I heard her rush out of the room and I let out a ragged breath.

Christ.

What the hell was I doing?

When I came here tonight, scared of what the hell I’d walk into, flashes of memory, of pain, of when I’d lost the two most important people in my world, of the self-destruction that followed—I’d been out of my damn mind with fear.

Then I’d seen Willa on that couch, Tilly in her arms, eyes wide and freaked the fuck out. And everything in me, every wild and primal instinct, demanded I protect them. I’d already known that’s what I was going to do before Tilly had begged me to stay.

What I hadn’t planned on, was kissing Willa again. Shit, of her kissing me.

Of getting her off.

But for whatever reason, she’d needed that from me, and I couldn’t lie, I’d wanted to give it to her since I first met her. I never planned to act on it, though, not then. She didn’t need a guy like me in her life, with all my baggage, all the shit I hadn’t found a way to deal with. That, honestly, I didn’t want to deal with.

But seeing that desperate need in her eyes, feeling the way her hands trembled against my chest when she asked me to distract her. She’d needed comfort, to feel safe. I may not be her bestie, but it didn’t take a rocket scientist to work out Willa didn’t know how to ask for that, how to ask for someone to take care of her, to give her that comfort.

So I gave her what she could ask for. Let her have that control, because I knew firsthand that after tonight, she’d need a way to take that back. When you felt like you failed the people who relied on you, whether that was true or not, you needed your world back on its axis, your feet on solid ground. You needed not to feel helpless anymore.

No fucking way could I deny her that.

I just hoped like hell she didn’t hate my guts for it now.

I grunted when I swiped another cushion off the couch, and winced. All I could think about was that tight little body clinging to me, rolling and grinding, the taste of her tongue. That kiss, fuck, she had my head spinning, my gut knotted, and my cock so hard it felt like a hot, iron bar shoved down the front of my jeans.

“You can use these.”

Her voice drifted over me, reigniting my blood, and I had to draw in a steadying breath before I turned to face her.

She handed me a pillow and blanket. Our fingers brushed lightly when she did, sending a jolt through me that went right to my aching balls.

Her pale pink hair was a little wild, her lips still puffy from our kisses, her nipples tight and hard, pressing against her tank. My mouth watered.

I shoved my fingers through my hair, and then remembered the way she’d pulled on it. I wondered how much harder she’d pull if my head had been buried between her thighs…

“Look, about what happened…” She crossed her arms. “We’re both adults. We fooled around, whatever, right?”

Her cheeks were pink now and I wanted to pull her back into my arms. “Right,” I said cautiously, not sure where she was going with this.

“I mean, I’m sorry you, uh…you didn’t get to, um…” Her eyes dropped to the bulge at the front of my jeans, which did not help the situation one damn bit. “But um, let’s not make a big deal of it, okay?”

“Big deal?” I echoed, still not sure what she was trying to say.

She crossed her arms, lifting her handful-sized tits higher, and I had to bite back a groan.

“Yeah, let’s just forget it happened. I was kinda freaked, and you were…”

She stalled, obviously not sure what I was. She wasn’t the only one.

“Anyway, let’s just, you know, forget it.” She shrugged unconvincingly. “I was most definitely distracted. You’ve done your good deed for the day.”

Okay, that successfully doused the lust still riding me. “You’re serious?” I asked, unable to hide my disbelief.

Her eyes stayed sharp and on me. “Yes.”

I shook my head. Christ, the woman was as deep in her own shit as I was. So deep, she was goddamn blind. I may not be looking for any kind of serious relationship, but I knew that what happened tonight didn’t end here. She’d just climbed me like Everest and kissed me like her life depended on it. We’d dry humped like rutting fucking animals until I was forced to cover her mouth, so her screams didn’t wake her niece, then watched her come apart for me in a way I would never forget—and she thought that was it?

She was fooling herself, but she sure as fuck wasn’t fooling me.

Her eyes kept dropping to my cock, and when they weren’t there, they were on my mouth. She wanted more, like I did, but if she wanted to pretend what just happened was a one off, who was I to burst her bubble.

“Sure,” I said. “Whatever you say, honey.” And turned away.

Good luck sleeping tonight, beautiful. I know I sure as hell won’t be.

Throwing the pillow and the blanket on the couch, I pulled my shirt over my head, tossed it on a chair, then grunted when I yanked open the front of my jeans, freeing my dick. My boxer briefs strained crudely, my cock perfectly outlined through the soft cotton. I was about to reach down and adjust it when I heard a strangled noise behind me. I turned around.

Willa was still standing by the door. I thought she’d left.

Her eyes moved over me, my chest, abs, thighs…cock.

“You change your mind, sweetheart?” I said, voice coming out harsher than I’d expected.

Her eyes flew up to mine. “What? No.”

She didn’t move.

I lifted a brow.

She spun and fled the room.

No, we weren’t done and we both knew it.

* * *

I woke to the sound of hushed voices.

“No, you can’t wake him up,” Willa whispered.

“Humph.”

“No sulking, Tilly. The man rappels out of buildings while carrying small children for a job, he needs his sleep.”

I inwardly winced. She’d obviously seen the news coverage.

Tilly giggled. “Look at his feet, they’re huge, he can’t even fit on the couch.”

The sound of Willa’s soft laugh made my gut clench.

“He’s big, isn’t he, Aunt Willa?” Another giggle. “Like the giant from Jack and the Beanstalk.”

“Uh huh, he sure is,” Willa said, laughter still in her voice.

Jesus.

“I bet he could pick us both up at the same time like we were light as feathers.”

