Authors: Lily Evans
“Come on baby,” he says really close to the door. “Open up. Can’t we just talk a minute?”
“You’re not going to go away are you?” I didn’t even try to keep the annoyance out of my voice.
“Nope.” I swear I hear a smug smile in his voice and it’s beginning to piss me off.
I stomp over to the door grimacing as my tortured feet pound on the hard yellowing linoleum on the way. Twist the lock and wrench the door open throwing it wide, crossing my arms protectively over my chest. “Five minutes.”
“That’s all I need baby,” he says as he saunters into the dressing room as if he walks into strippers dressing rooms every day.
I lift one brow pleased that I’m able to pull it off when I want to. “That’s not giving me much confidence,
darlin’.” I mock his endearment.
He doesn’t look offended, he looks amused as hell.
“How ‘bout a drink?” He looks down at the pile of clothes I tossed out of my bag on the floor.
“I don’t know you.” I take everything in about him within thirty seconds of him walking in the room and I would have loved to take a bit longer to peruse his killer body. He fills out his
faded jeans deliciously. “You could be a freaking serial killer for all I know. I’ve not watched
America’s Most Wanted
in a while.”
“Cute.” There goes that fucking cocky grin again. “And I like me some cute.”
“Of course you do.” My voice chock-full of sarcasm and there is no way in hell it could hold any more.
“My name’s Gage.” He steps further into the room.
“What kinda name is Gage?” I ask, tucking a strand of long black hair behind my ear.
“Don’t ask.” He’s so gorgeous it nearly takes my breath away.
“I’m asking.” I bite my lower lip, waiting.
“My dad hunts.” He prowls towards me, his eyes gleaming like banked flames as he watches my teeth play with my red glossed mouth.
My brow rises even higher. An erotic sensation swoops through my sex as he finally raises his hooded blue eyes back to mine. His eyes speak volumes to what he would like to do with me, or at least with my mouth.
“As in twelve-gauge Shotgun.”
“So, G-a-u-g-e?”
“No, thank God, my mom stepped up.” He smirks. “G-a-g-e.”
“Gage,” I repeat the name. “I like it. Very manly.”
“Glad you like it.”
“What do you do, Gage?”
“I’m a detective for the NPD.”
“Oh,” I try to hide my grimace. “Do you come to strip clubs often?” My brows lift in question.
He shrugs. “Not really my thing.” I can see he’s studying me with the type of concentration that must be required for a police detective. “A few of my buddy’s bachelor parties. Stuff like that.” He closes the distance between us. “But I don’t need it to get my rocks off if that’s what you’re concerned about.”
“You can do whatever you want.” One shoulder lifting.
“Good to know.” He bends down picking up my jeans by one of the belt loops and holds them out to me. “Put these on and come have one drink with me.” He keeps his gaze focused on mine as he holds out a piece of my clothing only managing to remind me that I’m standing in a small room practically naked with him.
“Are you asking or telling, Gage?” I tilt my head back studying his reaction to my question. I really needed to know his answer.
“Whatever gets your ass in these jeans, your ass in my car, and your
fuckin’ hot lips wrapped around a drink that I’ve bought you.” It’s a statement, not a question which is really hot. Decisive, demanding, powerful. Hot.
“Good answer.” Damn. I couldn’t help but laugh. “Are you always this persistent?” I cross my arms under my breasts and they push up precariously over the top of my bra.
His eyes follow their movement. I look down realizing the globes of my breasts are in imminent danger of spilling which looks to be the precise direction Gage would like them to go. I lower my arms in a manner I hope doesn’t reflect that I know what he’s looking at and know what he wants. He grins at my movements and I know I’m fucked. He must be a damn good detective.
“When what I want is being difficult.”
Thinking about his offer for a moment, I look him up and down and shake my head from side to side as if resigned to his offer. “Fine.” I reach for my jeans and yank them out of his hand and take a step closer poking him in the ribs with my blood red tipped nail, if you wanted to call it that. I have a bad habit of biting my nails when I’m nervous. Even right at this moment I’m resisting the urge to stick my finger in my mouth and gnaw on the ragged edge. “But you can’t stay in here while I’m changing.” With my finger still digging into his rib, I push him to the door and reach around him to twist the knob. He puts out his hand, his palm lands flat stopping me from opening the door further.
“
Ya sure?” He lifts his hand and sets it at the crook of my neck and shoulder with his thumb rubbing delicious circles over my jaw and my nipples harden.
My heart skitters and nearly stops as I think about it. Contemplating whether I’m truly sure or not. “Don’t push your luck, buddy.”
He leans in, wraps one arm around my waist bringing me flush against his hard body and with the other tucks that same wayward strand back behind my ear. Cupping my cheek before leaning down, he surprises me with a brush of his lips over mine. A sigh escapes me as I shiver beneath his touch.
He steps through the door right before I slam it shut, calling,
“Later darlin’.” An obvious smile in his voice as he walks, no I take that back, saunters arrogantly past Hailie and Georgia whose heads swivel and follow his exit. Who can blame them, his ass is round and taut and delicious looking. Man, I want to take a bite out of that piece of flesh.
I groan, step back in the room and slam the door. As soon as the door is closed tightly, I lean back against it. My belly curls and heats sweetly in anticipation making me grin. So caught up in the delicious tingles that are still floating willy-nilly throughout my body, I jump as loud knocks reverberate at ear level. Stepping away from the door, I slowly open it and peek through the thin crack. “You are not fucking coming in here.” Fuck, I sound breathless.
“OMG!” Georgia cries on a loud whisper. “Let us in, crazy girl.” Both girls push through the door.
I didn’t think
Hailie’s smile could be any bigger. “Spill. Spill. Spill.”
