Bring Your Heart (Golden Falls Fire Book 2)

by Scarlett Andrews

  Hayley had never shopped there, but the mannequins in the display window had a fetching angel-devil vibe about them. They stopped inside the doorway to look around, and Josh waved at the saleswoman behind the counter, who smiled and came over.

  “Can I help you?” She looked from one to the other. She was model-thin and fashionable in a silky top and tight black jeans.

  “This is Hayley,” Josh said. “We’re trying to sex up her look.”

  “Always a good goal,” the saleswoman said with a smile.

  “I’m going more for everyday sexy,” Hayley said. “So nothing too … um … slutty. I still have an office job.”

  “So slightly more Venus than Vixen?”

  “Exactly!”

  “I’ll get a dressing room going for you while you take a look around. My name’s Gabrielle. Do you want any help selecting items, or would you prefer to browse on your own?”

  “Help would be great,” Josh said. “Hayley’s got two sides to her, her professional side and her provocative side, and today’s goal is to combine the two.”

  Flattered by how he described her, Hayley gave him a sideways look. “That’s quite the assessment.”

  “Am I wrong?” he asked. “Every time I’ve seen you, you’ve worn long sweaters or shirts, and you should be showing off your ass. Men like that. And I have yet to see any cleavage.”

  “So you want cleavage and derriere,” Gabrielle said, and he nodded. “Can I—? Do you mind?” Gabrielle indicated for Hayley to come closer, and when she did, Gabrielle turned her to face the nearby floor-length mirror. “This outfit right here. The boots are good, and the leggings are good, but while the sweater’s gorgeous, it’s too conservative. It lacks sex appeal.”

  Hayley made a face at herself in the mirror. “That’s me, lacking in sex appeal.”

  “Want a few ideas to glam it up a bit?”

  “Definitely.”

  Gabrielle showed Hayley the effect a big belt had with the turtleneck. The belt showed off her curves to nice effect. But Hayley was uncertain, self-conscious under Josh’s gaze, approving as it was.

  “I feel like it shows how slim my hips aren’t,” she said.

  “You have shape,” Josh said. “Shape is good.”

  “We always want what we don’t have,” Gabrielle said. “My body’s like a stick and I’d love some curves. You’ve got curves and want to be a stick. We shouldn’t do this to ourselves. We need to work with what we’ve got. But seriously, when you try to hide what you perceive to be your flaws, all you’re going to do is draw attention to them.” She gestured to Josh. “He’s already said he wants to see your shape. You need to believe him.”

  Josh grinned at her. “Yeah, Hayley. Believe me.”

  They waited as Gabrielle moved deftly around the store collecting items. She came back with a white lace camisole, a wide black belt, some dangly earrings, and a fitted pink plaid shirt.

  “Here, try these things on. The camisole gets tucked in, and the shirt hangs open.”

  While Hayley was in the dressing room, she took a moment to reapply her lip gloss, which made her think of the searing hot kiss she and Josh had shared in the bar. A warm glow still suffused her body at the memory of his lips on hers. She enjoyed shopping as much as the next woman, but in that moment she wanted to be anywhere else, as long as it was with Josh and alone. As she slipped off her sweater and into the new clothes, Hayley was all too aware of how aroused she was.

  She emerged from the dressing room, wearing what she’d been instructed to put on. Where before her sweater hid her hips, thighs and ass, now all were on display. Her cleavage spilled out of the camisole in a way that made her feel flirtatious, and the fitted plaid shirt was flattering and weather-appropriate.

  The look on Josh’s face was gratifying. His eyes traveled the length of her, and Hayley felt all kinds of sensual in a way she hadn’t in a long time.

  Gabrielle came back with an armful of more outfits to try on, including a vivid emerald knee-length dress with cunning laser cutouts that made a kind of fringe along the bottom. “I think it’s really sweet of you to shop with your girlfriend,” she said to Josh. “Most guys wouldn’t be caught dead.”

  Hayley’s mouth opened to correct her, as did Josh’s, but they caught glances with each other and neither said anything. Why not let the saleswoman think they were dating? There was no harm in it, and it seemed easier than the real explanation.

