“Do you hear that?” I asked Olivia as we chatted in the kitchen. “I hear something next door.” Carefully I moved across the linoleum floor and put my ear to the wall.

“What? No, I don’t hear anything.” Olivia moved closer to me.

“It’s someone walking.” I moved back. “Someone has been in there this whole time. I need to tell Alejandro.” But first I was going for my gun. “Wait here. I’ve got to grab something.”

“Okay.” Olivia sounded bewildered. I wondered if she thought I was totally nuts because she seemed like someone I could actually be friends with. I needed some new friends in town. Nor did I want people to think I was a crazy woman.

But I couldn’t worry about that right now. Something was totally off next door. I wanted to know what it was because damn it, I had rented this duplex for twelve months. I did not want someone destroying my peace of mind. But I also knew that tonight I wouldn’t be able to sleep there. Aside from the fact that I was freaked out, the bed wasn’t even in place and I had no clue where the box with my sheets was. The latter part of the move had not gone according to plan thanks to Conrad the cat guy.

Before that, Alejandro had been more than a distraction. He had shattered my world. My body and my mind.

Feeling anxious, I texted Lola while I was looking through the boxes in my bedroom for the one I needed. She texted me back right away giving me the response I wanted. She was a generous and kind person who didn’t mind sharing her success and I had been counting on that.

Spying the box I wanted I tore off the tape and dug through it for my lock box. The key was on my key ring so I took the whole box into the kitchen and opened it. I wasn’t going to bother to load the gun. I just wanted to scare Conrad if he appeared to be threatening Alejandro.

The back door to my kitchen went flying open and without hesitation I spun and pointed the gun straight at the intruder.

It was just Alejandro eyeing me.

“That better not be loaded,” Alejandro said. “Because I don’t feel like taking a bullet today.”

I lowered my arm. “Why would I shoot you? I thought you were Conrad or whatever the hell his name is.”

He was still just eyeing me like he’d thought I had lost my mind. “Why do you have a gun?”

“I’m a single lady. I need to protect myself.”

“Do you have a license? Have you had training?”

“Yes, of course.” The gun felt natural in my hand at my side. I had plenty of training at the range. It wasn’t like I walked around shooting it randomly.

I had only fired it once outside of the range.

The day before Max left.

“Can you believe this?” Alejandro asked Wester. “She’s hot and carrying. Should I be worried?”

“You should be terrified.” Wester grinned. “Hey, I’m all for it. You heard her. She’s a single lady. She should be able to protect herself.”

“How would you feel if I got a gun?” Olivia asked him.

He frowned. “Why would you need a gun? You’re a grad student in a low-risk lifestyle.”

Olivia looked at me, amused. “Do you hear how sexy my boyfriend makes me sound? I have a low-risk lifestyle.”

I had questions of curiosity about how they had met. I hadn’t liked her brother-in-law, Ricardo, the one and only time I had been to his house. He was a flirt and an arrogant one at that. He was the classic rich guy who thought because he had money he could get whatever he wanted at all times—including women. But there wasn’t really time to have a friendly conversation because I was convinced the creeper next door was sitting in a dark and empty apartment, listening to us. I wasn’t usually paranoid but this guy had me with permanent goose bumps up my spine.

“I thought I had a low-risk lifestyle,” I told her.

“That’s crap. You’re a body double,” Alejandro commented. “And why did you pull a gun again? Let’s get back to that.”

“Yes, let’s get back to that.” I gestured to the apartment next door. “Someone is over there. I heard footsteps.”

His eyebrows rose. “Then let’s go over there.”

I shook my head. “He’s not going to answer the door obviously. And I am no advocate of breaking and entering.”

Alejandro looked at me like I was insane. “Me either. I’m not looking for charges against me.”

I set the gun on the kitchen counter. “Okay, so what I’m going to do is leave here tonight and stay at Lola’s house. Then tomorrow I will have cameras installed outside and better locks put on the door.”

He nodded. “I’m going to figure out who rented the other half of this house. Where does Lola live? I can drive you there.”

He gave me a look, one that said he would not be dropping me off. He planned to stay with me and damn it, I wanted him to. My cheeks felt warm.

