Fernando - Bad Boy Love (Bad Boy Love Series Book 1) (5 page)

He heard a distant engine noise and Gwen lifted her head up to meet his eyes. Even now, filled with fear, her striking blue eyes were like the most beautiful ponds of clear water, and he wanted to drown in them.

“I believe they’re trying to start the winding motor.” He said into the otherwise silent box. His voice echoed off the walls and filled the empty room. Gwen didn’t speak nor did she show any other kind of reaction, and he hoped she wouldn’t melt down. He had no idea how to deal with that. In his gang, any woman who acted hysterical usually received a slap in the face to shut her up.

“Don’t worry. We’ll be out of here in no time at all.”

She gave him a faint nod, and he braced her face with his hands. How on earth could he get his mind off sex when looking into those eyes? He shifted, but she only pressed her body closer into his, as if seeking out comfort and warmth. He sure hoped those damn elevator doors would open soon because he could only last so long.

It would be so easy to stretch out his hand and graze his thumb over her plump and rosy lips. To take a taste of her alluring neck, lick his way down her collarbone. His mind was imagining all the wonderful things he’d do to her when the elevator made a bone-chilling sound and yanked. Gwen flew right onto his lap, flinging her arms around him.

Her entire body was trembling, and he whispered soothing words into her ear while he stroked her spine with his hands, like he’d done many times with his sister when she was still a kid. Except this time, it felt anything but sisterly. Her hot core sitting atop his aching groin and her breast pressed into his chest. If she didn’t climb from his lap soon, he couldn’t be held responsible for his actions. Never before had he wanted a woman with such force. It was like a tidal wave rolling over him, making him unable to resist.

A groan escaped his lungs, and he noticed how she held her breath for a moment. His fingers reached the small gap between her t-shirt and the waistband of her jeans. Before he could stop himself, his fingers touched bare flesh, and goosebumps broke out on her skin. Her body pressed even more tightly against him, and his breathing became almost as ragged as hers.

He had to stop it now. But he had to keep comforting her; at least that was what he told himself. Gwen quivered as his hands moved up her back and down again. With the next pass he took, his thumbs slid beneath her shirt and a sexy moan escaped her throat. She arched her back, and he felt her body responding. Her nipples peaked and heat radiated from her skin.

“I’ve been dying to do this since I first met you” he whispered into her ear and took her by the shoulders to search her eyes. He saw nothing but desire in them and hungrily traced the outline of her lips in the dim light. The second she parted them, resistance flew out of his body and he succumbed to the tidal wave of passion rolling over him.

He pressed his mouth to hers, kissing her as if he’d done so a million times before. The attraction between them flared out of control and obliterated any rational thought. He buried his hands in her hair, holding her head still for his kiss, and slid his tongue deep into her mouth. To explore, devour, and bring ecstatic passion to both of them. He’d stop – yes, he would – right after this kiss.

While his mind debated whether to end the kiss now or to hold on just a little while longer, his hands made their own choices and slid beneath her shirt, skimming up her ribcage and – encouraged by her needy moan – squeezing her sensitive flesh. Gwen moaned louder and broke their kiss. She threw her head back, arching into his touch. He pulled the cups of her bra away and palmed her lush breasts.

Touching her sensitive skin sent shockwaves of pleasure through him and he gave in to the need to roll her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers. With every squeeze he gave, she exhaled sharply, heating the air around him.

His own desire had grown to unbearable levels, his arousal pressing into her center. With every move she made on his lap, he ached more for her. To be inside of her.

Bright lights blinded him, and he had to close his eyes for a moment. His lust-fogged brain didn’t understand what was happening until a clanking noise reached his ears and reality set in. He removed Gwen from his lap and instantly felt the emptiness of not holding her. “They must be getting ready to move the elevator again,” he said with a husky voice, trying to hide his lust – and shame. He bounded to his feet and reached down to pull her up beside him.

