Rough Edges (5 page)

“I will be fine.” She didn’t know how to reassure him of that. And to be honest, after last night she wasn’t sure what Nick was capable of. But she didn’t want Jake to worry. When she couldn’t suppress a yawn she realized it had become late and she was running on just a couple hours of sleep.

“You’re tired. You need to sleep. I’ll let you go, okay?”

“You have to be tired, too. Did you sleep at all last night?” she asked.

“No. But I’m fine. Nothing I’m not used to.”

“Well, it’s not good for you. You need to sleep more,” she said.

“I’ll give it a shot. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Okay, good night.”

“Night, Becca,” he said.

27

Ashlynn Pearce

Becca had been trying to think of a way to tell Summer about her meeting Jake. But it was Tuesday now and in only four days she would be seeing him. She swallowed the lump in her throat.

Summer sat across from her at their favorite club, Sunsets. It was Tuesday and they always came here for a few drinks and to catch up. Music thumped in the background and although the place wasn’t packed, there were a few bodies moving on the dance floor.

“Quit thinking about phone sex with Jake,” Summer said, interrupting her thoughts.

“What? I was not!” Becca said, heat filling her face.

“Don’t lie to me, girl. I know that faraway look.”

She couldn’t deny it. She had talked to Jake twice since Summer called him. And both times it led to some serious orgasms. She bit her lip remembering his deep voice over the phone. What was she going to do when she finally met him in person?

She looked at her friend who was nodding her head to the music and sipping her margarita. “I’m meeting him,” she blurted out.

Summer froze and stared wide-eyed at her. “You’re what?”

“He’s going to be at Virginia Beach this Saturday.”

“I knew it. I knew there was more going on. There is no way I can let you meet him by yourself, even if you are meeting him for some hot sex.”

“It’s not about sex, Summer,” she said in shock. “He’s going to be down here for a wedding, not to meet me for that.”

“Mmhmm. So you’re telling me that if something pops up, you’re not going to jump on it?” Her eyebrows wiggled at her and Becca couldn’t help but laugh.

“We’re just going to talk.”

“Sure you are, babe. And does he know this?”

Blanching at the thought, she said, “God, what am I doing? I should know better than this.” Putting her head in her hands she stared at the table.

Summer touched her shoulder and she looked up into her smiling face. “No worries. I’ll be there. Nothing will happen unless you want it to.”

“He’s bringing his friend, Tony. Surely he doesn’t think I’ll just fall into bed with him. You think?”

“Honey, that’s what all guys think. Look at it this way, if you do end up in the sack with him, he has to go back to Oklahoma eventually.” Tapping the table with a brightly 28

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polished nail, Summer smiled. “And, you know, a one-nighter might do you some good.”

“I don’t know. I’ve never done anything like this before. I have a feeling I’m in over my head.” This was a bad idea. She should never have agreed to this. How many women got killed because they went to meet someone they met online?

Summer leaned in close, her face suddenly serious. “All you’ve really known is Nick. You need to do this. You need to see what it’s like with someone else. Someone who doesn’t control every damn move you make.”

Summer winked at her and turned toward a guy who had walked up to them.

Becca barely noticed when they wandered off onto the dance floor.

She sighed. Summer was right. She had been with Nick since her senior year in high school and hadn’t really dated much before that. Her life had been a whirlwind since her dad had died when she was seventeen. Wrapped up in her own grief when Nick stepped into her life, she sort of went through the motions of it. He seemed to be what she needed at the time. Looking back, she realized he just filled an empty hole. Had she ever really loved the guy?

“Hey, Becca.”

She jumped at the sound of a familiar voice. “Clay? What are you doing here?”

He slid onto Summer’s barstool. “Nice to see you, too.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting to see you and I was off in my own world,” she explained, feeling like an idiot.

“It’s okay. I came here with a couple of friends and spotted you over here. You come here often?”

Nodding she said, “Yeah. It’s kind of me and Summer’s place.” She glanced at her friend who was dancing close to the tall guy she was with. Sometimes she wished she could let go like Summer did. But there was no way she would dance like that with someone she didn’t know.

