Love Him: A Love Him, Hate Him, Want Him Novel

by Blaze, Stella

  But Stacey was… well, in the hour I’d known her, she struck me as the kind of girl that ate guys—and girls—like Billy for breakfast.

  Billy might flirt with any girl on two legs, but he’d been devastated when Georgia rebuked him.

  He didn’t stand a chance with a girl like Stacey.

  And she looked like she already despised him.

  “Gosh, you’re pretty,” he said, eyes dreamy. “I’ve never seen a girl do anything like that before. Can I take you out for some ribs?”

  Bette, Darla, and I all looked to each other, our expressions tight. This was going to be ugly, and possibly painful. We stepped closer together and watched as Stacey stood up straight, eyed Billy and pursed her lips in thought.

  “At least she doesn’t still have the tire iron,” Bette chuckled under her breath.

  “Shush!” Darla and I admonished her in chorus.

  Stacey cocked her hip, bared her pretty teeth and looked Billy up one side and down the other. And then she laughed, one perfect, smart assed, sweet laugh.

  “Sure.” She bent down, snatched the flat tire off the ground and tossed it into Darla’s trunk. “But Park’s has the best ribs.”

  Billy stepped back, looking offended. “You must be joking. Lowman’s on Pinehurst has the best ribs in the entire state.”

  Stacey stepped forward and got right in Billy’s face, looking up into his eyes.

  I grabbed Bette’s hand. This was so exciting, like watching a demented romance movie where the heroine could kick the hero’s ass as easily as kiss him.

  “This is fantastic!” Bette cooed.

  “So damned romantic…” Darla added.

  “Park’s,” Stacey hissed like a viper, “or there’s no deal.”

  Billy smiled down at her, heat and adoration in his eyes.

  “Park’s it is.”

  Chapter 45

  When Billy drove off in the AAA tow truck we all piled back into Darla’s shiny new sports car and waited. Everyone had their eyes on Stacey, and she was absently leafing through the owner’s manual for the Camaro.

  Finally Darla squealed and launched herself across the car and tackled her friend, hugging her and jabbering about double dates and possible double weddings in the future, talking so fast it sounded as if she were a cartoon squirrel.

  “Get off me!” Stacey gasped, but she didn’t really resist. After all, Darla was, in my opinion, an irresistible force of nature.

  “That’s one heck of a slice of pretty boy you’re going to go out with,” Bette said, affecting a breathless southern belle. “You know you’re going to have other women hitting on him, right?”

  With one efficient, hellishly strong arm gesture, Stacey pushed Darla back into her seat and gave Bette a hard look.

  “What does that mean?”

  Bette reached over and combed a stray lock of Stacey’s mahogany tresses out of her eyes. “Sweetie, not only does the boy got it going on, but he’s the cover model for an erotic romance.”

  Stacey blinked. “He’s a model?”

  Bette smiled and leaned in, talking in a light, confiding tone. “He’s on the cover of the soon to be released Red’s Big Bad Wolf. It’ll be a big seller, and will be out on Kindle, Nook, iTunes, you name it.”

  Stacey just stared.

  “And if you’re as prone to violence as you seem, you might end up in the slammer for rebuffing one of his future fans.”

  Darla nodded emphatically. “She’s right. You’ll have to rein that temper of yours in, or you’re going to end up in a featured segment on Cops.”

  I almost wanted to cry at the look on Stacey’s face. She was rethinking going out with Billy. And that just broke my heart.

  Billy was so sweet, deep down. And he had a heart of gold. Big bad wolf smile or no, he was a good guy, and after what had happened with Georgia, I really wanted him to get his happily ever after.

  I guess that was my big thing right now. I wanted a happily ever after, and I wanted everyone around me to have one too.

  I reached over and put my hand over Stacey’s. She looked up at me, breaking out of the deep thoughts she’d just fallen into.

  “He’s a good guy,” I said, staring deep into her pretty dark eyes. “He seems like a playboy, but he’s not. He’s the kind of guy that falls hard, and tries everything and anything to make the woman he wants happy.”

