Plain Jane and the Bad Boy (Plain Jane Series)

by Tmonique Stephens

A fork slipped out of her hand and clanked onto a plate. “What?” Sabrina spun, certain she’d missed a few key sentences.

  Willa had the convection oven open and was basting a tray of rolls with melted butter. “I was talking, but you weren’t listening. Where’d you go?”

  “Nowhere.” She finished with the table and joined Willa at the stove. “Anything I can help with?”

  Willa closed the oven and with her hand on her hip and her head cocked to the side, she eyed Sabrina coldly. She could guess what she thought—plain, uneducated, unwanted. What the hell was she doing here? Instead of cowering, her spine stiffened, and she returned Willa’s cold appraisal. I was invited, dammit. Willa leaned her hip against the counter. “You like your job with Anna and Sasha?”

  The question surprised Sabrina, but she answered quickly. “Anna has to be the kindest person on the planet.” And wondered where the question came from and where it was going. Willa, Anna, and Sasha were thick as thieves. Had someone said something about Sabrina? Was her job in jeopardy?

  Willa nodded. “And Sasha?” She pressed.

  “She’s nice.” It was the best reply Sabrina could come up with. Willa waited for more. “Distracted by the pregnancy, but that’s not unusual with a few weeks left.” Should she have lied and said Sasha was the best worker in the world or a female Andy Dwyer?

  “So, she’s lazy?”

  Yeah, but… “That’s not what I said.” The last thing Sabrina needed was to insult Sasha and for Willa to use it against her.

  “You didn’t have to. Sasha was lazy and flighty before Billy knocked her up. I’m hoping the baby changes that, but doubt it.” She laughed and gave Sabrina a friendly smack on the shoulder. “So, you’re from Lazarus house?”

  Talk about taking the conversation in a different direction. “Yes.” Which Willa had to have already known.

  “Your ex still hunting you?” Willa picked up a pair of tongs.

  Whether she knew it or not, Willa had crossed a line. “I don’t want to talk about him,” Sabrina snapped. With anyone.

  Willa turned to the grill to rotate the potatoes. “I get that. I wouldn’t want to talk about a man who got off on kicking my ass either.” She spun again and used the tongs to get her point across. “Here’s the thing. This is a residential area with families and pregnant women and children. We have a nice little enclave here, and the thought of some psycho stalking around here looking for you, upsets me. I don’t like being upset, and I don’t like or want to be a potential target because he can’t get to you, understand?”

  Yeah, Sabrina understood perfectly.

  “Now, you seem really nice and all, but I can count on one hand all the people I would die for, and you ain’t one of them. So where is your ex so he can be handled before he gets ideas and someone gets hurt?”

  “Prison. He’s locked up for a very long time. With any luck, he’ll die there.”

  Willa dropped the tongs onto the counter. Her entire demeanor changed. Gone was the palpable hostility, and she broke into a wide grin. “Awesome!” She tipped her head toward the house. “Can you take the appetizers out of the refrigerator and bring the salad out here? Thanks.” She headed to the wine refrigerator.

  Sabrina hated mind games, and she’d just been played. “Was that a test?”

  Willa cocked her head to the side, as if pondering the question when they both already knew the answer. “Yes,” said flatly.

  Sabrina seethed, but knew how to hide her anger behind a vapid smile. After all, she’d perfected the no clue stare under Vincent’s tutelage. Better a doormat than a punching bag. “Did I pass?”

  “For now. Appetizers and salad, please.” Willa reminded her.

  “Sure.” Glad to get away, she entered the house and found the women in the same spot, chatting away. Not one of them looked up with a greeting. Anna’s attention was on Vivi. They had moved to the floor, giving Vivi room to explore. Someone had turned on the TV. She didn’t know what show, but all the Kardashians were on.

  As she moved through the great room, the front door opened, and male voices filtered in. Caught between the two rooms, she watched the men filter in. Mack threw a wave at Willa and headed for the kitchen. Billy made a beeline for Sasha. He kissed her and stroked her belly. Jay entered and went straight for Lori. She didn’t seem pleased. Sabrina kept looking, waiting for Liam to enter his home and felt lost when he didn’t.

