Desired Heat [Men of Iron Horse 5] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Morgan Fox

  He hoped.

  * * * *

  Liza wiped the sleep from her eyes as a soft knock came to her door. She glanced up at the clock on her TV and knew he must’ve left work and come straight to her. A blazing heat chased up from her belly and danced around in her chest.

  Jason.

  Shoving up from the sofa, she padded to the front door and looked through the peep hole. Again a burst of fiery warmth flooded through her as she saw him standing on the other side of the door. Even after a full day of work, he allured her with his appearance. His hair was pulled back in a ponytail and he wore his leather jacket. She opened the door and smiled.

  “Hello, stranger,” she muttered as Jason enveloped her in his arms. There was a tenderness in his touch, but also desire. Hot, primal, I need you now desire.

  He kissed her, kicking the door closed and locking it behind him. He collected her into his arms and she couldn’t stop the delight-filled giggle from escaping. She covered her mouth to mask the silly sound.

  “Don’t hide it,” he told her. “I think it’s cute.”

  She pursed her lips, teasing her fingers in his soft hair. “It’s not cute when you’re trying to act like a damsel in dire need of seduction.”

  He grinned, taking one, then two steps up to her bedroom. “But I like it, Liza. I think you hide the real you. You don’t have to do that with me.” He looked at her, as if to drill his thoughts directly into her. “I mean that.”

  She shivered as his words seeped into her soul. Being herself had been difficult over the last year. She’d been forced to pretend to be a hard-edged, uptown woman who would never have been seen on the back of a motorcycle, in the arms of a long-haired man who wore leather, or shoveling horse shit on a farm. That wasn’t possible. Not if she wanted to be taken seriously. And she did. But a piece of her also liked the powerful feeling inside her whenever she was with Jason—when she got to be herself.

  I never knew I could want someone so much.

  He tossed her onto the bed and began taking off every piece of clothing. She froze, watching him as he hurriedly stripped himself bare. Her eyes locked on every inch of deliciously tone flesh, especially the dragon tattoo. Her mouth watered, wanting him more than she ever had.

  Naked, he moved to assist her, which wasn’t hard since all she wore was a silk nightshirt. He picked up his jeans, dug a small box out of the pocket, and smiled.

  “This should be enough for tonight.” He winked.

  She laughed as he fanned out three condoms and tore open one of the foil packages. “You remembered,” she said breathlessly, eager to feel his firm body on hers.

  Covering his cock with the latex, he crawled onto the bed and took her mouth hungrily. She wrapped herself around him, digging the heels of her feet into his buttocks to encourage him to shove inside her. He did. She lost all sign of coherent thought the second he filled her, stretching her.

  They made love for hours, giving her only an hour to sleep before getting up to shower. He hadn’t cracked his eyes open and as she returned to her bedroom, she frowned. A part of her debated waking him, but she decided to let the wicked man rest. He’d earned it. She could suck it up for a day and work through the exhaustion. Every second she spent with Jason was worth it.

  After she finished getting dressed, she dug into the drawer in the kitchen and pulled out the spare key. Leaving him a note, she glanced one final time up the stairs. She liked this. Liked having him close and liked that he was just as consumed by desire as she was.

  She never would’ve imagined that the man of her dreams would want her. Yes, it was only supposed to be sex and for him it was. She’d deal with the aftermath when their affair came to a halt. And it would eventually. But for now, she would relish every earthshattering minute and hope for more.

  Shortly after, Liza climbed the stairs up to her office. She was avoiding the elevators. They were filled with her noisy coworkers. Her focus was simple—get in and get it done. She wasn’t social. Never had been. In the back of her mind, she feared revealing too much about herself. If she didn’t talk much about personal matters it never opened up the possibility for a slipup, and as long as she continued to close big deals, no one cared.