  Stacey’s brow furrowed even deeper. “How do you know this?”

  “Because I’ve seen it. I’ve seen him in love with the wrong girl, and how when she let him down it just crushed him.”

  Darla gasped and covered her mouth for a beat. “That’s why he seemed off,” she said. “He didn’t have his usual cocky swagger.”

  Stacey looked to her friend. “He gets cockier?”

  Darla did the gasp/hand over her mouth thing again. “Oh my god, he was with that Georgia the other day at Crickster’s. Isn’t she his best friend’s girl?”

  From the look on Stacey’s face, all this talk wasn’t sitting well with her.

  “The important thing is, when she told him ‘no’ he stopped. It broke his heart and made him miserable, but he stopped.” I could still see that defeated look in his pretty eyes. That look had made me want to strangle Georgia, even though it really hadn’t been her fault. The heart wants what the heart wants. “That goes a long way in my book.”

  Stacey seemed to ponder this for a few beats, and then looked back at me. “But he’s unattached right now, right?”

  I smiled. “He’s as single as it gets.”

  She pushed her beautiful, long hair back from her face and settled back down into her bucket seat. “Well, then I’ll handle his future… groupies, when I run into them.”

  I could hear a silent, Run over them… in her voice.

  Darla tentatively turned the engine of her Camaro over, her eyes darting back to her friend again and again. “Just don’t get arrested, okay?”

  Stacey smiled devilishly. “I can’t make any promises.”

  Bette whooped from the seat beside me. “I really like this friend of yours, Darla. We’re all going to have to have a girl’s night out really soon. See how much trouble we can get into!”

  I had a terrifying flash through my mind of the four of us in The Hangover.

  I didn’t want to be the one locked out on that Las Vegas roof, or the one attacked by a naked guy—or gal—locked in our trunk.

  ###

  I actually had clothes in my closet that didn’t make me look like a spinster or a hopeless tomboy. And with the tutorials on hair care and makeup I’d received in the past few weeks, I was ready for my date in record time—

  But was it really a date?

  Yes, he’d asked you out—even told you to wear jeans. When a man does that it’s definitely a date!

  I stood in front of my full-length mirror and stared at myself. I’d pulled my hair up into a high ponytail, and pulled out some artfully placed locks of hair. My make up was light and natural looking, but covered up the zit that was vying for some real-estate on my cheek.

  The top I had on was cut like a sleeveless t-shirt but was tailored to accentuate my waist and my bosom, and it was made out of a lovely chocolate silk. I knew from Janine’s party that I looked damned good in chocolate…

  I had a shiver as I imagined myself naked on a bed of silk sheets, Jake there—also wondrously naked—painting me with melted chocolate.

  And then licking it off…

  My knees knocked as I shook off that particularly sinful vision.

  My jeans were a little tight, and distressed in a couple places, but Darla and Bette had been right, they looked spectacular on me.

  Made my ass look high and tight, and voluptuous.

  The look was finished off with a saucy pair of golden brown leather boots that had safe but surprisingly sexy two inch heels on them.

  I looked good.

  I looked ready to paint the town red.

  Did I look like a tramp?


  I eyed myself and tried to imagine what I would think if I saw someone dressed like this…

  Truthfully?

  I’d feel jealous that the woman could look that good.

  I smiled and did a little dance, grateful that no one was there to see me do it.

  I walked down stairs, testing out my balance and ability to walk in the short heels, and then headed out to wait for Jake on the swing of my front porch.

  Strangely enough, neither of my nosey neighbors were to be seen. And from the darkened windows of their houses and their absent vehicles, I would say they were out.

  Hmmm, that was interesting…

  I heard the unfamiliar rumble of a motorcycle.

  The sound was getting louder and closer. Not obnoxiously loud, but loud enough to get your attention. A well tuned engine for sure.

  That’s when it occurred to me to look down my street at the dangerous looking Harley that was headed my way.

  It was a hog, with midnight blue paint, shiny chrome, and a black leather seat.

