She flashed him an irritated glance. “Just being honest here, Dick. We played. He watched. He took out his dick.” She turned back to Garrett. “I thought you were into it.”
Garrett’s cheeks heated. Partly for being called out on his masturbatory episode, but equally hot because Jayne’s show of temper made him unaccountably aroused. “That was a mistake. And if I hadn’t been so damn tired, I’d have resisted.”
Her lips pouted. “Why?”
But he couldn’t explain; he didn’t know himself why he was turning her down. He’d watched both of them getting it on and had been plenty comfortable whipping it out from across the road. And dammit if she wasn’t even prettier up close. Why the hell not?
Still, he didn’t like being manipulated. They’d played him.
Richard abruptly rose from his chair. “I’ll let you out,” he said, aiming a glare at Jayne.
Garrett blew out a relieved breath, quickly rose, and left the living room without a backward glance. He was grateful to be getting away while he still could, because the moment she’d asked him if he shared, his cock had gotten harder. He hoped to get outside into the darkness before his arousal gave him away.
Richard led him down the hall to the kitchen and held open the door for him. “Look. I know you liked watching,” he said softly. “And if you’re interested in her, don’t think you’re trespassing. She was right when she intimated we aren’t exclusive.”
Garrett ground his jaws together, gave him a curt nod, and plunged into the darkness. His feet hit the sidewalk, but he slowed and glanced over his shoulder. “How about you? She might see you as friends, but how the hell do you feel about her hitting on me?”
Richard’s smile was lopsided. “I have my own kinks. I promise I wouldn’t have minded. And before your mind heads down that path, not gay.” Richard shut the door, and Garrett walked slowly across the alley to his own darkened house.
When he reached the entrance to the garage, he couldn’t resist looking behind him. Jayne sat on the window ledge, watching him, her expression troubled.
A pang of regret tightened his chest. He didn’t like that he’d disappointed her, but there was no way he could fall in with her plans.
It was crazy to even consider it.
So why couldn’t he get the image of a naked Jayne kneeling in front of him and Richard?
Dammit, he was in for another long-ass night.
*
Jayne carried a trash bag to the end of her drive and dropped it into the bin. Out of habit, she studied the shuttered windows of Garrett’s home. How many times had she wondered whether he had a girlfriend he protected with those blinds? She’d never seen him pull into the drive with someone in his car, but who said someone didn’t park in front, next to the curb? Someone who was sexier, maybe prettier than she was.
Must be why he’d turned her down. What man wouldn’t go for a chance at a hot threesome? Wasn’t it a common fantasy? Or had she been wrong about whom he watched? Would he have been more receptive to the invitation if Richard had asked?
Jayne didn’t like admitting, even to herself, just how disappointed she was. Maybe she’d gone about the seduction in the wrong way. Maybe she should have been more “girl next door” and brought him casseroles rather than offering him a view into her bedroom. Maybe she’d shared too much and soured the discovery for him.
She stared down at her plaid boxers, oversized T-shirt, and scruffy flip-flops and felt a frown pull her eyebrows together. She hated not understanding what she’d done wrong. Hated leaving him uncomfortable and her out of sorts and horribly horny.
She hadn’t been in the mood for Richard after Garrett had left. And Richard had gone to work shortly after he’d finished his beer. Which had left her edgy, horny, and bitchy. She’d done the dishes, vacuumed the house, done loads of laundry—anything not to have to go to bed alone and think about how she’d blown it.
She’d had the perfect plan, had worked hard on getting Richard eager to help her, but she should have listened to him in the first place. He’d warned her that a straight-arrow guy like Garrett might not enjoy the kinds of games she liked to play.
Jayne lifted her head and stared at his closed garage door. But he had a side entrance, didn’t he? Same as hers. No doubt his would be locked, because he wasn’t looking for a lawman to rush to his rescue, but since all she wanted to do was talk, why not now?
