Hero complex, p.5
Hero Complex, page 5
Did I just say that? Shit.
If the glint in Ace’s eyes were anything to go by, he wasn’t going to let that comment slide. She felt herself gulp as he stalked toward her and quickly closed the distance between them.
“Oh yeah, and where would you rather be looking, sugar?”
Her brain was too fuzzy for this. It was filled with his freshly showered scent. Sandalwood, menthol and something citrusy she couldn’t quite put her finger on.
“I just ... I just meant that, uh ... that the burns don’t define you. How you look and stuff. You’re still a good-looking guy.”
Was that better or worse? Damn scent scrambling her brain cells.
Blue flames danced in his eyes as she felt the heat of his minty breath sink into her skin. Oh no. “You think I’m good-looking, huh?”
“Sure. You’re all right.” Nonchalant was much harder to pull off when you’re blushing. So, she wasn’t that surprised by the smug smirk he flashed her.
“Just all right?”
“I don’t want you to get a big head.”
“Heaven forbid.”
“I, um. I’m heading out for the day. So, I ... I better get going.” Her head was telling her to run, but her stupid body wasn’t cooperating. It had been doing that a lot lately.
Ace was in no rush to move either. In fact, it felt like he’d managed to get even closer. When did that happen? The slight dip of his head put his mouth just inches away from hers.
Goddamnit.
“What’s the rush, sugar?”
She was drowning in those deep pools. It was a problem. She couldn’t move. He was holding her in place with them.
Right now, his proximity was hindering any chance of her being able to string a complete sentence together. So, she didn’t reply. But the silence didn’t help the situation. If anything, it made it worse. Their combined heavy breaths filtering through her ears felt like some sort of aphrodisiac.
When his lips brushed against hers, it was over. All rational thought flew out the window. He took his time tasting her. Teasing her. And she let him. His lips were soft, gentle, and exploratory. But there was nothing sweet about this kiss. It was a promise of what was to come. Of the time he was going to take pleasing her. And as soon as she opened for him, his tongue was inside of her, deepening the kiss until she was physically aching for him.
His big hands took hold of her hips and pulled her flush against him. Every part of him was hard. The man was pure muscle, and her treacherous body was loving every second. Wrapping her hands around his neck, she gave into the tingles and angled her face so she could take him deeper.
As he maneuvered her against the wall, she knew they were heading into dangerous territory. Especially when his hands started to move up the length of her vest and only stopped when his thumbs were brushing the underside of her breasts. God, he felt good.
Pulling back slightly, he nipped her lower lip, immediately making her gasp. Moments later, his tongue was taking care of the sting, before his lips were on the move again, making their way along her jawline until they reached her earlobe.
“You’re so fucking sexy.” His voice was ragged, thick with lust.
Everything was hazy; she could barely hear him over the sound of her heartbeat. How was it possible to lose your mind over a kiss? This had never happened to her before. She felt drunk. Drunk on him. Drunk on his taste, his smell, his touch. And just when she thought it couldn’t get any better, his lips latched onto the curve of her neck.
“Jesus fucking Christ,” slipped from her lips as her head arched back.
The man was pure sin. She wanted him. She’d never wanted a man so much in all her life. It was her turn to touch. Dropping her hands from his shoulders, she slid them over his torso, beginning her journey just above the towel. Her fingers were sliding over every ridge and ripple. When she reached the mottled skin that made up most of his left side though, he froze. The air stilled. She knew in that moment, that was it. He was going to run. And she was right.
“I can’t.” A second later, his lips were no longer on her, and he had gone to the trouble of taking a large step back. “I’m sorry, I can’t.”
And then he was gone.
***
So, she’d lasted what, a good ten minutes? Possibly twelve minutes? Between making the decision to stay the hell away from Ace and then sticking her tongue down his throat.
Excellent. Good work, Ivy. Ever the overachiever.
