Taming Reece

By Lisa Simmons

Bad Boy Romance. Stubborn Hearts. Sparks Fly.

A standalone, full-length romance with HEA ending and no cliffhangers.

Reece Evans is tough, strong, confident, and the hottest man alive... He represents everything her life didn’t need - chaos and uncertainty. But also everything her life was lacking - companionship and connection.

Abby Campbell starts out in a strictly physical relationship with a player. Sparks fly from the very beginning and no matter how much they try to fight it, their attraction is unavoidable. He reawakens desires she can no longer deny.

A part of her tells her that she should stay away, but she wants him more than she wants to breathe. Wanting him is taboo. Needing him is unavoidable. And his warm touch will melt her resolve and bring her gasping for more...

Will these two stubborn hearts admit that they might’ve been wrong about love or will they allow the chance at true happiness to slip away? Can she tame a bad boy?

Note: Taming Reece is a standalone, full-length romance. No cliffhangers with HEA ending guaranteed!

• Language: English
• Publisher: melissahollandaise
• Release date: Jan 17, 2018
• ISBN: 9781370700615

Book preview

Chapter

1

The room vibrated around me as the heavy bass pounded into the air, thick with the scent of alcohol, bodies, and smoke.  Music poured throughout the house, rebounding off the walls and obliterating the potential for any actual conversation.  Not that that was the point- people came to these parties for two reasons: to get drunk and to find someone to take home.  As far as I could tell, everyone was off to a promising start.

I took a gulp of my drink, letting the undertone of alcohol burn down my throat as I leaned against the wall and my eyes scanned the crowed room.  My best friend, Emily, was practically screaming in my ear about something I couldn't hear, so I nodded along, pretending to know what she was saying.  It was hopeless to even try, honestly.  She should know better.

Girls in ridiculously small skirts wove their way through the crowd, fishing for boys to bring them drinks and take them home.  One girl with long, nearly black hair was trying valiantly to seduce two men at once; one seemed fairly interested, but the other could hardly keep his eyes focused on any one girl for more than two seconds before averting his eyes to the next specimen to come into his line of vision. I felt a little uneasy as I observed the antics going on in front of me.  Sure, I had been to these parties before and was well aware of what most people did at them, but I had never really participated.  Casual hook ups weren't really my thing, and I considered myself more of a relationship type of girl.  Or did, until recent events had me strongly reconsidering the merits of a relationship in the first place.

However, Emily had practically begged me to come with her, so with that in combination with the hell of a week I had endured, I had obliged.  Despite my somewhat apprehensive attitude, I had to admit I was having fun.  It had been a while since I'd had a drink or gone out with just the girls, all of whom besides Emily had dissipated into the crowd almost the second we stepped foot through the door, determined to succeed on their individual quests. My attention, which had been fairly unfocused up until this point, was suddenly and completely commanded by a pair of green eyes burning into mine from across the hazy, humid air collected in the room.  My breath caught in my throat as I realized he was staring at me, with such an intensity I was sure his gaze was burning right through me. He stood on the other side of the room, arms crossed casually across his chest as he leaned against the arm of a couch, surrounded by a rather large group of people.  There was absolutely no denying he was the most beautiful man I had ever seen; bright, burning green eyes, deep pink, full lips, angular jaw, and soft brown hair came together in the epitome of perfection as he continued to stare at me. It was if all the sound in the room were sucked into a vacuum; suddenly all I could hear was the inexplicable pounding of blood in my ears.  I could feel my breath picking up its pace, chest rising and falling in shallow breaths as I felt his gaze down to my toes.  Who was he and why was he looking at me like that? The only thing I was aware of was that I was dying to know the answers to those questions. 

His expression was hard to read from across the room; it appeared to be a mixture of intense curiosity, lust, possession, and a hint of amusement.  Yes, definitely amusement.  The smirk on his face was evident now as he took in my reaction to his unwavering scrutiny. What surprised me the most was how I was reacting to him.  Everything about him screamed player: the cocky expression, the hard gaze, the casual stance, and the flock of people surrounding him.  Just now, as I observed him, a girl with awful, bleach blonde extensions wound her ridiculously skinny arms around his neck, attempting to pull his attention down to her and her purposefully low cut shirt.

I was pleased when he flat out ignored her, saying something I could neither hear nor decipher, but clearly dismissing her.  Her shoulders drooped as she dropped her arms, tugging her top down and her skirt up before stalking away in a huff, clearly offended he had turned her down. Watching her stomp away, I didn't know why she was so upset; there were approximately thirty different versions of her running around, all attaching themselves to men more willing than the mysterious one across the party.  She would have no trouble finding someone else to take her home. Granted, it wouldn't be this beautiful man perched on the other side of the room, which surely was cause for disappointment.

When I returned my gaze to where he had been standing, I was disappointed to see that he was gone.  I quickly scanned the crowd, searching for his tall frame but being careful not to be too obvious.  He was nowhere to be found.

Abigail! I was ripped out of my daze at the sound of Emily shouting

my

name

.

Sorry, what? I half-shouted above the throbbing music. 

I asked if Jack was coming, she replied, eyes finally pulling away from the spectacle around us to look at me, eyebrows raised.  My heart pounded angrily.

I fucking hope not, I growled, eyes searching the room now for a different figure, this time praying I wouldn't see him.  I didn't.  

Thank

god

.

I did, however, feel my stomach drop when I made eye contact for the second time with the mysterious dark haired guy.  This time he was alone, helping himself to a drink all while holding my gaze.  Suddenly feeling brave from my flash of anger, I decided something.  Whatever his game was, I wasn't going to let him have control.  He had my attention, and I was going to find out who he was. I'm gonna get another I drink, I told Emily without looking at her, brushing past her shoulder.