“I’m glad I saw you here. I’ve been meaning to talk to you,” Clay said, not taking his eyes off her, which made her feel uncomfortable.

“Yeah? What’s up?”

“You want to go out sometime?” he asked.

“Clay, I thought we decided to be friends after our last date?”

“But that was right after your divorce. I wanted to give you some time—let’s try again.”

It was hard when by all accounts he would be the perfect guy for her. But there just wasn’t a connection. Not on her side anyway. “I don’t think that’s a great idea.”

“Why not? We have a lot in common and if you would just give me a chance—” He clenched his jaw.

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Ashlynn Pearce

He was right, they came from the same type of family, they both worked at the paper. Why couldn’t he be more? He was fun and charming, but she felt nothing. Not a zing of anything.

He doesn’t make you feel what Jake does.

She inhaled sharply at the thought.

“Look, I don’t typically chase women, but I thought you were different. I thought—

” He stood abruptly. “Nevermind. It doesn’t matter what I thought.”

When he turned his back on her to walk away she said, “Clay. I’m sorry.”

He stopped and looked at her, regret marking his features under the flashing lights of the club. “Yeah. So am I.” And he walked away.

Summer smiled as she sat back down on the barstool. “So who was that stud?”

Becca followed her gaze and frowned. “Clay. A guy I work with.”

“Really? That’s the guy you went out with a couple of times and stopped because there wasn’t anything there for you?” she asked, looking amazed.

“Yeah. Why?”

“Damn, girl. He is fine! You sure you felt nothing?”

“I know. It’s crazy.” She had to be losing her mind. Why else would she let something that good walk away from her? “So who was tall and handsome?”

“Um, I dunno. He had slippery hands.” She was still looking in Clay’s direction when she asked, “Would you introduce me?”

“Are you serious? I think I just damaged his ego, and you want me to introduce you?”

Summer grinned. “Yeah. I could fix his ego…among other things.” Then she turned to face her. “That is, if you wouldn’t mind?”

“Why would I mind? He’s just a friend.”

“Come on,” Summer said and tugged her up.

Becca hesitantly walked up to Clay and his friends, with Summer tagging along.

One guy whistled low and Clay turned his head to look at them. When his eyes narrowed, she wanted to sink into the wooden floor. “Clay, I thought you might like to meet my best friend, Summer.”

He didn’t extend his hand, just nodded and said, “Hey.”

“Hey yourself.” Summer smiled. “Would you like to dance?”

Becca had to suppress a laugh when Clay’s eyes went wide. Summer was always the forward one. She didn’t even know why she had insisted on a formal introduction.

It wasn’t like Summer couldn’t walk up to a whole group of guys with confidence, something she would never do. But Becca was surprised when Clay nodded, got up and let Summer lead him to the dance floor. She hadn’t taken him for the dancing type.

When one of Clay’s friends offered her a seat she declined and walked back to her table. She watched Summer and Clay dance. First it was a fast song, and then changed 30

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to slow and sensual. Something Summer was extremely good at. She shook her head and took a sip of her Fuzzy Navel. Maybe Summer could help him get over this hang-up with her.

Later, when she was home and lying in bed, she stared at the phone. Should she call him? She put a pillow over her head and tried to sleep. But she was too wired and her thoughts kept straying back to Jake. She hadn’t talked to him since Saturday afternoon.

That was almost three days ago. And it wasn’t like she could wait on him to call. He didn’t have her number. Fighting the desire to dial his number she flopped on her side.

Then onto to her stomach.

Every time she moved the soft sheets slid against her skin and she groaned. She kicked off the covers and flopped over on her back. Oh hell, who was she fooling? She wanted to hear his voice. She grabbed the phone and dialed.

“Hi,” Becca said when he picked up.

“Hey, darlin’. How are you?” Jake answered.

“I’m good.” Stretching out on her bed she stared up into the dark and smiled, feeling instantly relaxed now that she could hear his familiar voice. “How was your weekend?”

“It was a weekend,” he said flatly.

“That doesn’t sound good. What happened?”

