“Can’t blame a guy for trying.” He grunted when she tugged at his chest hair.
“It’s one thing if you’re lusting after me and I return the favor, but another—”
His grin made her realize what she’d said, and she blushed. “I’m attracted to you, obviously. But this is all just a fantasy, a sexual dream come to life.” The thought of stepping outside his apartment and ending it made her want to cry. “I’m not perfect, and you can’t possibly be this great, and tomorrow, this will all be a memory.”
“But a pleasant one. And if you think telling me you don’t jump every guy who wants you is a turn-off, think again.”
She blinked. “Ah, maybe you don’t hear what I’m saying. This—you and me—this isn’t real. I have a lot of sexual hang-ups. And the real Hailey Jennison doesn’t go to bed with a hot guy, a stranger.”
Would he even believe that, considering they’d had sex against his living room wall a day after meeting face to face? Her cheeks were on fire, and she struggled to put her thoughts into words.
“Hailey, relax.” His grin broadened, and the sparkle in his eyes made her want to melt. Such satisfaction and approval, and all directed at her. “I know this isn’t typical for you. I did some research before we met, and what I learned made me want to know more.”
“What did you learn?”
“That you turned down the jerk in 204B, who is a complete ass when it comes to women.”
Tell me about it. She cringed inwardly, remembering his crude comments.
“And you refused the guy in 313C because he has a girlfriend.”
“How did you know that?”
He cleared his throat. “I, ah, might have overheard you.”
“What?”
“I was eavesdropping around the corner from your unit when he dropped by. You think you have problems with the opposite sex?” He groaned and rubbed his eyes. “I suck when it comes to women, and I don’t mean in a good way. I work hard, and I enjoy working out. I know I have a good body, one that seems to attract the ladies. But when it comes to talking, to forming relationships…” his voice stumbled over the R-word, “I always seem to trip myself up, saying the wrong things, alienating my dates without trying. Hailey, when I first saw you, something in me clicked. I didn’t want to screw things up again, not with you.”
Her heart thundered, and she stared at him with an intensity that probably would have shaken him had he been looking at her when he spoke. But the flush on his cheeks and the way he avoided eye contact more than showed her how uncomfortable he found the topic.
“I’m good at sex. I’m not bragging. I’m just being honest.” When she chuckled, he quickly met her gaze. “Okay, so I’m bragging. Don’t I deserve it?”
“You don’t hear me complaining.”
“But after a while, sex isn’t the end-all it feels in the beginning. I wanted to get to know you. So I asked about you. A few guys who live in the apartments here work with you. We went drinking, and after a few rounds, they loosened up about Ms. Unattainable.
Yes, you. Smart, funny, shy.” He nodded at her apparent disbelief. “They talk about you.
And it’s all good. I swear, if you’d give one of them the time of day, they’d snap you up in a heartbeat,” he grumbled, clearly not thrilled with the prospect.
“But forget I said that. I kept trying to find the best way to approach you, and then you moved. About killed me ’til I saw you visit Faith one night. You showed up at her place the week after with a bunch of friends. And then I noticed you and your friends watching me, and I began to perform.” He gave her a wicked, shameless grin and wiggled his eyebrows.
Hailey groaned. “So you really did know all along.”
“No. The first time you saw me I figured it was a mistake. And I didn’t really take notice again until a few weeks later. But Hailey, just knowing you were looking at me made a huge difference in the way I was feeling.”
She glanced down, mentally agreeing with his huge assessment.
“Every Friday, I rushed home from work, doing my best to strut for you and your friends.”
“This is so embarrassing.”
“And so kinky.” He laughed, startling her into laughing with him. “Damn, Hailey.
You had me so hard all the time. I didn’t walk around half-naked and fully frontal for your friends. I did it to entice you.” He frowned. “It took you way too long to come over here.”
“If you recall, you dragged me here. I didn’t exactly come of my own free will.”
“But you came all the same,” he said slyly, rubbing his stiffening erection against her. “And if you think I’m letting you out of here after one measly day of sex, you’re out of your mind.”
“One day? Try an hour.”
“So far.” He nudged her again, pushing her onto her back and prodding for entry between her thighs. “I suck at talking to women, you suck at talking to men. Seems like a match made in heaven.”
Her womb fluttered, and her heart jumped. “And don’t forget the sex.”
He chuckled and thrust hard and fast, groaning as he sank deep. “And the sex is unbelievable.’”
“Yes, it is,” she breathed, clutching him tight.
“So stop thinking and start feeling. Just wait, baby, and see. This show is only just beginning.”
She soon lost all train of thought and sighed his name. For now, she’d play along.
But unfortunately, she knew that sooner or later, all good things must end.
When Gage kissed Hailey good-bye Sunday night, it was with the promise of a dinner Tuesday night at her place. So much for wanting to take things slow. He watched her ease down the steps of the complex like a siren flaunting her power. Shit. That dress was killing him.
She reached the ground and turned back to wave shyly at him. Waving back, he finally shut the door. Taking a deep breath, he scowled at his still hungry, amazingly aching cock and shook his head.
“Woman’s got me addicted to her.” Hell, he’d never come so hard or for so long inside a woman. And he knew had she not been on birth control, he’d have done the foolish thing and more than likely knocked her up. As selective as she’d been, and as careful as he was, he didn’t worry about STDs. As much as he wanted her still, he wouldn’t have waited on a condom before fucking her. And that was just plain stupid.
Much as Gage wanted a family one day, he preferred to take it slow. Dating, marriage, a few years, then kids. But with Hailey, he could only think about sex, about the possibility of skipping all the work and cementing her to him right now.
With a kid?
He broke out in a sweat just thinking about it. Then cursed his foolish glands. Maybe it was a good thing she’d be busy Monday night. He needed a breather after a day and a half of steady, mind-blowing sex.
Unfortunately, he knew the woman had snared him with more than her body. For Gage, talking to a woman without offending her took an enormous effort. He always managed to say the wrong thing, not even meaning insult. But with Hailey, he made her laugh. When he called her breasts “tits,” she moaned in arousal. And when he talked even dirtier, she really got into it.
He grinned, recalling how limber she was in bed. Hot damn. Then he recalled how they’d both lost their loved ones, and how they’d talked about that loss cuddled up in his bed. Cuddled. He puzzled that he, Gage Warren, had cuddled with a woman voluntarily.
Hopping into the shower, he washed himself good, trying to clear his lovestruck thoughts. Who the hell knew Hailey of the delectable body liked horror and SciFi movies? That she read Koontz and King, as well as biographies about dead presidents?