She straightened her spine and stomped across the alley, letting herself inside his fence and walking along the narrow sidewalk to his back door. Before she could chicken out, she reached out and rapped three times then stepped away from the stairs.
Footsteps neared, sounding heavy, which meant she wouldn’t embarrass herself greeting a girlfriend in her PJs. The door swung open, and Jayne’s mouth dried in an instant.
Garrett filled the doorway, wearing pajama bottoms loosely tied at the waist, but nothing else. His broad chest and chiseled abdomen were eye level, giving her a view that caused her heart to flutter.
His hair stuck up in places. His jaw was covered with morning shadow. He must have just crawled out of bed, but his gaze was sharp, narrowed, and trailing down her bare legs. “Something you need, Jayne?”
She swallowed. “I didn’t sleep last night.”
“Neither did I. Although I doubt for the same reason.”
“Richard left right after you did.”
“So maybe the same reason,” he said, sounding grumpy.
Jayne slowly walked up the steps. “You alone?”
He didn’t budge from the entrance. “I haven’t changed my mind.”
“I just wanna talk.”
His jaw flexed, but he stepped aside and let her pass through the door. Her nose twitched at his musky scent, and she couldn’t help the shortened breaths that kept pulling that scent into her mouth and nose. God, just sharing the same air with the man made her hot.
She entered his kitchen, finding the floor plan identical to hers. However, the colors were more suited to his dour personality—oyster walls, deep blue curtains over wooden, slatted blinds. Stainless steel appliances. Her own kitchen was a sunny yellow with white and red appliances.
She walked to the counter. “Would you like coffee?” she asked, reaching for his pot and emptying the cold coffee into the sink.
“Help yourself,” he muttered.
Jayne pressed her lips together to halt her smile. Since when did she find grumpy so damn hot?
She refilled the pot while he emptied the basket, replaced the filter, and added a scoop of grounds. When the coffee was set to drip, she wiped her hands on a towel and turned toward him.
“I better get dressed,” he rumbled in his deep voice.
She thought she might understand the source of his discomfort. It poked against the thin cotton of his pajama bottoms.
“Don’t think you have to on my account,” she said softly.
His chest billowed around a deep breath, and he scrubbed a hand over the bristles cloaking his jaw. “Do you always say exactly what’s on your mind?”
“Just being honest. I don’t mind. I know how a man’s body works. Richard often has a morning hard-on.”
He bit out a low curse and turned away, adjusting himself.
She let her grin slide across her face. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”
Garrett turned and reached past her, startling her with his rapid move, but he was only reaching for the coffee cups in the cabinet beside her head.
Her gaze dipped below his waist, snagged on the thickness of his erection, then came up slowly to meet his dark green gaze. She hadn’t known that about him—the color of his eyes. They were like dark moss, but not nearly as soft.
He dragged the cups down and slapped them on the countertop. “You wanted to talk,” he said, and poured steaming coffee into both mugs.
She didn’t bother asking for creamer, guessing he probably took his own black. She wrapped her fingers around the cup and took a sip, wrinkling her nose a
nd wincing when it burned her tongue.
“Easy there. It’s hot.”
“Yeah, I know.”
They stared at each other for a long time. Then Jayne gave herself a mental shake and pushed away from the counter, walked toward the kitchen table, and took a seat.
She watched him move slowly toward her and take a seat opposite, the table hiding the evidence of his interest, which allowed her to concentrate on the yummy perfection of his taut waist and wide shoulders. Her gaze slid along the corded muscles of his arms, tracked back to the dark hair stretching between his flat male nipples…
“Jesus,” he bit out, shifting on his chair. “You wanted to talk?”
Jayne took a deep breath and lifted her gaze to lock with his. “I wanted to apologize again.” Not really, but how else could she steer the conversation toward the reason for his refusal of her invitation?
“Last night’s stunt could have ended very badly. I’m a cop. I was armed.”
