by Chiah Wilder
A soft knock on his door broke in on his thoughts.
“Come in.”
Rosie entered, wearing short-shorts and a crop top that revealed the underside of her ample tits.
“Hiya. You been doin’ okay? You haven’t been paying any attention to me.” She jutted out her lower lip in a sensual pout.
“Been busy, that’s all.” He looked at her hot body, a jolt of arousal shooting through him.
“Need some company?” Rosie sat down next to him, her hand moving up his arm. “Looks like you need me to help you out a bit.” She smiled broadly as her eyes lingered on his dick.
Fuck, I’m pitching a tent. He turned sideways and took in her earnest face, thinking he should have her kneel in front of him and suck him off. He had a willing, hot woman wanting to have sex with him, and he was sitting on the edge of the bed trying to rationalize it. What the hell was the matter with him?
“Nah. I’m good.”
Perplexed, Rosie licked her lips as she stared at him. “Did I do something to make you mad at me?”
He laughed. “No. It’s nothing personal. I still think you’re hot and all that, it’s just that I got a lot on my mind right now.” He rubbed his palms against his jeans. Like wishing Baylee were here instead of you, begging me to fuck her. Damn, just remembering her hands tied and my mouth on her taut, soft skin makes me want to blow my load. Fuck!
“So, we’re still good?”
“If you’re asking if I still want to fuck you, then yeah, we’re still good. I just don’t wanna do it now.” At least not with you.
“Why not?”
“Shit, Rosie, I just don’t. Get outta my room and find a brother to cool down your horny ass. Stop asking me questions. Go on, get outta here.”
Rosie stood, then ran her hand through his dark hair. He inhaled sharply.
“Sure you don’t want something, baby? Tonight’s gonna get crazy with some of the out-of-state members. I’m gonna be real busy.” She raked her nails down his neck. “Right now, you got me all to yourself. I don’t have to be anywhere for at least a few hours.”
“I’m sure.” He pushed her hand away. What in the hell am I saying? “I gotta get back downtown.”
He rose from the bed, pulled down his t-shirt, and walked toward the bathroom. “Close the door on your way out,” he said.
In the bathroom, he stared at his reflection. His dick was impossibly hard, and he’d have to get it down before he went back to confront Baylee. “You coulda fixed your dick with Rosie. She was a sure thing,” he said to his reflection. Running his hand through his hair, he turned on the shower. Baylee was a sure thing, too. She was different, and unlike anyone he’d been with, but women didn’t say no to him.
A couple more fuck sessions oughta do it for him. She was worth bending his rules. When he was finished, he’d leave her satisfied and ruined for any other man.
With a grin on his face, he stepped into the shower.
* * *
Baylee glanced at the clock on the wall above her desk. It was already five o’clock. The time had flown by so fast. Once she got over the shock of seeing him, the knot in her stomach untied, especially as the day progressed and there was still no sign of Axe. The night they’d spent together, she’d pegged him right—he was definitely a one-time deal with women. She’d bet he never went out with the same woman twice. He hadn’t even attempted to follow her when she’d rushed out after the meeting. She’d worried herself sick for most of the day. How silly. They were two people whose worlds happened to collide for a work project. Nothing more. No big deal.
“So, your name’s Baylee,” a deep voice said.
She whirled toward the doorway and saw him filling it, in all his muscular splendor—Axe. His dark hair looked damp, a few tendrils curled and stuck to his jawline, making her fingers ache to brush them aside just as they had back in Denver at the wedding. His fierce gaze held danger and lust, causing her breath to hitch. His t-shirt molded sinfully over his toned chest, the ripples of his muscles showing through. And his tattoos danced whenever he moved his arms. She knew every one of the tats on his arms, and she could see in her mind’s eye the ones hidden under his t-shirt. Baylee had traced each and every one of them with her tongue.
Her cheeks flushed a rosy pink. If only he wasn’t so sexy. Her wide eyes lingered on his full, sensual lips. I know what that mouth can do to my body.
