Opening the door, I stepped out, still taking in the sprawling property.

  “Looks like Trev invited some people. I know those cars,” Sax said, carrying my cake that Trev had bought me in his hands.

  I glanced over to see two expensive sports cars and three luxury SUVs parked to the far left of us.

  “I’m giving you a heads-up now. There are at least three girls here who would lick his fucking feet if he told them to. One for sure will be topless. Trev’s pool parties normally end up a little wild.”

  Topless? Great. I was going to get to see Trev making out or groping boobs. Not what I was in the mood for today of all days. I simply nodded. If that was the case, then I knew which bikini I was wearing. I’d brought two. That information made my decision for me.

  “Thanks for preparing me,” I replied.

  We walked up the stairs to the house, and Saxon rang the doorbell. A short, round, older lady opened the door and beamed up at Saxon, then turned to me, still smiling.

  “Come in,” she said, stepping back. “It’s always good to see you, Saxon. How are your parents?”

  “They’re doing good, Ms. Jimmie,” he replied. “Uh, is Garrett home yet? This is Gypsi Parker—”

  “You’re Ms. Parker’s daughter. Of course! You are as beautiful as your mother. Come, come. I have your room all prepared for you. Mr. Hughes and your mother have gone out to dinner, but they’ll be returning soon. Trev is out at the pool with friends if you want to get changed and join them. I was just about to take out some refreshments to them. What is this you brought, Saxon?”

  “Chocolate peanut butter cake. It’s Gypsi’s, but she’s going to share.”

  She reached out and took it from him. “I’ll go put it in the kitchen cooler until she wants it,” Ms. Jimmie said to him.

  I was glad Mom wasn’t here. It would give me time to relax. She knew me too well, and fooling her was more difficult than it was with others.

  “Thank you,” I replied.

  I glanced at Saxon. “Do you want me to wait on you, or you wanna just meet me outside?” he asked.

  “I can show her around. Give her the lay of the land so she doesn’t get lost,” Ms. Jimmie said to him.

  He nodded but kept his eyes on me, waiting on a response. As much as walking out to a group of people I didn’t know alone sounded uncomfortable, I was willing to face that if I didn’t feel rushed. A few minutes to think and gather myself would be nice.

  “Go on out. I’ll be there shortly,” I told him.

  “Okay.” He flashed Ms. Jimmie his dimples, then headed off to the left.

  “I’ll show you around first, then take you to your room,” Ms. Jimmie told me.

  I followed her around as she walked me through the first floor of the Hugheses’ mansion. You could park three of our campers into the kitchen alone. It got my mind off things, as I was awed by each new room. There was even a movie theater. I almost laughed when she took me in there. I didn’t know people had these in their homes.

  Once we made it to the second floor, she walked me down a wide hallway with several doors. The last one on the right was open, and she waved a hand for me to enter. It was white and gold. A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling. The king-size bed sat on a platform in the middle of the room with plush white bedding.

  “Through there is your en suite,” she replied.

  I had no idea what that was, but I glanced in there to see a bathroom that made my jaw drop. I wondered if I could skip going out to the pool and just get in the copper bathtub that could fit five people.

  “The closet is here,” she told me, opening the door to what I thought was a wardrobe but it just looked like one.

  Inside was a walk-in closet larger than our entire trailer, complete with floor-to-ceiling mirrors, a white sofa, and a television. Who watched TV in their closet?

  “If you need anything,” Ms. Jimmie said, “that button right there will call me. I can bring you whatever you need.”

  There was a button in the closet. I would not be asking this sweet lady to bring me anything, but I thanked her anyway. If my room was this outrageous, what was the master bedroom that Mom was staying in like?

  Ms. Jimmie left me with the reminder to call her if needed. “Even if it’s just a glass of ice water.”

  She’d shown me the kitchen. If I needed water, I could go get it myself.