  And Jake Troy was riding it.

  My heart skipped a beat and I couldn’t breathe.

  Jake on a Harley…

  I was glad I was sitting, because I wasn’t sure my legs would’ve held me up.

  My god and little fishes…

  Jake glided the growling beast up onto my sidewalk and rode it all the way up to the bottom of my porch steps, kicked out the kickstand, turned the engine off and then pulled his helmet off.

  Oh god, was he sexy sitting there astride that monster, looking up at me with the kind of look that could melt the Teflon right off a frying pan.

  His thick lips curved into a hungry sneer. “You ready?”

  I jumped up off my porch swing and ran down the stairs, swung my leg over the seat while I pulled on the spare helmet—also black, and I didn’t care what the hell it did to my hair—and then wrapped my arms around his tight, sexy waist.

  “I was born ready,” I said, even though I knew usually I was not an adventurous girl, I was today.

  I was for him.

  Jake pulled on his helmet, fired up the beast beneath us—oh sweet Jesus, the vibration made my head snap back and my legs shake. In three seconds flat I was suddenly on the verge of having an orgasm.

  And we hadn’t even gone anywhere!

  “Hold on tight,” he called back to me, and I did.

  We took off like a rocket, streaking out onto the open road in a smooth, wind-cutting arc.

  I leaned against his back, my cheek on his shoulder blade, my breasts smooshed against his ribs, feeling his every breath. I was suddenly very aware that my hands were positioned right above Jake’s manhood.

  I could remember how he’d felt, hard and ready, in my hands, how he’d tasted in my mouth, how that hard, long cock had felt inside me.

  I shivered and felt things tighten and heat down low in my belly.

  If this little ride got any better I was going to be writhing around on the back of his motorcycle like a cat in heat.

  As if he could feel my arousal he flexed his abdominal muscles, his breathing turning deeper, quicker.

  I rested my head against his back and felt the gentle thump of his heartbeat.

  I couldn’t believe I was with him again.

  I couldn’t believe I was getting a second chance.

  I was not going to blow it.

  Chapter 46

  The open road stretched before us. It ran out into the never ending stretch of highway that crisscrosses America. I held onto Jake and watched the scenery of San Antonio flash by. It was lovely, and being with Jake… well, being with Jake on the back of a Harley was just thrilling.

  And then we turned off into a little town about an hour’s ride away. But we still didn’t stop. We headed through town, and then out of town, onto a two lane, twisting country road.

  I held on tighter, and felt Jake chuckling. And then we turned off the paved road onto a dirt road, Jake slowing the roaring beast beneath us, swerving to miss pot holes that looked like they could swallow us whole.

  Jake finally stopped us in a field of wild grass, right at the foot of a small, wooded hill.

  I excused myself and ran for the closest stand of trees.

  I had to pee in the worst way.

  After I hiked my jeans back up— thank god I’d brought a pocket sized pack of Kleenex—and sauntered as coolly as I could from my impromptu latrine, Jake took my hand—

  He took my hand!!!

  —and led me up the hill and into the sparse woods. The further we went, the thicker the trees became, and the lusher the grass beneath our feet. When we hit the precipice of this small hill, I saw exactly where it was we were heading.

  It was a small, hidden valley, complete with a creek that ran from a pristine looking pond. And above the pond ran a magically perfect looking waterfall. A flock of sparrows fluttered out of a stand of bushes and trees, speckling the azure sky with their spectacular aerial acrobatics.

  I stood there beside him for a few moments, soaking in the view. It was the most beautiful spot I’d ever been too. Most of Texas was arid and bare—this oasis was like a dream.

  Jake gently pulled me into action, guiding me down a barely there path that led all the way down to the sparkling pond and waterfall.

  I looked around and saw nothing for as far as the eye could see.

  “So who owns this place… and are we trespassing?”

  Jake smiled, dropped the gray duffle bag he’d had hefted over his shoulder, and pulled out a blanket and unfolded it onto the grass with a few snaps of his wrists.