“But you didn’t pull out your gun. You showed excellent judgment. And it’s nice to know you would have protected me if it hadn’t been Richard sneaking into my house.”
“I would have done it for anyone.”
His curt deflection didn’t sting. Much. She sucked in a deep breath. “Do you find me attractive at all?”
His brows drew closer, darkening his expression. “You’re beautiful, but then you know that.”
Jayne shrugged. “Then why…?”
“Like I said last night. I don’t swing. Sex isn’t a game.”
She tilted her head. “Then why did you keep watching?”
He glanced away. “I couldn’t help myself.”
“Was watching all you wanted?”
His jaws ground together. “What do you want me to say? You made my life a living hell for more than a week.”
Jayne blinked. “Why didn’t you stop us? You could have said something.”
Garrett closed his eyes. “I couldn’t help myself,” he repeated.
This time his voice sounded strained. It hit her. Garrett didn’t have anyone in his life to relieve his sexual needs. Didn’t have a girlfriend, or he’d have zoomed out the doorway, seeking relief after the first time she’d played in front of the window.
Garrett was lonely. While they’d played, trying to entice him to join in, he’d yearned for connection because he wanted more than sexy games.
Jayne hadn’t considered that possibility, but now she thought that she might want more too. Garrett wasn’t a player. He was the kind of man who’d be there when the fun ended and the real work of building a relationship began. Just like Richard—but with a sexy, sharp edge.
And just like Richard, Jayne thought Garrett could be led around to her way of doing things. “Can we start over?”
His chest rose and fell again around a deep sigh. “What do you have in mind?”
“A date,” she said, biting her lip. “Just you and me.”
His gaze narrowed. “How’s Richard going to feel about this?”
“He’ll understand. I wasn’t lying when I said we’re friends. He wants me happy. I want the same for him.”
“I’ve watched you come a dozen times,” he said, his tone gruff. “How do you think we can start fresh?”
Her cheeks warmed, and this time she didn’t bother trying to hide her smile. “Do you really want us to pretend you haven’t seen me come or that I haven’t seen your cock? I might be able to manage it for about ten minutes, but I can’t promise I won’t be eyeing your pants and wishing for more.”
He snorted and a reluctant smile edged up the corners of his mouth. “Think we can even make it through dinner?” he muttered.
“I sincerely hope not.” Jayne didn’t question the impulse. She never did. And she hoped she wasn’t moving too fast for him, but she pushed up from her chair and walked around the table. Then bending, she cupped her palms around his cheeks and kissed him.
He tasted of coffee and toothpaste. His mouth didn’t move beneath hers, for about a second anyway. He waited until she stroked her tongue along the seam of his lips then he opened, groaning into her mouth.
His hands landed on her waist and pulled her down, and she straddled his waist, careful as she eased over the thick column between his legs.
She slanted her face and deepened the kiss, whimpering when he rutted against her open sex. Thin cotton was all that separated them, and she felt the heat of him where she needed it most. She drew back, pressed a quick kiss against his mouth then rose from his lap. She cleared her throat. “Eight o’clock okay with you?”
He sat back in his chair, his face tight and hard. His green eyes studying her. But he nodded, and she turned without another word, wanting to get out the door before he changed his mind.
As she let herself out of his home, she smiled. Garrett didn’t know it, but tonight neither of them was going to make it past hello.
Chapter Three
‡
Garrett resettled in his seat in the squad car beside his partner Finn, wishing it was his turn to be at the wheel. Anything to keep his hands and body occupied, because he was ready to crawl out of his skin.
“Got something you wanna to talk about?” Finn asked, not taking his gaze off the road in front of him.
Garrett grunted and turned to the window.
Finn snorted. “That sounded like ‘fuck you’ but didn’t answer my question.”
Garrett mulled over how to open the conversation so Finn wouldn’t laugh his ass off.
“This have something to do with that blonde next door?”
Garrett made another noncommittal noise, assured Finn had gotten the hint he should keep going with the guesses. Anything not to have to put to words exactly what bee had crawled up his butt.
