by Morgan Fox
I’m in way over my head.
It’s just dinner.
Sure about that?
He couldn’t avoid the argument raging in his head. The devil and angel that rested on his shoulders were beating the shit out of one another. The devil was winning.
“What? Do I have a stain on my shirt?” Liza glanced down at herself, and he realized he must’ve been looking at her a little too intensely. He couldn’t help it. She was gorgeous.
Stop eye-fucking her, and let’s go, before you trip all over your tongue and look like an idiot.
“You look nice,” he said, clearing his throat and moving toward the front door. “Are you ready?”
When they headed toward the front of her apartment building, and he was sure she’d spotted his motorcycle, he slanted her a look. “Do you mind if I drive?”
She grinned, as if knowing he brought his motorcycle before she’d even seen it. As if he’d show up driving anything else, duh.
“Just don’t kill us. Okay?”
He laughed. “Crashing is not how I intend to get off my bike.” He reached into his saddlebag and pulled out a white helmet for her. “This should fit,” he said, handing it to her.
“It matches my outfit,” she teased.
He grinned, and gently shoved her small purse into the bag and buckled it back up. Then he took the helmet from her hands and placed it on her head, fastening the strap under her chin. Before he put on his own helmet, he put his hair in a ponytail.
“I’ve always thought you looked good with long hair,” she told him, and he smiled again.
“Thanks. I’ve actually been thinking of cutting it.”
“Why would you do that?”
He hiked one shoulder, fastening the helmet strap. “I grew it long on a dare a few years ago. Sam bet I wouldn’t do it. She was wrong.” He chuckled. “I’m over the ponytails and shaggy look.”
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious to see what you looked like—” she paused “—groomed.”
“I think it would shock most people since I’ve looked like this for years now.”
When he mounted the bike, he flipped down the foot pegs in the back and helped her on. She didn’t ask him how to do it. She just did it. For someone who’d never been on a bike before, she didn’t seem at all timid. He liked that about her. A lot.
“How about you,” he muttered from over his shoulder. “Do you miss being a blonde?”
She held his waist and leaned against him, her helmet tapping his. She eased back. “Maybe a little.”
“I like it either way,” he told her, firing up his bike. “But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t favor the blonde look on a woman.”
“Good to know.”
When they pulled into the parking lot, he grinned to see the new sign over the building. He wondered if it would be finished and installed this week. He was pleased that it had.
He parked in the front, and she slipped off the back of the bike. He used the boot of his foot to shove out the kickstand and then hopped off, placing their helmets on the saddle.
“Did I read that sign right?” Liza asked. “Is this your place, too?”
There was no way to hide the smile on his face. He was proud of his accomplishments, but he couldn’t stop the need to tease just a little. “What sign?”
“That one,” she said, pointing toward it, her expression serious.
“Iron Horse Bar and Grill,” he read. “Hmm, imagine that.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “Do you own this one, too?”
He clasped her hand in his and led her to the backdoor. Pulling out the keys to his new bar, he opened the door. “Care to see the place?”
She stepped inside and was instantly impressed. The wide-eyes and broad smile he saw told him that much. “You’ve had it remodeled.”
“You’ve been here before?” he asked, surprised to discover that she’d ventured out of her uptown circle to visit a lower end restaurant. The place had been sinking into the toilet long before he’d purchased it.
“Yes,” she said, scrunching up her nose as if she’d smelled something foul. “And it wasn’t pretty.”
He chuckled. “It’s been a work-in-progress for a month now. Next week the trainees begin working and getting everything setup for the grand opening at the end of the month. This will be Sam’s new location to manage.”
“That’s awesome,” she cheered. “I can’t believe she hasn’t shared that with me.”
“Maybe it’s because you don’t come around much.” She frowned, but he was quick to add, “Another reason you should pop on over to the bar for a visit. Sam and Layla would love to see you.” He wouldn’t mind either, but he was going to keep that to himself.
For now.
“So is this one different from the other bar?”
“Yes. Iron Horse is a traditional bar. Pool tables, darts, music, drinks, and basic food. This one, on the other hand, is a bar and restaurant that caters to sports enthusiasts.”
“I can see that.” She eyed the dozens of televisions. “Why don’t you want to run this one instead of Sam?”
As they circled around to the front, he leaned against the bar. “Sam’s a front service manager. She knows her way around a bar and customers are always her first priority. She has a crazy ability to hire talented bartenders, and honestly, I wouldn’t feel comfortable with anyone else. She and I have always wanted to do this and I’m just thankful it’s finally happening. This place is perfect for Sam.”
Liza hopped up on the barstool beside him, her knee gently brushing his leg. “Sam used to talk about the two of you opening a business together. She never said it was going to be a bar, though.” She laughed as if she’d just thought of something humorous. “For a long time, I thought she was in love with you.”
Now that’s funny.
Jason reached into the cooler in front of him and pulled out two bottles of beer. “Why would you think that?”