Oh, great, grab me one too, will you? she asked.  I waved my hand at her, acknowledging her but hardly hearing her, request already forgotten.  My mind was very busy focusing on something else.  Someone else, specifically.  She could find her own drink.

He didn't drop my eye contact as I wove through the bodies packed into the house, some dancing, some groping each other, some just in my way, frankly.  He looked slightly surprised when he realized I was walking to him, but quickly covered his expression with another amused smirk.  His eyes continued to burn a hole right

through

me

.

When I reached him, I was surprised to discover how tall he was.  He towered over me, his wide shoulders narrowing drastically to his slim hips as he observed me, full lips quirking up to one side.  I came to a stop a little over a foot in front of him.  So he could hear me, I told myself, not because I was weirdly drawn

to

him

.

Who are you? I asked bluntly, not bothering with any pointless

small

talk

.

Reece. Who are you? he shot back, raising an eyebrow at me.  He seemed impressed at my direct approach. 

I'm Abigail.

I was surprised when he stepped closer to me, closing the small space between us as he leaned into it.  He slid his hand up my neck before his fingers tangled in the back of my hair and pulled my ear to

his

lips

.

Nice to meet you, Abigail, he murmured, his lips brushing against the shell of my ear.  I stopped myself from shivering, but couldn't ignore the chemical tingling radiating from wherever he had touched me.  Who the hell was

this

guy

?

He pulled back, letting his hand fall from my neck, grazing my collarbone on the way but didn't step back

from

me

. 

You were staring at me, I stated, shocked at my own bold behavior yet impressed at the

same

time

.

I happen to find you extremely attractive, he replied, showing no signs of embarrassment or uncertainty.  His eyes seared into mine as he spoke, his jaw clenching closed after the words slipped past his beautiful, plump lips.  Damn he was attractive. He

knew

it

.

I

didn't

care

. 

There was something so feral about him, so magnetic, that I couldn't help but want to rip his clothes off and discover what was surely a perfect body beneath the layers of fabric.  Usually I hated this type- cocky, arrogant, probably a jerk with loads of girls falling at his feet, but I couldn't find anything besides intense desire for him, which was growing stronger by the second. What if I said the same thing to you? I said bravely, tilting my head back slightly to look up

at

him

. 

Do you? he asked sharply.

"Do

I

what

?"

Find me attractive?

Yes, I replied honestly, determined to hold his

solid

gaze

. 

Let's go, he said, deep voice rumbling from the very pit of his chest.  He didn't wait for me to reply before grabbing my hand and pulling me through the crowd.  People parted for him, allowing more than enough space for him to move his large frame through, tugging me along in tow.  I caught more than one jealous stare from girls as we glided through the party.

What are you doing, Abigail?

I shushed my inner thoughts.  Sure, I didn't do this type of thing, but I couldn't deny the electric chemistry between us; it was nearly palpable as his hand stayed firmly connected to mine.  He pulled me out of the overflowing room and through a door that led to a dark backyard.  A red flag flashed in my mind as we walked into the pitch black, but was relieved when we made our way through the grass and came out between the houses to a brightly lit street. I was about to ask where we were going when he stopped abruptly along a fence in a dim patch of darkness. The fence ran along the sidewalk in front of a dark house, and he steered my back against it.  He pushed his hips and chest into mine, pinning me against the wood of the fence, face inches from mine as his hands rested on either side of my head. He ground his hips into me, instantly setting my entire body on fire and causing my insides to explode.  Taking in my reaction, he smirked and leaned his face closer than he had so far, hesitating an inch away from my lips, where his eyes were focused.  His breath, which was surprising minty, fanned across my face through his parted lips.  Again, he pressed his hips against mine, causing me to suck in a breath.

He didn't move or speak for seconds that ticked on forever, the tension between us building up so much I thought I was going to explode.  He inched impossibly closer, holding himself back from actually kissing me but connecting his body with mine in every other area possible. My chest rose heavily and my lips parted slightly, unable to stop the light pant that escaped my mouth, wanting nothing more than to smash my mouth into his.  When the corner of his lips quirked up into a smirk again, I lost it. I lurched forward, crashing my lips into his across the tiny, tiny space between us.  He responded immediately, apparently only been waiting for me to make the final move.  His lips were soft but strong as he kissed me, capturing my lower lip between his and tugging it back before diving in again and parting my lips with his tongue, sweeping it along the inside of my mouth. His hands left the fence to slide down the sides of my body, running over my hips and curving around to my bum, squeezing roughly as he pulled my hips into his.  I groaned at the pressure, quickly raising my hands up to tangle in his surprisingly soft hair and tugging at it.  His hands slid off my bum to the back of my thighs, where he easily jerked me up, spreading my legs and pushing himself between them, pinning me to the fence with his hips as his large hands held me up my by thighs. Again he rolled his hips into me.  I sucked in a breath around his lips, only allowing him to kiss me deeper as he pushed me into the fence.  My grip on his hair never relented as our mouths exchanged heated kisses, lips and tongues moving together in perfect sync as his body worked on setting me

on

fire

.

I sucked in a breath when I felt one of his hands release my thigh and slide against my center, putting pressure on me over the denim of my jeans.  He kneaded his hand against me, causing my thighs to tighten around him and my pulse to speed up.  How he was still holding me up was a mystery to me, but I wasn't complaining.  He had hardly touched me and I felt like I was about to spontaneously combust.  I groaned softly as his hand curled against me, and I could feel him smirk into our kiss. As suddenly as he had pushed me into the fence, he stopped kissing me, tugging my lower lip between his teeth and pulling back before releasing.  His eyes were wild and black with lust, pupils blown wide as he looked at me.  With him holding me up, I was actually near his eye level now. You coming inside? he asked, voice low and gravely.  His fingers on the hand that was holding me up were digging into my thigh, seeming to singe their way through my flesh.

