Mr. Wham Bam (6 page)

Water rolled down him; the warmth of the steam sprayed along his face, mixing with the rivulets of sweat his exertion created. Imagining it was her tight pussy wrapped around his cock, he pumped hard, his hand flying over his skin. Within moments, he was coming in loads along the shower wall, his head on the cool granite, as he breathed deeply, trying to calm his racing heart. He hadn’t masturbated in the shower in years. There had been no need before, plenty of willing women. Now, all those other women didn’t matter. Just the mere thought of being with Kensington brought him to his knees and had him acting like a schoolboy with his first crush.

Jace looked at his image in the mirror after climbing from the shower. He looked haggard, the sleepless nights catching up to him. He dressed and forced himself to go to work. The day drew by slowly. Meeting after meeting dragged on, and he thought he would blow his brains out before the day finally turned into early evening. He raced home, washed up, shaved quickly, and changed into something more comfortable. For the first time in his life, he had to consider what he wore instead of grabbing the first thing his hand landed on. He wanted to look nice for her tonight, and that thought froze him for a moment.

He’d never really seen a true relationship. He didn’t know what he was supposed to do to make things work. Trial by fire? Perhaps all those women before Kensington hadn’t been all wrong. Maybe he was just a commitmentphobe. This was the first time he wanted a woman long enough to try and keep her. Now was his chance to see if he could make something work. He wanted her in his life.

Jace jumped into his SUV and gunned it to ensure he wasn’t late. Nervousness wasn’t something he was used to, not when it came to women. Kensington kept him on his toes, for damned sure. Pulling into Faustino’s darkened parking lot, he checked the clock—six forty. He grabbed a seat at the bar, one that gave him a bird’s-eye view of the front door, and ordered himself a beer. He’d only had three sips when he saw her walk in.

Kenzie’s honey-colored hair bounced around her shoulders as she walked, her face stretched in a lovely smile. Her body was made for sin; the short dress she wore hugged her curves in a way that made his hair stand on end. The knee-high leather boots she had on made his teeth clench with need. She wasn’t even trying to be overtly sexual, but it didn’t matter. She was sex incarnate. Why she didn’t seem to see it, he would never know.

She looked over her shoulder as she giggled, and he realized she wasn’t alone. A beautiful raven-haired stunner walked behind her as they sidled up to the hostess station. The other woman was Kensington’s opposite, shorter, darker, with a willow-thin body. Some men may like to fuck a twig, but not him. Women like that did nothing for him. Grabbing his beer, he sauntered over just as he heard Kensington say, “Table for two.”

“There seems to be three of us.”

Kensington twirled around and almost ran into him. “Oh, hi. I didn’t know you were here already. I was just getting a table ready. Jace, this is my coworker, Ana. Ana, meet Jace.”

He smiled warily at the sexy brunette and shook her hand. Ana’s hand squeezed his, her full, red lips stretching into a smile. It wasn’t as wide and warming as Kensington’s.

A thought hit and shock swamped him. Was this her way of settling their last time? Bringing another woman into the action? Most men would jump at the chance at fucking two gorgeous women, but instead he felt anger. He wanted Kensington and not just for a sexual romp. She really did think that’s all he wanted.

The hostess stood ready to lead them to the table. Kensington looked him over with something akin to worry on her face. “Ana, how about you go sit down, and we’ll be right over.”

Ana glanced at them both before hesitantly following the hostess. Kensington took his arm, pulled him back to the bar, and then took a seat at one of the high-top tables that would give them a little more privacy.

“What is this?” he asked her as he settled on the stool.

“I felt really bad about our night together. You were right. I assumed too much, and I let it cloud my judgment. I saw things that night that proved you were potentially a really good guy, or at least better than what my friends said, but I didn’t give you a chance.” She gathered one of his hands in hers, and it felt so warm and right. “I think you need someone in your life, someone to wake up to in the mornings, no matter what you seem to think about not being
that
guy. I think you long to be
that
guy.”

He did. He wanted to be
her
guy.

“So, I brought Ana to meet you. She’s your date for tonight.”

“What?” His stomach pitched as her words settled in.

