by Sosie Frost
Comforted.
Loved.
Nothing I deserved. Not now.
“I will never keep any secret from you again,” I promised. “Never.”
“Shh.” Josie placed a delicate finger over my lips. I kissed it, instinctually, just a way to show deference to the woman who controlled more of my life than my pride, the law, or any of my bad decisions. “I’m sorry I ever doubted you.”
“I gave you reason to doubt.”
“Not a good one. I knew better. I told everyone else to look harder, to see the man you really were.”
She leaned close, gently shifting over my lap to straddle my legs. Her arms wove behind my neck, and I stared at her beautiful cinnamon lips.
Christ, what did I have to do to get this woman to drop the apologies and just kiss me?
“I doubted you at the first sign of trouble,” she said. “I let myself…think horrible things.”
“It’s my fault, Sweets. I’m not the man you should have fallen in love with.”
“There’s no one else for me.” Her lips pressed mine, gentle and soft. “No one else excites me as much as you. No one that challenges me as much. No one understands me as much as you do.”
“Believe me, Sweets. I haven’t figured you out yet.”
“I think you have. Long ago. When you saw me all innocent and naïve and sheltered.”
“Don’t kid yourself. I wanted to exploit that.”
Her eyebrow rose. “You didn’t.”
“Wow. You’re still naïve.”
“Is that a problem?”
I rested my hands on her hips, grasping her curves just to tease my restraint. “I like that you’re innocent. I need that, or I’d never believe this world wasn’t the first step to hell. You see things differently than me. You’ve had good things happen to you.”
“You’ve been the best.”
“That’s a lie, but it sounds sweet coming from you.”
“It’s no lie. I needed to know the world had that edge.” She brushed my cheek. “You taught me to be cautious. To recognize when men like Nolan wanted something more from me than I was willing to give. We balance each other, Maddox.”
“You balance me. I corrupt you.”
Josie leaned close, her kiss encouraging me to do more than just corrupt her. “Maybe I like it.”
“You’re the type of girl a guy like me preys on.”
“Maybe I like that too.” Josie smiled, timid and playful. “Or maybe I’m the one stalking you?”
Her hands moved low, unbuttoning my jeans and wiggling the zipper down. Her eyes flashed with mischief. A quick shimmy of her hips, and her pajama bottoms kicked away. Her smooth hips, just plump enough for a squeeze in my palm, settled over my lap.
Nothing got me harder than this woman. And no woman was harder to refuse than the one offering her body, her innocence, her life to me.
“You promised me everything before,” Josie whispered. “Love. Happiness.”
I strained to touch that heat between her legs. She did it for me, rubbing her slickness against my cock. She groaned as she lowered her body over mine and accepted me inside her trembling slit.
Bare. The only way I wanted to feel her.
“You promised me a family.” Her words faded as she ground her hips, filling herself with all of me. “Is that…what you still want?”
My grip tightened on her, but I didn’t dare move her myself, didn’t slam her against me like every instinct in my body demanded of me.
“More than anything,” I said.
“Good.” She met my gaze. “Then this morning was the last time I take my pill.”
Holy Christ.
Josie shuddered, her words lost in the ripple of pleasure that tightened her core. She leaned over me, arms behind my neck, body pressed into mine. I was completely encased in sweet perfection.
I had this amazing woman for my own for years, and I never took her gently. Never felt how our bodies melded, how the heat passed between us, how consuming the innocent pressure of her lips against mine could be.
Gentle. Loving.
Mine.
I longed for her tender touch. When I met her, I was hardened, jaded, and cracked. She didn’t put me together, she made me new. Not a man fragile and fierce, but someone confident and protected from my own instincts.
Had I followed them, had I let myself wallow in blood, I’d have lost her long ago.
Never again.
This was my second chance. My last opportunity to save her, keep her, make her mine forever.
She bumped against me, chasing shivers only to create more. My fingers tightened against her hips as she rocked, and every gentle swell of her body onto mine wrapped me in pleasure.
“I need more of you…” I whispered.
“You have me.”
“I want to touch you…”
Her voice wavered. “You’re touching me.”
“Taste you…”
Her lips found mine, and her tongue swirled wicked delight. “Taste me.”
“Come in you…”
“Please.”
“Make a baby?”
Josie’s body tensed, and she buried her head in my shoulder, squeezing my muscles, holding me, forcing her hips down to take more and more of everything I could give.
“Maddox…” She came, beautifully, quaking in my arms as she took her pleasure and asked for mine as well.
I grunted, grasping her waist until the tingling erupted through me. I held her body, her back, pinning her against my chest as my hips instinctively bucked.
Once.
Twice.
Enough times to earn her squeal and ensure every jet of my pleasure completely coated her core.
She heaved frantic breaths against me, letting me hold her as the aftershocks of passion ripped through my body and pumped more into her. She dizzied me with tiny kisses, gentle promises against my shoulder, my neck, and finally my lips.
I stared at this beautiful woman, this amazing creature who pledged her life to me. I’d make sure she always knew how much I loved her. She’d never have cause to doubt me again.
