“Oh my God,” I gasped, wondering if it was possible for eyes to literally roll into a person’s head from the intensity of an experience. This time I came hard, no long buildup of sensation or gentle warming. Nope. Just an explosion of lust and satisfaction braced like an animal in the home of a man I wasn’t even dating.

Glorious.

Reese pulsed deep inside me as he came. Then he stilled, my butt pulled tight against his groin, his fingers digging into me hard enough I figured I’d find bruises later.

The thought made me giggle.

I might have a sex injury!

Reese let me go, pulling out and catching the condom. I collapsed onto my stomach, still panting, wondering if I could just go to sleep for a while. Pretend the outside world wasn’t real, and that Jessica wasn’t in the shit yet again.

His thick, muscular arm came around me, pulling me back into the cradle of his body.

“That was very nice,” I murmured, eyes closed.

“Nice? I think I’m insulted,” he replied, although he sounded smug as hell. His hand cupped my breast, casually playing with my nipple as we lay in silence.

“I’m going to be sore tomorrow …” I said, yawning. “But totally worth it.”

“Sore? I wasn’t that rough.”

“No, just been a while.”

“How long?”

“Well, my ex-husband left six years ago, when I got custody of Jess, so … six years.”

Reese’s hand stopped moving.

“You haven’t had sex in six years?” he asked, his voice incredulous.

I frowned. “You don’t have to say it like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like I’m a freak.”

“You’re not a freak, sweetheart,” he replied. “But gotta admit, I’m surprised. You’re gorgeous.”

I sighed. “Single moms who run businesses don’t have fabulous social lives, Reese,” I told him.

“Well, glad you picked me to break the dry spell,” he said finally. “You’re not half bad for a chick who’s out of practice. I’d give you a six out of ten.”

I smacked his arm playfully and he squeezed me tight.

“Okay, make that nine out of ten,” he whispered, kissing the top of my head. “I’m holding out the last point in the hopes you’ll give me a blow job next time.”

“Dream on.”

He chuckled quietly, and then I felt his breathing grow regular as he drifted off to sleep. Letting my thoughts go, I fell into the darkness, wrapped tight and protected in his strength and warmth.

Perfect.

CHAPTER EIGHT

My phone woke us up early in the evening.

I couldn’t figure out where I was at first, or why there was a heavy arm holding me prisoner. I tried to grab the phone and Reese tightened his grip, grunting.

“It might be Jessica,” I told him, shoving at the arm until he let me catch the call.

It wasn’t her.

Of course it wasn’t her … Just because she’d realized things weren’t so sunny down in San Diego didn’t mean that she’d magically turned into a responsible person. I managed to push Reese off and lean up onto my elbow to take the call anyway, because Caller ID said it was Melanie, and I’d sworn I wouldn’t ignore her.

“Hey, Loni,” she asked, her voice hesitant and a little shaky.

“Is everything okay?”

Reese reached out and caught me again, pulling me back into the crook of his arm. I found my face pressed against his chest while his fingers started running through my hair. I couldn’t believe we’d actually had sex. S. E. X. For real. Wasn’t sure how to process that. On the one hand, I felt incredible … Warm and full of endorphins that still gave me a full on glow. On the other, I knew I needed to protect myself because Reese was a Grade A man-whore, and I couldn’t let myself get attached to him.

Fun to play with but not a keeper.

Then again, keepers weren’t part of my new, improved plan to be a free and independent woman. Unfortunately, neither were hurt feelings and picking up Jessica from the airport tomorrow afternoon. The plan wasn’t off to a good start.

“Loni?” Mel asked. I blinked.

“Yes?”

“Aren’t you going to answer me?”

Oh my God, I’d done it again. I’d forgotten about Mel—while I was on the phone with her, no less. I was such a shitty person. Ugh.

“What was the question again?”

“Can I come over to your place tonight?” she asked, her voice full of hope. “Dad’s in a real bad mood. I have some news …”

Uh-oh.

