by Morgan Fox
She shook her head. “No. I’m okay.”
Jason moved from the bed and pulled her up to join him, leading them into the shower. He cleaned them off, and without saying a word, he took them right back to the bed. As he lay beside her, he opened up his arms for her to lay close. She nuzzled against him, inhaling his masculine scent.
She grinned as the night pulled her into sleep, knowing she’d just experienced another fantasy with Jason Whitmore.
* * * *
Jason stirred awake just as the morning light peeked over the horizon. He remembered in an instant that he was in Liza’s bed. Her scent was all over the pillow he used and her warm body was anchored at his side. He’d spent all night cradled against her—a need that seemed so strange to him. He’d held her, almost afraid to let her go. The last thing he wanted was for her to disappear on him again. It hadn’t bothered him the first night they were together, but now the idea of her dismissing him without a word did.
He brushed back her hair and wondered if she’d ever let her hair go natural again. As it was, she was beautiful. But he liked the idea of her not hiding behind a look that suited the men in her career. He was sure that was why she’d changed her look so much from Layla’s. That sweet Kentucky girl thing might not work too well in her line of work, but it didn’t have to be that way. Jason worked with tough, strong women at Iron Horse. Sam, Brynn, Zerina, and Layla had all proven to him just how incredibly independent they were. Liza was no different. Regardless of her hair color, he believed that. He wished she did, too.
Her alarm buzzed, and she reached over and turned it off. Looking at him, she smiled. “Good morning.”
“Morning,” he said.
“You’re up early.”
“I knew you had to work today, and I didn’t want to wake up to find you gone again.”
She sighed. “Sorry about that.” She turned to her side, the sheet slipping a little to reveal her breasts. “Had I known what kind of lover you’d be, I would’ve begged to stay.”
He trailed the tips of his fingers over her arm. “Is that all it would’ve taken?”
“That and food.” She grinned. “Are you hungry? I need to grab something to eat before I head into the office. Care to join me?” She tossed the sheet off of her and headed into the bathroom.
“Sure. Did you have something here or did you have a place in mind?” He dressed as he waited for her to return.
“There’s this cute little restaurant up the road,” she said, stepping from the bathroom, her hands working to put her hair in a bun on her head. She was naked, and all he could do was stare at her nipples and the smooth skin between her legs.
“I say we skip breakfast.” He closed the distance between them, pulling her against him. “Call in sick. I’ll do the same.”
She laughed as he knelt to take her nipple into his mouth. “Stop that,” she teased, shimmying her way out of his grasp and still fumbling with her hair. “I bailed on my coworkers last night. They’ll know something’s up if I’m not at work today.”
“You did?” She hadn’t said anything about missing out on plans until now. “Why did you do that? Did I stop you from joining them?”
She glanced away from him, heading back into the bathroom. “I wasn’t in the mood to go out.”
He stood behind her as she began putting on her makeup. “Didn’t you tell me that you helped land a big account?”
She eyed him as he gently pinched her nipple, swirling his fingers over it. “Yes.”
“Did you miss an important meeting because of me?”
She shrugged, and he wasn’t sure what that meant. He spun her to face him. “It was just drinks to celebrate. That’s all.”
He frowned. “It was to celebrate your success. I would say that’s a pretty big deal.”
She reached down and cupped his cock in her hands, and he jumped, clasping her shoulders. “I’d say you’re a pretty big deal, too.”
He shook his head. “Don’t change the subject with flattery. And don’t touch my dick unless you plan to use it.”
She rolled her eyes playfully and returned to face the mirror, patting her face with a little powder. “I was a little distracted and didn’t feel like going.”
He leaned against the counter beside her, studying the way she put on her lipstick. He wanted to lick the seam of her lips and taste her. He glanced down, doing his best to keep his thoughts on track. Standing so close to her, they quickly went south.
Stop that! She’s going to work.
“Was it because Asshole was here to get his things?”
