Tangled: Emerson Falls, Book 1

by Harlow James

  “Yeah, I’ve had a tough week too. So what do you do that is so grueling?”

  Before Mr. Mysterious can answer, a loud crash of glass booms through the bar. Both of us turn our heads in the direction of the scene, fixating on two servers who collided, their trays full of drinks smashing into pieces and leaving one hell of a mess.

  “Wow, that sucks,” I say just as the man in front of me goes to stand.

  “Care to play some pool?” He offers his hand to me, which I take a little too eagerly. The connection of our skin touching sends a flutter to my belly, the tingles I felt before from just talking to him are now traveling all over my body with a fury. He takes my hand and leads me to the corner of the bar where four pool tables are situated. One table seems to have been recently abandoned, so we place our drinks on the high-top table next to it as my mystery man begins to rack the balls.

  “You’ve played before, right?” He asks while hunched over the table. I watch the muscles in his forearms flex while he moves the balls into the plastic triangle. I’ve never been one to admire forearms before, but on this guy, they’re quickly becoming one of my favorite features.

  Little does this man know, but I was quite the pool shark back in college. Being a math person, I understand the geometry of the game. It’s all about the angles, but he doesn’t need to know that.

  The last time I played pool was against Trevor, and I beat him so badly, I swear he was going to cry.

  I shake my head, struggling to throw the thoughts of my ex out and focus and the perfect specimen of distraction in front of me. I’ve never been one to use one man to get over another, but hey, there’s a first time for everything, right?

  “Yeah, I’ve played before, but it’s been a while.”

  “Care to make it interesting?” He glances up at me, smiling mischievously.

  “What are you thinking?” I pop my hip out, resting my hand there with some much-added sass. This guy has no idea who he’s up against.

  “Next round of drinks is on the loser?” He stands once the balls are neatly tucked into a triangle, reaching around to grab two pool sticks from the rack.

  I purse my lips in thought, then an idea pops into my head.

  “If you win, I’ll buy the next round,” I nod, which he seems to like. “But if I win, you owe me a dance.”

  He instantly straightens his spine and then eyes me suspiciously.

  “A dance?”

  “Yeah. Since you were so intent on interrupting mine from before, I need a full song with no interruptions in redemption. And I only feel it’s fitting for you to have to join me.”

  He takes a moment to mull over my suggestion before reaching his hand out to solidify our stakes with a handshake. His confidence is cute, and I can’t wait to wipe that smirk off of his face in a moment.

  “You can break,” I offer as he hands me my stick.

  “You sure?”

  “Yup. Go for it, Garrison,” I tease as he smiles over at me. That smile is making me warm and wet between my legs. But I have to give him a chance at least before I wipe the floor with him.

  The delicious man in front of me bends over the pool table, tucking his stick in close to his body as he narrows his eyes in focus on the balls in front of him. All I can think about is what his face would look like staring down at me beneath him, or better yet, looking up at me from between my legs.

  He pulls back and slams his stick into the cue ball, breaking the formation effortlessly as the balls scatter all over the green felt. A striped ball finds its way into a pocket as he declares he’ll take stripes for the game.

  I nod, watching him peruse the table searching for his next shot. Once he finds one he deems worthy, he hunches over again and pelts another ball into a corner pocket.

  “Damn, looks like I might not get that dance after all.”

  He gazes over at me, shrugging with confidence. “I wouldn’t make a bet I didn’t feel confident about,” he says as he takes his next shot, but misses.

  Sauntering over to the table, I grab the chalk from the edge of the wooden frame, rubbing it on top of the nub on the end of my stick. Placing it back down, I lock eyes with him, searching for any indication that I shouldn’t keep this game going.

  “Neither would I,” I fire back, turning to approach the table, adding a little more swing to my hips for his enjoyment.

  I’ve never been a shy woman. I’ve never been one to feel intimidated by a man. But given everything that just happened with Trevor, my confidence is shaken. This man is slowly helping rebuild it though with every perusal of my body and bit of attention he gives me.

