“I know. It’s not your fault. It’s all me.” Jesus, she couldn’t believe she was going to give a guy the it’s not you, it’s me speech. This was surreal. She also couldn’t believe he was going to nail her for this. What guy didn’t want no-strings sex? Scott sure as hell loved it with the waitresses on their restaurant staff. Her spine snapped straight at the reminder of why she didn’t do complications. Her eyes narrowed. “To be blunt—”

“When aren’t you?” His tone had gone sotto voce, and she wanted to kick him. Of course, that would put her within his arm’s reach, and him getting his hands on her again was a bad idea. Very bad. A wash of heat went through her, and she studiously ignored it. She didn’t want this, she didn’t want him, she’d had her night of fun, he was out of her system, and it was over. Done. It had to be. For her own good.

She crossed her arms tightly across her chest to cover the betraying tightness of her nipples. “To be blunt, you’re the kind of guy I could fall for. And I can’t do that. I just can’t. I’m sorry.” That may have been an over-share, but it seemed to shut him up. Surprise flashed across his face and his mouth snapped closed so fast his teeth clacked together. She took that as her cue to go, so she picked up her purse, walked out and didn’t allow herself to look back.

Thank God she had her shop renovations to throw herself into for the rest of the day. Since she had to redo all her upholstery and repaint a wall, she’d decided to redo the earth-toned color scheme of Bean There, Done That to something more vibrant. The insurance company was paying for it, so why not do an impromptu remodel? Her new curtains and chair cushions should arrive the following week. She worked until her eyes began to cross with exhaustion. The fact that she hadn’t slept the night before didn’t help at all. The sun had begun to set when she finally washed out the brushes she’d used to paint. The workmen had gone home hours before.

A knock on the front door of her shop had her head popping up from where she was bent over the sink. Leaning to the side to see through the glass, she spotted Price. Her heart stuttered at the sight of him, and she groaned. Man, she had it bad. She was jonesing for him like a crack addict who’d just escaped from rehab.

Good thing she would never let it go further than one night of hot sex. She’d had to restrain herself from thinking about him today. And he had to come here and screw it up. She wondered if he’d arrest her if she ignored him.

Probably. She wouldn’t put it past him. He wasn’t exactly a beta male. Nope, full on alpha. Too bad she liked that in her men. Someone who could match her. Not permanently, but she shouldn’t have to be bored while she was dating, right?

Heat wound through her as she remembered his hands on her skin, his body moving over hers, his lips playing against her mouth. She wanted him to go away. She wanted him to give her more. She was so fucking confused.

Rubbing a tired hand down her face, she let out a shaky breath as she stepped around the counter to unlock the door.

He propped his forearm against the doorjamb and looked her over at his leisure. A shiver slid down her flesh. “Hey, sugar.”

“Chief.”

He straightened and walked past her into the shop. His gaze swept the interior. “You’ve almost got it all fixed up—it doesn’t even look like there was a fire. Nice.”

Her arms folded around her middle. “What are you doing here, Price? We talked this morning about how we wouldn’t see each other again.”

He leaned his elbows back against the countertop, crossing his legs at the ankle. “No, you said we wouldn’t see each other again. I never agreed.”

Panic skittered down her spine. “Price, please—”

“Begging is good. And I love it when you please me, Aubrey.” A slow smile crossed his handsome face.

Her eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. She poked a finger towards his chest. “You know what? Just… shut up. We had a one-night stand, Chief. I’m betting it wasn’t your first, and I doubt very much that it’ll be your last. I told you, I don’t do relationships.”

He tsked low in his throat. “But you do more than a bunch of one-night stands. I asked around about you—”

“You asked around?” Her eyebrows arched and her mouth sagged open for a moment. “I live in this little hamlet, Price. People are going to talk if you start asking around about my sexual history.”

He continued as though she hadn’t spoken. “I asked around about you, and you’ve dated six men in the last few years, all for roughly two to three months. Just long enough for them to want more than sex and start making noises about wanting a real relationship. Am I getting warm?”

Her teeth ground together, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of answering. Apparently, her silence was enough for him, because a knowing smile curved his full lips. She offered him a glare in return and stomped behind the counter. Presumptuous jackass. “It doesn’t matter what you think. You can’t force me to date you. Or sleep with you.”

