Wild for Him by Jill Sorenson Read Free Book Online Page A

security guard, but close enough. He’d asked Helena out on a date a few years ago, and she’d turned him down. She didn’t even like him. “When did this happen?”
    “After the earthquake.”
    “Wow.”
    He drank more tequila, nodding. There was a red mark on his cheek and his knuckles were scraped.
    “You fought him?”
    “I did.”
    Gwen didn’t ask who won. She assumed Mitch had, because Josh wasn’t quite as brawny. Neither of them were brawler types, but they were both strong men. She was still trying to wrap her head around Helena hooking up with Josh.
    “I’m sorry for showing up here,” he said. “I didn’t know where else to go.”
    “No problem,” she said, perching on the edge of the mattress. She felt awkward in his presence, after this morning’s incident. They were alone in a tiny room. She wasn’t wearing a bra. She didn’t know if she could trust herself to be alone with him. Especially now that Helena was out of the picture.
    This was all so…bizarre.
    He extended the tequila in invitation. “I’ll sleep in my car. But if you don’t mind, I’d rather not drink alone.”
    After a short hesitation, she accepted the bottle. What the hell. Getting drunk was practically required in this situation. She knocked back a quick shot, grimacing as the strong, smoky taste burned down her throat. He smiled at her reaction. When she returned the bottle, he lifted it to his lips again.
    She touched a hand to her wet hair, self-conscious.
    His gaze flicked over her. “You took a shower?”
    She nodded. “You’re welcome to it. Do you have any clean clothes?”
    “Gym clothes, in my car.”
    “Go for it.”
    He studied her breasts for a moment, taking another drink. She’d caught him looking at her several times over the past few days, which was unusual for him. He’d never shown an interest before. Or he’d been more discreet about it.
    Shrugging, he set the bottle on the table and retrieved a duffel bag from his car. After he ducked into the bathroom, she examined the tequila bottle. It held 350 ml, and it was still half-full. Mitch was a teetotaler who got drunk off a couple of beers. If he downed the rest, he’d be hurting tomorrow. She lifted the rim to her lips and took a healthy swig, getting rid of as much as she could.
    Coughing, she set the bottle on the table. She was already beginning to feel the effects. Her chest was warm and her head light. Alcohol buzzed in her veins, offering its pleasant blur. She could be a good friend to Mitch, a shoulder to cry on.
    Nothing more.
    She wasn’t interested in his well-muscled torso, or his big hands, or that excitingly large piece of equipment between his legs.
    Nope. Friends.
    When he came out of the bathroom, she gave him an extra-friendly examination. He was wearing basketball shorts and a t-shirt with the sleeves ripped off. It hung open on the sides, revealing his lean rib cage. The fact that he had a great body was no surprise. She’d seen him shirtless more times that she could count. She’d admired him in front of Helena before, even joking that it was the reason Helena kept him around.
    She should feel bad about that, but she didn’t. She couldn’t drum up any shame whatsoever.
    “Damn,” Mitch said, picking up the bottle. “You didn’t wait.”
    His clean, masculine scent permeated the room. She inhaled deeply, scanning his bloodshot blue eyes and scruffy jaw. His hair was so short it didn’t look any different wet. “Sorry.”
    He sat down in the chair and stretched out his long legs. His feet were bare. “It’s okay.”
    She forced her gaze to his. “What did Helena say?”
    “About what?”
    She just stared at him.
    His mouth formed a bitter twist as he knocked back another shot. “She said she’s not in love with me anymore.”
    Gwen nodded. She’d suspected as much.
    “Did you know?” Mitch asked.
    “I knew she wasn’t happy.”
    He set the tequila aside and smoothed a hand over his head, pensive. “I