“I know, a risk. I knew you wouldn’t come if you thought I was fixing you up, but Ana is a real catch. She’s smart and funny, and she’s hot. Plus, she doesn’t hang in my circles, so she has no preconceived ideas about who you may or may not be. She’s a clean slate. It took me a while to figure out who would be the right girl for you, and then I had to talk her into a blind date, which was not easy, as she is a pretty hot commodity. But I really think you should give her a try.”

Kensington’s bright smile made him want to retch. He squeezed the beer bottle so hard, he wondered if it would shatter in his hand.

She’s pushing me on some other woman. She doesn’t want me.

Calmly, he lowered the bottle, rose, dropped a fiver on the table, and then walked to the front door without saying a word. The cool evening air hit him like a slap in the face, and he continued to put one foot in front of the other, aiming for his car.

He had to get out of here, away from her before she could torment him anymore.

“Jace! Where are you going?” He heard her heels as she began to run in his direction. “Jace!”

After spinning around, he grabbed her as she plowed into him.

“Jace? I want to make this better; I really do. Can’t you give Ana a shot?”

“I came here tonight, thinking I was going to give
you
a shot.”

“But everything that happened, I assumed—”

“There you go assuming again.”

Kensington looked up at him, lust filling her eyes as he began to pull her closer, her smaller body fitting against his naturally. “I’m like you. I don’t want a relationship. I don’t have time.”

“But you think I’m due for one. A little case of the pot calling the kettle black?”

“No. You seemed so lonely. I could see it in your eyes.”

Jace pushed her away. The pity was back in her gaze, and it pissed him off to no end. “Did you ever think that’s what I saw in yours, Kensington? Did you ever for one second think that maybe I saw the same emotions reflected back at me when I looked at you?
That’s
why I pursued you. You had the same lonely, hungry look to you, the same look I see in the mirror every damned morning. Yes, I’m lonely. And I want you to help me stop feeling like this.”

*

Kenzie stared at Jace through the deepening gloom as night fell around them. A chill slipped over her from the crisp autumn air, wind whipping through her hair, getting it in her eyes. She tugged at a few strands, looking away, looking at anything, to help her mind digest what he’d just said to her without having to face him. Her heart tugged at his words. She wanted to allow her feelings to develop, but she wasn’t ready for a commitment.

“I’m not in a place in my life right now where I’d make a good girlfriend.”

“Is anyone ever truly ready for—this —whatever
this
is—when it gets dumped in their laps? I think there is something here, something we deserve to test out and see where it leads.”

Kenzie heard a woman cough behind her and spun around. Heat flamed her face as she saw Ana standing there.

“I think I’m going to go home now, Kenzie. It was a … pleasure … meeting you, Jace.”

“Ana, I’m sorry. I’ll call you tomorrow.” Kenzie felt horrible that she’d brought her friend into this situation, never expecting it to blow up as it had. Jace had been quite adamant he wasn’t going to pursue her anymore. After their ruined night and day together, why would she assume there was anything there to fix?

Ana walked away, a wave behind her as she trotted off to her car.

“Why did you bring her, Kensington? Really?”

Kenzie turned back to face Jace. “Like I said, I wanted to make it up to you, let you know that you
can
be the relationship type if you want to be.”

“Your own advice doesn’t work on you?”

Even angry, he was so handsome. She wanted him so much, but it couldn’t work. Plans, she had plans. “I’m not looking for a relationship.”

“Neither was I. But I found you.”

“I have so much going on with my life right now. It really isn’t the best time.” She had been working around the clock. Once the promotion she’d been working on was hers, perhaps life would ease up. For now, she couldn’t make any commitments. It would be unfair to them both, no matter how much she desired him.

“But you’ve already said you owe me. I want a woman. I want you, not some other female.”

“Oh, so you’re going to blackmail me into spending more time with you?”

“Blackmail? Nope. I only want you there if you want to be, and I think you want to be. If you’d just own up and admit it.”

“No. Jace, I’m sorry, but I can’t.” She stepped backward, her eyes caught in his gaze. Her chest ached at the look of pain that swept over his face. She ran to her car and jumped inside before he potentially chased after her and talked her into doing exactly what she wanted to do—stay in his arms forever.

