Chapter Nine
Kyle tossed the last of the sledgehammers, shovels, and other demolition tools that they’d used throughout the day to clear out the property into the bed of his truck. He slammed the tailgate shut, then went to lock up the building for the night.
It was nearing six in the evening, and he’d sent all the guys home over an hour ago, once there was finally nothing left inside the structure but the framework and bare bones, which was exactly where he needed the space to be since everything was going to be rebuilt to new specifications. He was hoping the permits would be approved quickly so the new construction could start soon, and once it did, he knew from experience the remodel would go fast.
But for now, the heavy lifting had been done, and he’d been grateful for the help he’d had today. While his partners and laborers had gone back to their places in the city, Kyle decided to stay one more night so he could do a final walk through the building tomorrow morning to make notes for the renovation supplies he needed to order that week.
As he walked toward the large double doors leading into the new event center, he cast a surreptitious glance over at the market, which was also shutting down for the night. Employees were pulling in items from the sidewalk, and Kyle could see William, the longtime manager, cashing out the registers while the younger clerks wiped down counters and straightened products on the shelves.
Kyle pulled out the keys to the building and secured the doors and lock, debating on whether or not to head over to the store to talk to Ella and apologize to her, because as much as he hated to admit it, Wes had been right in calling him a dick for his behavior toward her during their lunch break. The woman made him crazy, and his purpose for being so abrupt with Ella was to show her that he was just fine and dandy with that fucking friends request she’d issued.
But he so wasn’t okay with any of it. Having her so close was like being taunted with the sweetest piece of candy but being told he could only look at the delicious, tempting, sugary treat because it wasn’t his to touch or taste. And fuck, he wanted to touch and taste Ella again in the worst way possible, and knowing that he’d been banned from indulging his sweet tooth had made him a stupid, pouty, and irritable brat, like a recalcitrant little boy who hadn’t gotten his way.
Yeah, definitely not one of his finer moments.
He wasn’t sure if she was still at the store or if she’d already headed home and her employees were shutting everything down for the night. Hell, he didn’t even know if she’d talk to him after the ass he’d been.
Not sure what he wanted to do, he exhaled a deep sigh as his cell pinged with a text notification. He pulled the phone from his pocket and read the message from Nolan.
Hey. You mentioned that you’re staying in town until tomorrow morning when I saw you earlier. Got any plans for tonight? his friend asked.
Other than heading back to his mom’s, eating dinner, and taking a long, hot shower to wash away the sweat and grime, his night was pretty wide-open. No, not really. What’s up? he typed back.
I thought we could head over to the Roadhouse and have a few beers.
Kyle groaned. The only reason a guy went to the Roadhouse was to try his best to get laid, and knowing what it was like to be deep inside of Ella, the thought of being with another woman any time soon left a bad taste in his mouth. It would be like trading in fine champagne for cheap tequila, and he’d discovered that he fucking loved the taste of champagne.
I’m not sure I’m in the mood . . .
Oh, did I forget to mention that Claire happened to tell me that she was going to be there with Ella tonight? Something about a girls’ night out . . .
Kyle felt the hairs on the back of his neck bristle. Well, that certainly had him reassessing his answer, because the only thought in his mind was imagining some asshole coming on to Ella, and he’d fucking kill anyone who touched her.
If Claire is going with Ella, then why are you going? he asked curiously.
Why the fuck do you think? I want to keep an eye on Claire, but if I go alone I’m going to look like a goddamn stalker, so I need it to look like I’m there for a casual night out with a bro. We’ll keep a low profile and let the girls have their fun, but I, personally, want to make sure no one messes with what’s mine.
Damn, Kyle definitely understood that territorial feeling, like something was clawing his insides to shreds. Are you and Claire exclusive?
No, but that’s not the point, Nolan replied, clearly not giving a shit that he and Claire had yet to have that committed-relationship conversation.