“Force?” Anger sparked in his eyes as he slapped his hands on the counter and leaned toward her. “I sure as hell didn’t force you to strip tease for me last night.”

“And I said ‘not again’ this morning.” Her hands planted on her hips. “No means no, Price. I’m sure you can grasp the concept.”

He pushed himself upright, stalking her across the coffee shop. She backpedaled as fast as she could until she’d gone all the way into the back room and was pressed against the prep table. The heat of his big body enveloped hers, and she fought a moan. Please God, don’t let him touch her again. She would not be able to handle it.

Bracing her hands on the prep table, she pulled herself up to sit on it. Anything to get some distance. Her body screamed for more of him. His hands, his lips, his teeth and tongue. She shuddered, heat racing through her. Her pussy clenched on nothing, and she could feel herself get slick with want. She sucked in a breath, trying to calm her pounding heart. It just drew his cologne to her. He smelled amazing, and her skin had smelled like him this morning when she woke up. His scent mixed with hers. Her nipples peaked tight, thrusting against the cotton bra she wore.

He laid his hands on the table beside her hips, his thumbs grazing her skin through her jeans. Leaning in, his gaze met hers. “You want me.”

She couldn’t deny it, not when her nerves jangled with how much she needed to touch him. She folded her arms as she tried not to reach out and stroke her fingers down the hard planes of his chest. “I told you… I can’t do this.”

“You also said I was the kind of guy you could fall for.” His lips brushed her ear, his voice taking on the low rumble that made her insides melt. “I’m the kind of guy who’d always catch you.”

“Don’t say things like that.” Her hands fisted in his shirt, her heart stumbling. It wasn’t true. It didn’t matter how much she liked him or how good he was in bed, she knew how this would end if she gave too much of herself.

“I’m just telling the truth, sugar.”

And then he slid one hand into her hair and kissed her. Every thought in her mind deserted her. He sucked her lower lip into his mouth, scraping her lightly with his teeth. She moaned, used her grip on his shirt to pull him closer, and wrapped her legs around his hips. Grunting, he settled against her and used his other hand to cup her ass. His hard cock rubbed her just right, grinding against her hard little clit.

Letting her head fall back, she arched into him as pleasure burned through her. He took advantage—sucking and biting a light trail of kisses down her neck. Her pussy clenched, so hot and wet she couldn’t stand it. She throbbed, her nipples so hard they ached. “Price, please. I want you.”

He groaned, a great shudder rippling through him. Slipping his hands to her waist, he popped the button on her pants and unfastened the zipper with a slow rasp that echoed in the wide room. “Lift your hips.”

“Tell me you have a condom.” She leaned back on her hands, leveraging herself up so he could pull her jeans and panties down in one swift movement.

He jerked open his slacks, magically produced a little foil package from God knew where, and had himself sheathed in record time. Which was a good thing because she didn’t think she could wait. Then his mouth was on hers again, her legs were around his waist, and he was easing that long, hard cock into her slick sex. The stretch was divine, and when he began moving inside her, it was with the swift, almost punishing rhythm that she hadn’t known she needed.

She threw her head back, gasping.

“You’re so wet, sugar. Wet and tight. I love the feel of your pussy around me.” Sweat slid down his temples as his gaze caught hers. With her sitting on the table, he hit her G-spot with every single thrust. She couldn’t stop a whimpering moan at his words, his movements. Everything he did made her want more.

He dipped his head and sucked her nipple into his mouth through her shirt and bra. He bit down hard enough to make her choke, to make her sex spasm. She gasped, “I love the way you touch me.”

Worrying her nipple between his teeth, he chuckled when she squealed. He released her captured breast and cupped her ass in his hands, pulling her tighter to him. She had no idea how he managed it, but one fingertip teased the tight bud of her anus. She clung to his shoulders, pushing back to take him deeper into her ass. He chuckled, watching her react. “And I love touching you.”

Tingles skipped down her arms and legs, waves of heat following in their wake. He barely nudged his finger in her backside as he continued to thrust his cock into her pussy and the dual sensation was enough to make her sob. The table squeaked and shuddered under their weight as they moved together, their skin slapping, their harsh breath mingling. He filled her again and again, relentless as he shoved her toward the edge of orgasm. And she was right there with him, wringing him with her thighs, clenching her pussy around his cock until he groaned her name.