  “I’ll grab some shoes for you to try on with the dresses,” Gabrielle said, hanging up the additional outfits in the fitting room and zipping off again.

  “I like that look on you,” Josh said. “Sexy tomboy. Emphasis on the sexy. You can definitely retire the baggy sweaters, Hayley.”

  “You think?” She preened in the full-length mirror, turning to inspect how she looked from all angles.

  “I’d have a hard time keeping my hands off your ass,” he said quietly, as soon as Gabrielle was out of earshot.

  Hayley gave him a daring smile. “I don’t know if I believe you.” She stepped closer to him. “Maybe you’ll have to prove it.”

  Josh reached his arms around her and pulled her close. Hayley was dizzy in the presence of his muscular strength, his confidence, and she couldn’t help but push her hips against him. She felt the shape and heat of his arousal through their clothing.

  “I love the cleavage,” he said into her ear, sending tingles down her spine. He smoothed his hands across the curve of her ass. “And I love seeing your neck. The more skin, Hayley, the better.”

  He lowered his head and kissed her neck. Her breath caught. She waited for him to kiss her lips, but he didn’t; instead he moved up to nibble on her earlobe for one tender instant before releasing her. It was sweet agony when he stepped away from her, and she nearly moaned with frustration at the sudden space between them.

  Gabrielle appeared, holding a pair of strappy metallic high heels.

  “Why don’t you do some trying on, and I’ll be out here if you need me. Otherwise, I’ll leave you to yourselves for a bit.”

  The twinkle in her eye suggested she expected them to engage in some hanky-panky in the dressing room, but Hayley stepped further away from Josh.

  “You stay here,” she said to him.

  “Spoilsport.”

  Hayley went back into the dressing room, closed the door behind her, and then released a long, slow, steadying breath. Josh just blew her away. Lit her on fire. She’d never wanted a man so much, and the fact she felt this way after knowing him for only a few days scared her, doubly so because he was off limits from a long-term perspective. She thought back to Cassie’s concern—what if he’s the best sex you’ve ever had and no guy after him can compare? Wouldn’t that set you up for disappointment with your forever guy?

  Why, yes, it might, Hayley realized. But there was no way she wasn’t going to sleep with him, no way at all. When he’d embraced her and she’d felt his arousal, it was all she could do not to move his hand beneath the waistband of her leggings so he could feel her wetness in return. They had a good rhythm together, she could tell already, and she knew sex with him would be sensational. The foreplay had already begun: the whole day was foreplay, and she couldn’t wait for the night. She had a mind to skip the business mixer and get straight to business—with Josh.

  You want forever, she reminded herself. The man sitting out there won’t give it to you. Have your fun, move on, and stay on target. She grabbed a pair of jeans and a clingy purple knit sweater with cutouts up the arms, showing flashes of skin all the way.

  Hayley did a double-take in the mirror when she saw how good the outfit looked. Her breasts were full, her neckline was deep, and her torso narrowed nicely until connecting with the flare of her hips. She slipped on the heels and immediately looked ten pounds thinner.

  Not bad, she thought. No matter what you say, parental units, I’m not so bad.

  Growing up with her mom’s constant criticisms had done a number on her. Her hair was
too unruly. Or didn’t flatter her face. Her posture was bad. Her thighs were fat. She didn’t look good in a bikini. She didn’t measure up to her parents’ rich Miami social set. And from her dad, it was pure indifference, and nothing she could do would warrant his attention and love. It was no wonder she’d never dressed sexy before. The little voice in her head always told her there’d be no point, thanks to the negative voices of her past.

  But when she opened the dressing room door and saw Josh’s eyes lighten with admiration as she pulled him inside, she knew there was a point indeed.

  “Nice.” The dressing room was large, and he was able to twirl her around and inspect the outfit from all angles. He brought her close, gave her a warm kiss that left her wanting more, and said, “Now try on the dress.”

  “You want me to change in front of you?”

