Tame This (The McCallans, Book Two) (11 page)

***

Jay was slow to wake the next morning. His face was shoved into the pillow but it felt different. When he moved it tickled his nose, and when he breathed in, he could smell her.

He pulled his head away from Melanie’s and she stirred slightly. Of course he had his arm around her again and of course he was right up against her. His leg was also
entwined between hers and
of course
she was in just a pair of panties and a t-shirt.

He reached for the bedding—w
hich was mostly on his side—and threw it over her, tucking it against her back as he scooted away. Jay could he hear a laugh come from under the blanket, which he’d accidentally thrown over her head.

Melanie
flung it off her face and said, “You’re such a freaking bed hog. I’d be covered, but you keep stealing the covers.” Her back was still to him but she glanced at him over her shoulder. “And if you’ve noticed, I’m on
my
side of the bed not yours. You’re like a needy puppy that has to burrow in for a nipple.”

He could feel his jaw go slack and he quickly glanced toward her covered chest without meaning to. How much had he fondled her in his sleep? And what the fuck else did he do?

“I don’t mean literally,” she added with a laugh, turning on to her back. “I just know you like your space, and I tried to give it to you, but for the record,
you
kept trekking your way over until I finally had nowhere else to go.”

He shrugged as he climbed off the bed and found his pants. “Well I’m used to having the whole thing. Sorry if I bothered you.”

“Oh,
I like it
,” she replied with a big smile. “I’m the affectionate one, remember?”

She was teasing him just like any other day and
Jay was relieved that nothing seemed different between them. When he glanced at the clock to see how much sleep he’d gotten he yelled, “Ah, fuck!” and yanked his pants on. It was ten-thirty in the morning and he was three hours late to work. He scrambled around for his phone to check for a message from Beck or Kyle, but there wasn’t one. He called anyways, just to explain that he’d gotten in late.

“No worries, man,” Beck assured him.
“It’s slow as fuck today anyways. I figured you got in really late last night and I wasn’t even expecting you.”

Then they had a short
conversation about the Boss again. The first one was in the truck while they headed home because Jay was stoked about the car he was towing behind him. Beckett gave him the shocked and eager response he expected, and that made Jay even more excited to get started on it.

By the time he got off the phone, he cou
ld hear Melanie in the shower. He finished getting dressed as quickly as he could and left the room. So… The first five minutes of a ‘morning after’ reaction went well. He could only hope it wasn’t a fluke.

When she entered the kitchen, Jay was still searching for something decent to eat. He pulled out a package of frozen burritos, looked them over for a second, and was about to toss them back in the
freezer when Melanie took them from him.

“That actually looks really good,” she said, removing one from the package. “I’m starving. Can I have two?”

“Have ‘em all,” he couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m sure baby’s starving, too.”

She already had them both unwrapped
and was working on a third and fourth when all she did was smile. “Want a pair?” she asked as she set four burritos on a plate in the microwave.

She cocked an eyebrow
with a sassy smile, just waiting for some kind of retort from him. Problem was, he had no idea which way to go with it. Last night had totally fucked with his head.

“Sounds good,” was all he replied as he busied himself
by searching the fridge for something to drink.

“I told Camryn about
the car and it sounded like Teague shit his pants,” Melanie said. “You obviously haven’t talked to him?”

“Uhh, I left him a message last night but it was kinda vague. I wanted to hear his reaction
, and it sounds like it was about right,” he chuckled. “When’d you talk to Cam?”

“Just a minute ago.
She wanted to know how things went with Mom,” she rolled her eyes. “I didn’t exactly have much to tell her. Anyways, a friend of mine is coming to get me, so you don’t have to take me home,” she added, moving past him for the silverware drawer.

Jay
got a whiff of her and wrinkled his nose. “What the fuck is that smell?” he asked, sniffing the air again. It was wrong. All wrong.

“What do you mean?” she asked, pulling the plate out of the microwave. “They’re burritos. I’m assuming they smell like burritos.”

He stepped behind her and literally stuck his face in her damp hair. “No, the smell on you. I don’t like it.”

Melanie turned around and gave him a confused but dainty laugh. “What? It’s
your
shampoo, idiot. I forgot to take my stuff in with me.”