  Once she was gone, I walked over to the chaise lounge and sat down. This was overwhelming, but thankfully, it was also distracting. I glanced at the windows covering the far left wall and wondered if I could see the pool from here. Afraid of what I’d see if I could, I didn’t get up. A knock on the door, however, startled me.

  “Uh, come in,” I replied, standing up.

  The door opened, and Trev stepped inside. He was wearing swim trunks. That was it. A girl needed a warning before being faced with a barefoot, bare-chested Trev. His dark hair was damp and messy, only making him even more attractive. I tried very hard not to stare at his washboard abs, but it was difficult. Dropping my gaze, I realized the man even had sexy feet.

  “You like the room?” he asked.

  My eyes snapped back up to meet his. There was a smirk on his face that said he knew I’d been checking him out. I guessed I hadn’t been very subtle after all.

  “Oh, um, yeah,” I replied, turning to look at my surroundings. “It’s … wow. The entire house is wow.”

  “I’m glad you like it. You are coming outside, aren’t you?”

  I turned back to him and wished he would put on a shirt or something.

  “Yes, I was. I mean …” I paused, not sure I could handle it if he was going to be all over some girl. Not today. I just didn’t have it in me today to watch it. “I don’t have to. If you have company and—”

  “I came to get you, Lollipop. I’ve been watching the damn door since Dad texted that you were going to be staying the night.”

  Ugh, the Lollipop thing. Why did him calling me that make me tingle in areas I had no business tingling?

  “Okay, well, I need to get changed.”

  The corner of his mouth turned up. “I can wait.”

  “Just for the record, I’m keeping my top on outside,” I informed him.

  He laughed. “Sax has been talking, I see.”

  I nodded. “He was giving me a warning. He also mentioned that three of the girls here would lick your feet if you told them to. Please don’t have them do that. Not sure I want to watch it. Licking feet is gross.”

  He tilted his head slightly to the left, and his gaze drifted down my body, then back up. “I’ve got some pretty feet,” he said with a smirk. Then added. “Lollipop, if you’re out there, I’m not going to be aware of anyone else.”

  This time, I laughed. “We both know that’s not true.”

  Trev walked over to me, stopping just inches from his bare chest brushing against me. I held my breath after the smell of coconut on his warm skin hit me. If I had to look at him, it wasn’t fair that he smelled like something I wanted to taste.

  “I don’t lie about shit like that,” he said, looking down at me.

  I did my best not to look as completely turned on as I was. “You had no problem looking at other females in Kentucky,” I reminded him.

  The dark smile that touched his lips made me shiver. Damn, this man was dangerous. I could forget why doing the things I wanted to do with him was a bad idea.

  “Lollipop, if you thought I was looking at other females, then you are very mistaken. I struggled to remember their names. My eyes stayed on you. Followed you. I was doing my best not to go get you and haul your ass away from everyone so I could have you alone. You weren’t even wearing fucking panties. Do you know how that shit messed with me?”

  My eyes widened. I hadn’t told him I wasn’t wearing panties. Did he see when I got inside the limo? I had thought I kept my dress pulled down.

  He smirked, then leaned close to my ear. “No one saw but me.”

  His voice made me shiver. I needed to get away from him. If I didn’t, I was going to grab him and run my tongue over his nipples. He had no idea how close I was to doing it.

  Trev ran a fingertip down my bare arm. “You have goose bumps, Lollipop,” he said softly.

  I swallowed hard. “Yes, and that’s not a good thing,” I said, trying to make myself move away from him. My feet, however, felt cemented to the floor.

  “Why? Because of our parents? Because it could make things awkward?”

  I nodded, unable to use my words while he continued caressing my skin. His finger trailed over my collarbone and up my neck.

  “I’m struggling with that,” he said. “I’m not so sure it’s a big deal. If they break up, that doesn’t affect us. Not really. It’s not a relationship I’m looking for. I don’t do those.”

  I didn’t do them either. Not anymore. I tried it, and I was still paying for it.