  As she plopped onto her chair, she was immediately confronted by Stan, or Stanley as he liked to be called, the head partner at the group. “Hey,” he said, unbuttoning his designer navy blue coat to take the seat across from her. “I’ve got good news. Since you weren’t feeling so great the other night, I went ahead and cancelled drinks with everyone. I couldn’t see us celebrating without you. It wasn’t right. Not when you did so much work on the account.”

  “Oh,” she muttered, wondering if he planned to reschedule and which night it would be that she’d lose out on seeing Jason. Strange how her priorities had shifted in such a short time.

  “My assistant booked a private suite at the Gilmore Hotel. Bring a date. We’re going to celebrate in style.” He stood. “This is an amazing accomplishment, Liza. You should be very proud of yourself.”

  “Thank you, sir. I am.”

  “Good. It’s next Saturday so rest up. No cancelling this time.”

  She smiled and as soon as he was gone, she cringed. “Bring a date?” Her first thought was to ask Jason, but then she remembered all the reasons why that was a terrible idea. “Stan, I’d like to introduce you to Jason Whitmore, owner of the bar Iron Horse.” She pictured Jason decked out in blue jeans, black leather riding chaps, shirtless except for his black leather vest. His dragon tattoo that covered his left pectoral peeking out just enough and his long blond hair loose around his face. She moaned, placing her hands on her face, her stomach rolling as she imagined the looks of her coworkers as they all caught a glimpse of the man she was falling in love with.

  Oh, God.

  “What am I going to do?”

  “About what?” Barb asked, sliding a cup of coffee in front of her.

  Liza lowered her hands. “What?”

  “What are you going to do about what?”

  She sighed hard, leaning back in her chair. “The company celebration is set for next week and I don’t have a date,” she explained, hoping to deflect her prying assistant from asking further questions.

  “Oh, what about the sexy man I saw you with the other evening.”

  Liza’s tongue swelled in her mouth. Was she talking about Jason?

  Barb sat down. “You two looked pretty cozy on that motorcycle. I had to look twice to make sure it was you. I assumed the two of you were…you know.” She paused. “That was you, wasn’t it?”

  Liza’s brain wasn’t working. There were no words coming from her mouth. The only thing that appeared to still function in her body was her heart and that felt as if it were about to launch right out of her chest.

  “Wow,” Barb said, stretching out the word. “You must like him a lot. Just thinking of him has you tongue-tied and that’s the first time I’ve ever seen that happen.”

  “Please don’t tell anyone,” she begged. “I’d prefer to keep my relationship private.”

  “Why?” Barb asked, her eyes wide with curiosity. “Is he abusive or something?”

  “Oh, no. It’s not that. I just don’t think… I’m concerned… Oh, I don’t know what I think.”

  Barb laughed. “My lips are sealed. But if it were me—” She moved to close the door for a second, and said, “I’d bring that hottie to the party. Make all the wives of those stiffs we work with a bit jealous.”

  If only I could.

  Barb was sweet. She was nothing at all like her business partners. She had a family, lived for camping trips, and water parks. Liza’s partners on the other hand went golfing and were part of the area’s most prestigious country clubs. Bringing Hottie to the party wouldn’t go over as well as Barb thought.

  “Thanks, Barb.”

  “Don’t mention it.”

  As soon as Barb returned to her desk, Liza’s cell phone rang. It was Jason. She both smiled and frow
ned, elated that he was calling, sad and disappointed that she couldn’t do what her heart was so desperate for her to do.

  Just ask him.

  I can’t.

  “Hey,” she muttered, hoping to mask the confrontational emotions charging through her.

  His voice was deep and stirring. “You left without telling me.”

  “You looked tired,” she pointed out.

  “I’m never too tired to enjoy breakfast with you.”

  Her heart suddenly felt lighter. “I’m sorry. I knew you had a long day and night and figured you’d like a little extra sleep. I won’t make that mistake again.”

  “Good.”

  The tone of her voice must’ve given her away. “Is everything all right?”

  Just tell him. He’ll understand.

  Maybe. Maybe not.

  “My boss is having a party next week and he’s requested that I bring a date.”

