Work together, huh? Sylvia never expected to be introduced as anything more than a “friend,” but the way Joseph danced around their mutual attraction was like a kick in her ass. At least lube up my emotional anal cavity before slamming your cock in. Least he could do, really.
“You expectin’ her?”
Joseph narrowed his eyes at Sylvia. “No. She won’t be here long.”
Well fuck you too buddy. Talk about having no feelings for her. Guess he was right about that. Good to know it took eating my pussy in an empty office to figure that out. Sylvia couldn’t look him in the eye right now. What a jerk.
What a stupid, sexy, infuriating jerk.
“I was about to leave anyway,” Reina said. She pushed between Sylvia and Joseph on her way to a large, baggy purse bedecked in rhinestones. “Thanks for lunch, hermano. I get the leftovers, yeah?”
“Since you’re now a starving college student, sure.”
“Starving? Are you kidding me? I got the best meal plan.” Reina marched into the kitchen and shoved two containers of soup into her bag. Good luck with that not spilling everywhere. “Fuckin’ ciao y’all.” Reina didn’t offer her brother a hug or a kiss on her way out. Both Joseph and Sylvia remained quiet until the door latched behind the young woman.
Joseph’s body language went from standoffish bodyguard to man in his own home. “Dating a child, huh?”
“Sorry? I come in and see you hanging out with a girl half your age and am not supposed to question what’s going on? You need to have less faith in humanity.”
“I’m a cop. I lost plenty of faith years ago.”
“You think I see the shining stars of society in my line of work?” Sylvia laughed with little mirth. “Yeah, right.”
“By the way, she’s eighteen.”
“Oh, that would make the situation even better. Real mature eighteen, too.”
“Yeah, well… like I said, her mother calls her a mocosa loca for a reason.”
“What does that mean?”
Joseph scratched the dark fuzz on his cheek. “Something like a crazy spoiled brat. She’s the baby of my father’s family, and the only girl, so…” He shrugged. “She just started college. She’ll mature really quick if she doesn’t want to lose our father’s money for her tuition.”
The awkward – although he surely didn’t know he came off as anything but manly older brother – quality to his demeanor when he spoke of his sister almost warmed Sylvia’s heart again. “You two are close?”
“I’m closer to her than either of my brothers.”
Interesting. “Anyway, sorry for barging in like this.”
“Yeah, about that. How the hell did you get past security?”
Sylvia went to the island counter and sat on one of the stools. Before her, a half-empty pot of orange-brown soup littered with flakes of cilantro and green onion continued to simmer on the stove long past lunch. Joseph turned off the stove and placed the lid back on the pot. “I have my ways.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. Her hair was definitely not as cute as it was when Joseph paid for her cute style two months ago. It had grown longer since then, grazing her shoulders and threatening to turn itself into the bob from hell. Outside of work, Sylvia didn’t have much impetus to crimp it. “By the way, I thought you didn’t really cook?”
“Reina fancies herself a cook now. She brings the stuff, I supply the pots…”
“And she cooks for you?”
“We cook it together. Nobody else in my family was going to cook with her.”
“Why not?”
Joseph gave her an incredulous look that made his lips look fuller than usual. I could really use one of those oh-so-dramatic kisses right now. “Because she’s a spoiled rich baby. Not even her mother knows how to cook properly.” He attacked a splotch on the stove with a washrag. “Not every Hispanic family spends their free time making courses of food.”
Sylvia sat up with a start. “I didn’t say that.”
“You were thinking it.”
No use arguing with him.
“So what do you want?”
He leaned forward against the counter, muscular arms lined with veins and hairs so fine and dark that Sylvia had almost forgotten what it felt like to have them against her skin. Why am I thinking about sex? She hadn’t been thinking about it a few minutes ago. Now that they were alone again? She was too embarrassed. Joseph had said he wasn’t interested. That was all there was to it.
Except… he was a dirty liar. Such a dirty, dirty liar.
