Game for Trouble (Game for It 2)

It’s why he had to leave. If he’d stayed in her house, with her so close to him he could smell her for just a minute longer, he might’ve done something he regretted.

Like get Willow naked, fuck her senseless, then eventually deal with the guilt and the ranting tirade from her. She’d get him for breaking the agreement or some such shit and then he’d have to give up this entire plan.

So he walked. It took all the strength he had inside him to go but, yep, he’d walked right out of her house after she’d kissed him. Hell, she basically implied she’d let him do anything he wanted to her.

And he still left.

He strode out to his car and hit the keyless remote, throwing himself into the driver’s seat like a man hell-bent on escape. For once he wished his new car had the standard key in the ignition versus the push button start. It would’ve felt real good, twisting that key so hard the engine would roar to life, the sound blocking out all his troubles.

Instead he started the car like a wimp, pushing the button with his index finger, throwing the car out of park and pulling away from the curb.

Fuck a duck, he needed to buy a vintage car with a V-8 engine and a badass paint job, just so he could have a vehicle that made him feel like a man when he drove it.

What the hell did you do? Hand that woman your balls when you raced out of her house with your tail between your legs?

Nick shoved the shitty thought out of his head and hit a speed dial button on the screen in his car’s dashboard. The phone rang and rang until Jared finally answered.

“It is way too late for your bullshit,” Jared muttered in greeting, his voice filling the interior of the car.

“Nice to talk to you too.” Nick sighed and swiped a hand over his face. Thank God for Bluetooth. “I need your advice.”

“What?”

Nick ignored his question. “How do I make a woman like me?”

“Are you serious?” Jared burst out laughing. “I thought all the women were wanting you now that I’m off the market.”

“Arrogant ass.” Nick chuckled. “I’m talking about one woman in particular. We went out on a date and she kicked me out of her house.”

“Okay,” Jared said slowly. “I’m guessing you’re talking about Willow? The woman you should avoid like the plague, since she essentially hates your guts? I think you should be glad she kicked you out.”

“Yep. Willow. And there’s no way I can avoid her. It’s too late. I gotta have her.” He should’ve never called his friend. Then Jared would tell Sheridan and Sheridan would tell Willow and he’d be in a world of hurt.

With the way his cock still throbbed beneath his fly, maybe it didn’t matter. He was in a world of hurt regardless.

“I told you she needed to get laid,” Jared said, sounding exasperated. “Why didn’t you use some of that Hamilton charm and get her into bed?”

Willow isn’t like other women. She doesn’t fall for the charm, the drawl, the swagger. It doesn’t matter how badly I want her.

She doesn’t want me back.

Nick could hear rustling, a soft feminine murmur in the background before the phone was quite clearly taken out of Jared’s hand and Sheridan’s voice came over the speaker. “Just keep doing what you’re doing, Nick.”

“You aren’t supposed to know any of this. You’ll just tell her I called.” Misery coursed through him. He couldn’t get this right with Willow no matter how hard he tried. He was sweet to her, and she wanted to kick his ass. He was rude to her, and she wanted to kick his ass. The woman had him coming and going, and he never knew where he was supposed to be next.

It was frustrating as all get out.

“I won’t tell her. I promise! I’m on your side,” Sheridan said firmly. “This thing with Willow, you need to take it slow. You need to woo her.”

“Are you serious?” He remembered how it had been with Willow the first time around. Hot and passionate and sexy and spontaneous. He’d never wooed her once. Just kissed her, slipped his hand into her panties, and bingo. They were going at it, no problem.

But they were younger then. Things change. Needs change. More than anything, he wanted to be exactly what Willow needed.

“Dead serious,” Sheridan said firmly. “You can do this, Hamilton. I believe in you.”

“You do?” he asked weakly.

“Definitely. I believe in you, I believe in Willow, and I really, really believe the two of you will make a great couple. Just…don’t rush her. If she rushes you, it’s just her way of proving, that, hey, look! All he wants from me is an easy lay. I mean nothing to him,” Sheridan explained. “Prove her wrong. Show her you want more than that.”