“What is it?”

“I think my mom took off,” she whispered. “That’s what Dad told me, and I haven’t seen her for two days. He’s been skipping work. He’s really drunk right now—I’m kind of scared. Do you think I could stay with you for a couple days?”

I closed my eyes, feeling a rush of hot, righteous indignation. How dare that asshole do this to Melanie? She was a sweet girl, a good girl who worked hard and deserved happiness.

“Oh, baby … Of course you can. Go let yourself into the house. You can get anything you want out of the kitchen, just make yourself comfortable. Settle yourself in Jess’s room, okay?”

“What time will you be home?” she asked in a small voice. I burrowed into Reese’s side and felt his hand sweep down to cup my bottom. He caught my knee with his other hand, pulling it up and over his leg until I sort of straddled him in a weird, lying-down kind of way.

His erection stirred to life, and I looked down through the faded light to see it. Still couldn’t quite believe that thing had not only gone into me, but made me come twice in a row.

Shitty to be me, because Mellie needed me more than I needed Reese’s dick.

“I’ll be home in twenty, thirty minutes.” Hayes snorted, and I smacked his chest to shut him up.

“Thanks, Loni. You know … Sometimes I wish you were my mom.”

A lump grew in my throat.

“Well, you’re part of my family,” I told her. “Don’t worry, we’ll figure something out.”

“Thanks …”

I ended the call and then dropped the phone, nestling into the muscles of his strong chest.

“Everything okay?”

“Define okay,” I said, feeling a bitter smile spread across my face. “Jess has a friend named Melanie. Her home situation isn’t so good, so she spends a lot of time with us. I think I just invited her to move in with me.”

“Nice of you.”

“She’s a good kid,” I said, sighing. “And she’s nearly nineteen—older than Jess. They graduated in the same class but Mel had a late birthday and Jess had an early one. They probably should’ve held her back a year along the way.”

“Sounds like this girl can do all right, you give her a fighting chance,” he said. “But I want you to stick around a while longer. I’m not finished with you yet.”

At that, he caught my hips and tugged me up and onto his body. My legs tangled with his and my breasts crushed into his chest, all of which made me wish to hell that Mellie’s dad had chosen another night to get drunk. Of course, he was drunk every night, thus her mom’s decision to take off. Nicole should’ve left his ass years ago—but she should’ve taken her daughter with her.

Selfish bitch.

Mellie was so eager to please and easy to be around. I couldn’t imagine why her mom would pull this shit. Thinking about it made me feel sick. That’s why, when Reese cupped my bare ass with both hands and pulled me into him, I shoved against his chest.

“I have to go.”

“I’m sensin’ a pattern here,” he muttered, frowning at me. “Every time I get you horizontal, you run away. Not a fan, sweetheart.”

“If one of your girls needed help, you’d be out of here so fast I’d find myself on the floor.”

He sighed and I knew I had him. Then one of his hands slid slowly up my body, catching me around the back of my neck. I let him kiss me, amazed that such an intense man could be so gentle. His tongue flirted with mine and his fingers tightened on me. His penis—no, his cock—kept getting harder and I felt a restless ache stir between my legs.

I have to get the hell out of here, I realized. Otherwise I won’t make it.

The kiss ended and I pulled back, staring down at his face. The man was beautiful, no other way to describe it. His short brown hair was sticking up all around his head at the moment. His eyes were bright blue, like aquamarine birthstones shining in the center of his face, and the scruff covering his chin held just a hint of gray. Not enough to make him look old. Just … mature.

And the arms holding me?

I’d never met anyone with such strong, safe arms.

You’re not safe, my brain hissed. He’s a dangerous man, you have no idea what he might be involved with.

My brain made a good point—I knew damned well that the club had business interests that weren’t totally legitimate. Everyone knew it. That’s why they paid so well—they weren’t just buying cleaning services, they were buying silence.

