by Natalie Ann
“Me too,” he said. “Unless they are nuts with their asking price, I’ll probably make them an offer.”
“That’s great,” she said. “So I guess that means you are putting down some roots here.”
“I thought that was established when I took my job,” he said, wondering what she might be getting at. Stability or location hadn’t been part of the characteristics she looked for in a man. Of course he didn’t see Jade getting involved with anyone that planned on living off of her.
He had plenty of money since he never spent much of what he had in the service. Not only that, he made damn good money at his job.
He didn’t picture Jade the type to only date men that made more than her. She was pretty independent, but he doubted she’d want to be someone’s sugar mama either.
Either way, he was none of those things and neither was she. He could hold his own with her but not her parents. Not the family in Charlotte, but he didn’t think many could.
Travis was damn successful but nothing to what his wife’s worth was and it didn’t bother his best friend any. Brock would like to think he was confident enough in himself that it wouldn’t bother him if his wife was worth more than him, and if the firm ended up hers one day, that would definitely well be the case.
Again, thoughts that had no business being in his head, but he wondered if they were ever in hers.
“That’s true. Just checking.”
“Because you don’t want to get involved with someone that might leave?” he asked.
“I think that is a given. Why waste my time?”
“Why indeed?” he said back.
When they got back to her place it was almost eight at this point. He figured he’d just drop her off, but she asked, “Do you want to come in for coffee? Or do you need to get home and ready for bed? I just realized you said you hadn’t eaten before you stopped. Can I get you a snack or something?”
“It’s a few hours until my bedtime yet,” he said. “Coffee sounds good though.”
He shut his SUV off and followed her to the front and the minute the door was shut he had her in his arms, his mouth slanting across hers.
Her hands went into his hair and held his head in place and told him she’d been wanting this as much as him.
Her mouth opened, his tongue slid in and started to dance with hers while he pushed her against the wall. He might have been rough but didn’t care. He had to get his hands on her. All this flirting and underlying teasing were getting to him.
Words had been spoken but he was looking for actions.
When he finally lifted his head, her eyes were little slits and there was a grin on her face. “Took you long enough.”
“Something tells me you would have taken it yourself if I didn’t.”
“I would have, but it’s nice that you made the first move. Can I ask why you did just now?”
He took a step back and then pulled her to the kitchen. “How about that coffee now?”
She went about grinding beans and then making it. He hadn’t realized she’d done that and it explained why her coffee tasted so good the other morning. “It’s brewing. So why now?” she asked again.
“We’re spending all this time talking about what you want or are looking for and starting something, but they are words that mean nothing without that attraction you mentioned. To me that has to come first.”
“I’ve been attracted from the first time you ran in late to the rehearsal dinner.”
He started to laugh. “I know.”
“How is that?”
“Your actions. I’d heard enough about you to know that not much ruffles you. You were rattled and making everything perfect for Ella was your excuse.” He stood up and moved closer to her and she held her ground this time. “I rattled you.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Yes, you did.”
“But not anymore?”
“Now that I know you share the same feelings toward me, it’s not an issue.”
“You doubted I’d find you attractive? I know you look in the mirror plenty.”
She laughed this time and then lowered her mouth to his, teasing him. “I wasn’t sure you’d want anything to do with someone like me.”
“Like you?”
“High maintenance. Uptight. Independent.”
He leaned back and looked at her face to see if she was joking, but there was no smile now. “Wow. I can’t believe you let some of those jerks in your past get in your head like that. You’re high maintenance but not in a snobby way where you look down on others with it. You’re kind of shy more than uptight. And independence is sexy in my eyes.”
“You’re a pretty smooth talker too,” she said. “Like Wyatt, Sam, and Ryder.”
“From what I’ve heard about Ryder, I’m not sure I want to be compared to him.”
She laughed. “He has horrible taste in women, but he’s really a great guy. If he could find the right woman, he’d treat her like gold. He just can’t find her.”
“So you want to be treated that way?” he asked.
“Nope. I can treat myself to anything I want. What I want to feel is heat and you just showed me I do. The question is, do you feel it?”
He pushed the stiff cock in his jeans against her hips. “Answer enough?”
“Yes, it is,” she said, pulling his head down for another kiss to make him wish he could pick her up and carry her to her bed. But something told him that wasn’t happening tonight.
17
Same Thoughts
It took Brock long enough to kiss her. She’d been throwing out more signals than a traffic cop on Hollywood Boulevard with the streetlights down during rush hour.
The kiss had been as scorching as she’d expected and left her looking for a ton more.
But after he’d had his coffee, she’d showed him the door...not until she yanked him in once more though.
But he returned the next morning for a workout and she made sure they started their day with a kiss before she strutted right by him, swishing her ass in her workout gear.
Friday morning came, another workout and another kiss, and this time when she walked by him he didn’t hesitate to slap her ass making her yelp.
