Lori Foster (11 page)

Hell, until recently, Rowdy himself hadn’t realized it. Before this, even with the evidence in front of him, he’d told himself that most people had ulterior motives. They were users. They cared only about their own comforts.

Now... Well, now he had to believe that some men had amazing ethics and a deep sense of responsibility.

“What will happen?” Avery asked.

Rowdy shook his head, but said, “I’ll make sure he stays safe.”

Her expression softened. “Rowdy—”

Driven by hunger and desperation, Rowdy drew her in for a kiss.

With a light laugh, she dodged him. “Not again. You need your rest—”

I need you.
He didn’t say it aloud, and he didn’t let her retreat. “I’m not tired.”

“Well, I am.” She put her hand to the side of his face. “What do you think? It’s awfully late. Would you mind if I stayed the rest of the night with you?”

Vivid sexual images sent his muscles contracting. Hell, he’d figured on having to persuade her. With every new breath, his back hurt more, and still, with her statement, his hunger stirred.

Avery went on in a rush. “To sleep, I mean.”

Well, hell. He drew her closer, his gaze on her mouth. “We could sleep after.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.” Her face warmed. “I want to be here in case you need anything.”

This time he couldn’t keep the words contained. “I need you.”

As if he hadn’t spoken, she continued. “I promise not to become clingy. I won’t drop in uninvited and I won’t make any assumptions.”

She should,
Rowdy thought,
because God knew she’d probably be right.
He kissed her forehead, the bridge of her nose, that soft, sweet mouth. “You can stay,” he whispered. “On one condition.”

Her eyes narrowed in teasing threat. “I mean it, Rowdy. Sleep and only sleep.”

He could handle that—with a fair trade-off. “All right. But you sleep with me. In my bed.”

Her eyes widened again. “You,” she said, sounding like a schoolteacher, “are not up for it.”

“There’s where you’re wrong.” Just hearing her talk about it had him throbbing.

Her gaze dropped to his lap, and she scuttled off the couch so fast that his fingers got snagged in her hair. “Rowdy Yates, you’re... We can’t possibly...”

“We could, but yeah, it’d be tricky.” Besides, when he finally got her under him, he didn’t want to be handicapped by a zipper of fresh stitches with her still reeling from a night of upset.

Avery continued to stare at his lap.

“That’s not helping, honey.” Pushing to his feet, he readjusted in an effort to get more comfortable. “It’s not a snake and it doesn’t bite.”

More color rushed into her face until she looked sunburned.

Enjoying her mix of innocence and sex appeal, Rowdy touched her chin and brought her gaze up to his. “What do you say, honey? Ready to crash for the night?”

“Well.” She chewed her bottom lip and worked hard to keep her attention off the solid erection straining his jeans. “I could sleep on the couch...”

“I’ll feel better if you stick close.” He always enjoyed snuggling up with a warm female body. Granted, it usually only happened with sex, but tonight, with Avery, he’d make an exception.

She twisted her mouth, gave him a skeptical look. “You promise you only mean for sleep?”

“Unless you get frisky and go for more.” He leaned down and nuzzled her ear. “I’m in a weakened state. You could totally take advantage of me.”

She laughed—then slapped a hand over her mouth.

“What’s funny?” Taking her shoulders, he eased her against him. She was a tiny little thing, and still they fit perfectly. “I have a feeling I’m missing an inside joke here.”

Sighing, she leaned into him, her hands on his chest. “I probably shouldn’t tell you.”

“Tell me anyway.” Hell, now he had to know.

Tipping her head back, she gifted him with a big smile. “At the hospital, I had that very thought.” Her curious fingertips touched over his collarbone. “That I could molest you in your weakened condition.”

God, he would love for her to try. “Maybe tomorrow you can give it a shot.” In the meantime, he prompted her, saying, “Wanna help me get undressed?”

Her eyes flared.

Keeping his amusement under wraps, Rowdy said, “Reaching my shoes, peeling off my socks...” He shifted his shoulder and gave an exaggerated wince. “Pushing down my jeans. I’m not sure I can manage all that.”

“Oh.” She levered back and looked down the length of his body.

Yeah, the boner was still there. But then, with every pore of his being, he was aware of having Avery Mullins alone in his apartment. Talking about her taking off his jeans kept him primed.

