Unbridled Heat [Men of Iron Horse 1] (Siren Publishing Classic)
Page 5
She grinned, lowering her eyes to stare at the ground.
“I know, I probably shouldn’t have said that, but I can’t seem to keep from doing things I shouldn’t do around you.” He licked his lips, his mouth dry. “I also can’t seem to stop thinking about that night.”
She raised her eyes to meet his, waiting for him to speak again. He wasn’t sure if he was making things better or worse between them. “Jason said he would tear my lungs out through my nose if I saw you again.”
“That’s gonna hurt.”
He laughed. “Yes, I bet it is.”
A fluttering laughter rolled from her throat and he liked the way it sounded. It almost tickled him to hear her melodious giggle. She was a woman in every aspect, but her innocence was the one thing that caught him by surprise. The difference about her was so obvious to him now.
“You can’t help it, can you?”
“Help what?” she asked, her brow furrowed.
Without thought, he reached up and brushed his fingers over her cheek, tucking back her hair. “Being so sweet and perfect.”
She laughed, stepping back. “And you can’t help being charming. Women must love those one-liners.”
He deserved that. He hadn’t given her any reason to think of him as anything other than a womanizer. “I’m sorry,” he said, taking a step backward. “I came here to apologize for the other night. I had no right to kiss you even though I wanted to. I should’ve known better and I should’ve known you weren’t interested in me. You clearly deserve better than me.” He smiled shyly, hating the feeling knotting inside his chest. A sensation he was growing annoyed with. “Have a good night, Layla.” He turned to leave.
“Are you serious?”
“About what?” he asked, rounding to face her.
She closed the distance between them. “You really came over to apologize? That’s it?”
He nodded. She looked perplexed. Staring at her, he was, too. “Was that not the right thing to do?”
“You are so not acting the way I thought you would.”
He folded his arms over his chest. “And what might that have been?”
“I figured you’d come over here, tell me some load of bull about how you never felt a connection like the one we have, try to use some charm crap to get me to invite you in for a night of wrestling between the sheets.”
“Wow,” he said on a breath. “Had you been anyone else…that’s what I’d have tried to do.” He chuckled. “But I’ve never been told that my charm is crap.”
She smiled. “I’m sure.”
“Besides, Sam wouldn’t allow me to step foot inside your apartment.”
“True, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t go somewhere with you.”
When her words registered, he had to replay them in his mind once more to be sure, and even then he had to ask for clarification. “So what you’re saying is that you want to go out with me again?”
“Maybe.”
Was that hope burning in his gut? Or shock? He swallowed the nerves balling at the back of his throat and stepped closer to her. “What would a guy need to do to get you to say yes?”
Her chest bumped his as she eradicated any trace of space between them. He swore he was dizzy from lack of oxygen. Layla was turning him inside out and she hadn’t done much more than stand, pressed against him with her hands at her sides. Perhaps it was the way her eyes twinkled as she looked up at him or maybe it was the way her mouth curved into a slight grin. He wasn’t sure. All he knew was that he’d do just about anything to experience more of it.
“Surely, there’s something,” he said, sounding breathless and eager.
Shit. He was. His hands itched to touch her, his body tingling with need. What the hell was this sweet flower of an angel doing to him?
The silence that grew between them was deafening. The heat from her body pulsed into him. He groaned as she inhaled and pressed her soft breasts against his chest.
“Damn it, Layla. Say something.” Again he sounded desperate, but he didn’t care. Hope and need was making him crazed.
“You tell me, Luke. What do you think I need?”
Her breathy words were like fire to his blood. She was a vixen in disguise and a temptation that was his undoing. “Do you even know what you’re doing to me? Is this part of your plan? To get me to feel so damn lost that I can’t think straight? Because if it is…it’s working.”
She placed her hands on his chest, tracing the collar of his polo shirt with the tips of her fingers. “I like that I have this effect on you.”
“You do?”
She nodded. “I’ve never been this brave before. I tend to be afraid of most things.”
He took a chance and pulled her against him, wrapping her in his arms. “And why do you suppose that is?”
“I don’t know.”
He cupped the side of her face, teasing her lower lip with his thumb. “I have an idea.”
“You do?”
He nodded. “I think you like me and I think I make you curious. I think your needs are trumping whatever fear you have.” The corner of her mouth lifted and he wanted to kiss her. But he didn’t. Not yet. “I also think you want to see if I’m really a douche or not.”
She laughed. “Is that so?”
His chest pinched at the sound of her laughter. The sound was teasing his very soul. “I’m not as bad as they say.” She arched a brow in challenge. “At least, I don’t want to be.”
“You’re the only one who can make that happen, you know.” She locked her eyes with his. “So when I tell you that I want to spend time with you, you’ll know not to hurt me.”
His nerves stretched thin and he was sure they were about to snap in two. He cupped her face with both hands. “I want you, Layla, and it’s different this time. I know it’s different. It feels different.”
Yes. It felt different. In fact, he should be terrified of the emotions swirling around in his head and chest. Never had he been so confused and focused at the same time.