At least she’d gotten away from the ranch. Not unscathed like she’d intended. She was definitely scathed.
Acutely aware she was greatly lacking in the friend’s department, she’d found herself at Mickey’s. She’d gone crawling straight to her brother.
“Tell me again why you’re here on a Saturday? Don’t you have chores to do?” Teddy continued to stack glasses behind the bar.
Sadly, she was aware of just how early it was. Way too early to have already endured a traumatic event. She was just glad her brother had been here when she’d decided to start banging down the door.
Ivy twiddled with the straw in her Coke. “I just wanted to see my big brother. That’s all. Nothing sketchy.”
Wait. Does saying it’s not sketchy make it seem more sketchy?
Teddy snorted and disappeared below the bar for a moment. When he reappeared, it was to place a large box of wine onto the counter. “Bullshit doesn’t suit you, sis. You have a fight with the marine?”
This was about the time she wished she had a girlfriend to confide in. There was Alice. But Ivy feared that Alice may be a little too close to the whole situation, being Ace’s best friend’s wife and all. She really should have made more of an effort to make friends when her ones from high school left town. But she’d always been so busy. Taking care of her grandparents. Taking care of the ranch. It never left her much time for herself, let alone a social life.
“If I say yes, are you gonna go down there and kick his ass?” It was always a strong possibility.
Teddy’s thick eyebrow arched. “Depends. Do you want me to go down there and kick his ass?”
“No. I just need to make sure you don’t go all alpha male on me if I talk to you about my love life.”
Her brother pushed the box away and settled his elbows on the bar. “Ivy, you can tell me anything. I promise. But I’m telling you right now, if that motherfucker hurts you, I’ll hurt him. You’re my little sister. I can’t help it if I’m protective of you.”
“I’m thirty.”
“So?”
It was like banging her head against a brick wall. “Can’t you just not be my brother for one minute and be my friend?”
The creases in his brow unwrinkled. “What happened?” There was that easy, gentler tone he usually reserved for his customers.
“Nothing really.” She was lying, but just because she wasn’t ready to come clean didn’t mean she didn’t want his advice. “I think ... I think what happened to him is screwing with him, and I’m worried about him.”
“Ivy, come on. The man’s got burns covering half his body, of course it’s screwing with him. You don’t think something like that would screw with you?”
“Yeah, of course. It’s just I don’t know what to do to help him deal, y’know? The way he talks about himself. He sees himself as this damaged thing, and I don’t know what to do to help him see what I see.”
Everything she was saying was true. As much as it hurt to have Ace walk away from her. She got why. He hadn’t accepted his scars yet, so he couldn’t understand why someone else would. Why she wanted to touch him. Why she wanted him. But now she was stuck between a rock and a hard place because she had no idea where to go from here.
“Look, he’s not gonna get over something like that overnight. And being with you, letting you in, that must have been a big step for him. A step in the right direction, I reckon. Trust me, sis, letting you love him, all of him, is going to do more good than you know.”
That was the problem though. He wasn’t with her. He hadn’t let her in. But in a strange sort of way, she could see how that would probably help. Maybe that was the answer after all. She had to show him how perfect he was, just as he is. She needed to seduce him.
Sure, it’s for his own good. This is no way related to you wanting in his pants.
Pushing aside the unhelpful commentary, she rose from her barstool. She had shopping to do. And a man to seduce.
CHAPTER SIX
Ace was on his way back to Moonrock. Spending the night at Brady’s might have been slightly dramatic, but he’d needed the distance, if only for a night. He needed to regroup and get his head on straight. Because like a dumbass, he’d kissed Ivy. And then swiftly hightailed it out of there without so much of an explanation.
She hadn’t called him though. Not even when she must have come home to an empty house last night. He supposed it was likely because she was pissed. Or worse, upset. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. But that’s exactly what he would’ve done if he had let that kiss go any further.
