by Aubrey Rose
Silence.
“I won’t accept it. Ever!” she yelled. It was a suppressed yell, but still a yell.
Silence ... and then... “You fucking heard,” Vincent’s voice retorted harshly.
“Yes!” she shouted, then she punched off, hanging up on him.
A knock sounded on the driver’s-side window and Tess practically jumped high enough to hit her head on the roof. Finally catching a startled breath, her gaze shot to the window. She drew in another disconcerted breath that turned to relief to be looking a Cabe Santos, not Vincent Whitehorse. She’d been talking to Cabe about the security system.
She fumbled to roll the window down, getting an up-close and very personal view of Cabe’s bourbon-colored eyes with mahogany swirls and gold flecks. He was a breathtaking man with a five o’clock shadow like some men had that was so attractive. His hair was dirty blond and hung down to his shoulders in chunky, thick waves. She knew him, but hadn’t seen him for a few years. He’d definitely filled out well ...
“Mrs. Navarro ...” he started.
“Don’t call me that,” she blurted, then she tried to calm her voice. “Just Tess is good.”
He nodded, glancing in the back seat of her car, and she cringed a bit at what her strewn clothing must be saying to him. “The crew’s started and we really appreciate this training for them,” he said.
Tess started to open her mouth to tell him the security installation was off, but she saw a teenage girl scooting up behind Cabe. “Ohmygod! This new system is rad. It has Passive Infrared (PIR)!”
Cabe straightened beside her car as Tess looked up at them both. “Angie, this is Tess the owner,” Cabe said.
Angie had to be eighteen, if a day, and she had a nasty black eye on an otherwise pretty face. Angie obviously liked piercings, as she had them on her nose, lip, and multiple ear piercings. She was wearing jeans and a purple WTSF tee. Cabe had one on too, and it stretched broadly over his well-muscled chest.
“Hey, Tess,” Angie said. “You’re going to love this system," she gushed.
“Nice to meet you, Angie,” Tess said as she proceeded to get out of her car. Once out, they stepped back and Tess looked to Cabe. “Can I talk to you a second?”
Cabe jerked his shadowed jaw at Angie, who skipped away. She was so young to be out on her own. Tess had been going to tell Cabe she couldn’t take the security system, but what came out of her mouth was ...
“What happened to her eye?”
Cabe’s hands shoved into the front of his jeans pockets as he shrugged. “Boyfriend. We’ve only had her for a few days.”
Tess grimaced at the boyfriend part, then she moved a bit closer to Cabe to whisper, “Boyfriend know where she’s at?”
“Nope,” Cabe revealed. A light wind blew her hair and some of Cabe’s blond hair off his shoulders. “Trying to keep her low, but she’s flighty and I figured keeping her busy was more important.”
Darn, Tess thought. Then she sighed. “Good idea, of course you probably get a lot of experience with this.”
Cabe looked down at her face intently and she wondered what he was searching for. “Most people not very perceptive about that,” he murmured.
So she wouldn’t blush, she said, “About the cost of this system, I insist on paying.”
Cabe’s gaze narrowed on her mouth, as if he couldn’t believe those words came from her lips. Then he looked at the back seat of her car, then back at her eyes. “That system Vincent ordered is so expensive, it’s ridiculous,” Cabe muttered.
Tess’ eyes widened, but before she could comment, Cabe added, “But it’s badass great. These girls, in the crew this week, can learn it. It will put them in high demand down the road.”
“It’s just a flower shop,” Tess said lamely.
“I’ve told Vincent he’s crazy, but these ladies get to learn it, and as I said. Priceless.”
Tess looked at him kind of helplessly. “Okay.”
Cabe leaned closer. “If it’ll make you feel better, I’ll bring new girls out here to learn on it if you’ll let us.”
“Of course,” Tess quickly declared. “Anytime.”
“Bossman Cabe, you want the wire through the roof or wall?”
Both turned to see a redheaded girl leaning from the side of the building.
“Neither. I’ll be right there,” he answered sternly, then he turned back to Tess. Once his back was to the girl, a small smile lifted his lips. “Gotta keep them on their toes.”
