Hunks Too Hot To Touch (10 page)

If what Brian was telling him held an ounce of truth then he would have to work even harder to get Shauntie to trust him to take her out. He already had the perfect date planned out in his head, but it might not even happen if Shauntie kept running in the opposite direction.

When was the last time he had to work this hard to gain a woman’s trust or make her see how good it would be to go out on a simple date with him?

“Brian, I never thought Shauntie’s past mistake with J.T might be the main reason she’s fighting me so hard. She keeps telling she isn’t attracted to me which I know isn’t the truth.”

“Women can be like that sometimes. They’ll judge a man in their future by what a man did to them in their past. It’s happened to me on more than one occasion and I know Chance has been through the same thing. Hell, he was probably the man in a woman’s past that she judged her current relationships by.

“You know how our boy can be when it comes to the ladies. He’s like Baskin Robbins. Chance doesn’t see anything wrong with sampling all the variety of flavors the world has to offer.”

Chuckling, Nash couldn’t disagree with anything in Brian’s comments. Chance did take pleasure in being a single guy and made no qualms about it. There wasn’t a part of Chance that was thinking about being in a monogamous relationship. He didn’t doubt Chance might break out in a hives if he had to stay with only one woman for the rest of his life.

“You’re right about Chance, but I’m not like him and neither are you. We both know what we want and go after by not allowing anything to stand in our way.”

All of a sudden Brian’s expression stilled and grew serious. “I wish I believed the same thing as you did when it comes to attracting the woman’s attention that I wanted.”

How could he be so inconsiderate right now? Nash had sensed something was wrong with Brian all night, but he was too caught up in his own personal problems to even ask his best friend what was going on with him.

“What’s her name?” Nash asked, watching Brian closely.

“Whose name?” he frowned.

“The woman who has you in such a tailspin,” Nash replied.

He knew Brian never had a problem attracting the opposite sex...
ever
! His buddy’d had a girlfriend in the second grade and not once in Brian’s life had he ever been without one. Brian could get a date with anyone at all, so what was the hold up with this particular female?

“I’ll tell you about her later. It’s not that important right now. All I want to know is are you going after Shauntie. You’re getting a second opportunity to with her.”

Nash was very aware of the amazing chance he was getting with Shauntie and he wasn’t going to blow it. “I’m going to be at her house bright and early tomorrow morning with some of my work crew who volunteered to help me with the initial work on her roof. I won’t allow Shauntie to slip through my fingers a second time.”

“I hope you don’t,” Brian told him.

Why would he be stupid enough to make that mistake? Shauntie was a very special woman and it took a confident man to handle her. Good thing he was man enough to handle her and a lot more.

“Don’t even think twice about messing up with Shauntie,” Brian warned him. “If this goes wrong, I don’t see you having another gift like this tossed into your lap.”

“You know how every Christmas I treat myself to one big gift and nothing else?” Nash asked.

Brian nodded at him. “Didn’t you buy your black work truck last year at an auction or something like two weeks before Christmas?”

“Yes, I also got a car for my little sister.” Nash already knew what he wanted this year as his Christmas present.

“Have you decided what you are going to buy yourself this year?” Brian asked, a tiny bit of excitement in his voice.

“I’m not going to buy a damn thing. This year my present will be absolutely free and better than any other present I have treated myself to in years past.”

“I can’t believe anything you get this year will be better than your truck,” Brian told him. “In my opinion, there is no way you will ever do better than last year.”

Nash flashed his friend a smug grin. Oh, he would be able to do better, but he might have to push harder than he wanted to in the beginning to get what he needed in the end. “I swear I have two words for you that will top my black truck parked outside this bar.”

“Okay, I’ll bite. What is it going to be this year?”

“Shauntie Kane. She’s the only present I want for Christmas.”

Eyeing him with a lot of concern, Brain said, “Do you think that you can get Shauntie to give you a chance before this self-made deadline of yours?”