Chapter 5

Saturday morning dawned bright and early. Sunshine poured into the room from the surrounding glass windows, the few remaining birds at this time of the year chirping and welcoming the day. Kenzie peered out from below her sleeping mask and cursed them both. She wanted to tunnel under her comforter and sleep the day away, especially since she’d had no sleep the night before.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Jace’s face, and she couldn’t stop thinking of him and his words. Now, twice she’d hurt him. She was positive walking away had been the final nail in that coffin and she’d sealed that one off for good, not that she’d really wanted to. But Jace pushed her too far, made her feel too raw and open, and there was no way she could be in a relationship with someone who made her feel so powerless over her own emotions.

No wonder she’d always gravitated toward the good boys. Bad boys had too much fire and emotion within them and made her feel too much. She hadn’t expected the wealth of emotion she’d felt with Jace. It was only supposed to be one night, one night to find release and get him out of her system. Instead, that one night had tied her to this man forever, and she’d done everything wrong. When she’d tried to make amends, she’d failed miserably yet again. The look on his face last night had stunned her; the forcefulness with which he’d felt his emotions had struck her. She’d felt so much in his presence, ranging from lust to pity, from calm to on fire. He made her brain swirl and her body melt.

She didn’t have time for him to short-circuit her with his commanding personality. Work was her focus. Lust and love could come later for her, once she’d established herself.

But would she find the fire she felt with Jace when she finally made time for a man in her life? She couldn’t stop thinking about him. He’d completely invaded her consciousness, and there seemed to be no getting rid of him. With every other female, he’d had a night or two and left. Why couldn’t it be that easy this time around?

Knocking on the front door woke her fully, and she pulled herself from her nice, warm bed. As she wrapped her robe around her body, she scuffed through the house to the door. Who would be at her door first thing on Saturday morning?

“About time you got your ass up.”

“Good morning to you, too.”

Michelle kissed her cheek as she walked past carrying a big bag from Panera. Her five-year-old, Markus, followed behind her, a smile on his chubby cheeks. “Mornin’, Aunt Kenzie.”

Michelle dropped the bag on her dining room table and began to pull out various bagels, cream cheeses, and whatnot. “I need Kenzie time. I haven’t seen you in weeks, so I’m doing a drive-by. Put on a pot of coffee. I need some caffeine.”

Markus jumped on her couch and turned on some cartoons as Kenzie sidled up to the coffee pot and started a brew. After they’d fixed their cups and put a bagel on the coffee table for Markus, they settled down at the dining room table to eat their breakfast.

“Ignoring me?” Michelle raised an eyebrow as she took a sip of her coffee.

“No. I’ve just been busy.”

“I’ve barely talked to you since you left the club with that letch. And then you were noncommittal in your texts. You’ve been avoiding me since it happened, so I know something’s up. Spill.”

Kenzie looked into her coffee cup, the creamy, milk-laden swirls holding her attention as she tried to formulate an answer for her best friend. Michelle would know a lie if she heard it, so she needed to be careful what she told her.

“He hurt you, didn’t he? I shouldn’t have let you go. You were in no shape, and I knew he was just going to take advantage of you. But I thought to myself that you were a big girl and it was your decision.”

“Michelle, stop. He didn’t touch me that night.”

“He didn’t?” Michelle looked stunned.

“No. He said I was too drunk and he didn’t want it to be like that.”

“But what about afterward?”

“We … enjoyed … ourselves the following morning.”

“And then he dropped your butt off at home and took off, didn’t he? He’s a jerk.”

“No! He says he wanted more.” Kenzie heard her pitch raise and was helpless to stop it. Why was she feeling so argumentative?

“More? Mr. Wham, Bam, Thank You, Ma’am wanted more? Bull.” Michelle’s eyebrow rose as she took a sip of her coffee.

“I think he really did. I pulled away from him and said no. I think I hurt him.”

“Good for you! He deserves a little taste of his own medicine.”

Michelle was too blunt, too unforgiving. She hadn’t seen the side of Jace Kenzie had. “It’s not like that; be nice. I think he really is a lonely guy looking for Ms. Right. So, thinking I could help, I compounded it all by trying to hook him up with another woman.”