  “Actually, I want to undress you.”

  His gaze was challenging, as if he expected her to resist. Well, she didn’t want to. She felt a pleasurable rush of heat at the idea of him undressing her. At the idea of him pulling the shirt over her head and kissing the space between her breasts. Unzipping her jeans and reaching to touch her beneath the red lace panties she wore. She felt a delicious ache between her legs at the thought of his touch there, and she knew it wouldn’t be enough. The lust between them had been building all day, and once he touched her intimately, she’d need all of him.

  The idea of it thrilled her—hot sex in a hurry—but then it would be over. Their first time would be over, and if they were going to be together only once, then she wanted hours together, maybe even a whole night, not just a quickie in a shopping mall dressing room. She’d seen enough of his body from the calendar to know a quickie wouldn’t be enough. She wanted to linger with his body, to explore it—and to be explored by him, too.

  “You can undress me later,” she said, and gently pushed him away.

  11

  As Josh and Hayley walked out of the store together and toward the mall’s coat check, Josh checked his phone and saw with disappointment that it was almost five p.m. For the first time in his life, he’d actually found clothes shopping fun, and he didn’t want their pretend date to end.

  “What time do you need to be at your networking thing?” he asked.

  “It starts at seven, but if I get there a few minutes late it wouldn’t be a problem. Why?”

  Hayley looked at him with an almost expectant smile—certainly an inviting one—and Josh wanted to meet that expectation, and then some. He wanted to say, Let’s grab dinner. Then let’s go home and get naked and go to bed together and stay there for days. But he had the dogs to feed, and she had forever to find, so instead he asked, “Are you going to wear your new dress tonight?”

  Hayley had bought most of the clothes she’d tried on, including the emerald dress that clung to her curves and brought out her warm coloring and the green flecks in her eyes to perfection.

  “I’ll wear whatever you want me to wear, dating coach,” she said. “So you tell me.”

  Josh’s mood had grown pensive in the last hour as he realized how much he enjoyed being with Hayley. They slipped from flirty to friendly with an ease he’d never felt before. Everything about being with her was easy, and he was beginning to think he was a fool for insisting his attention could only be short-term. But he had insisted on it, and he reminded himself he’d done so for a reason. He had goals. His dogs. His freedom. He was a lone wolf, damn it, and he couldn’t mess with her. Couldn’t lead her on when history showed he’d only eventually walk away. She wanted more.

  She deserved more.

  “The green dress, definitely,” he said. He was carrying two of her three shopping bags, including the one with the dress, and he could see its silky texture. When Hayley had tried it on, he’d wanted his hands all over her.

  “You think heads will turn?”

  You’ve already turned my head. You’ve made me laugh. You’ve turned me on. You’ve lightened my heart.

  “There’s no way some guy’s not going to scoop you up, with or without the dress.” His tone was calmer than his true feelings. The fact was, a streak of hot jealousy spread through him at the idea of another man being the object of her affection and attention. Damn it, he wanted her all to himself.

  “I don’t suppose you want to go with me?”

  “And watch other guys hit on you? No, thanks,” he said. “Besides, you’re on a tight timeline, aren’t you? For the Devotion.com thing?”

  “That’s right!” Hayley’s smile brightened. “I almost forgot why we were doing this. But Josh, I need more! I don’t feel like you really pointed out any blind spots for me to work on.”

  You’re too cute. Too sexy. Too nice. Too fun. You make the time pass in the blink of an eye. You see me in a way no woman ever has before. You make me feel things I don’t want to feel.

  “There’s nothing holding you back, Hayley,” he said. “You just haven’t met the right man yet.”

  “So I just need to put myself out there,” she said with resolve. “Take my own dating advice.”

  “You know what to do.” He nudged her. “Ask your thirty-six questions guaranteed to make a person fall in love with you.”

  “What was your answer to whom you’d most want to have dinner with, by the way? I’ve been wondering.”

  To whom. He just loved that, seriously. Trying her best in a world that didn’t care about things like that anymore.

  “I said my mom,” he said. “She passed away when I was thirteen.”