“Damn right, I am,” Nash replied with every bit of confidence in his voice and he was going to prove it. Now, all he had to do was get Shauntie within touching distance of his body tomorrow morning and then he would let the sparks take over.

“I wish you luck because the way you talk about Shauntie, she seems like she’s going to fight you at every turn,” Brian said.

“I think you’re wrong. Shauntie just needs to be shown there are still good men in the world and she’ll open right up to me,” Nash said confident he was going to be the man who showed Shauntie how right he was.

Chapter Ten

Early the next morning, Shauntie stood at the side of her well-manicured yard staring up at Nash’s men as they worked on tearing up her old roof so the new one could be laid.

This morning when someone knocked on her front door, she’d rushed out of the kitchen excited about seeing Nash after her talk with Sapphire last night. But her excitement dimmed and was replaced by disappointment when she found one of Nash’s employees standing on the porch instead of him.

The guy informed her they were there to start the initial work until Nash arrived in a couple of hours. He had a personal matter to take care of and then he would be right over to her house. She wouldn’t have been so excited about seeing Nash today if Sapphire hadn’t given her a lot to think about last night after she got home.

Nash wasn’t J.T. She shouldn’t be treating him so harshly like he was planning to use her and then toss her to the side like an empty hamburger wrapper out of a car window. He could actually be a pretty decent guy, but she would never know if she kept prejudging him without any proof to back up her theory. Shauntie wouldn’t want anyone to judge her before getting to knew who she was. So, Nash deserved the same respect she demanded from other people around her.

As soon as Nash got to her house, she would tell him she’d changed her mind about going out on a date with him. For all she knew Nash might actually show her a pretty good time.

I can do this
, she thought to herself.

“Can I be lucky enough to hope that you’re standing out here to see me?” Nash whispered against her ear. His warm breath tickled her neck.

Why hadn’t she heard his truck drive up? God, she had it bad for this guy. Nash had her daydreaming about him right in front of her house. She needed to get a better grip on her emotions.

Turning around slowly, Shauntie pretended her panties just didn’t wet from the unexpected sound of Nash’s deep penetrating voice. His nearness was so overwhelming for a spilt second, she thought she might have to place her hand on his wide chest to steady herself; however, she got herself back under control.

Shauntie cleared her throat. “Why do you think I was waiting for you?” she questioned.

“What man doesn’t envision a beautiful woman waiting for him somewhere?” Nash told her as he brushed back a piece of hair from the corner of her eye.

She felt electricity at his touch and liked it. A delightful shiver of want ran through Shauntie making her realize how much she wanted to feel Nash’s lips against hers. She wondered what Nash would do if she moved the last few steps separating them and kissed him.

“Shauntie, are you alright?” Nash touched her on the arm.

“Yes, I’m fine.” She moved toward him propelled involuntarily by her own passion.

“No, you don’t seem fine to me,” he said disagreeing with her. “Let me take you inside and get you something to drink. It’s hot out here. Maybe you need to cool down.”

Nash wrapped his fingers around her upper arm and quickly ushered her back inside the house then over to the couch. “Here sit down and take a couple of deep breaths. I’m going to get you something to drink.”

“Nash, I’m fine,” she assured him. Shauntie didn’t want Nash to get her a glass of water.

“No, you aren’t. I can tell the difference. Stay here while I get you something to drink.” Moving away from her, Nash went into her kitchen and she could hear him opening and shutting cabinets as he searched for a glass.

Shauntie didn’t know what came over her when she was outside with Nash. Why did she get so drawn to Nash and everything else around them seemed to fade into the background? She never acted so.... God, what was the word she was even searching for to describe her actions.

Reckless
...yes, she was acting like Emerald would.

“Here you go,” Nash said as he came back into the living room carrying a glass of water. He took a seat on the couch next to her and handed her the glass.

Bringing the glass to her lips, Shauntie took a sip loving how the cold liquid slid down her suddenly dry throat. She took several more sips before placing the glass down on the glass table in front of her.

“Thank you for the water,” Shauntie told Nash as she glanced at him from the corner of her eye. “I’m much better now.”