I gave only the slightest hesitation before

replying

.  "

Yes

."

I didn't know who this guy was, but I had a feeling I was in for an interesting night.

If only I knew how much of an impact this fateful night would have on

my

life

.   

"We've got one thing in common, it's this tongue

of

mine

..."

Chapter

2

My heart was pounding in my chest, for multiple reasons, as he led me up the steps, practically dragging me with his tight grip on my wrist.  Not that I was complaining.  As soon as we climbed the porch, he swung me around and pushed me into the door, closing the gap between us, his hips pressing into mine as he ducked his head to let his lips attack my neck.  Teeth sunk into my skin before his tongue ran over it the dull ache, soothing the gentle sting all while he dug around in his pocket for his keys. My knees almost buckled when he sucked the sensitive skin into his mouth, bringing blood to the surface and sure to leave a mark.  I felt him smirk against me as I sucked in a breath when his knee worked between my legs, thigh pushing up into me and putting pressure on

my

core

. 

He finally retrieved his keys from his pocket, deftly separating the correct one and unlocking the door and swinging it open, arm wrapping securely around my waist to keep me from falling through the doorframe.  The pressure he put on my shoulders pushed me backward until we were through the frame, steering me backwards.  A slam echoed through the entry as he kicked it shut.  His chest pressed into mine, his height towering over me as he stared down at me only inches from

my

face

.

I was breathing heavily, my lips parted as I tried to take a full breath but failed as I lost all hope of proper function when I looked into his mesmerizing green eyes.  His head ducked down again to let his teeth graze along the skin of my neck, dragging them upward until he reached

my

ear

.

You still in it, Abigail? he growled, his tongue sliding up the outer shell of my ear.  He had one arm wrapped firmly around my lower back, practically holding me up while his other trailed up my leg before reaching my center and letting his fingers run over the seam of my jeans.  My eyes fluttered shut at the overwhelming assault of his various advances before I regained a little control, gritting my teeth in determination. This was going to happen, and I was going to have at least some control.  My hand reached forward to palm him over his jeans, putting a lot more pressure on him than I normally would have to get his attention.  There was already a prominent bulge forming, and I was impressed at the size of it. You tell me, I breathed as I shifted my hips forward rolling my body against him, increasing the pressure between us.  A deep groan rumbled from his chest, vibrating behind his rib cage as his palms slid around my hips to roughly mold against my bum, pulling me tighter against him.  He bit down on my neck again before releasing it and bringing his lips back to mine, tongue dipping smoothly into my mouth.

My hands rose to tangle in his hair, clutching at the strands as I kissed him back hungrily.  With the increasing pressure and obvious need between us growing by the second, I wasn’t surprised to feel him getting harder beneath his tight, black jeans as he pressed his hips into me.  My breath shot out in a harsh exhale when he suddenly pushed me backwards, my back colliding with a wall as he let his palms trail up my body, snaking under my shirt to heat the skin covering my hip. His fingers slid down my stomach before quickly undoing my jeans.  Before I could take a solid breath, his hand sunk into my jeans and his fingers dragged firmly across my center.  My mouth fell open at the contact, allowing him to dip his tongue in again, rolling across mine as he kissed me.  He curled his fingers against me once while his other hand gripped my neck, his thumb tilting my jaw up to his. There was nothing gentle about the way he moved, no tenderness or care, but there was a raw magnetism I felt pulling me to him that I couldn’t describe or explain.  His fingers shifted, pushing my panties to the side as he dragged his thumb up my center before abruptly pushing two fingers inside me, leaving just enough space between our hips to maneuver his hand. My back arched off the wall at his touch, his long fingers curling strongly against my wall as he pushed them in and out of me.  My fingers left his hair to clutch at the front of his shirt, pulling him to me to attempt to reconnect our lips.  I hadn’t realized it, but he had stopped kissing me and was watching my face, taking in my changes in expression when he touched me with a dark, lustful look in his eye. He resisted my tugging, holding his face inches away from mine as he took in my parted lips, my burning eyes, and the panting breaths that were slipping from my mouth.  I bit my lip as I made eye contact with him, his thumb finding my clit and circling around it heavily while his fingers continued to curl inside me. My heart was pounding my chest from the way he watched me, and I was surprised how turned on I was from it.  He smirked at me as he put pressure on a point inside me, earning a gasp and my hips to jerk toward him.  I leaned forward again, dodging his lips this time and ducking to let my lips close around the prominent muscle in his neck, running my tongue down his skin before sinking my teeth into it. His skin on his stomach was smooth against my palm as I slid my hand beneath his shirt, feeling his obviously defined abdominal muscles and letting out an appreciative hum.  My fingers slipped beneath the waistband of his boxers that rose from his jeans, sliding along the silky skin as far as I could reach in the confines of his tight pants. My entire body jerked forward as he pushed another finger into me suddenly, sinking them into the knuckles.  I pressed my mouth into his shoulder, biting down softly as he curled them against me.  My body tensed as I fought to regain control, and I could feel my knees shaking as I struggled to stay standing.

Furiously, my fingers worked to undo his belt, managing to unbuckle it fairly quickly in my haste.  As soon as I had it undone, I ripped the rest of his jeans open and sunk my hand in, wanting to return what he was doing to me.  He pinched my clit between his fingers, nearly causing me to collapse as I let my hand drift beneath his boxers.

