Blaze: Men of Inked Heatwave #4

by Bliss, Chelle

  I nod, unable to find my words because he’s touching me. The warmth of his body pressed against my side scorches me hotter than the sun overhead.

  The front door opens, and a tall, slender woman steps outside, holding a folder. “Mr. Michaels,” the woman says, face bright and eyes hungry.

  I’ve seen the look a million times when women stare at Jett. He’s not a person to them but a piece of meat. He’s an experience, not a relationship. He’s an orgasm waiting to happen if they could just catch his eye. This woman, even more than twenty years his senior, isn’t any different.

  “Ms. Monroe. Thanks for coming on such short notice.”

  I snort, earning me a look from Ms. Monroe and an arm squeeze from Jett.

  “This is Lily, my friend.”

  Did he punctuate the word friend? Was he trying to tell her something, or maybe he was reminding me that we are nothing more than that and never will be?

  Ms. Monroe doesn’t even glance my way; she’s too busy soaking in everything that is Jett. Today, he’s wearing a tank top, his tatted, muscular arms visible and glistening under the bright Florida sun.

  “Wait until you see the top floor,” Jett whispers in my ear, sending goose bumps across my skin like there’s suddenly a freak cold front.

  The smile I give him is tight and strained. I shouldn’t be here. We shouldn’t be here. There’s no way I can live with Jett. First, my dad will blow a freaking gasket. Second, my dad will probably try to beat Jett’s ass. Third, he’s a player, and the line of women he’d bring home would be longer than my mind could handle.

  Jett moves us toward the door, Ms. Monroe’s thirsty eyes never leaving his body and face. I’m invisible to her. Even if Jett and I were an us, I’m pretty sure she’d still look at him like a fine piece of steak and not a taken man.

  We step into the foyer, a staircase in front of us, along with open space and a direct sightline to the back of the house. There are floor-to-ceiling windows with the most stunning view of the Gulf of Mexico.

  “How much is this place?” I peer up at Jett, still tucked under his arm, and swallow. It has to be a fortune. There’s no doubt about it. No one rents a house on the water, even this far up north in the middle of nowhere, without a hefty price tag.

  “Eighteen hundred a month. It’s a total steal.”

  I gape at him. “What’s the catch? It’s too cheap.”

  Jett just winks at me. “Don’t worry, babe. There’s no catch.”

  There’s always a catch when you’re getting a deal, but this is Jett, and I’m not going to argue.

  “Here’s the kitchen.” Ms. Monroe motions to the side, and I follow with my eyes, soaking in the large kitchen with stainless-steel appliances, granite counters, and white cabinets. “It’s been fully remodeled and updated.”

  The house is absolutely stunning. At least the downstairs is. But maybe it’s a bargain because the upstairs is a hot mess with blue carpet. Maybe someone died here? That’s always a possibility and a reason for a reduced rental rate. No one wants to live somewhere a person’s been murdered.

  “Did someone die here?” I ask, unable to hold the grim thought to myself.

  “No. Of course not,” Ms. Monroe answers quickly, giving me a look like I’m insane.

  “Well, okay,” I mumble as Jett’s thumb brushes the strap of my tank top, reminding me he’s still touching me.

  “We’d like to see the upstairs,” he tells her.

  “Sure.” She smiles and starts to move toward the staircase. Her phone rings, and as soon as she fishes it from her pocket and looks at the screen, she says, “I need to take this.” After a tick of her chin, we take off up the stairs, leaving Ms. Monroe to take her phone call.

  “You don’t have to hold me, Jett. I’m not going to run,” I tell him as we walk up the stairs, his arm still around me.

  “I know you’re not, but—” he peers down at me, his mouth tipping up at one side “—my dick still hurts, and you’re helping me walk.”

  I almost trip over the next step when he talks about his dick, but somehow, I stay upright and don’t tumble to my knees. “So, I’m a crutch?” I ask quickly, pretending I didn’t almost face-plant into the stairs.

  “Never.”