She laughed as she put her makeup away. “I’m so embarrassed about that, by the way. All this time, I assumed he was stalking me. He just wanted his things. How ridiculous is that?”
He hiked a shoulder. “I don’t know if it was ridiculous, especially after what happened with your sister. You were just being cautious.”
“Maybe. I was also being a little obsessed.”
He furrowed his brow. “About what?”
She moved to stand between his feet, her hands slowly gliding over his stomach and chest until her arms circled his neck. “You,” she whispered.
“Stop it. I’m going to start blushing.” He reached down and tenderly squeezed her ass. “But if you let me do the things I did to you last night again—” he kissed her “—obsess away.”
She laughed, stepping back into her bedroom. She put on her underclothes and finished dressing. He wasn’t sure what it was, but watching her get dressed felt good. Talking with her felt good. Waking up beside her felt good. Everything about being with her felt good. Who would have thought that he’d find a woman to spend time with that not only satisfied him sexually, but tempted his soul?
Sam wasn’t right about everything between them. Liza shared many of the same qualities he possessed. The saying that opposites attracted didn’t fit them completely. Their focus on careers, sexual appetites, a love for burgers and fries—the list was growing.
He waited for her downstairs. As she joined him, he scanned her from head to toe, and his desire for her awakened. “I think I have a thing for women in business suits.”
She smiled, grabbing her purse and briefcase off the table. “Why do you say that?”
He glanced down, arching his pelvis forward. The thick outline of his erection pressed through his jeans. “See for yourself.”
“Oh,” she breathed, her face doing that cute blushing thing he liked so much. She erased the space between them, pressed to her toes, and kissed him. “Don’t forget the condoms.”
Heat stirred inside him. “So you want me to come over tonight?”
“Even if it’s two in the morning,” she said, slipping past him. “I’ll be waiting.”
He followed her outside. “I’ll be here.”
“Good.” She headed toward her car. “There’s a diner just up the street.”
“I’ll follow you.”
He made sure she was in her car, before he got on his bike. She wasn’t kidding about how close the restaurant was. They were pulling into the corner parking lot within a few minutes, and that included waiting at one stop light. The diner was inside an old subway car.
“I’ve never eaten here,” he admitted, joining her at the front door. “I’ve seen this place a time or two, but never stopped by.”
“Well, now’s your chance. I love this place. I often get up early and do a little work before heading into the office. It doesn’t get busy here for another hour or so.”
“That makes it nice,” he said as they were seated at a front booth.
“What I really like is the food. It’s amazing.” She leaned forward as if to whisper a secret. “I might not have loved the farming lifestyle back home, but I sure do miss my mother’s cooking. She made the best pancake breakfast. This place is the closest I’ve found to tasting as good.”
“I guess it’s decided then. I’m trying the pancakes.”
She smiled. “I recommend the bacon, to
o.”
“My heart just skipped a beat,” he teased. “I love bacon.”
“So are you going to work at Iron Horse tonight?”
“Yes. I snuck out last night. I fear they’ll notice if I do it again.”
“I know the feeling. If I take an extra minute at lunch, my assistant is standing in my doorway with the twenty questions.”
“In my case, I’ll have to deal with intrusive women who are like annoying sisters.”
“I know that feeling, too,” she said with a laugh. “Layla might seem innocent and sweet, but that little angel has sharp teeth and claws.”
He arched a brow. “Do I really want to know this?”
“When we were kids I used to get in trouble for things she did. My parents couldn’t imagine their sweet little Layla doing anything wrong. She was their angel.” She shook her head. “She was a devil in disguise. Ask her, she’ll tell you.”
Jason’s expression grew serious. “I can’t,” he reminded her.
“Right,” she said with a sigh. “I forgot.”
The waitress appeared, bringing them both glasses of water, and they placed their orders. When the woman stepped away from the table, he asked Liza, “You never said if you enjoyed riding on my bike or not.”