“Her house is in North Beach, off Alton.” I looked around and sighed. “This was not how I pictured this day ending. What a disappointment.”

“It hasn’t all been disappointing.”

Oh good Lord, did he have to be so obvious? His voice was filled with innuendo. “No, I suppose not,” I said wryly.

Then Alejandro looked disappointed. “Wait, is Lola home?”

“No. Her house is empty but she already said I could stay there. She gave me the code for the garage.”

He frowned but he didn’t say anything. I couldn’t interpret that look. Instead he turned to Olivia and Wester. “Sorry to interrupt your night. Thanks for coming out here, guys.”

“Hey, no problem, man. And I’m swiping your chicken.” Wester bent over the coffee table and grabbed a chicken leg. “Nice to meet you, Miranda.”

“Nice to meet you, too.” I smiled at Olivia. “Enjoy the rest of your night.”

She gave me a smile in return. “I’m off the hook for entertaining Wester now that you gave him chicken.”

“Wait, what?” Wester shook his head. “That is not how that works.”

We all laughed and said our goodbyes. I locked the door after they left and faced Alejandro in the chaos of the boxes and the take-out food. “Your friends are nice. I feel bad they came over here and the conclusion is basically get out for now.” I bit my lip. “Am I overreacting? Should I just stay here? I can sleep on the mattress on the floor and get this place together better tomorrow.”

It was just part of my DNA to not want to make waves. I have a terrible habit of talking myself out of what my gut says.

“If you have a place to stay then why would you stay here feeling nervous? You’ll never get a good night’s sleep.”

He had a point. It reassured me. I hated that I did that. I knew something was off next door, just like I had known something was off with Max.

I nodded. “Let me just pack a bag.”

I started past him but he grabbed my hand and massaged my fingers. His eyes drifted to my lips. “I’m staying overnight with you.”

Making a point of glancing down at his hand holding mine I said, “Oh, really? Do I have a choice?” It was a token protest. I knew he was staying with me. I also knew that I wanted him to.

He shook his head. “Not in me staying over. But where I’m going to sleep.”

So he was letting me decide whether we repeated our explosive sex or not. The sexual tension that bounced between us still piqued my interest. We were standing there, staring at each other, and I could taste him on my lips, feel the press of his cock inside me. I hadn’t expected to be attracted to him. I hadn’t expected when I asked for a baby, I would want to give in to his demand that it be old school, skin on skin. But I did. I wanted him again and again.

More than any man in a very long time. He wanted me too and I had no doubt he could satisfy me all night long. He was a ladies’ man and he had already proved he knew his way around a woman’s body.

Besides, I had secrets that I couldn’t reveal to Alejandro. If he knew everything there was to know, he would not be willing to help me start a family.

He would walk away and I would be forced to use a sperm bank.

I could do that. There was nothing wrong with some anonymous sperm.

Or I could let this gorgeous man sweep me off my feet repeatedly over the next few weeks and give me some of his beautiful Cuban genes.

Sex was not something I had been expecting. But now that it was on the table, I couldn’t resist taking more. Hell, this might be it for me for years.

“I know earlier was impulsive,” I said. “But I accept your conditions,” I told him. “And you can share my bed tonight. And again when it’s time.” I meant ovulation.

But Alejandro just gave me a slow smile. “I want thirty days. A full cycle.”

My jaw dropped and my inner thighs went damp, simultaneously. He had some damn nerve. Yet I couldn’t deny that it was sexy as hell, his confidence. But more importantly, the way he wanted me. He could have any woman. He didn’t need me to warm his bed for a month, yet he wanted me to. The thought was very arousing.

“One, you have cojones like no one else.” He didn’t give much reaction so I continued. “Two, I know when I ovulate. It’s science. We don’t need thirty days.”

Alejandro brought my hand to his mouth and drew the tip of my index finger into his mouth and sucked gently. Then he kissed each tip slowly, sensually. “It’s called practice. But mostly just because I want to. I’m going to work at making you scream over and over and over, until you don’t ever want me to stop.”

My nipples hardened. Until I never stopped? What did that mean? He wanted more than sex?

I was going to agree though. I already knew that. I couldn’t resist him. “You better make it worth my time.”