No one had ever done that to her before. Had ever dared. Brock dared, and he laughed hysterically when she whipped her head around and scowled.
“You want to sashay by me and do that and you expect me not to react?”
“I might return the favor later tonight,” she’d said back.
And here she was moving around her kitchen prepping dinner that she’d be cooking for Brock. Their first dinner where she had no intention of talking about work. Or at least making this into a work dinner.
Nope, this was for pleasure and pleasure only and her intent was to get him upstairs in her bedroom before the night was over.
She wasn’t one to do this so soon dating someone, but Brock wasn’t like anyone else she’d been interested in before so it called for dinner decisions on her part.
When her doorbell rang, she moved forward and opened it up to see Brock standing there, a box in his hand. “What’s that?”
“Chocolate-covered strawberries,” he said. “I know you like your fruit, but this is more of a dessert.”
“Very sweet. Now give me some other sugar,” she said, grabbing his shirtfront and pulling him in, their lips meeting and meshing. Holding and giving. She didn’t want to let go and her body was telling her he wasn’t getting out of her house without them stripping naked.
A laugh rumbled in his chest when she pulled back. He started to move toward her kitchen with the strawberries and she pulled her hand back to return the love tap he’d given her that morning. Her palm stung and he didn’t even flinch, only expanded on his laughter.
“Nice try. Is that all you’ve got?”
“You’ll see what I’ve got later,” she said and his jaw dropped. Why was he so shocked over that comment? Most men would be diving for her again if she’d
said that. “Problem?”
“No. Just a little surprised.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t picture you the type to go that far on the first date.”
“You mean put out?” she asked. “First off, I’m not putting out on the first date. We’ve known each other for months. We’ve established I’ve had the hots for you since I first saw you rushing in in uniform. You tried to get me drunk the next day.”
“You’re not going to let me live that down, are you?”
“No, I’m not,” she said, grinning. “But my point is, we’ve known each other for a while. We’ve been to dinner a few times, I went house shopping with you, you’ve seen me sweat multiple times and you’ve been naked in my house the same amount of times. Just behind another door. I’d say that isn’t rushing at all.”
“It’s not. I hope you don’t feel any kind of pressure. I’m not putting it on you.”
“Please, Brock,” she said, opening the fridge and pulling out three different Fierce beers to show him. He pointed to Fierce Twins, Mason’s double IPA, so she put the other two back. “Do you think I’m someone to fall for any kind of peer pressure?”
“No,” he said. “But I just wanted to double-check. So that is why you wanted to cook tonight?”
“Why not stay in and relax? I’ve got some big T-bone steaks for the grill, potatoes are roasting, green beans are ready to drop in the water when the steaks hit the grill.”
“All my favorites,” he said.
“I keep my eyes open when we eat.” He always went for beef and potatoes in some form and green beans were the only veggie she’d seen him eat.
She reached for the strawberries he’d brought and put them in the fridge. “No beer for you?”
“I’ll have a glass of wine instead. Beer isn’t always my thing, but of course I’m a Fierce and can throw one back if I need to. I’d just rather have wine now and again.”
“So the question is, dinner first or after?”
She laughed. “I like the way you think. You’re the guest, you decide.”
“You really think that’s much of a decision? You should know the answer to this,” he said almost stalking her around the island.
She held her stance and waited for him to come to her. His hands reached for her waist and yanked her in close to his body. Close enough to feel the pulsing heat emitting from his jeans against her hip.
She rubbed a little against it, heard him growl and then felt herself lifted up and put over his shoulder. Another thing no man had ever dared, but damn it all, she was letting Brock James dare all he wanted.
Brock wasn’t sure what the night was going to hold. As much as he hoped for this he hadn’t been planning on it.
Was he thrilled? Absolutely!
Was he nervous over it? Shit yeah!
Jade was going to be the first woman that had seen him naked outside of a medical professional since his accident.
She’d seen his leg from the knee down in his shorts. She hadn’t seen his thigh, hip, or groin. Even his waist other than lifting his shirt to wipe his face. He had scars that were red and ugly and he figured he might want to warn her.
Not only that, he’d had no problem with his cock standing to attention. He had no problem finishing on his own. Would he be able to do it with a woman?
He was trying to not think about it and have something physically happen to his body because of a fear in his head.
He’d been damn good about pushing fears away and he was going to do it when he had one hot woman on his shoulder telling him he had the green light to do what he wanted tonight.
What he needed to do.
“I’m not too heavy for you, am I?” Jade asked as she was hanging upside down looking at the floor.
“Don’t insult me,” he said. “You don’t weigh much at all.”
“Ah, thanks for the compliment.”
He heard the laughter. “Have I told you what a sexy body you’ve got that I’ve been dying to get my hands on and see for weeks?”