  I turn to face him, letting his hand fall away from me. Needing his hand to fall away from me. We’re too close, and since we’re not an us and will never be an us, it doesn’t feel appropriate to stay connected longer than we need to. “Want me to take a look?”

  “No,” he blurts out, almost paling. “It’s fine.”

  “Is it still big?”

  Jett raises an eyebrow, smirking. “Is it ever small?”

  I’m moving right past that question. “I mean is it still swollen?”

  “Not as much as yesterday.”

  “That’s good. You’re healing. You’ll be back in action soon and be able to resume normal activities.” I smile, not finding the fact that we’re talking about his penis odd at all.

  It should be, though. We’re not talking about a finger being swollen, but his manhood. I don’t remember another time I’ve ever spent this much time talking to a man about his body, and I pray I never will again.

  “So.” Jett clears his throat, sliding his gaze away from me. “I thought you could take the master bedroom. There’s an amazing attached bathroom with a huge soaking tub.”

  I blink, wondering where the hell this guy came from. “You want me to take the master because of the tub?”

  He nods, rubbing a spot on the back of his neck. “Of course. It makes the most sense, and I’m sure you’d get more use out of that bathroom than I would.”

  “It doesn’t seem fair,” I whisper, watching his arm flex with each movement, itching to feel if he’s as hard as he looks.

  “I insist,” he says, ticking his chin toward the room behind me. “Go look and tell me what you think.”

  I turn my head, staring into the open space, unsure if I should look because, what if I like the room? I don’t want to like this house. I don’t want to like being in this house with Jett. It’s like playing house with a man you’ve always lusted after but could never have.

  “Go on.” He gives me a light push when I don’t move. “I know you’re going to love it.”

  I move away from him, needing a little space and a Jett break. The room’s plain but stunning without furniture. There’s plenty of natural light, dark hardwood floors, and a window seat at the far end, perfect for curling up with a good book. I step farther into the room, my eyes landing on the bathroom, and I fall instantly in love. On one side, there’s a giant soaking tub, just as Jett had told me, with a large window above it and a view of the Gulf.

  “Wow.”

  “I knew you’d love it,” he calls out from the hallway.

  I lean over and smile out at him, but he’s not looking at me. He’s staring at the floor, talking to himself. Maybe he’s questioning this entire thing too, regretting bringing me here and making me fall in love with it.

  “I can totally see myself in that tub.”

  His face tightens along with the muscles on his arms. “Me too,” he says, still not looking at me.

  Could I do this? Live with him without any chance of a relationship? This room alone is enough to draw me in, but living with Jett is a complication I never thought I’d face.

  “This place is perfect for us.”

  There it is again. Us. I should correct him, but I don’t and I can’t. I like how it sounds coming out of his mouth even if he doesn’t mean it the way I wish he did.

  “Yeah,” I mumble, gaping again at the bathroom, wanting nothing more than to soak in that tub after a long day at work.

  “You want to see the best part?”

  I peek my head into the closet, my eyes widening when I realize it’s bigger than my entire dorm room was back at school. What the hell was I going to do with all this space? I don’t have enough clothes to fill a quarter of the closet, let alone the whole thing.
“There’s something better than this?”

  “Way better,” he says, his voice louder and closer.

  I turn, finding Jett watching me from the doorway, his eyes on my legs and not my face. “The third floor is the best.”

  I blink. “The third floor?”

  That’s when he looks at me, no longer staring at the two thin sticks holding me upright. “It’s why I know you’ll love this house and not be able to say no to me.”

  I’m pretty sure I couldn’t say no to him anyway, no matter what’s on the top floor. It’s why I stick to myself. I have an inability to say no to everyone, and Jett’s no exception. I’m a people pleaser, trying to make everyone else happy around me instead of myself. It’s why I wasted three years of my life studying for a career in medicine when it was the last thing I wanted to do forever.

  “Show me,” I say, liking the way he smiles at me.

  His arm is around me before we take the first step, Jett claiming he needs my help up the stairs, but I’m pretty sure he’s lying. I know the piercing has to hurt and I know he’s swollen, but Jett’s a man’s man.