My mouth fell open in shock as I felt how massive he was, by far bigger than anyone I’d ever been with.  His skin was silky beneath my fingers as I wrapped them around his shaft, squeezing lightly before sliding up his length.  My thumb stroked across the head, tracing the slit lightly and earning a groan from Reece.  He increased his pace, driving me absolutely insane before I somehow, in some act of super human strength, gripped his wrist with my other hand and pulled it away

from

me

.

My body shuddered at the loss of contact, protesting and screaming for his touch to be returned to me, but I had other plans.  I released my grip on him to grab the front of his shirt and push him further down the hall into another wall, his wide shoulders colliding with it forcefully. 

A gust of air rushed out of his mouth, brushing across my face as I crashed into him, pushing him further into the wall.  My lips crashed into his, parting them immediately and letting my tongue slide along his as my hips pushed hard into him.  After tugging back on his lower lip, I released it and moved to his jaw, kissing the skin there and trailing down his neck.  My lips dragged lower, teeth nipping at him and tongue smoothing where I bit until I reached the collar of his wide shirt that exposed his beautiful collarbones.  I sucked on one harshly before dropping down to my knees, lifting his shirt to press wet kisses to his skin. My palms slid up his thighs, squeezing firmly until I reached his groin.  His hips twitched as I reached the top of his jeans and boxers, slipping my fingers beneath the bands and pulling down, revealing more of his skin to me.  His eyes burned into mine when I looked up at him, studying my every move with his lips slightly parted. When I got his jeans low enough to free him, my hot breath washed over him and he bit his lip, white teeth sinking into the deep, pink color of his lips.  I laid my tongue out flat as I swiped in up his shaft, starting at the base.  His hands curled into fists at his sides when I closed my lips around the head, letting my tongue swipe around in a circle, feeling every curve of the head before finding the slit and darting against it. He groaned when I took more of him into my mouth, bobbing my head as I took more and more each time.  With every inch of silky skin that disappeared past my lips, he grew more and more agitated.  He was so big it was difficult for me to take all of him.  Frustration coursed through me as I struggled to take more, letting my hands take over what I couldn’t swallow. My fingers wrapped around his length, squeezing and twisting in sync with my mouth.  When his head pressed against the back of my throat, he let out aloud groan and slammed his fist into the wall, squeezing his eyes shut and grimacing as he shoved his hand through

his

hair

.

Fuck, stop, he said, gripping forearms and yanking me up.  He tugged his jeans up but didn’t bother doing them before he slammed his mouth into mine and pushed me into yet another wall, grinding his hips to me as his palm roughly massaged my breast, kissing me deeply and hungrily.  His hands trailed down my sides quickly before sliding past my bum and gripping the backs of my thighs, lifting me in a quick burst just has he had outside and slamming me back into the wall. My breathing was coming in uneven pants as he rolled against me again, making my entire body practically vibrate.  With no warning, he moved away from the wall, still holding me up while he moved down the hall.  My arms wrapped around his neck, gripping his hair tightly as I clung

to

him

. 

My back slammed into a door, pushing it open as he carried me through it.  I assumed it was his room, but I really had no idea, nor did I care.  All I cared was that there was a bed, which I quickly discovered was present as he practically threw me onto it, dropping me to my back before quickly following me down.  He held himself over me with his hands on either side of my face, head ducked down to suck on my neck. I couldn’t stop my hand from tugging up on his shirt, yanking it to his armpits before he gripped the back and pulled it off.  Immediately he grabbed mine, pulling it over my head before I was even aware of it, my bra following almost instantly after.  His head ducked down more to close his lips over my nipple, sucking and nibbling on it before sliding his tongue around the nub.  A whimper escaped my lips as his warm tongue laid flat against it, his other hand molding against the other side of my chest. Releasing my nipple, he dragged his lips back up my chest, kissing my jaw as his hands slid down my sides, reaching my undone jeans and sliding his hand back beneath the fabric.  His fingers slid along my opening before pushing in again, thumb pushing down on my clit and circling once, twice, three times.  My back arched into him again as I could stop the moan that fell from my lips. Suddenly he pulled his hand back and my hand slammed into the mattress in frustration.  I was relieved, however, when he roughly tugged my jeans and panties down, clearing them from my hips in one swift motion, baring me to him.  I kicked them off my legs, completely naked now.  My hands sunk beneath his remaining clothes and tugged, unable to move them more than an inch or so before he took over and pulled them off as well. He paused and pulled what I knew to be a condom from the glint of the foil out of the pocket.  Biting the corner of it, he ripped it open and tossed the wrapper to the side before sliding it on with unsurprising skill.  As soon as he had it on, I could feel him pushing against my opening, his weight evident as he waited.

His dark green eyes met my gaze as he looked at me, leaning down to kiss me roughly before

pulling

back

.

You good? he asked huskily, voice impossibly deep and raspy in his aroused state.

Yeah, I responded without thinking, my body completely taking over any sense I might have normally had.  He nodded sharply before shifting his hips forward, pushing himself

into

me

.

Oh my god, I moaned, the stretch of his massive size causing a delicious burn as he sunk all the way into me, giving me no time to adjust to him.  My mouth fell open and my head tilted back, aching against the mattress.  I felt his lips close over my jugular, surely able to feel my pulse pounding beneath my skin.  He pulled his hips back before sliding into me again, and I felt him exhale heavily against my skin. My muscles were tight as he pushed in and out of me, resisting the stretch his body was forcing upon me but relishing the pressure it created. 

Holy fuck, he groaned as he sunk his teeth into my collarbone before lifting his head to crash his mouth into mine.  His tongue dove into my mouth, massaging mine as he kissed me deeply.  I struggled to breathe as his hips rocked against me, driving him impossibly deeper with every thrust.  Pressure was building in my stomach already as he tilted his hips up slightly, hitting a completely different spot and earning another round of moans to slip from

my

lips

.