“Why don’t you just ask her out?”
Garrett ground his teeth. “She’s got a boyfriend.”
“You think it’s serious?”
“They sleep together.”
“How do you know?”
“I’ve watched them.”
“You’ve watched them…” Finn shot him a questioning glance, but must have seen the blush heating up his face because his mouth stretched into a wide, sly grin.
“Shut up. I don’t wanna talk about it.”
“Too late, buddy. You’ve watched them. As in perv through the window?”
He aimed a baleful glare Finn’s way. “They left the curtains open and the lights on. I couldn’t help but look.”
“Think they did it on purpose?”
Garrett blew out an exasperated breath. “Yeah.”
“Yeah?” His partner’s eyebrows shot high. “So what’s the problem? You think they only want you to look?”
He scraped a hand over his head. “She asked me out. Boyfriend gave me permission.”
Finn laughed. The low, husky sound of it grated on every last one of Garrett’s nerves.
“Wait,” Finn said, still chuckling. “Let me get this straight. She asked you out, and he told you to go for it?” At Garrett’s nod, he continued, “What the hell’s the problem?” Finn gave him another glance, and his laughter faded. “Ah… By-the-book Garrett’s thinking about playing sex games.”
“This can only end badly.”
“By badly, you mean you’re afraid you’ll be left in the dust when they’re through with you.”
“Not they. I haven’t agreed to do a damn thing with them both,” he admitted, although it nearly killed him. But he knew Finn wouldn’t be one to judge another’s kinky side.
“But you’re thinking about it.”
“Fuck.” Garrett shifted in his seat and stared out the windshield. “Yeah. Can’t stop thinking about it. But I don’t like being manipulated.”
Finn nodded. “You want it on your terms.”
“I want a say. I don’t want to be pushed into something I’m not comfortable with.”
“But you’re afraid it’ll all be off if you don’t go with the flow? Sounds like you need to s
tart off on the right foot. Show them up front you can bring your own game. What do you think tonight’s all about?”
“Her getting me into bed.”
“That’s step one. Step two?”
“Not sure, but I don’t like the way the two of them look at me.”
Finn gave him another long look. “You’re thinking about going there, aren’t you?”
“Hell, no.” Garrett grimaced then sighed. “But I can’t stop thinking about there with both of them.” He glanced over at his friend. “Finn, you don’t exactly have a conventional relationship. You and Bunny.”
In profile, Finn’s mouth curved. “No, we don’t. But we’ve been working on it for a long time. We trust each other.” He shot Garrett a quick glance. “Is the blonde worth it?”
Garrett’s glance fell away. “I can’t get her out of my head. I know I want her.”
“Then maybe you have to do this to get her out of your system. But, buddy, you need to take the lead.”
“Well, I’m taking her to dinner. She thinks it’s going to be just her and me. I need help, man.”
“You want a wing man?”
“I need you and Bunny. A buffer. Otherwise, we won’t make it through hello. We’re gonna do this my way. My pace.”
Finn laughed again. “Didn’t know you had it in you, man. Never thought I’d see you playing sex games. You gave me such a hard time about Bunny.”
“Rub it in, why don’t you?” Garrett growled.
“I will, but I wouldn’t miss tonight. Just exactly what do you need?”
*
“Did he mention where he might take you?” Richard’s deep voice was muffled as he pawed through the clothing in her closet.
Jayne lay stretched across her bed, still wrapped in a towel after her shower. “He didn’t say. I didn’t either. And I really think clothing will be optional.”
Richard chuckled. “I’d be jealous, but I know you’ll tell me all the juicy details.”
Jayne grinned. “You know it, sweetie.”
“Found it.” His arm appeared before the rest of his body did, brandishing a little black dress. “Wear this. Skip the underwear.”
She wrinkled her nose. “I have to wear pantyhose. My legs are too white.”
Fun with Dick and Jayne Page 2
