Competitive Heat [Men of Iron Horse 8] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Morgan Fox

  Stop that! The scolding tone in her head was fierce. The frustration and anxiety she carried around was heavier than a mountain. This was not the way she wanted things to be in her life. How she dreamed things would end up for her.

  She imagined, in so many ways, she was no different from most girls her age—longing to find love, a career, and a happily ever after. She wasn’t exempt in her natural-born desires and needs. She was a woman first and foremost. She had passion and she’d been suffocating, unable to break free from the embarrassment of something that may never happen to her again.

  She knew all this, had contemplated it a million times or more, but there was always that one glimpse back into her past that locked her in place, never giving her the freedom to try again.

  Regret sucks. She cursed under her breath, just as she turned and plowed her full drink tray right into her boss, Sam.

  Sam’s green eyes widened and her mouth hung open. Her brown hair fell forward over her shoulders as she stared at the floor scattered in glass, ice, and liquid. Her Iron Horse T-shirt was now covered in a mixture of soda, beer, and liquor.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry, Sam,” Noble stammered, rushing to grab the towel Jace gave to her. “I didn’t see you standing behind me.”

  Sam grimaced, taking the towel from Noble’s hand with an aggravated yank. “That’s because your heads not attached to your body today. What the hell’s gotten into you? I’ve never see so many reports of broken glasses in one day. And they’re all from you,” she pointed out. She forcefully brushed to towel over her saturated shirt. “Do us all a favor and go home. I think we can take it from her.”

  Noble clamped her mouth shut. There was no point in arguing with Sam. When she made a decision, it was final. “Yes, ma’am.”

  Jace was already moving around the bar with a mop, broom, and towels to clean up the mess. Noble thanked him just before she grabbed her handbag and headed for the door. She was unable to focus and everyone was noticing. It was best she leave before she did something really stupid like smash a bunch of drinks into her boss.

  Oh, wait, I just did that.

  She hung her head, her shoulders strapped with tension. Finn’s handsome face flashed in her mind. The need to see him was suffocating. She was struggling to breathe, think, and focus on anything but him. Unaware, he was driving her to crawl, kicking and screaming, out of her safe haven. At the coffee shop, he’d laid the cards in her hands and now it was her move. She was the one who had pushed him away. She had to be the one to reel him back. After all, what did she really have to lose?

  Self-respect.

  The cobwebs in my vagina.

  She chuckled as she inhaled the courage to text Finn. “Coffee?”

  Within seconds, he responded, “No.”

  Her stomach dropped, rolling with disappointment and regret. She’d missed her chance. Tossed it away for fear of getting hurt again.

  A second later, the blue screen of her phone flickered with another text from him. “Dinner.”

  An excited, but anxiety filled rush washed over her, swirling through her body like a fever filled chill. “Where?”

  “My house. Tonight. Eight o’clock.”

  His house? Oh, boy, this is really happening. Swallowing down the nervous knot balling at the back of her throat and steadying her now trembling hands, she replied, “Okay. What’s your address?”

  “601 Wisdom Street.”

  Staring down at her phone and the flickering cursor, she was well aware that she was either going to rock this night or regret it. Either way, she was about to find out which.

  * * * *

  Finn was flipping his damn lid. His mouth had gone dry, staring at the unexpected text from Noble. He almost dialed her number to make sure one of her friends wasn’t playing games with him. He’d had so many misfires with her, he couldn’t ignore the possibility that it wasn’t real. But after reading her response a dozen times, he shook the idea off.

  Like a bolt of lightning charged through his tired and worn-out body, he raced to the kitchen, tearing open cabinets to see what food he could make them for dinner. Rigatoni with Italian sausage was going to have to do. He even had a frozen loaf of artisan bread that would go perfectly with the meal.

  There is a god.