  “A buddy of mine owns it, and I fix his truck for cost, so he lets me come out here and skinny dip.”

  My mouth must have been hanging open, because it snapped shut as I imagined him naked, in the brilliant Texas afternoon sun.

  “Skinny dip? You skinny dip out here?”

  He nodded and pulled his t-shirt off over his head.

  “It’s the best water to swim in, always warm, and there’s never anyone out here.”

  He pulled open his jeans, kicking off his work boots.

  It was suddenly very hot, and I was feeling like I couldn’t breathe.

  “What about your buddy?” I panted.

  He pulled down his jeans, stepping out of them in a graceful, strangely masculine move. I watched, breathlessly, as he stood there, not a stitch of anything on between him and the open country air—or my highly appreciative eyes.

  He stared longingly at me. “He doesn’t like swimming in anything that doesn’t have a filter and chlorine in it.”

  I tried not to stare at the thick, long piece of man meat that swung between his thighs as he walked on over to the edge of the pond, his lovely, hefty balls jouncing as he stepped up on a small boulder.

  “A-a-ah, is your buddy a city boy?” I asked, trying not to ogle his white, tan lined ass as it jiggled and the muscles flexed.

  “Nah, he just doesn’t like snakes.” And with that Jake jumped off the rock and dove into the little pond.

  My heart hammered in my chest. Not only was I troubled that he’d dove in, head first, into a small and probably shallow pond, but he’d said the “S” word.

  Snakes…

  When he resurfaced, shaking his head, making water spray from his hair, I felt part of my trepidation ease.

  But…

  “Snakes? Did you say there were snakes?”

  Jake laughed, and I suddenly felt like holding his head under the water.

  I folded my arms under my breasts and stared holes through him.

  He stopped laughing, and held his hands up in surrender. “Fine, fine. There are no snakes in this pond. I swear.” He paddled himself closer to the edge of the pond, gazing at me like he wanted to eat me alive. “Toby just had a run in with a snake when he was a kid.”

  “I don’t know,” I said, walking a little further away from the pond. “Maybe Toby has the right idea. You can’t be absolutely certain that there aren’t an
y snakes in that pond.”

  Jakes eyes crinkled sexily at the edges, and he swam closer to the edge. I could see the glorious orbs of his butt through the blue, green, and brown water.

  “I promise,” Jake said in a brittle, deep voice. “There’s only one snake in this water you have to worry about.”

  Oh… my…

  My legs were shaking, starting to melt into Jell-o. I could practically feel that “snake” pushing up into me. I think I even sighed at the remembered feeling.

  “So, take your clothes off and get your sexy ass in here, before I come out and drag you in.”

  I gulped. I wouldn’t mind seeing a wet, naked Jake glistening in the sunlight.

  But…

  “I will, just… turn around.” I made a vertical circle gesture to accompany my stage whispered “turn around.”

  He scrunched up his eyes and gave me a questioning look. “Why do I have to… turn around?” He affected the same stage whisper, and wriggled his eyebrows at me.

  Sexy bastard.

  I rolled my eyes at him. “Because, I’ll be naked!”

  “I’ve already seen you naked.” he said, his voice deep and rich. “I’m pretty sure I made you that way.”

  I groaned and stomped my feet like I was five… maybe two years old.

  “Because I asked you too!”

  He nodded his head gravely, as if pondering a great and ponderous social issue, sticking out that deliciously pouty lip.

  “Inappropriate modesty… I don’t think that’s acceptable when someone has already seen you naked, and had sex with you.”

  “You don’t, do you?”

  He shrugged his shoulders and held up his hands in a purely Di Niro like gesture. “I calls ‘em likes I sees ‘em.”

  I glared at him.

  “After all,” he continued, “you just watched me get naked and wet. It’s only fair I get to watch you do the same.”

  He kind of had me there. I had really enjoyed watching him shrug off his clothes, and jounce, and jiggle…

  Oh boy, had I ever…

  “Plus, we didn’t just have sex,” Jake said, his eyes warm and glowing. “We had the best sex in the history of the world.”