Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

RYLEE

W hat am I doing?

I couldn't believe I was kissing Simon Locke. But there I was, feeling him get hard under my butt, kissing him—and liking it. Crap. This wasn't supposed to happen. Tonight had been way too much fun, and I'd seen a side of him I didn't know existed. Honestly, I wondered if anyone knew it did. He was so playful and spontaneous, and he didn't take himself seriously.

"Kiss me," he whispered.

He was putting the choice in my hands. I could get up and walk away or I could kiss him and give in to that craving. My gaze dropped to his full lips. I knew exactly what I wanted.

I leaned in, pressing my lips against his. His arms immediately wrapped around me, pulling me even closer. The kiss was slower this time, deeper. It sent a delicious shiver down my spine. His hands roamed my back, tracing the curve of my waist as his fingers tangled in my hair with our tongues dueling.

The feeling was electrifying, sparking a wild flurry of emotions that I struggled to understand. He was Simon Locke, the last person I'd ever imagined kissing. And yet, I couldn't deny how good it felt, how right it seemed in that moment. The hardness under my ass was making me very, very excited. I wiggled my ass, pulling a sharp groan from him.

His hand tightened in my hair with his other hand sliding up to cup the back of my neck, pulling me impossibly closer. My breath hitched at the sudden dominance in his touch, sending a shiver of need coursing through me. The taste of him, the feel of him beneath me, was intoxicating. I let out a soft moan into his mouth as the kiss deepened.

Our laughter and playful antics had faded into a distant echo, replaced by the pounding pulse of desire that throbbed between us. Somewhere in the deepest, darkest recesses of my mind, I was telling myself this was crazy and maybe I shouldn't. But dammit, it was so good.

The kiss broke off, leaving us both breathless. He looked up at me, the desire evident in his eyes. "We should probably keep it PG in a kid's store."

I blushed and scrambled to my feet. "Yeah, probably." I took a deep breath, feeling a rush of conflicting emotions. "I should get back to my friends."

He nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "I'm sure they think I've kidnapped you and have already sent out every cop in the city to hunt you down."

I straightened my shirt and ran my finger around my lips, knowing damn well my lipstick was smeared. "If you're nice, I'll tell them I came willingly."

"And what does being nice look like?" he asked with a seductive smile.

"I don't know. Buy me that doll."

"It's yours." He nodded. I couldn't help but notice the bulge that was still quite obvious in his pants. He caught me looking. "Sorry, but not sorry. You're a beautiful woman and your fine ass rubbing against me is more than I can resist."

I felt my cheeks burn. "So, what are you going to buy for your nephew?" I asked, trying to steer the conversation to safer ground.

He pulled out his phone and showed me a picture he'd taken. "I'll have one of my personal shoppers pick it up later and wrap it."

I realized this wasn't about buying the gift. It was about spending time with me, and it made me feel kind of warm and fuzzy inside. Not that I'd let Simon know that.

"So, you're not buying a gift?"

"Well, kind of." He grinned. "Nerf guns for me and a doll for you."

"We should pick up our mess," I told him.

He grimaced. "Yeah, I'll leave an extra tip."

I turned away from him to collect our discarded Nerf bullets around the store. After picking things up and taking our loot, we walked outside, thanking the security guard. "I left the money at the register," Simon told the man.

"Have a good night." The security guard nodded.

"Do you need a ride back to the bar?" he offered.

I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Sure. It's late."

The drive back was quiet, a comfortable silence between us. As we pulled up to the bar, I could see some of my friends' cars still there. I turned to Simon. "Thanks for the unexpected evening. I had fun, surprisingly."

He chuckled. "I'm glad I could make you laugh. I like the sound of it."

The compliment made me blush again. I got out of the car, leaning over to tell him, "Have a good evening."

"I already have," he said, his eyes twinkling. "See you around."

I smiled. "You know where to find me."

He drove off, leaving me alone in front of the bar. I stood there for a moment, wondering if he really was that bad. The man I got to know was nothing like what everyone else said about him. Ward and the other guys had such a negative opinion of him, but had they ever really met him? Talked to him? I could admit, I might have judged the book by its cover. Was I wrong now or wrong to believe he was an asshole?

