by Cher Carson
Pumping into her furiously, he got lost in the sensations. The scent of their shared arousal hung heavy in the air, the tight, wet heat captured his cock and refused to let go. He wanted to experience this every night from now on. He drove into her mercilessly, thrusting his cock into her with enough force to shift the couch. His muddled brain kept telling him to slow down, to take it easy on her, but she brought his baser instincts to the surface, making him feel like an animal hell bent on mating.
Gritting his teeth, he finally gave in to his release, spilling his seed deep inside of her. He imagined what it would be like when she wasn’t on the pill, when they were doing this because they were trying to make a baby. That image ripped through his mind, adding ferocity to his final thrusts as his cock continued to pulse and throb inside her protective sheath.
Chapter Seven
Lacy woke up to the sun spilling through Shane’s bedroom window and his arm and leg pinning her to the bed. She smiled. Last night exceeded her expectations, but today was a new day and she had no idea where they went from here. He said he wanted to spend the weekend with her, but she didn’t know if he’d just said that in the heat of the moment hoping to impress her.
She tried slipping out from under his arm, intent on taking a quick shower while he slept, but he pulled her back against his chest, kissing her shoulder.
“Morning, beautiful.”
The sound of his morning voice, raspy and still heavy with sleep, sent chills racing up her spine. He was, without a doubt, the sexiest man she’d ever met.
“You cold, babe?” he asked, pulling the down duvet up to cover her shoulders.
Allowing herself the pleasure of snuggling up to him for just a few more minutes, she sighed. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so happy, so content. Happiness and contentment weren’t words she’d ever associated with her life. Struggle and sadness were more apt descriptions, but if she chose to dwell on it, she wouldn’t be able to haul her butt out of bed in the morning. She’d learned to accept her situation for what it was.
The slam of the front door startled her and she turned to Shane. Before she could ask, Jason’s voice drifted down the hall.
“Hey, man, we gotta talk.”
“Shit,” Shane muttered, sitting up. “Jay, it’s not a good…” The words died on his lips as his brother stood in the doorway glaring at them.
“Son of a bitch,” Jason whispered, thrusting a hand through his hair. “So you finally got to her, huh?”
Lacy held the duvet against her chest, wishing she could just slip under the covers and hide from his intense scrutiny. Jason’s was one of the two signatures on her paycheck, and his anger could well cost her the biggest clients she’d ever had. “Jason, I…”
He glared at her. “So, you had to work late, huh? That’s why you couldn’t go to the game with me last night? It had nothing to do with the fact that you had plans to fuck my brother?”
“You’re wrong. I did have to work late. Shane just stopped by and…”
Shane stroked her back, glaring at his brother. “You don’t owe him an explanation, sweetheart. What we do is our business.”
“Have you been fucking her all along?” Jason asked, crossing her arms and bracing his feet. “Is that why you were so sure I wouldn’t stand a chance with her? Is that why you bet me $1,000 you’d have her in the sack inside a week?” He checked his watch. “Congratulations. You made it with a day to spare.”
Shane dropped his head when Lacy turned to look at him, her mouth dropping open. “You actually bet him $1,000 that you could get me into bed?”
“I may have said that because he was baiting me, but…”
She couldn’t believe she was a pawn in some sick game with both brothers intent on claiming her as the trophy. She wanted to retch when she thought about the fact that she had believed Shane. She’d trusted him when he told her she was special. Looking at Jason, she believed he would be honest with her because he had nothing to lose. “Is this the first time you and your brother have competed for a woman?”
Jason laughed. “Hell no, happens all the time. In fact, we’ve even shared a woman a time or two.”
“Is that what you were hoping would happen with me? You thought you might pass me back and forth like some…”
“Jesus Christ, Lace, stop it,” Shane growled. “It wasn’t like that, not with you. I wanted you because…”
She swung her legs over the side of the bed when Shane reached out to grab her arm. “Let go of me,” she hissed. “I have to go and visit my brother. I should have left hours ago.”
“Let me come with you. We can talk about this in the car.”
“Like hell,” she said, standing up, draping the blanket around her body. She left him with only the sheet, but she got the feeling that modesty wasn’t an issue for him. Reaching to pick up her clothes, she watched the brothers stare each other down. She couldn’t care less whether they shed blood all over the floor. She just wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible.
“Let me give you a ride home,” Jason said, never taking his eyes off Shane.
“Listen to me, you little fucker…” Shane said, pointing his finger at Jason. “You lay one hand on her and I’ll…”
“Neither one of you will be laying a hand on me ever again,” she said, finally drawing Shane’s attention.
Sighing, he thrust his hand through his hair. “Baby, just give me a chance to explain.”
“Did you or did you not bet your brother you could get me into bed?”
“He was the one who initiated the bet.” He sighed, dropping his head when she glared at him. “I didn’t take it seriously. We were having a couple of beers and…”
She held her hand up, trying to fight back the tears. He’d used her just to prove a point and win a few bucks from his brother. He’d taken her virginity on a bet. God, she hated him. “I have nothing left to say to you, ever.”
