Chapter Twenty-Six

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

REAGAN HAD FOLLOWED him home. Evan smiled to himself that she’d come to his turf just for a necklace. Oh, who was he kidding. He’d taken the damn thing on purpose, hoping it would urge her closer, and it looked like the plan had worked. Well, maybe not as well as he would’ve liked. Her stubborn ass was still in the lobby refusing to come up to his apartment. He didn’t plan on hand-delivering, though, so she’d eventually be making that elevator ride. And while he waited he’d make himself comfortable.

After ridding himself of his jacket and tie, he grabbed a beer from the fridge. A buzz sounded, and he sauntered over to the intercom, taking a swig of his drink before answering. “Yes?”

“Don’t yes me. Get your ass down here.” Reagan’s annoyed voice had him chuckling.

“See, that’s not how it works. You followed me all this way. It’d be a shame not to get what you came for.”

“Evan—”

“Come up, Reagan.”

“Stop being such a pain in the ass, and get down here.”

“And what’s the magic word?”

“Now.”

He tsked. “Wrong answer. I’ll see you Monday.”

“Fine,” she said, irritation lacing her voice. “I’m coming up.”

“See you then.” He let go of the intercom button and took another swig of his beer. As he opened the door, a loud THUMP sounded from the neighboring wall. You’ve gotta be kidding me. The fucking sex rabbits next door had incredible timing.

Leaning against the doorjamb, he waited for Reagan to finally make her encore appearance at his place. When she stepped off the elevator, a scowl across her beautiful face, his cock twitched.

Fuck, but he wanted her in his bed again. Or in this hallway. Didn’t much matter the place.

“All right, where are they,” Reagan said, holding out her hand as she stopped in front of him.

“Nightstand. You remember the way.”

“I’m not going inside.”

“That’s too bad.” Evan pushed off the frame and went to shut the door when Reagan’s hand shot out.

With a glare, she marched past him into his bedroom.

“You know, this is an ill-fated attempt at getting me back in your bed. It won’t work this ti—”

Another loud THUMP from next door cut off her words, followed by moans of pleasure. She swiveled around and raised an eyebrow. “Mood music?”

Evan wandered into the room behind her and stopped at the foot of his bed. “How can it be mood music when you just told me I had no chance of—”

“Oh, fuck me,” came through the wall.

“—doing that to you.”

He saw Reagan’s eyes wander down his frame, and when she sank her teeth into that pillowy bottom lip of hers, God fucking damn, she wasn’t going to make this easy. She turned away from him and walked down the side of the bed to snatch the pearls off the nightstand. As she came back toward him with her prize in her hand, he stepped to the side, placed his beer on the tallboy, and blocked her path.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“I got what I came for. Now let me pass, Evan.”

He lowered his eyes to the dainty fingers holding the necklace and then shook his head. “No. I don’t think so.” He held his hand out to her. “Here, let me help you put them back on. I’d hate for you to lose them again.”

She eyed him warily, probably assuming the worst. Smart of her, really, but then again, nobody could call Reagan a fool. Lifting her hand, she placed the necklace into his outstretched one, and his mouth turned up on the sides.

“Turn around. It will be easier that way.”

She didn’t move at first, but he saw her swallow and lick her lips, as if thinking about her next move. “No funny business. Okay?”

Evan inclined his head slightly, but didn’t agree. Instead he repeated, “Turn around.”

* * *

REAGAN CLENCHED HER fingers into fists by her sides, trying to stop her shaking hands. She knew this was a bad idea. A monumentally bad one, but instead of pushing past the sexy man in front of her and running for the door, her masochist ass turned around, as per instruction.

She sucked in a quick breath when she felt Evan step behind her. The heat radiating off him made her fear for her clothes, thinking that if they touched they would disintegrate to ash. Then he spoke.

“You know, the very first time I ever saw these pearls, I had a wicked fantasy about seeing you in them and nothing else.”

His arms came around in front of her, and she remained frozen as the tiny, cool spheres touched the skin of her collarbone. She kept her eyes trained on the wall behind his headboard and tried to block out the moans from the woman on the opposite side, but if she were going to be honest, they were making her as hot as the man who was behind her, taunting her.

His mouth came down by her ear, his warm breath floating over her skin as he continued to whisper words that set her blood to a feverish boil.

“The clasp was broken when I found this. I guess it couldn’t hold up against the rigors of your workday, but not to worry. I got it fixed for you. It’s sturdier, so if you ever have to work so hard again, it shouldn’t fall off.”

Her breaths were coming harder, his erection pressed against her ass, and when his teeth grazed her lobe, she just about fell to her knees. His fingers trailed over the clasp at the nape of her neck and then ran down the line of her back to her waist.

Abort. Abort, she told herself as his strong arm banded around her. Get out now while you still can. But her legs weren’t moving, her voice wasn’t working, and when the heel of his hand applied a delicious pressure to the top of her mound, she gave in and leaned back into him.

The way his fingers were slowly dipping down between her thighs, combined with the erotic groans coming from next door, had her pussy throbbing and her hand grabbing the back of his head.

She pushed her hips back against him, rocking on his fingers as his other hand cupped her breast. With a moan, her head fell back on his shoulder, letting his hands take over her body.

This shouldn’t feel so fucking good. If it’s wrong, then why…

Evan nuzzled into her neck, his lips brushing the sensitive skin. “Reagan,” he whispered.

“Hmm?”

The hands cupping her breast and between her thighs squeezed gently before letting go. “I’ve gotta run.”

Reagan’s eyes shot open. “What?” When he didn’t respond, she turned to see if he was serious.

He was.

“You motherfucker,” she said, shoving him in the chest.

He laughed and grabbed her wrists. “Come with me.”

“I believe that’s where we were headed until you started talking.”

As she struggled from his hold, he pulled her against him and wrapped his arms around her. “I’m serious. Come with me.”

It was too easy to get lost in his eyes, too easy to fall into his well-muscled arms. There was a serious set to his mouth, and she couldn’t stop her curiosity.

“And just where are you going?” she asked.

“For a drive.”

“You just stopped my orgasm to go for a drive.”

“It’s a long drive.”

“To where? Queens?”

“North Carolina.”

Reagan laughed, thinking he was out of his mind, but when his face remained solemn, she stopped. “You’re serious.”

“Yep.”

“What the hell is in North Carolina?”

“Prison.”

“Ah, of course. Will you be visiting or checking in?” she joked.

“My mom was transferred down there. Thought I’d be a good son and make sure she’s not stealing from the other inmates.”

Though he said it in a lighthearted way, she could see the pain in his eyes. How did he end up with two of the most conniving, selfish people on the planet as parents? When she thought about the many Sundays spent around the dining room table with her own family, she felt a twinge of guilt. She only had to travel upstate to see her parents—he had to visit federal penitentiaries to see his.

Evan’s arms tightened around her. “Come with me.”

She leaned back, studying his expression. “I…don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why not?”

Because I don’t think I could not fall for you. “We’ll kill each other.”

“Possibly.”

“I don’t even like you right now.”

Evan winked. “Well, we both know you’re a liar.”

“Jesus, if I can manage to stop talking about your Pretty Woman reenactment on a street corner, you can kindly shut that hole in your face about my indiscretions.”

“See? This is progress.”

Reagan shook her head. “I’m absolutely, positively not going with you.” When Evan raised an eyebrow at her, she said, “I mean it. I’m not.”

Forty minutes later, she stood on the curb outside her apartment, watching as Evan threw her overnight bag into the trunk of his car.

Well, shit.