“It was nice.” She liked the freeing emotions that had consumed her as she held on to Jason, never once fearing they’d be hurt. The wind in their faces, the roar of the engine. She liked it very much.
“Nice?” he said, stressing the word like it was an insult. “Flowers are nice. My motorcycle is fucking sweet.”
She breathlessly laughed. “Oh, right. I’m sorry. It was fucking sweet.”
“That’s better,” he replied with a grin. “Want to go for a ride again?”
She studied him. “Are we talking about the motorcycle or you?”
His brow rose high on her forehead. “I’m thinking we could manage both.”
She swallowed hard as a new fantasy exploded in her thoughts. She leaned forward on her elbows. “Ever had sex on your motorcycle?”
He quirked a crooked grin. “No.”
That was exactly what she’d hoped he’d say. “Want to?”
Chapter Six
“Why the hell are you smiling?” Zerina asked, popping the top off a beer and chugging it down.
Jason smirked. “You gonna pay for that?”
“Nope,” she said with a gasp as she finished it off. “You are, cuz you love me.”
He didn’t think she’d ever paid for a beer since starting at Iron Horse. Zerina was…well, Zerina. “How does Jeremy do it?”
She faced him, her expression serious. “Sometimes he does it from behind, while others I’m on top.” She tossed around her dark hair with its bright purple tips as if she were in a shampoo commercial, giving him her best O face.
“Dear God,” he snapped. “Seriously, wasn’t asking that.” He scrubbed a stiff hand over his face and groaned. “Damn it, Zerina, I can never unsee that.”
She laughed, her brown eyes flickering with humor. “I know.”
“What’s so funny?” Layla asked, moving up to join them, dressed in her traditional conservation attire of jeans and a shirt that hid her figure. One he now knew intimately, thanks to her twin sister.
Don’t go there. He shook the troubling thought away.
“Jason was just about to tell me why he’s got a little extra pep in his step.” Zerina leaned against the bar. “Weren’t cha’?”
He furrowed his brow. Pep in his step? He hadn’t considered it, but he was a bit cheerier thanks to the last few nights with Liza. The thought of her had his heart beating a little faster. “Actually, Zerina, I was about to find out why the two of you are bugging me instead of working?”
Layla glanced around the bar, innocently batting her baby blues. “Are we opening early today?”
He looked at his watch, wondering why she would say that. Iron Horse didn’t open for another thirty minutes. He sighed, realizing he’d been doing nothing but daydreaming about Liza all afternoon. He hadn’t even noticed the time.
“Go find something to do until we open…besides harass me,” he clarified.
“If Brynn was here she’d ask you who you were fucking,” Zerina added. “Shit, I’d like to know who you’re fucking. That man glow you’re sporting has ‘She’s riding my Iron Horse’ all over it.”
Jason’s eyes rounded. “Seriously, where is your filter?”
“It broke,” Layla said with a laugh. “I think it happened at birth.”
Zerina smiled. “It sure the hell did.”
Jason groaned, grabbing a beer before heading toward his office. “Get to work,” he shouted, closing his office door.
Within seconds the door opened and in popped Sam. “Hey,” she said, taking the seat across from him.
He was ready to let his head smack the desk. Anything would be better than being assaulted with more prying questions. “Are you here to harass me, too?”
“No, should I be?”
“No.”
“Okay. Good. Now that we got that out of the way,” she said, sounding as if they could now get to the real issue at hand. “I heard our new sign went up at the bar and grill.”
He’d clenched his jaw. He’d completely forgotten to tell her. He’d been so distracted with Liza, nothing else had crossed his mind. “Shit, I meant to call you. It went up yesterday.”
She nodded, smiling with excitement. He was glad she wasn’t throwing something at his head. “Want to run by and see it with me tonight?”
Then again, maybe he hadn’t given her enough time to pick something up. He cringed. “I went by last night,” he admitted. “It looks great.
