Flawed (Blaze of Glory #2) (7 page)

“You can’t sleep here,” she gasps, and my smile widens even further.

“Actually, I can. This is my bed.”

“
Your
bed?” she exclaims, sitting up and drawing the blanket around herself, eyes wide with shock. “There has to be some kind of a mistake.”

“I can assure you, there’s not,” I answer, patting the bed beside me with a knowing grin as realization finally dawns on her.

“You’re Keets,” she says accusingly.

“I am,” I agree, nodding. I chuckle as she scrambles off the bed and walks backward until she bumps into the wall. I stalk toward her, expecting to see a flicker of fear across her beautiful features. Her hand shoots forward.

“What was that for?” I laugh. I’ve decided I like her; she has a fire in her, just waiting to come out.

"You said your name was Damien. Why did you lie to me?” she demands, two bright red splotches of anger appearing on her cheekbones.

“I didn’t lie,” I try to explain. “Damien Keets is my name.”

Her shoulders slump and she hangs her head dejectedly. “You should have told me.”

“I tried to, but you wouldn’t listen.” I chuckle, easily ducking when she takes another swing at me.

“What are you doing here?” she asks, looking up at me as she smooths her hair back from her face. “Why aren’t you at your own house?”

“My house is being renovated,” I explain, satisfied that she won’t try to hit me again as I move away and take a seat on the edge of the bed. She watches me like a hawk, her eyes wide open as she slowly creeps out from her corner of the room. “I’ve been staying here until it’s finished.”

Color floods her face. “I-I’m sorry,” she says quietly, and all traces of a smile are wiped from my face by her broken words. “Is there a hotel nearby I could stay at?”

My eyes widen as I come off the bed. “What the hell are you talking about?” I ask harshly, my fingers digging into her upper arms. She cries out in pain and I immediately let go, raking a hand through my short hair. “Why do you need a hotel?”

“Well, I can’t stay here with… you,” she blurts out, her face flaming in embarrassment.

Ah, so that’s the problem.
“Natalie,” I say in a low voice as I reach out and gently caress her arm. “You’re safe here, I promise.”

I can see her struggling to decide whether or not to believe me, and I find myself holding my breath, waiting for her reply. “What if I don’t want to be safe?” she says in a voice that’s barely above a whisper. Heat floods through me, and my cock strains against the front of my jeans.
Get it together, Keets. This is the last thing either one of you need.
Still, the image of Natalie Harper bound and naked on my bed is almost too much to handle. “Trust me, Nat,” I tell her quietly. “It’s for the best if we both play it safe right now.” A flood of relief washes over me as she finally nods her consent, and I give her what I hope is my most reassuring smile. “Great,” I say, gathering one of the pillows and a blanket.

“What are you doing?” she asks, watching as I quickly make up the two-seater couch on the other side of the office. I pause and look up at her with a knowing smile. “What do you think I’m doing, Natalie?” I ask, straightening as her face turns red once more.

“I… that is, I thought that—”

“That we would be sharing the bed, right?” I finish for her gently, smiling again when she nods. Her head is down as I approach her and place a finger under her chin, turning her face up toward me. “Beautiful, I would share that bed with you in a second if I thought you were ready,” I whisper, tucking a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. I’m resisting the urge to thrust my denim covered cock against her. “And when I do, you’ll be begging for it.”

I drop a kiss lightly on her lips before releasing her and turning away, clicking off the lamp and moving to the couch. It’s much too small for me, but I manage to swing my legs over one arm of it and get myself somewhat comfortable. I wish I could say the same for my pants, though. They’re painfully tight and my balls are squashed into the most uncomfortable position. Pulling my legs back down, I unzip my jeans. I would have pulled them down, but tiny gasp in the quiet room stops me. As my eyes adjust to the darkness, I can easily make out her silhouette, still standing in the center of the room. “Go to sleep, Natalie,” I groan, rubbing a hand over my face as I watch her silently move to the bed. Outside the office, I hear the noise from the bar quieting down as Lance locks up for the night. The bed squeaks slightly as she lies down, and I quickly shuck off my jeans and back down on the couch in nothing but a pair of white briefs. I’m trying so hard to maintain my composure, but the thought of Natalie Harper in my bed has me reaching down to adjust my hard cock. I can’t help myself, the second my hand touches the bulge I’m gone. Running my fingers over my balls through my briefs, I squeeze them lightly then move up the shaft. My cock twitches and jumps as I pass over the sensitive little section just below the head. I can feel the pre-cum creating a small wet patch on the front of my briefs. Glancing over toward the bed, I can’t tell if she’s watching me touch myself, but as I slip my hand down my briefs and run my fingers over my bare skin, a part of me is hoping she is.