Fuck, Reece, I groaned as he gripped my hip in one of his large hands, lifting them off the bad as he drove himself fully in again and again.  I lost all control of my body as he took me; my back arched off the mattress, my hands roughly gripped at whatever part of him I could find, and gasps fell from my lips unstopped as he rolled his body on top of me. My palms slid down his back, which was firm with muscles and contracting tightly as he thrust into me, sweat forming over his skin.  I groaned when he dipped his hips down, the pressure growing more and more in my stomach.  My legs wrapped around his back and grew impossibly tight, my hips attempting to rise to meet his but mostly just bucking uncontrollably as he sunk into me again. His pace grew faster and faster, hips crashing into mine more and more as he worked my body into absolute chaos.  I couldn’t catch a solid breath in the state I was in, my mind buzzing wildly in ecstasy as he slammed into me.  My muscles tensed up, and I knew I was almost done for.  Fingernails scratched down his back as I tried to hold on, but he didn’t even notice.  If anything, he liked it, because a satisfied groan fell into my mouth as it passed through his lips. He tilted his hips up once more, hitting the deepest he had yet, pulling almost completely out before thrusting back in at an torturously fast pace, practically shoving me to the end.  One more deep thrust from him and I was done for, a cry I wasn’t aware of being shouted into the air as the pressure in my stomach burst, relief flooding through my body.  Heat radiated through me as I reveled in my high, my mouth falling open as he continued to rock his hips into me. Fuck, he groaned as he gave one more thrust, hitting incredibly deep and stilling as his muscles strained, the veins popping out in his neck as he squeezed his eyes shut and came.  After a few seconds he relaxed and let out a heavy exhale, pressing his lips to mine once before rolling onto his back next

to

me

.

Holy shit, I breathed, unable to open my eyes or stop the shaking that had settled over my entire body.  I was covered in a sheen of sweat and my entire body was buzzing, fire burning through my veins as I attempted to catch a breath.

He let out a huff of air, almost like a laugh as he shoved his hand through his wet hair before dropping it lazily back onto the bed.  I managed a glance at him and took in the incredible curve of his chest and abs, admiring his physical perfection.  For the first time, I noticed tattoos covered his left arm, along with a few dotting his chest and stomach.  I had been so distracted by his touches and his lips that I hadn’t even noticed

until

now

.

Nice to fucking meet you, Abigail, he said, gravel weighing down his voice as he let out a low scoff, grinning in satisfaction.  I took a deep breath, trying to process all that had just happened, my mind still clouded by my incredible orgasm.

What had I gotten

myself

into

?

"I can't promise that I'll be good

to

you

..."

Chapter

3

We were both quiet as we redressed, pulling on the various articles of clothing we had quickly shed in our haste to get each other naked.  I could feel his eyes burning into my skin as I fasted my bra behind my back and tried not to blush.  My mind was still spinning with what I had just done, but I couldn’t come to say I

regretted

it

.

The fact that I had no idea, really, who this guy was should have terrified me, but even now I felt a strange connection to him.  It was a lingering burn that had yet to be extinguished even after our sudden rendezvous.  I had never felt such a strange feeling before, such a sudden want and need to be connected to another person I didn’t even know.  I had to admit, I had loved every second of it. My mind flashed to Jack, but I quickly wiped him from my brain.  He didn’t deserve another moment of my time, especially after what he had done.  My faith in relationships had been completely shattered by him, so it felt amazing to have such a carefree and reckless experience with this guy.  Reece.  I shook my head, ridding the thoughts from my mind.  I would sort them out later.  Right now, I needed to focus on what to say to Reece without sounding like a complete idiot. I feel like I should tell you... he said suddenly, as if sensing my inner struggle.  I’m not looking for... anything.

I blinked, my face blank as I absorbed his words.  He looked confused by my lack of reaction, as if expecting me to be upset or sad.  On the contrary, his words comforted me.  I was in no shape to begin another relationship after my debacle of the last one, so his words were a relief.  Whatever had just happened, it had been uncomplicated and deliciously exciting.

Neither am I, I stated honestly.  I had a sense he was surprised by my answer.  He nodded as he buckled his belt, having covered his amazingly beautiful body

once

more

.

Okay, he said simply.  My eyes darted to the tattoos trailing down his arm, trying to decipher the black ink from his skin.  I thought I saw a rose covering his elbow before he cleared his throat, bringing my eyes back to his.  "Wanna

go

back

?"

Yeah, sure, I said, nodding.  I picked my phone up off the floor, where it had landed after falling out of the pocket of my jeans.  It vibrated in my hand as I did so, lighting up to reveal numerous text messages and missed calls from Emily. Shit, I muttered.  She would surely want to know where I had disappeared to for over an hour, and I already knew I didn’t want to tell her.  Whatever had happened here would be my own delicious little secret, destined to stay between Reece and I.  Of course, I didn’t really know him at all, so I couldn’t tell if he was the type to tell people or not.  I got the distinct impression that he wasn’t, however.  This would most likely stay between us and only us, which was fine

with

me

.

Ready? he asked, eyes searing into me from across the room.  Even now, his eyes felt like they were singeing a hole into my body.  My breath caught slightly in my throat as I looked up from my phone, meeting his eye contact and desperately avoiding staring at his full, dark

pink

lips

.

Mmhmm. I crossed the room to follow him out the door, taking advantage of his gaze facing forward to observe the wide expanse of his shoulders taper into an impossibly thin waist, the ratio astounding.  His black jeans were tighter than I’d seen on almost any other man, but he pulled it off without a hitch, the small curve of his bum intoxicating me even more as he walked.  I couldn’t help but feel proud of myself for somehow successfully seducing such an

attractive

man

.

