. Everyone needed to move on. Linc certainly had.
He waited until Riley left and Dom pulled the door closed behind them before opening the laptop and searching for her number. Yes! It was listed. He did a little happy dance in his seat. It consisted of a lot of shoulder shakes, and a few hip thrusts.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Madden, it’s Linc.”
“Who?”
Dead silence. Holy crap, did she really not remember him? They’d met less than a week ago. What was he supposed to say to that? “Uh, Linc? I’m one of the coaches. Corey’s friend?”
Madden giggled on the other end of the line. “I’m kidding, Linc. I know who you are.”
Classic. She was undermining his confidence. Like a dude would do to a chick, like he would do just for grins. “Funny.”
“What can I do for you, Coach Linc?”
What could she do for him? That was a loaded question. There were about a million things that came to mind. The front runner? Her down on her knees taking his dick out of his pants. He cleared his throat, borderline afraid she’d hear the lust in his voice. “We’re all headed to Moon Bar tonight and I wanted to see if you needed a ride, I mean if you were planning on coming.”
“Oh. Uh, yeah, sure. That’d be great.”
Holy shit. She said yes. Linc frowned at his reflection in his laptop screen. Why was he getting so happy about driving this girl to the bar? “Great, I’ll pick you up around eight. Just text me your address.”
“Will do. Bye.”
She hung up immediately. She didn’t even wait for him to say “bye” back. And the fact that he’d even noticed made him feel even more like a fucking tool. He’d never had to want for anything, or anybody, in his whole damn life. And he’d never gone out of his way to spend time with a girl. Ever. Let alone drive her around like he was her fucking chauffeur.