She swallowed. “Of course.” And then, big eyes looking up at him, “Should we go by your bed?”

“I was going to wash up first.”

“Do you...ah, need help with that?”

Like he couldn’t brush his teeth on his own? Rowdy didn’t like playing weak, even if the aches and pains were starting to really settle in. Sooner or later, Avery would understand his strength. “I got it covered.”

Relief took some of the starch from her shoulders.

“Why don’t you go turn down the bed?”

“Okay.” She walked with him across the room. “Do you have something I can sleep in?”

My arms.
But maybe it was better not to tell her that yet. “What’s wrong with your birthday suit?” He wouldn’t get any sleep, but he’d sacrifice sleep for a nude female body any day.

Avery looked scandalized. “I can’t sleep that way.”

“Why not?”

“I just wouldn’t.” She paused by some of his exercise equipment, eyeing it with curiosity. “I’ve never slept naked, and I’m not going to start tonight.”

Never? So his little bartender was modest? He’d get her over that, but obviously not tonight. Going to a dresser, Rowdy dug out a plain white T-shirt. If she wore only her panties under it, it’d be the next best thing to naked. “Will this work?”

She waffled. “Don’t you have something darker?”

“You won’t let me have any fun.” He found a black T-shirt and offered it to her. “Better?”

She held it up in front of her, saw it’d fall to her knees, and nodded. “Yes, thank you.” She turned to the weights on the floor, then indicated the chin-up bar and heavy bag hung from the rafters. “This is your stuff?”

“Yeah.” He needed those aspirin to kick in, the sooner the better. “When I can’t sleep and there isn’t a willing woman around to help me blow off some energy, I work out.”

Putting the T-shirt on his bed, she bent to lift one weight—and got it only about six inches off the floor. “Does it help?”

Not as much as fucking. “Sometimes, sure.”

She gave up on the weight and strode over to the heavy bag. With a slight push, she got it swaying. “You have trouble sleeping?”

“Doesn’t everyone?”

“Sometimes I guess.”

For most of his life, he’d been an insomniac. As a kid, he’d stayed awake listening for trouble—meaning his folks. Later, after they’d died, he’d been vigilant for Pepper.

The idea of Avery not sleeping bothered him. “What keeps you awake?”

“Too much caffeine, scary movies and worrying about stuff. Same as most people.” Smiling, she sat on the side of his bed. “You only have a full-size bed.”

“So?” If he’d known she was staying over, he’d have moved in a twin mattress real quick.

“I don’t want to interrupt your sleep tonight.”

He loved interruptions because usually if he fell into a sound sleep, nightmares plagued him.

That is, if you could call memories nightmares.

“Like I said, I’m an insomniac so don’t worry about it.” He went to the bathroom door. “You’ll have about two minutes to change in private if you want.”

Seated on the side of his bed, her knees together, her fiery hair trailing over her shoulders, she looked like living, breathing temptation. “Okay, thanks.”

Rowdy closed the door behind him, and only then allowed himself to scowl in discomfort. Every movement made his stitches pull, but he also felt other aches and pains. His knuckles were bruised, and one knee was stiff as if maybe swollen. Probably from landing on the damned gravel.

He brushed his teeth, washed his face then gave quick thought to shaving. If Avery was saying yes instead of no, maybe he would. But since she insisted on sleep only, he decided it wasn’t worth the effort.

He stepped out, and there she stood beside the turned-down bed, her hair freshly brushed, her clothes gone in place of his soft cotton T-shirt. He’d known it would swim on her, but he hadn’t counted on the enticing way it draped over her every curve, or how the wide neck exposed one shoulder.

Or how possessive he felt seeing her in it.

He could almost hate that shirt for being the only thing between him and the woman who was fast becoming an obsession.

Avery nervously waited for him to say something, but every thought he had was sure to send her running. Very slowly, knowing full well she could see his feelings on his face, he eased closer.

“Rowdy?”

She had beautiful legs, slim but shapely, silky and smooth. Her toes curled as he continued to stare at her. She crossed her forearms over her middle, shifting her stance and inadvertently pulling the material tighter over the swells of her breasts.

He’d had women coming under him and not felt as hot as he did seeing the shape of Avery’s body under black cotton.

“You’re making me feel naked.”

