Burn for You (Flirting with Forever Book 3) Read online

  Every time Damon tries to peek over my shoulder, I lean my elbow on the desk and let the curtain of my hair conceal what I’m working on.

  He clears his throat, and I can tell he’s scooted himself closer to me. “Are we not going to talk about what happened at the dance?”

  I turn my head to glance at him. There he is, looking and smelling completely delicious. Why does he have to be so freaking hot? “What are you talking about? About how we got locked out?”

  Damon cringes, gritting his teeth. “Well, no. But about that—I found out that Elena pulled the doorstop I’d left there. She thought—well, I won’t claim to know the inner workings of a seventeen-year-old girl’s mind, but she confessed she did it.”

  I give a small nod. I had almost given in to the idea that maybe Damon had closed the door behind us himself—that he wanted to be out there alone with me—but I guess that was an incorrect hypothesis. “Sometimes it’s hard to tell why kids do things.” Without meaning to, my knee brushes his. “Sorry.”

  Why did that one little touch—of our knees, no less—send a fresh jolt of liquid need running through my body? I set my jaw and turn away from him.

  He grasps my elbow with his strong hand, making me jerk. I glance down at where he’s gripping my arm before I look up into his eyes. His face is entirely too close to mine as he rasps, “Aren’t we going to talk about what I said before we left?”

  Just then, Jake bustles into the workroom. “Damon, we’ve got you all set.” He turns to me, “Piper, here are a couple more permission slips and money to cover a few more kids. Can we make sure we have enough space on the bus for them?”

  My eyes snap to Damon’s and flash fire. “Did you arrange for more tickets?” My question is directed to Jake, but my eyes never leave his.

  Jake shuffles on his feet, suddenly aware of the growing tension in the room. “Um, yeah. Damon, you took care of that, right?”

  “I did.” He gets up out of his chair. “If you all will excuse me, I’ve got some copies to run.” My eyes follow him all the way out of the room before they finally come back to Jake.

  “Piper, I assumed you two had talked about it. When he came to me, he said he needed four seats on the bus and he had tickets already.” He hesitates. “Is there a problem? I take it you didn’t discuss this?”

  “No, he didn’t say a word about it to me.” I get up out of my seat, giving him a tight smile. “It’s fine, really.”

  Chapter 18

  Piper

  The next afternoon, after another few rounds of bickering with Damon at school, I can’t help but wish I were taking a kickboxing class instead of a barre class. I’m too worked up to be doing such calm, soothing exercises. Not to mention, maybe if I took one of those classes, I’d be capable of kicking Damon right in the ass.

  My traitorous gaze keeps flitting across the gym to where he’s working with Frank. It irritates the shit out of me that I can’t seem to control my body’s reactions when it comes to him, and I’m still supremely pissed he invited himself on the field trip tomorrow. But at the same time, my eyes drink in his every move as if he were a Slurpee on a hot, hot summer day.

  “You’re way too tense, Piper. Head up, shoulders down. Let those arms float gracefully as you move through the positions.” The teacher walks around giving us corrections as we repeat the sequence of positions she’d given us to practice.

  From behind me, I hear Quinn try to stifle a laugh … and fail miserably. Glancing back at her, I aim the evil eye right at her, which only makes her laugh harder, attracting the attention of Madison on my other side.

  She shoots me an amused look. “Psst. Piper. Barre class is over here. Last time I checked you weren’t taking Muay Thai.”

  Quinn gives a decidedly unladylike snort, and I turn my head to look at her. “Yep, I think you’re right. Maybe she wants to join Damon and Frank over there.” She shakes her head. “You’ve positioned yourself just right at the barre so you can see their practice area through the door, haven’t you?”

  “I did n—”

  “Oh girl, don’t try to deny it.”

  My face draws into a frown. “Well, why is he here anyway? It’s like he’s looked at the schedule and just conveniently shows up everywhere I do to torture me. It’s maddening as all hell. As if it’s not enough that he’s coming on the field trip tomorrow.” I huff and ever so ungracefully fling my arms and legs through first, second, and third positions.