He led me down the hallway we had come through, the path of destruction we left behind evident now that I wasn’t in a hormone-induced haze.  Pictures that hung on the walls were crooked, and various item, including a phone and a key basket, had been knocked to the floor. At least we didn’t destroy your room like this, I said quietly, laughing to myself.  He glanced over his shoulder and gave me an

amused

look

. 

"That wasn’t

my

room

."

My eyebrows furrowed instantly, confusion flooding through me.  It wasn’t?

Nope.

Who’s was it? I asked, almost afraid of the answer.

My buddy Matthew’s, he said nonchalantly.

Do you even live here? I asked, somehow already knowing the answer.

Nope, he replied, a slight smirk on his face.  Just holding his keys.  Good thing, too, ‘cause it came in handy.

Yeah, I guess so, I said distractedly, trying to decide if I should feel guilty or not for what we had just done on this mystery friend’s bed.  I decided I didn’t; it had been too good to cloud with negative emotions.

What’s your last name? he asked abruptly, leading me out the front door and locking it behind us.  We started walking down the sidewalk, back toward the party. 

Campbell, I said.  Abigail Campbell.

He nodded but didn’t offer his own last name, staring ahead as we walked.  I rolled my eyes at his insistence on barely speaking.

"And

yours

is

...?"

Evans, he answered, glancing down at me to see me watching his face.  His jaw flexed as he did so, throwing a dark shadow across his neck from the sharp line of it.  He raised an eyebrow at me but didn’t say anything as we continued to walk, turning off the sidewalk and heading back between the houses.  People were visible hanging out in the backyard of the party now, and the noise grew louder. A line of trees separated us from the party and we were almost past them when he suddenly grabbed my arm and pushed me lightly against one of the thick trunks, hiding us from the view of the people spread on the lawn.  His head ducked down to press his lips to mine, his chest pushing into mine as his hand gripped the back of my head. His lips parted mine as his tongue slid across my lower lip, his thumb hinging under my jaw to push my face up while he kissed me.  My hands instantly gripped his hips, pulling him tighter against me as his tongue pushed into my mouth again. As suddenly as he had kissed me he stopped, pulling his lips from mine and leaving me panting against

the

tree

. 

Wait thirty seconds then go back inside, he instructed, green eyes burning into my own before releasing his grip on me and disappearing into the yard.  I leaned my head back against the trunk, mind reeling as I tried to catch my breath. Why he wanted me to wait thirty seconds before following him was a mystery to me, but I suspected I had been right in thinking he was fairly private; he didn’t want people to know what he had just been busy doing.  I counted to thirty in my head before peeling myself away from my perch, running my fingers through my hair as I walked back into the crowd, attempting to look as if I hadn’t just had my entire body rocked by a mysterious man I

just

met

.

I didn’t see any of my friends outside as I wove through the people, narrowly avoiding the drinks that were inevitably spilled.  My phone vibrated in my hand again, indicating Emily was calling me and I cursed under my breath.  I had approximately one minute until she found me and demanded an answer as to where I

had

been

.

It turned out to be much less than a minute as a hand suddenly gripped my upper arm, my mind immediately flashing to Reece before I was spun around to look into

Emily’s

face

.

Where the hell did you go? she demanded, looking flustered and slightly sweaty.  She had either consumed a lot more alcohol in my absence or the simple heat of the party was getting to her.  I couldn’t really talk- I probably looked just as bad. Um, just around, I said vaguely, gesturing widely with my hand.  She looked at me skeptically. 

Around? she said, throwing up sarcastic air quotes that I wasn’t sure were necessary.

Yeah, around. I was looking for you everywhere, I lied, focusing on keeping my face even.  I was an

awful

liar

. 

So was I, she replied, eyes narrowing before she broke into a grin. Weird!

I let out a sigh of relief, happy she had accepted my excuse.  I suspected her alcohol intake was making her less sharp than usual, which worked to my advantage. 

Have you found your man yet? I asked, hoping to distract her further. 

No! I need your help to pick someone, she giggled, pulling me inside the back door to re-enter the house.  It was packed with people, some playing games, some making drinks, others dancing or just hanging out as the music pounded throughout the room.  We leaned against the wall, giving us a fairly good view of the room as her eyes scanned for a potential hook up. It was weird; my behavior tonight was usually what Emily ended up doing while I either hung out with friends or my boyfriend.  Tonight was the first party I had gone to since becoming single, and I had to say, my newly single life was off to a wonderful start.  My eyes searched the crowd as well, looking more for the familiar beautiful face I had recently come to know than for a suitor for Emily, but she didn’t need to know that. Him? I asked, indicating toward a blonde guy across the room who looked like her usual type.  She twisted her lips in consideration as she observed. 

No, I think he’s with a girl, she said.  Sure enough, seconds later a girl appeared by his side, planting a sloppy kiss to his cheek as he grinned down

at

her

.

Yeah, you’re right, I admitted as my eyes trailed further along the

crowd

.  "

Him

?"

She scrunched up her nose. No, too drunk, she said as he wavered in his place. 

Holy shit, she said suddenly, tone dropping.  I glanced at her face to see her expression blank, jaw hanging open slightly as she stared.  I followed her gaze to see it land on the person I had just been searching for. His head was thrown back in laughter, dimples I hadn’t noticed before dotting his cheeks as he leaned back against the wall, once again surrounded by a crowd of people.  I couldn’t help but notice his hair looked significantly messier than it had the first time I’d spied him across

the

room

.

No, I said immediately, knowing it was him who had caught her attention. 

No shit, no, she said, surprising me.  I had expected her to select him as her target, not reject him with such hostility.

