He didn’t get it, how much he’d crushed her. She didn’t think he ever would. She hadn’t fit his plans then, and she sure as hell didn’t now. She’d been good enough for a quick fuck and some mild amusement, but when it came time to settle down, he’d chosen the complete opposite of her. In his eyes, she would never be good enough. “Deflower any more virgins lately?”

He hissed out a frustrated breath. “No, you were the only one.”

“Lucky me.”

He moved in, crowding her, out of patience. “Have you made your decision?”

If she had any pride at all, she’d tell him to go screw himself, but her body was more than happy with the idea of handing itself over to this man. To let him use her as he liked in exchange for keeping their garage. God, she was pathetic. “I’ll do it.”

He smiled and looked so much like his teenage self, her heart hurt. “Good choice.”

She crossed her arms. “As soon as the three months are up, it’s over, right?”

“That was the agreement.”

The guy was giving her frostbite. He’d use her until he’d had his fill and then move on to the next without a backward glance. “I have one more condition.”

His gaze sharpened. “Name it.”

“I want you to sign the building over to Piper and Rusty.”

“When you’ve fulfilled your end of the bargain, and proven to me this business is solid, I’ll be happy to.”

She had no doubt in three months the business would be more than solid. “Well…good, then.”

He ran his thumb across her lower lip. “I have a condition of my own.”

“What more could you want?”

He leaned in, buried his nose in her hair, and inhaled. “God, I love the way you smell.” His lips brushed her skin when he spoke, and she had to fight not to turn in to him, not to seek out that amazing mouth. “Exclusivity. No one touches you but me. And I want you on the pill, no condoms.”

She was struggling to breathe. “I’m already on the pill.” This was so weird, talking about this stuff like a business transaction, no emotions involved—not on his part, at least. “I’ve never had sex without a rubber. Does that suit you?”

He dipped his head. “I’m clear as well.”

She wanted to take a step back, to get some breathing room. It felt like he’d sucked every bit of oxygen from her tiny apartment.

His fingers squeezed her hips. “I have a dinner tomorrow night. You’ll be coming with me.”

Then his hands were everywhere, stroking her skin, gripping her hip, then moving up to run through her hair. She couldn’t take much more. “Fine.”

“I’ll pick you up at eight.”

“I’d rather meet you somewhere. I don’t want Rusty or Piper seeing us together and getting the wrong idea.”

He looked like he wanted to argue but fought the impulse. “You can meet me at my apartment.”

There was no warning, no lead-up, he just leaned in and kissed her. His firm, warm mouth landed on hers, and she was defenseless against the onslaught. His tongue slipped between her lips and moved over hers with slow, deep licks. Her sex contracted with each caress, making her hot, wetter in an instant.

He gripped her hips and brought her up against him, grinding his erection into her. A low moan slipped past his lips. “You’re so goddamn perfect, Alex.” His hands moved to her ass, squeezing, and pulled her in tighter, lifting her slightly so she could feel him right where she wanted him.

He found the rip in her jeans just below her ass cheek, and the rough pads of his fingers grazed her bare skin, making her gasp. She wanted nothing more than to wrap her legs around him and grind on that massive bulge in his pants until she got herself off. It felt too good. Deacon felt too good.

Things were getting out of control. Yeah, she’d agreed to be his human sex toy, and despite his being a complete asshole, she was desperate to have him inside her. But that desperation was enough to give her the strength to push him back. She needed to get her feelings under control before they took this any farther, and the alcohol wasn’t helping. “Whoa. Hold up.”

The only light inside her place came from the streetlights shining through her windows. Deacon was mainly in shadow, but she could still see his strong profile, the square jaw, the straight nose, the way his green eyes glinted through the darkness, intent on her. “What is it?” He was breathing hard.

She put some distance between them. “Our first date is tomorrow. This deal doesn’t start until then.”

His expression darkened. “You’re serious?”

“Absolutely.” She crossed her arms so he wouldn’t see her hands shaking.

He cursed, his chest rising and falling with each ragged breath. “You can turn it off just like that?”

“Looks that way.”

He ran a hand through his mussed hair. She couldn’t even remember having run her hands through it. But she obviously had. That’s how out of control Deacon made her. Right then she’d never been more terrified of a single person in her entire life, and that was saying something. He was dangerous. Doing this was stupid, reckless, but what choice did she have?

That steely control dropped into place. “I guess I’ll leave you alone then.”

She followed him to the door. One thing had been playing on her mind, and before she could stop herself, she blurted, “And the same goes for you.”

He stopped and turned to face her, brow raised.

“Exclusivity.”

His expression darkened again, and he smiled. “You’re more than enough for me, Alex.”

She hated herself for asking but had to. “What about Blondie?”

His brows shot up. “Who?”

“The Barbie you had hanging off your arm.”

He chuckled, then wrapped his fingers around the back of her neck and pulled her in close. “You mean Candice?” He shook his head. “You have nothing to worry about there.”

She shrugged and tried to step back. He wouldn’t let her. “I’m not worried.”

“No?”

“No. I just don’t like the idea of sloppy seconds. You know how it is. Why was your office door locked?” she said before she could stop herself. Damn third beer.

“Was it? I didn’t realize.”

She narrowed her eyes.

“I wasn’t fucking her over my desk, if that’s what you’re asking me.”

That’s exactly what she was asking. There was always the wall, or the floor. The thought disappeared when he brushed his thumb across her jaw. She couldn’t read the look on his face as he studied her, but it turned her insides to mush. Then he kissed her again, a light touch that still managed to make her toes curl. “Candice is an acquaintance. Her brother is a friend of mine. It wasn’t a date. She just showed up, at a loose end. I’ve never slept with her, and I don’t plan to.”

She opened her mouth, then shut it again, jaw flapping like a dying fish.

He grinned. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Alex.”

She hated the relief that washed over her at his words. She also hated that when he left, she wished he’d come back.

Chapter Three

Getting out of bed would be a colossal mistake. Alex knew what was coming, what the day would bring, and was powerless to stop it. Kind of like being tied to the tracks in one of those old black-and-white movies and watching a freight train come barreling toward you full speed. “Helpless” was the word that came to mind. Fucking helpless.

She hadn’t felt like that since her folks died, since she’d been shuttled from one foster home to the next. The funny thing was, it had been Deacon who’d made her believe she wasn’t nothing, that if she vanished into thin air, someone would actually give a crap.

God, she’d needed that.

She’d had no one. No parents. No one who cared, except for Rusty and Piper. She’d spent all her time at her friends’ house. It had been one of those weekends while she was staying with the Wests that things had changed.