SAVE ME

Seated at the breakfast bar in his kitchen, Kieran Black sipped his piping hot coffee and began to understand the meaning of the saying: no good deed goes unpunished. His roommate of three days, Hazel Rose, stretched on tiptoe to reach a bowl on the middle shelf in the cupboard. The hem of her already short tank top rode up, revealing a trim waist his fingers twitched to grab. Her fair skin, speckled with freckles, made his mouth water and his groin tighten with a need that had been slowly killing him for the past three days.

Hell. That’s what this was, and he’d placed himself right into the depths of it.

But when he saw Hazel’s light blue eyes reveal her fear and loneliness, he couldn’t help himself. He’d felt bad for her then. He still felt bad now, but he hadn’t realized the depth of his desire for her until they were forced into close proximity.

Hindsight was a bitch.

Over the short time he’d spent with her, he discovered Hazel was good, sweet, nurturing, sexy, everything a man would want if he was looking for a wife. All the things Kieran shouldn’t want. Ever since his parents’ nasty divorce where they used him as a tool to punish each other, he’d sworn he’d never hurt another person like his parents hurt each other. From what he’d learned of Hazel over the last year, she barely dated, she didn’t do one-night stands, and he doubted she’d ever let go of herself. Hazel was, with her sweet and romantic heart, the wrong woman for him. And yet  . . . and yet . . . when she stretched up farther, her shorts inching higher, revealing enough of her incredible ass to make him rock-hard, he’d gladly offer up his left leg for a night with her.

When she reached even higher, he shot up from his seat. “I got that.” She whirled around with a gasp, and as he met Hazel’s pretty, wide eyes, he realized he’d yelled at her. He chuckled, though even to him he sounded tense. “You’re going to hurt herself,” he told her gently.

“You’re probably right.” She moved away with a laugh that warmed his chest, letting him reach for the bowl. “Thanks,” she said when he handed it to her.

“No problem.” He returned to the stool behind the island and sipped his coffee again, concerned that he was growing too used to waking up to her already in the kitchen getting ready for her day. Desperate to get his mind on something other than bending her over the counter and riding her hard, he asked, “What’s your plan for today?”

“Just work.” She added some yogurt, raspberries and granola to her bowl before she met him at the island. “My editor’s in a mood lately, and that means we all have to work a little bit harder.”

“Sounds fun.”

“It’s not.” She leaned a hip against the island, using her spoon to scoop up yogurt. “What’s your day looking like?”

“Going for a run this morning.” Not only to train for the upcoming Ironman competition, but to burn off the desire simmering in his blood. “Groceries and some errands later. Tonight, I’ll be hitting up Phoenix.”

“Oh, cool,” she said, a blush creeping across her cheeks at the mention of the exclusive sex club that catered to the rich and famous of New York City.

He held back his grin. Never in all his twenty-nine years had he ever met anyone as innocent as Hazel. His whole adult life, he’d surrounded himself with passionate people who loved sex, the dirtier the better. He’d been involved in sex clubs and private play parties since his first week of college. Those parties that catered to the elite of New York City society was where he eventually met Rhys, the owner of Phoenix, where he’d been a member since Rhys opened the club. He had developed a strong friendship with Rhys and Archer, head of security for Phoenix. Kieran rarely spoke to his parents now, by choice, to keep their drama out of his life, but he’d found a chosen family in his friends, and he’d walk through flames for any of them.  

“What are you doing tonight?” he asked.

She leaned over the island, crossing her arms, revealing more than enough cleavage. Kieran breathed past the squeezing of his chest. He’d swear she was doing this on purpose to taunt him, but Hazel didn’t have that type of manipulation in her. She blushed at even the slight hint of attention; she couldn’t pull off something like this.  “Going to look at a few more places with Elise.”

“Like I said before, there really is no rush,” he said, and she glanced up at him through long lashes. “It’s nice having the company.”  

“Thanks, but I really don’t want to overstay my welcome.”

