Page 33 of Missing Pieces (Men of Manhattan 3)

I saw him run his hands through his wet hair as he looked at whatever damage I had caused to his car. He kept them on the top of his head like he had never seen something as horrible in his life.

I unbuckled my seatbelt and stepped out into the rain too. It was pouring so hard that the rain almost hurt my skin.

"Get back in the car, Hails!" he yelled over the sound of the splashing water.

"Let me help!" I stepped around the car and saw the huge dent in the front bender. The tire had a large gash in it and was already completely deflated. We had run straight into a small boulder. If Tyler hadn't pulled the emergency break, the car probably would have been totaled. And we'd both be... I tried to ignore the thoughts floating around my head.

I looked over at Tyler. His t-shirt was completely soaked. It clung to his strong chest and biceps. I suddenly had no desire to help him put on a spare tire. All I wanted to do was touch him.

"You've already helped enough!" he said.

I had no idea how I could want to rip someone's clothes off at the same time I wanted to rip their throat. I stormed over to him. "You can't fix anything when it's pouring. You need to wait for the rain to let up."

"I can fix it. Would you just get back in the car?"

"No." I wasn't really angry. I was just completely focused on his baby blue eyes and I never wanted him to stop looking at me. I always wanted them on me.

Chapter 16

Tyler

Monday

I glared at her. But I wasn't actually angry. At first I had just been relieved that she wasn't hurt. And now? Now I was looking at the way her wet shirt clung to her body. The rain was cold and her nipples were starting to show through the thin fabric. I wanted to touch her. I wanted to run my fingers over every inch of her wet skin. But something was holding me back. Probably the fact that she looked like she wanted to take a swing at me.

"Are you always this stubborn?" I asked.

"Me?" She took another step toward me. "What about you?" She poked me in the middle of the chest. "Take a look in the mirror, Tyler. You're the most stubborn person I've ever met."

The only problem with what she was saying was the fact that her hand hadn't left my chest when she poked me. She spread her fingers out, laying her palm flat against my chest, right over my heart. When I left New York, I felt broken. But staring down into her eyes, I didn't feel that way anymore. I didn't care about anyone I used to like. I didn't care about the fucking car. All I cared about was the fact that she was standing in front of me, wanting me as badly as I wanted her.

I grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her face to mine. She didn't pull away, she simply melted into me. It was nothing like when she had kissed me before. This wasn't some drunk kiss that she wasn't going to remember in the morning. This kiss was everything.

A part of me had wanted her from the moment I saw her. But I was still holding on to something that didn't exist. For the first time in a long time, I didn't need to hold on anymore. I was all in. I was done living in the past. I just wanted to experience this moment. I stepped forward, pushing her backwards against the wet car.

She moaned into my mouth. If I wasn't already hard, that would have done it. This time I was the one pushing her forward, parting her lips, making her give into me. I fisted her hair in my hand, drawing her head back so that she could give herself completely to me. Hailey Shaw was finally going to be mine.

She grabbed my shirt in her hands, clinging to me like I was her fucking life preserver. I knew she was hurting. I knew she felt like the weight of the world was on her shoulders. Drinking wasn't the way to fix that. But getting lost in each other? That was an idea I could get behind.

The sound of a car speeding by made me reluctantly pull away from her far too soon.

I watched her catch her breath. The only thing separating us was the pounding rain and steam rising off the pavement. Her cheeks were flushed and her chest was rising and falling as fast as I'm sure mine was. A gentleman was supposed to end it right there. Just a kiss. But I wasn't a fucking gentleman.

"Get back in the car, Hailey." This was her one chance to get out. All she had to do was get back into the passenger's seat and this would be over. Just a kiss. Please want more than just a kiss.

She stared back at me defiantly. "Make me."

Chapter 17

Hailey

Monday

His lips crashed back down onto mine. I ran my fingers through his wet hair as he pulled my thighs around his waist, lifting me off the car. All I could focus on was that kiss. Suddenly nothing mattered but him. This moment was all I needed. He was all I needed.

I knew what was about to happen. And I didn't care if it was on the hood of his car or on the side of the road. All that mattered was that in a few seconds I'd be full of him. I heard the click of the car door opening.

I laughed as I pulled back from the kiss. "I don't actually want to get in the car. I want you. How much more obvious do I need to be?" I tightened my legs around his waist. He looked even more handsome when he was soaked. His shaggy hair was stuck to his forehead, and droplets of water hung seductively to his eyelashes. God, I was in trouble.

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