  “Oh,” Hayley said with a hint of surprise, like she should have known that by now. “That’s sad.”

  “It was rough, yeah. I saw a therapist a couple times when I was a teenager, at my brother Jack’s insistence, and it was the best thing I could have done. My brother can be a real ass, but I can’t say he doesn’t look out for me. He shows up when it matters.”

  “Why is he an ass?”

  “He had a huge falling-out with our dad. Stopped talking to him right after our mom died, and he won’t tell anyone why.”

  Hayley frowned. “Your dad must know why.”

  “He does, but he’s not telling. We used to be a big happy family, like a real, honest-to-goodness family. Loud. Fun. Big Sunday dinners, Thanksgiving football games, chopping down the Christmas tree together … and Jack ruined it for no good reason at all.”

  “He must have his reasons,” Hayley said. “You just don’t know what they are. And I’m sorry all that happened with your mom and your family … but you know what? I bet your mom really would have liked the person you’ve turned into.”

  Emotion caught in his throat. “You think?”

  “Oh, yeah. You’re good people, Josh.”

  Damn it. Why was he suddenly fighting off another wave of emotion? Was it because she was so nice, or because someone so nice thought he was a decent guy, too?

  They retrieved their coats, bundled up against the cold, and went outside. Josh helped Hayley load her shopping bags in the back of her car. He didn’t want to say goodbye, not yet. This woman was magnetic, irresistible, and so beautiful with her hair tumbled over her shoulders and her breath fogging in the icy air. In a world that could be so cold, Hayley was pure warmth.

  “So …” she said, hesitating. “Is this goodbye?”

  No, Josh thought. Hell, no. Hayley had offered to let him undress her later. He wasn’t about to let that business go unfinished. His blood thundered through his veins just thinking about it. Hayley’s was a body of curves and beauty, and he wanted his hands all over her softness.

  “I hope not,” he said. “How long does the event last?”

  “An hour or two.” Hayley’s eyes were captivating. “Unless I meet some hot guy who likes my new dress as much as you do. Then it might go all night.”

  “That’s not going to happen,” he said.

  She arched an eyebrow. “Oh, no?”

  “No.” He stepped to her, unzipped her coat a bit, and slid his hands inside, finding
the small of her back. “The only man’s hands that are going to be on you tonight are mine.”

  Her pretty lips curved into a flirty smile. “Is that so?”

  “If you want.” He saw hesitation creep into her eyes. “Or not?”

  “Oh, I want—trust me. I just …”

  Her eyes drifted away from his gaze.

  “You just what, Hayley?”

  She bit her lower lip.

  “Look at me. Talk to me.”

  Instead of looking in his eyes, she looked at the zipper on his jacket as she reached for it and tugged on it a little bit.

  “A friend advised me to be careful with you.” Her eyes inched up to his jaw, which she kissed with the lightness of a butterfly, and then his lips. She leaned for him to kiss her forehead, and there was that smell of orange blossoms again; it was a scent of hope and optimism and happiness, and it was working its way into his soul. Finally, she looked at him with her smiling eyes. “But I don’t want to be careful with you, Josh. I’d rather be a little reckless.”

  “So let’s be a little reckless,” he said. “Your place or mine?”

  “Mine,” she said.

  “I’ll meet you there after your mixer,” he said, hoping for his sake that it was full of old married men, fussy middle-aged woman, and gay guys. No one to catch Hayley’s attention, no one to ask her out. It was an unfair wish, but he could no more help it than he could help his desire to pull her close and kiss her.

  Which he did.

  Her lips were cold, her breath hot, and it was their most delicious, lingering kiss yet.

  12

  Hayley tidied her small, second-story apartment facing the town square and tried to see it through Josh’s eyes.

  It was just a rented one-bedroom, but it was all she needed, and it suited her perfectly. It had remodeled fixtures—and energy-saving insulated windows—but maintained its early-1900’s architectural character. Fresh out of a relationship when she’d moved in, Hayley had wanted a dwelling which reflected the adult she wanted to be.