  Madison fully stops and turns around. “Piper, do you not realize he works here?”

  What she’s just said takes a few seconds to sink in. My arms fall to my sides and my mouth drops open as I blink a few times still trying to process the information. “What do you mean?”

  Quinn, Madison, and I huddle in a circle. Quinn’s brow arches high on her forehead. “Oh, Piper … yeah, he’s Frank’s trainer. And he teaches a few different classes here, too—besides Muay Thai. He also teaches a kickboxing class and some other type of martial arts.”

  “I think it’s jujitsu.” Madison bites her lip as she studies me. Quinn covers her mouth for a second and glances at Madison before removing her hand to question me. “How did you not know this?”

  With a harsh exhale, I spin back to the barre and continue my workout, frowning all the while. The instructor walks past us, makes some comments, and then I turn and hiss indignantly over my shoulder, “I don’t freaking know.”

  Well, at least that makes sense. And now I feel kind of stupid because I’d thought he was following me around, but clearly not. This is what happens when you assume things, I guess. I’ve made a big ass out of myself. Fortunately for me, it’s only my friends who know this.

  I don’t know what possesses me, but after class, I hang around for a while, sitting on a bench by the door, fiddling with my phone. I can’t resist glancing up every so often to watch Damon in his session with Frank. I still can’t freaking believe he’s crashed my field trip—well, Hadleigh and Sawyer’s. I mean, I sort of did the same, but at least I had permission from them before inserting myself into the trip. I can’t believe he went to Jake behind my back. The big jerk.

  Big, sweaty, muscly jerk. I feel the growl work its way up from my stomach and just barely stop it from coming out.

  Damon and Frank move around each other on the mat, punching, jabbing, and kicking at each other. The more I watch Damon, the grumpier I get. All day today, I’d ignored him, refusing to speak to him, but now? Now I’m mad and spoiling for a fight. I may not be able to literally kick his ass, but I sure will lay into him verbally when I get the chance.

  Another glance at him has me wanting to mentally whip myself. It’s a damn shame he’s such an ass because his body is a masterpiece. He’s completely cut, his muscles flexing and rippling under his skin, and dear lord, I can’t help but watch him move. He’s powerful, yet graceful. Cunning, and quick. Poetry in motion, really.

  Hot jerk poetry. Why does he have to be so attractive when all I want to do is sock him in the nose?

  A while later, I notice Frank exiting the gym area to the locker room, while Damon continues his workout, throwing punches and kicks at a bag hanging from the ceiling.

  It’s now or never.

  I march over to him, full of indignation and fire, ready to let him have it. When he sees me coming, he stops and turns to me, hands on his hips. Sweat drips down his chest in rivulets. My eyes follow the drops as they slide down the grooves in his muscled abs. Saliva pools in my mouth as I take in every inch of a very, very sweaty Damon. He’s pure sex on a stick—strong pecs, big shoulders, and I swear, his abs have abs of their own. Don’t get me started on the cut of that V going straight down inside the waistband of his shorts, pointing directly to the promised land. The holy grail. My mouth waters some more at the thought.

  Oh my God. Please don’t let all the things I’ve been planning on saying to him get stuck in my throat. I swallow hard as I come to a stop right in front of him.

  “Up here.”
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  At his words, my eyes flick from his abs to his eyes, and I scowl. At the same time, blood rushes to my face, turning it as red as his Muay Thai gloves. He totally caught me gawking.

  Annoyingly enough, my eyes drop a second time, mesmerized as his pec muscles twitch, attracting my attention. My gaze slides down further, noticing for the first time that he has some sort of tattoo on his rib cage that looks kind of like birds flying, though I can’t quite tell, and I know I’ve already been staring too long. I don’t even like tattoos, but damn that’s so sexy. They kind of look like they are flying across his ribs, moving in sync with all of his muscles.

  His deep voice cuts through my distracted musings. “Did you have something you wanted to say, or did you just come closer to check me out?”