She looked at him for a moment and then shrugged her shoulders when he didn’t respond, moving past him for the counter. Jay
still had no response, and thank god she forked two burritos on a plate for him so he didn’t have to think of one. Did he seriously get all territorial on the way she
smelled
?

Something was fucking wrong with him.

“Why is someone coming to get you?” he asked. “I said I’d take you home.”

“Jack’s in town today. We were going to go to the beach for the afternoon.”

Jay’s stomach sank just slightly. Jack? He’d totally forgotten about Jack, which meant he’d just messed around with someone’s girlfriend last night like a total douchebag would. But something didn’t make sense. Melanie never talked about Jack, so how would Jay even know they were back together?

“Wait a minute,” he said, shaking his head.
“You two are seeing each other again?”

Melanie looked at him with surprise at first, and then quickly shook her head. “No. No, it’s not like that. I’d never cheat on someone, Jay.” She looked seriously pissed that he would even assume that.

“Okay, well what would you think if you were in my position?”

She bit her lip as she cut into her burrito with a fork. “True. But hopefully you know me better than
that. Jack and I are just friends. For one, he hasn’t suggested anything different. And another…I just don’t look at him the same way I used to. I just don’t…feel like we’re a match. He’s an amazing guy, but I think friends is all we’ll ever be.”

Jay had no response to that, other than feeling better that he hadn’t messed around with some guy’s girlfriend. He’d been that route a few times and it wasn’t his thing.
All he knew about Jack was that he was way older than Melanie and had kicked her out of his apartment because she’d lied to him about her age. That whole scenario had been Melanie’s business and he never asked, but she’d told Jay the entire story on her own.

“I’ll be out of you
r way shortly,” she smiled at him as she carried her plate out of the kitchen. “I’m gonna grab my stuff. I gave Jack your address, so if he comes to the door, don’t be a dick.”

Jay’s initial response would have been to inform her that he’d be a dick as much as he fucking wanted to. But he picked up a burrito and shoved half of it in his mouth instead
, burning himself in the process.

Chapter Ten

“What the hell is wrong with you this week?” Beck finally asked.

Jay knew the inquiry was coming eventually, but he’d hoped it wouldn’t. It had been three days since Melanie left his house
, and although it wasn’t unusual that he hadn’t seen her in that time, his time with her the other night had made him over analyze too many things.

It was pissing him the fuck off.

But Beckett was his best friend besides Teague, and because this issue had to deal with Melanie, Jay couldn’t go to his cousin about it. Teague would seriously rip him a new one for going against him, and he knew that Melanie hadn’t told Camryn a single thing.

“I fucked up,” Jay finally answered.

“What do you mean?” Beck asked, putting down a page on the desk. They’d been in his office that morning, trying to decide on a design for a car they were about to paint. “What’s going on?”

Jay sighed, but he hardly held anything back from Beck. Like Teague, he
knew he could tell him anything, but he just couldn’t go to Teague about this one.

“So we get back at two in the morning
the other night, right?” he began. “I’m tired as fuck and basically tell Melanie I’ll get her home later in the morning. Couple hours later I wake up and she’s right there in my bed. No big deal, she’s slept by me before, right? But I’m, like…” He made some gesture with his arms to signify hugging, but Beck just narrowed his eyes with confusion and shrugged. “I’m holding her,” Jay growled. “Like…spooning her from behind.”

Beck was silent for a moment and then started to laugh. “So? I bet she totally loved it.”

“Yeah, so much that she…”

“She what?” Beck’s eyebrows shot up.

“She played the freebie card.”

Beck’s mouth dropped open for several seconds. “And? Did you gamble on it?” Jay only sighed, which left Beck to his own conclusion. “You slept with her?” he whispered.

“No,” Jay answered right away. “I mean…not entirely.”

“Fooled around?”

“Uh, little more than fooled around, but yeah. I fingered her, ate her…and then she gave me the most incredible blowjob that I was not expecting.”

“
Damn
,” Beck exhaled. “What happened afterwards? Things are probably weird, huh. Sorry, bro. Messing with the friends thing fucking sucks.”

“No. Things are
not
weird. That’s the problem.”

