Secret Obsession

by Katie Reus

  “You okay?” God, he watched her with such concern in those beautiful green eyes.

  For the first time, she saw that he had little gold flecks in his eyes. She cleared her throat. “I’m just feeling really stupid right now,” she whispered, a chill overtaking her despite the even temperature in the room and the sunlight streaming through the windows, bathing her and the table.

  His frown deepened. “Stupid?”

  She nodded once, her throat tight. “From the time I was fourteen I’ve pretty much known the things I have to do to watch out for myself. Watch my drinks, don’t go to parties with boys or men you don’t know. Always have a buddy no matter what, especially if you’re at a club. Meet up for dates in public places, don’t let anyone pick you up from your house unless you really know him. Stuff like that. I just, God, I want to kick myself—”

  His mouth was suddenly on hers, soft and sweet and, okay, a little bit demanding.

  Even though she was surprised, she didn’t question it, just leaned into him. Because of the way he was crouched, they were practically at eye level. She dug her fingers into his shoulders, moaned into his mouth. It was hard to believe she was kissing Ford but if last night was the crappiest night she’d ever had, this was the best morning because holy hell, the man could kiss.

  He let out a low, almost growling sound as he slid one hand through her hair and cupped the back of her head. Now she was really glad she’d brushed her teeth. His hold was dominating, sexy and she felt it all the way to her toes.

  He tasted like coffee and cinnamon. Maybe his flavored creamer. Whatever it was, she wanted to bottle it up because he tasted like heaven. The subtle scent of his cologne or body wash teased her, wrapped around her and she knew the smell was permanently imprinted in her brain. Everything about Ford was absolutely delicious.

  When he flicked his tongue against hers, teasing, taking, she started to slide off her chair, wanting to get closer to him.

  Wanting to get totally naked with him.

  Yeah, she knew it was way too soon, but it was hard to care. The attraction she felt for Ford was off the charts crazy. The first time she’d met him it had been a punch to all her senses. She’d wondered if maybe it was because she’d been relatively sheltered growing up, but nope—since moving to Miami she’d met plenty of men.

  No one got her turned on the way Ford did. She could hardly believe he was kissing her, clearly wanted her. He’d been so standoffish in the past.

  When he pulled back, she made a little protesting sound. She didn’t want to stop. Not now. Things were just getting good.

  His big palms spanned her thighs as he clutched onto her. He laid his forehead against hers, his breathing erratic. “You need to eat.”

  She ran her fingers along his bare shoulders. He should never, ever wear shirts. “I need to kiss you again.”

  He half grinned, closed his eyes as if in pain, then stepped back. “Eat. You had a rough night. I don’t…you just need to eat.”

  She wanted to tell him that food could wait, but he turned away from her and started making his own plate. Way too many emotions pummeled through her, but if he didn’t want to kiss anymore she wouldn’t beg him. Her stomach growled, as if on cue. Okay, maybe she should eat.

  She wanted way more of what sexy Ford had to offer. He was impossible to read though. She wondered if he’d kissed her just to shut her up. No…she could see that she very much physically affected him. No way for him to hide his erection.

  Not that he seemed to be trying.

  So why did he stop? Under different circumstances she might have questioned him, but she needed food, a shower and her own clothes. And to call her friends, let them know she was okay. Not to mention her family. It didn’t matter that Ford had already talked to them—she needed to let her cousins and her uncle know she was totally unharmed.

  But she knew he wouldn’t have kissed her unless he was interested. She’d ask him about it. Eventually.

  * * *

  Ford wasn’t sure what had come over him, kissing Raegan like that. Okay, he knew exactly what had come over him. She was under his skin.

  And he knew that wasn’t going to change anytime soon.

  “Thanks again for taking me home,” she murmured as they pulled into the private parking garage at her building.

