ThreeReasonsWhy

by Mari Carr

  “I don’t have a lot of extra money to hire someone on.” It was a lie, but she grasped it with both hands.

  “You advertised for the position.”

  She blew out an exasperated breath. “Yeah, well, I mean it would only be part time.”

  “I didn’t plan on setting up office hours or draining your accounts, pixie,” he said.

  Jill picked up the phonebook and glanced at the list of plumbers. She’d exhausted her options and she knew it. Madison had two full-time plumbers and at this moment, one of them was at a convention in Vegas and the other had pneumonia. It would cost a fortune to pay one to come out from Harrisburg for an emergency call. With the distance between Madison and its larger neighboring city, the plumber still wouldn’t make it here in time for her to open for lunch.

  “Fine. You can fix the toilets.”

  Wes laughed. “What an honor.”

  “But that’s it. You’re not going to be my handyman.”

  Wes shook his head and walked closer. She fought the urge to take a step back, refusing to let him intimidate her as he had yesterday. She’d had time to batten down her hatches and prepare herself for the onslaught.

  “I’ll fix your toilets, but only on two conditions.”

  “What conditions?”

  “One, you hire me in this position for good, and two, you agree to my wages.”

  She was silent as she tried to find a way out of her predicament. Surely there was some way she could get the repairs done without selling her soul to the devil. She racked her brain but came up with nothing.

  Her love for the diner won out. She needed help and, God help her, Wes Robson appeared to be the only man in town available to fulfill her needs. As soon as the word needs crossed her mind, a flush heated her cheeks. She had some definite needs she could envision Wes fulfilling. Of course, Wes noticed her blush immediately and grinned.

  Before he could say anything, she asked, “How much do you want?”

  “Are you hiring me?”

  “Yes,” she snapped. “I’m hiring you. How much do you charge an hour?”

  “I don’t come cheap,” he teased her.

  She closed her eyes and prayed for patience. “How much, Wes?”

  “For every hour of work I do around the diner, you agree to spend one hour alone with me.”

  Her eyes snapped open. This was bad. Very, very bad. “I’d rather pay you money.”

  “No. I don’t want money from you, pixie.”

  She placed her hands on her hips. “If you think I’m going to trade sexual favors for—”

  “I didn’t say sex. I said an hour alone with me.”

  “Doing what?”

  “Dating, of course. Going out for drinks, dancing. Hell, we could rent a movie and watch it in your apartment for all I care. And if you feel so inclined as to have sex with me, that would be cool too.” His eyes were dancing, and she knew he was enjoying that—in this instance—he definitely had the upper hand.

  “Dating,” she repeated, her body going a bit numb at the idea. She was fighting a losing battle and knew it. She closed her eyes, silently hoping that blocking out his gorgeous face would help her resist.

  For weeks, she’d dreamed of Wes’ kisses under the mistletoe. His lips should be registered as a lethal weapon. More than a few nights, she’d crawled from her bed into the shower, forcing herself to stand beneath the freezing water in an attempt to cool the burning desires he’d set aflame inside her. “I’m sorry. Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t I tell you just yesterday that I didn’t want to date you?”

  Wes shrugged. “You gave me some lame reasons.”

  “I don’t consider them lame.”

  “I want some time to show you we’re good together.”

  She closed her eyes, overwhelmed with frustration. Talking to Wes was like talking to a brick wall. She’d admit—only to herself—that her first couple of reasons for wanting to avoid Wes had been mere diversions, weak attempts at building a stronger case for the truth. She couldn’t date him. She really couldn’t. However, pride would never allow her to speak the real reason.

  She looked at him once more. “Wes, we could date until the cows came home. Would we have fun? Yeah, more than likely we would. Would the sex be hot? Hell yeah. Would that change the fact that you and I are planning two very different futures? No. I don’t see any way this could end in anything other than heartbreak.”

  “Why are you so opposed to a committed relationship?”

  “I told you yesterday.”

