I might not even have to tell him…
But that thought shatters when I really imagine it.
How far could I get before my nerves gripped me, making it impossible?
I felt how big he is against my stomach, massive and hard.
Can I take him?
He nods, after a pause. “Sure. But don’t you dare think that’s the last time we kiss.”
I shake my head so fast my hair jostles around. “No, never. I don’t want it to be the last time, either.”
Smirking, he sits. “Good.”
I do the same. Bones hasn’t moved this whole time, his chin resting on his paws, as though all this human talk is incredibly boring to him. He glances up at me once. I like to think there’s some support in his gaze. And then he yawns and returns to his position.
“What did you mean about your mom?” he asks.
That’s right. I almost forgot about my excuse.
I might as well tell him.
“She said you’re going to tell me lies,” I murmur. “And she also said something really weird, that there are two sides to every story. It sort of sounded like she knew you. Like you knew her.”
He shakes his head slowly. “I’ve never met your mother. Wait, what’s her name?”
“Jules Davis.”
He grips the table, his lips shiny from our kiss, giving it some real thought. “Jules Davis. Has her name always been that?”
“Yeah.” I nod. “She’s never told me much about my dad, but I know they weren’t married.”
“I’m sorry, Piper, I honestly have no idea what she could be referring to. Are you sure she meant me, specifically? Maybe she was speaking generally.”
I look closely at him, telling myself he’d never lie to me. But what reason do I have to believe that?
We don’t know each other, even if I feel like we do.
“She might’ve been,” I say. “But it didn’t sound like that. It sounded personal. But she’s been acting so strange lately.”
“She has?”
I nod, telling him about her sudden revelation about my dad. “She never talks about him. But the second you offered me this job, she started warning me away from you. She said older men take advantage of young women. And…she told me he’d passed a few years ago.”
Pearce runs a hand through his hair. “She’s not wrong about older men. But she is wrong about me. I don’t want to take advantage of you.”
“No?”
“No, but I do want to fuck you, to claim every inch of your curvy body. I do want – need – to kiss you again.”
He moves so fast for such a big man, climbing to his feet and walking around the table again. I gasp, a giggle escaping me when he pulls me to my feet and then hauls me into his arms.
Cradling me to his chest, he kisses me, our tongues clashing. This time I’m able to sink into the kiss without hesitation, his hand propped on my ass, squeezing and sending fluttering pleasure all over me.
A voice warns me to stop. I’m leading him on. I can’t give him what he wants.
Breaking off the kiss I let out a sigh. “I just… I need some time. This is all happening so fast.”
“Tell your body that,” he growls, sliding his hand from my ass down between my legs, grazing my sex.
I moan and shiver, unable to stop myself.
“Pearce, Bones…”
Pearce quickly removes his hand, stepping back.
He laughs grimly, smirk twitching. “You’re lucky I’m not a complete savage. Otherwise, I’d have you bent over this table. I’d grab that gorgeous round ass and hammer you hard. Can you take it hard, Piper?”
He raises his hand to my face, fingertips tickling. I turn toward his touch. My instincts drive me to reach up and clasp his hand in mine.
But that warning siren won’t stop, blaring endlessly.
I’m not sure, I whisper in my mind.
“I think our food’s getting cold.”
There’s that savage look again. But then his civilized side takes over and he sits down.
“I’m sorry,” I say.
He shakes his head. “You’re right. It’s a lot. You have nothing to apologize for.”
“I don’t want you to think I don’t… I mean… I clearly did this for a reason.”
I gesture at my shirt buttons before my resolve deserts me.
He comes the closest to a full smile I’ve seen yet, but there’s still that familiar darkness in his features.
“I wondered if you did that intentionally.”
“Did it work?”
He tilts his head knowingly. “Fuck yes, it worked.”
He cuts into his steak, and I do the same. Bones still hasn’t moved from his spot. It’s like he wants to give us space when right now would be the ideal time for him to leap up and start making a fuss.
Ideal for me, anyway.
“You were telling me about your courses,” he says, “before I rudely interrupted you.”
I laugh at the irony in his voice.
“It was just like I said. I fell in love with graphic novels. I’ve always loved drawing. When I decided to do online classes – so it’d be cheaper – it was a no-brainer.”