He reached across the bed, trying to grab her wrist. “Stop it. We can work this out.”
His eyes pleaded with her to see reason, but it was too late. She’d already seen him for the kind of man he was. “I don’t want to work it out. This was a mistake; you were a mistake.”
Jason smirked. “Too bad, man. Looks like you’re not gonna get the girl this time either.”
“Get the fuck out of here, you little prick!” Shane shouted.
After gathering up her clothes, Lacy headed to the bathroom, trying to maintain a modicum of dignity.
Shane reached for his jeans, his heart pounding out of his chest. His brother had goaded him into that stupid bet last weekend when they were at the sports bar knocking a few back as they watched the game. He hadn’t even given it a second thought, but he could only imagine how it must have made Lacy feel.
“Do you have any idea what you’ve done, you worthless piece of shit?” Shane asked, putting his jeans on under the sheet.
“You expect me to feel sorry for you?” Jason asked, chuckling. “Sorry, bro, not happening.”
For the first time in his life, Shane despised his own brother. Jason didn’t have an ounce of remorse for costing him the best thing that had ever walked into his life. “What did you hope to accomplish by telling her about that stupid fuckin’ bet?”
Jason shrugged. “When I walked in here and saw her in bed with you, it was pretty obvious she wouldn’t give me a shot now.”
Shane stared at his brother, trying to recognize him behind the dark, shuttered eyes. “Did it ever occur to you this wasn’t a game to me? I care about her.”
Jason smirked. “I guess that’s life, huh? You win some. You lose some.”
He didn’t have time to argue with his brother. He had more pressing issues to deal with. “Listen, just get out here. I need to do a little damage control with Lacy.”
Jason glared at him. “You don’t get it, do you? She doesn’t want you. It’s over. You need to accept that.”
“Just get out of my house, now.”
“Gladly.”
Shane fell back on the pillows, listening to the ominous sounds of running water and slamming doors, reminding him of the irreparable damage his actions had caused.
Lacy threw the bathroom door open and stormed past him.
“Baby, wait, please,” he said, jumping out of bed. He had to sprint to keep up with her as she ran down the stairs and through the long hallway to the foyer. “Lace, you don’t have your car. At least let me give you a ride home.” He prayed the short drive would buy him a few minutes to explain.
She whirled around, fisting her hands on her hips. “I’d rather walk than be trapped in a car with you. Don’t you get it? I don’t want to hear anything you have to say.” She cleared her throat when her voice broke, but she couldn’t hide the unshed tears pooling in her eyes. “You bet on me like I was a goddamn football game. Do you have any idea how that makes me feel?”
He took a step toward her, but she held her hand up, warding him off. “Don’t even think about putting your hands on me again.”
He was an immature idiot for letting his brother goad him into a childish bet when he stood to lose so much more than money. “Listen to me. I’m in love with you. I don’t give a shit about some stupid bet, or the money, or sticking it to my dumbass brother. That’s not what this was about for me, sweetheart. It’s about you and me…”
Glaring at him, she said, “There is no you and me, so get that thought out of your head right now.”
“If you’d just give me a chance…”
“I did give you a chance. I let you into my heart last night. I shared everything with you, the truth about my past, my secrets, but most importantly, I gave you my body.” She choked back a sob. “And what did you do? You threw it all back in my face.” She swiped at the tears sliding down her cheeks. “Was it worth $1,000 to you?”
He cursed himself for what he was doing to her. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I made a mistake, okay? If I could go back, I’d tell Jason to shove his money up his ass, but…”
She tipped her chin, looking him in the eye. “But we can’t go back, can we?”
He’d give everything he owned to obliterate the disappointment he saw in her eyes when she looked at him, but he knew he was the one responsible for this mess and he had to find a way to make things right. “Don’t write me off because of one stupid mistake. Please, just let me prove to you…”
“You’ve already proved to me what kind of man you are.”
He knew he deserved that shot, but it still hurt like hell. He could be the man she needed, or he was willing to die trying. “Let me come with you today. We can talk about this. We can work it out, if you’re just willing to…”
She shook her head. “I gave you a chance, and now I have to live with that regret for the rest of my life. My first time, instead of being a wonderful memory, will just be a bitter reminder of how I trusted the wrong man.” She wrapped her arms around her body, hugging herself. “I’ve waited so long to feel what I felt in your arms last night, but now I realize it was all a lie, some perverse way for you to one-up your brother.”
Her words, whether she realized it or not, gutted him. He’d come so close to having everything he wanted and he threw it all away because the impulse to shut his brother up outweighed his common sense. How the hell was he supposed to live with that?
“You made me believe that I could count on you. I thought last night was the start of something…”
“It was… it is.” He threw in hands up in the air, drowning in frustration. He wanted to convey to her how much she meant to him, but he knew he was coming up short. “It still can be.”