Tess started to smile back at him. “Bossman?”
Then he really smiled and her breath caught, unreasonably. He was very attractive. “This group calls me that. I’ve been called amigo, captain, pain-in-the-ass, and sir, by different groups of classes.”
Tess laughed with him. “It’s amazing for you to work with young girls as we know they are so logical and such calm thinkers.”
Cabe crossed his arms over his notable chest. “I’ve learned to deal. Their drama’s worth it when I visit one with a good job and ring on her finger.”
Tess nodded, and that was why she wouldn’t call the job off. She wondered if she could request no Vincent on this job, but why he’d want to was beyond her, so she figured he wouldn’t, and she didn’t ask.
A cloud must have settled over her features because Cabe asked with a lowered voice, “Everything okay, Tess?” He looked toward the back of her car. “I’ve gotten kind of good at reading the signs.”
“Um ...” she muttered. “I think I’m getting a divorce and things are up in the air.” That sounded good, right? Not too much information. But he was nice to talk to and she kind of wished she could just blurt it all out. She might need a Rusty night, girl’s night, but Rusty would lament Tess losing the hunk that was Vincent. She couldn’t deal with that right now.
“Sorry,” he murmured, then he stepped closer, into her space slowly, but he was close. “You need anything. Call me.”
Tess blinked up at him, trying not to get teary. “Thanks,” she said, then she decided she better get out of there before she did tell him everything and that wouldn’t be fair because Vincent was his partner in the WTSF charity.
“See you later,” she muttered, and she stepped away and hurried into the shop.
ELEVEN / DON’T FUCKING THINK. JUST FEEL WHAT’S REAL
Tess didn’t get back to Rowdie’s until after she closed her shop at six, late because of a last-minute funeral arrangement order that had to go out in the morning. When she walked back in Rowdie’s office she was surprised to see Finn still there.
“A long two hours, Chiquita,” Finn said, coming around the counter. He had on faded denims that fit him really well, a tucked-in wife-beater tee that showcased his dense shoulders and arm muscles, plus a chain hanging from one pocket to another.
Tess tilted her head ... or was the chain coming back out of the same pocket.
“You like my ass?” Finn asked as he grabbed the box she was carrying out of her hands.
Tess blushed, but quipped, “You show it off, girl’s going to look.”
He seemed okay with that as he went on to a new subject. “How much shit you have to bring in?”
She got mesmerized in his green eyes for a second, then mumbled, “Couple boxes and suitcases. But I can handle them.”
“Nope.”
Tess blinked, now watching his mouth. “What?”
“Sit your cute ass down ... take a load off, I will get them,” Finn replied in the form of an order, then he waited to see her reaction.
Tess got it right then ... maybe before she kind of knew, but then she knew for sure. Finn was flirting with her and she didn’t think a man like him flirted lightly.
She liked being flirted with so she flirted back. “But if I help you, and follow you in, I get to see your butt in those jeans.” Warmth spread through her at her boldness.
She could tell Finn liked that as he swung her really big box up on his shoulder, bulging a lot of his muscles and making her feel twittery. “So
watch,” he said, nodding to the sitting area side of the lobby. “From over there, I got a beer out for you.”
Tess looked over and saw a six-pack of beer sitting on the central table—she couldn’t think what to say that wouldn’t make her cry so she asked out of nowhere, “Don’t you ever stop working? You’re always here.”
He chuckled and started walking toward the counter, then beyond it. “Helps on a vacation,” he said over his shoulder.
Then Tess went to grab a beer, and sit just right, so she could watch Finn bringing in her things. It was a very nice event, she thought, wishing she could see more of his tattoos and where they went under his shirt.
After Finn finished bringing all her stuff in, there commenced the kickback-with-Finn time, while drinking beer on an empty stomach. Which led to telling deep secrets on both sides ... which surprised her that Finn let her in.
“She didn’t make it twenty minutes,” Finn said of his wife doing another man right there at her husband’s dive motel. “That woman’s frigid.”