  When we get to the top, I see it. The sweeping view of the Gulf of Mexico from the sun-room and a large outdoor rooftop patio.

  “I thought we could put some comfy furniture up here. You could read in the sunshine or under the stars.”

  “What are you going to be doing the entire time?” I ask, stepping away from his grip because, again, this is too much.

  “I’ll be here too.”

  “Well, duh.” I snort, covering my face because the noise was louder and more piggish than I expected.

  His smile grows, eyes twinkling. “I’m sure I’ll find something to keep me busy.”

  I try to ignore the flashes of naked women underneath him playing through my mind. He’s grown, and although he keeps saying we’re an us, we are not. I can’t expect him to be celibate if we live together. Should I bring up the topic with him? No way. Talk about awkward. I’d rather talk about his swollen penis than him sleeping with random women.

  “I love the house, Jett,” I whisper, staring off into the distance, watching the sunlight bounce off the rippling water. “But I can’t.”

  “Why?” he asks, standing too close behind me.

  “I don’t think we can live together.”

  “Why?” he repeats, closer than before, the heat of his front against my back unmistakable.

  My nose tickles as I try to erase the pictures of me living here, reading in this very spot. “I’m not the right roommate for you.”

  “You’re perfect, Lily.”

  God, how I wish he meant those words. Not just as a roommate, but something more. Something bigger. But this is me, and he’s him. The nerd and the player. An impossible combination in living and love.

  “I’m really boring, Jett.” My voice is small, but I say what needs to be said. “You don’t want to live with someone like me.”

  He places his hands on my shoulders, the grip strong yet soft. “There’s no one else,” he whispers.

  The tickle in my nose grows, and my vision blurs.

  “Please say yes.” He sweeps his thumbs under the straps of my tank top, stroking my back so tenderly, the tears grow. “Please,” he begs.

  I can hear Tamara and Gigi ripping into me about being a sissy and living life for once. I promised myself after I quit school that I’d try to reach beyond my comfort zone.

  “Just do it.” Gigi’s annoying voice fills my head.

  “Yes,” I say, knowing I’ll regret it if I don’t give in, but understanding I’ll probably be miserable living with him too.

  “Yes?”

  “Yes,” I murmur, dabbing at my eyes and blinking away the tears before he can see them. “I can’t say no to you.”

  His chest presses into my back as his hands move to my front. He wraps his arms around me as he clasps his fingers together near my stomach, hugging me. “You’ve made me the happiest guy in the world, Lily.”

  I stop breathing, soaking in his warmth, strength, and scent. My stomach knots as his chin brushes my shoulder, his lips almost touching my skin.

  “So very happy,” he whispers. “I won’t make you regret this.”

  But I know… I already do.

  7

  Jett

  My mother blinks and then looks at me funny, forehead crinkling, eyebrows drawn down just like she used to when I did something stupid. “No.”

  “No?” I ask, rubbing my neck and giving the look right back to her.

  She shakes her head, lips pursed. “No.”

  I scowl, unable to hold back my distaste at the word. “Why?”

  I wasn’t asking her permission. I just thought I’d let her know Lily and I had signed the lease on the house, and I’d be moving out as soon as the background check came back.

  “You cannot move in with her,” she tells me, moving her fingers to her temples, rubbing tiny circles against her skin. “How do you even think this is a good idea?”

  “Why isn’t it a good idea?”

  My dad takes this moment to make his grand entrance. “What’s wrong?” he asks, looking between the two of us sitting at the kitchen table. “I know that look, Sophia.”

  Mom throws one hand toward me, rolling her eyes. “Kayden, your genius son…” She shakes her head, not even finishing the sentence. “You tell him.”

  I tip my head back, staring at my father upside down. “I’m moving in with Lily.”

  My father’s eyes widen. “Lily who?”

  “Gallo.” I sigh.

  “Lily Gallo?” he repeats, tilting his head.

  “Yeah.”

  “Um, no.” He shakes his head, staggering a little.