  “What if they get married?” I asked, wanting him to make this okay. Give me a reason why licking his bare chest wouldn’t be a bad idea.

  “Then, we’ll be really close stepsiblings. I could be your stepbrother with benefits. We can call it steps with benefits.” He grinned as he said it.

  A laugh bubbled out of me.

  Trev’s fingers wrapped around my upper arm, and he jerked me against him, then brushed a kiss near my ear. “That sounds nice, doesn’t it? No strings. Just me making you feel good.”

  I was breathing hard. He was too close, his skin was hot, and I wanted to melt against him.

  “Come on, Lollipop. Tell me yes or, fuck, even maybe. Just give me some hope that I’ll eventually get to bury my face in your sweet little pussy.”

  I had to grab his bicep to keep my knees from buckling under me. He was really good with the dirty talk, and he had no idea how much I liked it. This wouldn’t end well. What if he turned out like Tyde?

  I had thought Tyde was charming in the beginning. He was so gentle with me until he realized he’d unleashed a nympho. At least, that was how I felt. Once I got a taste of sex, I was insatiable. That had turned Tyde into a possessive psycho, who became abusive and twisted.

  Thinking about him cooled me off.

  I stepped back from Trev, still trembling some from his effect on me and my needs. “You think you want me, but you don’t know me. Maybe we should get to know each other as friends first.”

  His heated gaze stayed locked on mine. “If that’s what you want, I’ll do whatever you ask. Just give me some whisper of hope that we can add the benefits part to our relationship eventually.”

  That was something I wasn’t sure I could promise, but I wanted to. Sexual thoughts of Trev were going to haunt me. If I didn’t have my massive pile of fears about where that would all lead, this would be an easy answer.

  “You don’t know that you want to do that. Not really. I can be demanding.” As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I regretted them.

  His gaze darkened. “Lollipop, if you’re talking about fucking, then I’m going to need more details than just demanding. Because all you did was just make my dick harder than it already had been.”

  I covered my face with both hands. God, he needed to stop talking about his dick. I needed air. This was bad.

  His fingers wrapped around my wrists, and he tugged my hands down. I gasped as those gray eyes blazed down at me. The things this man made me want were very dirty.

  “Right now, I want to bend you over that bed, rip these shorts off, and fuck you. Hard.”

  I closed my eyes and inhaled. That didn’t help. He smelled too damn good.

  “Now, I’ve been brutally honest. Your turn.” His voice took on a deep, raspy sound.

  I opened my eyes slowly and looked back up at him. “I recently went through a bad relationship. I’m still dealing with it.” That was the truth. I was dealing with it. I was being stalked by the psycho. But I wasn’t telling him that. “Yes, the thought of you bending me over and fucking me hard turns me on. You turn me on.” I waved a hand at him. “All this would turn anyone on. Even males. You’re beautiful and sexy, and why do you smell so good?” I groaned. “Anyway, I just don’t think I am emotionally ready for a sex fling. Or friends with benefits. Or whatever this would be. Do I want it? Yes. But I think we should get to know each other. Become friends first before we add benefits. I need to be able to trust you.” Although I wasn’t sure I could ever trust a man again.

  He narrowed his eyes. “Did the fucker hurt you?” he asked, looking like he was going to do something about it if he had hurt me. The level of hurt I had endured wasn’t something I would ever share with Trev. The things Tyde had accused me of and the things he’d called me still made me feel as if I were somehow warped. If he had been right.

  “No,” I lied. “Sex just made things different. He was different.” He was insane, and I had loved it at first. Until I didn’t.

  “I’m gonna be the best damn friend you’ve ever had,” he said, reaching out to wrap one of my curls around his finger. “You’re gonna be saying, ‘Saxon who?’ when I’m done.”

  I laughed.

  He raised his eyebrows. “You think I’m joking? Sax might be the good guy who says and does all the right things, but, Lollipop, when the bad boy makes you his priority, it’s gonna make your pussy wet.” He let my hair slip from his finger, then winked at me. “I’ll wait for you to get changed.” He nodded his head toward the closet. “Then, we’ll go get some of that cake I bought you.”