  He knew Porter was renting one of his condos to her, was glad she lived somewhere so safe. “You don’t have to keep thanking me.” It made him uncomfortable. He’d helped her the way he’d have helped any woman. Okay, he’d gone a little beyond what he normally would have done by letting her stay over.

  “Fine, I’ll try not to.” Her voice was light, a little teasing. “Did you tell Porter we were coming here?” she asked.

  “No.” He’d decided not to for purely selfish reasons. He wanted to spend more time with Raegan. And if her cousin knew she was in the building, he’d take the elevator down to see her.

  She let out a sigh of pure relief. “Thank God. He seemed fine when I talked to him earlier but I have a feeling he’s going to go into lockdown mode and try to keep me close to home.”

  That wasn’t a bad idea, but Ford didn’t say anything. It was common enough in clubs for assholes to drug random women. Sometimes men just drugged whoever they could, with no intention of assaulting any particular woman. Of course that didn’t mean the woman wasn’t hurt by some other asshole taking advantage of a situation. He’d seen enough of that shit when he’d been on patrol. Just because it was likely Raegan had been a target of pure convenience didn’t mean he wasn’t going to follow up. He’d already put in a call to the club’s owner and apparently so had Keith Caldwell.

  Considering Keith was respected—and feared—in pretty much every circle, Ford had a feeling getting the security feeds from that place was going to be easy. “What are your plans for today?” He hated that he couldn’t insist she take it easy and stay home. But he had no right. She wasn’t his.

  Even though he wanted her to be.

  “I want to stop by Julieta’s—that’s the friend you talked to. She owns a little boutique and runs it with another friend, Ruby, who was there last night too. I just want to see them in person. Jules sounded pretty torn up when I talked to her. I think she feels guilty.”

  “Sometimes shit just happens,” he said, parking when she pointed to a numbered spot.

  “No kidding.”

  He had a feeling she’d have to keep reminding herself of that over the next couple weeks. A scare like this would make her question herself and everyone around her, at least for a little while. He wished he could be around to protect her from…everything.

  “This must be what it’s like to do the walk of shame,” she muttered, looking down at her clothes. Raegan had on a T-shirt and sweatpants she’d borrowed from him.

  They were too big, but he liked the sight of her in his clothes. Something he didn’t plan to analyze too closely. He laughed at her words. “I wouldn’t know.”

  Her hand on the door, she half smiled. “Me neither. I just hope no one from my floor sees me like this.”

  “You’re a grownup. They’ll get over it if they do.”

  She grinned at his words and slid from his truck at the same time he did. “I didn’t notice it before, but seriously, you’re driving a Ford truck?”

  “I can’t drive a Chevy or anything else, not with my name,” he said, rounding the hood to meet her.

  She motioned toward the east side of the parking garage. “Elevators are at the end of this aisle, around the corner. How did your parents come up with the name Ford anyway?”

  He shot her a sideways glance as they headed across the quiet garage. He knew the security here was good, but he automatically scanned for any threats. After what had happened to her, he was feeling particularly vigilant. “Guess,” he said.

  “Don’t tell me it’s because you were conceived in one?” Her eyes widened slightly.

  He wished he could say no. “Yep. I’m just glad my name’s not M
ustang.”

  She snorted as they reached the elevators. “That’s pretty awesome. Is it just you?”

  “I have a brother.” Who he didn’t want to talk about. Or think about. He rolled his shoulders once as she swiped her access card against the security pad.

  “What’s with the tone?” She glanced up at him, her expression curious.

  “There’s no tone.” She was just good at reading him, apparently. It surprised him a little, but it was easy to let his guard down around her.

  Her very pretty lips quirked up as the elevator dinged softly, the doors whooshing open. “You’re definitely lying but since I’m wearing your clothes and you saved me last night, I’ll let it slide.”

  He loved the way she was with him, with people in general. In their past interactions he’d noticed that she had a way about her that put people at ease. Everything about her was so real, and in a sometimes plastic city, it was refreshing. “So if I hadn’t saved you, you wouldn’t let me off the hook?”

