She smiled, and my insides flip-flopped. Weirdest fucking thing I’d ever experienced. I hoped I wasn’t coming down with something.
“I’m glad you came, Miss Monroe,” I offered with a devilish lift of my brow.
“It’s Hailey,” she corrected before her pink tongue darted out to wet her lower lip. Inwardly, I groaned.
“Steph should have a table ready for us,” I said as I placed a hand on her lower back and guided her into the pub. My hand burned where I touched her, wanting to explore every inch of her to see if my memory served me right.
“Steph?” she asked, with a hint of jealousy in her tone which had me smiling inside. Jealousy meant there was still interest there.
“My brother’s wife. She owns the Oasis.” I didn’t make so much as an attempt to hide my smirk. A sidelong glance at her revealed her cheeks were a rosy red. I chuckled as we made our way to the back booth where Steph was waiting.
Once we were both seated, she placed our menus in front of us.
“You’re waitressing?” I asked her with mock confusion. I knew damn well why she was there. Her loose blonde curls were pulled up into a high ponytail, and she had her white apron on, signifying she was cooking today.
“Monica is on her break, so I’m filling in,” she said with an unashamed grin. On break, my ass. Shit, it was all fun and games until I realized she was going to race to the back to tell Reaper what she’d seen.
“Steph, this is Miss Monroe. She’s the new director at the adolescent center. We were going to meet to discuss the annual fundraiser. I brought her over to check out your place because she’s new to town.” Damage control attempted, I waited.
“Welcome to our area. Where are you from?” Steph asked, turning her attention to Hailey.
“Kansas City. And please call me Hailey,” she replied with a friendly lift of her lips.
“Will do. Now what can I start you off with to drink?” Steph took our drink orders and brought them back while Hailey began to peruse the menu. Steph could’ve saved bringing a menu for me, because I already knew what I wanted. She was sitting across the table from me.
Uh, no, I meant I knew the menu by heart.
Hell.
No, I was right the first time. It may’ve been a year, but I wanted Hailey Monroe. I wanted to bend her over, fist her golden hair, smack that luscious ass, and pound my cock into her tight pussy.
Those thoughts had my dick swelling painfully in my pants. Shifting in the booth to ease some of the pressure was futile. The only thing that would provide relief was whipping my dick out of my damn jeans. Trying to think of the least sexy things in life didn’t seem to help.
Her molten silver eyes rose to mine, her nostrils flared, and her lips parted slightly as she gazed at me. It was as if she knew.
“You really want to eat?” I asked in a tone, husky with need.
“I actually had my lunch before you showed up,” she replied, equally as labored. We stared at each other as I tried to gauge whether or not we were on the same page.
Taking a chance, I whispered, “You wanna fight?”
She sucked in a sharp inhale, and lust burned in the stormy depths of her eyes.
“Decided what you want?” Steph inadvertently interrupted us when she stopped by the edge of the table.
Silence sat heavy at the table. Then Hailey swallowed hard and scooted out of the booth.
“I’m sorry, I completely forgot about a meeting I have. I need to go.” She gave a brief apologetic smile to Steph and quickly headed for the door.
No way. I shot to my feet and hurried to catch up to her. I caught her elbow in the entryway of the pub and spun her to face me.
“Hailey, wait!”
“Mr. Matthews, this was a mistake,” she began, refusing to meet my gaze.
“Luke,” I murmured. My hand cupping her jaw, I tipped her head up. Reluctantly, she looked at me.
“Luke.” She breathed my name like a sigh.
“Why?”
“What do you mean, why? I just started my new job. I need to concentrate on that. There’s no time in my life for a relationship at this point.”
She said the words, but her eyes and her pulse pounding below my little finger belied them. “Trust me when I tell you I’m not looking for a relationship.”
“Good. Neither am I,” she insisted.
Leaning forward until my lips brushed the shell of her ear, I whispered, “So let’s fuck. No strings. No expectations. No rules. Well, except one. Don’t develop feelings for me, because you will get hurt.”
“What if you develop feelings?” she said, full of attitude.
That caused me to snort laughter. “Not likely.”
She appeared to consider what I’d said. Then when I thought she was gonna tell me to fuck off, she grabbed my shirt and pulled me to her. Her lips hit mine, and I groaned into the kiss as my cock pressed hard into her soft body.
Breaking apart to gasp for breath, I demanded, “Your place or mine?”
“Which is closer?”
“I’m about five minutes from here,” I growled.
“I’m across town. Your place.”
I nodded. “Follow me.” When she’d told me she’d follow me from the center, I should’ve gone straight to my place. Cut out the bullshit in between.
She didn’t argue—she simply climbed in her car, started it, and waited expectantly. I chuckled, then climbed on my bike and roared down the road. A glance in my mirror showed she was behind me and hadn’t chickened out.
I parked in the driveway, and she pulled in next to me. Her door flew open, and her heels clicked on the concrete as she rounded the hood. Arms crossed, she stared at me where I