No! Focus, Baylee. Focus!
“That’s right, and your name is Axe?”
“Uh-huh.” A half-smile tugged at his lips.
She smiled, exuding a confidence she didn’t feel. “It’s nice to formally meet you.” She laughed, but it was a little too high, too strained. She averted her gaze back to her desk. “I was just finishing up. Is there something I can help you with?”
His eyes lingered on her mouth as he slowly nodded. “Let’s start with you taking care of the hard-on I’ve had since I saw you this morning.” He walked into her office and closed the door behind him.
Baylee swallowed. “What?”
Before she could ask another question, he silenced her with his mouth on hers, nipping and licking it.
A current of pleasure shimmied down from her lips to her dampening panties. This is insane! It was a one-night stand. Nothing ever comes out of those. Pushing him back, she cleared her throat and said, “Please, don’t do that again. I’m at work and not in the habit of kissing men I don’t know at my desk.”
His hot breath scorched her neck as he leaned in and whispered in her ear, “You know me very well.”
“Not really. I didn’t even know your name or where you lived, until today.”
“Those are fillers, babe. This—” he cupped his thick dick “—is all that matters. It’s what we feel that matters, not fuckin’ facts.” He tugged her to him.
“I need a little more than that. Anyway, it was a one-night stand. Remember our agreement—no names, no strings attached? We weren’t supposed to see each other again.”
“And here we are. I’d call that fate, or some fuckin’ good karma.” He placed his hand on the back of her head, leaned down and kissed her, gently at first, then more demanding.
A thousand sparks pricked her skin and her toes curled as she met his deep kisses, her arms snaking around his neck, fingers running through his silky hair.
“Fuck, I never thought I’d see you again. I want to fuck your pussy. I know how sweet it is.” He placed his leg between hers and gently pushed her backward, walking her to her desk.
Her thighs bumped into it, and Axe began to guide her back. But then reality set in and she shoved him away from her.
“Are you crazy? I’m at work. I can’t do this.”
“It’d be awesome, but if you’d rather fuck at your hotel, I get that. Let’s go.” He curled his arm around her waist and drew her close.
Baylee’s body relaxed against him, her mind calling it a traitor. I can’t do this. Uncurling herself from him, she rushed to the door, cracking it open. “We’re not going anywhere. I’m going to my hotel, and you’re going to wherever it is you go. We had a one-night stand. It was great, but it was for only one night. It’s too bad we have to be in each other’s lives for a short period of time, but we’re both adults. I’m sure we can deal with it.”
Axe narrowed his eyes. “Are you going to tell me that you never thought about me or what we did, not even once, since we fucked?”
“That’s hardly the point.”
“I thought so, and that’s exactly the point. We already know we enjoy pleasuring each other, so what the fuck’s the problem?”
“The problem is the night ended a week ago. I’m simply not interested.” Her stomach twisted and turned at the lie. “I really have to go. Perhaps I’ll see you tomorrow. Goodbye.”
Axe stood motionless before her, his bulging eyes indicating he was shocked that she wasn’t just going to let him take her on her desk. What would happen if Stan walked by and heard them? Axe was crazier than she’d
She walked down the hall and out the lobby door. When she got off the elevator, she practically ran to her car, fearing he’d come after her and she’d weaken. It felt so good being in his arms again, having his mouth on hers, his tongue inside. And the filthy way he spoke to her made her mound quake. She had to make sure to never be alone with him again; she knew she wouldn’t be so strong next time.
In her hotel room, the red message button flashed on the phone on the nightstand. She picked it up and listened to the message. It was from Logan, asking if she wanted to meet for dinner. The last thing she wanted to do was go out with him and listen to him brag about how invaluable he was to the firm. She’d call him and tell him she was beat and was going to order room service, then go to bed. For a split second, she wished Axe was with her in her room, doing all the delicious things he’d done at the wedding.
You’re hopeless, Baylee. Just hopeless.