“You did?” Her face blanched with disappointed.
“Yes, I…wanted to check it out.” He swallowed his tongue, realizing that he’d just confessed his whereabouts. Sam was like a bloodhound. He braced himself.
She furrowed her brow, eyeing him as if to try and read his mind. “And you didn’t think to call me about it or ask me to go with you?”
Normally, that would’ve been exactly what he’d do. He shuffled the papers on his desk. “I just happened to be in the area.” Liar.
Sam studied him, her gaze scrutinizing. “Why do I think there’s more to this than—Oh, my god. You went to see Liza, didn’t you?”
Oh, shit.
Was he that transparent? He wanted to deny it, but he couldn’t, so he told the truth. At least part of it. “I returned an earring she left in my hotel room.”
Sam held herself perfectly still as if to wait for him to say more. He didn’t. “And?”
“And what?”
Sam scoffed. “You took her to Iron Horse, didn’t you? You took her to see the sign before you took me.”
Fuck me. Was she jealous? Would she be angry with him if he admitted it? He was drowning in a sea of intrusive women. Lord help me.
“I didn’t know the sign was up until we rode up.”
Sam smacked her hand on her knee and gasped. “Holy shit, you got Liza on the back of your bike, too?”
His brows dipped at the bridge of his nose. Why would that be an issue? “Yes,” he hissed softly, feeling like he was on trial for some heinous crime.
“Wow, she must really like you.”
“Why would you say that?”
“She doesn’t care for bikers or beer. Hasn’t come to Iron Horse once that I know of to see me or her own sister, but in one night you get her to ride your motorcycle and visit the bar.” She blew out an exaggerated whistle. “That must be one hell of a penis you’ve got there, Jason Whitmore.”
He gaped at her as she found humor in the situation. “You’re married to my brother,” he reminded her. “Can we please leave my junk out of this conversation?”
He shook away the willies that were suddenly all over him. Talking with Sam about his sex life was not what he wanted to do. Then he felt a burst of something new in his chest—something he didn’t fully understa
nd, but liked how it made him feel.
She did things with me that she hadn’t done with anyone else.
“She had a beer, too,” he said, grinning.
“No fucking way.” She laughed. “You might just be the person to help remove that stick from her snobby little ass.”
A fiery burst of heat rushed through him, teasing his cock with the memory of just how tight her ass was. Damn it, he couldn’t wait to see her again. He cleared his throat.
“Between you and me, Sam, I like her,” he admitted. “I know I said it was only once, but—”
“I’m glad you’re enjoying sometime together,” she replied with a soft sigh. “Just please keep it casual so no one gets hurt and it doesn’t get weird.”
“No, it won’t get weird. It can’t.” I hope.
Sam arched a knowing brow. “Right. I don’t know who you were trying to fool with that one-time bullshit.” Sam leaned back in her chair and folded her arms over her chest. “Face it, Jason. You’re both more committed to your careers than to anything else in the world. What better way to get your rocks off than with someone who gets that.”
True enough, but hearing her say it surprised him. “You’re not angry?”
“Not anymore. I just hope you know what you’re getting into,” she said, scrunching up her face as if he’d asked a ridiculous question. “Fuck each other until your brains pop out. Just make sure that you keep things from getting out of hand. I don’t want to have to pick sides or be asked to pick sides.” She stood. “I’d really be pissed if I had to be split between you two like we’re part of some damn custody battle. And don’t get me started on how devastated it might be for Layla. She loves you both. It would kill her if you two…you know.”
He nodded. He knew exactly how devastated Layla would be. He could imagine the wedge it would drive between them. Whether it was between Layla and him or Layla and her sister, their relationships would forever be changed.
It had been a major reason he’d hesitated in the beginning, but now that he’d had a taste of Liza, he was sure things wouldn’t end badly. They were getting what they needed from each other. That was all. Things were working out as they should.