Swerve: Boosted Hearts (Volume 1) (16 page)

Shay walked out of her bedroom, still feeling kind of groggy. After lying awake and staring at the ceiling, feeling sick to her stomach, she’d gotten up and taken one of her gran’s sleeping pills that were still in the bathroom cabinet. Shay’d been desperate to shut down her mind. It worked. The pill had knocked her out. Literally.

She had to work a shift at Woody’s tonight, so it’d been imperative she get some sleep. How could she make decent tips if she looked like a zombie?

Shuffling to the kitchen, she put a pot of water on the stove to boil. Since her mother had taken her coffeemaker, Shay would be stuck drinking instant until she could replace it. Unless, of course, Hugh had managed to get hers back.

She banged a cup down on the bench and rummaged around until she found the instant in the back of the cupboard then dumped in two heaping spoonfuls. She needed to shake this haze and wake the heck up. She shuffled to the couch with her drink, taking a sip of the dark brew at the same time as she spotted her gran’s cats back on their shelf.

She drew in a sharp breath, which meant she sucked the scolding mouthful down the wrong pipe. She coughed and spluttered, quickly putting the mug down on the coffee table before she spilled it all over the place.

Hugh had been here while she slept. She stared at the figurines neatly lined up in a row. He’d put away her grandmother’s cats.

Her heart started doing funny things in her chest. Fluttering and warming and squeezing, all at the same time. It was a sweet thing to do. A really sweet thing.

Without thinking, she went to her phone and called Hugh’s number. It rang several times, but then switched to voicemail. As if he’d cut off her call. She tried not to think about what that might mean—about why he wasn’t answering and why he hadn’t woken her last night—and left a quick message thanking him.

While she finished off her crappy coffee, she got ready for her day, though according to the clock, she’d slept through most of it. And as tempting as it was, she decided against going back to bed and burying her head under the covers.

She noticed the Honda outside a short time later and spent the next hour unloading and putting away her things. Hugh had gotten everything back,
including
her coffeemaker.

The hours dawdled by, and she still hadn’t had a return call or text from Hugh. So when her phone did light up and start ringing, she dived on it.

But it was Kayla’s voice that greeted her, not Hugh’s.

“What are you up to tonight?”

Shay felt guilty for the disappointment that hit. “I have a shift a Woody’s.”

Kayla sighed. “That’s all you ever do lately. Work.”

“Tell me about it.” But for once, she was happy to be busy, to not have time to dwell on everything that had happened…on the hurt that surrounded her, threatening to smother her if she let it take hold.

They talked for a while longer. Her best friend sounded a lot happier, and Shay purposely steered the conversation back to Kayla whenever it veered in Shay’s direction. Kayla was Shay’s best friend, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it, what her mother had done. She was still too raw, and saying the words out loud, to another person, was just too damn much.

Before they said their goodbyes, Kayla agreed to come to Woody’s during Shay’s shift and hang out.

When her phone rang for the second time a short while later, she was in the middle of getting ready for work. She answered, positive this time it would be Hugh.

It wasn’t.

“Shay…”

“No, Travis,” she said before he finished whatever he was going to say.

“Honey…”

“I’m not your honey. I’m not your anything.”

“The office isn’t the same without you.”

She couldn’t deal with this, couldn’t even muster the energy to tell him she was hanging up. He tried calling twice more after that, and she ignored him both times. Grabbing her bag, she locked up. She didn’t want to use Hugh’s car, but she was tired and angry, and the idea of walking to the bus stop later, after working her shift, made her want to cry.

She shouldn’t be using it anymore. She needed to give it back. It was time to face facts. Hugh was avoiding her. He’d helped her out, got back her stuff, because he was a
good guy
. But the fact he hadn’t woken her when he’d dropped off her things? It was a flashing red light with wailing sirens.

He was in this with her for fun, for the mutual pleasure they gave each other. Not to be her sounding board while she cried over her ex. Or to help out with her elderly neighbor and her
dog
. And definitely not to deal with hysterical phone calls and chasing around after her insane mother because she’d
stolen his car
.

No, she didn’t blame him for running in the other direction. Not one bit. Didn’t make it hurt any less, though.

Her shift went quickly. They weren’t super busy, but they had a steady stream of customers. So she’d managed quick chats with Kayla between filling drinks orders, but there hadn’t been time for deep and meaningful conversation. Thank goodness.

Kayla left after making Shay promise to have lunch in a couple days, and by the time she climbed back into the Honda, she was exhausted, and her feet were throbbing. She turned on her phone before she left the parking lot. Three missed calls and five texts. She quickly flicked through them. All from Travis.

Starting the car, she tried to ignore the way her heart banged, the hollow, deflated feeling behind her ribs, and headed for home.

She pulled up outside her place a short time later. Edna’s lights were out. Thank God she was okay after what happened. Harold had promised to check on her and take Rocky out for her evening walkies while Shay was at work.

She went inside, and after a shower changed into her PJs. When she was putting her toothbrush away, her gaze went to the bottle of sleeping pills in the cabinet. It was tempting to take another one tonight, let it knock her out again so she didn’t have to think. Didn’t have to lie there awake, thinking about all the ways her life was a mess.

Her money troubles sure as hell weren’t helping the situation…

A slow-ish night meant average tips. She needed to ask again if she could pick up some extra shifts.

She walked out of the bathroom. No pills. She couldn’t hide from her life, from all the crap that seemed to be raining down on her. She had to find a way to dig herself out.

Sliding under the sheets, she burrowed down deep, curling into a tight ball. She would get through this.

She would.