He had wanted her. Sylvia had felt that deep in her bones. The magnetic pull between them was so engrossing that it was a miracle they didn’t go all the way in that office. There was a reason they fucked like rabbits for three days straight. There was a reason Joseph was so jealous over Sheen and lost his shit when things got violent toward Sylvia.
Those reasons? Probably scared the piss out of him.
He could’ve told her to get out. He could’ve slammed the door in her face. He could’ve had one of his police buddies come arrest her for trespassing. But he hadn’t. He had allowed Sylvia in. Perhaps not into his heart, but she had wormed her way into icier organs.
Sylvia folded her hands on the counter. “What if I said I wanted you?”
Joseph dropped his rag on the floor. “I’d say stop playing around. You didn’t come here to try to get into my pants.” He stood back up, muscles flexing under harsh fluorescent lights. “I believe I told you I wasn’t interested in you like that last night.”
“Indeed you did, with my cum all over your mouth.”
Joseph did not react in the way she anticipated. Where was the blushing? Where was the coy look? Where was the throwing her down on the counter and fucking her brains out? Calm down you slut, jeez. Slut for Joseph. She was going to get that on a T-shirt and wear it to the station. His mom would love that!
“I had to make sure I wasn’t interested.”
“Because nothing makes a girl feel better than having a guy dump her after sucking her clit like a hungry little mutt.” She got shivers thinking about it. Having the man in question in her immediate presence? Ouch. Right in the loins. “You better learn some tact.”
Why did he look so tired all of a sudden? Did thinking about eating her pussy wear him out? Poor baby. “Why are you here, Sylvia?”
No. No way. He was not deflecting. Sylvia didn’t give a shit if he was formally dumping her, but to go through what they did last night – and all their nights before – and claim to feel nothing for her? That was a lie. “I’ll tell you what I’m here for if you tell me the truth.”
“What truth?”
“About why you don’t want me.”
“Knock it off, Sylv. I said all I had to say about it.”
“Wasn’t good enough. There’s something you’re not telling me.”
“Did I make you needy?” Was he teasing her? The bastard was teasing her! “Did I make you addicted to the Agent Montoya experience?”
Sylvia could play that game. She turned on her stool, one bare leg crossing the other. “Maybe,” she cooed. While she wasn’t out to seduce him, she was cool with playing coy.
The teasing stopped the moment Joseph frowned again. “Are you burned because I rejected you after you said you loved me?”
What?
What?
Sylvia was on the verge of falling off the stool. She caught herself on the counter. “What are you talking about? Liar.”
“You don’t remember saying I love you when my tongue was hunting for your G-spot?”
“No!” What was he talking about? Sylvia clasped her hand over her mouth as if she could hold that phrase in again. I did not say that! Why would she? She didn’t… she didn’t love him… “You’re lying.”
“I’m not.” Joseph stood up straight. “Guessing you don’t remember.”
“If I said something like that, then it was obviously in the heat of the moment! Like… I love the way you eat me out kind of thing, you know?�
�� Sylvia’s throat was so dry that she could barely swallow. And why didn’t this counter hold any of the answers she was searching for? No matter how many lines in the countertop she followed, she couldn’t discover shit.
“Either way, that was a bit heavy for an office shag.”
Never say shag again. Sylvia still couldn’t believe it. “Fuck you. I haven’t told a man that I love him since my ex-fiancé.” She wasn’t inclined to say it again anytime soon. What she had with Joseph was just sex. Good, friendly, casual sex that hit her need to be genuinely wanted right in the spot. They were like friends with benefits. Really, really good benefits. More benefits than the friendship, honestly.
“Sorry. It happened.”
“And it freaked you out?”
“I wouldn’t say freaked me out, but it definitely gave me pause.”
“Shit.” Sylvia wrapped her arms on the counter and plunged her face within them. “Good job me. Scaring you off.”
“Yeah, can’t say I’m ready for something like that yet.”
“Look, man, when I was asking if you felt anything for me, I didn’t mean that advanced. I meant like… sexually, you know? Before you gave me radio silence we had talked about a casual relationship. I was confused. You made it sound like we could have something, even if it wasn’t the most serious thing around.” Sylvia lifted her head. “Then you abandoned me.”
