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BROCK POUNDED ON THE treadmill Sunday afternoon, sweat pouring off him as he worked out his frustration. The memory of the hurt he’d seen on Lily’s face as he’d left last night made him feel like the biggest dick in the world. He’d left the bar alone, ready to call it an early night, when he’d seen her out there on the sidewalk trying to hail a cab. It was Saturday night in the middle of freaking Manhattan—there was no way one was stopping for her anytime soon. She’d looked so fragile as she’d glanced over her shoulder, catching him as he’d watched her from the doorway.
And hell.
Once again he’d been gone, lost in whatever magnetic pull she had on him.
He’d thought she’d be turned off by his words, and yet it seemed to just wind her up more. Who knew a girl like that would be turned on by his dirty thoughts? But she’d certainly enjoyed herself as much as he had last night as he’d prowled over her body, kissing her breasts and inner thighs and that dripping wet pussy.
God, when he’d bent her over the bed he’d wanted to pleasure her with his tongue again right then, slowly licking her sweet juices while he knelt behind her, listening to her whimper and beg for more. He’d bet a million dollars she didn’t act like that with her rich boyfriends. Something in him unleashed a side of her that she kept locked up the rest of the time.
Fuck.
He could feel his groin tightening at just the memory of Lily in that erotic pose. And then when he’d finally allowed himself to slam into her? To sink his cock into her tight little channel?
Absolute. Fucking. Heaven.
He was going to be cursing himself for weeks, because no matter how many women he allowed himself the pleasure of, he was certain not one of them would compare to her.
He slowed his pace on the treadmill, starting his cool down now that ten miles were complete. After he finished his workout, he’d grab a shower (make that an extremely cold one) and then a well-deserved beer. Maybe Jake or Colton would want to shoot some pool over beers later. If Jake happened to be off-duty again. Anything to keep his mind off the blonde goddess he’d bedded last night.
He stepped off the treadmill and grabbed his phone, ready to hit the shower, when he noticed that the message symbol was blinking. There was a missed call from Jake, so he called his voicemail and tried to listen to the garbled message. That proved impossible with the shitty cell reception he got at the gym. Walking into the more open lobby, he called Jake directly.
“So are you going to swing by or what?” Jake asked Brock over the phone, sounding impatient. “Poor Morgan could use the help, the classroom is a mess.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Morgan’s classroom is flooded. A pipe burst in the ceiling. Didn’t you get my message?”
“What? No. I’m at the gym.”
“I sent you a couple of texts earlier.”
“Reception here sucks. I don’t have a single text showing up. What happened?”
“I’ve been hauling boxes of stuff to her new classroom all day, but there’s still some work left to do. She’s really stressing out about setting everything up before the school year starts. I’d stick around and help her out some more, but I have a shift tonight.”
“Yeah, sure man, I can stop by. Just need to grab a shower first.” So much having a few beers with the guys tonight. Jake and Colt had both helped him move into his new apartment in Brooklyn over the summer, so he couldn’t exactly begrudge Jake for asking him for a favor now.
“Great. Oh, and Lily’s coming by to help, too.”
“Lily will be there?” Brock asked, his adrenaline spiking. She didn’t really seem like the type to be moving desks and boxes of school supplies around a classroom. She’d didn’t look like the kind of woman who’d perform anything resembling manual labor in general. But obviously she was the kind of woman to help out a friend. Just because she’d offered to help Morgan in her classroom sure as shit didn’t mean she wanted to see him though. Not after the way he’d fucked up and left.
“Yeah, Morgan said she’s on her way. I assume Lily’s who you disappeared with last night?” he asked, chuckling. “You don’t really seem like her type, but hey, who am I to judge?”
“Shit.”
“Ended that well, huh?”
“Something like that,” he muttered.
“Can you meet her out front? She’s supposed to be picking up more school supplies. She could probably use a hand bringing everything in. A lot of what Morgan already bought for her classroom was ruined.”
Brock paused for a second. A woman like Lily could probably buy supplies for the whole damn school if she wanted and have it barely make a dent in her checkbook. Helping out a friend with her time said a whole lot more about her than writing a damn check did.
“Look man, I can stop by, but Lily’s pissed at me. I’m not sure if my coming over is the best idea.”
Jake chuckled. “What the fuck did you do? You can’t spend one night with a woman without pissing her off? Let me guess—you cut and bailed this morning.”
Brock grunted but didn’t respond.
“Look, Morgan could use the help, but if you can’t keep your dick in your pants around Lily, I’ll call Colt instead.”
“I’ll be there,” Brock growled, irritated at the idea of another man helping Lily carry supplies into the building. Just because he’d decided to cut and bail didn’t mean he wanted his friend chasing after her. “Text me the damn address.”
“All right, all right,” Jake chuckled. “Thanks, man. Ever since Morgan broke up with that jackass of a boyfriend, I’ve been worried about her. I appreciate you stopping by to help out. This mess is the last thing she needs right now.”
“Roger that.”
