Embraced at Seaside

by Addison Cole

  His scruff brushed against her cheek. You didn’t shave. She didn’t know why that thought pulsed through when nothing else was making any sense.

  “Why are you here?” Her words came out slow and slightly slurred.

  “I was here with Clark. Why are you here, Jana? Dressed like this?”

  “What?” She pushed off his shoulder, swaying a little, and tried to give him a serious look, but it made her wobble even more, and she clutched at his shirt.

  He glowered at her. “Looking so off-the-charts hot that every guy in here wants you.”

  She felt her lips curve up and was too drunk to stop them. “Do you?”

  “Jana.” He crushed her to him again, and his masculine scent permeated her senses, sending ripples of desire straight to her core. “This isn’t you, Jana. You don’t do this.”

  “Yes, I do. I met you on a night like tonight.” Uh oh…

  She felt his entire body go rigid against her. And she swore to erase that night from her memory so she never, ever brought it up again. He’d been so angry when she’d accidentally called him all those other men’s names after he’d said sweeter things to her than any man had ever said before.

  He put his mouth beside her ear and said, “You like me better when we’re bed buddies?” A chill hung on the edge of his words.

  Her temper flared at her own words coming back at her, but as his hands moved up her waist, she got distracted from that anger, and when they brushed higher, she rested her cheek against his shoulder. She wanted his touch, needed his touch. Only Hunter’s. Hunter’s touch made the noise and indecision fall away. His hands traveled slowly down over her hips, making it hard for her to hold on to anything but the desire to be consumed by him. When his hands clutched her butt, she gasped.

  “Is that what you want, Jana? A good, hard screw?”

  She opened her mouth, but no words came. Her body wanted what he offered, but her heart, her stupid, needy heart, wanted more—from him, only him—and that scared the life out of her.

  His hands moved down the back of her thighs and toyed with the edge of her dress. “You know I can give you that.”

  She closed her eyes, trying to decipher his tone, trying to read between the lines. But the lines blurred, and all she was left with were her desperate, warring emotions. Her greedy heart wanted Hunter, all of him: his caring touch, his possessive protection, and his sexual prowess. But panic roared through her meadow of love, trampling all over the beauty and safety of it and leaving behind darkness she couldn’t comprehend.

  He pressed a kiss just below her ear. “Say the word, Jana, and I’ll take you home and give you what you need.”

  The song ended, and Jana sensed people moving away, but she didn’t want to part from him as they moved to a silent beat. With panic clinging to her heart and her mind whirling, she forced what she truly wanted from her lips.

  “Take me home, Hunter.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  HUNTER CUT THE engine in front of Jana’s house. After trying to practically climb onto his lap as they drove away from Undercover, Jana had passed out leaning against his shoulder. He shifted her gently so she wouldn’t fall as he got out of the truck. He gathered her in his arms, struck by the angelic look on her peaceful face, contrasting sharply with the short dress and spiked heels. That was Jana, one big contradiction, even when she was asleep. He lifted her easily and kissed her forehead. She might be stubborn and antagonistic, but he’d seen her when her guard was down, and he knew this was a facade. She could push him as far and as hard as she wanted, but he wanted to make her his even more than before.

  She snuggled against his chest as her arms wound around his neck.

  “Keys,” he mumbled. They’d left so quickly after he told Sky he was taking Jana home that they must have left her purse behind.

  “Under the mat.” She pressed her hand to his chest and blinked up at him with sleepy, sexy eyes.

  Heck if he didn’t get a little shiver. She’d gotten to him, all right. Hook, line, and sinker. He couldn’t resist pressing a kiss to her pink lips.

  “We’re going to have a talk about safety, pretty girl.”

  “No talk,” she slurred as her eyes closed. “Sex.”

  He crouched, holding Jana tightly against him as he retrieved the key from beneath the mat, unlocked the door, then pocketed the key and pushed the door open.

  “We’re going to talk about that, too,” he told her, though the cadence of her breathing told him that she had already passed out again.