“Abandoned you?”
“Well, yeah. You come swooping in, kicking a guy who wants to assault me right in the ass, and then disappear? Do you know what went through my head for a good month? I thought something had happened to you.”
“I was busy with work.”
“There’s something else, though, isn’t there?”
Joseph gripped the edge of his counter, mouth turning in on itself. “I wasn’t lying when I said you were distracting me from my work. It’s a real problem with me. Getting involved with women on the job and then bungling it up…”
“So you blame me for blowing our covers?”
“No!” Joseph slapped his towel against the counter. “I don’t blame you for anything. It’s all on me, Sylv. Getting distracted when so many people are counting on me, falling all over my emotions like some stupid mocoso loco… I still haven’t worked through the past two relationships I’ve been in. I mean, Stella was hardly a real relationship in the end, but it didn’t do me any favors. I don’t… I don’t want to hurt you.”
They were quiet, for once. Sylvia slumped against the counter, hand caught in her hair. “And you don’t want to get hurt again.”
“Guess that makes me sound weak.”
“Don’t be so macho. Do you know how many women would kill for a guy like you?” Where was Joseph when Sylvia was still naïve enough to believe in everlasting love? Before my heart was shattered into a million stupid pieces. Joseph knew how she felt, even if he didn’t want to admit it. He had been so in love with Angelica for so long that her dumping him had to have felt like a comet striking him dead. “First of all, you’re fucking hot. Yeah, yeah, don’t give me that look. You’re young, ripped, and got that whole golden tan with the facial hair thing going on. You’re hot.”
“Thanks, I guess.”
“You’re great in bed, you at least pretend to listen to women, you’re dedicated to your job that serves a greater purpose than yourself, and you’re loyal. Oh, and rich, I guess. I bet this apartment couldn’t be purchased on your salary.”
“You’re right.” Joseph joined her on her side of the counter but kept his distance. “I can’t. My salary and my investments I’ve been building since I was a kid with nothing but a trust fund on both sides of my family are hilarious to look at side by side. I don’t work for the money.”
“See? That’s what I’m talking about. You’re a good guy. Unfortunately, you’re not a dime a dozen. So, you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding the wife of your dreams. I bet if you signed up for Tinder it would end with you getting more dates than your dick can handle.”
Joseph shook his head at her. “I can’t tell if you’re flirting with me or trying hook me up with someone else.”
“Sorry. That’s work talking. Why?” She playfully batted her eyelashes at him. “You want me to flirt with you? Or are you going to flirt first?”
“You’re assuming a lot.”
“All I’m saying is that you shouldn’t blame yourself for putting your heart out there. Don’t blame me for fucking up your job. Not that I think you fucked up. You saved me.”
Broaching that touchy subject put them both at ill-ease. Joseph kept his physical distance, but emotionally, his warmth touched Sylvia right on the cheek. “I know. I acted on feelings for you, but I also know it was the right thing to do. But…” Oh, God, what now? “I saw those bad habits reemerging and decided the best way to deal with it was by walking away. Cut myself off from the temptation.”
“I tempt you, huh?”
She said it playfully, but the gaze she was soon on the other end of was anything but playful. Damn. Was it possible for a man to fuck her with his gaze? Because those chestnut eyes were practically yanking her panties off. “You drive me crazy, Sylv. From the moment we met all those months ago, I’ve humiliated my own subconscious with thoughts of what I want to do with you. To you.”
Was he getting closer? Or was that Sylvia’s own heat expanding through her like a furnace blast? Now her throat was dry for different reasons. All the moisture in her mouth had gone south and prepped her body for the kind of sex she knew this man could deliver. Like I’ve forgotten! One thing to have a swingin’ one-night stand with him (twice,) quite another to get fucked to hell and back by the real Joseph Montoya.