Why?

Don’t you know who that is? she asked incredulously, tearing her gaze away from him to look at me in shock.

No... I lied.  My eyes flitted back to him.  I nearly choked when I found his gaze focused on me again, amusement glinting in his eye with the lingering smile from whatever he had been laughing at.  His lips moved as he answered someone from his group, never tearing his gaze from mine.  My heart pounded in his chest when his left eye dropped in a cocky wink before turning back to his group.

Luckily Emily had been too busy staring at me to see any

of

this

.

That’s that Evans guy, she said slowly, as if it were obvious.  Her words told me absolutely nothing.

Okay?

You seriously haven’t heard of him? she asked, her eyes widening

at

me

.

No, now what is it? I said impatiently, flitting my gaze back to him and taking in his cool, relaxed stance.  A ghost of a smirk remained on his face as he watched his group, not speaking again.  Dark splotches of ink could be seen on the skin covering his forearm and I wondered how I had missed those the first time.  When my gaze returned to his face, I sucked in a breath when I saw, once again, his green eyes focused

on

me

.

He was going to have to stop doing that or I was going to

pass

out

. 

He just... gets around, you know? Like a lot, she said, a look of distaste crossing her face.  My first thought was that she was being a bit hypocritical- hadn’t the only reason we’d come to this part in the first place was so she could find someone to hook up with? My second thought was a flash of concern, which was quickly extinguished by my realization that it suited me just fine.  I wasn’t interested in any type of relationship, so I didn’t really care if he had that reputation. Sure, I wasn’t thrilled that I would probably be just another notch in his belt, but I wasn’t devastated by this news.  Frankly, I wasn’t really surprised- he had been incredible in bed so it only made sense that he was... experienced. My eyes slid over him again, my eyebrows furrowing as I studied him.  The more I thought about it, the less surprised I was.  He was incredibly attractive, definitely confident enough, and clearly knew what he was doing.  Even the move with making me wait behind the tree seemed a lot like something he had pulled several times, now that I thought

about

it

.

Irritation flashed through me as his eyes locked on mine for what felt like the hundredth time.  My passive expression turned to one of slight annoyance as his now serious face observed me, trying to determine the cause of my change in mood.  I was proud of myself for deciding I didn’t want anything from him earlier, before I had even known any of this.  Now that I knew, I was glad I hadn’t gotten some weird, irrational thought in my head that what we had done was anything more than sex.  Incredible, mind-blowing sex, yes, but just sex all the same. I nodded to myself, wiping away my irritation and allowing my calmness to settle back in as I returned to the state of mind I had been in earlier.  Nothing had really changed, after all.  I had just learned a bit about his past, but it didn’t change the way I felt about him, which was nothing.  Sure, there was still that weird lingering burn, but I attributed that to my intense attraction to him and his talents in the bedroom.

I glanced back at Emily to see her ignoring me, which was good because I had been wrapped up in my head for a while now, unashamedly observing Reece from across the room.  Her eyes were focused on a man of her own, finally seeming to have found someone she deemed appropriate.  She was currently waving him over to us, a flirty grin spreading on her lips. I’m gonna get a drink, I told her.  She barely acknowledged me as she made eyes at the now approaching guy.  Pushing myself off the wall, I glanced at Reece one last time to see him refocused on his group.  I wove through the crowd and made my way into the kitchen where the drinks were. After sniffing several different suspicious looking options, I decided it was safest to go with a beer from the quickly emptying keg.  I had nearly pumped a cup full of the frothy beer when a voice at the shell of my ear made

me

jump

.

Did you tell her? he asked, standing closely behind me as he watched me finish up at

the

keg

.

No, I said evenly, turning around to face him.  He didn’t back up, leaving only a few inches of space between us as he looked down

at

me

.

Okay.

Why?

He shrugged.  No reason.

Okay...

You can if you want, I don’t really care, he said, eyes flitting back and forth

between

mine

.

I don’t want to, I said honestly, still liking the idea of having a private dirty secret with him and him alone.  And, now that I knew she knew him, I didn’t want to deal with her surely incessant questions.

Why not? he pressed.

I shrugged, twisting my lips into my mouth.  It’s between us, yeah? It can stay that way, I said evenly, smirking up at him lightly.  He studied my face to see if I was serious, obviously not used to such a calm reaction from his previous encounters.  Everything I had said so far had been the truth, even though I could see he was still deciding if he believed me

or

not

.

Alright, he finally said.  He looked around the kitchen before determining that we were alone.  He grabbed my wrist and pulled me into the dark corner, away from the view of the entrance to the kitchen.  Pushing me back against the counter, he ducked his head down and pressed a kiss to my neck, just below

my

ear

.

See you around, Abigail, he breathed into my ear before tugging on it lightly with his teeth, releasing it and disappearing just as quickly as he had arrived.

Despite everything I that had happened tonight and what I had learned about him, I couldn’t help but desperately hope he was right. 

"Without a sound, yeah, you're calling me, and I don't think

it's

fair

."

Chapter

4

Nearly a week had passed with my interaction with Reece and I hadn't seen or heard from him again, not that I expected to. While I knew the odds of me ever seeing him again were slim, I couldn't stop his face from constantly reappearing in my mind and remember the way his skin had felt against mine. Goose bumps rose on my body at the slightest thought of him, my body reacting as if he were right in front of me breathing down my neck rather than nowhere to be found.

It was an infatuation I had never felt before, but I knew that's all it was- an infatuation. I was a realistic person, and I knew that whatever I was feeling, it went no further than an intense physical attraction and burning curiosity. Sure, there was that weird, lingering connection that had drawn me to him in the first place, but I attributed that to the atmosphere of the party and the way he had been looking

at

me

.