Brock stalked back toward the gym and hit the shower. He was already half-hard just imagining seeing Lily again, and she sure the hell wouldn’t want a damn thing to do with him. He switched the water to ice cold and grimaced as his body cooled down. The hell with this. He could stay professional. Help out his friend and all that. Haul some crap into the school and be on his way.
Hell, he could meet another woman tonight if he wanted. Take his mind off the disaster that was yesterday.
Tossing his towel into the bin, he undid the padlock on his locker and grabbed his keys and wallet. Stuffed his old clothes into his gym bag. Maybe Lily wouldn’t even be there and he could just help Jake’s sister. That would be fucking fantastic actually, since she was pissed as hell at him.
Fifteen minutes later, Brock was pulling into the elementary school parking lot. The building was tucked away on a tree-lined street and looked similar to the schools he attended as a kid. Nothing like the fancy private schools in Manhattan. The type of place Lily probably went to growing up. The two of them were as different as night and day. Too bad he couldn’t get the woman out of his head. Jesus.
She was going to be pissed that he was here. And why the fuck not? He’d whispered dirty things in her ear all night, slipped his hand up her dress at the bar. Taken her back to her place and done what he’d wanted. Stripped her bare and gotten to know her entire, gorgeous body intimately.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
The women he usually met at bars were cool with a quickie. Maybe he was getting too old for that sort of thing, but it hadn’t stopped him before. And last night? He’d seen Lily, decided he wanted a night with her in his bed, and gone after it.
Fuck.
Her place had been one thing, but imagining her in his own bed had his libido roaring back to life.
Exactly not what he wanted at the moment.
Brock’s phone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled alongside the curb at the edge of the lot, leaving the engine running. He crinkled his brow as he saw the text was from his brother. Brent was part of a Navy SEAL team stationed in Little Creek, near Virginia Beach. Although Brock had been down there last spring and for a long weekend earlier in the summer, it had been a while since he’d heard from his brother.
Thanks a lot asshole. The woman you hooked up with last time you were in town is banging on our door.
Brock guffawed. He’d met a woman at an airport down in Virginia and had her drop him off at a hotel in Virginia Beach a few months ago, but he’d been careful not to give out his brother’s address.
One-night-stands usually worked better that way.
He thumbed a response to his brother.
Impossible. She dropped me off at a hotel.
Shaking his head, he saw Brent’s immediate reply.
No, the woman you met last month. Left her panties under my dresser?
Brock smirked as he remembered. Yes, there had been that time when Brent and his girlfriend were out and Brock brought a woman back to his brother’s place. Bad plan on his part, but the woman had been fucking gorgeous. Not too bad in bed, either. Funny, he hadn’t thought about her since. Unlike Lily, who he’d had sex with exactly once and couldn’t get the hell out of his mind.
Tell her I moved or something.
His brother didn’t bother responding, and Brock resisted the urge to chuckle. He’d have to buy him a beer next time he was in town to thank him for dealing with that train wreck. Nothing worse than a clingy woman.
His gaze swept the parking lot of the elementary school, noticing that it was surprisingly full for a Sunday afternoon. Then again, if a pipe had burst, there was probably damage to other areas as well. Not to mention a hell of a lot of frustrated teachers. He probably even knew some of the guys from the fire department who’d likely responded to the call, coming to shut off the water.
Just then, his police radio broadcast a call for response to a residence that had been burglarized in Upper Manhattan, and Brock ground his teeth together. It could potentially be tied to the string of robberies he’d been investigating over the summer. Many rich residents of the Upper East Side spent weekends away in their second homes, and sure enough, the past couple of Sundays there’d been robberies reported as the owners returned to their primary residences. Of course, there’d been several on Friday night, too.
Expensive jewelry, cash, and other luxury items had all been reported stolen. The culprits didn’t seem interested in electronics or items large enough to draw attention if they were carried out of the building. They’d leave high end artwork on the walls but slip away with those $1,000 designer handbags that rich women seemed to love. These latest incidents were likely just more to add to his caseload when he reported into work in the morning.
He’d gone into the precinct yesterday hoping for new information, which had turned into a bust, and was now being roped into manual labor today.
So much for a weekend off.
The fact that he’d been up all night hard as a rock hadn’t left him in much better of a mood. Fucking Lily once had barely taken the edge off, despite just how goddamn hard he’d come when he’d thrust into her. Hell, by the time he’d left her apartment and made it down to his vehicle, his cock was ready for round two. Just thinking about how her body would feel beneath his as he shifted her into different positions as they made love had kept him up for hours.
Made love?
What the hell was wrong with him?
He pulled his unmarked car into an empty spot in the school parking lot and shut off the engine. As he stuck his sunglasses into the glove compartment, he noticed a leggy blonde pulling bags from the back of a Land Rover a few spaces down.
Fuck, was that Lily?
He barely recognized her without the princess dress she had on yesterday. This woman had on short denim cut-offs that showed miles of tanned, toned legs and a skimpy tank top. If the dress she’d been wearing yesterday had left plenty to the imagination, this outfit showed each and every one of her tempting curves.