  I was pretty sure I had started to pant. Needing to get away from him, I hurried past him, grabbing my bag, and went into the large mirrored room, closing the door behind me. My bag fell to the floor, and I closed my eyes for a moment to catch my breath. Trev Hughes was going to be hard to resist. Even with Tyde stalking me and the threat of what he would do if he got me alone, I still reacted to Trev. One would think my crazy body would be scared to let another man touch me.

  Trev was making himself a target. If Tyde ever saw us together, he’d snap. If men had even looked at me, he’d lose it. But it was me who paid the price. I had been the one he hit, slapped, kicked because, in his eyes, it was my fault for making the man look at me.

  I liked Trev, but even if I didn’t, I wouldn’t want to unleash Tyde’s crazy on him. Or anyone. When I’d left, he had warned me he’d kill me and any man who touched me. If Mom’s ex-boyfriend hadn’t been there, helping us get away from Tyde, I’d never have gotten free.

  Eleven

  Trev

  While Gypsi was changing, I should have gone to the bathroom and pumped one out to get some fucking relief. The girl already turned me on, but damn if she hadn’t insinuated with those crazy-sexy eyes of hers that she might be a little naughty. Now, I was going to be hard all damn night. And that see-through cover-up thing she had on over her bikini was not helping. I wanted to rip it off her so I could see that ass she was practically baring and get my hands on it. The tiny glimpse I’d gotten last night had been a tease.

  She wanted to be friends first. Fair enough. She was right; we didn’t know each other that well. I knew the few things Sax had told me and that I wanted to fuck her like a dog in heat. But that was it. I hadn’t spent much time with her. That was about to change. We were going to be fucking BFFs.

  Sorry, Sax.

  I pulled the cake from the cooler and walked back out of the pantry with it. Gypsi was perched on one of the barstools, watching me.

  Friends, Trev. You’ve got to be friends. Stop fucking her in your head. Eyes off her crossed legs.

  “How big of a slice do you want?” I asked her as I set it down in front of her.

  “Are we not taking it outside?”

  I shook my head. “Fuck no. I bought this for you. Those bastards will eat it all. You’ll just get one piece.”

  She laughed. “I told you, I can’t eat this whole thing.”

  I grabbed two forks from the drawer and held them up. “I didn’t say you were. We are sharing. Some cake tonight, then tomorrow, then the next day.”

  “Who says I will be here tomorrow and the next day?”

  I wiggled my eyebrows, making her smile. “My dad. He’s hot for your mom. She’s not going anywhere.”

  There was a flicker of worry in her eyes, but she smiled anyway. What about that worried her? Was it because we could end up as stepsiblings? I’d already cleared that up. I had made it okay in my head and I thought I’d smoothed it over for her too. Steps with benefits sounding real damn good to me.

  I put a plate and fork in front of her before taking the lid off the cake. Picking up the knife, I sliced two large pieces that made her laugh and placed them on our plates.

  “I’m gonna need milk for this. What about you?” I asked.

  “Water would be nice.”

  Turning from her, I went to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water, then got the milk. I could feel her watching me as I poured my glass and put the carton away. She liked looking at me, and I liked her doing it. I would prefer she put her hands all over me, but eyes were good for now. I’d never had to work at it to fuck a girl. This would be fun. I could think of it as a game. A challenge was different and I had grown bored with my sex life I realized. Gypsi was giving me some excitement and she didn’t even know it.

  I pulled out the stool beside her and sat down. “So, if our parents get married, would you move in here? Or are you headed off to college in the fall?”

  She smiled as she used the fork to cut a small portion of the cake on her plate. “I would travel. Take the camper and just go. College isn’t something I can afford right now, but one day.”

  Frowning, I stared at her. “What camper?”

  “The one we live in,” she replied, then put some cake in her mouth.