No sooner had they gained their feet than the elevator jerked, sending Gwen right back into his arms. When it settled into a smooth movement, she pulled away, pushing a hand through her tangled hair and then brought her clothing to order. Fernando retreated to the opposite side of the elevator, willing himself not to look at her.

Seconds later, the doors opened, and the handyman stood outside waiting for them. As were a number of other people who’d been stuck waiting while he repaired the lift.

Fernando glimpsed at Gwen, seeing her completely flushed with an expression of guilt and regret on her face. She seemed frozen in place, staring at the waiting people, and Fernando took her arm to lead her outside.

The elevator guy gave them an encouraging smile and apologized for the inconvenience. “Hey, buddy. You should probably take your girlfriend outside and let her calm down. The fresh air and sunshine will do wonders for her state of mind.”

Fernando took Gwen by the elbow and led her outside the building. In the sunlight, reality set in and things looked totally different. He released Gwen the moment she pulled away.

He let her go, watching as she strode to a small concrete planter with trees, flowers, and surrounded by a concrete bench. She didn’t sit down, but continued to pace in circles around the planter, and he followed her, his mind and heart in turmoil. Various emotions rushed through his body, not making much sense.

One moment he was elated with passion, and the next one guilt hammered him. Joy alternated with sadness, desire with self-hate. What had he done?

The emotions their making out had stirred in him were so different from anything he’d ever experienced before. It wasn’t just desire. He knew desire. Lust. But kissing Gwen, touching her creamy skin, feeling her pressed against his chest had been…almost spiritual. Not that he did spiritual, but for a short moment, he’d felt a connection of their souls. And that scared the shit out of him.

She was still pacing, and he moved in front of her, causing her to stop and look up at him. “Are you okay?”

The flushed red cheeks couldn’t hide the fact she was ghostly pale, but she nodded. His heart broke for her, and all he wanted to do was to keep her safe, to take her anguish away. Without thinking, he reached out a hand to offer some sort of comfort before he thought better of it and pulled it away. But much to his surprise, she’d already latched onto his hand and resumed her pacing, forcing him to walk with her.

His hand caught in an iron, claw-like grip, he grinned down at her. “You’re going to crush my hand into pieces if you keep squeezing it like that.”

She stopped, eyes wide-open, and looked at their joined hands, as if they were two strange objects, not belonging to either one of them. But she released the pressure. A bit. Then she blushed furiously and unclasped his hand as if it was poisonous.

Fernando arched a brow at her antics. He could see she was still scared, but trying not to show it. “Would it be out of bounds if I invited you for a cup of coffee to wash down the shock?”

Gwen shook her head. “No, it’s not out of bounds because I sure could use a cup of something warm.” Her husky voice went straight to his groin.

He put his hand on the small of her back and registered the underlying tremble in her body. Whether it was of panic, guilt, or desire, he didn’t know. And it wouldn’t matter anyways.

On the corner, he’d spotted a popular coffee shop, and while he led the way, he glanced several times at Gwen, his concern for her growing as she showed no signs of recovery. She mechanically followed him, her eyes fixated on the ground, behaving more like a puppet, not the strong woman he knew her to be.

As they reached the coffee shop, he led her inside to a booth near the window. Once they were seated, he couldn’t help but ask again, “Are you sure you’ll be okay? You’re still awfully pale and shaky.”

Gwen gave him something similar to a smile. “I’ll be fine. Now that we’re out of that death box.”

Her words stung, even though he knew – or hoped – she hadn’t meant their kissing. “Come on, it wasn’t that bad, was it?”

He could see how the memory of what they’d done washed over her, as she went from pale to bright red in a matter of seconds, and she inadvertently licked her lips.

Holy shit, how much sexier can that woman be?

“Thanks for worrying. It’s kinda funny to have you fussing over me.”

“Yeah, well, you had me worried there. Still do, as a matter of fact. What kind of coffee do you want?”

Gwen pulled a twenty from her pocket, handing it to him. “Regular, please.”