When he looked at me I didn’t see a guy who was younger than me. I saw an alpha, confident, sexual savant who knew he had me right where he wanted me. “Miranda. Don’t insult me. You should never rush a good thing.”

“I’ll clear my calendar.” I clung to a little bit of attitude to try and regain some kind of control, but I was well aware he very firmly had the upper hand on me.

He laughed softly. “I plan on clearing your mind, beautiful. And blowing it.”

Suddenly I couldn’t wait to be at his total mercy.

 

 

You know when you were a kid and it was Christmas morning and you opened up that one thing you’d been dying to get all damn year?

That’s how I felt going in Lola Brandy’s house with Miranda.

She was my fucking present and I was finally getting to unwrap her. If earlier had been any indication of how much I would enjoy it, I was in for the best night of my life. Plus twenty-nine additional nights. I honestly could not believe Miranda had agreed to my terms. Every night. Her naked. My cock inside her. Damn.

I was going to take it slowly and savor every second of it.

After I checked Miranda’s place for any video or audio surveillance planted and was fairly certain it was clean, we headed over to Lola Brandy’s house.

It was a typical property for the area. Low slung, with a Spanish influence, it had been remodeled at some point into a more modern glass box. I could smell the water so even though it was dark I knew her property backed up to the Intracoastal. It wasn’t a massive house or lot at all. More of a pimped-up bungalow, unlike the twenty plus million dollar houses out on the islands. Like Ricardo Davis’s place, Olivia’s brother-in-law. This was not extravagant for a pop star. Lola Brandy got points in my book for spending conservatively.

You know, three million instead of twenty. The thought made me grin as Miranda used the keypad and sent the garage door sailing softly up.

“Nice place,” I commented. “I wouldn’t object to living on the water.”

Miranda nodded. “It is a cool house. Plus there is a dock out back. She had a yacht but wasn’t using it enough to justify it, so it’s this eerie empty spot on the water now.”

“Well, at least she doesn’t keep stuff she doesn’t need. A financially conservative pop star. Who knew there was such a thing?” We went through the garage and entered a door with another keypad code. It led to a mud room, and beyond that was the kitchen.

It was the Miami kitchen classic. White on white on white. Everything shiny and lacquered and crisp. The lights came on automatically when Miranda moved forward and I questioned that little electronic feature. Did I really want the lights to snap on every time I went into the kitchen at night? Sometimes I wanted a midnight snack without the floodlights dilating my pupils.

But I wasn’t a rich guy. Maybe rich people liked to be slapped awake.

Miranda had packed a small bag. I had nothing with me obviously but I didn’t need anything but her naked anyway. She set the bag on the kitchen counter and turned, leaning back against it. She looked nervous and curious and sexy as hell. “The guest room is the first door on the left. Lola’s only request is that no one stays in her master bedroom.”

“She’s smart to keep her room off-limits.” I gave her a smile. “Because what I’m going to do to you is filthy.”

For being a woman who had traveled all over the country and the world, mingling with the rich and famous, Miranda had maintained a sweet innocence. She blushed at my words, despite what had gone down between us already. I wondered how many men she had dated in the years since Max disappeared and then decided that was an irrelevant thought. Whoever they had been they weren’t around now. Only I was.

“Is that a promise or a threat?” she asked.

“Both.”

She studied me for a second, a slight smile teasing across her lips. I wanted to cross the room, bite that plump skin and tug her against me. But I also wanted to draw the moment of anticipation out. “Do you want a drink? I can run out and get some wine.”

“I’m sure there is something here. The house is usually pretty well stocked.” Miranda went and opened the fridge. It was filled with sparkling water, juice, and white wine. “No beer though.”

“Do you like wine?” I came up behind her and pressed my body against hers. I reached around her and pulled out a bottle. It was crisp and cold and I pressed the chilled glass against her arm.

She jerked a little but didn’t totally pull away. “Yes. Should we have a toast?”

I lifted the hair at the back of her neck and gave her a soft kiss. She shivered. “Yes, we should toast,” I said. “To forgetting about the shit from the past and grabbing the future.”

