Finally (Mature Men, #3) (8 page)

"I told her that she shouldn't expect too much because he was interested in someone else. Of course I didn't tell her that someone was you. You're the one who needs to tell her that."

I shook my head. "I won't need to because I have no intentions to going out with him again. I know it's cowardly but the thought of her knowing what almost happened makes me fear for our friendship."

"She won't hear it from me and I know Shane is a kind man—just as Darkwater is."

I sighed. "Since you seem intent on singing his praises as much as possible lately—"

"Why shouldn't I? He's a great guy and you didn't give him a fair shake."

"Strangely enough, I disagree, but you interrupted before I could finish my sentence."

"Knock yourself out," she said.

"What's going on with him?"

"What do you mean?"

"He texted me and asked me to call him."

"Thank God!"

"It was surprising. Do you know he's never done that before?"

"Done what?"

"Texted me. He always called. Sometimes he emailed me, but never texted me. So what did he want?"

"I'll go out on a limb and suggest he probably wants another chance to see you. What did he say?"

"I told you what the text said."

"No. I mean what did he say when you asked him what he wanted? I know he's averse to discussing his feelings, but surely he must have made some response when you asked him."

"I didn't ask."

"What do you mean...oh, Sher! You didn't call him!"

"No, I didn't, but there's no need to make that sound like a crime."

"Given how you two feel about it, it is." She sighed. "Look, Sher, I know this is hard for you. It's hard for him too. He's never had to chase a woman."

"And he hasn't started with me, Am."

"Look, if you want to know what he wants, call and ask him. It's the other line...hold on a sec...it's Mom, Sher. She wants to talk about Darkwater. She's worried about him. Are you okay if we talk later?"

I nodded. "Yes. Give her my love."

"Will do."

I hung up feeling no more knowledgeable than when I'd called her. Surely if Darkwater had really wanted to rekindle our romance he would have made an effort to do so long before now. With my luck he wanted to rekindle our sexual relationship, this time without the pretense of romancing me. And I just could not handle that from him.

Shane was another manner. The idea of a strictly sexual relationship with him excited the hell out of me. But I couldn't go there without hurting Janine.
And you can not do that. So get over your lust for him already.

I struggled to spend what was left of the workday actually working. Just after five, I left, dreading a long, stressful evening. In the parking lot, I came to an abrupt stop several feet from my SUV as a tall, striking Native American male got out of a late model car at my approach.

Darkwater. Oh lord. He looked as sexy as ever. My heart pounded and my pussy pulsed. Regret for the relationship I longed for but knew we could never have, weighted me down. I took a quick deep breath and slowly continued to my SUV.

"Sherlyn." He smiled.

It was a warm, slow smile that seemed to reach out and surround me; making me feel sensual and irresistible. Seeing it again, reminded me of waking the morning after we'd spent the previous night making love to find him looking at me as if he couldn't get enough of gazing at me.

I inhaled slowly, longing to rush forward to toss myself into his arms. Would I ever stop wanting something with him I could never have?

"It's been awhile," he said.

Too damned long
. "What can I do for you?" I asked unlocking my SUV.

"Did you get my text?"

"Yes."

"Strange. Did I somehow miss your call?"

"I didn't call."

"I noticed."

I turned to face him. "What did you want?"

"I was hoping we could talk, Sherlyn."

I shrugged. "Do we have anything to discuss?"

His gaze narrowed. "Clearly I do or I wouldn't be here."

I met his gaze, recalled how intimate we'd been at our happiest and then felt my cheeks heating up. "I'm on my way home. If you really think it's necessary, I'll call you when I get there."

He put out a hand to keep me from opening my driver side door. "Don't bother. I'll follow you."

I shook my head. "Actually,—"

"I'll follow you," he said again.

We stared at each other for several moments before I reluctantly nodded.

Having gotten his way, he smiled and turned away to get back in his car.

"Great. Why don't you follow me, Darkwater?" I called after him, making no effort to conceal my annoyance.