“Yep, I think you’re right.” Willa cleared her throat. “Now go eat your breakfast.”

“Are you sure I can’t wake him up?”

“Positive. Now scram.”

Silence filled the room and I opened my eyes.

Willa was still standing at the living room door, her gaze moving over my bare chest. If it went any lower, I’d have a serious problem on my hands.

“Morning,” I muttered.

She jumped, like she’d been caught stealing from the cake tin. “You’re awake?”

“Looks like it.” I sat up, swinging my legs over the side of the couch, and groaned. I’d been cramped up all night and my muscles were tight as hell.

“You sleep okay?” she asked.

I scratched my beard and stood, turning my back to her so she didn’t get an eyeful of the morning wood I already had going on—that was only getting worse with her standing there. I shoved on my jeans and yanked my shirt over my head. “Yeah, fine.”

A complete lie, even though I’d been the one to slow things down last night. I’d lain awake all night, hoping she’d come back, that she’d climb on the couch with me and ask me to make her come again.

I turned back. She was dressed in skinny jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt. They were firm, hugging her curves, that lush round ass and those, tight little tits that made my gut ache from wanting to taste them so bad. “You?”

Her eyes darted away from mine. “Yep, fine.”

The woman as a bad liar. “Good.” I checked my phone. No emergencies, no need to rush to work. “I’ll talk to a buddy of mine on the force, see if we can get a uniform to swing by your place tonight. Cage will keep an eye on things from his command center, and you have my number. If you get worried, about anything, call me, yeah?”

She still wouldn’t meet my eyes. “We don’t need all this fuss, I’m sure it was just some stupid kid.”

I had serious doubts about that. Willa was definitely hiding something. “We’ll know soon enough. Cage was going to go through the video footage, he should have something for us this morning.”

“You think he caught this guy on camera?”

“Maybe.” I shoved my phone in my pocket. “There’s a camera covering the front and back of the apartment, so there’s a good chance.”

She started fidgeting, looking nervous. “Right.”

I stared at her, not missing the way her throat worked, or her fingers in tight fists at her sides. “You want to tell me what’s wrong, Willa?”

I was done trying to read her mind. If they were in some kind of trouble, I needed to know.

She crossed her arms. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

“If there’s something you haven’t told me…”

“Jude!” Tilly called, racing into the living room. “You’re finally awake!”

I looked away from Willa, who looked more than a little relieved at the interruption, and down at her niece. “Hey, kiddo. How you doing this morning?”

Tilly smiled. “I’m okay now. Aunt Willa told me it was just some dumb teenagers who broke our window and that you’d make sure they didn’t come back.”

I glanced at Willa. She was biting her lip again. They were still slightly swollen from our out of control kisses last night. I tore my eyes from her. “That’s right, sweetheart. Nothing for you to worry about,”

“I know.” She smiled again. “No one will mess with us, not now. If it was that stupid Johnny Clayton across the street, he’ll pee his pants when he sees you leave our house and get on your bike.” She snorted. “He’s such an asshole.”

“Tilly!” Willa said. “You know better than to use language like that.”

“It true,” she protested. “You said it yourself just last week.”

Willa blushed. “I’m an adult. You don’t use that word and you know it.”

Jesus. Now I wanted to kiss her again. “What did Johnny Clayton do to deserve such language?” I asked, biting back a grin.

Tilly spun back to me, expression serious. “He kept walking by our house with his friends while Aunt Willa was cleaning the front windows.”

“Tilly…” Willa said in warning.

“He said she had a nice ass, then ran off. That’s when she said he was a little asshole.”

“Tilly!” Willa cried again.

“Well, you did,” Tilly said.

“Go brush your teeth. The bus will be here soon. We’ll talk about this after school.”

“Fine,” Tilly muttered, then raced off to the bathroom.

I had to press my lips together to keep from laughing.

“Not a damn word,” she said to me.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Good.”

We stared at each other, the silence stretching out. Christ, I wanted her. “You want me to have a word with Johnny Clayton?”

Her eyes widened. “What? No. Absolutely not.”

I wanted to push, get her tell me what was really going on, but I knew she wasn’t going to tell me, not yet. Not until she trusted me. “I guess, I better go then.”

“Sure.” She chewed her lip. “And ah, thanks, for last night.”

“Which part are you thanking me for?” I said, even though I knew I shouldn’t.

Her eyes narrowed, spine straightening. “All of it. Being here for Tilly, and for helping me out.”

Don’t say it. “Helping you out? That’s what we’re calling it now?”

She shrugged, but I could see the attitude was back, full force. “Don’t get me wrong, I get the job done, and done well, on my own, but it’s nice to have a helping hand from time to time…” Her eyes dipped. “Or should I say, bulge.”

Now all I could think about was Willa getting the “job done” on her own, which I could only assume was her intention. She wanted me to bite. It wasn’t going to happen. I swiped my keys from the table by the couch and headed toward her and the front door.

I stopped beside her, leaned in, mouth an inch from her ear. “Glad I could be of service, baby. You let me know when you’re ready for round two.” I straightened. “Later, Tilly,” I called.

“Later,” she called back as I walked out.

Willa Hartley had secrets, secrets that were banging on her door late at night, and now throwing rocks through her window.

The woman was stubborn as hell, closed off, and fiercely protective of her personal life. I could respect that, but she was so obviously in trouble. Yeah, I could do some digging, but that didn’t sit right with me. I wanted to win this woman’s trust. And looking into her past without her consent would be counterproductive.

For now, I’d respect her privacy, and hope like hell when she realized I could be trusted, she’d open up to me. In the meantime, I needed to make sure she and Tilly stayed safe.