Chapter Eight
Baylee woke up, her yellow nightshirt drenched in sweat and her chest heaving as she desperately gulped air into her lungs. Tears rolled down her cheeks as her heart slammed over and over against her ribcage. It’s only a nightmare. You’re safe. Calm down and breathe.
After several minutes of trembling and gasping for air, her body unraveled nerve by nerve. She glanced at the blue numbers on the clock radio next to her bed. Three o’clock glowed eerily. Shaking her head, Baylee scooted out of bed and went to the bathroom to splash some water on her face. Her reflection revealed a white pallor with a sheen of tears and sweat. Her hair was tangled and unruly. After drying her face, she brushed out her hair then slipped on something dry.
The nightmare was especially brutal this time. Usually, she’d wake up panting when the menacing shadow began creeping toward her, but this time the dark shape had loomed over her, sunken eyes boring into her as hands wrapped around her neck while she cowered on the steps of her childhood home. It was always the same nightmare, a throwback to the night when her mother’s life ended in violence. In her dreams, Baylee was the scared child watching a hulking shadow snuff out her beloved mother. Her cries drew the killer’s attention, and he began walking toward her, but then she’d always wake up, panicked. He’d never come close to her, but this time, he’d put his hands on her neck.
She felt them. They were cold, like death.
As she sat on her bed, she shivered, her arms wrapped around her drawn-up knees. As the terror of her nightmare subsided, a flash of the man’s arms pierced her brain. Something was different; the shadow was clearer, and she’d seen a large scar running up his arm from above his wrist to his elbow. Did the killer have a scar, or was that just an image in her nightmare, in the world of dreams and illusions?
Dr. Scott had warned her to be prepared for the memories, because they could set off a major panic attack. Over the course of the previous year, she’d been recalling several details: the way the man’s shoes squeaked on the hardwood floor when he rushed up to her, the hatred emanating from him as he raised his hand ready to strike her, the loud knock on the front door, and the overwhelming scent of something sweet and pungent. She couldn’t remember what it was, but he reeked of it, and she remembered she didn’t like it.
Baylee knew as long as her mother’s murder remained unsolved, the nightmares would continue. After all these years, there were no clues, no suspects—nothing. She cringed every time she thought of the killer, wondering how many more women he’d murdered. She needed closure in the worst way, but she’d also been making enormous progress in moving on. She was grateful she’d found Dr. Scott, and credited him for coaxing forth the memories locked away in the recesses of her mind.
By that point, her body had calmed down, and she was all right. The nighttime didn’t appear to be as scary as it had an hour before. But when she lay down again, she tossed and turned. Each time she closed her eyes, the scar on the man’s arm and his light eyes consumed her mind. Sighing, she reached over, turned on the reading lamp, and opened her book. The words danced in front of her, but she couldn’t focus enough on what she was reading. It was so quiet in the room, and Baylee wished she had someone to talk to. She was desperate enough to call Logan, but she knew he would be fast asleep. Claudia would also be asleep, and Baylee didn’t want to wake her up, especially since Claudia was up at five in the morning to workout.
Axe’s smug face flitted across her mind, and she grabbed her phone on impulse to text him. Wait, what the hell am I thinking? When Stan handed out the numbers for Axe, Banger, and Hawk—she couldn’t believe the names of these guys—it was for Baylee and Logan to get ahold of them for business reasons, not to pass the time or flirt.
Oh, well.
Before she could talk herself out of it, she sent him a text.
Baylee: What do you do for fun around here?
She waited a few minutes, looking at the words in her book, but not understanding them.
Axe: Fuck.
She stared at the screen for a few seconds, debating whether she should respond.
Axe: Want me to come over?
Yeah, I do.
Baylee: No. Just wondered. Now I know.
Axe: Now you know.
Baylee: Nite.
Her phone pinged again.
Axe: What’re u wearing?
Baylee knew she should turn off her phone, but for reasons she couldn’t articulate, texting Axe in the middle of the night made her feel safe and less lonely.
It kept the shadows away.
Baylee: Short nightshirt.
Axe: U got panties on?