  I don’t even know this guy’s entire name. I don’t know what he does for a living, where he grew up, if he’s respectful to his mom, if he’s a serial killer, or if he secretly wears women’s underwear for fun.

  But if the way he makes my body all hot and bothered is any indication, I’d say my hormones may take the lead tonight. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a down and dirty fuck. Maybe this guy is just what I need. And judging by the way he’s been eye-fucking me for the past hour, I think we’re on the same page.

  I lean over to line up my shot, chuckling to myself at how easy this is about to be. I watch his eyes travel all over my body, zeroing in on the ample cleavage my shirt is offering. I laugh and then smack the cue ball, sending the solid ball to sink in the corner pocket.

  “Nice shot,” he offers while he observes my every move.

  “Beginner’s luck,” I joke as I find my next shot and complete that one with ease.

  Garrison watches me as I sink ball after ball, the smile on his face slowly falling as he realizes he’s just been played. Once the eight-ball is all that’s left, I take a break to gather a sip from my beer as he grins up at me from his seat.

  “You hustled me,” he confronts me as I stand before him.

  “You’re the one who raised the stakes. I was honest that it had been a while since I’ve played, but it’s kind of like riding a bike. Well, that and understanding geometry. Playing pool is all about the angles.”

  “I’ve noticed. Personally, I like curves a lot more,” he says as his eyes shift down my body. I feel the desire radiate from my chest as my heart picks up and beats frantically. God, this man is dangerous.

  “Well, let me end this right now so we can get to our dance,” I reply, sidestepping his comment, but peering back over my shoulder as I watch his eyes soak up all of my curves. I sure am glad I wore my favorite jeans tonight.

  I sink the eight ball in the side pocket with little effort before Garrison grabs my stick and returns both his and mine to the rack.

  “Time to pay up,” I tease him as he circles his hands around my hips, pulling me in close to his body. The brush of his chest across my breasts make my nipples instantly harden. He leans down to whisper in my ear, the brush of his breath on my skin igniting goosebumps up and down my arms.

  “I might have lost at pool, but I feel like I’m the real winner really, now that I get to put my hands all over you as we dance,” he growls as his words resonate in my ear like an aphrodisiac. He stands up tall and then takes my hand, leading me to the dance floor as my legs fight to keep up with him after turning to jello from his words.

  The truth is, I feel like we’re both about to win our little game tonight.

  Chapter 7

  Kane

  Fun. The whole point of approaching this woman tonight was from Tony’s nudge to have a little fun.

  But what’s transpiring between me and Red is way beyond fun.

  It’s heat. Desire. Pure lust.

  The fire of her hair and her confidence is burning me, but I’m welcoming it. It’s been a long time since I’ve been tempted to touch a flame, and this woman is tempting me with every move she makes.

  As soon as we hit the dance floor, Def Leppard’s ‘Pour Some Sugar on Me’ filters overhead, granting me with the biggest smile from the woman that has stolen my attention for the night. I’m nev
er here this late at Tony’s, but right now, I’m oblivious to anyone and anything around me besides her.

  “Ah! I couldn’t have picked a more perfect song for you to owe me a dance to!” She shouts over the music, shimmying her hips to the beat as she approaches me. Her hands land on my shoulders and my palms instinctually find her hips, curving around her waist and following her lead to the beat. I don’t consider myself a bad dancer, but it’s not something I do very often.

  “As long as I can watch you move like this, I’ll dance with you all night,” I confess, much to my own surprise. She smiles up at me with want in her eyes. I’m not gonna lie. I barely know this woman and I’m already scared of the effect she’s having on me. “You’ve got rhythm, that’s for sure.”

  “I used to be a dancer,” she offers between her moves. “Now shut up and stop interrupting the song again. Remember, that’s what got you into this mess in the first place,” she teases before turning around to press her ass into my crotch while she continues to sway her hips.

