Rough Edges (18 page)

Stepping into the bathroom that was steamy with his hot shower, she opened the shower door and peeked in. Water and suds ran down his large frame, highlighting and lingering on his muscles. She was ogling his firm ass when he turned around.

“Enjoying the view?”

Heat filled her face at being caught but she wasn’t about to deny it. “Immensely.”

She shrieked when he jerked her in with him.

“Mmm. So am I.” His mouth slanted over hers and his hands gripped her ass. She sighed against him.

The feel of him was incredible and it did crazy things to her hormones. She ran her hands over his wet shoulders and arms. She didn’t think she could ever tire of the way he took over her senses and the way his muscles bunched and flexed under her hands.

“As much as I want you again, I’m starved. I haven’t eaten very much in days,” he said as he nibbled the flesh between her shoulder and her neck. A spot he frequently used to drive her to her knees.

“Why not?” She knew for a fact the man ate more than the norm. But he was big, active and it took a lot of fuel to keep him going.

Water dripped off him and onto her as she looked up into his face. A shadow flickered in his hypnotic gaze. He acted like he wanted to say something, but he only stared at her.

“Because of me?” she asked. When he nodded, she reached up on tiptoe and kissed him. “Get out of this shower before I have you for breakfast. The sooner I’m out of here, the quicker we get to eat.”

He grinned. “That sounds like something I might enjoy.” His voice dropped and it gave her goose bumps.

“Oh, no you don’t,” she said when his eyes darkened with hunger. “Get out of here right now, mister.”

“Fine. But you’ll wish you hadn’t run me out.” He moved to get out of the shower but quickly took a lick at her nipple before stepping out and shutting the shower door.

She gasped and her clit throbbed with that small touch. “You do not play fair.”

His low chuckle was the only response she got.

She made quick work of the shower. As she wrapped herself in a light robe, a thought hit her. She still hadn’t told him about the article. Taking a deep fortifying breath, she resolved to tell him at breakfast. It wasn’t fair to keep something like this from him. He had been straight up with her. She had to be straight up with him.

101

Ashlynn Pearce

Jake was eyeing the contents of Becca’s fridge when there was a knock at her door.

Knowing she was still in the bathroom, he went to door and opened it.

“Who the hell are you?” asked the guy standing in the doorway.

Jake’s fist clenched. There was only one person this could be.

“Since I’m the one inside, how about you answer first. Who the hell are you?”

“I don’t have to answer to you. Where is Rebecca?” The dude actually had the nerve to try to walk in.

“I don’t think so,” Jake said and blocked him.

“I suggest you let me in. I’m her husband. You’re the one overstepping your boundaries.”

“Ex-husband, asshole. And you’re going to have to go through me to get to her.”

Fury roared in his veins and it was a fight to keep himself in check. Because he couldn’t help but remember the first night he had talked to her. This fucker had hurt her and he would never forget the pain in her voice. Nick scowled at him, but Jake didn’t move.

The guy might be his height, but that’s where the resemblance ended. He was a bully.

And the best way to beat a bully was to stand up to them.

“Jake who is it?” Becca asked from behind him.

“Nick,” he answered, but he didn’t take his eyes off the guy.

He felt Becca move closer.

“Nick, if you don’t go away, I’ll call the cops,” she said, but he heard the tremor of fear in her voice.

“Dammit, Becca, who is this guy? How could you do this to us? I’m your husband!”

Nick’s face was bright red, his eyes overly bright. This dude was off his rocker.

“Ex,” Jake said the same time Becca did. He didn’t turn around but he could hear her on the phone with the cops.

“In the eyes of God, I am still your husband. You will always be mine, Rebecca.”

Nick launched himself toward him and Jake stepped back letting the man inside the apartment.

“Come on, hit me, fucker. Take on someone your own size,” Jake muttered through clenched teeth.

Jake smiled when Nick threw the first punch that landed squarely on his face. He intended on making Nick feel every bruise he’d ever placed on Becca’s skin. Jake swung and caught Nick in the jaw, snapping his head sideways. Then Jake pounced and landed punches to Nick’s midsection.

The man fell to his knees and said, “Please. No more.”

Rage burned in Jake like an inferno. “Do you think that helped Becca when she asked you to stop?”

Nick snarled and dived at Jakes legs. They both went rolling to the floor and crashing into furniture. Jake took some good hits from Nick, but soon he had Nick 102

Rough Edges

pinned. Blow after blow hit Nick’s face, until Jake’s knuckles were bloody. Soon Nick wasn’t fighting back, just covering his head and whimpering.

Disgust filled Jake and he scrambled to his feet. He blinked and turned to look at Becca who was pale and shaking. Her large brown eyes darted back and forth from Nick’s face to his hands.

He looked down at his hands. Blood dripped off them and his knuckles hurt but it was nothing like the pain he felt when he met her gaze. She was scared. And not of Nick.

Nick coughed. “She’s a good lay isn’t she, Jake? Oh yes, don’t be surprised. You are Jake from Oklahoma. I know who you are.”