  He shook his head. “No. I don’t think you did. There’s gotta be more to it than liking your solitude. It doesn’t add up, Jill. You’re one of the most social, most fun people in Madison.”

  “High praise,” she joked. “Madison has a population of two hundred people and ninety percent of them are over seventy.”

  Wes laughed. “Very funny. Last count I heard, we had at least three hundred folks in town. Come on, Jill. What gives? What’s got you so down on relationships? Is it because of your parents’ divorce?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Oh, puh-leaze. What do want me to say? I have daddy issues? My dad ran out on my mom and left her alone to raise two daughters. I don’t think that wrecked my psyche. Truth is, my mother was better off without the guy. And yes, Zack the Rat dumped my sister and ran off with that slut to Vegas. Again, she was better off without him.”

  “So you don’t trust men?”

  She shook her head. “I’m not shallow or thick, Wes. I would never assume all guys are like Zack and my dad. Rick is a stand-up kind of guy and I know he’ll make my sister happy until the day she dies. But Kate’s different from me. She craves companionship. She’s loving, giving and totally into committed relationships. I like to fly—fancy and free.”

  “Speaking of flying free, I know you and Seth were seeing each other for a while, but Kate said that you aren’t anymore,” Wes said. “Is that true?”

  “That was an odd segue. What does my relationship with Seth have to do with the price of tea in China?”

  “Just answer the question.”

  She considered lying, telling him she was still involved with the other man. Truth was, she and Seth had never been in a real relationship. They went out occasionally and they slaked each other’s needs. Seth knew she wasn’t looking for more than sex. He didn’t pressure her for more than she was willing to give in the emotions department.

  “Seth and I aren’t involved. Even when we were, he knew I wasn’t looking for a relationship and he accepted that.”

  He ignored her pointed reference to the idea that he sucked in the listening department. “So you aren’t still sleeping with each other?”

  Her temper spiked. “And why the hell would that be any of your business?

  “Because I don’t share.”

  She sucked in a breath, trying to still the racing of her heart. He was relentless. The worst part was, she knew that if any man on the planet had a chance of capturing her body and soul, it was Wes. Regardless of that, she couldn’t give him what he wanted.

  “Don’t mean to shatter your overweening confidence or anything, but I’m not a one-man woman. I won’t be tied down.”

  The damn man grinned, and she realized the gauntlet she’d just thrown down.

  “Oh, I’m going to tie you down, Jill, don’t you worry about that. And then I’m going to fuck you until you forget there are other men on the planet.”

  She fought to appear unconcerned, though her legs went weak at the thought. “Whatever. Listen, those toilets aren’t going to fix themselves, you know, and the clock on these wages of yours doesn’t start until you do.”

  She needed to get the hell out of this kitchen. The temperature had been rising steadily since Wes had shown up, and it was all she could do not to fan herself. She turned and walked toward her office. She needed to get away from him. Find a way out of the mess she’d landed herself in. She’d been smart to avoid him for so long.

  S
he tried to shut the door, but a hand pushed against it. She turned and slowly backed toward her desk as he followed her in. The look in his eyes told her any attempt at escape would be futile. He continued to follow her step for step until the hard surface of the desk hit the back of her legs.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Getting an advance on my pay.” Wes leaned toward her and didn’t stop until his lips were a mere breath from hers.

  Jill wanted to shove him back, tell him to get the hell away from her, but she’d dreamed of his lips since Christmas. Yesterday’s kisses had only whetted her appetite for more. Just one more taste, she thought. One taste.

  “Just one taste,” he murmured against her mouth, and she realized she’d uttered her thoughts aloud. Slowly, seductively, he dragged his lips against hers, teasing her by withholding the true kiss she desired.

  Her libido was in overdrive and crushing out all other emotions with its desire to pull Wes toward her and eat him alive. His bulging pecs were well defined through his tight T-shirt and, though she refused to glance down, his denim-clad erection pressed against her stomach.