“I swear, Sweets…” I brushed her cheek with my hand. “I’ll never keep another secret from you. You’ll know everything.”
Her gaze lowered. Quickly. Almost embarrassed.
“Just know that I love you, okay?” She whispered. “And everything I did or will do is because I love you.”
“Nothing you do will ever change how I feel, Josie.”
Her lip trembled. I kissed it away and let her rest against my chest, held in my arms and safe.
Why did it feel like she didn’t believe me?
15
Josie
Secrets.
Maddox had too many to count, and so many more I wished I hadn’t learned. His past. His family. How he earned money. What he did to survive after his parents were jailed and his foster family nearly beat him to death. He made a life from any scraps he could find, and when he returned home hardened by circumstance, the town turned on him.
Maddox had too many secrets.
I had just one.
And I’d lose everything if he learned the truth.
I nibbled on the end of my pen and counted the minutes until five o’clock. Office jobs bored me to death. I never used to stare at my phone when I worked at the candy shop. Sweet Nibbles took a big bite out of my spare time. We always had dough to knead, cakes to bake, candies to boil, and tables to wipe down. We stayed open until eight, but we left the doors unlocked until ten because I didn’t have the heart to deny anyone a cupcake after a bad day, date, or news.
Now?
Part-time work as an office gopher for the Saint Christie Reporter wore on me. Papers to file, emails to send, ads to invoice, and highlighters to doodle hearts in the corner of scrap paper. Too little hours for too little money, and I knew what would come of it.
At four thirty, my boss let me go for the day. Sean knew I had to get to Willowbend t
o see Granddad, but kicking off early meant he didn’t have to pay me for another half an hour. The newspaper strained enough from carrying me on the payroll for a year, even part-time.
I had to find something else in town, but no one could afford more than a few hours a week at a wage high enough above minimum that they wouldn’t insult me or my family. I understood. I’d owned a small business. I worked every day open to close just to spare the couple bucks for additional help until it was absolutely necessary.
Anything extra went to savings. And anything in savings eventually paid Granddad’s medical bills and extensive debts—money we didn’t know he owed until after the fire.
That was just the beginning.
The administrators at Willowbend didn’t give me good news. I grew up with Cassie Miller’s daughter, and Granddad stayed in the same hall as Cassie’s mother.
“Josie…” Cassie exhaled. “You know how much I love your family. I want to do everything I can, but Matt needs a bit more care. His lung function will only decrease, and we feel it’d be best to move him to an area of Willowbend where he’ll receive more direct nursing care. Someone to handle his medications and help him with his everyday activities.” She cleared her throat. “A few days ago, Matt went for a walk. He was gone for hours.”
I frowned. “Sneaking out to smoke again?”
“Probably. But we worried when he didn’t return. He’s never been gone that long, and anything might have happened. It’s time to get serious about his condition. We have options, but…”
I didn’t like buts. Buts were expensive. “What’s the problem?”
“I’m sorry, Josie, but if we move him, we can no longer negotiate his care for the agreed upon price. It’s…going to get more expensive.”
I hated having to ask. “How much more?”
“About four thousand—”
“Oh.” That wasn’t so bad.
“—more a month.”
My heart sank.
“Because he’s Matthias—he helped my husband to build this place—we can move him for the first two weeks, no change. After that…”
“I understand.” I nodded. “I appreciate that.”
“I wish there was more we could do.”
Me too. I shook her hand and snuck upstairs to visit Granddad. He was sleeping, but I gave him a kiss on the forehead. That made the decision easy.
Whatever I had to do to make him comfortable, to help him, I’d do.
Even if it ruined me.
I went home, cell phone in hand as I paced the living room. The decision gutted me, and my stomach turned, sickly and gross. I hated this, that moment when everything sweet turned sour, and what had been once only a sticky life suddenly sucked me down into the mire.
This wouldn’t be easy, but shame never was. Still, I’d rather it be my disgrace than Granddad’s, especially as his pride suffered enough from the illness and the town’s gossip about his debts.
I dialed the number.
And waited.
Nolan answered with a smile echoed in words that dripped pretention. He knew I’d call, and I knew what he’d want in return.
“Josie…” My name buttered on his tongue, and I worried where it would spread. “Your voice brightens a bad day. How are you, Sweets?”
He wasn’t worth my temper. “Nolan, I wondered if we might talk about…your offer.”
“On your property?”
Like he didn’t know. “Yes.”
“Reconsidering my terms?” His laugh wasn’t at my expense, just a graveled chuckle in a moment of victory. “But, Josie, you realize that particular arrangement was unsatisfactory to you?”
“I remember. But that was…then.”
“Business moves so fast these days,” Nolan said. “Unfortunately…that particular contract was a one-time offer. I warned you then, I’d be unable to negotiate the same amount a second time.”
“I’m willing to deal now.”
“As am I, Josie.” Nolan grunted, a rutting sort of sound I never wanted to hear again. “I don’t conduct business over the phone.”
I anticipated that. “Fine.”
“You will meet me for dinner.”
A flash of goose bumps prickled my neck. “I’m not hungry.”