I felt confident that if I had met him in the grocery store or somewhere decidedly less sexually charged, he wouldn't have had the same effect on me. Or so I tried to convince myself. Whatever it was, it was not something that was going to cause me to hunt him down and demand to get to know him like a crazy person. It had been a one night thing, an incredible one night thing, yes, but a one night thing all the same; it was a wild memory I could look back on when I was old, married, and grey and think, yeah, I used to be pretty crazy.

That was it. That's all it was and that's all it was going to be. If I ever did see him again, I had mentally prepared myself to watch him work the same routine on another girl and I would be okay with it. I would.

These were my thoughts, as they had been all week, as I drove home from my last class on Friday afternoon. It was my sophomore year of university and I shared an apartment with Emily, who was always up for a good time and proving to be a very interesting roommate. We were only about a month into school for the year, but it was off to an eventful start.

Music flooded through the halls from various apartment suites as I walked toward mine, the various college students that lived in my building already celebrating the end of the week and getting their weekend started. I wasn't surprised to find that Emily, too, had joined the festivities when I entered our apartment and saw her bouncing around the kitchen with music blaring, cooking a gourmet meal of macaroni and cheese while drinking

a

beer

.

Welcome home, lovely, she greeted me, raising her beer in my direction when she saw me enter. Hope you have your party pants ready, she said cheerily, grinning at me as I rolled my eyes playfully and threw my keys on the counter.

"Why

is

that

?"

Party, duh! You're not staying in another weekend because we need to keep your mind of Jack, she hissed, frowning in exaggeration and taking another sip of

her

beer

.

Starting early today, huh? I laughed, dodging her statement about going out. It was just past four in the afternoon yet she was happily drinking already.

Yes, and I've got some waiting for you, or vodka, or whatever you want, so you have no excuse.

And I have no say in this? I asked, pulling myself up to sit on the

counter

top

.

Nope, she said, grinning at me. She was right; I probably shouldn't stay home alone on a weekend because that's when I got stuck in my head about everything that had happened

with

Jack

.

Jack, who had been until very recently, my boyfriend of three and a half years. He had been my rock and my absolutely best friend until I had discovered that he had been cheating on me for the last half of our relationship, obliterating any faith I had in them. If someone who claimed to care about so deeply and love me so much could do that, I didn't want to know what other people were

capable

of

.

He had absolutely shattered any hope I had left in love, relationships, and frankly, men in general. I had come to the realization a few days ago that it was probably the reason I had gone so willingly to Reece. A reckless, carefree night was just what I needed to get set in the mentality of a firmly single person.

It was also probably the reason I felt such a weird connection and detachment to him all at the same time; my body burned for him, yet my heart was decidedly uninterested and evasive. I was certain nothing good could come of any relationship with anyone, much less attempting to start something with him after he had flat out told me he wasn't looking for anything.

It suited me perfectly, really, because as far as I was concerned, I was done with relationships and anything close to a relationship for a very

long

time

.

Stop thinking about Jack and go get ready, Emily scolded me, reading my mind. "We're meeting Lauren and Chloe for drinks then we're

going

out

."

Okay, okay! I laughed as I jumped off the counter to go take a shower, determined to keep my mind off of all men and focus on having a good time with my friends tonight.

Three hours later, I was completely ready and on my way to dinner with Emily. I was driving since she had decided it was a good idea to keep drinking by herself and was fairly drunk already when we walked into the restaurant to meet Lauren and Chloe. She never stopped talking, blabbering about something trivial in her drunken state as they waved us over to their table. It was located in the bar section that was fairly packed.

We wove our way through the other students gathered there, showing our forged IDs that claimed we were of age to drink before ordering a round of drinks. Emily, thankfully, decided to stick with water for a bit so she would actually make

it

out

.

The table we sat at was off to the side of the dimly lit bar, my back toward the middle as Emily sat across from me and slurped at her water drunkenly. We had passed the time quickly, chatting and laughing as we drank several over-priced drinks. Chloe was in the middle of telling us a story when I noticed Emily's eyes go wide and her jaw go slack, gaping at something

behind

me

.

Chloe and Lauren, too, seemed distracted by something I couldn't see. I was about to turn around when I felt a hand slide up my back and into my hair, reminding me instantly of the time someone had done that exact thing to me last week. I froze in my seat when I felt a body lean down behind me, lips pressing to the shell of my ear to speak. I knew it was him before he even said anything; my body reacted exactly as it had the first time, sparks shooting through my veins and the smoldering burn erupting into full-fledged flames.

Abigail, he said in my ear. I resisted the urge to shiver as my name dripped off his tongue. He leaned into my field of vision, releasing his grip on the back of my neck as he leaned casually against the table, resting his weight on his elbow as he peered down at me. Just as the last time I had seen him, his eyes were practically burning a hole through me. My mouth felt dry as I stared at him, shocked that he had suddenly appeared before me when I had been thinking about him

all

week

.

He was even more beautiful than I remembered with his striking green eyes, sharp features, and perfectly messy chocolate hair pushed back off his forehead.

Reece, I finally managed to say, pleased it came out as coolly as I had hoped. He completely ignored my table of friends as he continued to stare

at

me

.

Good to see you, he said calmly.

And you, I returned, determinedly holding his gaze and not letting it fall to his beautifully full lips. Not that looking him in the eye was any less difficult.

Plans tonight?

My heart thudded in my chest. Was he asking so he could ask me to do something? Or just making conversation? He didn't strike me as the type to bother with casual conversation.

We're going to that party, I think, I started, still not able to tear my gaze away from his but gesturing vaguely with my hand at my friends, who remained silent. On Monroe Street.

He nodded, cocking his head up