V Card Sweetheart (Sweetheart, Colorado)

“Yeah, baby?” The endearment rolls off my tongue without thought, and I watch her to see her reaction.

She bites her lip, and I would give anything to reach over and pull her into my lap. Wrapping her arms around her legs, she looks at me. “I just wanted to thank you. I’ve never had anyone – well, Alice has looked out for me – but I mean, I appreciate you helping me tonight.”

“I’ll always help you,” I tell her honestly.

She starts to fidget, and I know she has something on her mind. “Go ahead, you can ask me anything.”

“Uh, okay, I’m just wondering why.”

“Why am I helping you?” She’s staring at me and when she nods, I turn on the couch so that I’m facing her. I had hoped to have more time, get everything ready, but she’s here now, and I’m not going to let the opportunity pass me by. “I like you, Jane. I have since the first time I walked into The Stop.”

“But why? I mean none of this makes sense. I swear I feel like this is a joke or something.”

I hate that she feels that way because to me, it’s easy to see why anyone could fall in love with her. But she looks at me with so much doubt, I know anything I say she’s not going to fully believe. “This is no joke. First, I’m going to take care of Martin. Next, we’re going to get to know one another. You don’t have to decide anything tonight. We’ve got time.”

I try to soothe her but honestly, I want to get up throw her over my shoulder and demand that she choose me to spend the rest of her life with. But I can’t. She’s young, she’s a virgin, and it seems like she’s been messed with her whole life. I’m going to wait until she trusts me. Even if it kills me. I pick up the remote. “C’mon, let’s watch TV. You don’t need to worry about anything tonight.”

Jane

A loud groan sounds right next to my ear, and my eyes fly open. At first, I’m freaked out because I have no idea where I am or why I feel like I’m being smothered under a big, hard, furnace. I move just a little, and the same low, growly sound surrounds me.

Dutton. I’m lying in Dutton’s bed, right next to him. His arms and legs are wrapped around me, and I don’t dare move again. Oh my God, I scream in my head. Surely to goodness, I didn’t come to his room instead of mine last night. He’s going to think I’m crazy. The poor man offers to help me and I force my way into his bed.

I reach my arm out and wrap my hand around the edge. I try to pull myself to the side, but his hold tightens on me.

“It’s too early,” he says, and I swear I can feel his hot breath on my neck.

My whole body freezes. I don’t even breathe. “I’m sorry. Gah, I’m so sorry. I have no idea how I got in here.” I clench my eyes tightly as if I can almost wish my way out of here. This is so embarrassing.

His hold loosens, but he doesn’t completely let me go. The bed dips as he raises up, pushing me to my back and hovering over me. He’s big and completely surrounding me, but I’m not scared.

“I know how you got in here. You fell asleep on the couch and I brought you in here.”

I look back at him in shock. “What? But why?”

“Because I wanted you in my bed,” he says and then as an afterthought, he adds, “Nothing happened. I would never take advantage of you, Jane.”

“I know. I mean, I didn’t think…” I try to look anywhere but at him, but he moves so that I have to look at him. How in the heck can he look this good in the morning? I’m sure I’m a mess, but I can’t stop staring back at him.

I relax a little underneath of him, but with the way I move, I instantly feel a hardness pressing into my belly. I shrink into the bed, trying my best to get away from it. My face flames, and because I’m freaking out, I push him off me and climb from the bed.

I’m panting, as if I’ve been running a mile. I cross my arms over my chest. “I should probably go home.”

He slides to the edge of the bed and sits up. He’s facing me, his naked chest on full display. His chest and arms are covered in tattoos, making him look harder than the sweet man I know. There’s a little smattering of hair, and he obviously works out by the muscles in his abs and arms. “I didn’t mean to freak you out.”