He was about to reply that she could never do that, but a knock on the door had Hazel scooting away like a rabbit running from a fox. She opened the door a moment later, and Kieran’s lifelong friend Hunt Walker strode in. He took in the scene, his light brown eyes scanning the room, something he did even before he became a cop with the NYPD. His golden-brown hair was hidden beneath a Yankees baseball cap. He wore long basketball shorts, a muscle tank top and sneakers. While Hunt didn’t swim or bike, he always came on Kieran’s runs when he trained. After he took in Hazel, his gaze cut to Kieran and Hunt’s brow furrowed slightly. Hunt never missed much.

Kieran shook his head and moved to the sink. He dumped the rest of his coffee out and put the mug in the dishwasher. When he reached Hazel by the door, he said, “Let me know if you need me to go with you to look at any of the places.”

“No way,” she said. “You’re even pickier than Elise.”

He’d gone to see one place with her yesterday. “Yeah, ’cause it was shit,” he stated. “You deserve better than that, Hazel.”

Her cheeks turned a darker shade of red.

Hunt observed the situation like a cop, studying every movement while Kieran slipped into his running shoes, lacing them up.

“See you later, Hazel,” Hunt called.

“Bye,” she said with a wave. Her gaze fell to Kieran and held.

Kieran swore she looked at him like she wanted him to come and kiss her goodbye. He bit back the urge to take her into his arms and his bedroom, and stepped out into the quiet, sunny morning.

He lived in the Upper East Side. His Victorian brownstone was among the assortment of buildings with old-world charm in every direction. He’d inherited the property from his late paternal grandfather, who was the only reason Kieran wasn’t a total screwup. His parents divorced when Kieran was twelve, and his grandfather helped him weather their rage, having Kieran stay with him often. Instead of leaving his inheritance to Kieran’s father, he left it all to Kieran, and his own relationship with his father never recovered. But Kieran had loved his grandfather, and he appreciated the leg up the money offered him.  

“Want to tell me what that was all about?” Hunt asked, sidling up next to Kieran at the bottom of the porch steps.

“Nope.” Kieran shut out the world, focusing on his stretching routine, getting his muscles loose and limber for the run.

When he finished up with his final calf stretch, Hunt raised his eyebrows. “Are you sure you’ve got nothing on your mind?”

“Just ready to run,” Kieran said, not even sure he could formulate clear sentences. He took off running at full speed, letting his emotions fuel his workout. The first ten minutes were painful, each step burning, both his legs and his lungs crying out for him to stop, until he fell into a steady rhythm and his body felt lighter, his steps easier.

When they reached the East River, running along the paved pathway, Hunt yelled from behind him, “Fuck, man. Slow the hell down.”

Kieran glanced back over his shoulder, barely registering the pain he endured. But one look at the way Hunt wobbled, he realized he’d been going hard. Hunt trained in the gym and had the thick physique to show for it. Kieran was lean from long runs, swims and bike rides, he’d always been faster on his feet. He slowed until he was walking and then headed back toward Hunt. “Sorry,” he said, swiping at the sweat on his forehead with his arm.

Hunt was bent over, desperately attempting to catch his breath, his face cherry-red. “What in the hell are you running from?” he asked.  

Kieran glanced away to the water. “You know what I’m running from.”  

A pause. When Kieran met Hunt’s gaze again, his brow was furrowed. “Hazel?”

Kieran moved to the railing, leaning over it, relishing the coolness of the metal beneath his arms. “I shouldn’t have asked her to live with me. Biggest mistake I’ve ever made.”

Hunt settled in next to him, breathless. “Why, what’s she done?”

“It’s not what she’s done,” Kieran stated. “It’s what I’m going to do if I don’t get her out of my place.” Her sugary scent … her luscious body … he was damn tired of bringing himself to completion with her on his mind, instead of tasting her for himself.

Hunt’s mouth twitched. “Ah, I see. A little tempting treat is taunting you?”

“Taunting isn’t the right word, she’s not doing anything.” Kieran tapped a finger against his head. “She’s in here. All the fucking time.”

Hunt looked out to the water, so Kieran did the same. “Is it so bad that she’s in your head?” Hunt asked a few minutes later. “She’s single. You’re single.”