  Jana’s house was dark and quiet and smelled like her: Sexy, feminine, and too desirable. He’d been inside her house the other night, but he’d been so overcome with desire, and then, in the bedroom, he’d been bowled over by his emotions, unable to see or think past them. Now he took a moment to look around. The house was only slightly bigger than it looked from the outside, but Jana’s essence was everywhere. The living room curtains were partially closed, willowy and colorful. The pale blue couch clashed with an orange armchair, and the armchair definitely did not match the tie-dyed pillows tossed haphazardly on the chair and floor. The walls were painted pale yellow, but as Hunter turned down the hallway toward the open bedroom door he’d spotted, he noticed that the hallway walls were pink. He smiled to himself. Her furnishings were as busy as her life.

  He stopped at the threshold to Jana’s bedroom and tried to make sense of the sight before him. He wasn’t sure if he was looking at something from a Dr. Seuss book or a fancy high-end catalog. How had he missed all this the last time? The bedroom walls were a muted gold color. A pear-green dresser boasted iron handles in the shapes of flowers. He recognized them because he’d made them to fill a special order from the Eclectic Shop. That made his chest warm. Jana must like armchairs, because there was another one in the small bedroom. The black and white plaid seat cushion conflicted with the pink and purple paisley upholstery that covered the back and arms of the chair, but somehow the gold frilly pillow made it fit right in with the rest of the mayhem in the bedroom. At the head of the double bed—Who sleeps in a double bed instead of a king? One glance at the sleeping woman in his arms answered that—decorative bright green and blue curtains hung from a metal twisted vine rod that he also recognized, as it had come in as a special order from the same store as the dresser handles.

  He drew his brows together and wondered if she’d known he was the one who’d made them.

  There must have been fifteen pillows on the bed with crazy patterns, in every color and size under the sun, piled on top of a fuchsia blanket, which was folded halfway down the bed, with a bright orange blanket beneath, also folded, and finished off with an olive-green blanket lying across the foot of the bed. Even the sight of all those covers made him hot. It was summertime. Who slept under that many blankets?

  He took a few steps, quickly scanning the rest of the room. A bright orange lamp sat beside pottery pieces of various sizes. Surprisingly, they were all in the same electric color. The entire room came together with a painting hanging over the dresser that looked like a child had painted mad streaks of the colors sprinkled throughout the room. He sat on the edge of the bed with Jana in his arms, thinking he’d just learned more about his girl than she ever could have told him.

  Hunter carefully slipped off Jana’s heels, hoping not to wake her. He set them on the floor and debated changing her out of the dress. Her breasts were vying for release from the binding material, plumping over the low neckline. Distracting himself from making the decision, he rose again with her in his arms and tossed the pillows to the floor, then pulled back the soft blankets and sheet. He couldn’t imagine sleeping beneath that many blankets, and wondered why she needed them.

  As he laid her on the bed, she sighed softly. Now he had another dilemma. He didn’t want to leave her. Like, really didn’t want to leave her. And it wasn’t because he was worried she might throw up in her sleep and choke or anything as chivalrous as that. He just wanted to be near her. To hold her an
d wake up with her in his arms. He’d wanted that since the day he’d met her all those months ago. He sat beside her on the edge of the bed and brushed her hair from her forehead. Even the first time they’d hooked up, when she’d called him the wrong name and he’d wanted to throttle her, he’d been disappointed when she’d snuck out while he was asleep.

  Weeks later, when Sky and Sawyer got together, he went to see Sawyer fight—and Jana walked in. He’d been drawn to her even more strongly than before. They fought, they challenged, they pushed each other to the limits, taking what they wanted and asking for nothing in return. Yet every time they’d come together since, she’d left him wanting more. He couldn’t explain it, but he sure couldn’t deny that she had a string around his neck, and every time she walked away, she tugged a piece of him along with her.

  He headed into her calm-within-the-storm bathroom, which was layered in pastel blue and yellow with a white tile floor and claw-foot tub, needing to figure out if he should stay or go. She had asked him to have sex. That’s kind of like an invitation.