  “Liam’s not here yet?” Mack already had a beer in his hand, the cap flipped into the garbage.

  It took Sabrina a minute to realize he spoke to her and not Anna, who’d come into the kitchen with Vivi. “No. Wasn’t he with you?” They were at the same job site, the vet’s house.

  “He let us go about an hour ago. Knew we had to clean up. Can’t show up here filthy and hear Willa’s mouth for the next week. Thought he’d leave right after us.” He took a swig of beer and fished his phone out of his back pocket. Sabrina tried not to be obvious as she moved around the kitchen. Eavesdropping came naturally as a survival skill.

  “He’s not picking up.” Mack plunked his beer on the counter and whistled sharply. Billy and Jay’s heads snapped up. A chin lift to the door and the two were on their feet. Mack whispered something to both. No matter how hard she strained, Sabrina couldn’t catch their words over the drum of her heart. Something was wrong and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it.

  Without another word, the trio headed for the door. Sabrina followed, her feet overruling her head. Mack turned back and looked at her. Had she said something and not realized it?

  “Let Willa know we’ll be back.”

  “You’re going to find him, right?” Fear had her stomach upside down.

  He reached to take her by the shoulders. Sabrina retreated. He didn’t need to touch her to say what he had to say. “He’s probably still at the job and can’t get to the phone. We’ll head over and—”

  “I get here and you’re leaving?” Liam entered from the porch. He was still in his filthy work clothes. Streaks of dirt and sweat covered his forehead and highlighted his biceps. He looked gorgeous.

  “Where the fuck you been?” Mack shouted and met Liam in the middle of the room. “You good?” His voice dropped to a whisper.

  “Yeah. After you left, the vet showed up with his wife and wanted to see the house, what we’ve done so far. I took them around and showed them what I could with him wheelchair bound. They left happy.” Liam slapped Mack on the back and then turned to the rest of the room.

  The relief coursing through her ebbed as Nikki unfurled from the couch and strutted over to Liam. She was beautiful, just like the girl he dumped into the mustang. He definitely had a type, and it wasn’t a skinny brunette.

  Liam ignored her. Not even a spare glance her way, his gaze landed on Vivi with her butt planted on the hearth. Then skipped to Sabrina standing in the kitchen.

  Nikki blocked his path. He seemed surprised she was there. “Hey, Nikki,” he said, and stepped around her. He left her standing there, frowning at his back.

  Suddenly, Sabrina remembered the appetizers and salad Willa wanted. She opened the refrigerator and had a plate of antipasto in one hand and a large salad bowl in the other, when he appeared by her side.

  “Hey.” He closed the refrigerator and took both from her. The food was placed on the counter, then he took her hand and, while everyone watched openmouthed, he pulled her along behind him.

  “Um, the party is behind us.” She jogged to keep up with his long stride and her skirt tangling her legs.

  “I know that.” He continued, taking her up a set of stairs.

  “Where are we going?”

  “My bedroom.”

  That caused her to falter, but not stop. “Why are we going there?”

  “Because it’s been a week since I kissed you.”

  She stumbled again. Liam caught her to his chest, opened his bedroom door and with a quick spin, they were in his bedroom. He flipped the light switch. The bed was a ki
ng-size with a leather headboard. The sheets unadorned and black. The room was done in gray with a tray ceiling and white crown molding. The furniture, black matte. Stark, masculine, but nice. On a tall dresser, behind a few pictures, a shadow box filled with medals.

  Then she was in his arms, not kissing, not yet. “I have to get back to Vivi.” Stalling, though she didn’t know why. She wanted this, him. Wanted his kiss again, just to see if the chemistry she experienced was real or wishful thinking.

  “No, you don’t. Anna has her. She couldn’t be safer.” He brushed her hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear. “All I want is a kiss.”

  The silent for now hovered between them. Liam cupped her face, his touch gentle as his thumbs stroked her cheeks. “Damn, I got dirt on you.” His hands slid away slowly.

  Sabrina caught them and brought his hands back to her face. “What’s a little dirt between friends.”

  “That’s what we are?” he said low and throaty.