Curiosity was burning its way into his mind. He remembered that Sam had mentioned that Liza had a crush on him. Was she jealous? Did Liza like him more than the one-time deal they’d agreed to?
For whatever reason, Jason wasn’t bothered by the idea and he wasn’t rattled about her past either.
Would it be terrible if things between them became more than sex? In the eyes of others…probably.
The blushing glow that filled her cheeks only made her more beautiful. “I guess it was that Sam always talked about you and I could tell she genuinely cared about you. I could see that you two shared something special.”
He loved Sam. There was no doubt about that. But his love ran like that of a brother’s. It always had. He popped the top off the beers and slid one her way. “What kinds of things did she say about me?”
Liza arched her brows. “That you were built like a god and had the hardest ass she’d ever squeezed.”
He gaped at her. Then when she started laughing, he did, too. “That’s both funny and a little disturbing. Especially since I view Sam as a sister and you’ve pictured her—” He shivered.
“Sorry. I couldn’t help myself.” She took a sip of the beer, and then to his surprise she took another. “Wow. This isn’t bad.”
“You’re damn right it’s not. That’s a light beer from one of the oldest American breweries, and it’s one of my personal favorites.” He raised his bottle, and she did the same. “Cheers,” he said with a wink, and she gently clanked her bottle to his.
After a quick gulp, she asked, “You said something about burgers?”
“Oh, yes. Wait here. I’m going to turn on the equipment.
“Wait, you’re going to cook?”
He pinched his brows tight. “Is that all right?”
She shot him a lopsided grin. “Just don’t burn it. I’m big on complaining to management.”
Even if she did complain, he was sure he could appease her in other ways. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
* * * *
&nb
sp; Liza walked around the sports bar checking out every detail, wondering what it was about Iron Horse that had kept her away. Besides her attraction to Jason, she couldn’t find one. The setup of the restaurant looked like a fun and lively place to hang out. She could imagine hundreds of patrons screaming at the televisions that lined the rooms as their favorite teams played. In one section of the bar, she discovered pool tables and dart boards, while the other area was set up like a traditional restaurant with tables and booths. There was just enough natural light coming through the windows, but not enough to disrupt customer viewing.
He thought of everything.
The bar smelled new and clean. The scent of fresh cut wood, tile, and paint was heavy in the air. Jason had not only paid a good deal of money to purchase the property, but she imagined it was a hefty bill to freshen and clean up the place, too. Her business sense told her he’d made a good investment buying it and would find a great deal of success when it opened.
“Do you like it?” Jason asked, reappearing from the kitchen, holding their burgers and fries.
“I do,” she admitted, moving to join him back at the bar. “You’ve done well.”
“Thanks.” He sat beside her and shoved in a few fries. “I love the taste of these things when the oil is fresh. There is nothing like it in the world.”
She bit into a few as well, purring, closing her eyes to savor the flavor. “These are awesome.” She grabbed another one.
“I know,” he agreed. “So tell me, what exactly do you do for a living?”
She slanted him with a look, realizing that she’d never told him what her job was. She wasn’t a professional traveler, even though that was what she felt like most of the time. “I’m a Jr. Executive with one of the region’s largest real estate developers.”
“Sounds important,” he said, biting into his burger, his eyes on her.
Her chest flared with pride as she told him, “I’m not only the youngest member of the group, but I recently helped land a big account. We’ve been hired to help rebuild a good part of the downtown district, and that means big money for Dallas.”
“And how does a sweet girl from Kentucky move into this kind of profession?”
That was easy. She hated her old life. “I went to college and started perusing real estate developers. I’ve always been attracted to the industry. I guess growing up in Small Town, Nowhere wasn’t really my thing. Besides, Sam lived here, Texas is an amazing growth state, and I figured it would be a great place to get my feet wet.”
“Seems you were right.”
He sipped his beer, studying her. She couldn’t seem to eat with him looking at her like that. She picked up the beer and drank it down, her nerves swirling widely in her belly.
Why am I so affected by him?
“You’re different from your sister,” he said matter-of-factly.
She returned the empty bottle to the counter. “Is that a bad thing?”
He shook his head. “Not at all. I just find it interesting how twins could be so different. Layla has taken on a job that makes her remember her childhood, while you appear to run in the opposite direction from it.”
“I hated shoveling horse shit growing up,” she admitted honestly, not holding back. “My parents and their horse farm would’ve been the death of me had I not left.” She paused. “Don’t get me wrong. I love the horses. I love my parents. I just didn’t love the lifestyle. I wanted to be in the city. I figured it out after falling for a boy who only thought of me as a stupid country-bumpkin. I didn’t want to be that. Truth was, I was suffocating living on the farm, and as soon as I had a chance to escape, I did.”
His gaze was sympathetic, as if her words had given him insight into who she really was. “And Layla followed.”
