Alibi (Brantley Walker Off the Books #5) - Nicole Edwards Page 0,85

God, yes.” JJ’s knees clamped on to his hips as she met him thrust for thrust. “Don’t stop, Baz. God, don’t stop.”

He gritted his teeth, impaling her deeper, faster, until her pussy squeezed his cock as she cried out his name again and again.

It was then that he let go.

As he came, he couldn’t help but wonder how long it would be before she realized what they’d done.

Baz woke, having rolled over to find JJ’s side of the bed empty. A quick glance at the bedside clock told him that night was fading away, but it wasn’t quite morning.

And he was alone.

He should’ve figured as much. Last night had been incredible, which meant JJ was likely coming up with a million excuses as to why what they’d done was wrong, and so many more about why they couldn’t be together.

But JJ was in for an argument because Baz had spent the past few months coming up with reasons why they should be together, and he was more prepared than ever to fight for what he wanted. Sure, there was another obstacle they had to deal with, but Baz loved her enough to make it work.

Baz managed to sit up, shook the rest of the exhaustion from his brain as he pulled on his shorts. He padded barefoot down the short hall to the living room, finding JJ sitting on the couch in the dark. She was wearing his shirt, one shoulder bare, her long, silky hair hanging over her shoulders.

He looked around, ensuring no one else was moving about. From the sound of it, the rest of the house was still asleep.

When JJ looked up at him, he saw her fear, felt his heart clench in his chest.

Her gaze swung away. “I don’t know how to do this, Baz.”

Well, at least she hadn’t called him Detective.

Hoping she would elaborate, Baz stepped around the coffee table, took a seat beside her, but not too close.

“Ever since that night…” She held her knees tighter. “Ever since then, I’ve been scared.” JJ paused, shook her head. “No, terrified. I don’t want to be alone, terrified someone’s gonna hurt me again.”

He didn’t move, didn’t speak, wanting her to continue.

“I hate it. I hate what it’s turned me into.” JJ glanced over at him. “I’ve got no one.”

“You’ve got me, JJ. You’ve always got me.”

“And you’ve got Molly.”

Baz sighed, hating that those few words diminished everything they’d ever had.

“You know it’s not like that.”

“I do know that.” She was still watching him. “I do. But even if we had a second chance…”

Hope burned hot in his chest.

“Even then, I’ve never had a successful relationship in my life, Baz.”

He wanted to tell her that wasn’t true. To remind her of her relationship with Brantley, a friendship that had survived time and distance.

He wanted to tell her to think about all the people she interacted with on a daily basis in Coyote Ridge. They all cared about her and she cared about them, which made them more than acquaintances.

“My mother hates me; my father pretends I don’t exist.” Her tone remained quiet as she continued. “The only person I ever felt close to was my brother. But he obviously didn’t care enough about me to stick around.”

Baz couldn’t imagine losing her brother had been easy. And because Jeremy James had taken his own life, he understood why she would think he had abandoned her. It was difficult for people to lose loved ones to mental illness.

“I’m sorry about your brother.”

Her gaze swung to him slowly. “That was bad enough, but then my parents blamed me.”

That was something he hadn’t known. “Why?”

JJ shrugged. “They needed someone, I guess. After all, it wasn’t their fault. Couldn’t be. Saint Mom and Dad, the greatest parents on the planet.” She sighed. “Since I was the only one left, I got the honor of being responsible for pushin’ him to the point of no return.”

Damn.

“Don’t you dare feel sorry for me,” she said, although there was no force in her words.

Baz didn’t respond, knew telling her she wasn’t responsible wouldn’t do any good. Not right now.

“And all that’s just proof that I can’t do this.” She stared back at him. “You deserve better than me, Baz.”

Unable to stop himself, Baz scooted closer, put his arm around her shoulders, and had her relax against him. He kissed the top of her head, brushed her hair back. When she leaned into him, he took it as a good sign. Twisting so he could look