“Don’t disappointment, Luke. I’m putting my heart on the line for you. I’m trusting you. If you break it—”
“I won’t,” he said quickly. “I won’t hurt you, Layla. I swear.”
Strangely, he meant every word. It wasn’t that he wanted to get her in bed. He did. There was no denying his need. But he wanted her in a way he hadn’t wanted another woman. This time, when he took her to his bed, he would want her there in the morning. Breakfast in bed never sounded so sweet.
“I want you to come home with me tonight. I won’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do. But I’m going to be honest and tell you right now that I want to fuck you all night long. So if you want—”
“I’ll need to meet you later. I can’t go now. Sam will never understand. She’s sure you’re going to destroy me and I don’t feel like being lectured about my bad decisions.”
He was really going to have to work on getting Sam to not hate him so much. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and handed it to her. “Put in your number and I’ll text you my address. If you decide later that you don’t want to come over, I’ll understand.”
She eyed him as if trying to read his thoughts. Maybe she was. “I believe you.”
Relief flooded him. He didn’t want her to think he was just using her for a night of passion. Oh, no. He intended for so much more than one night.
She handed him back his phone. “Text me now, so Sam won’t think it’s you.”
He didn’t follow her and she apparently noticed.
“My phone’s on the table. She’ll hear it ring and since I’m out here with you, she won’t think you’re texting me.”
“Oh,” he said, feeling as if he were a teenager again, sneaking around. “Sooner or later, you’re going to have to stand your ground with Sam. She’s a tough nut to crack. Please, don’t let her scare you away from me.”
She smiled. “If that was going to happen, I never would’ve come outside.”
>
He hadn’t thought about that. “Good point.” He licked his lips, studying her mouth. “But just in case you need a little convincing…”
He crushed his mouth over hers, tasting her lips thoroughly. Wrapping her in his arms, he held her as if afraid she would bolt away the moment she realized she was kissing him. But she felt relaxed in his arms, languid and sure. Her hands explored upward, until her arms were around his neck.
He loved the way she kissed. Not like someone who was trying too hard to impress him, but more that she felt each and every stroke of his tongue or slide of his lips and appreciated it. She moaned, breathless with the same need burning him alive. He could feel it in the way she tasted him.
Damn, he hoped he didn’t have to wait too long.
Breaking the kiss, she sighed, nibbling her lower lip. “I’ll text you when I’m on my way.”
“Okay,” he replied, letting his hold slip away from her. “Don’t take too long.”
Chapter Six
“Really?” Sam barked the moment Layla reentered her apartment.
Layla froze in place, her eyes locked on her friend. “Really what?”
“I just got a text message from Jason. He wants to see me. Said it had something to do with the bar, but I’m sure it has more to do with Daniel,” she chewed out the words with a heavy sigh, shoving the phone in her jeans. “If I go, are you going to be all right?”
The moment of panic fled as fast as it had arrived. “Sure. I’m just gonna hang out.” At Luke’s…for the night…to have sex.
Sam grabbed her keys from the counter and headed for the door. Before she left, she turned. “I know you like him,” she said, her expression soft. “I just want you to be careful.”
The last thing Layla needed was to hear all the reasons spending time with Luke was a bad idea. She already knew he’d had his share of women and led a busy life free and clear of relationship commitments. She wasn’t an idiot. “I will,” she told her. “And you’re right. I do like him and from what I gather, he likes me, too.”
Sam frowned, but nodded. “I hope so, for your sake. And mine. If he breaks your heart, your sister is going to kick both of our asses.”
Smiling, she moved to hug Sam. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, knucklehead.” Sam shifted uncomfortably. “Okay. Okay. Go and do what you do. I’ll see you later.”
Grinning, she waited for the door to shut, locked it, and ran to the bathroom to shower and shave. She’d never done anything like this before—gone to a man’s house knowing that it was for a night of sex. Sure, she liked Luke, but she wasn’t foolish enough to think that there was true love in the works. This was going to be a fun, earthshattering experience that she would never forget. It was time she stopped being afraid of her own shadow. She’d started coming out of her shell at the bar. She’d even discovered that most of the customers were softies at heart. They only looked menacing.
And serial killer-ish…
Once she finished up in the bathroom, she headed for her closet. She stared at the rows of sweaters and turtlenecks, hoping that something different would jump out and surprise her. A makeover was definitely needed. Maybe she’d ask one of the girls to take her shopping since they had so much down time these days with the bar being closed. She couldn’t ask Sam. She wasn’t the type to go girlie shopping. Besides, she’d only be good at selecting the perfect denim jeans, cowboy boots, and tank tops. Zerina, on the other hand, was too edgy—her tattoos, piercings, and gothic attire was completely opposite of the look Layla was going for. And Brynn looked way too close to a dominatrix. Her barely there leather clothing brought in great tips, but the attention was way too much for Layla. She’d never be able to pull off wearing those five-inch heels either.
Her feet ached just thinking about it.
Ideally, if she could combine Sam’s, Zerina’s, and Brynn’s style into one wardrobe, that might be perfect. She pictured herself in dark blue jeans with a black leather belt, black leather knee-high boots, and an off-the-shoulder, short-sleeved violet or aqua-blue blouse. Yes, that would be an outfit she could put together and feel sexy, much less suffocating than what she was accustomed to wearing.
