False Security

by Evan Grace

  A while later, Erik comes back out and I can feel his eyes on me, but I choose to ignore him. Every so often, I shoot him the occasional dirty look while he sits on the love seat staring at me. In the meantime, I meet Reece, Delilah’s “boyfriend,” although I’m not exactly sure what he is, except that he’s the father of her baby. I also meet her dad, who is a lot younger than I pegged her father to be, but he was also young when she was born.

  They’re both very nice and welcoming. After they’re all gone and I’m alone, I’m finally able to take a deep breath.

  Chapter Four

  Erik

  She’s here—I’ve finally found her, and she’s going to be working with me. The morning after our date, I’d woken up alone and pissed. That was some of the best sex I’ve ever had, and she disappeared after it without a trace. Carrie wouldn’t give me any information, and I couldn’t badger her about it—otherwise Egan would’ve kicked my ass.

  Who fucks so much their dick gets sore? Apparently me, because my dick was sore for days, and fuck me, I couldn’t get the taste of her off my tongue. I didn’t want to, either—I loved having the reminder. I’ve jerked off to the memory of her tight little pussy more times than I care to admit.

  Normally I’d wake up from a night of sex and I’d be the one to leave in the night. But I’d never felt that sort of connection with anyone before—I hadn’t been looking for any sort of connection, either. But when I looked into her eyes, it was like I could see all the way to her soul. I know that sounds cheesy as fuck, but I don’t care.

  It was the last time we fucked before falling asleep. I’d been sitting up in the bed, and she’d had her feet on the mattress next to my hips. Shayla rocked and rolled her hips while bouncing up and down on my cock. Our eyes locked, and something inside of me snapped. I’d grabbed her face, bringing her down to meet me in an urgent possession of lips, tongues, and teeth.

  As soon as I felt the beginnings of her orgasm, I flipped us over and began pounding into her at a brutal pace. Had I not been wearing a condom, I would’ve definitely knocked her up. After we finished, I’d barely gotten the condom off before we both passed out.

  Now she’s sitting at the front desk, looking more gorgeous than I remember. She better not try to leave before we have the chance to talk. Does she realize that now that I’ve found her, she’s not getting away from me that easily? Am I saying that I want a relationship with her? No, but I want to spend some time with her to see if the connection is purely sexual…or something else.

  Fuuuuck, why do I care? I’m Mr. Carefree, bang whoever I want, whenever I want. Maybe because she was refreshing—she gave as good as she got in bed. My usual type only wants to do it in angles that make them look good, but not Shayla—she fucked me like I fucked her. She was wild and uninhibited. Fucking her was fun, and I don’t think I’ve ever said that…ever.

  Reece follows me into my office and sits down across from my desk. I look up at him as I sit. “What? Just say it.” In the short time he’s been here, Reece has become a good buddy.

  “She’s pretty,” he says simply. I nod. “It’s obvious she’s got you all twisted up. What’re you going to do?”

  I shake my head. “I’ve got no clue. I don’t do relationships.”

  “I felt the same way until Delilah and I reconnected. We really haven’t crossed into relationship territory, at least not yet, but we will.”

  Luckily, he changes the subject. We’ve been working together going through security tapes of places near Delilah’s apartment, looking for any clues leading to who might’ve attacked her. We make plans for the next day to go over the newest footage. I’m spending the rest of my day doing paperwork on cases that I’ve finished and getting my hours turned in so I get paid.

  Shayla has ignored me all day, which had been easy for her to do because Delilah has been working with her. But Delilah’s in her office right now, which means Shayla is alone. Without a second thought, I head out to the reception area.

  She’s typing away on the computer with earbuds in. I grab a chair and slide in close to her. Shayla freezes and turns toward me. She pulls her earbuds out. “What?”

  “Have dinner with me, or at least a drink? Let’s talk.” Her light floral scent wraps around me, making my dick hard. Now I’m aching to be inside of her again.

  She shakes her head. “There’s nothing to talk about. It was one night.” She turns back to the computer.

