Craving (Steel Brothers Saga 1)

Was he fucking kidding me? “I hate to tell you this, Talon, but last night most definitely did happen. And quite frankly, it was pretty awesome.”

He ambled across his bedroom, darting his gaze from here to there. Most likely he was purposely avoiding mine.

“Last night meant nothing. It was a mistake. I… You mean nothing to me. Nothing, you got that?”

His words cut through me like a dull butcher knife. He had wanted me. I had seen it in his eyes, felt it in his touch. Heck, he had said the words. It might’ve been a fuck, but it wasn’t just any fuck. Maybe it hadn’t crossed the line over to lovemaking, but it was more than just a quickie. Something had happened between us last night, and goddamnit, he was not going to get away with this.

“I don’t believe you,” I said.

“Well, start believing. Last night meant nothing to me.”

I sniffed back some tears that threatened, rose, and stalked toward him, still naked. “You wanted me as much as I wanted you.”

He still refused to meet my gaze. “Wanting has nothing to do with anything.”

“Perhaps not, and maybe I don’t mean anything to you. If that’s the truth, I will accept it. But you have to convince me with something other than your harsh words, because your body sang an entirely different tune last night.”

He huffed, saying nothing. He continued stomping around his room, looking for God knew what.

I figured that was my exit cue, but damn it—no. If he wanted me to leave, he was going to tell me so. I walked back over to the bed, sat down, and then—crap. I had to work this morning. Ryan was expecting me over the winery. What the hell time was it anyway?

“What time is it?” I asked Talon.

“Six a.m.”

“Six a.m.? Are you crazy?” I didn’t have to be at work until nine. “What are you doing up so early?”

He turned, finally looking me in the eye. “In case you’ve failed to notice, I have a ranch to run. We start early around here. All this finery didn’t just appear. We’ve all worked really hard for it.”

Bam! He sure as hell knew how to make me feel insignificant. Again, tears threatened, and I tried hard to will them back.

To no avail. One trickled down my cheek. I got up and lowered my head to hide my tears from him. I grabbed my boxers and tank top, got them on as quickly as I could, nearly stumbling as I did so, and left the room without saying anything. I couldn’t say anything. I was too choked up. I walked briskly down the hallway, past the kitchen, and down the other hallway to my own bedroom, where I shut the door, threw myself on the bed, and cried into my pillow.

Chapter Ten

Talon

What had I done? Why couldn’t I control my desire? What was it about her that got to me? I wasn’t used to wanting something. I never had to want women. They always just appeared, throwing themselves at me. I wasn’t stupid. I took them up on it most of the time. Why not? As long as I used a condom, I was safe.

Fuck!

I hadn’t used a condom with Jade.

Damn, how irresponsible was she? She didn’t know me from Adam. I could be carrying around all sorts of crap. I wasn’t, of course. If anyone practiced safe sex, it was me. After what I’d been through, I didn’t take any chances. I was damn lucky I hadn’t been infected a long time ago.

Now I’d have to talk to her. She was a smart girl. Definitely not stupid, that one, which didn’t make sense. Why hadn’t she insisted on a condom? She was probably on the pill or something—otherwise she would be worried about pregnancy. But what about disease? What had she been thinking? Did she have indiscriminant sex often? Should I be worried?

Goddamnit.

I pulled a T-shirt on and left the suite, walking quietly to the other side of the house to her room. I knocked. No response.

“Jade?” I knocked a little louder.

“Go away,” she said, her voice muffled.

“We need to talk,” I said.

A minute later, the door opened and she appeared, her eyes streaked with tears.