She dug through her drawer and found a pair of blue jeans and brown flats. She didn’t own anything with a heel. She also picked a short-sleeved navy-blue blouse that enhanced the color of her eyes.
It was functional, not sexy, but it worked. She could live with that. For now.
She dried her hair and left it down. Then she added a little makeup: powder, mascara, and lip gloss. Taking one final look in the mirror, a flutter of nervousness hit her hard, reminding her to pack an overnight bag. She wasn’t about to do the walk of shame in the same clothing. Besides, if he did all the things to her she’d fantasied about, there would be no shame—only the need for an encore.
If I can even go through with it.
With her overnight bag and purse in her hand, she picked up her cell phone and flipped to the screen to read her text. She paused, rereading what he’d sent. “You make my heart race. I can’t wait to see you.” Then she read his address and realized he only lived up the street from her.
Second thoughts came at her like a raging storm. Setting her bags down on the floor, she rushed to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water, chugging the contents down in a few gulps. Her heart pounded and her face was hot to the touch. She opened the freezer door and shoved her head inside, hoping the cold air would cool her heated blood.
What the hell am I doing?
She was excited, nervous and way in over her head. How could she possibly go through with this? She was dangerously attracted to Luke and she couldn’t stop thinking about all of the things they could do together in and out of bed. He was becoming an obsession. But was it because she’d been lonely or was it something else?
Staring at the empty bottle of water, she was going to need something a bit stronger to get through the night. She could always stop by the liquor store on the way over. Yes, that was what she would do. There was no reason to be a coward now. She’d shaved her legs, armpits, and groomed her pussy, for crying out loud. She hadn’t done that for herself. She had done that with the thoughts of his hands and mouth all over her body.
Her pussy throbbed. Shit, how she wanted his mouth on her body. Never had anyone tasted her like that before. She was positive a man like Luke would be a spectacular lover. At least, her fantasies told her so.
Stop freaking out. You’ve got this. Think of the earthshattering orgasms.
Inhaling deeply, she picked up her bags and headed for her car. As she approached, she noticed a guy wearing a dark hoodie coming toward her. Alarm had her knees knocking together. Closer to her car than her apartment, she hurried her pace, unlocked it, and tossed her bags onto the passenger seat. The moment she was safe inside, she locked the door and turned on the engine. As the lights flickered on, the air caught in her lungs. The man in the hoodie came into focus. He was the one who’d assaulted her nearly a week ago.
“Oh, God,” she cried, putting the car in reverse and quickly hitting the gas to get away from him. She dug into her purse and pulled out her phone. The instant Luke answered, she told him, “It’s Layla. That guy that attacked me the other night was just in my apartment parking lot.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m in my car. I saw him as I was pulling out.”
“What’s he wearing?” His question was direct and sharp.
He was dressed just like he had been the night he’d tried to force himself on her. “A black hoodie, blue jeans. He took off running in the direction of the neighboring apartment complex.”
“Get over here now. I’m calling it in.”
Within a few minutes, she was pulling into Luke’s driveway. He was outside waiting for her. As soon as she stopped, he hauled open the door and pulled her into his arms. A sense of relief washed over her as he held her, comforting her. She eased back to meet his concerned gaze.
“Did they find him?”
“Not yet. They will, though. Don’t worry.”
He sounded so sure and she appreciated his strength. But she was still filled with unease. “He knows where I live.”
He cupped her face and kissed her gently. “Then it’s a damn good thing you’re staying with me tonight.”
She smiled, biting her lower lip. She’d forgotten all about that. The only thing she’d been concerned with was getting over to Luke’s and away from her apartment. She’d hoped he’d hold her, tell her it was going to be all right. He’d done just that and she believed every word he spoke.
“I guess it is.”
He took her by the hand, led her to the other side of her car, and collected her bags, then made sure her car was locked and took her inside the house. “I’m sorry my place is a little messy. I don’t entertain.” He paused, shooting her with a crooked grin. “Ever.”
For some reason, she liked the sound of that. “You don’t bring your dates over for late night movies and drinks?” Or sex?
He slanted her a look that said he knew the words she wished to say that went unspoken. “You’re the first woman I’ve brought to my home. And since I’m not accustomed to entertaining”—he winked—“I hope you like wine. I bought some red and white since I didn’t know which one you liked best and I also picked up some cheese and grapes, as well as some pizza and beer in case I was totally off with the wine and cheese.”
She couldn’t help but laugh. Damn, he was charming. “Do you drink wine?”
“No. I’m a beer man.”
“Well, I’m not picky and I’d hate for all that fruit and cheese to go to waste, so I’ll try the wine first.”
He moved into the kitchen and she followed. “Red or white?”
She frowned. How was she supposed to know? “Which one goes with fruit and cheese?”
“I have no idea,” he said with a chuckle. “How about I pour you a small glass of both and you decide?”
“Sounds good. I’m so glad you have alcohol.” Then she realized she’d spoken those words allowed and a girlish giggle escaped from her throat. “I mean, I was planning to stop on my way over before…I saw that guy again.”