by KB Winters
His hard body continued to invade my thoughts as I showered, dressed for bed, and slipped beneath the covers. In the dark, I let the urges well up inside of me, too tired to fight them back. As my eyes fluttered shut, the picture of Chance’s bare chest popped into my mind. Heat flooded my limbs and settled between my thighs as I mentally wandered down the lines and contours of his perfect body. The firm lines of his solid chest tapered down to his flat, sculpted abs that looked like they’d been painted on, but were in fact real, deep groves separating each section. My fingers twitched under the covers, yearning to trace the lines at his hips and follow them all the way down.
Fantasizing about Chance wasn’t as satisfying as dreaming about other men, like movie stars, musicians, or other unattainable men. In those scenarios, it was all fueled by my imagination and my dreams were enough to get me off. But with Chance, it appeared that I’d been ruined by the reality of his firm body, wicked grin, and soft moans. The fantasy version of him didn’t quite live up to the real one and only left me wanting more of him.
In my bed. Tangled in my sheets. Buried between my legs.
“Argh!” I flung the covers over my head and forced myself to roll over as though I could run away from the memories haunting my imagination.
My nightgown rode up as I flipped onto my stomach and I moaned, wondering what he’d say if he could see me sprawled on the bed, my nightie up around my bare ass, and my pussy on full display for him. With my eyes closed, I fed the fantasy and slid my hand over my chest, imagining it was Chance’s large hand against my breast, that it was his thick fingers grazing my nipples, and that it was him tugging the nightgown up higher until he found my pussy.
I moaned into the darkness as I slipped my fingers across my clit. Damn I was wet.. Shivers of pleasure washed over me as I fingered myself, dreaming that it was Chance’s hands working me over instead. I ground my hips against the bed, softly whimpering his name into the pillow, and when I came, it was his face that flashed behind my closed eyes.
I rode the waves of the climax until my twitching body sagged to rest, a light gloss of sweat over my too-warm skin. My eyes popped open and a shiver of dread joined the shivers of pleasure. “Damn it, Lace.”
I knew exactly what I needed to do to get Chance out of my mind… I was going to have to fuck him again.
9
Chance
My first week at Harvest House came to an uneventful close and as I walked into Lacey’s office to get her to sign off on my schedule, I was edgy as fuck. I’d never been so frustrated by a woman. It wasn’t bad enough that she’d repeatedly rejected me, but I was subjected to watching her sexy ass all day long as we worked together. To make matters worse, her take charge, leadership role made my dick hard.
Every night when I went to sleep, it was her face reflected back behind my closed eyes. And when I woke up in the morning, it was with a mix of irritation and possibility. I still wanted her. More with each passing day. But she was cold as she’d been the first day she’d laid eyes on me across the room at the center.
“I’m heading out. Can you sign off on this?” I stepped into her doorway and held up the piece of paper. It was like being in the damn principal’s office back in middle school.
Lacey was seated at her desk, her glasses perched on the end of her nose. “Sure.”
I took a step forward and set the page in her outstretched hand.
She took the paper, laid it in front of her computer monitor and scribbled her signature along the bottom. “Where do I send it?”
“Email address is at the top. Just make sure the case number is in the subject line, please.”
“All right. See you next week then.”
I pocketed my hands. “What are you doing this weekend?”
Lacey stopped writing and glanced up at me over her frames. “Not going out clubbing, if that’s what you’re asking.”
I sighed dramatically. “Damn, you’re really gonna do this, huh?”
She set her pen down. “What? What am I doing?”
“This whole ice princess routine.” I paused long enough to shut the door to her office. There were way too many little ears lurking around. “I didn’t hold a gun to your head and force you back to my house that night, Lacey. You were a very willing participant.”
Her face twisted into a look of disgust. Although, I wasn’t sure if it was directed at herself or me. Either way, it pissed me off. I leaned over her desk, my palms planted on the nicked and scuffed wooden surface. “You liked fucking me, Lacey. Why the hell is that so hard for you to admit? It’s not like this is a convent or some shit. Why are you trying to act so above everything and everyone?”