* * *

Shay woke with a start, adrenaline spiking through her veins. But it dissipated quickly when Hugh’s scent enveloped her, chasing away the fear, replacing it with happiness…excitement.

His big body lay behind her, delicious heat surrounding her. The big hand on her hip was moving in small circles, kneading and teasing her skin as he made low, soothing sounds.

“You’re here,” she whispered into the darkness.

“Yeah.”

She opened her mouth to say more, but he rolled her to her back, and his lips came down on hers. He kissed her with a hunger that stole her breath. Deep and insistent. His hand slid up her shirt and covered her breast. Her nipples tightened into hard little peaks, zings of pleasure shooting down between her legs every time the rough skin of his palm grazed over her flesh.

He lifted his head, warm breath ruffling the hair at her temple as he exhaled heavily. “You feel so good.”

Her shirt was up, exposing her belly and most of her breasts. He’d taken his off before he’d climbed in beside her, and the hair on his chest, the dark trail that led down over his abs and dipped below, was crisp and a little rough against her skin. But he hadn’t just taken off his shirt. He was completely naked.
Yum
. The man felt exquisite.

And hard as steel.

Urgent hands lifted her shirt, up and over her head, then he was sliding her panties down her legs. She moaned at the feel of his bare flesh against hers.

“Tell me you’re already wet, baby. Can’t wait,” he murmured against her lips.

She was, she was more than wet. She was soaked. One touch from Hugh and her body fired to life every time. His palms were rough and impatient as he spread her legs, thick fingers cupping her, dipping between her slick folds.

He hissed. “Fuck, Shay. Always so hot. That sweet pussy always nice and juicy for me.”

She cried out. “Please.”

His huge body was pinning her to the mattress, and all she could feel was Hugh.

His heavy thighs shoved hers wider, and then the fat head of his erection was pressing against her opening, stretching her, filling her as only he could.

“
Oh, God
.”

She whimpered as he slid to the root, arching into it, fingers digging into his hard biceps that were flexing and bunching under her hands.

“You love it, don’t you?” he rasped.

“Y-yes, I love it.”
Too much.
He was an addiction, a craving she couldn’t get enough of. The thought was terrifying.

She moved her hands to his shoulders, his back, the muscles shifting below his skin as he really started moving. Rolling against her like a giant tidal wave, pounding into her over and over again, relentlessly. All she could do was cling to him. Absorb every brutal thrust. He was always like this, as if he couldn’t get enough of her, as if he couldn’t control himself when he was with her.

He lifted his head and brought his mouth back down on hers, tongue delving deep, tangling with hers, wet and hungry. Wild.

“I needed this. Needed you,” he groaned.

The last few words were said with an added growl she didn’t understand, didn’t know what it meant. But right then, she couldn’t think; all she could do was feel. Feel the way his thick cock moved inside her, the rasp of his chest hair on her sensitive nipples.

Her inner walls fluttered, grasping him tighter.

“That’s it. Let me feel it, let me see it, beautiful. Come all over my cock.”

“Harder,” she cried. “Don’t stop.”

“Not ever gonna stop, princess.” He hissed and slammed up inside her, jarring her higher on the mattress.

Her orgasm hit its peak, and she shattered. She couldn’t hold the feeling inside as it spread through her, so she screamed through it, clinging to him helplessly.

When her cries finally died in her throat, she hung on to his big body as he continued to pound into her, his deep grunts filling her ears as he chased his own release. She thrashed and moaned uncontrollably as another orgasm built suddenly.

She barely had time to register what was happening before it hit. “Oh…ahhh.” Then she was coming again, so hard all she could do was cling tighter, crying out and shaking through it.

Hugh cursed, then he shuddered and groaned, so deep she felt it rumble through her chest. His hips started pumping erratically, cock pulsing deep inside her as he shot hot and hard.

“That’s it, princess. Take it all. Take all of me,” he rasped, rough and low.

She did, and God help her, she loved every minute. Loved that instead of pulling from her when he’d finished as he had to when they used condoms, he could stay where he was, planted deep. He rolled them to their sides and curled his fingers around the back of her knee, lifting it so her bent leg rested on his hip.

He tucked her in close, and she felt him bury his nose in her hair, heard him breathe her in.

“You good?”

“I’m good,” she whispered.

He rubbed circles over her back, wrapping her in a warm, safe cocoon. She let it soak in, let him ease the ache in her chest. Squeezing her eyes shut, she clung a little tighter. She had to know.

“Is she…will she be okay?”

His hand stilled then started moving again. “Yeah, princess. Your mom will be just fine.”

She had to believe that, needed to or she thought she might break. She shook her head against his chest. “She’s never done anything like this before… I mean, she has but not to this extent. She cleaned out my wallet before she left the last time she visited. But this…” She lifted up and looked into his eyes, even though it was too dark to see his expression properly. “I’m sorry you had to deal with all of it…with my mother, having to go after her to get your car back. You didn’t sign up for that. I’m just…I’m so sorry.”

His hand slid around the side of her neck, thumb tracing her jaw. “Didn’t go for the car. You don’t need to apologize for that.”

“Well, let me thank you for getting my stuff back, for…”

“Don’t need to thank me for that either.”

She buried her face back against his chest. Even though he probably couldn’t see her, she didn’t want to risk him noticing the way her eyes were no doubt glistening with unshed tears. Why the hell was she close to crying? She refused to believe it was relief over Hugh coming to her, or the fact he didn’t seem to be completely horrified over the whole thing. It couldn’t be that, because if it was, it meant she cared, and she couldn’t afford to care. Not that much. Never that much.