Close enough now to kiss her, he bent his head and nuzzled the fragrant skin of her neck, that supersexy red hair. “One touch, okay?”

“I... What?” Even as she spoke her confusion, she tipped her head, giving him access to continue.

He put his hands at her waist, loving the feel of her beneath the giving cotton. “Just one touch, babe,” he murmured. “Tell me it’s okay.” His fingers opened and closed, relishing the narrowness of her waist, the slight flare at the top of her hips. His mouth brushed her ear. “Just one. Then we can turn in.”

She drew in a shuddering breath—and nodded.

To make the most of it, Rowdy caressed both hands over her hips and down to her full, supple ass. A groan caught in his throat. He took a moment to enjoy how his large hands completely covered each cheek, then used his double-handed hold on her to lift her up to her tiptoes, bringing her in close, pelvis to pelvis.

While lust singed him, she gasped in worry and her hands grabbed for his shoulders. “Rowdy, your back.”

All he could feel at the moment was the throbbing in his cock. He’d never wanted a woman so much. Sex was great, always, but touching Avery like this was better, so good that it felt like a drug.

He lifted her higher so he could kiss the tender flesh where the neckline of the T-shirt exposed her shoulder.

“Rowdy,
please.
” She tucked her face into his shoulder, her voice rough with concern. “You’re going to hurt yourself.”

It wasn’t easy, but Rowdy got himself under control. He wanted Avery’s need as sharp as his own, not clouded by worry.

Carefully, he lowered her feet back to the floor. “You have an amazing ass,” he said with feeling.

Dropping her forehead to his sternum, she gave a husky laugh. Her long hair hid her face from him. He lifted it back over her shoulders.

Damn, but he loved her hair. One of these days it’d be spread out over his pillow while he sank into her.

He shuddered with the thought.

“You’re okay?” Avery let her fingers hover over the waistband of his jeans.

“Better than okay,” he promised her, and kissed the top of her head.

Without looking at him, she whispered, “Should I help you undress now?”

He choked back a groan. “Might be better if you give me a minute.”

“Okay.” She pressed back. “I need to wash up anyway.”

“Make yourself at home.” The words left his mouth, and he froze. Jesus, he couldn’t believe he’d just said that, or that he really wanted her to be at ease.

Her mouth twitched. “You look like that hurt more than the knife wound.”

Emotional shit always hurt worse, and Avery made him feel way too much.

Rowdy accepted that it would be a torturous night. “Use anything you need.”

“You’re sure?” Proving she had a wickedly teasing nature, she said, “You’re already so beat-up, I don’t want to push you over the edge by getting too comfortable.”

“I’m not beat-up, smart-ass. The bastard just got in one lucky cut.” He kissed her to prove he was fine, then turned her and gave her a light swat on that spectacular ass. “Now stop harassing me and go get ready.”

Ignoring her snicker, Rowdy watched her go, fascinated by the way her body moved under his T-shirt.
Who knew a damned tent of a shirt could be so erotic?
The second Avery closed the bathroom door, self-preservation kicked in. He made quick work of double-checking the locks on the front door before turning out all the lights except for the one on the nightstand.

Sinking down to sit on the edge of the bed, in more pain than he wanted to admit to, Rowdy worked off his shoes and socks. Even if having Avery so close wouldn’t keep him awake and on the edge of lust, the deepening pain would make sleep impossible.

When he heard the water shut off in the bathroom, he stood and opened the snap on his jeans, then eased the zipper down over his boner.

Avery emerged. Damp tendrils of hair clung to her forehead and flushed cheeks.

Looking dewy and fresh and so sexy that he burned with need, she padded barefoot across the room to him. “What are you doing?” Her breath smelled minty, and he detected the smell of his soap on her skin. “You’ll hurt yourself.”

“By unzipping my jeans? Get real.” One day soon, he’d make sure she understood his strength. “Did you use my toothbrush?”

Brushing his hands away, she said, “Corner of a washcloth.”

Rowdy stared at the crooked part in her hair. “I wouldn’t have minded.” Would she?

“Maybe in the morning, then. Thanks.”

Apparently not. And why the hell did that seem so intimate?

“So.” She stared at the waistband of his jeans. “Let’s get you undressed.”

Ah, hell, if only the rest of his body felt as energetic as his dick. “This might be a bad idea...”