“Get hungry, Josie. You will meet me at Jackson’s in an hour, and we’ll discuss this arrangement.” His voice lowered. “Come alone.”
“Like I would trust you around Maddox.”
“You can trust this, Josie. If I wanted Maddox dead, he’d be buried by now.”
“I’m tired of your threats, Nolan.”
“Meet me at Jackson’s or it won’t be a threat any longer.” He paused. “And Josie? Wear that pretty pink dress for me.”
Nolan hung up. I wouldn’t give the creeper the satisfaction of getting under my skin.
Or under my clothes.
The pink dress looked good on me. I’d wear it tonight and then burn the damn thing. The material clung to my curves, and I hoped Nolan would be too preoccupied with the plunging neckline to refuse the offer.
Only one thing left to do. I texted Delta, pulling the best friend card.
If Maddox asks, I’m with you tonight.
The reply came instantly. Yeah right. What will he do if he knows I’m lying? What will he do to you?
I hesitated. He’ll understand. Eventually.
Delta was the type to talk me out of any bad idea—like a hyperactive conscience who refused to let me take a step without clearing the way first. I ignored her texts and shoved my phone in my purse. Maddox would be harder to deter. I scribbled a note and stuck it to the fridge.
Under his message.
Found a lead on a job—checking it out.
I wished I could give him that time. Maybe if he hadn’t gone to jail, maybe if we both had worked and made the money to ease Granddad’s debts…maybe if the shop was rebuilt. We might have already been married, had a baby, made a good life. Too many maybes and not enough certainty.
It wasn’t worth mourning a past we never had when I still struggled to build a future worth living. I grabbed my purse and hid the dress beneath a light shawl.
And then I left to sell a piece of my soul to the devil.
Nolan met me in the corner of Jackson’s, an intimate and familiar little booth in the best restaurant in Saint Christie. The same restaurant where we met a year ago, the night of the fire.
He ordered me red wine and gestured to toast as I sat down.
“You look lovelier than I imagined.” Nolan licked a droplet of wine from his lip. “And I have quite the imagination.”
Gross.
I let the glasses clink, but I didn’t drink. I wasn’t about to split an appetizer and chat about our favorite cuts of steak. My voice lowered, too humbled for my stubborn façade. “Nolan, I am willing to negotiate on prices, but—”
“Easy, Josie.” He opened his menu. “We have all the time in the world to discuss this.”
“I’d prefer to get this done quickly.”
“These things can’t be rushed.” He hummed over the specials. “This transaction might be fairly involved if we expect to sort all the details out.”
“I don’t think that will be necessary.”
He met my stare. “If you want this sale, I foresee many, many long nights ahead of us.”
This wasn’t going the way I hoped. I anticipated it, but I would only agree to numbers on a page, not bodies between the sheets.
Nolan smiled like a true gentleman. I saw through it. “I’m ordering us both the Pasta Diablo.”
“I don’t like spicy food.”
“You’ll love this.”
“I’m really not hungry.”
I stilled as his gaze traced over my bare shoulders, the neckline of my dress, the secrets beneath.
“Josie, I’d prefer it if you were amenable.”
“This is business we’re talking about.”
“Business is my pleasure.” He arched an eyebrow. “An
d it could easily be yours.”
“I’m only interested in selling my property.”
“And I am very, very interested in what is on that property, what comes with it, what I might do to replace what was lost.”
“What you burned,” I said.
He sipped his wine and motioned for me to do the same, but I refused. “You still believe I set fire to your shop?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To frame Maddox. To punish me for refusing you.”
“Josie, Maddox is a momentary distraction in what will become our life.”
“Our life?”
“He’s a wild oat, something which will complicate our vetting when I run for a higher office.”
“What are you talking about?” Nolan hadn’t let me in on the joke yet, and that’s what it had to be. A joke. A bad nightmare.
“Sell your property to me, rid yourself of the convict, and take the life I’m offering. You know I can give you everything you’ve ever wanted.”
This was getting out of control. I pushed from the table. “Nolan, I’m here to talk about my land.”
“And I’m talking about our future.”
“We have no future!”
I lowered my voice as the waiter crossed behind us. God, since when was Jackson’s this busy on a Thursday night? I avoided the gaze of Mrs. Greentree as she and her husband greeted the server. The gossip would spread about this tonight. I had to get out before word got back to Maddox.
“Do not confuse this for what it is,” I said.
“And what is it?” Nolan folded his hands and held my gaze. “Why should we restrict our interests to your property?”
“Because that is our only common interest.”
“If you give me the chance, I could make a good life for you. Your property is worthless without your candy shop. I’ll rebuild it. Your grandfather’s debts are known to the town. I’ll arrest his bookie and debt holders. His medical bills? Paid. Do you understand what I’m offering you? This isn’t just a property sale.”
I swallowed, hard. “No. You’re buying me.”
“I’m giving you an opportunity.”
“You aren’t that noble. You’re after more than charity.”
Nolan grinned. “Is it a crime to want you?”
“Don’t speak to me like that.”
