Trust Game (10 page)

Reese

After popping the pain medicine in my mouth, I take a drink from my water bottle. I’m out of shape. I always hear people say the second day is the worst, and it’s day two since I helped my parents.

“Chin up, buttercup.”

Glancing at the door, I find Everett smiling. His sexy grin adorns his yummy body, and I haven’t had enough time to explore it. I missed him this weekend, and that feeling is unsettling.

“I’m sore.”

He glances out to the hallway and back.

“I wish I could take credit for that.”

“I wish you could, too. It definitely would’ve been more fun than cleaning out a garage and basement.” I lower my voice, so Kyle won’t hear.

“
I also had to listen to my sister go on and on about the horrible dilemma she’s in. Two men fighting over her is about the extent of what she has to worry over.”

I can’t resist
a smile. “But she graduates in two months, and the real world will be waiting to eat her alive.” I hold my fingers up and show an inch of measure. “There is this tiny, devilish side of me that can’t wait to watch.”

His grin turns sly. “That side is more than tiny, and I’m loving every minute of getting to know it.”

“Everett.” The ache between my thighs is instant, and my face flushes from the torrid heat his mere presence creates. Sensing it, his gaze is now hungry and urgent. The door shuts and lock turns.

“No, I have interviews startin
g in fifteen minutes.”

His
scowl bites back. “I’m used to getting what I want, Reese. Not being able to touch you when I see you is pissing me off.”

After stalking over
, he pulls me from my chair and yanks me to him. “I also think you need a punishment every time you spout that two letter word at me.”

Shit, he’s so damn
exhilarating. Stubble rakes along my jawline as his mouth finds my ear. Nibbles and licks make me horny as ever.

“I much prefer hearing you cry ‘yes, Everett’ when I’m making you come on my fingers or cock. My mouth is next
.”

Erotic whispers filtering through his raspy breaths
feel more like screams to my libido, awakening it and sending chills down my spine. My knees want to give, so I lean into him farther.

“Reese, your stiff
nipples are brushing against me through your blouse. I’m going to fuck you right here, right now, if I don’t walk away.”

One hand is rubbing my
lower back as the other reaches down and nudges my black skirt up. Fingers roam along my outer thigh as lips hover over mine. I want to taste his tongue.

“Baby, tell me to walk away.
”

“Why did you do this to me?” I ask, exhaling an agonizing breath.

“The torture is worth getting an opportunity to touch you … and to smell your sweet skin. It’s also insurance.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m assuring you won’t forget what I do to you.”

“I couldn’t forget.”

Everett kisses my forehead and releases me. He grumbles to the door and just like that, he’s gone.

***

“I think Holly is the most qualified. She seems trustworthy, too.”

“I like her the best,” Kyle says. He’s battling an unfolding smile.

“You can say it since it’s
not
the reason we’re hiring her.”

Kyle’s face turns pink. “OK, she’s hot.”

“I figured as much,” I say, smirking.

“Hey, I swear I won’t be inappropriate, but it’ll be nice to have another attractive woman in the office.”

OK, now I’m silent and blushing.

“I didn’t mean to say that.
I mean, you’re attractive, but I—I need to shut up.”

I begin to snicker
. “It’s alright, and thank you.” Glancing up, I see Everett at the doorway. He looks pissed. “What do you need?”

“Are you finished with your interviews?”

“Yes, finally.”

“Can I have a word with you alone in my office?” I watch as he glares at Kyle, but Kyle is staring at paperwork in fr
ont of him, likely uncomfortable after his comment.

“Sure. Um, Kyle, can we finish discussing this in the morning?”

“No problem. I have plenty to work on since we’ve been tied up with this all day.” He’s out of the chair and moving past Everett, who barely leaves him room to get by. What’s up his ass?

It is a fine one, so I
stare at it as I follow him down the hallway. “What did you need?” I ask after shutting his door.

“You were blushing.”

“Uh, OK, and why does that concern you?”

H
is gaze is possessive as he takes hold of my chin.

“I can recall what I’ve said and done
to make you turn red, so I have a feeling I won’t like whatever it is he said to make you blush.”