  I lean in close, caging her in. “It was not just one night, and you know it. You know we connected, and I don’t connect with anyone.” My breath hits her neck, and I don’t miss the goosebumps that pop up all over her arms. “That was the best fucking sex I’ve ever had.”

  She pretends like she’s not affected by my words, but I don’t miss the way her breathing quickens. Shayla leans toward me. “You’re full of shit,” she whispers harshly. “I know what I look like compared to the hostess at the restaurant that you couldn’t take your eyes off of. I’ve been down that road before, and I don’t plan on doing it again.”

  “Yes, you’re not my usual type, but you’re beautiful—especially when you’re riding my cock.” Her cheeks turn pink. I absently play with the ends of her hair.

  Reece comes out, interrupting us. It gives Shayla time to ignore me and put up her defenses. That’s okay, because my mom’s always told me I’m stubborn. I’ll wear her down until we can at least fuck each other out of our systems.

  Shayla makes her escape with Delilah and Reece. I’ll let her run now, but she’ll see soon enough that we’ve got some incredible chemistry, and we owe it to ourselves to see what could happen.

  ***

  The past week I’ve been avoiding the office. I’m trying not to be in Shayla’s space because if I’m there, then I want to be close to her. Delilah pulled me aside Shayla’s first week and said I was coming on too strongly—her words, not Shayla’s. I know I can be a little over the top, but that’s just my personality.

  Then Reece pulled me into his office. He’d leaned against his desk and crossed his arms over his chest, his eyebrows raised. “So what’s really the deal with you and Shayla? And not the bullshit version, the truth. It’s easy to see there’s a lot of tension on her end, and I’m not just talking about the sexual kind.”

  So I told him about our date—every little detail, and by just saying it out loud I was actually a little embarrassed. For so long I haven’t given a shit about the women I’ve taken to bed, and now that I do, my past behavior is coming back to bite me in the ass. I could tell by the grimace on Reece’s face as I shared all the nitty gritty that he agreed.

  The question of the day is: What makes Shayla so special? She’s attractive, sure, but I would never seek out a woman like her in any other situation. It’s probably because no other woman—well, except Del and the females I’m related to—has ever called me on my shit, and Shayla did it the day we met. It was hot as fuck too.

  “I’ve got to prove to her that I’m not a douche,” I told Reece. “Well…I’m still a douche, but I want to prove I’m a good guy too.” My throat closed up as I thought of what she’d said when I confronted her that first day at the office. “She thinks I’m a cheating scumbag. I may be a lot of things, but I’m sure as fuck not that.”

  “You are a good guy—I just think you need to make her see that, without being obnoxious about it. Show her the Erik that has his baby sister over for sleepovers and watches over his buddies’ wives.”

  I left Reece’s office shortly after that, and I’ve avoided Shayla ever since. Just like both Reece and Del told me to do, I’m giving her the space to make her own decision.

  It’s been easy keeping myself busy, though—I’ve got a couple of cases that I’ve picked up this week. Of course, this coming Friday we have a staff meeting, so I'll see her then.

  I stop at the store on my way home and grab groceries so I can do some meal prep for the rest of the week. I keep up a pretty strict diet and exercise regimen. Looking this goo
d takes hard work and dedication, and I don’t miss the appreciative glances I get from female customers. The girl who rings me up is red-faced and flustered while I try to talk to her.

  When she hands me my receipt, I give her a wink. “Thanks, doll.” I hear her giggle as I grab my bags, stick them in my cart, and head out of the store.

  Once I load the back of my Explorer, I climb inside, lean my head back, and groan. That shit is exactly why Shayla is resistant to us going out again, but it’s just automatic sometimes. Fuck, I need to get my shit together. My phone rings and I see my sister’s face smiling at me. It’s a picture from when she’d made me take her to Brookfield Zoo. I swipe the screen and hold the phone to my ear. “What’s up, baby sis?”

  “Hi, big brother. Mom wants you to come for dinner Friday night. Can you? We’re celebrating me getting on the honor roll.” My baby sister is so fucking smart. I’m so proud of her.