“And what do you want to do to me?” Even though she was a tingly mess inside, Sylvia still knew how to keep her appearance cool. “I’ve done it all, buddy.”
“So happens,” he began, a growl courting his voice, “that I wouldn’t mind doing it all with you. Take that as you will.”
“Sure. So we’re good now?”
For a man who had insisted he didn’t feel anything for her, he sure didn’t mind kissing her like the world was about to end at any damn moment.
Chapter 25
Sylvia
“No,” she said, pushing him back against the counter. “It’s my turn to explore you.”
Sylvia hadn’t forgotten. The tentative caresses, the traveling kisses, the tenuous looks. That night back at her place, when Joseph took his time getting to know her body, had been the kind of experience Sylvia longed for. I don’t get that in any of my jobs. I never really got that in my relationships, either. She thought she could live without it. Sex was sex, whether she was paid for it or not. Then Joseph did that to her. He didn’t just acquire carnal knowledge of her. He was prepared to write a dissertation on her sexual anatomy and present it to the board. Not every man could say he was an expert on Sylvia Rogers’s body. And not every woman could say she appreciated a man like Joseph, even when he was the man in her arms.
“Such fond memories,” Joseph sighed. His fingertips were like airy kisses to her cheek. Even a simple motion like tucking her loose hair behind her ear made Sylvia shiver in delight. Sexual? Yes. Emotional? She would deal with that later. Right now she was more interested in dealing with her immediate desires. “I think you’ll find that I’m fairly straight-forward, though.”
Sylvia left a trail of teasing kisses down his throat and to the collar of his shirt. Already her hands grabbed the hem and yanked burgundy cloth up, desperate to push against his stiff torso. That ain’t all that’s stiff down here. The man had a bulge. One that could sorely use some attention from Sylvia. Shit, I wanna suck it. One thing at a time.
“You might be surprised, baby.” Funny. That was a word she didn’t often say with gusto. It was a filler word, something to call her clients who were as interchangeable as her shoes and pearl necklaces. Yet she had called him that more than once now. Almost like it was natural. I never called Maxwell that. He was a
lways “sir.” A word she wasn’t keen on calling any man again. “I’ve got a lot of experience for you to take advantage of.”
She loved to do that: to remind him of who she was. Even if Sylvia quit escorting that day, she would still remind Joseph that she had been with how many men in her twenty-four years? That she had done every kind of roleplay, lived every kind of lifestyle, been called every dirty name in the book… and usually liked it? Sylvia could never fuck with (or just fuck) a man who had a problem with it. She was to the point where she had been with more men than most men were with women. Few were memorable. The ones who were memorable? Usually shitasses. She’d rather build better memories with men she pursued instead of the other way around.
Can you give me better memories, Joseph? He didn’t bat an eyelash when she spoke, but he did get a little harder.
“You spoil a man,” he grumbled, never once looking away from Sylvia as she knelt on the floor and massaged the front of his jeans. Hard, harder, damned hard. That zipper valiantly attempted to hold him in. Valiantly. Attempted.
Oops.
“I love to spoil and be spoiled.” Sylvia grabbed the base of his cock with one hand and pounded against his abs with the other. Air shot out of Joseph’s mouth. Pleasure. Discomfort. It was all the same. “Makes sex better that way, baby.”
“I ain’t arguing.”
“So let me spoil you right now.” If he thought this was all about him, well, that was silly. Sylvia loved to spoil a man worth ruining with her favors.
“Be my guest.”
That was an invitation to a challenge. Joseph had that cocky, casual stance men adopted when they didn’t think they could be swayed. The bastard was plenty pleased with himself over this situation. After all, he had a woman he lusted after on her knees in his kitchen. (All right, technically in the living room, but these open floor plans left everyone confused.) She was going to service him in his own home. Not to mention what I do for a living. He didn’t even have to pay her! Wasn’t that nice? Really spoke to what a special guy he was. Joseph Montoya was such a badass that women fell to their knees to spoil him rotten. But he wasn’t going to act like he was affected. That’s how badass he was, right?
Damaged Goods Page 28