She reared back, her expression morphing into a deeply etched scowl. “I’m not trying to act above anyone, but to be honest, I would prefer not to be lumped in with your dozens or hundreds of conquests. When we… hooked up… I had no idea who you were.”
“Why does that matter so much?”
She sighed impatiently as though straining to explain a simple concept to a particularly stupid person. It only infuriated me all the more. “Because I’m not some slutty girl who goes home with random club guys. In fact, before you, I hadn’t gone home with anyone in almost a year. The last guy I was with was my long-term boyfriend. So, there, are you happy now? You were a one-night bad decision, and I figured that once I left, I’d never have to see you again and I could pretend none of it ever happened. Then, less than two days later, you’re right in front of me and I can’t—” she stopped herself abruptly. She shook her head. “It was a mistake, okay? And every time I catch you looking at me, I know that you’re thinking about—” she stopped herself again, this time holding up a hand and squeezing her eyes closed.
Her brown doe-eyes fluttered open again. “Nevermind. Can we just drop this?”
I shoved off of the desk. “Sure. Fine. Whatever.”
“Thank you.”
I took a step for the door. “If you find a way to get over yourself and decide that you want to have some fun, you have my number.”
Lacey didn’t say anything.
I left her office, forcing myself to keep my eyes from glancing back and finding out if she was watching me walk away. I’d gotten some sort of answer, even if it made no sense to me. She regretted sleeping with me. Thought I’d tainted her perfect Snow White reputation because I’m just a filthy dog that fucks anything with two shapely legs. Fine, whatever. Her loss. I could go out tonight and take a whole cheerleading team back home with me if I fuckin’ wanted to. And where would she be? Sitting at home, probably with some stupid cat and a cup of tea, watching some damn reality show all alone.
I stormed across the activity center, making my way to the front doors, lost in angry and bitter thoughts, until a small voice squeaked out, “Where ya going?”
I turned and spotted Aria prancing along after me. She smiled wide, the brightness lighting up her whole face. Her hair floated wildly around her and I couldn’t help but smile back. “It’s time for me to hit the road. I’ll be back on Monday, though.”
“Oh.” Her expression fell and she glanced at the ground. “That’s a long way away.”
I chuckled. “Not really. The weekend always goes by too fast if you ask me.”
She shrugged her slim shoulders. “I don’t like the weekend.”
Something about her sad eyes stunned me, and I knelt down to get face-to-face with her. “Why’s that?”
“Because I would rather be here. With Miss Lacey and all my friends. At my house, it’s too loud and busy and no one even notices me.”
My heart twinged. “What if I came and took you and your family out to ice cream? What would you think about that?”
Aria’s face lit up like it was Christmas morning and she started bouncing up and down. I laughed at her excitement but quickly put a finger to my lips. “We gotta keep it between us, though. I don’t want the other girls to feel left out. We’ll do a big ice cream party here another time.”
Aria stopped bouncing but her eyes were alight with sheer joy. “Okay. It’s a secret. Do you need my foster mom’s phone number?”
“Sure.” I took out my phone and she rattled off the number and told me her foster mom’s name, Stephanie. After that, I sent her to go catch up with Lacey and the other girls as they headed out to the gym. I rose from my place, kneeling on the thin carpet and caught Lacey’s eyes from across the room. She glanced from Aria to me, the silent question obvious in her eyes.
I gave her a quick wave and then walked out of Harvest House.
Taking Aria and her family out to ice cream seemed like a good thing to do. If Lacey heard about it, then so be it. I wasn’t doing it to impress or lure her back to my bed. She’d already made her stance on that matter very clear. It was time for me to move on to other things. I was too big of a man to grovel for any woman’s attention, even a woman as gorgeous and intriguing as Lacey.
