I have no idea. Makes no difference. I still like it.
“Yeah, well, I know exactly what your immediatefuture optionsinclude.” I leer down at her and she smiles back. Lucky for me she walked into Odin’s tonight, ready for a rebound fuck. “You’re not gonna get much sleep tonight, you know that.” It’s not a question.
She squeezes my arm, pressing her body against me, and while I’m not usually into this kind of touchy-feely shit, it’s good. “I’m counting on it.”
…
Grace
Zach strolls across a small forecourt situated on the corner of the block. It looks like a motorcycle repair shop, although the windows are blacked out so I can’t see inside. So that’s why he gave me that strange look when I asked about his car. I thought maybe he’d been banned for DUI or something, because who doesn’t drive?
Seems he’s more into bikes. I’d love to ride pillion with him. It’s just one more thing I’ve never done becauseit’s too dangerous, Grace.
He takes me down the side of the shop and around the back, where there’s a small overgrown yard and a security light over a door into the building. We go inside and there’s a short hallway and a staircase to the second floor, above the shop. He flicks on the light, waves me forward, and follows, his hand cupping my ass. I grip the stair rail for added balance. His touch really mangles my senses.
At the top of the stairs there’s a living room to my left, and a kitchen to the right. Everything looks about thirty years old, from the worn sofa and scratched coffee table to the battered units in the kitchen. It’s tidy, though, except for some magazines scattered across the floor of the living room. As Zach squeezes past me and dumps my case in a room farther along the hallway, I suddenly realize they’re glossy women’s magazines.
Oh myGod. I’d just assumed he was single. My heart knocks against my ribs in sudden panic, and I turn to face him. Has he brought me back here for a threesome with his significant other? Or is she away and he just wants some extra-curricular fun?
“Want to freshen up?” He loops his arms around me and even though I doubt his motives, his smile still manages to turn my insides to liquid. Damn him. Why didn’t I ask him before I agreed to come back here? Just because I’m up for a one-night stand full of mind blowing sex doesn’t mean I want to be theother woman.
I grip my overnight case and hold it between us. It’s a pathetic barrier but will have to do.
“So, do you live here alone?” I try to sound casual, and I think I succeed since he doesn’t immediately go on the defensive.
“Don’t worry about it, Grace.” His fingers massage the small of my back and it’s hard to concentrate. Except he hasn’t answered my question. “My kid sister won’t disturb us when she gets home.”
Hissister? Relief rushes through me, making me dizzy. “You live here with your sister?” I almost cringe. Why did I say that? He justtoldme he did. Well, I assume that’s what he means.
“Yeah. Don’t let that stop you from screaming, though.” He gives another wicked grin, and I laugh because he doesn’t live with a woman and hasn’t just cheated on her with me.
Stop jumping to conclusions.I’ve no evidence that’s the truth, but somehow I just know it, deep inside.
“Just the two of you?” There’s a faint warning in the back of my mind telling me I shouldn’t be doing all this small talk. I’m leaving tomorrow and we’ll never see each other again. And yet I want to know more about him, apart from the fact he’s the best lover I’ve ever had.
That wouldn’t be hard…
I push the mocking thought aside. Not only do I intend to make up for the sad lack of variety in my past, I’m not settling for anything less than toe-curling orgasms in the future.
What would he say if I told himthat?
“Yeah, that’s right.” He’s frowning, but not in a bad way. Actually, it makes him look adorable in adon’t-mess-with-mekind of way. “What’s so funny?”
Crap, I didn’t realize my intention to demand more than second rate sex in the future had shown on my face. “Nothing’s funny. I think it’s great you live with your sister. I always wanted an older brother to look out for me.”
Where did that come from? I know I’m going red again because seriously—all he wants from me is sex and I don’t know why my tongue keeps running away with me. It doesn’t usually. If I keep this up he’s going to think I expect some kind of commitment from him.
“Try telling Kat that.” He grins and takes my hand. “She hates the way Gage and I ‘look out for her.’”
Gage must be his brother. “It can’t be much fun if you interrogate all her boyfriends before she goes on a date.” Reminds me of how my dad used to be, before I started seeing Russell.
Zach leads me down the hallway and into his bedroom. “If byinterrogateyou mean threaten to rip off their balls if they so much as think about trying anything, then yeah. Okay.” He laughs and kicks the door shut.
Right. My dad was always more concerned that guys would take advantage of my name—in other words, the family fortune—but I guess the gist is the same.
The room is bigger than I expected, with an unmade double bed against the far wall and a couple of T-shirts dropped onto the floor. He plucks my overnight case from my hand and tosses it onto the end of the bed.
“The bathroom’s through there.”
