Secret Heat [Men of Iron Horse 10] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Morgan Fox

  She smiled, liking how close he was. The scent of his body was so appetizing. “I think you’d make an excellent student, if you let me help you.”

  He backed up. “Maybe,” he replied. “I better get back to work. I’ll be home soon.”

  She wasn’t sure why, but Jaxson was worried about taking that test. The study guide held all the answers. All he had to do was read it, remember it, and he’d pass. Maybe he needed a way to make the studying part fun. With a quirk of her brow, a wicked thought popped into her head. What if she figured out a way to do just that? She owed him a great deal for helping her out and asking nothing of her in return. Maybe it was now her turn to repay the favor.

  * * * *

  Two hours after Layton left Iron Horse, Jaxson returned to his hotel room. He spotted her motorcycle out front, so he knew she’d made it back safely. Flashing his keycard over the digital door lock, he pressed on the heavy white door and it opened. The lights were on at the table and his study guide was open. He glanced around the room, but he didn’t see Layton anywhere.

  “I’m home,” he said, smirking at the oddity of announcing his arrival.

  “Hi,” she replied, stepping from the bathroom.

  His tongue swelled at the sight of her tight little nipples beading through the barely-there white tank top she wore. He glanced back at the table. Good Lord, was she wearing shorts or were those underwear?

  “Hey,” he said, clearing his throat. Living with her might be harder than I thought. It certainly was making him harder. “What are you doing?”

  “I’ve decided that we’re going to work on getting you comfortable with that food handlers test.”

  “I’m comfortable,” he countered, facing her again, his gaze focused on her eyes. Don’t look at her nipples. He shifted his stance. “Why do you think I’m not comfortable?”

  She smiled, sauntering closer to him. Once she was a breath away, she pressed her hands to his stomach. “Call it a hunch.” She winked. “I’ve picked up some snacks and beer. Good studying foods.”

  His insides shook as her hands glided over the material of his shirt. He was not going to be able to resist her. Shit, he was surprised he hadn’t already had her on the bed beneath him. He balled his hands into tight fists.

  “What are you doing, Layton?” he asked, his skin craving her warm touch.

  “I told you. I’m going to help you study.”

  Studying was the last thing he had on his mind. He laughed nervously. “Is this some kind of higher learning technique?”

  She smiled, looking up at him through her dark lashes. “It could be.”

  His throat grew tight. Sucking in a breath and relishing the scent of her perfume, he gripped her wrists and locked them behind her back. “What are you up to, Layton?”

  “I have an idea.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “I’m going to quiz you. If you get the answer correct—” She nibbled her lower lip.

  “I’m listening.” Holy mother was he listening. His entire body was listening.

  “I’m going to remove a piece of clothing.”

  The world shook wildly as he glanced down her body. “It would appear I only need to get two or three things right and you’d be naked as the day you were born.”

  “True, but once I’m naked there are other things we could do when you get the answer right.”

  His body warmed, but then a tormenting bit of reality slapped him. “We shouldn’t do this, you know?”

  She nodded, but didn’t unlock her gaze from his. Her expression remained focused, sexy, and determined. “It’ll be just this once and only because I want you to pass the test.”

  Once was what it was supposed to have already been. “This is you helping me, huh?”

  She pressed to her tiptoes, and nuzzled her lips against his chin. “Yes,” she breathed. “Do we have a deal?” She kissed him gently. “I help you pass and this stays our secret.”

  The thundering of his heart rendered him deaf. He wanted her, there was no mistaking that. As long as no one knew what they’d done, nothing could go wrong at Iron Horse, right? His body flooded with heat.

  He eased back, eyeing her mouth. “Ask your first question.”

  Chapter Six

  Layton quivered, her body overcome with every touch Jaxson teased her with, his fingers trailing up her arms, his eyes burning a path to her lips. She wasn’t sure which question to ask first. All of them suddenly seemed too difficult. She didn’t want difficult. She wanted out of her clothing and in his bed as quickly as she could breathe.