As he started down the gravel road to the ranch, his anxiety kicked up a notch. He didn’t know how to play this. Seeing Ivy again was going to be difficult. Now he’d kissed her, now it was no longer a fantasy but a reality, it was going to be the ultimate test of his restraint.
He wanted her. So much. That had been the best damned kiss of his life. But the second her perfect, soft skin had touched his corrupted flesh, he was reminded of just why he couldn’t have her. He was a freak. A shell of a man. She deserved more. Better. She deserved everything.
That was why he was going back. He was a man of his word. And if helping her with the ranch was all he could ever offer her, then he would throw all his energy into making it a success. Today they had a meeting with a potential new client. A meeting Ivy would be attending. So, there was no hiding from her.
Once he’d parked outside the main house, he went inside and did a quick scan for Ivy. She wasn’t there. After that, he made his way down to the office. A small cabin across from the stables. If she wasn’t in the house, she was normally there. He didn’t bother knocking, but he was soon regretting that.
What. The. Fuck.
She was wearing daisy freaking dukes and bending over a pile of folders next to her desk. He was going to have a heart attack. This was it. This was how he was going to die. She was going to kill him. Why the hell was she wearing tiny ass shorts in the middle of fall? Actually, an even better question was why was she dressed like this when they were about to meet with a new client? Is that? Sweet Jesus, the shorts had ridden up. He bit down on his now very clenched fist.
Dear Lord, give me strength.
Her wearing this, bending like that, it felt like a trap. A trap he very much wanted to be caught in. This was definitely a new kind of torture. The fact that he wasn’t across the room, spinning her around and helping himself to another taste was a damn miracle. He deserved a medal.
“Ivy.” He was hanging on to the last of his control by a thread, so he knew his tone was clipped and impatient. “Evan will be here any minute. Maybe you should go change?”
Ivy snapped up and whipped around, her long wavy brown hair almost slapping her in the face with the force of her sudden movements. “I’m surprised you even bothered to turn up.”
Oh, yeah, she’s pissed all right.
She placed her dainty hands on her hips and took her time looking him up and down. He used that time to not stare at how long and silky her bare legs looked. And he definitely didn’t notice how tight her tank top was or how it clung to each and every curve.
“And no, I don’t plan on changing.”
There was no way in hell he was going to let Evan get an eyeful of Ivy. Not in this obscene outfit. Well, obscene was a slight exaggeration, but it didn’t exactly leave much to the imagination. And as far as Ace was concerned, this sight before him should be reserved for his eyes only.
“You think it’s appropriate to meet a potential client in short shorts?”
“I don’t know if you noticed, asshole, but it’s a hundred fricking degrees in here. The heat is broken, and I can’t shut it off. So, under the circumstances, yes, shorts are preferable to Evan shaking hands with a big puddle of sweat.”
Asshole? That’s new. Shit. Why am I so turned on by her calling me out? Jesus, I am an asshole. A sick one.
All right, so it was a bit balmy in there. It was safe to say his attention had not been on the temperature of the room when he’d walked in. And the heat currently pumping through his veins had been caused by something else entirely.
“Ivy. I’m serious. Put on some fucking jeans.”
She smirked. A devilish glint in her eyes as she slowly approached him. “What’s a matter, Ace? My bare legs offending you?” Her glittering eyes never left his as she closed the distance between them. “Scared of a little skin, huh? Why is that?” She tilted her head and gave him a sultry smile. “Afraid you won’t be able to control yourself?”
Damnit. It was a trap. She knew exactly what she was doing. And it was working. He practically growled as the familiar waft of jasmine and honey filled his lungs. “You’re playing with fire, sugar.”
“Oh, yeah? You wanna stop, drop, and roll with me?”
He bit back a laugh. This was not funny. She was not funny.
Luckily, he was saved by a hard knock on the door. Evan had arrived.
***
Turns out Evan wasn’t just interested in Justice, he’d also taken a shine to Blaze and Zeus, one of their younger studs.