“Yes, it’s bad.” Kieran had thought this through from every angle. “Hazel is a romantic. You know that. You’ve heard her talk with Elise and Zoey. She wants marriage, a family, that type of life. And that’s not the life I want.”  

“Who’s to say that’s what Hazel is looking for right now?” Hunt asked, as a couple of runners jogged past them.

“Of course, that’s what she wants. A sweet girl like that isn’t looking for a fast fuck after a night of clubbing.”

Hunt’s mouth twitched again. “She is sweet, I’ll give you that. But considering she’s not in a long-term relationship, and hasn’t been in one since we’ve met her, maybe there’s more going on there. Maybe she’s looking for something different.”

If only it were that easy. Kieran sighed, looking out at the murky water again, a boat slowly making its way down the East River. “And there’s the other problem. I care.”

“We all care about Hazel.”

“Yeah, but I’ll care about how she’ll feel after I take what I want,” Kieran explained.

“That is a problem,” Hunt said. Then he gave a half smile. “Maybe you’re wanting something that you’re not ready to admit to then.”

“I want her in my bed, nothing more.” Kieran remembered the yelling, the fights that went on for hours, the rage. He recalled the way his parents pulled and yanked at him, each one making him take sides. For years, they played horrible games. Until one day, Kieran realized there was no love in his family. And he no longer loved his parents. How could he when he no longer respected them? He never trusted love after that. 

Hunt paused for a long moment. “Sounds like you’ve got an opportunity on your hands.”

“Oh? Do tell.”

“We’ve all seen the way Hazel blushes around you. The way she stares at you a little longer than anyone else. How she freezes when you walk into the room. She’s interested. It’s obvious to all of us. Why don’t you find out exactly what she’s interested in?”

Kieran frowned. “Yeah, and what if she wants a relationship and I hurt her?”

“You won’t.” The warm breeze carried the yeasty scent from the bakery behind them as Hunt dropped a hand on Kieran’s shoulder. “Your nature is to save, not to hurt.”

Kieran absorbed Hunt’s advice, glancing back out at the rippling water. Something had to give. Ignoring his attraction to Hazel wasn’t working. If anything, the lust pulsating between them was deepening. He suspected her being off-limits was what drove his insatiable need, but there was no pretending the desire didn’t exist. He had to find a safe way to be with her that wouldn’t break her heart.

Before he could decide on a response, his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. He took a quick look at the screen. “It’s Rhys. He’s asking if we can meet him at the tailor’s tomorrow at seven o’clock for final measurements.” Rhys’s wedding was two months from now. Archer’s, three weeks after Rhys’s. Kieran glanced up and Hunt nodded, then he fired off a text. Hunt and I will be there. Once he slid his phone back into his pocket, he ran his hand through his sweaty hair. “Who would have ever believed a year ago we’d be attending not only Rhys’s wedding, but Archer’s too.”

Hunt used his shirt to wipe the sweat off his forehead. “Not me, that’s for damn sure.”

The thought that had been haunting Kieran lately still weighed heavily on his mind. He’d lived his life one way. He’d chosen to not date seriously or go the marriage route. To not bring children into this world. To not offer love and then mess it up somehow. And yet, being around Rhys and Archer had him wavering. “Do you think we’re missing out?”

“On what?”

“On having a woman in our lives.”

Hunt grinned. “We have women all the time.”

Kieran’s skin crawled to even mention it. “We don’t have what Rhys or Archer have.”

“No, we don’t, that’s true,” Hunt said in understanding. Both Rhys and Archer had been longtime bachelors before finding themselves caught up in their women’s spells. “Nah, man,” Hunt eventually said. “We’re not missing out on shit.”

A lie. After years of friendship, Kieran read right through Hunt.

Have I chosen the wrong path?

After a moment of thought, he knew he wouldn’t find that answer today. Besides, right now, the bigger problem was keeping his hands off Hazel. A task becoming harder as the long hours went ticked by. “Come on,” he said to Hunt, taking off at a run again. “Try not to fall behind this time.”

“Bastard,” Hunt growled.

Kieran chuckled, and he ran faster.