She frowned. “Yes, I don’t know why, though. She loved that damn farm, and she was miserable until she finally got that job horse training.”
“She clearly wanted to be near you.”
Liza sighed, guilt consuming her. “I know. Sadly, I haven’t spent much time with her since we’ve moved here. Plus, she has Luke to keep her company.”
Jason smiled. “And yet another reason I’m surprised you haven’t visited Iron Horse.”
“You and Iron Horse. You’re really hard up for that place aren’t you?”
“Maybe I’m hard up for you?” As soon as the words parted from his lips, the blood seemed to drain from his face. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
If that were true, she wouldn’t feel the rush of heat pool between her legs.
He moved away from the bar and dumped his trash into the garbage can. Liza wasn’t sure what to say. Had he been teasing about that or was he serious? She couldn’t eat another bite. Her mind was too clouded with uncertainty. She shoved her plate forward, and he took it, discarding the remaining items into the trash. He then took the plates back into the kitchen. When he returned, he seemed distant. Maybe that slip was just that—a slip. He obviously didn’t mean to tease her that way.
If I don’t part from him now, he’ll likely break my heart, and it will be my fault.
“You ready to go?”
He moved about the room to switch off the lights. She watched him for a moment, before heading toward the door. She waited for him, and they silently exited. Once again, he offered her the helmet, but this time she put it on herself. The ride back to her place was quick. The mood between them had taken a complete turn. He parked his bike, and she hopped off. Removing her helmet, she offered it to him.
“Thank you for dinner. I enjoyed seeing your new place. And thanks for returning my earring.”
She turned to leave, troubled that the evening was ending way before she had hoped. They’d been enjoying each other’s company, and to her surprise, she’d had no trouble opening up about her dislike of her farming roots—something she shared with no one from her office. They knew she was from Kentucky, and that was it. With Jason, she didn’t fear he would judge her for being small town or for being a woman in a male-dominated business. He seemed to like her as she was, and that made being with him easier than she ever imagined.
As she reached her front door, a firm hand grasped hold of her arm. She spun around with a gasp, her heart lodged in her throat.
“Jason,” she breathed, placing her hand over her heart as the startling rush overwhelmed her. She hadn’t expected to see him again. Especially so soon. “You scared the shit out of me.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.” His expression was serious, his eyes searching. “I need to ask you something.”
Nerves balled in her stomach and collided with her heart, choking her. “Okay,” she managed.
“Were you serious about not wanting anyone to know about us?”
She swallowed hard, his question catching her off guard. After replaying the words in her head a few times, she realized that she would’ve preferred to tell the world about her interest in Jason, but knew it was impossible. Their affair had to stay between the two of them. Unless they wanted their lives to end up a giant clusterfuck.
“I think it would be for the best,” she finally said.
His thumbs brushed the skin of her arms, and she shivered. “Liza, could you handle an ongoing private affair with me?”
She was sure she was dreaming and that none of this was real. How could it be? The man she was dangerously attracted to was offering himself up for the taking. The gears in her mind churned slowly, almost stopping completely.
He closed in on her, cupping her face in his hands. “I know I shouldn’t want this, but I can’t help myself.”
He caressed her lower lip with his thumb, gliding it sensually over her mouth. Was it wrong that she wanted to suck it into her mouth? Her body sprung alive with need.
“The other night was amazing, and I’d only be lying, if I said I didn’t want it to happen again.”
She quivered as his words filled her ears. Jason wanted her. Again. Please tell me I’m not dreaming.
He licked his lips, his eyes welling with the same passion she’d seen as they’d slept together. “If you want to keep things a secret from the outside world then fine. But I want more. Please, tell me you do, too.”
She gasped, her nipples beading against the fabric of her shirt. “Yes, I want more. I want you.”
* * * *
Jason wasn’t sure what overcame him, but he knew he had to have Liza even if it meant they could only be together in secret. He didn’t care. His thoughts were on the prize he was getting, the nights filled with passion and lust. The pleading eyes that lit up each time she looked at him. He couldn’t remember a time when that had happened to him before, when someone seemed elated to be with him.
We want the same things. No strings. Just sex.
When she reached up to touch his face, everything else faded into nothingness, and he kissed her, held her against him, and craved her like a man starved. In that moment, she was the fire in his soul, the breath in his lungs, and the beat in his heart. Liza was everything he’d ever wanted and never knew he needed.
For now.
The raw emotions churning inside him were unfamiliar and addictive. He wanted Liza more than he’d ever wanted another. It was strange to him to feel so connected to someone he’d spent little time with. They’d shared an incredible night and bonded over common interests, but even with those minor details between them they still shared a vast difference in their daily lives.
I’m not fucking her job.
He could live with the secret and feed off the excitement of knowing she belonged to him. Sneaking around would bring a spark to his life that had been missing and fill the void of loneliness that had crept its ugly head in as he watched everyone around him falling in love.