  A sweet thread of heat unfurled between her thighs. By the glint lighting his dark eyes, he felt it too. His hand moved to her nape and into her hair. She wanted him to take a handful, twist it around his fist, pull her head back and take what he wanted. Because that’s what she wanted, and it had been forever since she wanted anything other than surviving at all.

  “You gave me a job, a home, food. I’d say we’re friends,” she murmured, luxuriating in having him so close.

  That lust she saw in his eyes vanished. This time, he released her and moved completely out of her space. “Why don’t you go back to the party. I’ll be down in a sec.” He moved quickly and was on the other side of the bathroom door before she could react.

  What the fuck just happened? Going back downstairs to the damn party, yeah, she should do that. Sabrina yanked open the bathroom door. His shirt was off and his belt unbuckled, Levis unzipped and hanging off his ass.

  He yanked his jeans back up. “Fuck, Sabrina! I said go back downstairs.”

  She took in the breadth of his chest, the width of his shoulders, brick abs tracking down to lean hips. Holy, her libido howled, which was not helpful. “What the fuck just happened out there?”

  “Nothing just happened, that’s what. Now go.” He flung his arm toward the door, dismissing her.

  Leave, whispered in her brain. An angry man was a dangerous man. For some reason, she stormed into the bathroom with him. “You drag me up here, play with my hair, and tell me to leave? What the fuck. You don’t get to play me like that.” In his face, she stood. “I’m not a toy you wind up, get going and leave hanging.”

  His lips peeled back from even white teeth and he snarled, “You ain’t the only one left hanging. A thank you fuck isn’t what I’m after.”

  She reeled back. “What? What the hell does that mean?”

  He counted down on his fingers. “I got you food. You live in my property. I got you a job. You don’t owe me. I did it ’cause I want to. Not to get between your legs. Don’t sell yourself that cheaply.”

  Stunned, all she could do was glare at him. “Maybe it’s you who shouldn’t sell yourself cheaply. I’m not a whore. A thank you fuck? Really! Because you bought me groceries. You can shove your job up your ass. I don’t screw around. Never have. Never will.”

  She stormed away, made it to the bedroom door, had it partially open when Liam took hold of her arm, hauled her back, and slammed the door closed. “Don’t touch me.” She wheeled around the room, looking for another way out.

  Hands up and open, he kept his distance and said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to come out that way.”

  “I don’t care,” she spat as she paced beside the bed.

  “I do care. Sabrina—”

  “Step away from the door.” She didn’t want to hear it.

  Liam retraced his steps to the bathroom, giving her clear access to leave. “I don’t want you to think you owe me, because you don’t. What I did, I did because I couldn’t look away and do nothing when you needed help.”

  Unbelievable! “So, this was supposed to be a pity fuck, then? Are you so generous with all the lonely, abused woman out there?”

  A smile cracked his face and he doubled over laughing. “When we finally get between the sheets, pity and gratitude won’t be on the agenda, making you scream from pleasure will.”

  Too smooth, she’d fallen for a smooth talker before and wouldn’t again. “You didn’t answer the question. Is this what you do with women, play hero to get them in bed?”

  Hands on hips, a deep frown tightened his forehead. “Darling, I don’t need to play hero.”

  She guessed he referred to whatever he did in the service, not what he did for her. “Yeah. You do.” She wanted him, no use denying it. But not like this.

  “Everything I did for you, I did because I wanted to. No ulterior motives, Sabrina.”

  She wanted to believe him. He gave no reason not to believe him…

  “Didn’t mean to scare you. I don’t ever want you to be afraid of me ’cause I’ll never hurt you.”

  She didn’t want to believe him yet did. Not because he said the right words, but because he’d never done anything to make her think otherwise. He was kind and gentle and giving, and so damn sexy. “I know you’ll never hurt me.”

  He approached, his steps deliberate. She could leave, had no fear he’d stop or hurt her. Instead, she folded her arms and waited to hear him out. “I wanted to kiss you when I brought you up here. Our last kiss…” He captured her face between his hands and brought her to him. “It wasn’t enough. I want more.”

  Heat pooled low and her heartbeat thrummed in her ears.