  He was careful not to mess up her sink as he washed up. When he returned to the bedroom, Jana had pulled the sheets up over her shoulders. She looked so innocent, with her hair spread out beneath her. His body ached to hold her, and really, he shouldn’t leave her alone, right? He took off his jeans and T-shirt, tossed them onto the chair, and slipped beneath the sheets. Lying on his back, contemplating his decision to stay when she hadn’t asked him to, he locked his hands beneath his head.

  As if she had a built in man detector, Jana turned over. Her cheek landed on his chest, and her leg draped over both of his, and her hand landed between his legs. Where the heck were her clothes? She was completely naked. A seductive mmm vibrated through her at the same time a greedy groan escaped his lips. This was not part of tonight’s plan.

  “Jana.” He’d made a mistake. He was not doing this. Not when she was so drunk she couldn’t even open her eyes. Her silence surprised him, and he dared a glance. She was sound asleep and making the not-quite-a-snore sound caused by too much alcohol, but she had a death grip on a part of him he’d rather not think about right now.

  He closed his eyes and tried to tame his mounting arousal, but all he saw was Jana up onstage, her eyes blazing, her body smokin’, and that dirty little mouth of hers painted and willing. He must be cursed. This was going to be the longest night ever.

  WHAT IS THAT yummy smell? Jana inhaled deeply as her senses came awake, recognizing the familiar scent of the only man she’d been with for months. Her body was splayed across Hunter’s, only she was blissfully naked and he wasn’t. She tried to piece together what had happened last night, as panic tiptoed into her body again. She couldn’t pick up her keys and disappear into the night. She certainly couldn’t wake Hunter and ask him to leave. Well, she could, but that would only start a fight, and she rather liked this peaceful moment with him, when there was no tension between them.

  She moved quietly off the bed, reminded of when she’d slipped away in the middle of the night in Provincetown the last time she and Hunter had been in an actual bed together. When I promised I’d never sleep with you again. The last time they were in her bedroom came rushing back. The tenderness he’d shown her as he’d held her in his lap warmed her all over.

  She felt a little dizzy knowing how much of herself she’d shown Hunter. She needed cold water. She needed space. A little room to think.

  She tiptoed into the bathroom, brushed her teeth, and washed the makeup from her face. She debated her dilemma as she returned to the bedroom. Why wasn’t Hunter naked? He always slept naked. At least after their hookups he’d never put on any clothes. Why was he here at all if they hadn’t had sex? And she was sure they hadn’t, even if her mind was fuzzy, because having sex with Hunter Lacroux was not something a girl forgot. Ever.

  With her nerves doing a little uneasy dance, she slipped on his T-shirt and debated waking him again and asking him to leave. She quickly decided that it wasn’t worth the fight. At least that was the story she tried to believe as she climbed back into bed with a smile on her lips and curled up with her back to him. The bed dipped as he rolled onto his side and his strong arm wrapped around her, tugging her back against his chest. Her body molded perfectly to his. She tried not to move as her heart went a little crazy and she debated this encroachment of her personal space.

  “Close those pretty little eyes of yours and go to sleep.”

  Her eyes sprang open. “You’re awake?”

  “You glommed onto me all night. Of course I’m awake.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek. “But I’d like to sleep, if you don’t mind.”

  She smiled, loving that he wanted to stay, even as her rebellion left her lips.

  “Then maybe you should go back home.”

  “No, pretty girl. This time I win. Sleep. Now.”

  “Hunt—”

  He tucked her beneath him and gazed into her eyes. His arousal burned against her thigh. “You never listen.”

  “Now that we’re awake…” She arched up and nipped at his chin. He searched her eyes with a hungry gaze. “I’m not still drunk, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

  “I think I can tell when you’re drunk.” He clutched her hip so hard she sucked in air between her teeth. “I want to stay until morning. Right here. Holding you.”

  “Then let’s fool around.”

  He scowled, but she knew he was fighting the desire, too.

  She rolled her eyes. “Why do you have to make all the rules?”

  “Because your rules suck.” He lowered his mouth to hers, and soon they were both lost in the kiss, their bodies pressed close together. “Jana,” he ground out. “I should walk out that door, because giving in to you is like feeding a kid candy. You’ll keep coming back for more.”

