“I don’t do this,” Jemma said, her breath panting out.
He lifted his head and stared into her eyes. The blue had gone hazy with desire. Oh, he liked that. “This?”
“Hook up with strangers. That—I don’t.”
Was that what they were doing, hooking up? He almost smiled.
But Jemma wasn’t smiling. “I like you, Grayson.”
“And I like you.” He’d like her naked, too. That would be a serious bonus, but he was trying as hard as he could not to rush her. Hold on. Stay in check. Wait…
“You’re safe,” she added, giving him a quick, nervous smile. “You’re Brad’s friend, and I know I can trust him.”
Oh, fucking hell. Safe? She thought he was safe? Safe was his least favorite four letter word.
“Will you…kiss me again?”
“Sweetheart, I can kiss you all night long.” Kiss her, caress her, do a whole lot more—do anything she wanted. His head bent toward her and his lips slid over hers. She trembled beneath him, a sign of her desire, and he wondered just how far he could push her. How far they could push each other. What would the lovely Jemma be like when she truly let go?
I want to see. I want to see all of her.
Her mouth parted for him, and he nearly got drunk off her taste. His cock was long and hard—fully erect—and he wanted in her.
That’s not what safe guys do. She thinks you’re safe.
His hand fisted on the couch cushion beneath her head as he kept feasting on her mouth. Her breasts pushed against his chest, and he wanted to feel them in his hands. Wanted her nipples in his mouth. Would they taste as sweet as her lips?
“Gray…”
Oh, hell, yes, but he loved the desire that was heavy in her voice.
“Gray, I—”
Bright lights suddenly flashed, illuminating her den as they shone through the big picture window near her porch. And he heard the loud, grumbling roar of an engine—a roar that came from right outside.
What. The. Fuck?
Grayson jumped to his feet. His hand went automatically toward his weapon, only he didn’t have a gun on him. Not in the field any longer.
He ran for the door
“Gray, no, be careful!” Jemma yelled.
But he wasn’t in the mood to be careful. He yanked open the front door. The vehicle shot into reverse as soon as he appeared, then it spun around, sending gravel flying. In the next instant, Grayson was staring at the red of the vehicle’s tail-lights as the driver of the truck high-tailed it out of there. A big-ass truck, no mistaking its shape. The vehicle had what—driven up that road to scare them? Gotten right at Jemma’s window and flashed the bright lights, revving that engine?
It takes a fucking lot more to scare me than that.
A growling engine and flashing lights wasn’t about to do the trick. That was freaking amateur hour. He’d held off against terrorists in the middle of a desert hell. A big truck? Yeah, I’m shaking.
“That’s…that’s Matthew’s truck,” Jemma said, sounding shocked. She was right behind him. “Why is he out here?”
The drunk bastard? Grayson’s eyes narrowed on the road. The truck was gone. He yanked out his phone and called Brad. The sheriff answered on the second ring. “You got a drunk driver causing trouble,” he snapped. “That fool Matthew has his truck out near Jemma’s place. Get him off the road before he hurts someone.” Or before someone hurts him. Because no one was going to mess with Jemma this way.
No one.
He ended the call with Brad. Jemma stood in the doorway, her gaze on the road, her arms wrapped around her body.
“Some men can’t take no for an answer,” Grayson muttered.
She flinched and her horrified gaze flew to him.
“Wait, no, shit, I-I didn’t mean me!”
But she’d backed into her home, looking terrified.
“This was a mistake,” she whispered.
“No, it wasn’t. It was just some jerk trying to cause trouble.” He’d had her on the couch. He’d been tasting heaven. The guy could not screw things up for him like this.
“I-I…I think you should go now, Gray.”
He didn’t want to go. He—
Some men can’t take no for an answer.
His gaze slid over Jemma’s face. He could practically feel her fear. And rage pulsed through him. “Was it the dumbass in that truck? Is he the one?”
“The one?”
“The one who taught you to fear men.” To fear me. “Because I can promise you, sweetheart, that isn’t who I am.” He kept his voice low, calm, even as fury seemed to claw at his insides. Not pulsing now. Way stronger.
“You should go.” Her voice was softer now.
“I’ll always do what you want.” He gave her a smile. Even though it was damn hard to smile as rage tightened his body. “Remember that about me, will you? You don’t ever have to be afraid of me.” But it was there, her fear, and he hated it. He hadn’t seen it before, or maybe he’d just been too blinded by his own need. Now he knew…
Someone had hurt Jemma.
Someone was going to pay.