Speed King (Men of Action 1)

“Do you trust me?”

He nods.

“Do you care about me, Achilles?”

The storm in his eyes softens, and he clenches his arms around my waist. “You are my everything.” The honesty in his voice rocks me to my core.

You are my everything.

Those four words set my pulse racing and my body melting at the same time. The same words I used to describe him to Jewls.

The last two days of confusion, anger, and internal turmoil go up in smoke, and I’m left with a feeling unlike I’ve ever imagined. “Then the rest we’ll take in baby steps,” I tell him softly.

He slides one hand up my back, along my neck, and threads his fingers in the base of my hairline, caressing gently. “Harley, I gave this up for over ten years. If I come on a little strong, cut me some slack.”

“I’ll get used to it.”

At the use of his phrase, the intensity finally seeps out of his body. “Yeah, you’ll get used to it.”

“It may not always be easy.”

“I’m not going through the last two days again.”

“Are you saying you learned a lesson?”

The side of his mouth twitches right before he flashes me a playful grin. “I’m saying I’ll never watch you walk away from me again.”

I decide to let that go and focus on something more important. I lift on my toes and sweep my lips across his. “What do you mean you gave this up for over ten years?”

“We’ll talk about it tonight.”

There’s no way I’m leaving this apartment without an explanation. The last few days, I’ve spent too much time thinking about what Jewls said regarding overlooking important subjects because I was lost in the moments. If there’s any chance of us making this work, I have to know and understand the man Achilles has become.

“I think we should talk about it now.”

“Right now, I need to take you to work.”

I step away and grab my phone, shooting off a quick email. “I’m working from home today.”

“Didn’t know that was an option.”

“There are some perks to my job. And today, I’m taking advantage of one of them.”

“You sure?”

“Yes. Do you still keep a bag in your truck with extra clothes?”

He nods.

“And do you still have the night off?”

“I do.”

“How would you feel about hanging out here today? I need to work some, but you could rest, and then maybe we could do lunch?”

He grins and brings his forehead to mine, his eyes melting into the amber hue I love so much. “I do owe you lunch.”

9

Ace

My eyes slowly open at the sound of Harley laughing from the other room. I check my watch and see four hours have passed since I laid down. “Shit,” I grumble, scrubbing my hands over my face and swinging my legs to the floor. Exhaustion weighs on me, but I force myself to stand, grab my bag, and go to her bathroom.

This was the first actual sleep I’ve gotten since Saturday night when Harley was with me. My body is conditioned to schedule changes, and I can get by on little sleep, but the last few days it’s been useless. My mind wouldn’t shut down, and the image of her walking away is branded into my memory.

I smirk at the stack of purple towels laid out for me on the counter. Her shower is significantly smaller than mine, and it takes a bit for me to get situated. The hot water beats down on my back and shoulders, easing the tension away. I relax for the first time in days. The scent of her fills with the surrounding steam, and my dick grows hard instantly.

Fuck! Don’t be a fucking tool, Ace. Get your shit together.

I turn into the water, trying to ignore the throbbing in my cock as I wash my hair. There’s a knock at the door, followed by a muffled voice.

“Come in.”

“Checking to see if you have everything you need.”

“I got it.”

“I forgot to leave you a washcloth,” she says right as a cloth sails over the curtain rod and lands on my shoulder. “Although I’m sure you’re a wash your body with your hands type of guy.”

I poke my head around the curtain and find her propped against the sink, staring at the shower. “You’d be right. But today, I may break tradition just to say I’ve used a purple cloth.”

“You know there are other colors of the color wheel besides black, white, and grey.”

“I’m learning that, seeing as your soap is pink. I didn’t even know they made fucking pink soap.”

“Stick with me and I’ll teach you about the colors of the rainbow.”

“Looking forward to it.”

She smiles at me, and my eyes fall to the faded USMC lettering on her shirt. Actually, it’s my shirt, hanging mid-thigh and revealing her bare legs. She’s changed out of her dress. Everything about the sight sends my blood south. My already hard cock lurches, bouncing against my stomach. When my gaze moves back to her face, she’s staring at me expectantly.