  “Pretty much.” She gave him a full-on smile and his heart rate kicked up to epic proportions. “You’re from here, right?”

  “Yeah, born and raised in Homestead, then later I moved to Miami when I got a job with the PD.” He’d also been in the Corps in between those years but didn’t bring it up.

  “I heard from a little birdie that Grant keeps trying to get you to work for Red Stone,” she said as the elevator doors opened onto her floor.

  “Ever since he went to the dark side he’s been trying to bring me with him.” Grant had been a detective before going to work with his family at Red Stone Security.

  She nudged him with her hip. “Hey, I work for said dark side. And the benefits are great in private security.”

  Grinning, he shook his head. “I like my job.”

  “Good. This is me,” she said as they came to stand in front of a door halfway down the plush hall. “You…want to come in for a coffee? You don’t have to,” she rushed out.

  He’d just planned to make sure she got to her door safely, but there was something in her expression that looked a little like fear. Which made sense. After last night, of course she was probably feeling scared. He nodded. “Yeah.”

  Blushing prettily, she opened the door and he followed after her.

  When he didn’t hear the telltale beeping sound of an alarm, he frowned. “Don’t you have a security system?”

  “Yes, but I was running late yesterday and forgot to set it. The building is ridiculously secure though, so it’s fine—what’s that look?”

  He lifted a shoulder, trying to remain casual. Every protective instinct inside him was pretty much ordering him to do a full sweep of her place. Just in case. He knew it was crazy because she was right—the building was one of the most secure in the city. But logic didn’t play into his need to protect Raegan.

  “You totally want to check out my place right now, don’t you? To make sure it’s secure.”

  “Maybe.”

  She gave him a slightly wondering look. “You really are cut from the same cloth as my cousins.” Surprising him, she motioned down the hallway with her hand, a grin tugging at her lips. “Go for it.”

  Not caring that he’d ventured into complete overprotective mode, he did just that, quickly sweeping her one-bedroom place. He found her in the kitchen, pulling two bottles of water from the stainless steel refrigerator. “Is my home free of burglars?” she asked, handing him a bottle.

  “You’re good to go.” Of course, now that he’d seen her bedroom, a place he’d fantasized about, all he could think about was her lying in it. Naked. Under him or on top of him, it didn’t matter.

  “Good. And I know you said to stop thanking you, but whatever, I’m doing it again. Thank you for this. I…was a little scared to come home by myself, which feels stupid, but…” Trailing off, she shrugged.

  “It’s not stupid,” he murmured, his gaze dipping to her mouth even as he told himself not to. After that kiss in his kitchen, the memory of her taste and the sweet way she’d moaned into his mouth had been replaying over and over in his mind.

  She cleared her throat, almost nervously. “So…after running up to Julieta’s shop this morning I was going to head to the beach for a couple hours. Do you want to come with me? No pressure if you can’t, I—”

  “I’d love to.” The words were out before he could stop himself. He hadn’t been to the beach for relaxation in as long as he could remember. But getting to spend more time with Raegan, and seeing her in a bathing suit? Yeah. Even if he knew he was playing with fire, he couldn’t seem to make himself walk away from her. For once, he made himself ignore the voice in his head that told him things would end badly, that he’d just end up getting burned again.

  Chapter 6

  “Are you trying to destroy my new shipment?”

  Ruby looked up to find Julieta frowning at her. With a box cutter in one hand and pieces of a destroyed cardboard box on the ground around her, Ruby figured she probably looked a little nuts. “I already took the clothes out.”

  “So you just decided to attack a poor, defenseless box?” Julieta lifted an eyebrow, her lips curving up into an amused grin as she looked at the tattered remains littering the otherwise clean floor.

  “I’m in a bitchy mood today, sorry.” She figured she might as well be honest. Well, as honest as she could be. She certainly wasn’t going to tell Julieta that her oldest brother was a big jerk who she wanted to punch in the face right now.