  Smiling with his good fortune, he began prepping the meal, setting the table, and straightening up his home. He’d never moved so fast in his life. Then, placing the sauce on simmer, he darted into the shower. His body was ultra-sensitive as his thoughts moved toward the night he hoped to have with Noble. He prayed he’d at least get a chance to kiss her again, taste her succulent mouth, touch her silky soft skin, her plump, full breasts, and smell her sweet and savory fragrance as he pressed her against his—

  Damn it! His cock had gone ramrod straight, pulsing with need. The water streaming down his body was nothing like the heat blistering through his veins, fevering his lust filled thoughts. Groaning, he turned the water on cold and finished his shower.

  Drying off and dressing, he glanced at the clock and realized he still had time to spare. He found a few candles, but didn’t light them. He would wait for her. He didn’t want to seem too presumptuous. His eagerness to taste her might be more than hers was for him. There was a good chance she just wanted to be his friend, which would both be nice and suck royally. Not that being her friend wasn’t good. It was. It was also the kiss of death for a guy who couldn’t stop thinking about her in ways that moved beyond friendship. Tamping down his sexual desires, he placed a box of matches beside the candle closest to where she would sit.

  At precisely 8:00 p.m., Noble knocked on his door.

  He gave himself one final glance in the mirror on the foyer wall, before opening the door to greet her. When his eyes drifted over her, he nearly crumbled to the floor at her feet. She was a vision in a sexy, black, body-hugging cocktail dress. He couldn’t breathe. Her sunshine-blonde hair was up in an elegant bun on her head, her eyes a hypnotic blue, and her lips the color of ripe berries. The dress plunged down, dipping to the area at the swell of her beautiful breasts, so full and alluring. The dress stopped midthigh, but he didn’t stop his approving look until he glanced down her mouthwatering legs, finally reaching her high-heeled shoes.

  “Wow,” he murmured, clearing his throat to find his voice. “You look amazing.”

  “Thanks,” she replied, stepping into his home as he moved to the side to let her in. “I wasn’t sure how to dress since I didn’t know if dinner was here or if we’d head out.”

  “You look perfect,” he praised. “I’m glad you’re here. I have to admit, I was shocked to get your text today.”

  She placed her purse on his foyer table. “I felt like we needed a redo. Maybe a reassessment of our relationship.”

  Relationship? The way she said that intrigued him. “Like what?”

  The sound of her heels clicked against the tile floor as she sauntered toward him. “Dinner first. Then we can talk about dessert.”

  * * * *

  God help me.

  Noble was in over her head. Hot, smoking, and on fire, Finn was smoldering in good looks, wearing a dark, almost black, chest-molded, navy-blue Henley, dark-washed jeans that hung low on his hips, and black leather shoes. His short brown hair was slightly wet and his dark brown eyelashes emphasized his already captivating hazel eyes. The masculine curve of his jaw was shadowed in whiskers, and she couldn’t stop staring at the way his lips seemed pinken surrounded by slight facial hair. She’d never seen him look so—appetizing. At first glance at him, her entire body roared awake. She must be either emotionally unstable to an extreme degree or the horniest woman alive.

  Perhaps a little of both.

  Before she started drooling and forgetting how not to look like a lust crazed fool, she turned to move farther into his home, hoping not to trip in shoes she hardly ever wore.

  “What’s for dinner?” she asked, sounding as casual as her vocal cords would allow. “The house smells amazing.”
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  “Thanks. It’s one of my favorites—baked ziti, with rigatoni pasta, spaghetti sauce, Italian blended cheeses, and oven-warmed bread.”

  She inclined her head to catch his piercing gaze glued to her backside. She had an erotic need to bend over until he could see just how barely there the panties were that she’d chosen—just in case things went as she nervously hoped they would.

  “You cook?”

  “My mom’s Italian. She was big on making homemade sauce. Every Sunday she’d start early and let her sauce simmer all day, adding the right amount of seasoning, meatballs, and sausage.” He moaned as if recalling just how delicious the meal had been. “But for special situations, she taught me how to make good sauce real quick.” He winked.