“How’s it going at Harvest House?” Nolan asked, seated across from me at a little hole in the wall cantina a few blocks away from his office.
I snagged a chip from the basket in the middle of the table and popped it into my mouth. “Can’t complain, I guess.”
Nolan snorted into his beer. “You? Complain? Nah!”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, yeah.”
He set down the bottle and grabbed a chip for himself. “I filed some paperwork to try and get you out of it early, claiming it will mess with your pre-season schedule, but I can’t guarantee that’s gonna do any good.”
I waved him off. “Don’t worry about it. It’s really not that bad. Actually, I kind of want to stay.”
Nolan gawked at me for a moment, but then a smile cracked across his face. “Oh, shit. Who is she? Some little Mother Teresa with a heart of gold and an ass like J. Lo caught your eye?”
I groaned and shifted in my seat. Was I really that fucking transparent? Shit.
“Can’t it be because of the kids? Maybe I’m having a good time.”
Nolan shook his head. “Nope. Not buying it for a minute. You bust on everyone who has kids. Or rugrats, as you call them. It’s gotta be a girl.”
I sighed. “There was a girl. But she’s off the menu. At least for now. But I don’t know, Nolan, it’s actually kinda cool. There’s this one girl, she’s eleven, and I’m taking her and her foster family out for ice cream this weekend. I think it will be fun.”
Nolan’s mouth dropped open.
The guy working the cash register came over with our order; two overflowing baskets of tacos, and by the time he left, Nolan had somewhat managed to pull himself back together again. He leaned in closer. “Some kind of PR stint? Debs got you doing this double-duty shit?”
I shook my head and took a bite of my first taco. “Nope. Just wanted to do something nice.”
Fuck. When had I become the town asshole who never did anything for anyone? Is that what everyone thought of me now?
Nolan sat back in his seat. He held up his hand. “All right, man. Not trying to bust your chops. Just surprised, that’s all. I mean, hell, you went ballistic when you got saddled with this whole community service gig, and now, a week later, you’re doing extra time for fun?”
I shrugged. “Maybe it’s time to do a little image revamp.”
Nolan smirked. “I’m not going to argue with that. I’ve been telling you to hire one of those spin doctors for years. Debs is too nice with the press.”
“I don’t need a spin doctor. I’m just going to get my shit together.”
Nolan didn’t offer up any further commentary as we plowed through our taco plates.
After the bar fight that led me to my community service assignment, I wanted to give an interview explaining my side of the story, but no one wanted to listen. Mostly because the other three fights before that had been caught on tape and were less than flattering. I wasn’t going to deny being an asshole. Hell, I still was. But something was stirring inside of me, and it had been for a while if I stopped to think about it long enough.
A pretty waitress came over to our table and set down two more beers. Nolan and I were regulars at happy hour in the small bar, and the staff knew we did two drinks with our tacos. We thanked her, and then Nolan raised his bottle of imported beer to mine. “To getting your shit together.”
I grinned at him as our bottles clanged together. “To you not being such an asshole.”
10
Lacey
The most absurd part of Chance’s appearance in my life was that the harder I tried to force him from my mind—the more my thoughts centered on him. When I closed the doors to the center on Friday night and started home, I was met with the low roar of the late-night traffic outside and the suppressed musings about Chance that I’d been holding back since his exit earlier in the day.
Most of all, the image of him knelt on the floor in front of Aria, tilting her chin up to offer her a smile.
Damn him.
It was easier to hate him when I’d found the images of him and his too-many female friends online when I’d been digging up dirt. Seeing him being so nice with one of the center’s sweetest little girls was too much. It rubbed against my judgment and opposition and made me wonder if maybe I’d passed on a good thing.
“Nope,” I said, shaking my head as I turned the corner and started to my apartment. “Leopards don’t change their spots. Once a player, always a player.”