  My mouth opens and closes, astonished at his cocky attitude—yet not really. I had my tirade all planned in my head, but when he’s standing here in front of me, all glistening and magnificent like this, I can’t help but lose all train of logical thought. I sputter, “You, you—”

  “Fine specimen? Muscular man? Sexy devil? Come on, Piper. Since when do words fail you? Come on. What do you have for me?” He holds his wrapped-up hands out and beckons me forward, like he might with someone he’s trying to taunt in a fight.

  My eyes flare as I take in his smug yet smiling face, and my gaze traces over the upward tilt of his firm, masculine lips. I’m so angry I’m practically panting, and my hands clench at my sides, the nails digging little moon shapes into my palms.

  He chuckles, the deep sound of it reverberating through his chest. It pisses me off worse than anything else.

  I’m so mad now, I’m practically shaking with it. Rude. How dare he laugh at me? Finally, I find my voice. “You know what, I do have something to say to you. You know we had no intention of you being involved in that field trip tomorrow—that this was my turn to let Jake see what I’m capable of and instead, you’ve positioned yourself right in the middle of the action.” I throw up my hands, pissed off. “Do you think Jake won’t see that? That he won’t see through your little ploy?”

  “I think Jake is well aware of what I bring to the table—or the field trip. You’ll have to wait and watch how the master works tomorrow.” He steps closer to me, invading my personal space. He slides his thumb across his lower lip, and grins as he notices my eyes following.

  Dammit!

  “What am I supposed to do, Piper, just sit back and let you have the position? Some of us don’t get everything handed to us. Some of us have to prove ourselves. Some of us don’t have the luxury of failing.”

  Is he trying to say I’m spoiled? Entitled? Ugh! This man! I step forward, toe to toe with him. “I’ve worked for every goddamn thing I’ve gotten.” I reach out and jab my finger right into the sweat-slicked skin of his chest. “Don’t you dare try to insinuate that I’ve had everything given to me on a silver platter.” My voice raises. “It’s not true!”

  In no more time than it takes my heart to beat, I scan every feature of his face, so close to mine. Why is it that he’s become so damned appealing to me? When the hell did that happen? And why? Oh my God, why me? Why now? I feel like I’m about to fly right off the handle. I’m. So. Angry. I’m vibrating with it. My blood boils under my skin as my heart pumps it through me, sending that heat everywhere.

  Nose to nose with him, I stare into his dark eyes, trying not to show him just how off-balance he has me. He smirks, studying me. This asshole. I want to— I want to—

  I don’t know who moved first, but seemingly all at once, our bodies crash together and our mouths find each other. Everything from the way his strong hand grips the back of my neck to how his lips move over mine, demanding and sure, all scream possession and passion so fiery it may well torch my panties and burn me up from the inside. I grip his biceps, and without understanding why, I claw at him, holding on for dear life. His tongue passes between my lips, and I match his ardor, stroke for feverish stroke. With every second we let this continue, I crave more and more of what he’s giving me. I want this. I need this. All my senses are lit up like the finale of a fireworks show. The kiss is brutal and intense and so very Damon. I have the fleeting thought that I may never recover from it.

  I may never be the same again.

  He tugs me against him and all I feel is rock-hard man. I have visions of him pushing me up against the wall behind us and having his way with me. I moan at the thought, right into his mouth. He nips at my lip with his teeth, and I yank his body more firmly against mine, my arms around his back now, my hands sliding down to squeeze his ass.

  The worst part of all of this is I’m terrified I might like what he’s doing to me—and what I’m doing to him.

  Frustrated with the direction of my thoughts, I push away from him, breathing hard, my chest rising and falling like I’ve just run a mile. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  His brows shoot up to his hairline. “Me?” His head jerks back like I’ve slapped him. “There were two of us involved in that just now. Two sets of lips, two tongues, two bodies.” His gaze slides down over me as I back further away from him. The pulsing in my core is a sure sign that he’s right, damn him.

  My hand shakes as my fingers touch my lips. I blink twice, staring right into the intense depths of his sinful eyes.

  “What’s the matter, Piper? Aren’t you woman enough to admit you liked that?”

  And then? I turn and run.

  I burst out of the building like it’s on fire. No, that’s just my lady parts.