  Immediately Julieta’s expression morphed to one of concern. “I’m feeling weird about last night too. Raegan’s on her way over though. She just called. That cop who helped her is with her.”

  Ruby’s mood lifted a fraction. She set the box cutter down on the table they used for unloading. “Is this the same guy she’s had a thing for since moving to Miami?”

  “I don’t know. She was cagey on the phone.”

  “Well if he’s coming with her…” For months, Raegan had had a crush on some guy who her cousin Grant was friends with, but she’d never told them the guy’s name. She’d been really private about it. Not that Ruby could exactly blame her. Ruby hadn’t admitted to anyone she was half in love with Montez—because he was Julieta’s brother. After last night though, she realized she needed to move on from him. It was clear nothing could ever happen between them.

  “Yeah, I thought so too. And he knows Grant so I think it must be the same guy, because she told me Grant and Mystery Man used to work together.”

  At the buzzing sound, letting them know a customer had just entered the store, Ruby smoothed a hand down her red, scoop collar vintage-style dress. This was one of her go-to dresses when she was feeling crappy. “Do whatever it is you came back here to do. I’ve got the front.”

  “I’m hiding this box cutter and all knives,” she called out as Ruby disappeared through the door to the front.

  The laughter died on her lips when she saw Montez standing in the middle of the store. He looked out of place among all the displays of lingerie. Thankfully the sex toys were at the front of the shop in a discreet display case, but she didn’t want to see him right now.

  Not when she was still so hurt after last night. That’s what she got for putting herself out there. She’d thought Montez was different. They’d been friends for months and…whatever. It didn’t matter now. “I’ll get your sister,” she said, already turning back to the storeroom door.

  “I came to see you.”

  She should have known, but nerves still skittered through her. Montez had been in here maybe once since Ruby had been working here. Sandro came in all the time, but that was because he was a huge flirt and liked to hit on all of Julieta’s friends. Pasting on a fake but friendly smile she turned back around. She didn’t want Julieta to know anything was wrong so she could pretend if she had to.

  “Need help finding something? A dildo perhaps?” Her heels clicked against the smooth wood floor as she rounded the cash register to greet him. She might not
want to talk to him, but she wasn’t going to hide from him.

  He rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, turned the injured side of his face away as he so often did. As if she gave a crap about his scars. Yeah, they were hard to miss since they covered half his face, but they didn’t take away from who he was, how he’d gotten them. She knew he’d nearly died saving his friends and even though he hadn’t saved all of them, he was the bravest man she’d ever known.

  “I was a dick last night,” he said.

  At least he admitted it. “Yep. A big one.” She was glad he seemed nervous. Served him right.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have talked to you like that. I…there’s no excuse. I’m just sorry.”

  She looked into his dark eyes and realized he truly was sorry. But that didn’t ease any of the pain in her chest. She’d had it bad for him for a year. Pretty much ever since she’d met him. He could be so sweet and kind, especially to his family. But he could also be a surly jerk. He’d just never been that way to her before. Until last night. He’d talked to her like she was nothing and it cut deep. “Fine. Apology accepted.”

  “Damn it, Ruby.” Expression pained, he stepped closer, until only a foot separated them.

  She could see the tension in every line of his incredible body. She knew he ran every day. Some mornings when she opened up the shop she’d see him jogging in the area, as if demons were chasing him. For all she knew, maybe they were. He worked, spent time with his family, and worked out. As far as she knew that was pretty much all he’d done the past couple years since getting out of the Marines.

  But she’d seen the way he looked at her and had kept waiting for him to make a move. After she’d almost been hit by that car and avoided what could have been a much worse fate from a lunatic, she’d thought he’d finally make a move. She was an old-fashioned kind of girl and she’d wanted him to. But when it was clear he wouldn’t, enough was enough. She’d decided to go for it. After last night, however, she just wanted to smack him. “I said, apology accepted.”