Wouldn’t it be easier if you did make things exclusive with her, instead of tailing her wherever she goes like a creeper? Kyle smirked as he hit the send button. Okay, now he was just giving his friend shit, because Nolan was obviously into Claire in a big way, and the situation was clearly making the other man a little crazed.
Look, I only just realized I want to be exclusive with Claire. Like the moment she texted me to tell me that she wouldn’t be able to see me tonight because she was going out with Ella to the fucking Roadhouse. The fact that I’m feeling possessive as hell pretty much says I’m fucked where she’s concerned.
Kyle chuckled as he replied. Roger that.
Good. So, are you in or not?
I’m in. Kyle hoped to God he didn’t regret his decision. He wasn’t sure he could even handle watching another man talking to Ella, knowing that the guy was probably mentally undressing her as they spoke.
I’ll pick you up at nine, Kyle added. Which was when the place really started getting busy on a Saturday night.
By the time he was done texting with Nolan, most of the lights at the market had been shut off, so he nixed the idea he’d had to go and apologize to Ella. If he was going to see her at the Roadhouse anyway, he figured that would be just as good of a time, and a great excuse, to talk to her and keep her occupied so no other guy had a chance.
* * *
Finding a parking spot at the Roadhouse on a Saturday night was nearly impossible. The designated area was packed with vehicles, forcing Kyle to park his truck in the next grassy lot over and him and Nolan to make the extra trek to the bar.
After leaving the new Celebrations building, Kyle had driven to his mother’s and gone through the routine he’d already had in mind—he’d eaten the pot roast dinner his mom had waiting for him and spent an hour talking with her about the day while they’d enjoyed the meal together. Then, he’d taken that long, hot shower, and since he’d had the time, he’d shaved his neck and trimmed his beard and added a splash of cologne. He’d dressed casually, in dark jeans and a black T-shirt, because tonight was supposed to be about having a beer or two with a friend, and nothing more. Oh, while keeping an eye on Ella. Yeah, that, too.
Kyle glanced over at Nolan, who wasn’t wasting any time getting to the building that was already reverberating from the loud music playing inside. “You do realize, don’t you, that this plan of yours could backfire?” he asked, wanting to make sure his friend was aware of the liability inherent in his plan. “That Claire could get pissed as hell that you’re crashing her girls’ night out?” As for Ella—Kyle reasoned that she’d already relegated him to platonic status, so he shouldn’t pose a threat to her having a fun evening, right?
“It’s a risk I’m willing to take,” Nolan replied, nonplussed, before following that up with a confident smirk. “Besides, I already know that the makeup sex will be worth it.”
Kyle just shook his head, but damned if he wasn’t a bit envious of his friend’s certainty and attitude. At least one of them was going to get lucky with the woman they wanted tonight.
Nolan opened the door, and they were instantly blasted by the obnoxiously loud rock song blaring from the speakers mounted around the open, spacious establishment. They made their way inside, and Kyle realized that he was too old for this shit. That going to an overly crowded bar for a beer was highly overrated when he could have a drink in the peace and quiet of his own home. But he reminded himself he had a purpose tonight, and now that he was here, he found himself already glancing around for Ella’s familiar face.
He was at least a foot taller than most adults, but it was still difficult to see anything more than the tops of people’s heads and discern whether they were male or female, which only served to frustrate Kyle. The ground level, where he and Nolan were currently, was overpopulated due to the bar setup, standing tabletops, and dance area that everyone wanted to be near. Remembering there was a second-tier balcony that overlooked the entire first floor, he looked up, grateful to find that it was far less busy and the perfect place to keep an eye on anything and everything—and anyone. Once he found her.
Catching Nolan’s attention, Kyle made an I’m going upstairs gesture with the hitch of his thumb, and his friend nodded. Up above, they found a vacant table at the far end of the balcony that was next to the railing, and claimed it for themselves. As soon as they were seated, a cocktail waitress took their orders for two beers on tap, then went to retrieve their drinks.
