My feet were throbbing by the time we left the country club. I pulled my heels off with relief as soon as I sank into the front seat of Blaze’s SUV. “I can’t remember the last time I danced so much.” I groaned as I tucked my feet up under me.
“I can’t remember the last time I had such a gorgeous dance partner.” He flashed me his handsome smile. “I could do that with you all night.”
I laughed. “I could think of a few other things I’d rather do all night.” Could I ever. I wasn’t even close to being done exploring Blaze’s body and the things I wanted to do to it. Never mind the things he did to me. Oh yes, I could definitely think of a few things I’d like to be doing all night. And the throb between my legs agreed with me, one hundred percent.
Unfortunately, it was late. And as much as I would love to be wild and reckless and give in to every single one of my urges when it came to Blaze, I had to be responsible. “Sadly, I have an early meeting tomorrow.”
“Too early?” There was hope in his voice.
Hope that I dashed when I nodded.
“Unfortunately, yes,” I said. “But I have the rest of the day free.”
That brought the smile back to his face. “That sounds like a date.”
“Absolutely.” I turned in my seat and reached an arm across the space between us.
Blaze met me with his hand and laced his fingers through mine.
Being with him felt natural, comfortable and safe. His energy matched mine beautifully. Together, we vibrated on a higher level, one I’d never felt before with a man. That’s how I knew. That, and a million other little things inside that told me this was different. Blaze was different. My instincts had never led me astray before. Not once. I prided myself on being extremely tuned in.
“Can I tell you something?”
“Only if you’re going to tell me how much you like me.”
My mouth dropped open, and Blaze laughed.
“That is what you were going to tell me, wasn’t it?”
I shook my head and rolled my eyes as I admitted, “It was.” I squeezed his hand in mine. “No,” I corrected. “It is what I’m telling you. I like you, Blaze. A lot. I’m not the type of person to play games.”
“I like that about you.”
“So you should know that when I kissed you tonight, in front of everyone, I wasn’t playing.”
I wasn’t. I also wasn’t stupid. I knew what that would mean. I knew that every single person in attendance would have had a camera phone that they weren’t afraid to use. Especially if they could sell a juicy tidbit about Blaze Barron to the press. I’d known exactly what I was doing and what it could mean. But I did it anyway because, dammit, there was no way I couldn’t.
Blaze didn’t say anything for a minute. Instead, he slowly pulled the vehicle to the side of the road, put it in park, and looked at me.
“I’m not playing either.” He took both my hands in his. “I know it hasn’t been very long, Darla, but I feel like I know you in a way I’ve never known another woman. And it’s more than the sex.”
Heat flashed through me.
“Although that is…” He dropped his head and gave it a shake before looking up, a sexy grin on his lips. “Damn, woman, every single thing about you is incredible. I know I told you earlier that we didn’t need to be anything, and it didn’t need to be serious or more than you were willing to give me. I’ll take anything and everything you can give me.”
A breath caught in my throat when he added, “But I need to be honest with you. I hope like hell that you feel the same way I do about you because I don’t know if I can be satisfied with only a little of you, Darla. I want all of you. I need all of you. Because the more I have, the more I crave you.”
His words settled into my heart, but a flash of doubt threatened to dislodge them.
I’d spent my entire life avoiding exactly this situation. Why now? Why him?
The questions flew through my head. But instead of letting the doubt take root, I took a deep breath, swallowed hard, and went with my gut. I had to trust myself.
I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment. When I opened them, I looked straight into his dark, questioning gaze. “And I, you.”
The last thing I wanted to do after that declaration of…feeling was drop Darla off at her door.
Hell no.
I had to fight every instinct I had to scoop her up in my arms, carry her to her bed, and worship her body the way I desperately wanted to. It wasn’t just my cock throbbing in need for her. It was all of me. Words could only say so much but I knew without a doubt that if I could only get her naked, my body would be able to communicate every single thing I felt about her with perfect clarity.
Driving away from her was the hardest thing I’d done in a very long time. But with the promise of later, and hell, maybe even forever—although even I knew it was way too early to start talking like that—I could be patient. Especially because I knew in my heart what the reward for that patience would be.
Darla.
I was in such a cloud of my own thoughts that I wasn’t paying any attention to my drive home as I navigated the streets on autopilot. It wasn’t until I pulled up to the gate of the rental house that I snapped out of my reverie and sharply back into the present.
“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath as I put the car in park. I’d known it was going to happen. Hell, if anything, I was surprised it had taken so long.
I took a moment, dropped my head, and pinched the bridge of my nose before opening the door and stepping out of the car.
The instant I did, the flash went off, momentarily blinding me.
Rochelle Richards.