Turning my back on my soon to be two ex-best friends, I head to my bag bending over to scoop my T-shirt off the floor and begin to peel myself out of the barely-there lingerie.
“So,” Hailie continues. “What’s up with hotness?”
“Yeah,” Georgia seconds, perching on the edge of the velvet stool that sits in front of the vanity.
First things first, I finish dressing and once I slip my feet into the hot pink flip flops I brought because I knew my feet would be killing me after dancing around in those fuck-me heels. After planting my hands on my cocked hips, I throw a glare at Hailie and not to be partial, I turn it full-force on Georgia as well. “You guys planned this, didn’t you?”
Hailie
turns in a half circle to glance at Georgia before either one says a word, then she turns back to me and mumbles, “We invited him.”
“You invited him,” I screech. “I was practically naked, for God’s sake. I don’t even know who the hell he is and I was practically naked sticking my ass in his face!”
“He’s your neighbor,” Georgia cut in. “Has been for over a year.”
“So?” I yell. “I’ve. Never. Really. Met. Him.”
“You met him tonight,” Georgia reminds with a smile.
I shoot daggers her way and her mock-innocent, which I really know as her shit-eating grin grows. “You fucking set me up!”
Hailie wrinkles her nose but doesn’t say a word so I continue, “When have you two talked with him?”
Hailie
shrugs. “Here and there.” She rolls her eyes. “We see him jogging and checking his mail and getting home from work…”
“Yeah, all the time,” Georgia cuts in. “He’s had a crush on you for a while now.”
My brow lifts at her choice of words. “What are we in, junior high?”
“Quit being difficult,”
Hailie says.
I blink at them both. “He doesn’t even know me.” I know I sound super frustrated.
“Duh, but that’s what he’s been trying to do for months,” Georgia reiterates.
My breath freezes in my lungs. “Months?”
“Yes months.” Hailie’s mouth turns up in a grin. “He said it was as if you didn’t even see him even when he was standing right in front of you.”
“I’ve seen him.” I grimace. “I’ve just had a lot on my mind.”
“We know,” both say at the same time.
“It’s time to let it go.”
Hailie’s head tilts as she watches my reaction.
I lower myself to one of the chairs placed opposite the vanity, my head falls against the back. “You guys are driving me crazy.”
“Go get some,” Hailie says. “He’s super fuckin’ hot!”
“Go for it girl,” Georgia encourages. “You deserve it. You work hard, you need to play harder.”
“I told him I would have one drink with him.”
Hailie
bounces on her toes at my words and does fist pumps in the air.
“In that?” Georgia asks.
I stand up crossing my arms over my chest. “Yes, in this.” I raise my eyebrows. “Had I known you were allowing him to tag along, and that he was going to ask me to go and have a drink, perhaps I would have brought my LBD.”
Hailie
moves to me and wraps me in her arms. “Go have fun girl.”
Georgia lifts my bag off the floor and hands me my purse.
Hailie opens the door to the dressing room and Georgia shoves me out right into a brick wall. I blink and look right into a wide chest, up past a tanned, muscular throat, the square chin, high cheek bones and laughing bright blue eyes of
Gage
.
Hot sex, fantasy man, Gage.
His arms immediately wrap around my waist as his fingers dig into the flesh that’s exposed above my low-rise jeans. I open my mouth to speak but he beats me to it.
“Right where I wanted you to be,
darlin’.”
I look at him with annoyance in my eyes. My hands press against his muscular chest even though his arms feel spectacular holding me. The heat of his body makes me forget what I wanted to argue about in the first place.
As his expression softens, his eyes darken in a way that makes me suck in a breath. “In my arms.”
“I don’t get it?” I whisper and roll my eyes childishly once again, but he smells so good, so I stop fighting.
“I’ve been waiting.”
“Waiting for what?”
“For you to notice me.”
I stare at him.
He smiles even bigger and his dimples deepen. I grip the front of his T-shirt to keep from falling at his feet. “Now are you ready for that drink, baby?”
I turn my face into his chest and inhale his sexy, spicy scent and glance beyond his bulging biceps to
Hailie and Georgia their grins big and mischievous, and once again full of shit.
I can’t stop my smile when
Hailie makes a kissy face and Georgia waves me on, mouthing
go.
My lips press together to stifle my smile. I take a deep breath. “Yes.” And it’s like that one word lights a spark in my veins and gives me permission to let go. My blood begins to boil; my pulse spikes and I don’t have time to think before he grips my chin in his palm. His hand feels large and warm against my face and I gasp as he plants a hard kiss to my lips. His tongue plunges deep, claiming me, giving me no room to fight. My hands tighten in his T-shirt and pull him closer giving back as much as he gives. My tongue thrusts into his mouth, tasting him.
Yummy.
I noticed him. I had noticed him every time I walked outside, every time I checked the mail, every time I backed out of my drive to go to work, and most definitely every time he took a run through the neighborhood. I noticed him from the very first. When he stepped out of his moving truck in ripped jeans and a worn-out T-shirt and lifted that heavy furniture with rock-hard muscles.
I noticed him.
All of the emotions I’ve bottled up inside decide at that moment to pour out with the touch of his lips. It’s the best kiss of my life.
His head comes up and he rests his forehead against the top of my mine. Both of us breathing heavily now.
Wow!
He leans away from me. “Ready for that drink,
darlin’?”
I blink at him, then nod. “Yes.” I swallow hard.
“Then let’s go.” He grabs my hand and tugs me down the hall. I lean around his body and do a little jaunty finger wave to my girls.
Now I love a manly man as much as the next girl, but when we step out into the parking lot and I come face to face with his badass big black truck tingles shoot through me beginning at my scalp to the very tips of my toes. Moist heat begins to gather right in the middle. My stomach tingles even more. There’s something about his big ass pick-up truck that turns me on.