  “And that’s bad why…?”

  “Because you’ll never agree to anything more than this if I keep giving in.”

  She pressed a kiss to his chest.

  “You enjoy torturing me.”

  “Almost as much as I enjoy pleasuring you.” She pushed at his chest and he rolled willingly onto his side, finally giving up control.

  Chapter Seventeen

  HUNTER WAS SITTING on Jana’s couch in the living room when she stumbled out of the bedroom at ten thirty the next morning wearing his shirt from the night before. She was rubbing her eyes, clearly oblivious to his presence as he watched her go up on tiptoes to reach a cup in the cabinet. Her shirt inched up revealing her bare butt. Hunter smiled. He loved her butt. As she came down on flat feet and set her cup on the counter, he realized that there was a lot more than like going on inside his chest for the rest of her, too.

  She reached for the coffeepot, which he’d brewed earlier, and a second later she whipped her head around. Her gaze found him and her eyes bloomed wide.

  He smiled. “Morning, beautiful.” He made no move to go to her, wanting to give her a moment to get used to seeing him there, in her living room, fully dressed and comfortable. Luckily, he kept an extra shirt or two in his truck in case he had to see a client with little warning.

  “What…? You didn’t leave?”

  She brought her coffee to the couch, and he pulled her down on his lap. “What kind of a welcome is that for a guy who made you happy several times last night?”

  “You were a very good boy last night, but—”

  He pressed his lips to hers and she returned his kiss with fervor, then suddenly pushed away.

  “Don’t freak out,” he said quickly.

  “You stayed over.” Panic was evident in her wide eyes and in the tenor of her voice.

  “I did. Thank you for giving me what I wanted. I woke up with you in my arms for once.” He’d laid in bed with his body wrapped around her as she’d slept, and nothing had ever felt so right. Every so often she’d sigh, or make a soft sound, almost as if she were talking in her sleep, but he hadn’t been able to make out what she was saying. He’d gotten up with the sun, s
howered, and taken care of a few things to prepare for the day.

  She tried to move from his lap, but he held her in place. “You’re not getting away that easily, not now that I have you without any distractions.”

  She rolled her eyes and yawned. “What time is it?” She glanced over her shoulder toward the clock on the kitchen wall. “Oh no! I have to call Brock. He’s going to be pissed.”

  He clutched her hips, keeping her in place. “I called him at six thirty and told him you wouldn’t be there.”

  “Hunter! You had no right to do that. You should have woken me up.”

  “You’re welcome.” He laughed, and she stewed. “He has you signed up for an exhibition match against the Plymouth Fight Club, which I almost told him you wouldn’t take part in, but I knew you’d get mad. I hate the idea of that pretty face of yours getting maimed.”

  The scowl on her face didn’t soften. Hunter ignored it. “You’ll probably need to train a little extra at some point before the match. But he was cool with you missing today.”

  “Yeah, I bet he wanted to kill you.” She looked away.

  Hunter gently moved her chin toward him, so he could see her eyes. “Don’t worry, pretty girl. He thinks I drove you home last night because you’d had a little too much to drink and that I stayed to make sure you didn’t puke and choke on it. I told him I slept on the couch.”

  She sighed. “Thank you for that.”

  “I’ve got a sister. I get it.” And that brought him to the next thing he wanted to talk to her about. “I had Sky drop off your purse, and I got Marco’s number from your phone and called him. I told him that you were sick and you wouldn’t make it in today.”

  “Oh my gosh. Sky knows you stayed over? And my classes? I’m in so much trouble.”

  “First of all, yes, but Sky thinks I slept on the couch, too. We’ll talk about that later.” He let those words sink in despite the fact that her relieved sigh about Sky was immediately followed by a scowl. “And as far as your classes go, Marco’s taking care of canceling them. The guy was pretty cool about it, actually. He wasn’t the jerk I expected.” Marco had asked if Hunter was her brother, and he’d taken the liberty to say no, that he was her man. He wasn’t about to tell her that.