Page 50 of Hard to Love
“No, did you mean it about wanting me to stay? Wanting me to be your resident artist?”
She ran her fingertips along his jawline, skimmed them across his warm lips. She wanted that and so much more. “I never ask for anything I don’t want.”
Since he’d leftSan Antonio, Alex had never mentioned his brother’s death to another soul. But somehow he’d knownthat Greer would understand. Understand how he felt when he’d seen Cooper Crowe. Understand that even though he was disgusted with himself, that he still felt the pain of his brother’s loss as if Javi had been gunned down yesterday.
She hadn’t asked for the details. She’d known he wasn’t ready for that. Not yet.
Alex kissed her fingertips, still lingering on his lips. If he was sticking around Prophecy for a little while—at least until he won the competition—there was no reason he should deny himself. He wanted her. She wanted him.
And even if her brother wasn’t president of the Alex Villanueva fan club, Cal was at least friendly now.
Alex sucked her middle finger into his mouth, twirled his tongue around it, tickling the underside with a quick stroke. Greer’s eyes clouded, and she sagged against him, just a little. Giving, but still strong.
He released her finger and drew her hand around to the back of his neck as though they were dancing to a slow song. And then he took her mouth.
She sighed, and he pulled her breath into his body. He would’ve bet everything he had in the bank that his and Greer’s first time would be a frantic clash of teeth. Not this gentle ebb and flow of lips and tongue.
God knew, his dick was on point regardless, pressing against the excuse for a towel he had wrapped around him, trying to get closer to Greer. He wanted to feel the rub of her skin, of her hair, of her mouth against him. He wanted the clench of her body around him.
This wasn’t his plan. He wasn’t looking for a woman. Sure as hell wasn’t looking for something that was starting to feel like a relationship. But Greer, with her wild hair, her impulsive ways, and her giving nature—it was hard to turn away from something so damn good. So strangely right.
Slowly, so fucking slowly he died a hundred times, Alex slid his hand up to cup her breast, full and just right in his palm. He flicked his thumb over her nipple, and she moaned.
Suddenly desperate, he grabbed the hem of her T-shirt and yanked it out of her pants. The first touch of his hand against her stomach, softly rounded and warm, did a number on his knees, yanked the bones right out of his legs. God, the power this woman had over him should’ve had him packing his shit in his car.
She pushed away, her breath uneven and her eyes dilated. He hit the catch on her bra, popping it open so he could cover her entire breast. He was going to get his mouth on those and—
“Alex,” she said, her voice husky in that way a woman sounded just before she pulled you inside her body. “We can’t…uh…we can’t do this now.”
Her skin was soft and warm in his palm. “Yes, we can.”
“Can’t you hear that?”
All he could hear was his heart thumping in his ears and the sound of that bed saying “Get her naked and lay her out on me.”
“Alex.” She caught his earlobe and twisted, reminding him of hisabuela, an immediate dick-softening turnoff.
“What the hell was that?” Reluctantly, he pulled his hand from under her shirt and she went to work on her bra, doing that special shimmy women had for getting back into their underwear.
“Don’t you hear the people in the barn?”
Now that she mentioned it, he heard some low voices and shuffling feet coming from downstairs. Dammit, the competition registration. “What time is it?”
“Five minutes past the time I was supposed to startchecking people in.”
After Greer hit his door at a dead run, shoving her shirt into her jeans, Alex dropped down on his bed and rested his head in his hands. How in the hell was he supposed to win this damn competition when he couldn’t seem to keep his hands off the woman running it?
Because even if he agreed to stick around and be a part of this village concept for a little while, he couldn’t commit long-term. Not with what was still hanging over him here in Texas. Besides, it wasn’t smart for Greer to rely on him in any way. His failure was one thing, but taking someone down with him, he’d done that once.
Would never do it again.
And a man who relied only on himself was a fuckload safer in this world.
Too many people around, and you didn’t have a clue who you could trust and who you couldn’t. People you thought you knew betrayed you in the most gut-ripping way possible. And you betrayed them back.
Javier.
Alex could never make amends for his brother’s death, but he could try by getting his ass out there and registering for Greer’s competition. Then he could not only kick every other tooler’s ass but the rest of the entrants too. Getting PBC’s business wasn’t enough anymore. Now he wanted the contract, the money, and the win.