Back inside the bar, I was greeted by my confused friends. Karen had gone home for the night, and so had Jenny and Ward, but Lauren, Jameson, Archer, and Mary Ellen were still there.

"Where'd you run off to?" Lauren asked, raising an eyebrow. "We went to order a martini and you were gone."

"I'll do it now," I said. "I've got something new I've concocted." I hopped behind the bar to make them a new martini recipe I'd been trying to perfect. They were used to being my guinea pigs. Once everyone had their drinks and I sat down at the table with them, they were all eyeing me suspiciously once again.

"Where did you go?" Jenny pushed.

"I ran into someone I hadn't seen in a long time." I shrugged.

I wasn't about to explain what I was really up to. They'd never believe me, anyway. Who plays in a kid's store in the middle of the night with one of the richest men in Houston?

Apparently, I do.

And I kind of want to do it again.

But I knew they would all have an opinion about me spending time with Simon. I wasn't interested in hearing them talk about him. I was listening to my own instincts, and from what I saw, he wasn't so bad. I didn't mind a little bit cocky and abrasive. Many people would say the same about me.

At the end of the night, Jameson and Lauren drove me home.

"Thanks, guys," I said as I climbed out of the backseat.

I went inside, the house dark and quiet. Karen had gone to bed early as usual. I paused in the empty kitchen, looking around and feeling the emptiness of it all. I looked up at the shelf that used to have all our mugs on it. Now there were only two. And soon, if Karen took that job in Kentucky, it would only be mine left up there. I sighed.

After everything we went through to make sure we didn't lose the house, now the house was losing us. I wondered if there was still some redemption for it yet. Maybe it had a purpose that just hadn't been realized yet. When Mary Ellen thought she was going to lose her job and was stressed about making her part of the rent, we had considered moving somewhere else. Our search for a new apartment had led us to one bad choice after another. And then Lauren and Jameson bought the house to keep us from being homeless. They offered us low rent, and we managed to save the place where we'd had so many memories. But now, it seemed like our lives were taking us elsewhere.

I walked up the stairs. The familiar creak of the third step echoed in the silence. I walked into my room, flipping on the lights. I glanced at the clock on my nightstand. It was two in the morning. With a sigh, I changed out of my clothes and into a pair of pajamas. As I climbed into bed, I found myself thinking about Simon again.

He was surprising, enigmatic in a way that one wouldn't expect from someone with his reputation. His sharp wit and his weird charm were a stark contrast to the rumors that floated around about him. Tonight, I had seen a side of Simon that was hilarious, fun-loving, and even vulnerable at times. He had an allure that left me curious, wanting to know more about him.

I wasn't sure if his constant flirting was real or if it was just some kind of weird personality trait. He came on really strong, but I didn't know if he was actually interested in me or if it was his usual personality. Did he just hit on everything with legs and wait to see who responded and took him up on his many offers? I had a feeling he didn't have to try too hard. Maybe that was why he was so abrasive. He was used to women falling over themselves to get a chance with him.

Was I nothing more than a challenge? Possibly.

"Oh, man," I murmured. I realized I left the doll in his car. Not that I really needed it, but it had been such a blast from the past. Now, he had my doll, and it would give him another reason to talk to me. I groaned, hoping he didn't bring it to the bar. I would never live it down. I had an image to protect. If people knew I had a dolly, they would laugh at me for the rest of my days. My trip to Europe wouldn't be optional. It would be a necessity to escape the humiliation.

I tossed and turned for a while before finally settling down and closing my eyes. My mind kept replaying the evening's events over and over again. I couldn't help but question if I had misread Simon all along or if he was just really good at hiding behind his cocky fa?ade. He knew what people thought about him and he used it to his advantage.

Either way, I found myself hoping for the chance to go another round in the toy store with him, to learn more about the man behind the wealth and reputation. How did he end up in that store playing with me? Did he do this kind of child-like thing all the time, or was it just a spontaneous act driven by some hidden part of his personality?

A soft sigh escaped my lips as I buried my face into my pillow. Simon was a puzzle that I was eager to solve, but at the same time, I couldn't shake the idea I needed to keep my guard up with him. Every time I felt myself drifting off, my mind wandered back to that kiss. Damn, that had been one hell of a kiss. It left me wanting more.