  “Can I kiss you?”

  Never had anyone, not Vincent, not the boys she dated before that fateful day when he crossed her path, had ever asked for permission to kiss her. “Do you ask that question before you kiss every woman?”

  One corner of his mouth curled. “Only you, I ask. Only you.”

  That was so the right answer. Sabrina tipped her head up and went to her toes to reach him.

  A knock echoed.

  “Everything all right in there?” Mack’s voice came through the bedroom door. “Heard some yelling that didn’t sound pleasurable. The ladies were concerned and sent me up here. I told them to mind their business. That went nowhere fast. It was either me or them. Figured I was the preferable choice.”

  Liam arched an eyebrow and waved at her to answer. “Yes. Everything’s fine,” she said.

  “We’ll be down in a minute,” Liam shouted for Mack’s benefit. “You’d better go and let everyone see you’re in one piece,” he said to her.

  “Or I could wait and give them more to gossip about.” She thought of the blonde trio and what Willa said and decided to give them more to gossip and chew on.

  He liked that thought, judging by the sly smile stretching across his face. “All right. I’m gonna take a shower. Stay or you could join me?”

  The slow clench between her legs gave her answer. It wasn’t easy to say, “I’ll stay here.”

  He nodded once, leaned in and brushed his lips across hers so sweetly her toes curled. Maybe she did need a shower. Laughter came from downstairs. They weren’t alone.

  “I’ll be quick.”

  She watched him walk away, how couldn’t she when the view was spectacular. He left the door open, wide open. She heard the shower turn on, water splashing tile. The clank of his belt buckle hitting the floor. The slide of the shower door opening and the change in the water pattern.

  He’s naked now. The last time she had been anywhere close to a naked man was almost a year ago when she was a new mother. Vivi was just a month old. Vincent didn’t care. His trial was over. The jury had the case. He was guilty. Everyone knew it. Especially him. He was going away for a long time. She wasn’t sorry. The love had died long ago. He was Vivi’s father, but didn’t deserve her or Sabrina.

  Don’t go down that road. Don’t think about it. Stop! Don’t do it!

  Too l
ate, she’d already tumbled down the rabbit hole. Rapid fire, memories she strove to avoid, buffeted her. That night, the night before his conviction, replayed in her head as a series of two-second images she couldn’t run away from.

  “Sabrina.”

  Her name came at her from a mile away, yet she couldn’t answer, even though she recognized the voice and wanted to respond. Anything to stop the violent kaleidoscope spinning in her head.

  “Sabrina!”

  Hands grabbed her shoulders. Her head snapped back and forth once, pulling her out of the sinkhole she’d stumbled into. Her eyes peeled up—when had she closed them?—and focused on Liam. The concern on his face reached through the panic, shredding the wall she’d built around her emotions.

  She hugged him, so thankful he was here. He held onto her, his strong arms wrapped all the way around her shoulders and back, her face buried in his chest…his wet incredibly hard chest. She peeked below and was grateful his towel covered his package.

  One hand slid down her back, the other came around to clasp her chin. He brought her chin up and she couldn’t hide anymore. “I came out of the bathroom and you were sitting on the bed shaking, crying?”

  Surprised, she thought she was standing, not perched on the edge of his bed. And crying? She touched her face and her hand came away wet.

  “Where did you go?”

  Nowhere she wanted to be. “Um, it was nothing.” She pushed against him, had to be free. Liam wouldn’t move. “Please, I need some fresh air.”

  “If it’s nothing, why do you need air?”

  “Because, I do.” She knocked his hand away from her chin and pushed against his arms, this time harder. Liam wasn’t going anywhere he didn’t want.

  “Talk to me. Tell me what’s going on with you?”

  What could she say when she had no idea what was going on with her, and even if she did, why tell him? She buried those memories and had no reason to dig them up now, especially in the bedroom of a half-naked man. “Just…let me go.” She pushed and didn’t stop until he had no choice but to release her or force her to stay.

  Liam rose, and she almost called herself stupid as her gaze dragged down his body to the dark line of hair disappearing beneath the edge of the towel around his hips. He stepped back, turned away and ran a hand through his wet hair.