Gripping the base of my cock with a firm wrist, I drag my hand up and over the head, then all the way back down, passing my hand over my tight balls. It feels so damn good that I do it again… and again, biting my bottom lip to stop myself from groaning out loud. I imagine my hand turning into her mouth; her warm, wet mouth as it slides up and down on my cock. A thin sheen of sweat beads my brow and I throw my head back as I feel my balls tightening, preparing for the release. Then, out of nowhere, Natalie’s face morphs into someone else… someone that has my cock shriveling faster than a possum running from a tractor.

Liz.

Cursing under my breath, I remove my hand from my pants and flop back on the pillow. There’d been no denying Natalie wanted comfort tonight, and while I want nothing more than to bury myself between those soft, sweet thighs, I know it wouldn’t be good for either of us. 

Get it together, Keets
, I scold myself.
It’s just three weeks until the anniversary of her death. Just three more weeks and, you’ll be gone. You don’t want to be leaving behind a broken heart.

NATALIE

My heart rate slows as I hear his even breathing coming from the couch. I thought for sure he’d caught me watching him move his hand on his cock, but if he did, he certainly didn’t say anything. I wonder what he was thinking about, whatever it was, it’d obviously frustrated him, as he stopped before he’d finished. I can’t deny that I enjoyed the show, as the throbbing between my legs reminds me. Lying in bed, my fingers run over my ribs and up to my breasts. Pregnancy has made my nipples especially sensitive, and it doesn’t take more than a mere flick of my fingers to have me gasping. Biting my lip to try and shut up, I let one hand play with my nipples while the other slides down beneath the blankets and beneath my skirt. Pushing my thong aside, I slip one finger along the seam of my pussy, shivering as it passes over my sensitive clit. Sliding it back down, I bite my lip harder as I push that lone finger inside me. I’m so wet that it makes a small squelching sound. Suddenly, the moon slips out from behind a cloud, bathing the room in a soft light. Keets moves and I freeze. I can’t tell if his eyes are open or not. I get my answer when I hear his soft snore, and I sag with relief, pulling my hand away from my pussy, the moment ruined.

Slipping from the bed, I take a seat at the desk and turn on a small lamp, illuminating the immediate area. Tears spring to my eyes as they land on a photo in a delicate glass frame, and I carefully pick it up as I look into my mother’s gentle eyes. I miss her and Daddy so much, every day. I wonder what they’d say about my life if they could see me now, how they’d react to my baby…

My hand clasps protectively over my stomach, and for the first time I feel a swell of love for the child growing inside me.
This is real,
I tell myself.
This is my family.
Placing the photo back down on the table, I gasp when I see a drawing. Picking it up almost reverently, my fingers trace lightly over the intricate markings that make up my sleeping form, resting on a bed in the middle of the ocean. It’s a remarkable likeness; he even got the tiny scattering of pale freckles across my nose. I suppose I should be worried that a man, who is basically a complete stranger, is watching me while I sleep, even drawing me, but somehow the thought gives me comfort. The image gives me great insight into the mind of Damien Keets. The ocean in his picture is so dark and intimidating. I look like I’m completely alone lying on that bed. A shark fin is circling me, and I wonder if it’s supposed to represent him. Is he the shark, or the ocean? Is he the predator, or is he simply as alone as I am? Putting down the drawing, I open the top drawer and grin as I take out Shannon’s favorite pen. It has this ridiculously large white feather stuck in the top; Daddy made it for her a number of years ago, before he died. I drag the tip of the feather lightly across my cheek, shivering at the tickling sensation it produces. Putting it back in the drawer, I stand and move to the doorway, glancing back to see Keets still sound asleep.