“I’m going home,” I whispered, kissing his cheek softly. Then I tried to roll off him, stand up. He held me tight for a second longer.

“You sure?” he asked. “If you’re worried about Melanie’s dad, I can send one of the guys to watch her.”

I shook my head. “Her physical safety isn’t the problem. She’s a young woman whose mother just abandoned her and she’s terrified. She needs hugs, not a bodyguard.”

Reese grew very still, and his fingers dug deep into my flesh.

“You didn’t mention her mom before,” he said, his voice deceptively calm, but with an undercurrent of strong emotion I couldn’t place. What was that all about?

Then it clicked. Heather. She’d had to leave their girls behind. Totally different circumstances, but that didn’t change the end result—young women without a mother, forced to grow up too early.

“Her dad is a drunk,” I said, deciding five more minutes wouldn’t make a difference. I let my head fall down on his chest, and he loosened his fingers, running them through my hair again. “I think he was beating on Nicole. She’s Mellie’s mom. I tried talking to her a couple of times but she didn’t want to hear it.”

“And now she’s taken off and left her kid behind? Fuckin’ cunt. He treats her like that, he’ll treat her girl like that, too.”

Wow, that was harsh … but fair. Nicole was a cunt. She abandoned her daughter to a drunk who liked to hit women. If she didn’t fit the word, I wasn’t sure who did.

“Don’t worry—I’ll take care of Mellie. She’s like my own.”

He looked thoughtful, then nodded.

“Okay, let’s get some shit straight and then you can head out.”

Great, here it came. The Talk. Fortunately I was ahead of him for once.

“Don’t worry, Reese. I know this was just a one-off for you, and that you don’t want a relationship. That’s what I needed, too, so in a way it’s perfect. No harm, no foul. We can just pretend this never happened.”

A scowl covered his face. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Us. Or rather, the fact that there isn’t an ‘us.’ I get it—you like to sleep around. I had a good time, but I’m not expecting a ring or anything.”

His eyes widened, and I smirked.

“Although I’ll be around if you want another booty call,” I added slyly.

Yay me! I’m a sophisticated woman who knows the difference between love and sex.

Reese’s scowl grew deeper, and then suddenly he moved and I was under him, pinned down against the bed. He pulled my hands up, holding them prisoner above my head.

“Are you fucked in the head?” he demanded harshly. “You get laid for the first time in years, it’s phenomenal—”

“Well, aren’t you the modest one?”

“It’s phenomenal,” he repeated, emphasizing the word heavily. “And now you’re just going to ignore me? I am not fuckin’ down with that.”

Now it was my turn to be startled.

“I see you with women all the time,” I said, confused. “I know how you operate. Strictly sex. I’m not looking to change that.”

“The fuck?” he muttered, shaking his head. It was like we were having two completely different conversations, because I had no idea why he was acting this way. “You’re so fucking stupid I could strangle you. Don’t know exactly what we’re doing here just yet, but it’s not just sex. For one thing, I’m not okay with your seein’ anyone else, especially Deputy Dick.”

“Right, and I suppose you’re planning to be true and faithful? I don’t buy it. You’re a known man-whore. Also, you ever call me stupid again and I’ll dump paint stripper on your bike. That isn’t a threat, it’s a promise.”

He looked me straight in the eyes, his face grim and serious.

“I have no plans to fuck anyone but you, at least for now.”

“I don’t believe you,” I told him, feeling almost wistful. “And you don’t need to be saying things like this, because I’m not interested in tying you down.”

“Listen. To. Me,” he said, his face growing colder, which I wouldn’t have considered possible ten seconds earlier. “I’ll admit it—I’ve slept around since Heather died. Slept around a lot, but none of them ever felt real to me. There’s something about you, London, something that’s real in a way I can’t even begin to explain. I like it and I want it and you dumped your boyfriend and came to me when you were hurting. Guess that means you want it, too. So far as I figure, that makes you mine.”