She stepped away and he shot her a stern stare. “On the way home, you might want to figure out aproperway to thankme.”
17
Home
An explosion of clothes,shoes and masks covered the floor of Crockett’s guest room, which now looked like a ladies boutique.How can one woman wear all this?The space had been empty, but then, so had hislife.
Enter Alexandra. Chaoseverywhere.
He hated leaving her, especially after her traumatic run-in with Ben, but he wouldn’t break his commitment to his kids. Plus, he needed to take out his aggression on a punching bag. Kneeling next to her, he peered into her eyes. “You sure you’reokay?”
“Positive.” She glanced at his blackgi, her gaze hovering over the V exposing his chest. Her sharp inhale landed in his groin. “Clublater?”
“Absolutely.” Breaking their steamy connection, he tapped the Incognito app on his phone. “There’s a suite available atten.”
“Book it.” Determination replaced the lingering fear banking in her eyes. “If you stand in the hallway, outside the lounge, you’ll be able to see Jase and Francois escorting men into thesuite.”
“Which room isit?”
“Left out of the greeting room. Last one on the right before turning the corner. It’s the only one that’sunmarked.”
“Got it. Where will yoube?”
“I’ll meet you in the lounge. If you see Dracule hanging around, don’t scare him away. He might prove himself useful. He’s king ofrejuvenation.”
“I don’t trust that weasel.” He offered her a spare house key and underground parking garage dooropener.
“Thank you.” As she hooked the key onto her keychain, the atmosphere turned electric. Just like that, his home had becometheirs.
Before he could check himself, he stroked her back. The pull to touch her too powerful to ignore. If she were his, he’d kiss hersenseless.
Fuckit.
His mouth was on hers, his pent-up energy impossible to contain. Her throaty moan spurred him forward. Her lips parted. When his tongue slipped inside, she fisted his hair and pulled. But leaving her wanting more would send a stronger message, so he stopped. Abruptly. Like kissing her hadn’t fazed him. Everything about Alex, including her wild eyes and rapid breathing, had turned him hard. But he had to leave.Now.
He stood, grateful thegijacket hid his boner. “I’ll be at Rodele Martial Arts if you need to reachme.”
A tiny whimper floated from her lips, her gaze still fixed on his. Then, she broke eye contact and blinked, several times. “Oh, my phone is missing. I left it at work or with themechanic.”
He sighed. That explained why she hadn’t responded to his earlier texts. “Alexandra, what am I going to do withyou?”
Her raised eyebrow answered thatquestion.
* * *
Alexandra had forcedherselfto keep it together, but Ben had terrified her. With a glass of Chianti in hand, she soaked in the Jacuzzi. The scalding water temperature relaxed her knotted muscles, while her thoughts drifted to Crockett. When left with a moment to daydream, that’s where her mind strayed. Though devastated over her mom, and frustrated about her job, Crockett had been her lighthouse in a stormy sea. Being in his home, surrounded by his things and knowing that he would return here, day in and day out, planted a seedling of hope in her heart.Maybe I could let down my guard and give this a secondchance.
Fear slammed her chest. Her eyes flew open.So much for my moment of Zen.She stopped the jets and exited the tub. Being in a relationship with Crockett wasn’t going to work. Especially for the short run. History had proventhat.
The doorbell chimed. Alexandra wrapped herself in Crockett’s bathrobe and hurried down the hall. After spying an attractive woman through the peephole, her heart dropped. She’d assumed he didn’t have anyone special in his life. Had she assumed wrong? She opened thedoor.
The woman’s megawatt smile fizzled. “I’m here to see Crockett Wilde.” She eyed the oversized man’srobe.
“He’s not home. Can I helpyou?”
Her jaw ticked. “I’m Tammy, hisrealtor.”
Seemed late for a pop-in. “Do you have copies of anything you need to leave withme?”