As I push open the door, I find myself back in the main bar area, blinking rapidly against the bright light over the bar. A young man is sitting there with his back toward me, counting the money in the till. As I approach, he looks up and gives me a broad grin. His teeth are perfectly white and straight, and stand out against his dark skin. He’s wearing a pair of ridiculously oversized white sunglasses on top of his long black dreadlocks; they look like bug eyes and I stifle a giggle. “Natalie, right?” he asks, hopping off the bar stool and extending his hand out. I grip it in a polite handshake and give him a small smile, eyeing the money on the bar with a questioning look. “Lance,” he introduces himself, gathering up the piles of money and putting them into envelopes. “I just started here a week ago. I was just sorting out the money from the day and locking up.”

Right. Idiot, Natalie. He’s the bartender, not a damn thief.
“It’s a nice bar,” I tell him. “Do you like working here?”

“I love it,” he says, flashing me another grin as he picks up the envelopes and puts them in the deposit bag before holding it out to me. “Could you put this in the office for me?” he asks, indicating with his head to the door I just exited. “I’d do it myself, but Keets gave me explicit instructions that he’s not to be disturbed for the rest of the night. Of course,” he looks me up and down, and I flush as I remember that I’m wearing a short skirt that leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination. “I had no idea he was with a beautiful woman.” He gives me a wink that instantly puts me at ease, and I laugh out loud.

“Well, thank you, and of course I’ll put it away for you,” I reply with a grin, placing the bag down on the bar and following him around the room as he stacks chairs on tables. “So…” I ask casually, not wanting to appear too obvious, “What’s the deal with Keets?” Lance almost drops the chair he’s holding as he turns back to me, his eyes wide with excitement. “Keets is fantastic,” he says, a little too enthusiastically. “He’s the one who got me this job. I was a runaway and lived on the streets until about a week ago. Keets is the one who found me in town and offered me the job. Gave me a place to stay and everything.” I can’t help but grin at his obvious bromance love for his employer. “That’s great,” I respond with a smile, lightly touching his arm. “But, what about the man himself? Is he trustworthy?”

“Why don’t you ask him yourself?” a cold voice asks behind me.

“Keets,” I gasp, spinning around with my hand over my heart. “You scared the hell out of me.” I see Lance slip out of the bar from the corner of my eye, and I force myself to stand tall and proud. Warily watching Keets walking toward me, I find myself backing up until my hip hits the side of the bar. “Have I given you a reason to not trust me, Natalie?” he asks, his voice low, eyes never leaving mine. He stops about two inches away from me and leans forward, brushing my hair over my shoulder and down my back. His breath is hot and heavy against my ear. “Have I, Natalie?” he whispers, sending shivers down my spine. “Keets, I—”

“Shh,” he interrupts, placing a finger against my lips. “Don’t speak. Just let me show you how trustworthy I am.” Removing his finger, he immediately replaces it with his lips, kissing first one side of my mouth, then the other. By the time I feel his tongue probing, demanding access, I am lost to the sensation. Parting my lips, I allow him to deepen the kiss. I wrap my arms around his neck as his hands rest lightly on my hips, pulling me against his lower body. I can feel his hardness pressing against me through his jeans before his hands move lower, beneath my short skirt…

“Wait,” I gasp, pushing him away breathlessly. He eyes me as I move away, desperate to put some distance between us. I don’t know what just came over me; he has me under some kind of kinky spell that makes me want to throw myself at him every time he comes near me. “We can’t do this,” I say, finally looking up at him. He seems to hesitate, then nods once. “You’re right, of course,” he says curtly. “I’m sorry, it won’t happen again.” Turning around, he stalks back toward the office, slamming the door closed behind him.

I sag against the bar and pull my hair up into a ponytail, securing it with a hair tie from my wrist. Rubbing my hands over my face, I let out a loud sigh and step behind the bar. I grab a glass of ice water before moving to a small round table. Taking a seat, I sit in the dark and crunch a piece of ice between my back teeth, contemplating everything that just happened. There’s no denying that there’s an attraction between myself and Keets, which surprises me in itself; I generally go for much younger guys but he seems to be pushing forty. But damnit, those eyes, those hands… those
lips
, make it impossible for me to resist him.