  Oh my God, I just stuck my tongue in Damon’s mouth. And his was in mine. I grabbed at his hard, sweaty arms and shoulders, and then his ass. I touched Damon’s ass. I rubbed my body against his like I’d never encountered anything that good in my entire life.

  Spoiler alert: It’s because I haven’t. I swallow hard and lean against the wall outside the door to catch my breath. That was the single most sexy, mind-blowing experience I’ve ever had, and it all happened with my clothing fully intact. And in a public place, no less. I can only imagine what it would be like to be naked and sweaty in private with Damon.

  And imagine I do—his mouth covers mine, our hearts pound in our chests, the heavy, solid weight of him presses me down onto my bed and settles between my legs. My whole body calls out to his. His lips torment my curves, dropping angry-hot kisses everywhere he can reach. And just when I can’t take anymore, his hands grip my hips tightly as he powers into me with his big, huge—

  My eyes widen in panic at the immediate, lust-filled path my mind had just taken. I blow out a disturbed breath and shake myself.

  My heart races as I push away from the wall, cross the parking lot, get into my car, and drive away. Why? Why do I have to feel that way toward him, of all people?

  I try to push him out of my mind, but all I’m thinking is how I’d like to go back, find him, and kiss him all over again.

  That was so fucking hot.

  And yet, here I am, running away.

  Going on a date with Prof.M. in just a few days feels like the last thing I should be doing now. I’m swamped with guilt. I haven’t even given whoever this man is a chance. We haven’t even met. What if I meet Prof.M. and I like everything about him, but can’t stop thinking about Damon’s hand pulling my face toward him so he can kiss me or the other one that had landed just north of my ass and yanked my lower body flush to his?

  What if I run from Damon—like my head has told me to do—and straight into Prof.M.’s arms and he turns out to be no good for me? Or, oh my God, what if he has a tiny C-O-C-K? I cringe thinking about how superficial that last thought was, but even though I could tell Damon had some sort of a protective cup on for sparring, there’s no way a big man like that isn’t just big all over. At least, I hope not.

  Wait. What am I hoping? That Damon is well-endowed? Why? My brain screams out, even as my nipples tighten at the thought of Damon and whatever he is packing.

  I have got to get myself under c
ontrol. I drive quickly through town, and when I arrive at my apartment complex, find I’m no calmer than when I’d pulled away from Damon at the gym.

  I’m the biggest idiot ever. Here I am, sucking face with some guy who is trying to take everything from me. Hell, he probably did that on purpose to get a rise out of me. He’s trying to distract me from whatever he has up his sleeve for tomorrow.

  And I totally can’t wait to see what it is. This field trip has become a war zone. It’s on. I’ve just got to figure out what to do to battle back. Because now our little war isn’t just professional; he’s made it personal with his stupid lips and talented tongue.

  Chapter 19

  Damon

  I can’t remember the last time a kiss affected me like that. In fact, I’m pretty sure that was unlike anything I’ve ever felt with other women. To be fair, Piper herself isn’t like other women. One minute, I’d been enjoying getting her all fired up, and the next, there’d been an explosion, like some unseen force had shoved us together and we’d detonated in each other’s arms. Boom. Holding her like that, touching her … Oh my God, she’s sexy as hell. I could feel her desperation to get closer in the way she’d clung to me. And that mouth of hers—it’s hot when she’s arguing with me, but man, it’d been even more fun to throw her off balance and shut her up with my lips. I’d been about to suggest we find somewhere more private if we were going to keep it up and I’d enjoyed thinking that was likely to piss her off.

  But she pushed me away. And she seemed angry at first, but then she ran. I think maybe she didn’t want to admit how I’d made her feel. To be fair, it was a pretty quick shift, and neither of us had been ready for it.

  I’d spent the rest of the evening wondering if we’d taken things a little too far. Our relationship, both professionally and personally, is now forever changed. For the first time in a long time, I have no fucking clue what the fallout will be like. Usually I know where I stand with a woman. But right now, to her credit, Piper has me spinning. It’s like we’d been in the octagon and she’s knocked me half-senseless. And now? I’m seeing fucking stars.