He tried to ignore the money she held out to him, but she insisted. “Take it. Or I have to go myself.”

Fernando grinned at the threatening stare she sent his way. Ah, finally. The feisty woman showed up again. He trotted to the counter and ordered two cups of coffee. Passing the self-service bar on his way back to her, he remembered he’d forgotten to ask her how she drank it. He grabbed milk and sugar. White and brown. And sweetener. Just in case. He didn’t believe she was one of the women who forsook everything with calories, but one could never be sure.

“Thanks.” She nodded toward his tray and grinned. “You don’t expect me to use all of that, do you?”

“No. But I forgot to ask, so I thought I’d bring everything they had.”

Gwen looked around the table. “Did you see napkins anywhere?”

“I’ll get some.” He returned to the counter, stealing a glance at her while he waited for the cashier to get him some napkins. A surge of warmth settled in the vicinity of his heart as he gazed at her, but the worry wouldn’t go away.

She’s so pale…

He returned with the napkins and took a seat across from her. She took a long sip of her coffee and looked away. “What happened earlier…in the elevator. That cannot happen again. Ever.”

Fernando sipped his coffee and sighed. “I know.”

“And nobody can know about it.”

He nodded and she finally looked up at him. When her mesmerizing baby blues locked with his, a jolt traveled through his body. “That never happened. It’s completely against the rules to fraternize with our clients. Both of us would get into hot water if word got out. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” It hurt to say that one word. His heart constricted at the outlook of never holding her in his arms again. Against better judgment, he asked in a hushed voice. “If I weren’t your client, would you go out with me?”

A spark lit her eyes but vanished a moment later, and he wished he hadn’t asked. “Look, I don’t deny the attraction I’m feeling. But there can’t be anything between us. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Even if I weren’t your probation officer, I couldn’t go out with you as long as you’re in trouble with the law.”

He opened his mouth to speak, but she held up a hand, silencing him.

She went on. “In my job, I have to report to my superiors if I’m dating or hanging out with anyone who could compromise my integrity. I’ve made it a policy to not go there. Not with you, not with anyone. It’s the best for everyone involved.”

Sadness clouded her eyes and his heart, and Fernando spoke up, “I can change, you know.”

Gwen grabbed her coffee mug with two hands and leaned forward. “Can you?”

Fernando nodded, never more serious in his life. “I can. For you.”

A blush climbed up her neck and settled in her cheeks once again, but this time, she didn’t turn her head away. Her baby blues had turned dark, and he could see she meant every word. “Then change. Use your probation period wisely, and if you still feel the same way twelve months from now, we can revisit this subject.”

“Twelve months? That’s an awfully long time.” He gulped down the hot coffee in the hope of being distracted from the ache in his chest by the physical pain.

“Not to make the kind of changes you need.” She leaned back. “This is my last word on the subject, and as much as I hate it, I will report any further advances.”

Fernando wished there was some argument he could make, but the seriousness in her eyes kept him from saying another word. At least he’d still be seeing Gwen every week and could work on changing her mind.

Gwen needed to focus – on anything but her attraction to Fernando. If she could have willed it to go away, she’d done it already. But time and again her mind went back to his kiss. How it had reduced her world to the two of them, blocking out everything else, including her elevator phobia.

Even now her skin tingled remembering the touch of his strong hands.
This has to stop right now.

“Fernando. Tell me what you like to do. If you could do anything, what would it be?”

He thought for a minute and then answered her. “When my parents were still alive, I liked to construct things. I was always building something or other, driving my parents crazy with my habit of taking things apart and repurposing them.” He chuckled at the happy memories. “Sometimes, I’d put them back together in their original configuration, only taking them apart to see how they actually worked. I like knowing how things work.”

“Why haven’t you put this skill to use?”

