“I’m sorry.” He stroked her cheek lightly, sending a tremor through her. “But I really wanted it to. More than anything.”
She gazed into his eyes, all the fear and anxiety about him hurting her seeping away, leaving an emotional void and quickly filled with a heated need. She had loved this man, then feared him when she thought he would cause her physical harm. But now that she knew he was really a good and caring man, all the strong feelings came tumbling back. Warm, heady longing to be in his arms. To be cared for by him. To feel his lips on hers. To feel his hands on her body.
She leaned closer, and his eyes heated. He leaned closer, too, both of them caught up in the moment. His mouth merged with hers, tentatively at first, then more firmly. His arms came around her, his lips moved on hers, triggering a deep need within her.
She wanted to experience what she’d never had a chance to with him. To explore his big, naked body. To join with him in the most intimate of ways. To ride him to a pleasure they’d never experienced together.
Suddenly, he drew back.
“Marissa, I…” He grasped her hands and drew them from his shoulders. “I’m sorry. I came here to explain to you what happened. I felt I owed you that. But… we can’t be together.”
Her eyes widened and she drew back, his rejection like a slap across the face. “I’m sorry, I…” But she trailed off, shaking her head. What could she say? That she was desperate to jump his bones?
She was so confused. She had strong feelings for Killer, but he was a bad-assed biker, which was exactly what she didn’t want. And now she’d found out that Rip, whom she’d thought was a criminal biker, was actually a cop. Or ex-cop, but a good, dependable, non-criminal man.
He took her hand and squeezed gently. “Under other circumstances... It’s just that I’m with someone now.”
She gazed at him and nodded. “Of course. She’s very lucky.”
Rip glanced at her skimpy black leather bra, then back to her face. “I think your friend Killer was doing a little matchmaking.”
“My friend? I thought he was your friend.”
“He and I rode in rival gangs. Apparently, he knows I was an ex-cop.”
“He knows? How?” Her eyes widened. “Are you in danger from him?”
If Killer was a criminal and knew about Rip…
“Nothing like that. Look, you need to talk to him about this. It’s his story to tell.” Rip stood up. “I know this is a lot to take in. I’m going back to my friends, but I’ll be back. We can sit down and I’ll answer any questions you have. All right?”
She nodded, then watched as he walked away and disappeared around the side of the villa.
She sat for a few minutes, listening to the sound of the waves rolling onto the shore. Crashing, then washing away. It helped settle the tumultuous emotions flooding through her. Relief that she wasn’t in danger from Rip, and never had been. Anger that she had let fear drive her for so long.
She glanced at the patio doors. And annoyance that Killer had known that she was in no danger from Rip, but let her go on believing she was.
She stood up and marched into the villa. Killer sat in a chair in the living room, a book on his lap, but he wasn’t even pretending to read it.
“Why did you bring Rip here?”
“Because you and he have unfinished business.”
“And you felt that throwing us together, in a situation designed to lead to sex, was a good idea?”
He shrugged. “Why not? You two were lovers, so I thought it would help warm things up. And having you immobilized gave the guy a chance to talk to you without you running away.”
She folded her arms across her chest. “You know about Rip… that he was an ex-cop. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It wasn’t up to me to tell you.” He put his book on the table and stood up. “And I thought it was more important to help you get over the feeling of helplessness you were struggling with.”
“So you’re an expert on what I need.”
His eyes flashed with annoyance. “Look, I didn’t ask to be saddled with you. I have issues of my own I’m dealing with and you were an unwelcome distraction.”
She felt the blood drain from her face, and she was afraid she would stumble. An unwelcome distraction.
She turned and walked toward the bedroom, anxious to get out of this leather outfit and into something more covering.
Anxious to get as far away from here as possible.
“Wait!”
She stopped in her tracks, automatically following his command, despite her need to flee from him.
He walked toward her. “Fuck, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.”