No. Imagining some girl with her hands on him had me ready to throw down. Now I was on fire for a whole different reason. I’d never been the jealous type, but the idea of anyone else fucking with him made me want to fuck a bitch up. The guys were wrapping up their fight, and I was tempted to march right up to Stocks and make it clear that if he so much as flirted with another woman, they’d never find her body.
What the hell is wrong with me?
Most likely noting the steam coming out of my ears, Naomi smiled knowingly. “That’s what I thought. You’ll wanna kill the bitch, and—as your best friend—I’ll have to help you. Then we’ll end up in jail, and Maya will be raised solely by a man who beats the shit out of other men in bar parking lots. You don’t want that for my sweet little girl, do you?”
The assholes had finally had enough of a beating to quit. While Stocks and Eagle looked on, they helped each other up and limped away. The crowd started to disperse.
“I like you two together,” Naomi said, looking me over. “He looks good on you. You need to lock that shit down. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna take my man home and work all that sexy adrenaline out of him.”
I laughed as she hurried over to her husband, locked her arms around his neck, and tried to suck his face off.
Stocks’s gaze met mine and he joined me, pulling me in for a kiss. When he released me, he asked, “You wanna get out of here?”
Boy, did I ever. I also wanted to get him out of those jeans. “Please.”
He pulled away to yell at Eagle over his shoulder. “We’re gonna head out, brother. Thanks for having my back.”
Lips still locked with Naomi’s, Eagle waved us off.
Stocks slid his arm around my waist, and we headed for the back door of the fire station. “You okay?” he asked. “You’re being kinda quiet.”
No, I was not okay. I was a bundle of emotions, fears, and hopes that I couldn’t seem to process. I didn’t want to define our relationship, but I didn’t want to end up killing a bitch because he was a free agent, either. I wanted life to be easier, and for shit to just fall into place for once. Since I couldn’t find the words to voice any of that, I replied, “You fight well.” I sounded like an idiot. If I could have shoved those words back into my mouth, I would have. Instead, I played it cool and stopped in front of the building.
Looking at me sideways, he punched in his code to gain us entry. “Thanks, but that doesn’t answer my question.”
“I’ve never had anyone fight for me before.” That came out a little less awkwardly, but now I sounded like a loser.
Pulling me into the building behind him, he met my gaze. “Are you serious?”
Great.Iwasa loser. “I’ve neverneededanyone to fight for me,” I clarified.
Lines creased his forehead. “You don’tneedanyone to fight for you now. Babe, you’re one of the toughest women I’ve ever met. That fight didn’t happen because I thought you couldn’t defend yourself. To be honest, I don’t even know what came over me. I heard them disrespecting you and… I lost my shit. I don’t care how capable you are, no one has the right to talk about you like that, and I’m not gonna stand for it. Ever.”
The man was too good to be true, and Naomi was right, I needed to lock his ass down. I could tell him that, but I’d always been more about showing than telling. Feeling him hardening against me, I slipped my hand between us and gave his cock a little squeeze.
His eyes widened. “Oh really?”
“You planning to do something with this? Or are we just gonna stand here and chat all night?”
He grinned and spun around, grabbing my hand to tow me up the stairs. Laughing, I lengthened my stride to keep up.
When we hit the first landing, a door slammed. Tension filled the air. Slowing, we climbed a few more stairs before the girl who’d been holding Bull’s hand during our time around the fire pit turned the corner and plowed into Stocks. He didn’t budge, but she would have landed on her ass if he hadn’t caught her.
“Lily? Are you okay,” he asked.
“Sorry,” she said, wiping back tears. “I… I didn’t see you.”
“What’s going on?”
She pasted on a smile. “Not a thing; we’re just friends.” Her tone was anything but friendly. She swiped angrily at another tear.
Stocks’s eyebrows rose. “Oh.”
“Lily, wait!” Bull shouted.
She glanced over her shoulder before pushing away from Stocks. “I gotta get out of here. Sorry again.” Then she sprinted down the stairs, disappearing out the back door.
Bull appeared, hopping on one foot as he tried to put on his shoe. He took one look at us and said, “Hey. Have you guys seen Lily?”