His smile fell, and he added, “I have. In our gang, I was the one to fix broken stuff or to disable stuff that worked. I started out picking locks and got really good at it. I’m the best there is, and I haven’t met a lock I couldn’t open. Others noticed. One day, Sandro, the leader of one of the gangs, came up to me and asked me if I wanted to join them. Me, a fifteen-year old. Can you imagine my pride? I was elated, and of course I said yes.”

His brows furrowed. “It was fun. Dangerous. Thrilling. Shots of adrenaline coursed through me when I did my first job for them. I’ll never forget that moment. Suddenly I was someone. The gang became my family. I got my share of the booty and for the first time since our parents died, my sister and I didn’t have to worry about paying the rent.”

Gwen longed to touch his hand to encourage him, but she carefully clasped them around her mug. It was a good sign. If he trusted her enough to tell his story, maybe he really was able to change. A flicker of hope settled in her heart before she carefully controlled her voice and asked as professionally as she could muster, “And then?”

“I got promoted.” He grinned at her. “Head of anti-security you might call it. We set out for bigger goals, and I studied security systems. Everything I could get my hands on. Plans. Models. Old devices some gang members had ‘found.’ It was my job to figure out the best way to bypass it.”

Gwen laughed. “You really love that. Why don’t you use your skills for something positive?”

“Easier said than done. I can’t well go to some shop and tell them, ‘hey, I can easily break your security system, wanna know how?’”

“Believe me or not, but some people do exactly that,” she said in a steady voice. Now that their topic of discussion had changed, she stood on firm ground again. Work-related talk. Yes, she could handle that. No swooning involved.

“Nah. Without a high school diploma, they won’t even employ me as a courier.”

“You can still finish school. You told Mrs. Samuels–”

“I know what I told her.” He shrugged. “And you also heard what she said. But things are the way they are. I’ll have to cope with what I’ve got. That’s life. So what about you? Any hobbies?”

She frowned at his change of subject but allowed it for now.

“The ocean. Anything to do with the ocean. Swimming. Snorkeling. Surfing. If it involves water, I love it. Water is my element. My best friend always teases me that I probably should’ve been born as a fish.”

Fernando laughed. “A fish? One of those slippery, scaly creatures?”

“Okay, maybe a dolphin, would that be better?”

“Much better.”

The new lightness in their conversation surprised her. When had they gone from talking about his dreadful past to joking about being a fish? “What about you, do you like the ocean?”

He gave her a sheepish look before he admitted. “I’ve never been to the beach.”

“What? You live in Los Angeles. How can you never have gone to the beach?” She tossed her empty coffee mug while gesturing at him.

“There was never an opportunity for it.” He picked up the mug and placed it on top of his.

“I need to take you to the beach one day soon,” she blurted out, covering her mouth with her hand when she realized what she’d just said.

Fernando grinned. “See, you want me? You can’t resist my boyish charm.”

“I should have clarified my offer. You have to finish your probation first. Then I’ll take you to the beach. There cannot be anything between us but friendship for now. It wouldn’t be good for either of us.”

He nodded and held up two fingers. “I promise to stick to your rules. Scout’s honor.”

Gwen laughed. “You were a Boy Scout?”

“No. How about a hand shake instead?”

She nodded, but the minute her palm connected with his warm flesh, her insides melted and she longed to throw herself into his arms. So he could reduce her universe to the two of them. To make her head spin with his kiss.

Darn it!
She needed to return to safe territory with him
.
To let go of his hand. Now. But her hand wouldn’t follow her orders; it was glued into his strong palm, unable to move. Yes, she’d say goodbye and leave the coffee shop. In a few moments. Not just yet.

“Do you want me to get us refills? Or better yet, how about sodas? I’ve had enough coffee for the day.”

Fernando looked surprised for a moment but then readily accepted. “Let me get the sodas.”

Gwen handed him money, trying to rationalize her decision. She had no other appointments for the remainder of the day, and a soda couldn’t hurt. It would serve to get to know him better and help him find a job. It was purely work-related.