  I laugh. “So if I keep talking, I have to keep dancing with you?” I whisper in her ear as I pull her closer to me, one palm on her stomach and the other on her hip. I feel her fingers dig into my hands as she places hers over mine, clearly affected by my words.

  “At this rate, we’ll be here all night,” she fires back, pressing her ass into me even further. My dick is painfully hard now, a development I’m sure she can feel through her jeans.

  “Oh, I don’t think we’ll last all night. I have other plans for us.”

  She turns to face me, wrapping her hands around my neck this time. “Is that so? What plans are those, Garrison?” She bats her eyelashes a few times before staring me down.

  I toy with how to approach the subject. It’s clear there’s sexual tension here. We’re both feeling it. I know I’m not looking for anything serious, but I can’t say she’s thinking the same. Although the vibes she’s been giving me would definitely suggest she’s down for a good time. That’s all this needs to be. A physical release. Two adults enjoying each other. A little fun.

  “I’m gonna be honest, okay?” I stare down at her, those hazel eyes locked on mine as she nods.

  “Please do…”

  “I don’t do this. I’m a simple guy that keeps to himself most of the time. But clearly there’s something here. I’m not looking for anything serious, but if you’re down to have some fun tonight, I’m game. From the moment I laid eyes on you, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about what you’d sound like as I sink my cock into you. You’re sexy, Red. A tease. And I’d love nothing more than to fuck your brains out.”

  The corner of her mouth tips up as her eyes bounce back and forth between mine. She rises on her toes and presses her lips to my mouth, the gesture catching me off guard. But as soon as it registers in my brain, my other head takes over and I pull her to me, licking her lips so she’ll open up to me.

  I swirl my tongue with hers, the heat of her mouth makes my entire body temperature rise as my hands splay across her back and I press her tightly to my chest. Her hands weave up into my hair and pull me down to her so our lips are molded so closely together, it’s hard to tell who’s in control. And fuck if I care at this point because this woman tastes better than I could have imagined. The hint of beer on her tongue mixed with pent up sexual frustration is enough to make me groan out loud as I continue to assault her mouth with mine.

  She claws at my neck, moaning seductively as we continue to kiss. I knew she was trouble. And now that I’ve tasted her, I need more. I want to see what kind of punishment she can dish out.

  I break us apart, resting my forehead on hers as we both fight to refill our lungs with oxygen.

  “I don’t normally do this either. But fuck it. Tonight I want to play. Let’s get out of here,” she rasps from the overexertion of our kiss.

  I stand up straight, searching for Tony, my eyes landing on him behind the bar as he shakes his head at me with a knowing smirk. Fucker. He knows he was right.

  Whatever. I’ll take his shit-talking later.

  “Close out my tab, Tony,” I yell over at him as he nods.

  “We’ll settle it next week. Have a good night.” He waves over at me as I grab Red’s hand and usher her out of the bar.

  The moment we clear the door, I spin around and push her up against the side of the building, pinning her between the wall and my growing erection.

  “How drunk are you?”

  “I’m buzzed, but not so drunk that I don’t know what I’m getting in to,” she answers.

  “Did you drive?”

  “No, I Ubered with my friends, remember?”

  “Right. So, your place?” I growl in her ear as she claws at my shoulders.

  “My place is a disaster. I just moved in.”

  “My place is too far away. I need you. Now.”

  “If you don’t mind the mess, then my place it is,” she says before reaching up and taking my bottom lip between her teeth. The faint taste of blood fills my mouth from the deep penetration of her teeth on my lip, which both concerns me and turns me on like never before. There’s nothing sexier than a woman who makes it clear what she wants, especially when it comes to sex.

  Fuck, I need this woman. NOW.

  I lead her to my truck, opening the passenger door for her and helping her up inside.

  After we’re both buckled in, I peel out of the parking lot and follow her directions to an apartment complex I’m vaguely familiar with.