Tess leaned against his shoulder—they were sitting side by side on the small couch with their feet up on the center table. Her knees were bent up, his stretched out and crossed at the ankle.
“Sorry,” she murmured. “They should make that a marriage vow, ‘must faithfully give sex to your partner until death do you part.’”
Finn’s big hand, knuckle side, found the side of her hip for a light touch and she realized she was sitting with her legs up, skirt on. Oops. At least no one had come in to rent a room. Immediately, she put her legs down.
“Damn, I almost got to see what color panties.”
She did blush then, with her gaze swinging to Finn; he looked very interested. “Finn, I’m not ready ...” No, that wasn’t it. “Finn, I can’t right ...” Nope. “Finn, I—”
“Babe,” he said, stopping her. “I’m getting you’re being jerked around and your head’s messed up. Just want to get my bid in there.” Her eyes widened as heat spread through her. “But, Chiquita, you keep looking at me like that ... I might have to take a kiss to taste.”
Now her lips parted as she tried to not look at him like that, while really wondering what it would be like to kiss him.
“Damn it,” he cussed with a low rumble, looking over her face, then he abruptly sat forward, putting his forearms on his knees. “Not taking advantage, man,” he muttered. He turned to look at her from that vantage point. “What happened to Vincent?” he asked, and it was like a command.
She shook her head. “Can’t talk about it.”
“He dropped you this quick,” he hissed, and anger sparked in his green eyes.
She finally dragged her gaze from his, not saying anything.
“I’m getting you some pizza,” he finally said.
That was good, she needed to eat before she got really drunk and told him everything, or worse, slept with him. But Finn didn’t make a move after that. He made it clear he was interested, when or if she was ready, then he told her he was closing the office and getting some shut-eye.
They stood by the lobby door, which Finn was going to leave from and lock behind him, then she was going to turn and walk to her room. For the first time.
“With the lights out and the office closed everything should be cool for you,” Finn said.
“Thanks for the beer and pizza,” she said.
“God, you’re pretty,” he muttered, then he looked as if he was going to come toward her, but forced himself back a step.
She stepped back too, thinking she should run. Then he said the most amazing thing. “I’ll be in room two if you need me.”
Before she could exclaim in amazement, he shut the door and put the key in it, lifting his chin for her to go and put the lights out like he’d shown her. She moved kind of in a daze, wondering if he always stayed in room two like that. But she found her answer soon enough when she got to her room that dead-ended in the hall behind the desk ... Finn had given her his room.
“Ohmylord,” Tess whispered, looking around the room. It was clean, the bed looked fresh and there were clean towels out. However the obviously not motel furniture, motorcycle posters still on the wall, and the sign on one closed closet door, which read, “O’Neil’s Locked Storage,” clued her in.
There were other small signs that she’d taken Finn’s room from him, which, if she was thinking at all, would be obvious. Where else does the manager and owner stay but the room behind the lobby desk?
Tess grabbed her temple, rubbing. She was so out of it not to realize, and she nearly walked out to go tell Finn she couldn’t take his room like that. But then she realized that, yes, she was just that desperate to let Finn do this for her. Because, damn it, she needed it.
After some soul searching she let Finn’s amazing gesture rest and she moved her stuff in. She needed some order and she needed bed, and she found out incredibly after she took a shower and got into bed that she really, really needed her vibrator. Why that was, when she was living with a twice-broken heart, she had no clue, but the vibe brought instant images of Vincent and hot sex, which got her off, but it felt hollow as she drifted off to sleep.
Then she woke with a scream that was muffled by the hand clamped over her mouth. Her body whipped up trying to struggle, but someone heavy ... a man ... pinned her down.
“Baby.”
Ohmylord it was Vincent! She bucked harder and really started struggling, basically screaming beneath his hand. “I won’t hurt you,” he growled. If he could have seen her face in the dark he’d know she was frantically telling him with her eyes she did not give a shit. Get off her!
“Jesus,” he snapped; she’d tried to bite his hand and was gouging her nails into his chest. “Two minutes,” he hissed. “Give me two fucking minutes. Then I’ll go.”
