Take Me Under Read Online Free PDF Page B

patient.”
    What the hell did she think was so funny? “I’ve been patient for three fucking years. I’m at my limit.”
    He could see the wheels turning in her head. “But Reese doesn’t know that, does she?”
    “I don’t know what she’s thinking.” He stared sightlessly at his empty plate, replaying the scene with Reese from that afternoon through his mind. “I would have thought it was obvious. Her ex picked up on it right from the start. But she doesn’t seem to think she’s the kind of woman I’d date.”
    “So she’s shy and a little low on self-confidence. Did the ex screw around on her?”
    Ben responded with a jerky nod, his jaw tight. “He’s a total prick.”
    Brit leaned forward and braced her crossed arms on the table, her expression sincere . . . but serious. “Ben, if there’s a chance you could really feel something for this woman, then I say go for it and don’t let anything stop you. I love you and I want you to be happy. But . . . and I hate to say this, but if you’re just planning on fooling around with her and moving on, then you need to take a step back and really think about what you’re doing. She’s already been through enough.”
    He choked back a low curse. “You never know. A hot affair might be just the thing she needs to get back on her feet.”
    “And if it isn’t? If she falls in love with you? What then? And how is it going to work with her living right next door to you? Have you thought about how she’s going to feel when you bring another woman home with you?”
    “I don’t bring women to my place. I go to theirs,” he muttered, rolling his shoulder. “And I plan on parting as friends.”
    “God, Ben,” she said on a quiet laugh. “Sometimes you just don’t think. How is she—”
    He cut her off with another scowl and a growled response. “You don’t think you’re jumping ahead here? The woman isn’t in love with me, Brit.”
    “You’re right.” Her eyes narrowed. “And you never know. Maybe it’ll be
your
heart that gets broken. And if that happens, how do you think you’re going to feel watching
her
bring the next guy home?”
    “I’ll handle it,” he ground out, while inside his gut was churning. The idea of some other man shoving his cock inside Reese’s firm little body made him see red. He’d never been the jealous type, but he knew damn good and well that he’d want to take apart the first guy who even looked at her with interest. Which meant he was in one hell of a screwed up situation.
    He didn’t want to keep her forever—but he didn’t want any other man keeping her, either.
    Fuck.
    Maybe renting the beach house to Reese hadn’t been his brightest idea, but damn it, he’d seen it as the perfect opportunity to gain access to her, and he’d grabbed it. And it’s not like there was any use in second-guessing the decision at this point, because he wouldn’t do it differently, even with Brit’s warnings. He’d deal with that other shit later, if it became an issue. He couldn’t worry about it now, when he couldn’t stop thinking about how to get Reese where he wanted her. Which was on her back, with her legs spread, and
his
cock buried so deep inside her she could taste him at the back of her throat. He wasn’t known for holding back when it came to sex, but he had a feeling that Reese was going to push even his own limits. Once he finally got his hands on her, she’d be lucky if she could walk the next day.
    Hell, he was so jacked up, he might not even let her out of bed for the first week.
    The waiter came and cleared the table, taking their order for two coffees and a couple of slices of McClain’s famous cheesecake. As soon as he walked away, Brit asked, “So what’s she like?”
    “Beautiful. Smart. Funny.” There was a wealth of gruff pride in his voice, as if Reese was already
his
to brag about. An odd reaction on his part—and one that he’d sure as hell never experienced before. “She works as a