Beck pulled up a stool and sat down. “Dude, I am totally not following you. Shit gets weird with
Jess sometimes and she’s my damn girlfriend. You and Mel are great together as friends, and yeah that was a stupid ass move to risk messing it up, but if she’s not freaking out over it, you are seriously a blessed man. And, you know, what’s wrong with moving the relationship to something else? If you liked what you got the other night, I bet she could do a hell of a lot more if you let her,” he grinned. “She is seriously a cool chick, very gorgeous, and I’m betting you a million bucks that she wants you to bang her like there’s no tomorrow.”

As much as that made Jay smile, his conscience was still not on board.
“Melanie and I are both lost souls right now trying to find our way. I don’t care if that sounds pussy. But she’s set on gaining some independence from guys and I’m set on putting my damn life in order. Getting together more than friends would be catastrophic.”

“Or it could be
fucking amazing,” Beck shrugged. “What’s wrong with trying? You’ve been friends for months now, know a pile of shit about each other… You trust her, right?”

Jay hardly had to consider that. “Yeah, I trust her.
I just can’t get mixed up in more stuff right now. Do you remember who the hell you’re talking to here?”

“Yeah, the complete fucking opposite of
me
right now. I got my shop,” he motioned to his surroundings. “I’m doing well financially and I’m on top of the world. But now I’m ready to settle down and Jess is dragging her feet.”

“You sure she’s who you want to settle down with?”

Beck narrowed his eyes as he stood. “What’s that supposed to mean? We’ve been together for two-and-a-half years.”

“And since when does time have anything to do with how right your relationship is with someone?”

“Don’t be a fucker, Jay. You know I love her.” Beck left the office to head for the garage.

“I do know that,” Jay chuckled as he followed. “I’m trying to ask you a serious question.
If you’re not on the same page, how are you right for each other?”

“She’s just got other things in her life that I don’t, and I understand that.
Family and shit. And she’s worried about the cuts going on at her work. She’s stressed out and I’m just trying to give her some space to figure it out. It’s what she asked for.”

“She asked for
space
?”

“Not like
that
,” Beck shook his head. “I meant about settling down; house, marriage, kids. I’m backing off until she’s ready.”

“Hmm,” was all Jay could
reply.

He’d rather talk about someone else’s problems than his own, but he really had nothing to say about it. Despite how badass Beckett looked and acted ninety percent of the ti
me, he had always been sort of soft with a big heart when it came to women. He really was Jay’s opposite in that aspect because there was no way settling down so soon had ever been a goal that Jay McCallan had strived for. And kids? Shit. He was barely responsible with his own decisions…

“So what design do you want to go with on the Challenger?” Jay asked as they entered the paint bay of the shop. They both stopped in front
of the ’71 Dodge that was now ready for finish work.

Beck looked at him
with a smile. “Way to change the subject, asshole. But let’s go with the Plum Crazy. That’ll look badass on this bitch.”

***

“This is really nice, Jay,” Sophia smiled at him. “I’m glad we could spend some time together.”

Jay took a drink of his beer and then relaxed against the seat again. They were having drinks in a very private corner of an exclusive club. Sophia’s bodyguards were at the next table, so it hardly felt like they were alone, but her attention had been glued to him all night and it felt pretty nice.

However, Jay knew Sophia well enough that he could guess her intentions. She looked amazing tonight, dressed to kill, but it took him back to the days where her celebrity status had pissed him off more than he was able to enjoy her. She seemed like a different person now, but there was still no escaping the Nixon name.
And the mix of a Nixon with a McCallan was even worse. Why she wanted to start things back up with him was still a mystery.

“Yeah, I don’t think we’ve ever just sat somewhere and, um, chatted,” Jay replied.

Sophia laughed knowingly, but then she shook her head. “I’m sorry for that. That was all my fault.”

“No, it is what it is but…”

She had slid closer to him on the plush VIP bench and he stopped talking. Her hand snaked over his thigh and her face came very close to his. “No, Jay. I’m really sorry about what happened. You didn’t deserve that and I take full responsibility for letting my family ruin things between us. Let me make it up to you. Please?”

Sophia Nixon had beautiful brown eyes and she knew how to use them to her advantage. She also didn’t allow him a response when her lips closed the distance between them and took over his, pressing her body against him to get his arm to automatically wrap around her waist and pull her close. 

“I want you, Jay. So bad. I miss you. Let’s leave, okay?”

She had her tongue in his mouth again, making it difficult
for him to offer a sensible response. But all he could give her was an honest reply, which was, “I’m not ready for anything serious with you. With anyone.”