Kyle didn’t waste time before combing through the crowd below, and Nolan did the same. It took him a few minutes, but he finally found Ella and Claire tucked away in their own corner downstairs, diagonally to where he and Nolan were positioned. He nudged his friend and pointed out the girls’ location, and now that they had them in view, they both sat back in their chairs and relaxed. Their beer arrived, which Kyle paid for while also giving the server a generous tip.
They were good to go, their surveillance underway, and the girls none the wiser.
It was too loud for a normal conversation with Nolan, so for the next forty minutes, the two of them drank their beer and kept their attention on Claire and Ella. For the most part, the women kept to themselves, and no one bothered them, either. They leaned in close as they chatted and leisurely sipped what looked like one of those frilly, fruity martini-type cocktails.
After a while, when they both stood up, Kyle tracked their progress to the crowded dance floor and exhaled a relieved breath when they started to dance . . . with each other. There were other girls doing the same, and he found himself smiling as he watched Ella from afar, seemingly happy and carefree for the moment as she and Claire shimmied against each other, laughing and enjoying their evening.
Half a dozen songs later, they made their way through the growing throng of people filling the dance floor. Ella said something to Claire, who nodded and went in the direction of the table they’d been sitting at, while Ella went up to the bar and ordered a drink from the bartender. He set a bottle of water on the counter, and she twisted the cap off and took a long, thirsty drink just as a guy came up beside her.
Kyle stiffened in his seat when Ella’s face lit up and she gave the other man a warm, too-intimate hug. He narrowed his gaze as they broke apart, allowing him the chance to take a closer look at the guy’s features . . . and to realize it was her ex-fiancé, Tucker Barnes. She might have ended her engagement to him, but there didn’t appear to be any animosity between them. In fact, Kyle didn’t care for the way she was smiling at the other man or the easy, familiar way Tucker touched her bare arm.
Kyle stood so abruptly that his chair scraped back on the wooden floor, his entire body so tense he felt his shirt tighten against his chest and arms. Nolan immediately jumped up beside him and pressed his fingers against Kyle’s chest to hold him back.
“Whoa! Jesus, you look like the fucking Hulk, and you need to calm down,” Nolan said, clearly trying to be the voice of reason. “Don’t go charging down there like a bull in a china shop.”
Kyle raised an irritable brow at his friend. “Tell me you wouldn’t feel the same way if it was Claire greeting an ex so enthusiastically.”
“Okay, point taken,” Nolan said, backing off slightly. “Tucker isn’t a bad guy, so don’t do something stupid you’ll regret later, like planting your fist against his jaw.”
Kyle wasn’t going to hurt the guy, but he was going to stake a goddamn claim on what was his and make sure that Tucker knew it. “You go and take care of Claire while I go and . . . diffuse the situation with Tucker. Swear to God, I won’t touch him.”
“Fine,” Nolan said, and they both headed toward the stairs.
When they reached the first floor, Nolan veered to the right, where Claire had gone, and Kyle strode directly to the far end of the bar, where Tucker and Ella were talking. Tucker was smiling at her in a way that made Kyle’s blood run hot in his veins and told him that the other man might not be over the woman he’d been engaged to marry. From what he recalled, Ella had been the one to end things, not Tucker.
As he’d promised Nolan, Kyle cooled his jets as he came up beside Ella, surprising the two of them with his sudden appearance, which he took full advantage of. Ella was staring at him with big, where-the-hell-did-you-come-from eyes, but before she could say anything, Kyle stuck his hand out for the other man to shake.
See, he could totally be courteous and amicable. “Hey, Tucker,” Kyle said in an easygoing voice that belied the instinct to beat on his chest like a caveman before flipping Ella over his shoulder and whisking her away. “Good to see you.”
“Uhh, you, too, Kyle.” Tucker winced slightly at the crushing strength of Kyle’s fingers wrapped around his hand and visibly relaxed when they finally let go. “It’s been a long time. I heard you bought the old Piedmont building.”
“Sure did.” The last thing Kyle wanted to do was make small talk with the other man, even if they had grown up together and attended the same high school. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to steal Ella away for a dance.”