Shaking her head, she reached for the doorknob. “No, it can’t. In my experience, you have to learn to take care of yourself. I let myself forget that last night, but never again.” She looked over her shoulder at him as she stepped over the threshold. “Please don’t call me anymore. I’m not interested in working with you or your brother ever again.”
Chapter Eight
Shane tried to contact Lacy so many times in the following weeks he was surprised she didn’t take a restraining order out against him. She ignored his messages, but he couldn’t give up on her, not when that night continued to play over and over again in his mind, robbing him of sleep.
He stared up at the rundown duplex where she rented a studio apartment. It was barely inhabitable. In fact, he had no doubt the city would condemn it if they were called to the scene, but he knew she couldn’t afford better. Gripping the steering wheel of his X5, he cursed the injustice of having more than enough money while someone as kind and generous as Lacy had to choose between gas and food. He would do anything to make her life better, but he knew she would never accept help from him, not after what he’d done.
After taking a deep breath, he reached for the twenty-four organza wrapped roses on the passenger’s seat, hoping they would buy him a few minutes of her time. Grabbing the hand-railing as he walked up the aging concrete steps, it nearly gave way. Cursing, he fisted his hand at his side and tried to rein in his temper. She was living this way not because she wanted to, but because she had to. She wasn’t purposely putting her safety in jeopardy just to stick it to him, though it felt that way.
He raised his hand to knock on the door. The rickety screen flew open and she almost barreled into him. He looked down at the waitress uniform hugging her curves. Damn it. She took a second job to compensate for the loss of their contracts.
A blush crept up her neck, staining her cheeks. “What are you doing here?”
He handed her the roses. “Have you got a few minutes?”
She reached around to lock the door. “No, I have to get to work.”
Before she could secure the door, he turned the knob, pressing his other hand into the small of her back. “This won’t take long.” He looked at the rusted out pick-up truck in the driveway. “Where’s your car?”
She cleared her throat. “I decided I didn’t need it after all.”
Gripping the doorknob tighter, he asked, “Please tell me you’re not driving that piece of shit now?”
She raised her chin. “No, that belongs to my neighbor. I’m taking the bus.”
He forced her inside, slamming the door with enough force to rattle the frame. “What the hell is going on with you?”
She took a step back, appearing shocked by his outburst. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He gestured to the uniform that seemed a size too small. He had no doubt some lecherous boss had ordered it that way, judging by the way her tits were spilling out of the scoop neck. “Why the hell are you waiting tables at…” He looked at the name tag. “Emilio’s…when you should be working for me?”
Crossing her arms, she tapped a ballerina flat against the worn linoleum. “You know why I can’t work for you.”
“You’re standing on your feet all day for minimum wage when you could be making a decent living doing something you love. Come on, Lace, that’s just stupid.”
Glaring at him, she said, “No, stupid was sleeping with you. What I’m doing now makes perfect sense.”
He closed his eyes and tipped his head back. “Okay, I deserved that, but…”
“No, there are no buts. Don’t you get it? I don’t want you or your apologies or your flowers…”
He took a step closer, crowding her against the wall at her back. “I don’t believe you,” he whispered.
She set the flowers down on a small table in the foyer to avoid crushing them between their bodies.
Pressing his palms into the wall on either side of her head, he said, “You’re pissed at me. I get that, but I don’t believe you don’t want me.” He dragged a finger down the side of her face and watched with satisfaction as her eyes drifted closed. “You still want me...”
She shook her head. “No, you’re wrong. I’m over you.”
He tipped her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. “Really? Prove it.” His hand glided down
the curve of her breast, settling on her hip. Her breath hitched at the same time her pupils dilated and he knew he was wearing her down. “Kiss me,” he whispered, his gaze traveling from her eyes to her lips and back again.
Flattening her palms against his chest as though she couldn’t decide whether she wanted to push him away or pull him closer, she said, “I don’t have anything to prove to you.”
He shrugged. “So don’t prove it to me. Prove it yourself. If you can kiss me and not feel anything, I won’t bother you again.”
She chewed her lip, fixing her eyes on the opening at the collar of his shirt. “What if I don’t want to kiss you?”
He knew she could feel his heart pounding under her palm, belying the fact that he wasn’t as calm as he pretended, but he didn’t care. He was willing to lay it all on the line for one more chance with this woman. “You and I both know you want to.”
She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the wall. “I’ve tried hating you. I should hate you…”
For the first time, he felt like she was throwing him a life-line and he grabbed on to it with both hands. “But you can’t?”
She shook her head as a tear slipped down her cheek. “Don’t get me wrong. I hate what you did, but I can’t get past the fact that you were always so good to me. I think about all the times you brought me coffee or lunch…”
In truth, the coffee and deli sandwiches were an excuse to see her. He thought about her when he should have been viewing houses, dealing with errant contractors, and negotiating offers.
“Not to mention the generous bonuses and gifts you gave me.”
Their eyes locked as they both remembered the holiday gift he’d delivered before she went home on Christmas Eve. His gift was a new laptop because she complained her old one died, and she was so surprised and overwhelmed by his generosity that she kissed him.