She stilled beneath him, but the second his hand moved from her mouth she started screaming, until his mouth came down over her lips. One minute later, she moaned into his mouth and realized with alarm that she was nothing but a slut. Then her arms wound over his neck.
Vincent felt Tess giving him what he wanted ... and he took it. He took it hard. They both did, nipping, biting, and scratching on top of deep, urgent kissing. Then he found out she was naked under the covers and he exploded.
“Not letting you think until I fuck you out of being mad,” he grated against her, passionately kissing lips as she lifted up to him, harshly moaning his name.
He raised enough to tear the covers off her and he had her lush, naked body in his hands. Fuck, this was in him, cutting deep with this need to feel her curves. To own them. He growled into her mouth, sweeping his hands down her nude body, until he had her pussy. She was wet and hot for him.
Her nipping mouth caught his bottom lip as her hands dug under his shirt with her nails scraping him so fucking good. Her legs curled over his hips as she humped his hand with needy jerks. He slid two fingers in her wet heat and she arrowed beneath him with a high-pitched mew in her throat.
He kissed and nipped down her arched throat, then lower, licking her breast, until he found her taut nipple point.
“Vincent,” she cried when he nipped it, while fucking her deep with his fingers.
“You like that,” he told her, his voice rumbling with lust, nipping again to her bucking body.
“Yes,” she cried, scoring his back with her nails.
“Gonna give you more,” he growled, and he flipped her up until he had the melting heat of her pussy in his mouth.
He made her come crying his name, then, before she could clear her thinking, he tugged off his clothes in the dark, and slid his cock into her with one solid, deep plunge. She gave a cut-off gasp of his name. Her arms and legs clamped around him as he began thrusting.
“Need your lips, baby,” he urged her, and her mouth came up to take his mouth, feverishly. He made her come, fucking her so deep the old bed they were in sounded as if it might collapse any second.
“Vincent, Vincent!” she careened, kissi
ng his jaw, his throat, and then nipping him as her hands groped his ass. He was still planted deep. Hadn’t come yet. He grabbed her hair, arching her throat until he could slowly lick her Adam’s apple.
“On your knees,” he rasped.
He pulled her off his rigid cock and she flipped over in the dark. So eager. His hands filled with her curvy hips and he dragged her back to him. “It’s my pussy. Say it.”
“Yours, Vincent,” she panted. He thrust and she cried out in pleasure.
The last time he took her standing against the wall, her legs wrapped around him, her big breasts plastered to him, his tongue deep in her mouth.
He needed her to come with him. “Touch your clit, beautiful,” he commanded between heavy thrusts. He felt her hand move between them and her panting moans told him she’d come within a minute.
He hiked her up, one hand braced on the wall, one under her ass, and he drove harder. “Want your sweet pussy to come on me.”
“Oh!” she cried, and he felt it.
Tess felt Vincent let loose deep inside her as he held her against the wall; just the fact he finally let himself release made her climax longer and harder. Pleasure wrenched through her as she cried out, burying her face in his neck.
Sometime later, she was on the bed and her senses were starting to return. Then she knew deep down with horrible finality. “I’m just a slut,” she uttered hoarsely.
Vincent’s hand swept her back, fondled her ass, then rolled her until he pulled her deep into his body, holding her facing him. “So fucking sweet.” His voice sounded growly and deep. Then his voice whispered against her ear, “I had to know.”
She wanted to beat him up. But she knew she was the problem. Just a slut for anything Vincent. His mouth, his cock, and his use.
She whined. Vincent’s hand grabbed her hair, tugging and biting her skull. “Don’t fucking think. Just feel what is real.”
God! What did he mean? “Vincent,” she whispered brokenly. His mouth covered hers and the passion and intensity told her about impossible things. Like he cared.
Then he was gone, leaving her empty and alone in the bed. “How did you get in here?” she demanded. Sitting up in the darkness and seeing his shadow moving around. Getting his clothes, she knew. To leave.