Maybe it was because Evan was nearer their age, but he didn’t seem to have an issue dealing with Ivy. It was obvious throughout the meeting she was the one running the show. And he had no problem going over the details with her and directing all his questions her way. She was in her element, and Ace couldn’t have been prouder.
Although on occasion, he did have to keep a handle on his jealousy. She was still wearing those goddamn shorts and from the way Evan had been side-glancing Ivy the whole time, it was obvious he’d noticed too. Doing business with an unmarried woman clearly wasn’t an issue for Evan. If anything, Ace suspected it was preferable.
“That went way better than I expected,” Ivy announced as they watched Evan’s truck disappear beyond the horizon.
“He was impressed, Ivy. You impressed him. You really were amazing back there.”
After biting down on her lower lip, her gaze zeroed in on her boots. It was clear the woman wasn’t used to compliments. Which was absurd. She deserved to be showered in compliments every second of every day.
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what? Tell the truth?”
“I don’t need your flattery or your pity, Ace.”
Before he could reply, she’d started heading toward the house. He quickly followed after her, suppressing a groan as he caught sight of the sexy sway of her ass in those evil denim shorts.
As soon as she reached the front door, his hand was over her shoulder and pushing down on the wood, preventing her entry.
“First of all, that wasn’t flattery, it was an observation. You’re good at what you do, Ivy. You know your shit. And you’re a damn fine businesswoman, despite what that asshole Donoghue would have everyone believe. Secondly, and more importantly, trust me when I say, the last thing I feel for you is pity.”
Ivy twisted to face Ace, and he mentally cursed himself for allowing himself to be this close to her again. “And what is it you feel for me, Ace?”
The way she was looking at him now wasn’t full of the same playful sass and grit he’d witnessed earlier. It had an air of unease and vulnerability, yet it still managed to fill him with the same want he felt earlier. The same want that made his stomach tight and his palms sweat. She was a plethora of contradictions. A mixture of sweet and shy with a healthy dose of stubbornness and fire thrown in for good measure. And he loved it all. She was perfect. Unique. Special.
Goddamnit.
What he wouldn’t give to pull her close and kiss away the uncertainty clouding those beautiful green eyes. But no. He couldn’t. Not now. Not ever. She wasn’t his. And he had to keep reminding himself of that.
“Inside, Ivy.” He pulled his hand away from the door and took a step back. “I’ll make us coffee before we make a start on the paperwork.”
A flash of disappointment crossed her face before she schooled it. That wasn’t what she wanted to hear. Too bad. Deflecting and avoidance were all he had right now.
“You gonna tell me where you were last night?”
He followed her into the kitchen and made a beeline for the coffeepot. “Brady’s.”
“Oh. Did you tell them we had an argument or something?”
Right. He hadn’t told her.
“No. I didn’t need to.” He slowly turned and rested his behind against the kitchen counter. “Actually, Ivy, I should have told you sooner ... but Brady knows.”
“Knows what?” Her eyes widened in panic. He wasn’t handling this very well.
“About the whole fake fiancé thing,” Ace confirmed. “And as he doesn’t keep secrets from his wife, Alice knows too.”
That panic he saw turned quickly to anger. It was time to turn around again and focus on the coffee.
“Are you being fucking serious?”
“Brady’s like a brother; I can’t lie to him. Plus, he kinda guessed.”
Small hands were pushing at his bicep, forcing him to turn and face a very angry-looking Ivy. She looked like steam might come out of her ears any second. It was kind of cute. But he was keeping that thought to himself.
“I lied to my actual brother, you asshole.”
That was the second time today she’d called him an asshole, and he had a feeling he’d hear it again before the day was up. “
“You gonna tell me why you didn’t tell me this ... oh, I don’t know ... a week ago! God, I must have looked like such an idiot at that barbecue, pretending we were together when everyone knew.”