  “Sure thing, I wouldn’t miss it. Maybe I’ll stay the night and we can go eat at Flip’s for breakfast.” It’s been her favorite place to eat since she was little. They have cinnamon rolls the size of someone’s head. If I eat there I’ll pretty much have to increase my workouts for about a week after, but to hang with her, it’s worth it.

  “Yes!” Her excitement makes me smile. I hear her tell Mom that I’ll be coming and staying overnight. “I can’t wait to see you.”

  “You just saw me a couple of weeks ago.”

  “I know, but I miss you. We have so much fun together.” She knows how to bring me to my knees.

  I coddle her, I know, but I’ve loved that little monster from the first time I held her in my arms. It was really odd to be almost out of high school with a toddler at home, but she made life interesting. “I miss you too, kid. I’ll see you Friday.”

  After we hang up, I head home and make two trips to get my groceries upstairs. It takes me a couple of hours to finish prepping my meals before I head to bed so I can hit the gym first thing in the morning. After a good night’s sleep, I change into my workout clothes and head out.

  I’m finishing a set of back squats when I spot Heather and Lacey—they’re best friends who do everything together, and I mean everything. Now, they are my usual type: tall, leggy blondes, fake tits, and pencil-thin bodies. Now a curvy brunette is monopolizing my thoughts.

  They come prancing over and my dick does nothing—nada…zilch.

  “Hey, Erik,” Heather purrs. “We saw you and had to stop by and see if you wanted to come over? We haven’t seen you in forever.”

  A part of me wants to say yes because that’s what I do, but my dick doesn’t seem to care that I’ve been inside both of these women and have seen them fuck each other. All my dick cares about is Shayla and the way she rode me like a fucking, bucking bronco.

  “Ladies, I would love to, but I can’t. Maybe some other time?” Not likely if I have it my way and can get Shayla to quit blowing me off.

  They both pout, but give me a kiss on each cheek before walking away hand in hand. I can only shake my head as I move on to my next set.

  After my workout, I grab a protein shake and head out to my Explorer. Once I get home, I shower and then get dressed for the day. My phone pings, and I take it off the charger.

  Jack: Can you come in today? I want to go over Delilah’s case.

  “Fuck.” I sigh before picking up my phone. “So much for avoiding the office.”

  Erik: Yeah, I’m on my way.

  I slip on my motorcycle boots and head out the door.

  After parking in the garage, I climb out of my SUV and head to the elevator. I ride it up to our floor, and when the door opens, I spot Shayla sitting behind the desk. She watches me as I walk toward the door that leads into the back. When I reach her, I give two quick knocks on her desk with my fist and lift my chin in greeting. “Good morning.”

  In the back, I grab a cup of coffee and a banana before heading into the conference room. It’s just Jack, Reece, Egan, and me. Before Jack starts, Shayla comes in with a notepad. She takes the seat next to mine, and her familiar scent wraps around me like a cloak. I shift in my seat, thankful the table top is hiding my erection from the guys.

  Jack talks to us about all the information he’s found, which unfortunately isn’t much. I’ve helped Marcus review past case files just to make sure this isn’t a revenge thing, but everyone’s had alibis. It’s like whoever did it just…vanished.

  Shayla scribbles on her pad next to me, and I watch her out of the corner of my eye. Her hair is up today, and images assail me as I think about kissing that neck and nipping at her sensitive flesh. What the fuck is wrong with me?

  I’ve prided myself on my ability to never get attached. I’m Mr. Good Time Guy, but Shayla calls to me in a different way. She calls to me in a way that I’m not comfortable with, and I have to know if it’s just sexual or not.

  Once Jack dismisses us, I get up and am out of the conference room before Shayla is even out of her chair. In my office, I sit behind my desk and log into my laptop. I’m in the middle of going through my emails when there’s a knock on my open door.

  I assume it’s Jack or Reece, but I’m surprised to find Shayla standing there looking uncertain. She’s wearing a form-fitting gray dress with a lime-green cardigan over it. Her makeup is light, and she’s incredibly beautiful.