Besides, Chance had been after me all week in search of another night of fun. He never once let on that he wanted anything more than to pick up where we left off. And that wasn’t what I was looking for. In fact, I wasn’t looking for anything. Sure, I had ambitions to get married and start a family someday. But I was only twenty-five. I figured that the next few years would be dedicated to my career and maybe traveling a little if I could afford it. Then, later, in my thirties, I could slow down long enough to fall in love.
I was still warring with myself on Saturday morning as I ran around town, trying to catch up on errands that had fallen to the bottom of my to-do list during the busy week. After hitting up the grocery store, dry cleaners, and the post office, I headed home, stopping at my favorite coffee shop on the way to grab a pick-me-up to fuel the cleaning session that I knew awaited me at home.
As I was pushing out the doors, mocha latte in hand, my cell phone started ringing. I fished it from the depths of my purse, expecting to see Tien’s name on the screen. It was nearing noon, which was usually the time she rolled out of bed for the day. I cringed, figuring she’d try to talk me into joining her at the gym, but the tense expression faded, quickly morphing into worry as I realized it was Missy’s number scrawled over the screen.
“Hello?” I answered, stopping to the left of the coffee shop’s entrance. I pressed against the front window to get out of the way of other people needing their caffeine fix.
“Oh, thank God! Lacey, there’s been a—a shooting!” Missy’s voice was thick with emotion.
“A shooting?” Terror clawed and twisted at my insides. “When? Where?”
The unspoken question was who. Missy wouldn’t be calling if it didn’t directly impact one of our kids or us. I squeezed my eyes shut and held my breath as I waited for her to drop the horrible news on me.
“I just got word from Hayley Fletcher. It happened half an hour ago, on Twelfth and Jarrod Street. It looks like a drive by, probably gang related. Lacey…”
I steeled myself.
“Aria was there,” she whispered.
“No!” Nausea swept through me.
The streetlights blurred at the edges of my vision as my eyes filled with tears. “Is she—” I couldn’t bring myself to finish the question. We’d lost another girl, a year before, in another shooting. I couldn’t imagine going through that again. It had been devastating personally, but even more so, for all of the kids at Harvest House, whose lives were already too filled with violence and crime.
“They took her to County Hospital.”
I nodde
d and tears slipped past my lashes and down my cheeks. “I’m on my way.”
“Okay. I’ll meet you there. Can you call Tien?”
“Of course.”
Missy hung up and I sagged back against the darkened window of the copy shop, allowing myself a moment of weakness. Despair. Then I forced myself upright and hurried to the edge of the sidewalk to flag down a passing cab. As soon as I was in the backseat, I dialed Tien and filled her in on the situation. When Tien had worked at Harvest House, Aria had clung to her like she was her big sister.
The cab pulled up outside and didn’t charge me for the ride, having overheard the details of the situation during my frantic conversation with Tien over the phone. I thanked the driver and hurried inside the Emergency Room doors. Missy was there with Stephanie, Aria’s foster mom, and they both hopped up to greet me when I stepped through the automatic doors.
“How is she?” I asked once I released Stephanie from a gentle embrace.
“They took her into surgery,” she replied, her eyes rimmed with red.
Missy nodded. “They haven’t been able to tell us much, unfortunately.”
“What even happened? Why was Aria on Twelfth and Jarrod to begin with?” I didn’t mean for the question to be accusatory toward Stephanie, but it was a rough part of town. Certainly not the place for an eleven-year-old girl. “Was anyone else hurt?”
Stephanie swallowed hard as she dabbed away her fresh tears with the balled up tissue in her hand. “She was with Tommy. He told me he was going out to get a haircut. Aria wanted to go too. You know how she is. She can’t sit still for too long. Tommy and Aria have always been close, so he agreed to let her tag along. I thought he was going to the barber next to the grocery store. I don’t know what happened—after—after that.”
Stephanie dissolved into tears again and Missy wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“Is Tommy okay?” I asked, silently praying the answer would be yes. Tommy had been a regular at Harvest House up until he turned sixteen a few months earlier. That was usually the age kids transitioned out of the youth center.