Ella sputtered a reply—or a protest, it was difficult to tell which—and even when Kyle grasped her elbow to lead her into the fray, he could feel her resistance. There were so many people dancing that they were pushed close together, and he took advantage of the situation to secure an arm around her waist and align their bodies from stomach to thighs.
Ella’s eyes flashed with indignation, and fuck if her red-hot attitude didn’t make him hard. Her face was flushed, a light sheen of perspiration dotted her skin, and her gorgeous breasts heaved above the low-cut, formfitting top she was wearing that showed off way too much cleavage to the male population.
“What the hell was that?” Ella shouted to be heard while pushing against his shoulders with the flat of her hand to separate them, to no avail. “And what are you doing here?”
Because of the loud music, he dipped his head close to her ear as he slid his free hand into the thick, silky hair she’d left unbound for the night, wrapping it around his fist just because he could. “Apparently, I’m saving you from your ex.”
She jerked her head back, but not very far considering his fingers had a firm grip on her hair. But enough that she could look up at him and he could see the fire in her gaze. “Don’t be a dick,” she said, taunting him with the insult that Wes had used to call him out on his behavior toward her today. “Regardless of what happened between Tucker and me, he’s still a friend. Not that it’s any of your business!”
That fucking word grated on his nerves like nails screeching down a chalkboard. “You sure do collect a lot of friends,” he drawled in an insolent tone, even as he realized that this conversation was no longer about Tucker and all about the two of them. “And the problem is, as you already know, I don’t want to be your fucking friend.” He emphasized the point by sliding his hand possessively over the curve of her butt in those tight black jeans she was wearing so he could grind the hard length of his cock against her mound.
She squirmed in his hold and bucked her hips against his to try and break free, but between his strength and the help of the people around them inadvertently pushing him and Ella together, she wasn’t going anywhere until he decided she was.
Her chin tipped up obstinately, and she gave him a devious smile that was a little too smug for his liking. “Is that why you had a stick up your ass this afternoon when I came next door to say hi?”
His jaw clenched, the push-pull of sexual tension between them suddenly incendiary. He only needed to strike a match to make it blaze out of control, and he didn’t hesitate to do just that. “Goddamn sassy mouth,” he growled, forcing her head back another few inches until her parted lips were right below his. “I can think of a half a dozen better uses for it than hurling insults at me.”
She huffed out a sarcastic laugh to deliberately mock him. “Dream on, City Boy.”
Her remark was both a dare and a challenge. It was also the final spark that had his own smoldering frustration boiling over and combusting between them in spectacular fashion. The next second, he had his fingers secured around one of her wrists. He pulled her behind him through the dance crowd, giving her no choice but to follow him to the exit at the backside of the building, then out into the cool night air that did nothing to take the edge off the heat and lust pumping through his veins.
Ignoring the few people outside who were either smoking a cigarette or taking a break from the raucous atmosphere in the bar, Kyle continued through the main parking area and onto the adjoining grassy lot where he’d had to park. Ella didn’t protest or resist, and it was a damn good thing because he wasn’t opposed to following through on his earlier thought to heft her over his shoulder like fucking Tarzan.
He drew her around to the passenger side of the truck, which faced away from the bar and any prying eyes, and backed her up against the door. He caught her face in his hands and forced her gaze to meet his. They were both breathing hard, and while he saw a trace of defiance in her bright green eyes, there was something else there, too—a desire and need that told him she was equally turned on.
“You want to know what this city boy dreams about, baby?” he taunted in a raspy voice hoarse with carnality. “You. All fucking week long, every goddamn night, I dream about you.”
Her tongue licked across her bottom lip, dampening it and drawing his attention to her lush, sexy mouth. “Doing what?”
She was tempting and teasing him, but what she didn’t realize was that he was far better at this game than she was. “You, flat on your back with your legs spread wide while I’m driving into your soft, warm body. You, writhing beneath me, wanting more, harder, deeper, and I give you every single inch I’ve got.”
