Chapter 12

Bailey

"You do realize that Jeremy isn't interested in anyone under the age of thirty, right? He's looking for a mother for Austin, not a part-time girlfriend to fix his male yearnings." Jeremy's mother's voice echoed in my head as I stepped out of the house.

"Hey. What happened in there?" Jeremy moved up beside me as we walked toward the road.

"Nothing." I shrugged and pointed to his bike. "Can we take your bike?"

"Yeah. You bet." He walked up to it and handed me a helmet. "You're going to have to take your hair down to get that thing to fit."

"Sure." I set the helmet down and pulled at the twist-tie holding my hair together. It cascaded down my back and over my shoulders before I could get my fingers in it to make it behave a little. The lust in his eyes burned me. "What?"

"I love it." He reached out and slid his fingers into my hair, gripping it a little and making a sound that left me thinking about how far I wanted his kiss to go the night before.

"Good. No touching please." I pushed at his chest. The strong muscle of his pectoral gave little as I pushed harder and smiled. "Stop. Seriously. We're just friends, remember?"

"Yeah, well, I was thinking about pushing our friendship a little more each time I saw you, but it would seem that you already have a guy in your life. A rich one, no doubt." He got on the bike and offered me his hand. "Right?"

I put the helmet on, ignored him and got on the back of the bike. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. A laugh bubbled up in me as he growled. I wrapped my arms around his waist and leaned closer. The position let me press my breasts against him and tuck myself against his strong back. My panties were going to be ruined by the end of the day, but Jeremy was around -- what else was new.

We drove to large grocery store and parked near the front. It was freezing outside, but my thoughts kept me warm enough. Jeremy pulled off his helmet and offered me his hand.

"Are you really not going to tell me about this guy?" He released my hand and took my helmet.

"What's there to tell?" I snorted and walked toward the store.

He caught up. "Who is he? What does he do? Fuck. How old is he?"

"You don't really care to know all of this. We're friends, Jer." I grabbed a cart and leaned over, walking in front of him. I glanced back to find him eye-fucking the hell out of me. "Right?"

"I don't know." He moved up beside me and adjusted himself. "My dick wants us to be a whole lot more than friends."

I rolled my eyes and glanced over. His cock was thick and hard, pressing against his jeans. I wanted to be playful, but it was far too fine for that. "Too bad I'm not into love 'em and leave 'em. Sorry. I'm not that girl." I turned back around and walked toward the bakery.

"Are you and this guy serious?"

"No." I left the buggy and picked up a few items as I tried to ignore the incessant beating of my heart. The man just behind me held hostage every wicked fantasy I'd ever had since I was fifteen.

"No?" He moved up beside me. "That's all?"

"Yeah." I lifted the two cupcake trays up. "Do firefighters like cupcakes?"

"We eat anything." He growled and took the trays from me. "Tell me about him, Bailey. You need someone to protect you."

"I have a brother already, and honestly, your dick comment is really disturbing if you're not trying to play big brother to me." I walked back to the cart, playing it as smooth as I could. I was actually pulling it off. A giggle rose deep inside of me at the realization. He, on the other hand, wasn't pulling anything off.

"Bailey." He put the stuff in the cart and moved to stand beside me. "Look at me."

I turned and lifted my chin. "There is nothing to tell. He was richer, smarter, older and much more put together than me."

"Lies." He tilted his head a little and seemed to be struggling not to reach out and touch me.

I wanted him to so fucking bad. Needed him too. To feel his hands on me again would have been bliss. It could have righted the wrongness of the kiss the night before. Not the kiss. Him pulling back from the kiss.

"He was looking for a young mistress, and I played right into his hands." I shrugged as my facade dropped a little. "I don't know why I thought a guy like him would be interested in a simple girl like me." I reached out and pressed my hand to the center of his chest, forcing him to step back a little. "I mean... you weren’t interested in me after our kiss last night either, and you know me." I forced a laugh before leaning back over the cart and pushing it toward another aisle.

"Bailey. That's not true." He gripped my arm, pulling me back against him. The firm press of his chest against my back was almost too much.

I closed my eyes and let out a soft whimper as my heart twisted in my chest. "Please don't."

"It's not true." He leaned over and brushed his lips by my ear as his strong hand slid around to press flat against my stomach just under my breasts. "I'm just damaged goods. I don't want to drag you into a lusty night of sex and leave you with the idea that-"

"That I'm good enough for more than a few nights." I pulled his hand away slowly as to not make my emotions too obvious. "I get it. Thank you for that."

"Bailey."

"This conversation is over." I glanced back and narrowed my eyes a little. "Seriously. Back off with it."

He lifted his hands. "Can I explain?"

"No," I barked and turned, swallowing my tears back down. Why had I decided to go to the stupid Thanksgiving at his mother's house? She couldn't stand anyone she didn't pick for Jeremy. Rhys had told me that a million times in a bitch-session growing up. Funny enough, Jeremy's mother hadn't picked Laila. She hadn't even liked her. "What else do you want to get?"

"Something for dinner for the guys." He moved up beside me, his hands in his pockets and eyes forward.

"Let's get turkey and stuffing from the deli?" I forced my tone to lighten. I paused and turned toward him. "I don't want to fight with you. I don't want this tension between us. The kiss was a mistake. Whatever the reasons are behind that, let it go. Seriously."

"And if I can't?" He pulled his bottom lip into his mouth.

My hormones stood up and screamed for attention. "Then I guess that's your problem. I'm not like most girls."

"Tell me more about this asshole who Rhys and I are going to beat to a pulp tonight."

I laughed. "No. He's an idiot for thinking that I was a whore."

"I'm gonna kill him." He moved past me, his shoulder brushing by my back. Even the slightest touch felt so good. "He didn't touch you, did he?"

"Nope. He didn't even kiss me and run." I smiled as he glanced back and gave me a stern look.

"Not funny."

"I thought it was." I leaned against the cart and studied the way his ass filled up his jeans. I wanted my hands all over that ass, squeezing and scratching as he made love to me long into the night.

"I don't like it." He turned around and lifted his eyebrow. "Were you checking me out?"

"Yes. I have a pulse, and every other woman in this place is checking you out." I turned back to the cart. "You're very handsome, and I'm sure you know it."

"It doesn't do me any favors." He stopped beside me and pressed his chest against my arm, his nearness delicious.

I glanced up at him but didn't move. "No, your mother doesn't do you any favors."

"I wanna kiss you again so fucking badly, but I think we'd get carted off to jail if I started something in here. There's a law against indecent exposure."

I snorted. "I'm not sleeping with you. It's forbidden. My brother would kill us both, and I'm not interested. You're hot. So what. A lot of guys are."

"And do you want to sleep with me?" He ran his fingers down the back of my hair, sliding each digit in and out of my silky locks.

"Do you snore?" I moved away and pushed the cart down another aisle. I wasn't going to survive him. He was hot and cold. Ready and not. It was more than I could take, so I did what I always did when I wanted something and couldn't have it.

I faked it until I could make it.