He glanced over his shoulder, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Do you have any idea how sexy you are when you're annoyed, Drake?"

I inhaled slowly. So I'd been right. His interest now was strictly sexual. Wonderful. I got in my SUV and drove off, aware that he was close behind me.

The forty-five minute drive to my place seemed endless. By the time I pulled into my parking spot, I still had no idea how I wanted to handle the coming "talk" with him. Things got even worse when I realized my second parking spot was already occupied by Shane's car. Oh hell. I panicked at the thought of the two of them coming face to face until I realized Darkwater would have to drive around to the visitor's lot. By the time he walked back I would hopefully have had a chance to get rid of Shane.

But when had Darkwater ever done what I expected him to? Instead of driving around to the visitor parking lot, he pulled into an adjacent empty space and got out of his car just as Shane alighted from his. As I stood frozen, the two men stared at each other in what felt like instant dislike. I'm sure they knew who the other was, even though they'd never met.

Seeing them both together, recalled that steamy dream. I felt my cheeks burning and found it difficult to look directly at either of them.

Darkwater finally turned to look at me with a cold look in his dark gaze. And damn if I didn’t feel as if I'd been caught cheating. Then he turned to face Shane. "What the hell are you doing here, Reddorn?"

Shane allowed his hand to drop to his side. "Well, damn. It's nice to meet you too, Darkwater."

"What are you doing here?"

Shane shrugged. "Probably the same thing you are. I'm here to see Sherlyn."

"As you can see, she's with me."

"Is she? I understood she was finished with you."

"You understood wrong."

"Really? Why don't we let her decide who she wants to see?" Shane suggested.

"Why don't you get the fuck out of here before I—"

I stepped between them, facing Darkwater. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Are you dating him?" he demanded.

"No, but if I were it wouldn't be any concern of yours," I reminded him.

He stared down at me, his eyes looking like twin pools of cold, dry ice. "I suggest you tell him to get lost before I kick his ass."

"What the hell!" Shane snapped and stepped closer. "I'd love to see you try that shit."

Deciding that Shane might be the easier of the two to convince to leave, I swung around to face him. "Please don't tell me you've stood Janine up to come here."

He shook his head. "I'm picking her up in an hour but I wanted to see you first."

If only Janine hadn't seen and fallen for him first, I would whole-heartedly have embraced every opportunity to see him again and to drown my sorrows in a sexual relationship with him. Lord, what a mess. "Will you do me a favor, Shane?"

"Name it," he said.

"Leave. Now. Please."

He inhaled and narrowed his gaze. "You told me it was over between you two."

"It is."

"Then why should I be the one to leave?"

"Because I ask you to."

"Why not ask him to leave?"

I had a feeling nothing short of divine intervention would force Darkwater to leave one damn minute before he wanted to. "Please, Shane? Just do me this favor and leave now. Please."

He compressed his lips, gave Darkwater a cold stare, and then deliberately bent to claim my lips.

I wanted to draw away from him but his lips were so warm and insistent. I was so lonely that his obvious interest boosted my morale. The fact that Darkwater was watching and might somehow be jealous fueled the warmth I put into my response. He kissed me with such passion that my knees shook. Struggling to keep my response from spilling over into outright lust, I finally pressed my hands against his shoulders.

After a moment of resistance, he allowed me to pull away.

With my heart pounding and thoughts of that dream on my mind, I found it impossible to meet Darkwater's gaze.

Shane had no such problem. He actually turned to smirk at Darkwater before moving towards his car. "See you soon, Sherlyn," he said.

Darkwater swore and stepped around me.

Not a good sign. I grabbed his hand. "Thomas!"

He pulled away.

I grabbed his hand again. "Thomas! You have a choice. You can either say what you want to say to me or you can start a fight with Shane. You can't do both. Your choice," I said and then turned away, praying he wanted to talk to me more than he wanted to punch Shane out.