  “Oh, I see.” He paused. “What do you want to do?”

  “What I want is to ask you, but—”

  “But that isn’t possible,” he finished as if knowing how their two worlds would only clash if brought together. He obviously agreed with her, but she still felt awful about it.

  “Jason,” she breathed.

  “I get it, Liza. I do. Don’t sweat it. Our arrangement is clear. It wouldn’t be much of a secret affair if we publicly did stuff.”

  If he did believe that, then why did he sound upset with her? “I won’t bring a date.”

  “But your boss—”

  “Can’t make me bring someone,” she finished for him. “Besides, I wouldn’t know who to ask, if not you.” And there it was. She wanted Jason. Not just in her bedroom behind closed doors, but all the damn time.

  What the hell am I doing, wanting a man I can never really have?

  “So it looks like I’ll be traveling again starting tomorrow. I’ll be out of pocket for a few days.”

  “Okay,” he said plainly. “If you want, I’ll come by when you get back into town. Just call me and let me know.”

  Her chest grew tight. She’d hoped he’d want to come back again before she left. Apparently, he didn’t.

  “I will.”

  “Be safe, Liza.”

  “I will.” The line went dead and her heart dropped to her stomach. Hiding her feelings from Jason was proving harder than she ever imagined. When did having sex with a man get so complicated?

  When I stupidly fell in love with him.

  * * * *

  Jason sat in his office chair and stared at the phone. Liza had been traveling for a week and he hadn’t heard from her. She took her profession seriously. He got that. But still, with all they’d started to share with each other, he assumed she’d text him, call him, something.

  Maybe she had her fill of me.

  The insecurities that were present in him weren’t normally there. Not hearing from a woman wouldn’t have traditionally bothered him. This time, however, was different. He was different. Being with Liza was making him different and not hearing from her was driving him crazy.

  She’ll call when she gets back in town.

  What if she doesn’t? He groaned.

  He left his office and headed behind the bar. He needed a drink. More like a case of beer to wash away the worry and unease that filtered its way into his mind. He was becoming obsessed and he didn’t thoroughly understand why. He never pictured himself being the man who worried that a woman wouldn’t want him, that he would be the insecure one in a relationship, but somehow that was exactly what was happening.

  Liza had turned his guts inside out. Their last night together had been amazing. Their chemistry was explosive and left him desiring more. He liked her. A lot. Her directness, her quirky side, her silly snorts of laughter, her lack of shyness, her willingness to try anything even if it was outside of her comfort zone, and everything about her from her eyes to her toes. She was breathtaking.

  Every night he closed his eyes he thought of her. His first thoughts when he cracked his eyes open had been of her. She was infecting his very soul.

  What the hell is wrong with me?

  That was the million dollar question and if he were honest with himself he’d know the answer. He wasn’t sure when it happened or even how, but he was falling for her. It didn’t matter that they’d only been together a short time. He knew the emotions jarring his thoughts and twisting his heart around.

  He didn’t think falling in love could happen so fast. Not to him and certainly not her. They were two equally career-focused people who enjoyed sex. That was it.

  Wasn’t it?

  “Are you constipated or something?” Brynn asked, pulling him from his thoughts.

  He rolled his eyes as her question pierced his brain. He loved Brynn. She was the sister he never had, but sometimes she was also the sister he never wanted. “I’ve missed you. Did you have a good honeymoon?”

  She bit into the side of her hand and moaned. “I married a stallion and I’m pretty sure that with all the sex I had, I’m pregnant. I even let him stick it in my—”

  His eyes rounded and he stuck his fingers in his ears. “Seriously, why do you girls like to tell me this shit?”

  “Hand. I was going to say hand, you pervert.” She scoffed. “Not that a girl can get pregnant that way, of course,” she finished with a wink. “So what’s going on with you?”

  “Nothing,” he said, grabbing a beer from the fridge, thankful she wasn’t continuing to share with him things her preferred never to know about her.