“You need to ease up. I’ve known you one week today. I don’t have to tell you what he said, but I will tell you that he wasn’t hitting on me.”

“We’re long passed one week, and you know it.”

“You’re right. We have shared a hell of a lot in one week, so let this go. You have nothing to worry about.”

“I’m not worried. I don’t like it is all.”

I sigh
some of my tension away.

“Are you always this exhausting?”

“I should’ve given you my condition when this all began. I won’t share you, Reese.”

“Y
ou’re intense.”

“And you love it.” His lips land on mine, his tongue pushing its way in as he cups my fac
e, holding it firmly to his. Damn, he’s a good kisser.

Skillfully
and commandingly, his tongue takes possession, and like every other time, I concede, incapable of resisting the drugging effect he has on me. I’m anchored to our kiss when he pulls his lips away and leans his forehead to mine.

“
You’re making me feel alive but also irrational.” His breaths are sharp and uneven as his thumbs skim my cheeks. “I can’t see you tonight.”

“Why
?” I ask.

“The
guys in the shop somehow managed to put two bikes in worse shape than they were when they came in for repair. That never happens, so a few of them are staying, along with me, until they get them right. I think they partied too much this weekend.”

“It’s been a long few days
for me, anyway. I need rest.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he says before kissing
my forehead and hugging me, sharing those damn emotions again. Lustful Everett is enough to handle, but when he becomes sweet, I want to run the other way.

Everett

“Why the fuck are you guys standing around?” I ask when I walk into the shop.

“Chill, bro. We’re waiting for a couple of parts to get here, and they won’t be delivered until six-thirty,” Roman replies. “I told you I had this covered.”

“Obviously not, or this wouldn’t have happened in the first place.”

“Guys, why don’t you go grab dinner? Make sure you’re back by six,” Roman says, looking to the three guys standing around doing jack shit. After they exit one of the bays, he points at me.

“Ev, we’re all human and make mistakes. Very few are made out here, so you need to calm the fuck down.”

I blow out a breath. “You’re right, and I’m sorry.” Running a hand through my hair, I stroll over to inspect the motorcycles.

“You were in a great mood last week. Where the hell did it go?” he asks.

“I’m fine.”

“No
, you’re not. Does this have anything to do with that attractive woman walking to her car?”

My head snaps toward the parking lot, which I can see from the open bay. Ther
e Reese is, getting into her Volkswagen.

“That’s what I thought.”

“Shut the hell up. I can’t talk about it.”

“Why not?”

“I promised I wouldn’t, that’s why.”

“I’m your brother, and I’m not going to say shit to anyone.”

“That’s a load of crap. I know you told Sarge something was up with me.”

Sighing, h
e takes a seat on a stool and pulls a cigarette from his pocket.

“Those are bad for you.”

“If you gave me a dollar every time you said that to me, I’d be fucking rich enough to say, ‘I quit this damn job.’ Now, tell me what’s up with you and that Reese, or at least share why you’re in a pissy mood.”

“I can’t stay away from her. I know I don’t need to be here tonight, but if I’m not here, I’ll be trying to see her.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“It’s too much too soon, and I’m getting this uneasy feeling that she’s not going to reciprocate.
You know I’ve never been one to date around. It almost always turns into more for me.”

“None of us have
liked dating. Well, except for the little shit. Travis’s generation is different, or at least, he’s different. He’s never with a woman long enough to call it dating.”

I exhale a deep breath, attempting to rid myself of the loneliness that creeps
back in when Reese isn’t near.

“Look,
I respect that you don’t want to be out screwing any female who moves, but I also don’t want you to get serious with her only so you don’t have to go out and date. Sarge and I married young, and it’s worked out, but you weren’t as lucky the first go around.”

“My marriage wasn’t that bad.”

“It’s been over two years, Ev. Time to admit the truth. Your marriage was a divorce waitin’ to happen.”

I throw a finger out at him.

“Don’t fucking go there.”

He holds his hands up in front of him, his cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth. I swear I’m terrified his heart
is going to explode sooner than our father’s did.

“Alright, I won’t talk about her.
I will say that I’m glad you’re healing and ready to move on. Sarge says Reese seems tough and independent, not a whiner expecting to be treated like a queen.”