  What the fuck? Not only is my mother acting like I’m asking permission, but now my father’s doing the same.

  “I wasn’t asking,” I tell my dad, lifting my head upright to see my mother glaring at me.

  He slides into the chair between my mother and me, holding his head. “I’d like our family line to continue.”

  “That’s the plan, Dad. Someday—not yet, though—I’ll have lots of babies.”

  He groans, shaking his head. “Not if you move in with Lily.”

  My parents aren’t ones to be dramatic, but right now, they’re acting like I’m hitching my wagon to Satan’s daughter.

  I scratch at the hair along my jaw, confused. “I don’t get it. I thought you two would be happy. I’m not moving in with a party animal. She’s not a drug addict or a weirdo. She’s a solid girl, and you’ve known her family forever.”

  He drags his hand down his face like I’d just told him I knocked the girl up. Which I didn’t…not yet, at least. “I’ve known her father for over twenty years, Jett. Twenty freaking years.”

  “And the problem is?”

  “Mike is going to kill you first and then me. That’s the problem.” Dad slams his fist down on the table, almost foaming at the mouth.

  My head jerks back because although Mike used to be a professional fighter, he’s not anymore. He’s older, slower, and I’m pretty sure he’ll be happy his daughter is going to be living with someone who’s going to keep her safe. “Why?”

  “No man, no matter how loving he seems, wants his baby girl living with another man. Especially if that man is you.”

  “I’m a good guy, Dad. Mike likes me. I saw him a few days ago when I went to the shop to get…” I snap my mouth closed, not wanting my parents to know about my dick. Actually, not wanting my mother to know because she’d lose her shit, and it’s embarrassing as hell.

  My mother glares at me. “When you went to get what?” she asks, tapping her fingernail against the table, eyes hard and lips flat.

  “Nothing,” I lie, giving her my best smile, the one that always makes her happy. “I talked to him. He was happy to see me.”

  “I’d be happy to see you too until you were going to be sleeping under the same roof as my only daughter.”

  “Am I
so bad?” I’m opening a can of worms here, but at least they’re not asking about what I had done anymore.

  “Baby,” Mom says, placing her hand on top of mine, “you’re a wonderful person. So giving and loving.” She finally smiles for the first time since I told her the news. “Sometimes too loving and with too many women. I don’t know anyone in this town who doesn’t know you’re a slut, including Lily’s father.”

  I touch my chest, pretending to be offended, but hell, I’ve been called worse. “I’m not a slut.”

  My mother tips her head back and laughs. “You are and not even ashamed of it either. You’re just like your father before I met him.”

  “There was no one before you, sweetheart,” Dad tells Mom, sweeping his hand up her arm. “Never anyone else.”

  She touches his face, brushing her fingers over his cheek. “You’re a horrible liar, baby. Our son has your genes, and if he’s lucky, Mike won’t murder him when he hears the news.”

  I lean back, scratching my stomach. “I’m not worried.” I wince as my jeans push into my dick, reminding me of how this entire course of events got started.

  I never meant to ask Lily to move in with me. That’s not why I went to Inked. I went there for a piercing, but after talking to her, I realized she was the best person I could ask. I needed a roommate, and no one else I could think of would give me peace without being up in my face all the time. After leaving the Navy, I wanted freedom, quiet, and room to move around. Something I couldn’t get at my parents’ house or with anyone except Lily.

  “Wait,” Mom says, pulling her phone in front of her and tapping on the screen. “Let’s see what Suzy says.”

  “She’ll think it’s the best idea ever. Aunt Suzy loves me.” I smirk, knowing the woman is a pushover for me. She’s my godmother and has been a sucker for me for as far back as I can remember. My mom and she used to be roommates and have always been best friends.

  “Hello.” Suzy’s voice comes out of the phone and I almost fall off the chair, but somehow, I retain my composure.

  I thought my mother was shitting me and not really calling her, but again, I’m wrong.

  “Hey, babe. What are you guys up to tonight?” Mom asks, smiling at me, looking smug.