How the hell did he know his name? He glanced at Becca and she looked as shocked as he felt.

“Your little ‘Chat Addiction’ research went a little far, didn’t it? You whore!” Nick pushed up to a sitting position, a nasty expression on his face. “Are you going to write in your paper how easy it is to get laid with chat room people?”

Confused, Jake asked, “What the hell are you talking about?”

Nick laughed. “What, you don’t know?” He followed Nick’s gaze towards Becca.

Jake’s stomach sank.

She had inched into a dining room chair and stared at him, pleading in her gaze.

Nick’s loud cackle grated on his stretched nerves. “How very fitting,” Nick said and then grabbed a newspaper sitting on the side table and flung it at him. “How does it feel to be nothing but a research project?”

He picked it up. It was folded and the title, “Chat Addiction—What’s the lure?

Continued” by Rebecca Saylor, glared at him.

The cops showed up right at that moment.

* * * * *

Two hours later, Becca was desperate. Jake hadn’t looked at her once since Nick’s enlightenment. But finally they were alone.

“Jake, please let me explain.”

He swiveled on her and flung the paper to the floor. “What can you explain? How far were you going to take this little experiment? How far?”

“This wasn’t an experiment.”

“Really? Can you prove to me that isn’t why you went into that chat room?”

“No, but just listen to me.” She touched his arm and he jerked back, his eyes flat and cold. He stalked to the bedroom and got his backpack. “What are you doing?” she asked.

“I’m leaving.”

103

Ashlynn Pearce

“What?”

“I think you heard me loud and clear.”

Fighting tears, she stepped in front of him, and leaned against her door.

“No. You are going to listen to me.”

“Becca, get out of my way,” he said in a low growl.

Violence rolled off him and his knuckles were white where he gripped the strap of his backpack.

“No. Not until you listen.”

“Don’t force me to move you.”

She was terrified. Not because she thought he would hurt her, but because he was trying to leave her. Something told her, once he was out that door, it was over.

“You would have to hurt me to move me. And you won’t do that.” His nostrils flared with his anger, but she wasn’t backing down. “Forget it. Until you listen to me and give me a chance, I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

“Talk,” he grated out.

“Yes. I went into the chat room for research. But I wasn’t planning on meeting you.

Then I was embarrassed to admit that I had become one of those chat room addicts.

Because all I wanted to do was come home and talk to you.” She took a deep breath when he didn’t say anything. “Then the night Nick attacked me, all I wanted was you.

God, Jake. That’s not an experiment. And I tried to tell you. Remember when I wanted to tell you something at your house? After we got back from Maria’s?”

He was staring at the wall and a muscle ticked in his jaw but he nodded.

“Then Summer called interrupting and then…” She couldn’t stop the tears now.

The thought of losing him spiraled her into hell. “Jake, I love you. You know that.”

He turned to look at her. “How do I know that?”

She grabbed his free hand and placed it over her heart. “Because you own this. I didn’t go looking to give it away. I didn’t want to fall in love. I was through with men.

Experience taught me the ugly side of them.”

She swallowed when the iciness slowly slipped from his gaze.

“This whole thing might have started out as research for my column but it has turned into far more. You know that.”

He raked a hand over his face and looked at her. “Oh hell, don’t cry.” Dropping his backpack, he tugged at her and she flung herself into his arms.

She couldn’t stop the sobs that racked her. She had come so close—so close to losing him. “I’m so sorry. I should have told you a long time ago. I just didn’t know how and…”

He tilted her head up, kissed her lightly and wiped away her tears with his thumbs.

* * * * *

104

Rough Edges

Five months later…

An hour outside Richmond, Jake sat on the steps of an older restored white house.

It was cold and crisp this November morning and his breath made little white clouds.

Things had been different since the day he stood in Bec’s apartment and spilled his guts. He was different. Not only did he move to Virginia to be with her, he had washed his hands of the family that birthed him. He still had issues, but Becca had given him a peace he never thought he would find.

His arms tightened around her as she sat between his legs, cuddled up against his chest for warmth when a moving truck pulled up, followed closely by a blue pickup.

“They’re here,” Becca said, smiled at him and bounded toward them.

He stood and shoved his hands in his jeans pockets but didn’t follow her. He swallowed hard as his mom, Maria, got out and wrapped Becca in a tight hug. Carl and Tony were soon giving her hugs as well. Not a few seconds later, Amber and her husband pulled up.

After he moved here, mom declared she couldn’t have her family scattered all over creation. They were moving here as well and had insisted Tony come along.

They were his family.

All the people he loved in the world.

He knew the moment Becca showed them her ring because Maria and Amber squealed. Becca turned and gave him that soft smile he loved.

And because of her, he let himself feel it.

105

About the Author

Ashlynn enjoys life with her husband and kids but whenever she can, she escapes into her imaginative world where heroes rule the day. There is nothing better than a tortured soul being redeemed by the woman of his heart. If you want to know more about her adventurous life through her characters, visit her website and drop her a line.

Ashlynn welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her
author bio page at
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