  “Kiss me or get out,” she demanded when he continued his torturous teasing, his warm breath and soft lips barely brushing hers. She resisted the urge to move forward and capture his lips. Struggled against the desire to take what she wanted.

  “You’re going to fall in love with me,” he said, and she tried to deny the truth of his words.

  “Nope. Not interested.”

  Wes turned his face slightly and his grin tickled her skin. His next words brushed against her cheek. “You want me, Jill Harper.”

  “Shut up.” Her words and her body were at war as she reached up to grip his hair tightly in her fists. “Shut up and kiss me.”

  His hot breath caressed her overheated skin as she pulled his lips to hers. She’d wanted his kisses for so long, and now that his lips were on hers once again, she wondered why she’d resisted. He allowed her to control the kiss for several minutes, but soon his alpha instincts reappeared and—as she’d experienced at the holiday—he took possession of her body. His tongue didn’t merely explore her mouth, it laid a relentless siege, capturing everything it touched and burning a path wider than Sherman’s March to the Sea.

  When she feared she’d suffocate, she broke away with a cry, but he refused to be pushed away. He grasped her head firmly in his hands and pressed his forehead against hers. “Why are you fighting this? You must see how good we are together.”

  She wanted to shove him away, call him an arrogant, cocky man and laugh in his face, but her body was screaming for more. Her hands tangled in his shirt, stretching the soft cotton, and it took all her remaining strength not to rip it from his body.

  “It’s sex. Lust. That’s all.” She was annoyed at the breathless quality of her voice. God, please let that be all. Surely she could scratch the itch and send him packing.

  Wes pulled farther away, and she wanted to cry out at the loss of his body next to hers. He grinned and she struggled to respond, to chastise him for the cocky grin, but words failed her.

  “I’ll take the lust…for now. I’ve waited years for you. I’m not waiting any longer. You and me and a bed, pixie. It’s going to happen sooner than later, so you may as well get yourself ready for it.”

  Jill grasped his shirt, pulled him back against her and nipped his lower lip hard. He hissed, but she grinned seductively. Two could play the alpha game. Maybe it was time she gave Wes a taste of his own medicine. “You make that sound like a threat.”

  She wrapped her legs around his waist, grinding his hard cock more fully against her aching pussy. “Maybe you’re the one who needs a warning. I’m very, very good at lust.”

  He gripped her hips with strong hands, pushing against her until she groaned. “We really are going to burn the town down.” He took her lips in a passionate kiss that left her head whirling, but before she could resume control, he broke away, taking several steps back. Her gaze landed on his erection, and she could only imagine the strength it must take for him to walk away in such a condition.

  “Let’s make sure we’ve got this straight, Jill, because I’m not going to stand for any backtracking. I’m working here as your handyman. You match every hour I work, alone with me—in bed or out of it. Agreed?”

  She nodded.

  “One more thing.” She tried listen, but the fog from his kisses clouded her mind. “From this moment on, there aren’t any other men in your life. You want to limit this to something casual, to lust, to sex for now, you’ve got it, but I’m the only man who’ll be warming your bed. Do you understand?”

  She wanted to fight his demand, refuse him, tell him to take his condition and stick it up his ass. Instead, she let her body answer before her mind could formulate the words and nodded again.

  “Good,” he said with a pleased grin. “Start the timer, pixie. I’m officially on the clock.”

  * * * * *

  Wes managed to get one bathroom functioning in time for the lunch shift, but he was going to have to convince Jill to let him do some major renovations. The pipes were as old as the damn building and he was certain his quick repair was nothing more than slapping a Band-Aid on a cut that required stitches. Of course, it didn’t help that someone had flushed some old rags. Probably some teenager’s idea of a prank, though it was a damn stupid one.

  He’d taken a break for lunch, and Jill had given him permission to use her apartment to wash up before eating. He had a fit when he found out she left her home unlocked while downstairs working. She had no sense when it came to security, and while Madison wasn’t a hotbed of crime, it was simple enough to lock a door. He’d have to have a talk with her about it.