  Brynn leaned up against the counter beside him, her gaze fixed on him. “Bullshit, stud. What’s going on?”

  “Nothing,” he repeated, chugging back the beer.

  She took the bottle from his hand and placed it on the bar. “You have always been a terrible liar. Now spill it and I don’t mean the beer.”

  He looked up at the ceiling and groaned. “Why can’t you girls leave me alone?”

  “We love you, dumbass, and if you didn’t want this fluffy chick shit, you should’ve hired dudes.” She smacked him on the ass and squeezed it. “Now talk.”

  He glared at her. “Telling you is the wrong thing to do,” he said, leaning his elbows on the bar. “I shouldn’t and I can’t.”

  Brynn clenched her jaw, placing her hand on his arm. “Look, Jason, you’ve always been there for me and I’ll be there for you. Fuck everyone else. What you tell me will stay between us.”

  He furrowed his brow. “Who are you and what have you done with Brynn?”

  “Unless you don’t trust me, and in that case, you’re a fucking dick.”

  “And there she is,” he said with a snicker.

  He was going crazy keeping his emotions in check and before he could stop himself from overanalyzing why it was a bad idea to tell Brynn anything, it all came rushing out. “I’m sleeping with Layla’s sister Liza and I really like her.”

  “No shit,” Brynn said with a purr in her voice. “It’s about time you started getting laid. You’ve been so uptight lately I—”

  “Focus,” Jason said sharply.

  “Right. So what’s wrong with that? Besides the weird thing that you’re practically sticking it to Layla by banging her twin.”

  He shook his head as if to clear away the horrid image. “We really need to work on your delivery.”

  She laughed. “I can’t help it. The shit just pops into my head and shoots out my mouth. It’s a gift.”

  “Or a curse,” he pointed out. He was glad Zerina wasn’t working today. The two of them would have him on the floor, in the fetal position, begging for mercy.

  “So again I ask, what’s the problem?”

  “She’s been gone for a few days and I want to call her, but we’ve agreed to keep things…private between us. Apparently, I don’t fit the mold of her life and she’s not into mine.”

  “But you can’t stop sleeping together?”

  He nodded.

  “And what’s wrong with that?�
�� She paused. “I mean if you are only in it for the affair, it should be an ideal match up. You’ve got your businesses and she’s got hers. You do the nasty whenever you want and you don’t have to worry about that awkward dating thing.”

  He frowned and she noticed.

  “Unless that’s what you want and she doesn’t.”

  He ran a stiff hand over his face. “That’s just it. I don’t know what she wants. She’s having a company get-together to celebrate a big account she landed and she said she wanted me to come, but that I—”

  “Don’t fit in her uptight world?”

  He nodded.

  “Fuck that, Jason,” Brynn said directly. “Look, if the two of you have something more between you than sex, than it shouldn’t matter what others think. You’re a successful man and the fact that you have tattoos, long hair, and ride a motorcycle doesn’t change that.” She opened another beer for him. “If she wants you, she’ll need to see that for herself. And if you want more from her…you might need to figure out a way to show her who you are and why she’d be a fool to let you go.”

  Chapter Seven

  Liza dropped her bags on the floor in her living room and collapsed on the sofa. Her trip had been extended twice, and to her surprise, Jason hadn’t called her once. She’d waited and waited, paced her hotel room, wondering if she should call him, but she couldn’t. She didn’t want to appear like a lovesick puppy and scare him away. She’d hoped he’d call, but he never did. She remembered him saying to call him when she’d returned, but what if he was just being polite. Did he really want to see her again?

  “I suck at this,” she grumbled.

  She held her cell phone in her hands and stared at the screen. No missed calls. Closing her eyes, she pictured her sister’s face and dialed her number. She missed Layla and needed to stop being so damn distant. If things were over between her and Jason, she’d figure out a way to handle it and move on. What other choice would she have?

  Her heart quivered and her belly rolled with apprehension. She was an adult and knew exactly what getting involved with him was all about.