Page 25 of Caged Heat

“I was happy for my best friend, if not a little envious of how cavalier he was with his heart. He wasn’t scared to love and did it freely. He was an excellent dad and a great husband, living his version of a perfect life. But as it does, tragedy struck, leaving Anna a widow with a young teenage son.”

The heartbreak on his face told me just how hard it had been for August to lose his friend. Taking a deep breath, I reached out and took his hand, and linked our fingers together. He stared at our joined hands for a few minutes before speaking again.

“Brad didn’t die while on duty but from a freak accident, which meant she wasn’t entitled to death benefits. Anna struggled for a few years to find a job with the same medical care but would often be denied. On top of that, she was having trouble managing her son. In an act of lonely desperation, I posed a solution for both of us. If she married me, she could get on my benefits, and I’d be around more to help.”

“That sounds like you were a good friend.”

He huffed, rubbing his free hand over his beard. “You’re making me sound more noble than I was. I just helped out my best friend’s widow. I had the space, and it seemed like the right thing to do. Also, I thought it would help me not feel so alone. But even in a house full of people, you can still feel lonely.”

“That’s true.” I nodded, my thumb sweeping across the palm of his hand. “What happened?”

“Anna eventually got on her feet and found a good job. She met a man she fell in love with and wanted to marry him. So we amicably divorced, and she got a second chance at love. We’re still close. I don’t see her as much anymore since she moved away.”

“What about her son?”

“He got his shit together and has a successful career. We still see one another, and he’s become a close friend. He’s been training at the gym this past year and is considering getting into some amateur fights, so I’ve been mentoring him through it.”

“Gym? Fights?” I asked, confused.

“You didn’t notice anything, did you?” He grinned down at me.

I cringed, my cheeks heating. “Apparently not. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It makes me feel better to know you weren’t purposefully ignoring me all those years, just blind to my efforts.” August chuckled, the rumble vibrating through him to me. “Outside of Bottle Grounds, I also own Warrior Grounds. It’s a boxing and MMA training gym. After the Navy, I boxed for a few years until I couldn’t anymore. I opened the gym and then the bar.”

“Wow. I had no idea. I’ll have to admit I know nothing about fighting. Mack wasn’t ever into anything sporty.”

“You might like it. I can give you a class sometime if you want. It’s a great way to be active and fill all your new free time.”

“True. Okay. I’d like that. No promises, though, if I’m not good at it. I don’t typically like to sweat.”

“Noted.” He laughed again, his eyes shining as he stared down at me. At some point during his story, I’d snuggled more into his side, my head lying on his chest.

“I’m going to kiss you now, Nora.”

I licked my lips, nodding as I closed my eyes. August’s hand gripped my face, tilting my chin higher as his lips descended on mine.

The fire that had been slowly building exploded just like a forest fire, consuming me wholly.

CHAPTER NINE

ELEANOR

What had started as a distraction from Jackson had turned into a searing heat I had no hope of controlling. August’s beard rubbed against my face, his tongue dominating as he sought entrance, and I was too weak to deny him.

My back hit the gazebo floor, August’s body pressing into mine in the most delicious way. My legs parted, and he settled between them, one hand lifting my thigh up over his hip and giving him more room to grind into me.

Dizziness assaulted me as I forgot to breathe, my heart thumping loudly in my chest as August owned me. I didn’t have to think or feel self-conscious. He commanded, and my body eagerly followed, wanting to please him. Gasping, my hands roamed over his hair and the back of his shirt as my head tilted back, his mouth sucking on the delicate skin between my neck and collarbone.

“Fuck, dove. You’re addicting. You smell like heaven.” He ran his nose up the column of my throat, groaning as his fingers tightened on my hip. He was in constant motion as his lips trailed over me, his fingers grazing every inch he could touch, and his lower half rocked into me.

Every little action ramped up the feelings inside; that needy desire Jackson had unfurled was awakening again. I debated for a second if things were moving too fast; if I should think about this more before I tumbled into bed with someone new, but I was tired of questioning myself. I’d pushed aside desire and sex for too many years already. If younger girls could sleep their way through the guys on HEAT without having a crisis of conscience every two seconds, then I could enjoy the way August made me feel without judging myself.

My hands gripped at the muscles in his back, a groan leaving me as I arched up into him. A hard length rubbed against my core, hitting me just right. But it wasn’t enough. I needed something…

“More,” I breathed, hoping he knew what I meant. August practically growled into my neck, his hand clenching on my thigh before he moved back. I whimpered at the loss of his body heat. The smirk on his face told me he’d heard it and liked how he affected me.

“I take it back, Nora. I hate this outfit.” He frowned.

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