  She licked her dry lips. “What is considered part of good hygiene in food handling?”

  His eyes widened. “That’s too easy, Layton. Are you going easy on me?”

  Her nipples beaded against the soft material of her shirt. It needed to go. “Answer the question,” she demanded.

  The corner of his lips curled upward. “Washing hands with soap and water, and drying with a paper towel.” He looked down at her top. “Do I get to pick which article of clothing you take off first?” He reached down and tugged on her shirt. “If so, this would be my choice.”

  Her heart raced. “Mine, too.”

  Heat blistered her skin as the fabric of her shirt pulled up over her head. Jaxson moaned. He pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her and caressing her back, leaving her searching for the next easy question.

  Focus.

  “What is the temperature range at which bacteria is most likely to grow and cause food to spoil faster?”

  “41° F to—” His jaw tightened, his eyes scanning the table beside them—the spot where her tank top rested.

  Disappointed that he hadn’t been able to blurt out the answer, she reached for the shirt.

  His eyes and mouth widened, the air from his body looking trapped in his throat. “Ah, hell, please don’t.”

  She arched a brow. “Then I suggest you answer correctly.”

  Another second and she was stepping back as if to put on her shirt.

  “135°,” he snapped.

  She whistled. “Boy that was a close one.” She placed the shirt back on the table and then bent over, removing her shorts, adding them to the pile.

  He brushed a hand over his forehead. Was he perspiring? She smirked.

  “Ready for the next question?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t think so. This is more stressful than just taking the damn test.”

  She laughed. “If you think so, then just imagine how easy it will be on test day.” She winked.

  “You’re enjoying tormenting me, aren’t you?”

  “What’s the proper cook temperature on a rare steak?”

  “145°,” he answered quickly, his eyes heavy, and his breath quick.

  She tsked under her tongue and reached for her tank top.

  “Why are you putting that back on?”

  She shot him a sympathetic look, her body needing him to get the answers right and fast. “I said rare. Not medium.”

  He looked like he swallowed his tongue. “Shit. That would be 135°”

  “That’s correct,” she replied, pulling her tank top over her head. “Maybe you’ll get it right next time.”

  “You’re damn right I will,” he barked. “Next question?”

  She bit her lip to keep from smiling. “An employee who prepares food has an infected finger. What should they do?”

  “Tell the manager and avoid direct food contact,” he answered without hesitation.

  A sigh of relief flooded through her. Then she motioned to take off her tank top, but he stopped her. “Panties, please,” he begged.

  Heat sank low in her belly. She hooked her thumbs into the hips of her bikini briefs and eased them down her legs. When she stepped out of them, he kneeled down to pick them up, pausing to look her over. He licked his lips as his gaze devoured the thin patch of hair between her legs.

  “What happens when you’ve got no more clothing to remove?”
/>   “I’ll pay up with other things.”

  His gaze shifted to look up, locking eyes with her. “Like?”

  Her heart raced, anticipation blazing like an inferno inside her. “Answer my next two questions correctly and find out.”

  “Ask?” he rasped, standing.

  “How should stored and packaged food be labeled?”

  “With its name and expiration date.”

  She gladly removed her tank top, her nipples hard and ready to be sucked. Please keep answering right. She’d studied all afternoon, making sure she knew the material. This was just as much a test for her as it was for him.

  He rubbed a stiff hand over his mouth. “Is it hot in here?”

  She rubbed her hands over her hips, stomach, and breast. “Feels good to me.”

  He groaned, grinding his teeth. “Any issues if I take my shoes and shirt off. I’d like to be more comfortable.”

  “If it will help you study better.”

  “Oh, it will.”

  Moisture pooled between her legs as he tore the shirt up over his head, tossed it to the floor, and kicked out of his shoes. When he was done, he returned to stand in front of her.

  “What is the proper sanitation for a surface?”