And fuck if she wasn’t even hotter wearing this. Full breasts led to a narrow waist, and she had that womanly curve of her hips that made him want to grab hold and drive himself into her so deep she’d be feeling him for days afterward.
He slammed his car door shut and sauntered over, feeling himself already growing hard. He’d need a goddamn cold shower after spending the afternoon around Lily. He was positive she wouldn’t even want to speak to him after last night, but if they’d both be helping out Jake’s sister for a couple of hours, he might as well break the ice now.
“Need any help, Princess?” he asked, casually leaning against the vehicle next to hers.
She jumped as she turned around, and hell, was she even wearing a bra? Her breasts bounced as she moved, and was it his imagination, or could he see the outline of her nipples beneath the fabric of that top? A feeling of possessiveness roared through him at the idea of another man seeing her in that outfit. Part of him wanted to go back to his car and grab a sweatshirt for her to cover up with. On the other hand, his cock rose to attention at the thought of nothing concealing her breasts from him but that thin wisp of fabric. If they’d been somewhere private, he’d be dying to rip that tank top right off of her and suck on those breasts until she begged him to take her again.
Which he could have done, he supposed, if he hadn’t raced out of her apartment last night.
“Brock?” she asked, genuinely sounding surprised. An array of emotions crossed her face. “What are you doing here?”
“Jake called me,” he said with a shrug. “Said his sister needed help but that he had a shift tonight. I offered to come by.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Did he happen to mention that you’re a complete asshole?”
“Nope, that didn’t come up,” Brock said with a smirk, their exchange reminding him of when they’d first met at the bar last night. Lily might put on airs that she was nothing but calm, cool, and collected, but he sure seemed to bring out the fire in her. Nothing wrong with a woman speaking her mind.
“I came here to help Morgan, so I’d appreciate it if you left me alone.” She turned her back to him and began pulling bags from the back of her Land Rover. It looked like she’d practically bought out the whole store—boxes of crayons, packages of pencils, enough glue to supply an Army, and packages of paper and notebooks spilled out of bags.
“God, Lily, this looks like enough stuff for the whole damn school. I thought Morgan taught one class of kids?”
She stiffened and grabbed another bag. “I wanted to make sure they had what they needed. Maybe you came to offer some muscle, but this is what I could do to help.”
“Muscle, huh?” he asked with a grin. Lily had certainly looked at his body in appreciation last night when he’d stripped off his shirt, and hell. He worked hard to stay in shape for life on the force. He had nothing to be ashamed of.
She flushed and looked away, silently shoving some boxes of pencils that had spilled out back into one of the bags.
“Let me help.” He reached for a bag, and she smacked his arm away.
“Stop it,” she said, eyes blazing. “I just asked you to leave me alone.”
Ignoring her request, he stepped closer, resting a hand on her hip. Her breathing hitched as he touched her, and a brief pang of regret filled his chest. “I’m sorry, Princess. Can’t we call a truce here? I shouldn’t have bailed out so quickly last night, but I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“Didn’t mean to hurt me?” she asked, pulling away. Angry eyes glared at him. “That must be some kind of a joke.”
“Look—”
“Don’t touch me,” she snapped, stepping back as tears filled her eyes.
“Lily, please,” he said in a low voice, hating himself for being the one to have hurt her. Maybe he had handled things badly, but it would’ve been worse if he’d had his way with her all night and then bailed. His leaving was the right thing to do. “We had a fun night. Can’t we just leave it at that?”
“A fun night?” she asked sarcastically. “I didn’t realize that’s what they called it these days.”
“Would you prefer I say that you were a good fuck?”
She bristled. “You’re an ass.”
“We had a good time. We met at a bar, we left together.... Let’s leave it at that and move on. Help your friend. It was better that I left when I did.”
“I hate you!” she shouted. “You took me home and, and just fucked me and left. God, it’s not like I expected you to profess your undying love or something,” she said, wiping tears from her cheeks with shaking hands. “I just met you. But would it have killed you to hold me for a few minutes afterward? Or to look me in the eyes when we had sex? You just disappeared into the bathroom and left.”
He reached for her again, but she pushed him away. “Don’t. Just don’t, Brock.” She reached into her Land Rover and pulled the remaining bags out, dropping them onto the ground beside her car. “You think you’re such a good guy? Then you take those in to Morgan. I’ll come help her tomorrow because I’m not spending another second here with you.”
Lily reached up and grabbed the lid of the trunk, slamming it down as Brock stood there feeling like the biggest dick on Earth. Guilt twisted in his gut, and he didn’t have the faintest clue how to properly apologize to Lily.
A moment later the car door slammed shut and the engine started, so he grabbed the bags and stepped aside as she backed out of the parking space. Dark sunglasses concealed her eyes, and she didn’t so much as glance in his direction. He wanted to pound on the windows and stop her, to make her understand. He wanted to take her home and into his bed until her tears stopped and she cried out his name again, until him walking out last night was nothing but a distant memory for them both.
And as if he wasn’t in enough deep shit already, now he was going to have to explain to Morgan why her best friend had just driven off without stepping foot inside the school. He was so fucked.