A soft moan escaped her throat as her hands went to the waistband of his jeans, her fingers fumbling with the button until it came undone. “What else?” she asked huskily.
She’d unzipped his pants and pushed his jeans and briefs down his hips until his thick erection sprang free. He groaned when she wrapped her cool fingers around his rock-hard flesh and stroked him in her palm.
“What else, City Boy?” she prompted again, more demanding this time.
She skimmed her thumb over the head of his shaft, already slick with a bead of fluid. His entire body jerked from the pleasure of it, and his mind struggled to stay focused on seducing her. “I dream about you on your knees while I do dirty, sinful things to your mouth with my cock. I fucking ache to feel your lips sliding up and down my dick as you suck me off.”
Before he realized her intent, she dropped to her knees in front of him on the grass and had his cock right where he wanted it to be—needed it to be—deep in her mouth, her lips rimming the width as she glided down and her tongue lapping along the length as she pulled back up, nice and torturously slow.
“Jesus,” he choked out, realizing that his Ella had just turned the tables on him, the seducer becoming the seduced as she continued sucking him, licking him—squeezing his goddamn balls in her hand—and making his erotic dream a reality right here and now.
With a deep, guttural groan, he braced his palms on the doorframe and glanced down, grateful for the small amount of moonlight that enabled him to witness this moment. With a small tip of her head, she was looking up at him, too, her eyes dark and sultry, and he could have sworn there was a wicked smile curving her lips as she dragged them back up the length of his cock once again.
Hot, pulsing anticipation rolled through him, and he instinctively flexed his hips, working his way back into the incredible heat enveloping him. He continued to watch her perfect mouth take him deep, sucking him and fucking swallowing him when the head hit the back of her throat.
He hissed out a breath, the muscles in his stomach tightening in warning. “Ella . . . Jesus, fuck, I’m going to come,” he struggled to say, wanting to give her time to stop before he blew his load so she could finish him off with her hand instead.
She made a soft, sensual sound and merely took him deeper, stroked him harder, sucked him stronger, and there was nothing he could do to halt the surge of his orgasm as it pummeled through him. Squeezing his eyes shut, he clenched his jaw and grunted as he came, his body shuddering as the indescribable pleasure seemed to short-circuit his brain.
When he was no longer seeing stars, he opened his eyes to find that Ella was no longer on her knees in front of him . . . she was walking away from him, already a few car lengths in distance. What the fuck? His satisfied dick was still hanging out of his jeans, and he shook his head to clear it while he tucked himself back in.
“Ella!” he called out, but she ignored him as he tried to pull up his zipper, only to realize it was stuck and had snagged on his briefs. Fucking great. He certainly wasn’t going to chase after her with his pants flapping open, and he cursed as he tugged on the cotton material but couldn’t extract it from the metal teeth of his zipper.
“Ella?”
Kyle recognized Claire’s concerned voice, and he glanced across the bed of his truck to see the other woman walking in Ella’s direction from the main parking lot, with Nolan accompanying her.
“Is everything okay?” Claire asked as she reached Ella. The other woman’s gaze lifted to where Kyle was standing on the other side of his truck, then returned to her friend. “I was worried when I couldn’t find you inside.”
“Everything is fine,” Ella assured her, though she didn’t sound fine. “I need you to take me home.”
“Sure thing,” her friend said as the two of them headed toward Claire’s car.
“Ella, dammit, wait!” Kyle tried again, hating the desperation in his voice.
Of course, she didn’t so much as slow her steps or give any indication that she heard him. Frustration shortened his temper, and he yanked hard enough to rip fabric out of the zipper, but by then it was too late. The two of them were in Claire’s car and she was already backing out of the spot.
And to further his humiliation, Nolan was now standing in front of him, chuckling as he realized why the fly of Kyle’s pants was still wide-open.
“At least it wasn’t your dick that got caught in your zipper,” Nolan said humorously.
Kyle wasn’t in the mood. “Shut the fuck up and get in the truck. I’m taking you home.”
And then he was going to go and find out what the hell had just happened with Ella.