everywhere.
“Sold the shop. Headed to Bakersfield to go into business with my brother.”
Raynie sat up. “Oh, so this is a goodbye visit.”
“Fraid so, babe. Unless you want to go with me.”
“Not possible. I’ve got responsibilities.”
“Yeah. Sorry about your sister. How’re you making it with the kid?”
“I’m doing okay.”
Rico stood, pointed to the condom. “What should I do with this?”
“Bathroom, end of the hall.”
Inked all over, the man was a walking canvas. As much as she loved tats, his were a bit extreme. The cobra was new. And wicked. Most were. All original designs. Vampires, werewolves, devil, Grim Reaper, skull, to name a few. But the scariest covered his back. A green mermaid sported red eyes, pointed ears, and sharp teeth with an octopus twined around her body as if choking the life out of her. Rico tried to talk Raynie in to adding a fourth image to her collection, but she didn’t want to go overboard.
He returned and grabbed his boxers and jeans from the carpet and pulled them on. “I’ll be in town until Friday morning, then I’m heading out. I’m at the Motel 6 a few blocks over. Room 118.”
After he left, Raynie got rid of the evidence in the trash can. Questions about a used condom from a six-year-old was a subject worth avoiding. But releasing all that pent up sexual frustration caused every nerve in Raynie body to hum. By Friday, if she had her way, they’d be vibrating full force.
JARED SAT UP ON the side of the bed and glanced at Julie. Her long dark hair fanned out on the pillow, her face relaxed in sleep. He never thought she’d take him up on his promise. I’ll give you my dick, but not my heart, but she showed up to collect. Well, this would be the last time.
He ran his hand over his rough stubble and staggered into the kitchen. While he made coffee, he considered his mistake. He’d been a fool to let her stay again. At first, he’d thought he was in charge of the situation. The fact she’d come back—begging, made him think he had the power, but the truth was, she was already controlling him. Down the hall, he heard his bed partner stir and then she appeared. “Morning.”
He wanted to wipe off her self-satisfied grin. How could he feel such anger toward her, yet have sex? Easy answer. A willing female shows up with a free offer of something he liked why the hell not? No. That wasn’t it.
“Last night was wonderful. You may say mean things, but admit it, you still have feelings for me.”
“No, I don’t. Primal need. That’s all it was, so don’t show up here again.” He was still trying to understand this new side of his personality. Why in hell did he keep screwing a woman he couldn’t stand? Maybe it was that simple. She wanted more and he intended to give her a glimmer of hope, then snuff it out. Well, no more.
“We’ll see about that.” She moved closer and wrapped her arms around his waist and brought her lips to his.
He pushed away. “This . . . us . . . a big mistake. I took advantage of a situation and shouldn’t have.”
“You loved me once and I know you can again. All you have to do is forgive me for leaving. I messed up, but I’ve learned my lesson.”
“That’s just it. I have forgiven you and still don’t want you back. I feel nothing for you but contempt.”
She backed away and eyed him. “So, all the sex has been what—grudge fucks?”
“Yeah.”
Her shoulders rose and fell with a heavy sigh. “Well, I’ll leave for now, but Lubbock isn’t so big that we won’t run into each other if you still frequent the same old haunts. After you’ve had a while to think about it, you’ll realize this wasn’t wrong.”
“No. I won’t.”
As the tail-lights on Julie’s car disappeared from view, Jace’s van pulled into the drive. Jared waited until his brother went through his routine. Swiveled, transferred, rolled to the back of the vehicle, then lowered his chair to the ground. Jared
“Sold the shop. Headed to Bakersfield to go into business with my brother.”
Raynie sat up. “Oh, so this is a goodbye visit.”
“Fraid so, babe. Unless you want to go with me.”
“Not possible. I’ve got responsibilities.”
“Yeah. Sorry about your sister. How’re you making it with the kid?”
“I’m doing okay.”
Rico stood, pointed to the condom. “What should I do with this?”
“Bathroom, end of the hall.”
Inked all over, the man was a walking canvas. As much as she loved tats, his were a bit extreme. The cobra was new. And wicked. Most were. All original designs. Vampires, werewolves, devil, Grim Reaper, skull, to name a few. But the scariest covered his back. A green mermaid sported red eyes, pointed ears, and sharp teeth with an octopus twined around her body as if choking the life out of her. Rico tried to talk Raynie in to adding a fourth image to her collection, but she didn’t want to go overboard.
He returned and grabbed his boxers and jeans from the carpet and pulled them on. “I’ll be in town until Friday morning, then I’m heading out. I’m at the Motel 6 a few blocks over. Room 118.”
After he left, Raynie got rid of the evidence in the trash can. Questions about a used condom from a six-year-old was a subject worth avoiding. But releasing all that pent up sexual frustration caused every nerve in Raynie body to hum. By Friday, if she had her way, they’d be vibrating full force.
JARED SAT UP ON the side of the bed and glanced at Julie. Her long dark hair fanned out on the pillow, her face relaxed in sleep. He never thought she’d take him up on his promise. I’ll give you my dick, but not my heart, but she showed up to collect. Well, this would be the last time.
He ran his hand over his rough stubble and staggered into the kitchen. While he made coffee, he considered his mistake. He’d been a fool to let her stay again. At first, he’d thought he was in charge of the situation. The fact she’d come back—begging, made him think he had the power, but the truth was, she was already controlling him. Down the hall, he heard his bed partner stir and then she appeared. “Morning.”
He wanted to wipe off her self-satisfied grin. How could he feel such anger toward her, yet have sex? Easy answer. A willing female shows up with a free offer of something he liked why the hell not? No. That wasn’t it.
“Last night was wonderful. You may say mean things, but admit it, you still have feelings for me.”
“No, I don’t. Primal need. That’s all it was, so don’t show up here again.” He was still trying to understand this new side of his personality. Why in hell did he keep screwing a woman he couldn’t stand? Maybe it was that simple. She wanted more and he intended to give her a glimmer of hope, then snuff it out. Well, no more.
“We’ll see about that.” She moved closer and wrapped her arms around his waist and brought her lips to his.
He pushed away. “This . . . us . . . a big mistake. I took advantage of a situation and shouldn’t have.”
“You loved me once and I know you can again. All you have to do is forgive me for leaving. I messed up, but I’ve learned my lesson.”
“That’s just it. I have forgiven you and still don’t want you back. I feel nothing for you but contempt.”
She backed away and eyed him. “So, all the sex has been what—grudge fucks?”
“Yeah.”
Her shoulders rose and fell with a heavy sigh. “Well, I’ll leave for now, but Lubbock isn’t so big that we won’t run into each other if you still frequent the same old haunts. After you’ve had a while to think about it, you’ll realize this wasn’t wrong.”
“No. I won’t.”
As the tail-lights on Julie’s car disappeared from view, Jace’s van pulled into the drive. Jared waited until his brother went through his routine. Swiveled, transferred, rolled to the back of the vehicle, then lowered his chair to the ground. Jared
Similar Books