He’s talking about Krystal again. My family couldn’t stand her. I tried my hardest to get her on their good side, but she’d mess it up
every time. It didn’t help that my brothers worked with her and witnessed first-hand the way she carried on.

I thought I was giving her
a comfortable life, but it was never enough for her. She didn’t even have to work, but she wanted more money.

It was always about the future and what she could gain. She couldn’t live in the present and enjoy what we had for five
flippin’ minutes.

“
Reese isn’t Krystal, but I haven’t had time to figure her all out yet,” I say.

“It’s only been a week, little brother. Give it time.”

“That’s the problem; I don’t have much time. I can’t go into it. I told her I wouldn’t, so until she says otherwise, that’s all you’re getting out of me, and you need to keep it to yourself.”

Everett

“Bro, wait until you see who Reese hired,” Travis says with a grin. “She’s hot. Another chick to look at instead of nothin’ but ugly dudes.”

“Leave her alone,” I say as I go behind the counter.

“Yeah, because we know you’re leaving Reese alone.”

I can’t argue that.
“How’s business?”

“
Great this week. Tell Punch Bug we’re so busy that she needs to hire a beautiful chick to work up here with me at the counter.”

I pick up t
he stack of mail and sift through it.

“I thought you were trying to get with her sister?”

“I am, but I don’t know how that’s going to play out, so I have to keep my options open. She’s letting me take her out Friday night.”

My eyes flash up to his. “
Don’t dick her over. Do you hear me?”

“Chill, bro.”

Holding the mail up, I point the stack toward him.

“Listen to me, Trav. Don’t fuck her and take a walk. If you don’t think you can treat her differently, then stay away from her.”

Travis’s grin fades, and he looks as if I punched him in the gut. “Why don’t you say how you really feel about me?”

A customer walks up, so I holler at Franklin to wait on him. “Trav,
I’m sorry, but I can only go by what you say, and all you ever do is brag about all the girls you bang.”

“Alright, that’s fair. I have slept with a lot of girls, but the truth is, when I say it’s over because she wanted more, it’s the other way around.
” Travis looks away from me and fidgets with some papers.

“A lot of girls
nowadays only want sex. They don’t want a relationship in college. It would actually be awesome and surprising to find one who does.”

I eye him speculatively as he scratches his blonde hair and continues to nervously shuffle papers.
He might’ve been hatched from the same nest after all.

“Besides, looks only get you so far. As soon as they hear I want to stay at Casteel after graduation, they aren’t too interested. They don’t take the time to see what we’ve built here.”

In less than ten minutes, I realize I haven’t been spending enough time alone with Trav. He lost his dad young, so his brothers should be talking to him more outside of work, giving him guidance, and not only over beers at the local bars.

The kid
works full-time, arranging his classes around this place. I wrap my arm around his shoulder.

“I’m proud of you, and Dad would be, too.”

Trav smiles. “You think?”

“
He already was so I know.”

“Thanks, bro.”

Stepping outside the counter, I turn to him.

“I’ll find out from Reese what sort of stuff Becca likes.”

“Thanks that would be awesome.” His cocky grin returns, and my baby brother made my morning. He’s gonna be alright.

Reaching the hallway, I see
that Reese’s door is shut. I notice a pretty girl next to Kyle in his office, and it appears he’s training her. He looks happy about it. Maybe he’ll pursue her and leave Becca alone so Trav has a chance.

I ent
er my office, and as I walk around my desk, I see a wrapped gift in my chair. It’s in black paper and has a white bow on it. Who is buying me gifts? I hear snickering, so I look up and see some of the guys from the shop crowded at my doorway. Roman is one of them, and Travis has tagged along.

“Did you assholes leave this?”

They pile in but stay close to the door.

“He’s calling us assholes when we were kind enough
to pitch in and buy him a present,” Roman says before glancing around at the guys and chuckling.

“Bro, if you keep an open mind, this could be life changing
,” Travis says.

I look down at the gift. “At least it’s not big enough to be
another blow up doll.” Humoring them, I open it and find a book.

“Assholes. Every one of you.” They all burst into laughter.