  “Well, Italian is my favorite.” She smiled, as curiosity crept into her mind. “Do you cook for others often?”

  He grinned. “You mean, do I cook for other women?”

  She arched a brow, feeling silly for the strange jealousy that surfaced. She shrugged. “Or teammates.”

  “No. I don’t invite many people over to my home. And I don’t cook for my teammates. Most of them are married and their wives can do that for them. The single guys tend to go out way more than stay in.”

  “I’m sure they do.”

  He followed her as she made her way through the open floor plan with walls the color of light stone. Soft, multicolored gray carpet covered the floor, butting up to a blended gray and blue marbled tile that divided the dining room, foyer, and entertainment room. The living room space was eaten up with three blue leather sofas and espresso colored hard wood furnishings.

  “Your home is lovely,” she told him, rounding to face him. He stood closer than she had expected. Their chests practically bumping together. His sharp gaze, caused her breath to hitch.

  “Why the sudden change?”

  When the honey-smooth timber of his voice rolled to her ears with a direct question, she swallowed hard. She locked her posture with as much confidence as she could muster. “I wanted…I hoped…ah, hell,” she grumbled with a heavy scoff. “I don’t actually know what I wanted, hoped, or even what I’m doing.”

  She eased back, moving to place a sofa’s length between them. When she met his gaze once again, he whispered, “That makes two of us.”

  She folded her arms over her chest. “How so?”

  He stalked toward her, with slow, calculated steps. “I already told you that I can’t stop thinking about you, but for some reason you run from me. It’s nice to see that you seem to be struggling with that decision.”

  A twitch tickled at the sides of her mouth, but she didn’t smile. “Your confidence is annoying.”

  He brushed his hands up her arms, clasping her shoulders. “It’s not confidence, Noble. It’s hope. I dreamed of you showing up at my home like this.” He glanced down at her body, dangerously close to his own. “Actually, the real thing is much better.”

  She laughed. “Smooth.”

  He licked his lips and she wanted to press in and touch his mouth with hers, but she didn’t. Not yet. She wasn’t ready.

  But soon.

  “So you like this kind of look on a woman?” She shot him a lopsided grin. “Heels and dresses over spandex and bike shorts?”

  He chuckled, stepping back. “Each one has its own appeal.”

  She laughed, following after him as he led her into the kitchen, the aroma of the spaghetti sauce becoming more prominent as well as something fresh and yummy. “Is that the bread that smells so amazing?” She inhaled deeply, collecting every bit of the warmth goodness hanging in the air. “Please tell me it’s bread?”

  “I can’t eat a meal like this without it.”

  “If it tastes anything like it smells, I’ll likely impress you with my eating ability?”

  “I prefer a woman who’s not afraid to eat. Makes it easier for me to do the same.” He winked.

  She grinned. “I’ve never been embarrassed about eating in front of anyone before. I work out. I’m fit. I should be able to eat good food when I want it.”

  “Exactly,” he said cheerfully, picking up the spoon off the counter to stir the sauce.

  She crowded in on him to get a peek at his creation. “Who knew you had a culinary side?”

  “You would have had you not continued to avoid me. I believe I told you the very first night to go home with me.” He put the spoon down and pressed his rear against the counter, then folded his arms over his chest. “I planned to cook dinner for you and even breakfast.”

  She moved to the counter across from him. He had a massive galley-styled kitchen, loaded with counter space and ceiling-high white cabinets and black appliances. Clean and spacious. “Boy did I miss out.”

  He kicked away from the stove and crossed to her, leaning around her to grab two plates. He lowered his chin, his eyes locking on her mouth. “There’s still time.”

  Her entire body quivered as she contemplated what sex would be like with him. Would he simply want to get his dick wet, or would he savor her, licking her everywhere she carved? She had a feeling it was the latter.

  God, please be the latter.

  * * * *

  “You’re going to have to tell me how you make this sauce. It’s amazing.”

