She’d had sex with men before her parents’ death, but she’d never spent the night with any of them, being that she was in high school. The couple of times she’d tried to lose herself in sex after the earthquake had been a colossal waste of time, ending in fake orgasms and walks of shame.

There in her bed, in that moment, Julie’s body still hummed from the climaxes that Danny had coaxed out of her. She was sated even though they hadn’t had intercourse, and wrapped in his arms, she felt incredibly safe. Safe. How the hell can I feel safe with this man? I barely know him. Then she chastised her inner voice. You barely know him? You spilled your fucking guts to him last night, you silly tart. He probably kept you steeped in orgasmic bliss just to shut you up.

“Your whole body just tensed,” Danny spoke, his voice thick with sleep. “Whatever it is that just crossed your mind, it isn’t true.”

With her back pressed to his front, he couldn’t see her face, nor could he see the slight grin his words caused. “How do you know what I’m thinking isn’t true? Maybe I’m remembering how great it felt to have your mouth on me last night.”

“Honey, the way your muscles tightened and your breathing hitched, there’s no way you were thinking ‘bout coming.” He pressed his groin against her. His hardened length teased the crack between her ass cheeks, instantly fusing her body to his. “See what I mean? No tension comes with thoughts of what I can do with your body. Which leads me back to my original statement—whatever bullshit you allowed your mind to spin about last night, about me, or about my deep-rooted desire to get the hell out of this house ASAP, it’s all crap. You let me in, Julie, and I’m fucking cozy as hell.”

Goose bumps broke her skin as his big palm ran from her wrist to her shoulder just before sliding to her breast.

“Now that I’ve had a look into your world and had a taste of who you are, I’m not leaving unless you toss my ass out. End of story. You got it?”

Julie’s throat thickened as his words touched parts of her his hands never would. Still facing the wall, she nodded her understanding.

“Words, honey, I need your words. Look me in the eyes and tell me you understand what I just told you.”

Rolling onto her back, Julie swallowed hard and stared into the bottomless hazel depths that seemed to consume her. “You’re not leaving unless I toss your ass out.” Danny’s grin warmed her, so she continued. “Which sucks for you, because I intend to keep you for a long, long time.” When his grin morphed into a full-watt smile, gratitude to Chester for the impromptu day off flooded her brain. A sexy man, a large bed, and no place to be sounded like the makings of a perfect day.

###

AS THE DAYS passed, Julie continued to work hard, but she spent less time taking on double shifts and more time behind the scenes with Chester, learning how to order liquor and glassware. Working non-bartending hours got her out of the bar at a better hour, giving her and Danny more time together. They had dinner together after Danny got done with work each night, and due to their mutual love of ice cream, they began their ice cream tour of Baltimore. Each time they went out, they would go to a new ice cream shop and rate the ice cream on a scale they had made up. Julie quickly realized that no matter where they went, no matter how many flavors were offered, regardless of the toppings provided, her spicy lover only ever chose plain vanilla ice cream.

“Honey, there’s no reason to dress up perfection,” he’d say each time Julie would giggle at his unoriginal order. But that seemed to be Danny to a tee. The man knew what he liked, and he made no apologies for it.

On the nights that Julie did tend bar, he waited until close and escorted her home.

Then there was the making out. Damn. The man blew her mind every time he touched her, every way he touched her. Even though he didn’t spend every night at her house, when he did, very little sleeping was involved. Yet they still hadn’t had sex. They knew each other’s bodies, knew which buttons to push and which to lick, but he’d yet to make love to her or fuck her or any other euphemism for sex. After the sweet but still clear rejection he’d given her the last time she’d all but begged for sex, she wasn’t willing to try again.

“It’s open,” Julie shouted when the doorbell chimed. She had rented a movie, and Danny was coming over with pizza and beer.

“Hey.” He dropped the pie on the coffee table and slid the beer in the fridge, grabbed her waist, and pulled her close.

As always, his minty flavor invaded her senses, and her body melded to his. She relished the way his perpetual scruff prickled her cheek and his heat radiated through their clothes. Her moan spoke of delight, which he clearly understood if the way he grinded his hips into hers was any indication.

“Woman,” he growled, “been over two weeks since that first night in your bed.”

Julie stared at him. The night was crystal-clear in her memory, as she’d thought about it dozens of times, but his mention of it startled her. “What about it?”

“Been waiting patiently for you to come to me.” Calloused fingertips stroked the curves of her bare shoulders. “Watching you fly apart with my hand and my mouth is a damned dream, but I want you, honey. I wanna watch as I slide into your sweet pussy. I need to feel you pulse around my cock. Been waiting for you to be ready, baby, and I’ll continue to wait”—his eyes were molten as he licked his lips—“but you have any idea how much longer that’ll be?”

“Are you insane? I did come to you, on that first night in my bed.” She snorted with exasperation. “You rejected me. Did you honestly think I was going to try a second time? Let me answer that for you—no way!” Chest heaving, lip caught between her teeth, Julie’s eyes roamed the sexy man facing her with shock on his face. She only saw that face for two seconds before she was hefted over Danny’s shoulder, carried up the stairs into her bedroom, and deposited onto the bed.

“Look at me.” His command left no room for misunderstanding, so she did as she was told. Danny’s knees hit the carpet as his eyes met hers. “Think there was a misunderstanding between us, and for that, I’m sorry. That night…” His lids slid closed as he inhaled. “You gave me your past, your pain, and without you knowing it, you snagged a piece of me. The piece that wants to protect you, the piece that dares anyone or thing to try to hurt you again.” He opened his eyes. “Wasn’t giving you a regarded rejection, honey. I was giving you the chance to decide if you wanted all in with me. I screwed up, I’m sorry.”

He’d been giving her the chance to walk away? “Danny…again, I need to ask,” she semi-repeated her earlier question, “are you crazy? We’ve spent nearly every free minute together for two weeks. I’ve done things with you, sexually”—her cheeks warmed—“that not only have I never done before, but I’ve never even imagined. I’m here. I’m in. I was beginning to think you didn’t want me in that way.” The admission felt sour leaving her mouth, but it was true all the same. A sigh left her throat when he placed her hand over his hard length.

“Didn’t think I wanted you? Really? Can barely breathe with wanting you. I work with a bunch of men, training them for combat, and a memory of your naked tits comes to mind and that’s what happens to me.” His eyes shifted to where her hand gripped him. “Coming to you each night…fuck, gets me through each damn day.”

His burning eyes held her captive as he pulled his shirt over his head and dropped it to the floor. Like Pavlov’s dog, her body instantly responded to seeing all that rippled muscle and satiny skin.

“So sexy when your eyes get wide and you lick your lips.” He grinned. “Feels like you wanna eat me.” Danny unsnapped his jeans, and the sound of the zipper echoed in the quiet room. “But I’m the wolf tonight, Little Red.”