This was going out of control fast. She had to nix this. He was her firm’s contract, and she knew better.
Baylee: Maybe.
Axe: Ur killing me.
Baylee: Am I?
Axe: U know it. U wet?
Her eyes widened. He was so brazen, so sexual, so dirty, and she absolutely loved it. She was acting like such a slut with him, giving him the wrong impression. She couldn’t have sex with him again, could she?
Baylee: I can’t tell u all my secrets…
Axe: I’m hard. U wanna tell me what u’d do to me if u were here?
He wanted her to text dirty, like phone sex, but she couldn’t do it. She’d gone too far with the game.
Baylee: Not in my job description.
Axe: It’s one of the perks of ur contract.
Baylee: Another time. Gotta go. Too late. Nite.
She turned off her phone, not trusting herself to be good if he responded again. She had no business teasing him. A man like that wanted action, not words. She may have unleashed a monster she’d have to tame, or at least douse with a bucket of cold water.
She switched off the lights, the little “conversation” she’d had with Axe relaxing her. She closed her eyes, and in barely five minutes, she was fast asleep.
* * *
“I was planning on working through lunch,” Baylee said to Logan as he sat across from her in her office.
“You have to eat. Anyway, we have some things we need to go over. Stan said the president of the motorcycle club wanted five storefronts instead of six. The club wants to have a burger joint and needs the extra space for that. We have to tweak the design.”
“Can’t we do that now?”
“I can’t think on an empty stomach, and I’m too busy this afternoon. We could do it tonight in your room, if you’d like?”
A night spent with Logan was not her idea of a good time. “That won’t work. All right, let’s go over the change at lunch. Let me grab my purse and iPad.”
Logan beamed. “I found a good restaurant next door. They make the best Monte Cristos.”
“Sounds good. I’ll let you lead the way.”
The Broker Restaurant catered mainly to the business crowd for lunch. The décor was sleek and modern, muted shades of brown adorning the walls and seating while bronze abstract sculptures decorated the built-in shelves which lined the walls. Small spotlights focused on the local sculptures and other artistic creations, and each item was available for sale. Low lighting created an intimate ambiance.
When Baylee and Logan entered The Broker, the cool air wrapped around them.
“It’s nice in here,” Baylee said as she followed the hostess to their table. “I didn’t think it’d be this hot in Pinewood Springs since we’re so high up, but damn.” The bronze chair was heavy and Logan helped to push her closer to the table.
“I know what you mean. It’s miserable, but Stan told me it’s unusual for it to be like this.”
After giving their order to the waiter, they discussed possible changes for the strip mall. The waiter set down a melted turkey, avocado, and Swiss sandwich in front of Baylee, and Logan had the piping-hot Monte Cristo with a mountain of fries.
“Yum, the turkey sandwich is really good. Nice choice in restaurants.” Baylee savored the flavor as she sipped her iced tea.
“It’s nice having lunch with you. I’m liking getting to know you better. We’ve worked together for over two years, and I think this is the second time we’ve had lunch. We should do this more regularly when we get back to Denver.”
Baylee nodded, but the last thing she wanted to do was become friends with Logan. She didn’t trust him at all, and all this bonding he was foisting on her didn’t deter her assessment of him.
“The two architects at play,” a deep voice snarled.
Baylee cocked her head and locked eyes with Axe.
“Hi.” She dabbed the corners of her mouth with her napkin.
“How’re you doing?” Logan chimed in.
Turning his back to him, Axe ran his eyes over Baylee’s face, lingering on her mouth. “What the fuck? You have time to spend with this asshole, but not me?”
Baylee stopped breathing at the same moment Logan sputtered and choked. She met Axe’s hard eyes and silently pleaded with him to stop. No chance—he was on a roll.
“I’ve been calling you all morning. Why haven’t you picked up?”
“I didn’t receive any calls from you.” She took out her phone then froze, realizing she’d forgotten to turn it back on after their late-night texting. “My phone is off. Sorry, I forgot to turn it back on.”
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