  As he came down the stairs, he heard the muffled conversations of the patrons at the diner. Jill had built up one hell of a business. She had a large group of loyal regulars who found it hard to resist her mouthwatering specials.

  The scent of the beef stew she was serving drifted toward him, and his stomach growled. During his midmorning break, he’d flirted with her in the kitchen while she put together five homemade apple pies. He’d have to watch himself while working here because he was certain he could gain twenty pounds in a week with Jill cooking for him. Perhaps he should use a couple hours’ pay running with her. He grinned as he considered all the ways he’d like to be with her alone, surprised to realize a lot of his plans for their time together didn’t involve sex at all. He genuinely liked being with her. She was fun and funny and as sweet as the pies she baked.

  As he stepped into the diner, his gaze immediately landed on her, and his grin faded when he realized she was talking to Seth. Kate had assured him Jill wasn’t still seeing the man, and Jill had confirmed that this morning. As he walked across the diner, he fought the urge to punch the bastard in the face when the other man reached out and took Jill’s hand in his. Jealousy was a new emotion for him but he found where Jill was concerned, he had it in spades.

  “Hey, pixie. I’m ready for whatever scraps you’re willing to feed to the hired help.” He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. She stiffened at his touch. He knew it was a petty move, but he wanted Seth and every other man in this place to understand the stake he was claiming. The stupidity of the action wasn’t a strong enough factor to stop him. No doubt she’d try to emasculate him for the macho power play.

  “What are you doing?” She glanced over her shoulder at him and flames were shooting from her eyes. His brain refused to kick as he continued digging his own grave.

  “Mooching for an appetizer.” He placed a soft kiss at the nape of her neck, just below her ear.

  “Wes.” While her tone dripped pure venom, her body responded to his nuzzle. Her breathing accelerated and her tight nipples began to bud. The woman was one giant contradiction. She wanted him, but she refused him. She was pissed off, but her body was heating up to his affection.

  “Delicious.” He tightened his arms around her waist, suck
ing in his own pained breath when her bottom brushed against his cock. An accident? She turned to look at him through seductively narrowed eyes, and he realized she purposely made the contact. He loved the way she got even.

  “Jill?” Seth asked. Wes lightened his grip. They were putting on quite a show for the lunchtime crowd. “I didn’t realize you and Robson were an item.”

  “We’re n—”

  “What can I say, Seth? The woman can’t keep her hands off me.”

  “You always were a dreamer, Wes.” Jill leaned away from him, bending over the counter and closer to Seth. Wes fought to beat back the green-eyed monster clawing for release. She ignored him, turning all her attention toward the other man.

  “So what have you been up to, Seth? Long time, no see.”

  Wes scowled when Seth’s gaze dropped to the cleavage Jill was flashing in his direction. Wes crossed his arms angrily when Seth glanced up and gave him a cocky smile.

  “I’ve been around. Busy at work. Sure have missed your cooking, Jilly.” Seth rested his forearms on the counter, the action moving him even closer to Wes’ girl.

  Wes cleared his throat but Jill ignored him.

  “I heard you were seeing someone.”

  Her words only cooled Wes’ overheated nerves until Seth’s response. “We split up. Didn’t work out.”

  “Oh.” Jill stood up, her face one of concerned friendship. “I’m sorry to hear that. What happened?”

  Seth leaned back, his shoulders slumped. “I don’t know. Nothing was ever easy with her. She was wicked jealous. You know I can’t stand that shit.”

  “Me neither.” She flashed Wes a smirk over her shoulder. Jill topped up Seth’s water glass. “I can still set you up if you’re interested. I have a couple friends I think you’d like.”

  Seth shook his head. “Naw. I hate blind dates. Prefer to meet women in a more natural environment.”

  “Natural environment? I’m afraid to ask.”

  Seth nodded. “You know, like a bar or the race track or a strip club.”

  Jill laughed. “God, Seth. You never change. Of course, if you’re going to find your Miss Right, it’s definitely going to have to be in one of those places.”