“You’re welcome, but are you sure that you’re okay. You didn’t look so good outside.”

“I’m sure,” she answered facing Nash on the couch. “It could have been the sun or the heat. The weather is pretty hot out there and I had been out there a while watching the guys work on the roof.”

Light smoldered in Nash’s green eyes as he slid next to her on the couch. The sound of the workers on her roof got completely blocked out. The next second Nash’s arm slid along the side of the couch bringing his body into closer contact with hers.

Shauntie’s pulse rate jumped up another notch when the soft touch of Nash’s breath kissed the side of her cheek and the warm scent of his cologne surrounded her on the couch.

“Shauntie, I was hoping that something more than the weather conditions caused the reaction out of you.”

“Like what,” she whispered noticing there was a spark of some indefinable emotion in his eyes.

“Maybe me, and this undeniable chemistry that has been simmering beneath the surface between us since the moment our eyes connected. I know I’m not the only one who feels the tension anytime we’re alone with each other.”

Shauntie couldn’t admit to Nash she knew what he was feeling. Not this soon. She jumped in too soon before. Some of her apprehension started rushing back into Shauntie’s mind. This connection or draw she and Nash felt towards each other wouldn’t work. The feelings he brought out in her were too
intense
.

“You’re wrong,” Shauntie denied.

“I’m right. You’re just scared to admit what you’re feeling for me,” Nash whispered as his hand slid behind her neck pulling her slowly across the couch cushion until her knee touched his hard, warm thigh. “You’re the one who’s lying. Stop thinking so hard about what’s going on and allow yourself to feel what’s happening. Isn’t that the best part of getting to know someone—the intense feeling that gets stirred up when one of you are in the room with the other person?”

Nash slowly brushed the pad of his thumb back and forth over her bottom lip drawing her body and mind further under his spell instead of further way. “Baby, I’m dying to kiss these beautiful lips of yours. Will you let me do that? Can I learn the taste of you?” he asked, softly as his green eyes searched her brown ones for acceptance and permission.

Should she tell him to get the hell away from her? Or should she finally give in to the recurring thought that has been driving her crazy. Since she’d opened her front door and found Nash standing outside of her porch.

Shauntie thought about giving Nash her usual answer when he got too close for comfort until Sapphire’s stern voice came rushing back into her head.

Don’t you dare tell Nash no. You know you’ll regret it later.

“Yes, I want you to kiss me.” Shauntie didn’t give herself time to change her mind.

Lowering his head, Nash’s warm firm lips captured hers in a white hot kiss. Shauntie felt
sparks
. His tongue teased the corner of her lips followed by the seam before finally working its way to the inside. Nash switched back and forth between tasting, exploring to finally filling her mouth with an intense pleasure she had never known.

Nash definitely knew how to kiss. He didn’t need any lessons to learn any new tricks.

Never in her life before had a man’s kisses made her feel
so
alive and desired. Shauntie moaned into Nash’s mouth and then gasped when he picked her up making her straddle his thighs

.“Oh,” Shauntie sighed breathlessly when Nash moved his tantalizing kisses from her mouth to the side of her neck, down along her collarbone until he came to the top of her breasts exposed by the deep V in her dark gray t-shirt.

Cupping one of her breasts in his hand, Nash brushed the edge of his nail over the nipple sending a jolt throughout her already aroused body.

“You are so breathtaking,” he whispered. “There are so many things I want to do to you, but I’m not sure if I have enough time. Do you want me, sweetheart? Can I learn the feel of your body? Tell me. All I want to do is please you.”

Chapter Eleven

“Nash, please,” Shauntie begged, squirming around on Nash’s thighs as his erection teased her body through her underwear. Why was he driving her crazy like this? It just wasn’t fair...not at all in her opinion.

Nash never spoke a word to her as he removed the t-shirt from her body dropping it on the floor next to them. Only left in her bra, Nash stared at her breasts before taking his index finger and sliding it down her cleavage.