The Reluctant Romantics Box Set (The Fall, The Mind, The Heart)

“Me too. I got offered the position of sous,” he said, smiling. “Today, in fact. Do you want to go help me celebrate with a drink?”

“Josh, that’s wonderful! I’m so happy for you.” Without thinking, I leaned into him and gripped him tightly to me.

“She has plans.”

I jumped at Dean’s voice and looked over to see him eyeing us with nothing but menace. The change in the air was instantaneous and permeated with animosity. He looked ready to kill in his gym clothes, a chrome water bottle in hand that he held with white knuckled ferocity. It was no big mystery why he was here. The hospital was only a block away, but I was starting to think coincidence no longer had a welcome place in my life.

“Of course she has plans,” Josh said sarcastically as he looked at me with disgust. “I figured as much.”

“Josh, listen—”

“Fucking forget it. You can have the gym,” he said bitterly.

“Thanks,” Dean said as he glared at Josh’s retreating head. Josh took a step back, meeting his glare. “You’re nothing but curiosity for her. She’ll get bored.”

“You don’t know shit,” Dean said, snapping back, his teeth bared and his skin tinting as his anger built.

“I know I’d never heard a word about you in the time I spent with her. Not a word,” Josh shot back confidently.”

“Stop it,” I said forcefully, taking a step between them before turning to Dean. “Stop it.” He didn’t look at me, keeping his eyes glued on Josh. I grabbed Josh by the arm, pulling on it hard as he remained locked in a standoff with Dean. “Come on, Josh, please,” I pleaded as he took another step toward Dean. “I’ll be there when you fuck up. I love her that much.” Josh turned to me and looked down at my hand on his arm. I pulled at it again as he followed me out of the gym.

I saw his truck and walked over to it as he reluctantly followed.

“I would ask you why but, I’m afraid to,” he said, looking down at his tires.

“I hate myself so much right now,” I said quickly. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am.”

“Do you love him?” he asked earnestly, searching my face.

“I used to.” He nodded and jumped into his truck. “I have to leave right now. I’ll hurt him if I don’t.” I backed away from his truck as he took another look at me. “I meant what I said, and I might hate myself for it later, but Dallas, if he fucks up, I’ll be there.”

“I don’t deserve that. Don’t do that.”

“I guess I can’t help it.” He started the truck then pulled away, leaving my heart gushing with regret. I looked back at the gym and couldn’t face going back in. I was more than furious. As if Dean sensed my hesitation, he stepped outside, walking toward me.

“Caveman!” I shouted as he approached me. “What the hell is wrong with you? It isn’t enough that I’m with you right now, you had to rub it in his face? Make him feel like that?” Dean didn’t slow his pace and crashed into me, lifting me with both hands under my ass, my legs instinctively wrapping around him. My surprised scream was muffled by his mouth as he took it with possessive fierceness. I fought him for only seconds before succumbing to the kiss. He pulled me tighter to him, walking toward his Jag. I heard it chirp before he sat me down in the passenger seat. I fumed as he got in and quickly started driving.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” I said, staring at him while he drove. “Talk to me damn it!” He continued driving as I questioned him, but didn’t say a word. We pulled into a private drive, which I assumed was his, and he pressed the garage door opener. Glaring at him, he refused to look at me. I got out and followed him inside. I was just about to start laying into him again when he turned on me, his dark eyes filled with hunger. My words caught in my throat as he gripped my neck, turning me to face the door we had just walked through. I shuddered when his breath hit my ear, my back to his chest, his erection brushing along the top of my ass.

“I need you to stop fighting me,” he scolded on a heat-filled whisper, his tongue darting in and out of the shell of my ear. I was panting as he held me tightly to him by the throat, his other hand slipping into my shorts and underneath my panties. “I need you to stop making this so damn hard on us both, because all I want …” he paused, slipping his fingers inside me as I sank against him, “is you.” He pulled his fingers from inside me, sliding them up to massage me in slow circles. I gripped him behind me as I started to feel the pull.

“Dean,” I pleaded, my heart pounding against my chest. As aggressive of a lover as he used to be, it was nothing like the man behind me now circling my soaked sex with skilled fingers. I didn’t have time to worry about the fact that I was still sticky from my workout, or what had happened after, because seconds later I was spread out on his counter as he licked at my sex wildly. I gasped his name twice before he let up and pulled me to sit in front of him. He pulled his shorts down and I gripped him in my hand, the fire in my eyes matching his. He pulled me from the counter, gripping my ass as he slid me onto his length. I moaned out, the delicious soreness from last night making an appearance, before I began to move on top of him as he ground his hips i

nto me. “So fucking good,” he said as I gripped the counter behind me, grinding into him. “I know you feel it, feel us” He grunted out as his icy eyes seared through me along with his thrusts.

He turned us around and laid me down on his rug as he burned his way through me, leaving nothing left. I milked his length with my sex as I came again, calling out to him repeatedly. He pulled away, slowing his pace and rolling his hips expertly so I felt every stone inch of him.

“I’ve thought about nothing but this all day. The way you look when I’m buried inside you, the way you breathe my name, the way you tremble around me when you come. I won’t let anything or anyone else get in the way of us, of this.” He stilled as he spilled himself inside of me. I stroked his back, catching my breath. He pulled away, his beautiful black locks falling across his forehead.

“I just need us to be…without all the bullshit for a while. I don’t want anything taking away from this.” He searched my face for my understanding. I nodded as he took my lips then quickly pulled back. “Try with me, Dallas. Please just give me a chance.” His heart was beating so fast, I could feel his anxiety rolling off of him. Josh had intimidated him, though he would never admit it. Dean was proud in that way. I’d never seen him act so violently possessive toward me. I was as equally turned on as I was put off by it.

“You can’t act like that,” I warned.

“I know,” he said, his renewed erection brushing against my leg. He trailed my face and neck with feverish kisses, leading back to my mouth, taking his time to gently coax it open. I sighed into him as he took my breath completely. When he pulled away, I saw his features soften. “I want all of you, Dallas. Every single piece. Even the ones I broke.” He pulled me to his chest, cradling my legs as he lifted me off of his carpet. He carried me upstairs and drew us a bath. I stood watching him as he made the bath comfortable, stepping in and motioning for me to join him. I sat cradled in his arms for several minutes.

“Dally, talk to me.” Brushing the hair away from my neck, he planted a soft kiss on my shoulder.

“Remember when you told me you were going to be a doctor?”