Bullshit. You know why you’re here
.

“Want me to look over your resume while we’re sitting here?”

See, it is work-related
. She nearly pumped her fist in the air because she was so glad to have the excuse.

“Sure.” He pulled it from the folder he’d been carrying around and handed it to her. “Knock yourself out.”

“Your wish is my command.” She grinned at him and pulled a pen from her bag. While he trotted away to get their drinks, she read through the resume and jotted down her remarks. When he returned, she suggested he sit on the same side of the booth as her. “That way you can see the changes I’m suggesting.”

“Okay,” he said, sliding into the booth and crowding her against the window. They began working on his resume and completely forgot the time. Gwen also tried her best to ignore the sexual tension between them, but that was hard with him beside her, just a few inches away. To his defense, it must be said that Fernando also tried his best to stay true to his word and keep his distance, but every accidental touch ratcheted up her pulse some notches.

When they finished his resume, she glanced at her watch and realized several hours had gone by. “Wow, we’ve been here all afternoon.”

Fernando joked, “Time flies when you’re having fun.”

She wrinkled her nose at his cliché but laughed at the sparkle in his dark eyes. “I need to head back to the office and finish up some paperwork for court tomorrow.”

He slid from the booth, putting his revised resume into the folder. “I’ll walk you back.”

“That’s really sweet, but I don’t need an escort. Besides, my car is parked at the other end of the block.”

“On the street?” he asked.

She shook her head. “No. In an underground parking garage. I’m always afraid I’ll get sideswiped if I park right along the street.”

“Then I’ll walk you to your car.” He chuckled. “You of all people should know how dangerous L.A. can be. Especially in the center and in an underground parking lot no less. Don’t you watch the news?”

“I don’t have to watch the news. Those cases land on my desk a few weeks later.” She stopped smiling when she saw the honest concern in his eyes, so she relented. “But since you offered, an escort back to my car would be appreciated.”

She wasn’t afraid to walk back to her car by herself, but she liked being near him. Apart from the sizzling attraction, he made her feel safe. Protected even. They walked in silence and Gwen started to doubt if it had been a good idea to let him accompany her. What if he assaulted her in the garage? Surprisingly that thought didn’t frighten her in the least. On the contrary, hot shots pulsed through her core, wetting her panties as she imagined his “
assault
.”

But it was wrong to have feelings for him. He was her client, for God’s sake. As soon as they’d reached her vehicle and the time to say goodbye had come, she faltered once again. “Thanks for the company. Can I take you somewhere?”

He shook his head. “Nah. That’s not necessary.”

Gwen thought it was. “Really. It’s no trouble. At least let me drive you out of the garage.” They’d walked down two levels of an older parking garage. One without an elevator.

“If you insist.” He didn’t put up much fight and quickly slid into the passenger seat. Gwen put on her seat belt and had the alarming feeling of being trapped. Trapped inside this tiny space with Fernando. Images of their kiss in the elevator flared up, and she needed three attempts to start the engine.

His presence filled the inside of her small car, his sexy masculine smell wafting through the air and clouding her thoughts. How on earth would she be able to drive the car while every cell in her body longed for his touch? Her lust-fogged brain recognized at the last moment that she was about to exit the second level via the entry lane, and she swerved sharply.

Fernando said nothing, and she reminded herself to focus on the task at hand. Getting them out of the garage in one piece. But she couldn’t quite keep her eyes on the path in front of her. His strong hands captured her attention, and she imagined how they would feel on her bare skin. Demanding. A little rough. A volatile combination when mixed with her lust.

She finally gained the exit without wrecking her car, and she paused in the entrance. When he turned towards her, she thought – hoped – he might kiss her. But despite the evident longing in his dark brown eyes, he quietly murmured. “Thanks for coming today.” He slipped from the vehicle, hurrying down the block without looking back.

Disappointment settled in her stomach, and as she drove back to the office, a sense of loneliness hit her.

This is going to be a very long year.