“Then let’s just have tonight and we’ll go from there
,” she answered without missing a beat. “No hard feelings if things don’t work out; we’ll still be friends.”

That was basically a statement, not a discussion. Sophia was practically
on his lap with her hand in his crotch, and then two seconds later she was pulling him out of the booth to follow her. They made it to the limo from the private exit at the back of the restaurant, and then she resumed her assault of his mouth and body as they rode.

If Jay got his way, he’d have her satisfied by the time they made i
t halfway to her Malibu mansion—which is where he assumed they were going. He would get this done in the limo. No need for an invite into her house that way, and it would simplify the rest of the night. He had her lain on the seat and her panties off and was kissing her as his fingers slid up her skirt between her legs. A sound came out of her mouth as she bucked against his hand, and her firm grip behind his neck informed him that she wasn’t letting him go.

But at some point Sophia slowed things down. She’d undone his pants and he was basically
about to become unleashed, but she stopped and lightly pushed his chest away. “Not here,” she said breathlessly. “In your house. That’s where we’re headed. More time, more room, more…whatever you want.”

And the moment had arrived.
Fuck
. All Jay could do was pause as he tried to think of his next words to get himself out of this mess. There was no way he was taking a girl home with him; no way he was going to be stuck in the “what do we do now” moment when morning hit.

But Sophia seemed to know him well and she quickly changed her tactics on the fly.

“Never mind, I can’t wait,” she said, grabbing his shirt and pulling him back to her. Their lips met again and the kiss turned breathless as she yanked at his pants again, wrapping her legs around his waist with force. She was a woman on a mission, and the fact that she was still locked to his neck and waist like she wasn’t going to let go proved that she was determined to get her way.

The limousine came to a stop like it had a few times, but this time a knock sounded against the privacy glass. Jay knew they must be at his house and suddenly his interest took a different turn. He pulled away from Sophia
, but because she was still attached to his neck, she sat up with him. Then she pushed him against the seat and straddled his waist as she continued to kiss him.

“God, I want you so bad,” she whispered against his neck in between kisses. “Take me to bed with you, Jay.” She knelt on the floor of the limo between his legs and got her lips around his cock in a matter of seconds. He’d never seen her so
assertive like she was tonight. Usually Sophia Nixon was a little more passive and wasn’t normally so demanding. It had to do with her image and privacy before… He had no idea what had changed this time.

Her eyes glanced up while she was still going down on him. Normally that was one of the sexiest things
about service from her, but this time it was just…not there for him. He enjoyed the pleasure of it, but his mind was in a million different places at once.

As expected, she pulled away from him before he was even close to release,
and she was dragging him toward the limo door. “In your bed.
Now
,” she smiled. “There are things I want to do to you.” She glanced down at his lap and added, “And I definitely don’t want to leave you in that state.”

She tugged on his arm again, but Jay didn’t budge. With a sigh he shook his head and said, “Look, Phee… I don’t know what’s going on in your life right now, but flinging with me isn’t gonna help.”

Sophia’s eyes widened and she was speechless for a moment. But then she smirked and replied, “Who are you and what have you done with the real Jay McCallan? I mean good God, I know you’re a hump-and-dump kind of guy, so since when have you been so reluctant to get laid?”

“
Hump and dump?” he scoffed. “Are you fucking serious?”

“Am I serious? You disagree with me?”

“I state up front what I am
not
willing to give, and that’s my
freedom
. Chicks know this and want me anyways, so don’t even go there, Sophia. I did the same with you and you were the one that fucked things up, not me.”

“I know that, Jay,” she
sighed. “And I apologized. But
I
was the one that stated up front this time that I didn’t expect anything from you. Is it the whole ‘taking me home’ thing? If it freaks you out that I’m going to start moving my stuff into your place just because we sleep together, then just say so. I didn’t realize you were still like that, Jay, but I promise you that I’m not ready for any of that. No living together, no marriage, no kids… It’s not in my plans. I thought we were on the same page.”

He let out a breath of air and rubbed his face while he took a moment to respond. “We
are
on the same page,” he finally answered, and then he looked at her and shrugged. “I don’t know if I want to go this route with you again. It’s not that I’m not attracted to you—I am; you’re beautiful and worth every second of attention a guy can give—but I’m not the one that can give that to you. Not now and probably not for a long time.”