  The charcoal blanket of the sky dotted with twinkling stars rests above us, framing the trees that line the roads of this sleepy forest town.

  Once we arrive, I follow her up the steps to her door, holding her hips in my hands from behind, kissing and sucking on her neck as she fiddles with her keys to unlock the handle. Once she turns her key and leads me inside, she throws her purse somewhere to the left and then jumps in my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist. I waste no time pinning her up against the door and grinding my erection between her legs as my mouth claims her in a heated and desperate kiss.

  It’s messy, hot, wet, and wild. Everything I knew this woman would be and more.

  Damn, I’m so glad I listened to Tony right now because watching this woman come undone beneath me will definitely be fun.

  Chapter 8

  Olivia

  Don’t think. Just feel.

  Well, I’m pretty sure I couldn’t try to unfeel the raging hard-on of the man between my legs grinding up against my clit even if I tried. Jesus. With what he’s packing, I might not be able to walk tomorrow.

  Pressed up against my door, my legs circling his waist, I surrender to Garrison and his mouth, plunging my tongue into his with severe desperation. Hell, the man can kiss and the way his hands feel squeezing my ass as he holds me up makes me itch with anticipation for the way our bare skin will feel against each other in a moment.

  “Fuck, Red. Ditch the clothes. Now,” he orders, lowering me to the ground as I bend down to unzip my boots, throwing them across my living room full of boxes, the smack of leather against cardboard echoing in the empty space.

  I watch him as he reaches down to pull off his boots as well, standing back up to observe me as we both remain there, panting wildly.

  My arms reach out for his shirt, my fingers finding the buttons on his flannel as I frantically pop each button open one by one when his mouth finds mine again. I hear the whoosh of his inhale when he kisses me, his sudden intake of oxygen assures me he’s fighting to keep some ounce of control right now.

  We break apart as he growls, “Fuck it,” and proceeds to rip his flannel open as the few remaining buttons scatter across the floor before he whips the shirt across the room, standing there in a skintight black tank top and his jeans. The way the cotton molds to the boulders of his chest, showcasing the most massive shoulders and biceps I’ve ever seen on a man pushes my libido into overdrive.

  It’s been so long since I’ve been filled with this need to
have a man so desperately, the adrenaline coursing through my veins has taken over and I react on pure instinct.

  I reach for the hem of his shirt as he does the same on me, both of us pushing the fabric up and over our heads before slamming back together in a heated tangle of limbs. Garrison reaches down to unbutton my jeans, pushing the denim down my legs, grabbing a handful of my exposed ass in his hands as he kneels before me.

  “God, your ass is amazing. One of my first thoughts about you was how this would feel in my hands,” he murmurs looking up at me while he squeezes my cheeks and slaps them lightly. Next, he kisses a trail up my legs until he meets the juncture of my thighs, running his nose along my slit through the silk of my thong, which doesn’t hide my insatiable need for him, the dampness of my arousal on full display.

  Just when I think he’s about to bury his face between my legs, he falls backward on to the floor, pulling me on top of him as he lies down. His hands grab the back of my thighs, pushing me up higher on his chest before he situates me right above his mouth, lining up perfectly with my pussy.

  His hands pull on the strings of my thong, breaking the elastic in half, the snap of the material shocking me a bit as he lifts the fabric away from my body to expose my center right above his face.

  “Hmmm… I’m going to enjoy this way too much,” he declares before dragging the tip of his tongue through my wet slit, parting my lips and lapping up every drop of my wetness.

  “Oh, God!” I shout, surrendering myself to the feeling of his tongue diving in and out of me, listening to the groans coming from his mouth as he feasts.

  I let my need take over, riding his face with no shame while falling forward to support myself on the floor below us, drowning in the ecstasy this man is giving me with his mouth. His tongue does wicked things to my clit, his lips suck hard and furiously on my bundle of nerves, drowning me in unadulterated pleasure.

  God, I’ve forgotten how incredible sex can be when you let your inhibitions go.