Bad Boy's Lust (Firemen in Love Book 1) (8 page)

“That's my parent's place.”

Funny, because on his profile, he definitely said that was
his
house. Okay, the guy was cute, but I hated liars.

“If you live in a dorm, that means you're still in college.”

He finished his beer in three gulps. “Sure am – proud student of Baylor U. I'm going for my bachelor's in accounting.”

Another thing not mentioned to me online. Hold on. If he was in college...

“Matt, exactly how old are you?”

“How old do you
think
I am?”

I studied his clean-shaven face and big blue eyes. “You look a little young.”

“Let me tell you a secret.” He pulled out his wallet and showed me a driver's license that said he was 21. “This thing works perfect. You know anyone who needs ID, I got the hookup.”

It took a second to realize what he was showing me.

“You're using a fake ID?” I hissed.

“Could you maybe not say that so loud?”

“What's your real age?”

He wordlessly pulled out his real license. Oh, God. He was only 19! I was on a date with a
teenager.

“You're six years younger than me!”

He was not apologetic. “I'm mature. It's just a number.”

“You said online you were born in 1990.”

Finally, my glare wore him down. He looked at the floor and kicked a dust ball my way.

“I like older women,” he confessed. “They usually don't give a kid like me the time of day. I planned on telling you sooner or later.”

Most likely later rather than sooner, I imagined. Crap, what now? I couldn't be caught drinking alcohol with a teenager. What if this was some kind of police sting? Then I'd be hauled off to jail for aiding and abetting a criminal.

“Here he is, girls. The cutie who brought me here tonight. He's a
fireman!
”

I cringed and dared look behind me. Three girls had cornered Jayce on a bar stool, and he didn't look too happy about it. One was a pissy-looking redhead who practically threw herself in his lap.

“Firemen are super sexy. You are so lucky!”

The other woman stepped forward with narrowed eyes. Her cheeks turned red; she thrust her chubby finger in his face. Jayce stumbled backward and fell off his stool.

“It's
you.
” She shoved him. “Reese, this guy is seriously your date? He's an asshole!”

“Shut up, Meg. You're just jealous 'cause you can't catch a man hot as this.”

“Oh, yeah? He slept with me a couple months back! Never heard a peep from him again after that.”

Yep, that was Jayce's signature move, the screw-and-dash. I snickered to myself. Always knew his fickleness would get him into trouble one day.

“Look, uh, let's all be rational here.” Jayce backed away from the shrieking harpies. “Yeah, I cut out on you without saying anything. I didn't think you'd be mad. I mean, it was just one night.”

That only made her madder. Reese took turns screaming at her friend for screwing “her” man and then yelling at Jayce for being such a dick. It was hilarious.

Okay, maybe I felt just a
tiny
bit sorry for him.

Matt patted my arm. I'd almost forgotten he was standing there.

“Hey, I see a friend of mine across the way. Mind if I go chat him up real quick? I won't be long.”

As far as I was concerned, he could vanish and not come back. I'd just as soon forget I was ever propositioned for sex by a nineteen-year old.

“Sure, go ahead.”

Matt cut through the crowd and disappeared. Someone bumped into me from behind, and instantly the back of my dress was soaked with something alcoholic.

“Oh, Elle. Sorry!”

Heather stood behind me wearing a sheepish smile and holding a half-empty glass of beer. In her other hand, she had some kind of pink beverage with pineapple and a paper umbrella in it.

“Gee, thanks.” I tried to squeeze the booze out of my dress. “Perfect place for a spill. Not only will everyone think I wet myself, I smell like I've made some very questionable life choices.”

She apologized again. “Blame Zach. He made me hold his beer while he went to go pee.” She finally noticed the verbal sparring match going on right in front of us. “Crap, is that Jayce? What's he doing with all those girls?”

“I think they're plotting how to kill him.”

“He's a total player,” Meg went on. “You don't just sleep with a woman and never call her again.”

“Yeah. You hurt her
feelings!
”

Poor Jayce looked dumbfounded. But, as always, he had a plan for escape. He was very good at fleeing from unwanted attention, I'd give him that.

“Excuse me, ladies. I'll be right back.”

He coolly weaved through the crowd and came toward us. Just what did he think he was doing? If he tried to use me as a shield from their fury, I would never forgive him.

“Hello there, girls. Looks like you're having a great time. Would either of you care to dance?”

He threw his arms around Heather and me. Heather grumbled and pushed him away. I didn't.

Even in the midst of the mayhem, I liked his touch too much.

“Get off me, jerk. This is what happens when you can't keep your pants on. Deal with the consequences.”

“Hey, I'll have you know I did nothing wrong.” He said it so they could hear. “I never promised her, nor any other girl, a thing. Never said I would still be in their bed the next morning.”

And that was exactly why I couldn't let him have me. Because if I did, I knew his ways. I'd never be able to respect myself for giving in to my hormones so easily.

But Jayce was
good.
He knew it. I knew it. At least I was guaranteed my first time would be amazing...

The women seemed to have shifted their attention from him to one another. Now Meg and Reese were shouting back and forth while their third friend stood by, begging them to stop.

“How could you sleep with him and not tell me, bitch?”

“Gee, I didn't know I had to inform you every time I took off my clothes!”

Jayce snorted. “Now you see why I don't stick around. Once is enough, and I don't like drama.”

Zach returned from the restroom and took his beer from Heather. He surveyed the squabbling women with wide eyes.

“Already causing cat fights, I see.”