“
Dating for Dummies
.”

“It’s the latest edition, bro. The chicks are freakier these days, so we felt you needed the most up to date information,” Travis adds before glancing to the door, “especially i
f you’re going to seduce the sexy independent type like the one down the hall.”

“Shut up before she hears you, and get the hell out of my office.” Each of them laugh at my expense again before leaving.
I flip the book over and read the back. I wonder if there is a chapter on independent women. What am I doing? Assholes.

I toss it inside
a drawer of my desk. How humiliating it would be if Reese discovered it. After I’m sure the guys have cleared the area, I stroll down to her office and give her door a tap before opening it.

“Head up, buttercup
.” Taking a glimpse at me, she smiles before her forehead is scrunched, her nose close to the reports in front of her.

“Everything OK?” I ask.

Sighing, she glances back up. “Yeah, sorry. I’m working on the taxes. There is a big piece to the puzzle missing, and I’m trying to put it together. What was all the noise?”

“
Uh, the guys being their obnoxious selves. Let me know if we need to go over anything.”

“L
ike yesterday?” she asks in a low voice.

Shutting her door, I lean back against it.

“It’s Thursday, Reese. I haven’t been with you since Saturday, and longer since I’ve had the pleasure of being inside you. I’m sorry if I was distracted.”

“We can’t afford
to be distracted over this.” She seems stressed this morning and annoyed with me. I don’t like it one damn bit.

“If you hadn’t avoided me the last two nights, I might not ha
ve gotten carried away during office hours.”

Leaning back in her chair, she stares at the ceiling and releases a loud breath.

“Everett, I didn’t agree to have sex with you a set number of nights per week.”

“
I thought you wanted this. Actually, it was your idea,” I say through grated teeth.

“We shouldn’t get accustomed to spending a ton of time together since it’s temporary.”

Walking over to the front of her desk, I slam my palms onto it. Startled, she snaps her head down to look at me. “Stop with the fucking schedule. You were letting go with me, so I’m not allowing you to put the damn wall back up. Why can’t you enjoy what’s happening?”

She stares at me blankly, and it’s making me furious. “Speak up, buttercup. I’m not a mind reader.”

“Why are you getting so angry?”

“Because a
voiding me is not what you want.”

“How do you know what I want?”

“You’re keeping me at a distance because you get to be the true Reese when you’re with me, and it’s scaring the shit out of you.”

Tears begin to fill her vivid green eyes
before she averts her gaze.

“I understand, Reese. I could’ve been with you Monday evening, but this need to be near you every second when I just met you overwhelmed me. I got past it
though. You know why? Look at me, doll.”

Her lip quivers as she gives back those tear soaked eyes
. “We don’t know when the whistle blows and our game ends. Life can be short, and I’m making the fucking most of it from here on out. Stop playing it safe and live, fancy face.”

“But you make it sound so easy. This …” she points back and forth between us, “could
get complicated.”

Reaching across her desk, I grip her arms and bring
her forward before I kiss her passionately, taking what I want. I feed it to my soul, crowding out the loneliness.

She only fights
briefly before she’s fisting my hair and whimpering into my mouth. Like every time I have the privilege of tasting her, I reluctantly pull my lips away. Framing her face firmly, I give her a piercing stare.

“Stop worrying about when this ends. You can’t tell me the thought hasn
’t crossed your mind that it won’t.”

I leave her office. This morning has
already been a damn emotional roller coaster ride. I need to get the hell out of here, so I march into Sarge’s office.

“Good morning, bro,” he says.

“I have to leave. Can you handle things today?”

“Uh, didn’t you just get here?”

“I’m gonna do some field work. Jess said he’s all for airbrushing helmets, so I’m going to get the word out and hit up a few of our wealthier clients to see if I can entice them back in with another bike.”

“Sure, no p
roblem.” He continues to stare at me.

“What?”

“I know this has to do with her. When are you going to tell me about it?”

“Am I entitled to any privacy in this family?”

“Have it your way, but I’m here when you’re ready.”

I storm from
his office and out the front door as fast as possible. Reese holds the control today, but I’m only giving her a little time to wise her ass up before I take it back.