  He smiled as if he’d won first place in a race. “Clean, rinse, sanitize, and air dry.”

  “Nicely done,” she told him.

  “What’s my reward for answering correctly?”

  She closed the distance between them, taking his hand and rubbing it over her breasts, letting him pinch her sensitive nipple. “What would you like?”

  “I want to know how wet you are?”

  She shivered as she guided his hand down her body, raising her leg to rest on the chair, parting enough for him to explore her pussy. Her very wet and needy pussy. Her breath hitched as he circled her swollen flesh, sinking a digit inside her.

  “Fuck me,” he muttered. “You’re so wet.”

  She rolled her hips, her head falling back as she rode his hand. For a moment, she let him fuck her with his finger, then she forced his hand back.

  “Next question,” she said, lowering her leg.

  Before he answered, he put his dew covered finger in his mouth, and sucked it. Then he licked his lips and moaned.

  “What is the minimum time required for hand washing?”

  “10-15 seconds for washing and 5 for drying. 20 seconds is the minimum.”

  “Correct.”

  He didn’t ask her what his reward was. Instead, he picked her up and placed her on the table, leaned her back, and parted her legs. In an instant, his mouth was clamped on her pussy, tasting her thoroughly. His tongue pressed inside her several times, fucking her. Then he swirled his tongue vigorously around her clit, sucking it between his lips. She gasped as warm tingles spread through her body. Even though she should, she didn’t stop him. Instead she rode his mouth, clasping her hands to his head, and holding him in place.

  With his thumbs, he spread her folds wide and savored her. She massaged her mounds and pinched her nipples as she began to crest over into euphoria. She cried out as she came. He lapped at her wetness, drinking every drop until she was spent.

  After a moment to catch her breath, she glanced down at him, a wild and teasing grin playing at his lips. “What happens when I get the next questions right?”

  She slipped off the table and once again stood in front of him, her skin pink with color. Inhaling a deep breath, she told him, “Get it right and you can fuck me. Get it wrong and I put my panties back on.”

  He unbuckled his pants and dropped them to the floor. He wasn’t wearing briefs. His erection was fierce and she was tempted to drop to her knees and take him into her mouth. But she didn’t. Not yet.

  “How often should a thermometer be checked for accuracy?”

  His eyes rounded, his skin paling. He shook his head, his mouth moving as if to speak, but nothing came out. Finally, he explained, “I don’t know.”

  Reluctantly, she put her panties back on. “At the start of every shift,” she informed him.

  He ran his hand over his face. “Right. Got it.”

  “What would be an example of cross-contamination when using a cutting board?”

  “Cutting a meat and then a vegetable on the same cutting board.”

  “Correct.” She removed her panties. Again. “What is the least likely food to transport bacteria—a cold glass of milk, a hot sandwich, or a glass of water?”

  He locked eyes with her, cupping the side of her face and weaving his fingers through her hair, pulling her closer. “A hot sandwich.”

  “Corr—”

  He crushed his mouth over hers and lifted her up into his arms, stalking to his bed and placing her on it. Their lips parted. “You said that if I got the question right…”

  She put her arms around him. “I’m all yours.”

  He reached for a condom, covered his cock, and cradled in between her legs, sinking deep. She gasped as he filled her, arching her back to take him as far as he could go. He lowered himself to suckle her breasts. Rocking his hips, he set the pace, slow at first but then exploded into a fast, skin slapping frenzy. He pulled out and flipped her to her stomach, pulling her hips up to dive back inside her. She cried out as he reached around and spread her moisture over her clit. Sparks erupted behind her eyes as she came.

  Then he joined her, bucking hard and then collapsing on top of her. Breathless and spent, he rolled to his back and pulled her to his chest, cupping the side of her face. “You’re amazing,” he told her.

  “You are, too.”

  “Thank you for this—for showing me just how much I know.”

  “You only needed a little confidence booster,” she said, smirking.