“Don't be jealous. You wish you had chicks fighting over you, too.”

Heather squeezed Zach tight. “No he doesn't. Why would he want that insanity when he has a woman who loves him?”

Zach chuckled. “You know me too well, babe.”

They went back to dancing, leaving me alone with Jayce. Standing here in the darkness, so close to him, made me nervous.

“What happened to your cowboy?”

“Matt? Turns out he's... a little young for me.”

He stood across the room in a corner, talking with some guy dressed all in black. Whatever the conversation, it looked pretty serious.

Jayce's arm left my shoulders and dropped around my waist. I was half-drunk, very horny, and seriously disappointed that my date hadn't worked out so well. Naturally, my body instantly responded to the warmth of his hand on my hip.

“Looks like we're both alone now.”

His eyes were full of a primal intent, of desire for something we both very much needed and had, to this point, denied ourselves.

“I guess we are.”

Some guy with glasses appeared to be hitting on Reese. She walked off with him hand in hand, having already forgotten about the man she came here with.

If you asked me, she was a fool to walk away from him.

“I won't lie, it kind of stings.” He gestured to the new couple. “Oh, well. She wasn't really my type anyway. I can pick up another girl in twenty minutes, tops.”

I edged away from him. “You never learn.”

“Easy, Pink. I promise I'll behave.” He pulled me back. “In fact, you can be my date tonight.”

“M-me?”

“Why not? At least I know you're good company. Doesn't hurt that you are one
sweet
piece of eye candy.”

I tilted my face so he wouldn't see me blushing.

“But you came here to find someone...” I tried to protest.

“Well, that's not happening right now. Now, it's you I'm worried about.” His hand fell a bit lower. “I promised I'd help you get laid. And I'm a guy who keeps his promises.”

“That was an idiotic promise to make from the start.”

He flinched and pulled his hand away, then stared at his wet fingers.

“Did you pee yourself?”

I had to laugh. “Yeah, totally. Didn't you know I've got an incontinence problem?”

He gave me a funny look and sniffed his palm. “It's beer.”

“Okay, you got me. Heather had a little bit of an accident. Now then, how exactly do you plan to get me laid when my butt's soaked with booze? Not exactly attractive, is it?”

He whirled me around. “I dunno. You still look pretty damn good to me.”

“Jayce, I'm serious.”

“So am I. Nothing worse than a flat, skinny ass. You...” He inhaled deeply. “You got the kind of curves that would make any red-blooded male drool over you.”

“I'm glad you think so, but I need a change of clothes. My underwear's getting wet now, too.”

He grinned. “Is that so? Yeah, I tend to have that effect on women. All I gotta do is stand next to 'em and they're throwing their panties at me.”

“I'm going to throw
something
at you if you don't cut it out. Like my shoe – and the heel makes a good, sharp weapon. Could take out an eye if I'm not careful.”

He sighed and took my hand. His thumb traced circles in my palm. It was getting harder and harder to fake annoyance with him.

Getting harder, too, to stop myself from melting into his arms...

“You talk too much when you're nervous. That's the kind of thing that scares guys off.”

“You're still here.”

“I'm different. We're friends.”

I was starting to think we might be more than that these days. “So does that mean you're obligated to put up with me?”

“Not at all. I just happen to
like
putting up with you. C'mon, I've got a sweatshirt in my car you can borrow.”

We left the chill of the air-conditioned building and went back out into the muggy spring night. Jayce's truck was parked crooked near the front, taking up two spots as if he owned the place. He dug around in the backseat and proudly pulled out a hoodie for me.

“What am I supposed to do with that?”

“Tie it around your waist, I guess. Or just put it on.” He stuffed the shirt into my hands. “You know, I kinda like the thought of you wearing my clothes.”

“Bet you say that to all the girls.”

“No.” His answer was firm. “I never have.”

I didn't want to put the shirt on and mess up my hair, though – as petty and dumb as that sounded. I'd actually spent twenty minutes fixing it and thought it looked pretty darn great. Looping the shirt around my waist made me look equally ridiculous.

I winced at the chill of beer-soaked underwear against my skin. If only I could find a restroom... But then what would I do? Put my underwear in my purse?

“What's wrong now?”

“Don't suppose you have a pair of clean undies in your truck.”

“Nah. I don't tend to keep girl's clothes around after...” He shook his head. “Anyway, just take 'em off and go without.”

I'd really prefer it if
he
took them off for me. Ugh, why couldn't I stop thinking such awful thoughts?

Desperate to get the sticky, cold garment away from me, I climbed into his truck, shut the door, and slid the underwear down around my ankles. I'd worn my best pair tonight, a little black lacy thing that might have impressed had it not been soaked in cheap light beer.

Jayce was a gentleman, not peeking through the windows while I undressed. But when I opened the door, his gaze fell to the underwear in my hand. He grinned as if he'd won the lottery.

“You have good choice in undergarments.”

I blushed and stuffed the wet panties into an empty purse pocket. “Gee, thanks. It's quite a compliment coming from you. Now are we going back in there or what?”

He came closer. “You're not wearing anything under that dress.”

“Yeah, so? You're the one who told me to take 'em off.”

“I don't just mean that. You're not wearing a bra, either.”

I crossed my arms in front of my chest. He was right; I didn't have one on. None of them quite worked with the cut of this dress. Figured it was okay. There wasn't much to show off up top, anyway.

“How did you know?”

“Trust me, I know what nipples look like. And now I know what
yours
look like.”