Miranda turned. “Well, wait until we have glasses before you give the actual toast. And let’s go outside on the patio.”

She had a point. “I’ll get some glasses.” It was an easy kitchen to maneuver around in. There was zero clutter. The cabinets were filled with white dinnerware and clear stemware. It only took me opening three cabinets to find a dozen or so wine glasses carefully lined up. I pulled out two and righted them on the sparkly white countertop. Then I started digging around for a corkscrew.

Miranda bent over the countertop, propping her chin up, her hair falling over her arm, and her shirt gaping so that I got an amazing view of her tits. Full and creamy and begging for attention. “I can see down your shirt,” I told her.

“I know. That’s why I bent over.”

That made me laugh. “You’re full of surprises, aren’t you? I can honestly say I didn’t see that coming. You’ve been playing coy. Of course I didn’t see that coming any more than I saw you saying you want a baby.”

I wanted to touch her but I resisted. This was time to watch her. To learn her movements, her body language.

She just studied me as I kept searching. “I would say I’m sorry for springing that on you but really, what other way is there to do it? I thought about it a lot and then I just blurted it out.”

“You’re so domestic I would have thought you’d send me one of those damn packages people do for weddings now. Like butterflies emerging out of a box that says ‘Will you be my baby daddy?’”

She laughed. “That sounds horrible!”

Finally I found the elusive corkscrew and pulled it out. “I got one for my buddy’s wedding. His wife was behind that shit, she had to be. Because I’m telling you, Laurence would not have sent me a box of golf tees and some freaking card that said ‘Let’s tee off for my wedding’ or whatever the hell it said.”

“Maybe that works more for bridesmaids, you know, the whole elaborate presentation. Because if someone sent me a box of bath salts and a note, I would be touched.”

“Maybe just send me the golf tees and then ask me later. Or ask me then give me a dude gift at the bachelor party.” I opened the wine bottle with a pull.

“So what would a baby daddy box look like? Was I supposed to send you Viagra?” she teased.

I gave her a sharp look. “Fuck no. I don’t need that. You know that.” I knew she was just messing with me, but damn, that was insulting.

“Settle down,” she said, watching me pour the wine. “It was a joke, big guy.”

“It just gives me more reason to prove myself to you.” I handed her a full glass of wine. “And I’m assuming big guy is referring to my cock.”

She raised the glass. “Of course.”

That wasn’t ego boosting enough for me. I took her free hand in mine, lacing our fingers together. Then I drew her hand across the length of my cock, which was hard from anticipation and our banter. I squeezed. “Good enough for you?”

Her eyes had widened. “Do you just walk around hard?”

“Only around you.”

“If you’re looking for compliments I don’t think you need one from me. You know what you have.”

It was true, guys know where they land on the scale of peewee to porn star and I knew I was packing a decent weapon. Her expression showed me she agreed. That didn’t mean I didn’t want some appreciation. “You can’t throw me a bone?” I didn’t even intend the pun and I didn’t laugh. I just used her hand to squeeze my cock harder.

“Not bad,” she murmured. “If you’re into that sort of thing.”

“I’m going to be in to you for damn sure.”

Miranda started to move her hand up and down without my assistance and that was the greatest compliment. My body reacted and I got harder. “You’re playing with gunfire there,” I told her.

But she just smirked. “Why, are you going to shoot without warning?”

She had her sassy moments and I loved it. I brushed my thumb over her bottom lip and let her continue to stroke me. “Hardly. You could do this for hours and I would enjoy it without finishing. But I’m not about to let you have that much control.”

I knew she would pull her hand back and she did. “Why do you want control?”

Because I wanted to hold on to total control until she had none.

Until she understood that it was going to be me and her. I wasn’t going to share that with her yet though.

“Because if I only have you for a month, I want to make the most of it.” I gestured to the patio. “Let’s go outside.”

Not moving, she held me in place, her hand still firmly on my cock. She stroked up and down and gave me a wicked smile. “You’re overdressed for this party.”

I stepped back and took a sip of wine. “Does this house have a pool?”

“Of course.”

“Then I can undress outside. And then undress you.” Miranda naked, in the pool, water sluicing all over her juicy curves?

I could die a happy man after witnessing that.