He waved a hand back and forth. “No way. I can’t take that risk with you. You mean too much to me. I can’t lose you. I won’t.”
“Too late. The moment you buried your head between my legs, you crossed that line. You are way past the point of no return, my friend.”
He dropped his jaw.
She shrugged, no apology in her expression. “I want you to fuck me, any way you want to, and I’m giving you permission.” She walked down the hallway toward her room. “If you continue to be a pain in the ass about it, I’m going to make damn sure you get the worst case of blue balls you’ve ever experienced.
But I’ll give you some time to think about it. Since I’ve been drinking, and you have that stupid no-drunk rule, I know tonight is off the table. But this is fair warning. Tomorrow? I’m coming for you, Tommy Sparks.”
…
She’d scared off the jerk.
Julie didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Tommy was gone before she got up Saturday morning, and she had no idea when he’d returned that night. At some point he must have, though, because there were dishes in the empty dishwasher when she’d gotten up this morning, Sunday. She’d tried calling him, but he’d refused to pick up his damn phone. And now he was nowhere to be found.
Again.
Damn wine, letting her mouth get away from her. All she had done was warn him. Big mistake. Tommy clearly didn’t need a warning—he needed to be taken by surprise. Especially if he’d resorted to thinking he was anything like his mother. Yeah, the bitch had gone through men a bit like Tommy went through women. But that was where the similarities stopped. That woman hadn’t cared for anyone but her damn self. She’d left Tommy to fend for himself on more than a few occasions. Just disappeared for days on end, with no food in the house and no money left behind for him.
But Tommy never missed a day of school, always had a smile on his face, and, considering where he’d come from, had risen above the odds to be a damn good man. He wouldn’t be so worried about hurting her if he wasn’t such a good man.
But now that man was on the run.
Groaning in frustration, she flopped down on the couch. Lucy immediately jumped up on her lap and she scratched the top of the dog’s head.
While she found Tommy’s reasoning admirable in theory—refusing to touch her because he believed she deserved better—in practice it annoyed the piss out of her. She was a grown woman. It wasn’t his place to decide what was best for her. That was up to her.
Though she did get his fear about losing her. Hadn’t she worried about exactly the same thing?
However, his declaration last night that the physical was all he could give her had made her realize that the only thing Tommy was feeling for her was desire. Nothing more. Part of her was crushed about that. But the rest of her had to be realistic about the situation.
And reality was, the only way she’d ever get Tommy completely out of her system was if there was nothing left to wonder about.
She knew now what an amazing kisser he was. He was also masterful with his mouth in other ways. But ever since he’d knelt between her legs and slid his cock over her mound, she’d been tortured by the question of what he would be like in bed.
And until she found out the answer firsthand, Tommy Sparks would always consume her thoughts.
She refused to let that happen. Somehow, she had to get him to stop doing the disappearing act so she could proceed with some hands-on research. Maybe she needed to take Warrior hostage. Tommy might actually show his face then.
Speaking of the Labradoodle…
She glanced around. “Where’s Warrior?”
Normally he was with Lucy at all times. If they weren’t in the house, they were outside curled up under the tree together. But Lucy was right here. And Warrior was nowhere to be seen. She sat up as she looked by the front door.
His leash was missing from the hook.
Sudden panic clawed at her chest as she jumped off the couch and raced back to Tommy’s room. He wouldn’t just pack up and leave.
He wouldn’t.
Would he?
She yanked open a dresser drawer. Neatly folded clothes appeared inside. Oh, thank God. Her heart rate returning to normal, she straightened with her hands on her hips. Okay. If Warrior was with him, that meant he wasn’t at the gym.
Had he taken his car? She hurried back into the living room and pulled down one of the blinds. His rental sat by the curb. Ah-ha. He was out running. Which meant he’d be back soon.
She had to act fast.
After rushing to her room, she went through her workout clothes drawer, tossing things willy-nilly until she found her yoga bra and shorts. A year ago she’d tried practicing yoga at home. It had lasted about a month. While it had been a great muscle-lengthening workout, she had a hard time with the calm, composed part of it and decided she preferred running and kickboxing to get rid of her tension.