“What the fuck are you doing?” he asked as he tucked his length back into his jeans. He pulled the zipper up but didn’t bother with the button.
“I shouldn’t have come here,” I told him as I struggled with my shirt, getting it stuck over my head before I finally managed to yank it down and cover the rest of myself. “This was a huge mistake.”
“Are you kidding me?” he asked in a tone that was almost a snarl.
When I forced myself to glance back at him, his expression radiated pissed-off alpha male. Something about that look on his face reignited my own anger, the very anger that had fueled me to drive out here and confront him in the first place.
“Why in the world would I be kidding you?” I snapped. “You made it very clear last week that you had no interest in me.”
“Pretty sure the fact I just came inside you so goddamn hard I’m still seeing stars might prove otherwise.”
I brushed my hair back from my face and lifted my chin. “You mean how maybe the shy, quiet librarian type who blushes every time she makes eye contact with someone does get you going after all?” I asked sarcastically, throwing his words from last Friday back in his face.
He flinched, regret quickly pouring over his features as he recalled the nasty words he’d hurled at me that night. “Baby, it’s clear we need to talk—”
We really didn’t. And I was so done with this.
“I’m not your baby,” I informed him. “And we have absolutely nothing to talk about. This”—I waved my hand toward the car hood he’d just fucked me on—“never should have happened, and it’s a mistake I intend never to make again.”
“That’s bullshit, and you know it, Willow. You kissed me first,” he barked.
I threw my arms out in frustration. “To shut you up! Not because I wanted that to happen. After last time, I was hedging my bets that you’d pull away, hurl a few more insults at me, and send me on my merry way just like last time!”
He paused, inhaling deeply as he propped his hands on his hips and dropped his head like he was silently counting to ten in order to calm himself. A second later, his amber eyes locked with mine. “That was the best fucking sex I’ve ever had. And you can deny it until you’re blue in the face, but I know it was the best for you too. You can’t just walk away from something like that.”
“That’s exactly what I’m going to do,” I returned. Not wanting to give him a chance to say anything else, I spun around and started out of the garage. The sight of that truck reminded me why I’d come here in the first place. I didn’t slow down as I looked back over my shoulder and called, “And I want my car back, Stone. I’m dead serious.”
“That’s not gonna happen, sweetheart,” he called back, his tone full of arrogance that made my blood start to heat.
I whipped back around and hit him with my most vicious glare. The bastard was standing with his feet planted shoulder width apart and those thick tattooed arms crossed over his chest. The air he was giving off was like he was just daring me to argue. The dog I’d completely forgotten about was now standing at his master’s side.
“Oh yes it damn well will!”
“Not a chance in hell.”
I clenched my fists at my side and felt a growl vibrate up my throat. “God, I hate you,” I barked at him, and for some inexplicable reason, the corners of his mouth hooked up in a smile.
“Really? ’Cause you sure as hell didn’t just fuck me like you hated me.”
“Gah!” I threw my head back and screamed at the heavens before turning back around and storming the rest of the way to the truck. I climbed in and peeled out of there as fast as I could, the whole time every move I made sent a twinge between my thighs and reminded me of what I’d just done.
Stone
I had a feeling I was taking my life—or at the very least, the safety and wellbeing of my testicles—into my own hands as I made my way up the porch steps toward the front door. After the brain-melting release I’d had with Willow a few hours earlier, I really didn’t want any part of my groin at risk, but I didn’t have much choice.
My knock on the door was greeted with the sound of a dog barking. A second later, Clay pulled it open with one hand while keeping hold of his chocolate Lab’s collar with the other. “Stone? Hey, man. What’s up?”
I held out my hand for his dog to sniff so he’d calm down, and sure enough, after a few seconds, he got bored with the new guest. Clay was able to release him, and he didn’t hesitate to turn tail and head back inside the house.
“Hey. Sorry to just swing by like this. Hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
“Nah, it’s cool. You want to come in?”
I reached around and scratched the back of my neck, feeling an uncomfortable tightening in my gut. “Thanks, but it’s probably best I stay outside. I’m here to talk to Lark.”
Understanding flicked across his expression, followed quickly by a smart-ass grin. I knew then that Lark had shared just how big a dick I was with her soon-to-be husband. He knew I was on his woman’s shit list, and he didn’t feel bad for me in the slightest. “All right, brother. I’ll go get her and leave you to it.” He started to turn but stopped to look back at me. “Stay on your toes, man, she’s a wily one. Don’t take your eyes off her. And protect your manhood at all times.”
I offered him a flat expression and a dry, “Thanks.”
With a snicker, he walked back inside and shut the door behind him. Two minutes later, the door opened again, this time swinging so fast it gave me a start. Lark stomped out, hip cocked and arms crossed over her chest. The look on her face made my balls shrink up just a bit, and Clay’s words of warning came back to me.
“What the hell are you doing here?” she asked, practically spitting fire.
I figured there was no point in dancing around the subject, so I came right out with it. “I know you and Willow have gotten really tight, so I know you know who gave her that black eye, and I want to know who the fuck it was.”
Her mask slipped for a second, and I caught sight of her shock before she schooled her features and tilted her chin up almost defiantly. “How do you even know about that?”
“Doesn’t matter how I know,” I replied. “I just know. Tell me who it was. Please,” I tacked on when she arched an eyebrow, looking like she was seconds away from ripping into me.
“If you want to know anything regarding Willow, I suggest you ask her. It’s not my place to air her personal business.”
I gritted my teeth and counted to ten, trying to control the frustration rushing through my veins. “I did ask her. She wouldn’t tell me. That’s why I’m here.”
She rocked back, her eyes filled with suspicion, narrowing into beady little slits. “When did you see her? She hasn’t gone anywhere since—” She caught herself, clamping her mouth shut and rolling her teeth between her lips.
“Look, there’s stuff you don’t know about, and like you said, it’s not my place to share it with you. But things between Willow and me are very different now—”