“Fight. That’s all.”

“A fight? Are you okay?” she asked and instantly sat up in bed.

“Oh, yeah. I’m cool. The other dude…not so much.”

“What happened?”

“Tony and I were at a club downtown and some guy started shoving around a girl.

No one seemed to be noticing, so I told him to stop.” He said it like he was reading facts from a book.

“You told him?”

“Okay, maybe I did more than tell him. But he did stop.”

Becca laughed. “I bet he did. That was a nice thing to do.”

“Yeah. Whatever.”

She could almost hear his shrug. “Not whatever. Most people don’t like to get involved and wouldn’t have done anything about it. So unlike what your dad would have done.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. And don’t use that tone with me. You are not like him, Jake.” It made her mad that he seemed intent on thinking that. “He would have been the guy pushing the girl around. Am I right?”

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Silence hung on the phone before he finally answered. “Sure. But don’t be putting me on some pedestal, Bec. I don’t deserve it. I stopped some guy from hitting a girl…so what? It’s one incident and I’m sure all my other fuck-ups make up for it.”

Shoving her hair out of her face, she got up and paced her bedroom in anger. His parents were the fuck-ups. How could they treat their only child the way they had Jake?

It boggled her mind. But the sad part was she didn’t think Jake had told her the worst of what had been done to him. It made her want to pull him close and help heal those wounds. He was a good man. But he didn’t believe it.

“You are not a bad guy like you seem to think.”

“So how was your weekend?”

Sighing at his change of subject and knowing it was his way of dealing, she said, “It was good. Summer and I went to Sunsets tonight.”

“Your usual Tuesday nighter.”

“I introduced Summer to a coworker of mine. I think she had a good time.”

“But you didn’t?”

How could she tell him that she thought about him the whole time? That he stayed in her thoughts like an addiction? “It was fun,” she said and lay back down on her bed.

“You’re lying.”

“Okay, fine. But I didn’t have a bad time.”

“But no fun?”

“No. Not really. I had things on my mind.”
Like you.

“Anything in particular? Or just life in general?”

“Oh, you know. Life. Work.” She cleared her throat and said, “Summer’s coming with me Saturday.”

His low chuckle spread through her body and gave her goose bumps. “Thinking about this weekend, huh? I am too.”

“You are?” she asked, surprised. He always seemed so in control, like nothing ever got to him. Even when he talked about the hell he had been through, it was like he was detached from it.

“How could I not? I’m lucky I get to meet you. I honestly didn’t think you would go for it.”

Warmth filled her and it brought a smile to her face. “How could I not?”

“Easy. You could have said no. And if you back out at the last minute, I won’t hold it against you.”

“Jake, I’ll be there.” And she would. She didn’t know a lot of things, but no matter how scared and nervous she was, she was meeting him. No matter what. “Don’t you back out on me.”

“I gave my word. I’ll be there,” he said in a low voice, a promise that almost sounded like a threat.

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A shiver ran through her and something hot settled between her legs. She closed her eyes and squeezed her thighs together. She didn’t know what it was about him, but when his voice dropped like that all she could think of was sex. He hadn’t said anything even remotely sexy, but it didn’t stop her body from reacting to it.

“Good.” She licked her lips and tried to get her libido under control.

“I thought about you last night.”

“I thought about you too,” she said quietly

“What were you thinking?”

“I was dreaming, actually.”

“Interesting. Were we together?”

“Yeah.” Oh God, were they together. She didn’t think she would have the courage to have sex with him Saturday, but that didn’t stop her mind from conjuring the scenario while she slept.

“Was I touching you?”

Damn, his voice had dropped again, sending her libido into overdrive. “Yes.”

“Where?”

“Everywhere,” she whispered.

“Down your neck, over your nipples, down your stomach and between your legs where you’re so hot?”

“Mmm-hmm.” If it didn’t feel so good, she might be embarrassed that her panties were already soaked. And she hadn’t even touched herself yet. After every encounter with him, it was easier and easier to let go. Not that she had much choice. Her body hummed every time she even thought about Jake.

“Tell me about your dream, Bec.”