  I don’t say anything at first; I just watch her fidget nervously in the doorway, but I don’t make her wait long. “Did you need something?”

  She steps closer to my desk. “Are you okay? Did I upset you?” Shayla wrings her hands in front of her.

  Okay, I wasn’t expecting that. I get up from my desk and don’t miss the subtle flinch from her. Who hurt her? It’s obvious someone did. I’ve always been very observant—it’s always been easy to pick up someone else’s subtle cues. “I’m fine, sweetheart. No, you didn’t upset me. I was just giving you space.”

  Do I see relief on her face? Why does she even care? I reach behind her and push the door shut. Every instinct I have is telling me to back her up against the wall and plunder her mouth, but instead I cup her face. Her eyes flare right before I slam my mouth down on hers. Immediately her unique flavor explodes on my tongue. A deep groan escapes from my chest, and my cock gets hard…again.

  All too soon, she steps away from me, and before I can say anything, she’s out of my office. I rub a hand over my head and sigh. “Well, that wasn’t backing off.” Fuck me, this woman has got me acting fucking stupid.

  By the end of the day, I’m mentally spent. Every time she was even in the same vicinity as me, I couldn’t think and couldn’t focus. The guys must’ve been able to pick up on my mood, because they all avoided me. The only one who didn’t was Delilah, but working with a bunch of bossy men has toughened up her skin; she dishes it out now as good as she takes it.

  Heading out, I stop the elevator from shutting with my hand. When I step on, I find Shayla in the cab, typing something on her phone. When she looks up, she smiles nervously at me. “How was the rest of your day?”

  “Good, thanks. You?” Could we get any more awkward? Fuck, I’m like some high school kid who’s never even talked to a woman, let alone seen one naked.

  “It was great, thanks.”

  We reach the parking garage, and I watch her give me a bit of a wave before heading toward the exit. “Where are you going?” I call out.

  “Taking the L.”

  I jog toward her. “Let me give you a ride.”

  “Thanks, but it seriously isn’t that far. I do it all the time.” She continues walking away from me.

  “The protector in me can’t in good conscience let you.” I move to stand in front of her. “Please, let me do this.”

  She finally agrees and lets me lead her to my Explorer. I help her inside, and then she gives me her address. After plugging it into my GPS, we head toward her place. Out of the corner of my eye, I watch her pick at her nails and stare out the passenger window. I hate that I make her nervous. That was nev
er my intention, and I hope I’ve somewhat shown that over the past week or so. Of course, the strongest impression she’s had of me so far is that I can be a selfish pig.

  “How do you like your job?” See, I can be a nice guy.

  She turns to look at me. “I love it. Everyone has been great.”

  “I’m glad, sweetheart.”

  We’re both silent on the way toward her apartment. It’s a companionable silence, and when I pull up to her building, it’s one of those apartments that look like a huge house. There are usually three units, one on top of the other. As soon as I slow to a stop, she says a quick, “thank you” and hops out.

  In her heels she expertly runs up her sidewalk to the side entrance and disappears inside. I don’t move right away—a part of me is hoping to catch a glimpse of her inside, but of course I don’t know which apartment is actually hers.

  With a sigh, I throw my SUV in drive and head toward the gym. I need to burn off this pent-up energy.

  Chapter Five

  Shayla

  I climb out of the Uber, thanking the driver for the ride. As soon as I reach the door, it opens and Carrie greets me with baby Leif in her arms. I couldn’t avoid her any longer, plus I was dying to get my hands on her baby.

  “Hi, momma!” I kiss her cheek, and then Leif’s forehead. Once we’re inside, she hands him over and we sit side by side on their sofa. “You look fantastic.”

  Carrie smooths a hand over her hair. “Thanks. I’m so exhausted and overwhelmed a lot, but so freaking happy.”

  I remember what it was like after I had Grant. What kind of a man gets jealous of the love the mother of their child shows that child? Ryan made me feel guilty all the time for wanting to spend more time with Grant than I did with him. Of course he didn’t mind when Grant wanted his daddy.