  He laughed. “Consider me boosted.”

  She circled her finger around his chest, teasing over the light dusting of dark hair. “You know, there are a lot more questions I could ask you.”

  He arched a brow. “Will you be putting on more clothing this time?”

  She grinned. “I thought we could trying something a little more challenging.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “Get five questions in a row correctly and I’ll suck your cock.”

  He huffed out a breath, his eyes rounding. “And if I get all five right and five more?”

  She nibbled her lower lip, her breast heavy with her breaths, her pussy throbbing. “Maybe we could do something a bit naughty.”

  “Naughty? Like—” He reached around and slipped a finger between the cheeks of her ass, lightly petting her anus. “This kind of naughty?”

  She licked her lips, nodding. “Are you up for the challenge?”

  “Let’s shower and get back to studying.”

  “Sounds like a great idea.”

  * * * *

  Jaxson had the urge to go get something from the bar—a towel, ice, lips of an irresistible woman to kiss. Every few minutes, he glanced toward the one opening where he could catch a glimpse of Layton. It was wrong to feel this strongly about her. He’d known being with her again would be a mistake, especially after he’d told both Sam and Jason that his relationship with Layton had lasted for only the one night.

  He’d wanted more of her then, and he wanted more of her now.

  I’m gonna lose my job.

  Layton came into view, her golden strawberry hair pulled into a ponytail. He wanted to run his fingers through her hair, wrap his hand around it, and tug gently, craning her neck back to kiss the smooth skin. A jolt settled in his stomach as she turned to see him watching her. Her smile and wink wrecked him, robbing him of coherent thought.

  How does she do this to me?

  Another customer drew her attention away, which was for the best. Seconds later, Sam appeared at his side.

  “How’s the studying coming along? Ready to get certified?”

  Jaxson’s throat dried, the memory of his long night studying with Layton fresh and smoldering in his mind. “Yep,” he
managed. “I’m good.”

  “Glad to hear it. Let me know if you need anything.”

  If I do, I know exactly who I’ll ask. “Thanks.”

  Sam glided around the restaurant, greeting customers and checking things out. He’d heard that at one time she’d been one hell of a bartender. Knowing what he knew of his friend, Daniel, Sam had to be an amazing woman. While in the military, Daniel had shared childhood stories about her. He’d been overcome with Sam, even with the distance they’d endured, she was all he ever thought about, all he ever wanted. Jaxson had been envious to find someone like that, someone worth waiting and fighting for.

  Layton shot Jaxson a heated glance, and inclined her head, as if to ask him to follow her. His feet seemed to have a mind of their own. He set out after her, trying his best to look as though he wasn’t in hot pursuit. They still had to keep their after-hours relationship concealed.

  She headed down the long hallway that forked—one direction lead to Sam’s office, the other to the storeroom. When he stepped into the storeroom, the lights were off and he didn’t see Layton. As he reached to flip on the lights, her hand covered his.

  “Don’t,” she whispered, crushing up against him. “Kiss me.”

  His lips molded to hers in a breath, and he rounded, pressing her up against the door. He took her mouth hard, tasting her the way he’d been fantasying about since his shift started at Iron Horse. Layton was quickly becoming something he craved and couldn’t get enough of.

  “That’s it,” she moaned, as he trailed his mouth over her chin and neck. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

  He stopped. “Doing what?”

  She gripped his shirt, fisting it in her hands. “Making out in the storeroom.”

  He pressed his hands to the door above her head, locking on to the shimmer of her eyes that reflected back at him in the dark room. “Maybe we shouldn’t.”

  “I know, but I thought working with you would suck. It doesn’t and that needs to change.”

  She tugged off her shirt, reached for his hands and placed them on her bare breasts. Instantly, he lowered his mouth to suck her nipple between his lips. She moaned, the pleasure filled cry making him flick his tongue over the tender bead even faster. Layton was driving him wild. What he wouldn’t give to turn on the light and have her right here, right now.