  “I’ll be sure to tell my mom,” Finn told Noble, thrilled that she’d enjoyed the meal he’d prepared.

  Noble wiped the sides of her mouth with her napkin. “Yes. Please do. Does your family live close by?”

  He nodded. “I’m local to Dallas. I grew up here, and after college I was drafted by the team I grew up loving. What better gift is that?”

  “Lucky you.”

  He stood, stacking the dinner plates on top of each other. “Mind you, I would’ve gone anywhere to be able to play ball, but Dallas is and always will be my first choice. There’s no place in the world like Texas.”

  “Don’t tell me, you ride horses and shoot guns too?” The smile that crossed her mouth sent a jolt of heat south. “You do, don’t you?”

  “My uncle has a ranch in the hill country. I spent many summers learning how to ride horses. As a rule, my uncle and dad carried a shotgun while on the property. There are a lot of wild animals that might not be so friendly when you suddenly come up on them. Learning to handle a weapon was necessary. So yes, I have a little cowboy in my blood, too.”

  Finn Kipling just got hotter.

  “That’s impressive,” she told him, standing.

  She started helping him clean the dishes off the table, and followed him into the kitchen to place them in the sink. Before she could say no, he popped the top off another beer, something he’d purchased with the hope of one day entertaining her. One night at Iron Horse, he’d asked Jace what kind she liked, he’d gladly shared that detail, wishing Finn luck.

  “So, do you live alone in this big house?” She sipped the beer he’d handed her.

  “Yes. I’m not big on roommates. I like my privacy and my space.”

  “Well, you certainly have a lot of space, but privacy will have to wait until you stop playing football, I’m afraid.”

  He nodded, grinning. “It doesn’t stop me from wanting it.”

  “Why is that? I always assumed people in your profession, celebrities in general, liked the limelight.”

  “Football is what I love. The celebrity part of it is just a necessary evil. If I could play and go home like everyone else, I’d be okay with that.”

  “Seriously? You don’t enjoy all the attention?”

  He knew she was referring to the women that surrounded him at Iron Horse. “Noble, I grew up surrounded by an amazing family. They taught me so many great values. The meaning of hard work, trust, loyalty. I had parents I actually wanted to spend time with. It was the best kind of life.” He took a big gulp of his water. “Becoming a celebrity showed me another side of people I was ignorant to. The greed, the selfish needs, and the money that others think I bleed. Being surrounded by people who only want to use me is not
all that great.”

  “I’m sorry,” she muttered, moving toward him as if she wanted to touch him.

  “It’s not your fault. In fact, you gave me peace of mind.”

  She arched a curious brow. “I did?”

  “You know you did and still do.” He closed in on her, standing so close to her she arched her neck back to look up at him. “You treat me like I’m normal, nothing fancy or different. With you, I’m just Finn.”

  She smiled. “A sometimes annoying Finn.”

  They laughed.

  “I can be…annoying at times, but only when I see something worthy of my annoyance.” He lowered his head, keeping his hands at his sides. “I’m going to kiss you, Noble. Don’t pull away.”

  She nodded.

  Chapter Six

  Noble held her breath as Finn’s lips pressed against hers, a slow but promising build. He savored her mouth, gliding like a feather over her flesh. In an instant, she circled her arms around him, eager to feel every square inch of him. His big, powerful hands pressed against her back, hauling her up against his firm body.

  Dear God, he’s hard everywhere.

  She moaned as he deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue between her lips. The warm heat of his mouth was delightful and thrilling, a moment of sheer excitement flooded through her, starting at her curling toes and springing out through every nerve ending in her body. The fevered connection left her delirious and giddy.

  I’m kissing Finn Kipling and I like it. A lot.

  She arched into him as his touch caressed up her arms, teased the flesh of her collarbone, and cradled her nape. As he controlled the kiss, he cupped her cheek, and with his other hand, he molded his body to hers. She was in heaven, a bliss unlike anything she’d ever imagined.