S
herlyn

I'd walked about thirty feet, half expecting to hear an exchange of fists before Darkwater fell into step beside me. I was so relieved, I nearly leaned against him. I turned and waved to Shane as he drove off.

We entered the building together in silence. We didn't speak until we were inside my apartment. Before I could ask if he wanted a drink, he turned me to face him and stared at me. "What the hell are you doing sharing a man with Janine?"

I compressed my lips. "I'm not sharing him or anyone else. I told you I'm not dating him."

"Then what the fuck was he doing here and why the fuck did he kiss you like that?"

He sounded satisfyingly jealous. "He clearly wanted to annoy you."

"And that's your explanation for that damned kiss? Why the hell should he want to annoy me when we've never met before tonight?"

"He knows you and John aren't the best of friends."

"So? What are you telling me? That I can expect to find all of John's damned brothers waiting for an opportunity to swap spit with you in that indecent manner?"

The urge to laugh at the image his words conjured in my mind was difficult to overcome. However, I knew any show of amusement would seriously piss him off. "Indecent manner? It was just a kiss, Darkwater."

"It was far more than a damned kiss, Sherlyn and you know it. Why the hell would you allow him to kiss you like that?"

"You almost sound as if you'd care if that were the case."

"Is it? Or is it just the case with him in particular?"

"You haven't answered my question," I pointed out.

"And I'm not going to."

But he expected me to answer his? Fuck that! "I don't recall stalking you and demanding to know who you've been sleeping with."

"So now I'm stalking you, Sherlyn?"

I shrugged, annoyed that he never did what I wanted or expected him to.

"And just so we're clear, you didn't ask who I was sleeping with because you're not the one who got her ass kicked to the damned curb, Sherlyn!"

Part of me wanted to believe he really cared, but he seemed more angry than hurt. "Yes, I ended things but we both know you're angry because I beat you to the punch."

He frowned. "Is that what you think?"

"It's what I know," I countered.

He shook his head and stalked across the room to stare out the living room window. "I don't know where you get your information from, but I was not going to end our relationship."

"Yes, you were!"

"No, I wasn't."

I shook my head, confused by his insistence. "After we had unprotected sex..."

He turned to look at me. "What?"

Recalling the feel of his bare cock pushing deep into my pussy made me hot and made coherent thought difficult. I had to take a moment to push the memory away before I could trust my voice to stay level. "You turned dark and so cold, I almost felt I was in danger of getting frostbite each time you touched me."

His nostrils flared but he remained silent.

"I had to end it before you did," I insisted.

He stalked across the room to stare down at me. Even though he didn't touch me, I felt surrounded by his sheer masculinity. "Even though our relationship was far from ideal, I was not going to leave you, Sherlyn."

"You were!"

"I wasn't."

For one painful moment, I believed him and felt overwhelmed by the thought that I might have ended our fantasy relationship because I'd misunderstood him or misread his intentions. Then I gave myself a mental shake. Had that been true and had he felt a quarter of what I felt for him, he would have made an effort to change my mind. He hadn't.

I shrugged. "It doesn't really make a difference now."

"Why the hell doesn't it, Sherlyn?"

"Because it needed to end."

He shook his head. "Why the hell did it need to end after our having waited so long for it to begin? Things were good between us."

His insistence that things had been good between us only minutes after calling our brief relationship less than ideal didn't make much sense but still hurt. I swallowed a lump of emotion. "Yes. Physically, things were good between us for a while. But only for a while and emotionally, we were never any good together."

He compressed his fingers and gripped my arms. "Says who?"

"Says my heart," I snapped and jerked away from him. "The same heart that you chipped at, cracked, and finally shattered every time I entrusted it to you! That's who!"

He inhaled slowly and shook his head. "How the hell can you not know that I never meant to hurt you, Sherlyn?"

"Despite your intentions, you always manage to hurt me, Thomas."

"That was the last thing I wanted and the thing I tried so hard not to do."

I shrugged, shaking my head.

He stared at me. "What does that mean?"

"It's over."

"So you're not interested in giving it another try?"