“Have I told you that I have been hoping to hear you say that? And that I’ve got a lot of the same thoughts.”
Which was the opening he needed to bring this up.
He pushed her bedroom door open with his foot and tossed her on her bed, then came down on top of her. Her hips lifted to his and her arms went around his neck. “You aren’t going to make me wait too long, are you?” she asked.
“No. But I wanted you to be aware that I’m pretty scarred.”
She frowned at him. “So?”
“You haven’t seen nearly the damage done to my body.”
“We all have scars, Brock. Some visible, some not. They mean the same though and don’t detract one thing from who you are as a person or my attraction for you. Because attraction for me isn’t always physical.”
“Are you saying I’m a troll?” he asked, grinning at her.
“Hardly,” she said, her hands going to his face. “I’m just saying there is more to you than the physical, but what I see is pretty sweet too.”
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
She frowned again. “Stop. I didn’t expect you to doubt yourself.”
“I don’t,” he argued.
“I think you do. Or you doubt me and my feelings which is a bit more insulting.”
That hadn’t been what his intention was. “Okay, no more talk about it.”
“Deal. Now strip for me so I can see everything I’ve been dreaming about.”
“What?” he asked though he shouldn’t be shocked that she’d be demanding like him. Demanding women had never been his thing, but in the bedroom he was just fine with it.
“You asked for it.”
“Yes, I did,” she said, sitting up on the bed and all but shining a spotlight on his body.
With no hesitation he pulled his shirt over his head and saw her eyes light up, her hand reach out to touch him, but he stepped back. “No touching the talent. Not unless you’ve got some bills.”
She started to laugh. “If that is the case then I expect a dance.”
“Fuck no,” he said.
“You started it,” she said, letting a giggle escape.
“And I’m going to finish it too,” he said. He hoped and then pushed that little devil on his shoulder to the floor and resisted the urge to stomp on him.
He’d toed his shoes off when he walked in, but now he undid his jeans and dropped them down to kick away with his socks, leaving him standing there in boxer briefs. “Yummy,” she said, staring at the one part of his body itching to peek it’s head out and say hi.
He rolled his eyes and moved toward her. “I think you need to catch up before the final act.”
“If you insist,” she said, standing up and pulling her own shirt over her head. She was dressed casually in jeans like him. Right now his eyes were settling on her teal lace bra and wondering if it was a matching set. Knowing Jade, it probably was.
And when she dropped her jeans, he’d seen he was right. “Come here,” he said, reaching for her hips and yanking her close to him.
“I think we have too many clothes on,” she said.
His hands went to the back of her bra and undid the clasp, drawing the straps off her shoulders and letting it fall to the floor. She had exactly what he wanted. Not too much, just enough, and his mouth went right to the nipple pebbling before his eyes.
He closed over it with his lips, tugged on it a bit and felt her jerk. “Too much?”
“Not enough,” she said, backing up and sitting on the bed. He nudged her onto her back and came down over her, his mouth moving from one nipple to the other, his hand pinching and flicking the one his mouth wasn’t attacking.
Her hips were moving up faster and harder and telling him there was something else that needed attention and he was damn well going to give it.
He hooked his thumbs into the side of her lace panties, slipped them off her hips, then moved his mouth right to her dewy cor
e.
There was no waiting, no playing, no strategizing. He was going in for the kill and making her scream his name.
His mouth closed over her swollen nub and her hands went to his head and held him there while he sucked, he nibbled, and he bit down.
“Jesus,” she said.
He slid one finger in her and she all but screamed his name out while her muscles jerked and spasmed.
When her hips fell to the bed, her arms along with them, he stood back and found a condom in his jeans and put it on. Still solid and ready for action, he thought, and he was damn well going in for combat.
His hands went under her hips, lifted her high, and he slid in.
She was tight and pulsing still around him and he thought he was going to come instantly. Shit, he needed more control than he might have.
“It’s been a while,” he said. “I might not last as long as I want.”
“You will,” she said, “because if you move just a bit more I think I might come again.”
Just what he wanted to hear and started to push in and out. Her legs came up and around his hips, meeting and retreating. The digging of her nails into his back and the squeezing of her muscles around his cock told him she was telling the truth.
He braced his palms on the bed and started to slam into her with a force to prove his body wasn’t going to betray him. And when she arched up and said, “Oh my God,” then started to gasp for breath, he just let go and joined her, then collapsed on the bed right on top of her.
After a minute, she nudged his shoulder. “I might not weigh much, but you sure do.”
He laughed, then rolled and brought her with him. “Damn, I needed that.”
“Me too,” she said softly.
He wasn’t sure what to make of that and was almost afraid to ask.
18
Fall Prey
Once they were both dressed and downstairs in the kitchen, Jade felt free and loose enough to say, “So, what are your thoughts about me telling my family about this?”