I wasn’t surprised that she’d been the first to find me. For most of my career, the freelance reporter made a healthy living from selling photos and gossip about my life—completely inaccurate more often than not—to various websites and publications.
“You’re a hard man to find,” Rochelle said as the flash went off again.
“You must be losing your touch.” I kept the edge out of my voice. I knew from experience it didn’t help to piss her off. As annoying as it was to have cameras in my face when it came to my personal life, it was part of the job and it came with the territory. The best way to deal with it was head-on. And, as much as possible, with a good attitude. “Took you longer than I thought it would.”
Rochelle lowered her camera to her hip and raised one eyebrow. “It wouldn’t take so long, Blaze, if you’d just use that phone number I gave you and call these things in.”
I couldn’t help it. I laughed. Did she seriously think I would willingly tip her off about my whereabouts and invite her into my private life? “But that would take all the fun out of it for you,” I said. “Now, if you don’t mind, it’s been a late night.” I waved my hand in a get-out-of-my-way gesture. “I’d like to get to bed.”
Rochelle made a production of looking around. “Alone?”
I didn’t answer but simply crossed my arms and leaned back against my car. I knew from experience there was no point in trying to rush her.
“You were spotted with a woman earlier tonight.” It wasn’t a question. “Getting quite cozy on the dance floor, by the looks of it.”
Good news traveled fast, apparently. Not that I was surprised.
“Who is she?”
Still, I didn’t answer.
“Same woman you were spotted with at a local cafe yesterday?” This time she didn’t wait for an answer. “My sources tell me you were both sweaty and looked like you’d been up to—”
“Yoga.” I broke. “We’d been doing yoga.”
I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment, inwardly cursing myself. I knew better than to give out information unprompted.
“Blaze, who was the woman you were with tonight?” Rochelle asked again. “Is it serious? How long have you known her? Are you dating? Where is she now?”
The questions came fast and furious, with barely a breath in between.
There was no way I was going to say anything about Darla. Not to the reporter. Not to anyone. Not until we discussed it together. I knew enough not to throw her to the wolves without protection. I just hoped like hell the damage hadn’t already been done.
“Just a friend,” I said as casually as I could, despite the fact that she was far from just a friend. “It’s definitely nothing serious. And no, we’re not dating.” I looked into Rochelle’s camera and gave her my most charming laugh. Hopefully, it would be enough to distract her from any more questions about Darla.
“Give me a name,” she pressed.
“I’m not answering any questions about my friend, Rochelle. I hope you respect that. And her privacy,” I added pointedly.
“Your friend? The picture that’s circulating on social media sure makes it look a lot cozier than simply friends. Unless, of course, you usually stick your tongue down your friends’ throats. And if that’s the case…” She took a step closer to me.
I knew she was joking, but I didn’t appreciate the connotation, and I was very quickly growing weary of the conversation. I was tired, and the high I’d been riding from my night with Darla was starting to fade. “Are we done here?”
“Hardly.” She lifted her camera again.
This time, I noticed the flashing red light that meant she was recording. Had it been on the whole time? I didn’t have time to think about it as she once more bombarded me with the same questions, adding a few more.
“Is your new lady the reason you’re in Aspen Valley? What do you think of small-town living? Do the locals know you’re living among them?”
They would now.
I resisted the urge to comment, but maybe I shouldn’t have, because before I realized it was happening, the line of questioning took a turn.
“Does Amelia know where you are? Is your new woman a rebound? Is it serious? Does Amelia know you’re dating again?”
The last thing I wanted to do was answer any questions about my ex. They were completely irrelevant to my life.
“I wish Amelia the best,” I said as diplomatically as possible as I reached for the door handle again. If I drove slowly, I could get past her. Rochelle knew enough not to try to get into private property.
I had one leg in the vehicle when Rochelle dropped her bombshell. “What do you say in response to Amelia’s allegations, Blaze?”
I froze. “What?”
“Her allegations,” Rochelle repeated. “That the baby she’s carrying is yours,” she said. “Amelia is carrying your love child.”
“What?” I turned so I was facing Rochelle, unsure I’d heard her properly. “Amelia is carrying my love child.” I said the words slowly, trying to make sense of them when there was no possible way they made sense. The baby couldn’t be mine. Could it?
“Are you excited to be a father, Blaze? Will the baby bring you back together? What does your new girlfriend think about the baby? Are you ready to be a father, Blaze? Will you be part of the baby’s life?”
“No.” My answer was automatic and confused as her questions rattled through my brain. “Yes,” I said quickly. “Of course, I will.” Shit. “I mean…no comment.” I held my hand up to shield my face as I slipped into the car and put it into drive. But the damage was already done.