Read Stripped Defenseless for Free Online

family, the army, declaring him useless, he’d gone
independent. It suited him. PI work paid well, he was good at it, and he never
had to get close to anyone. Ever.
    * * * * *
    Ava
rolled over and cuddled up next to Kade’s chest, crushing her breasts against
him and running her fingers through his thick dark hair. “Thank you,” she
whispered. “That was incredible.”
    His
face softened to her touch only for an instant before the ice in his eyes
thickened. He slipped away and stood from the bed, then gestured toward the
condom. “Better get rid of ole faithful.”
    Here
it goes.
    Ava
sighed and pulled the stiff comforter over her bare body. Why had she let
herself spin daydreams that Kade might be that guy? The one who would
rescue her from Zack Moreno...and herself. What a joke. Hadn’t she figured it
out by now? The only one who could save her was herself.
    She
listened as the toilet flushed and then watched him as he walked back to the
bed with a tight grin on his face. He pulled his jeans on and zipped them up,
all the while avoiding eye contact.
    “Want
a beer?” he asked as if they’d just finished watching a football game together
instead of making passionate love twice. He opened the mini refrigerator and
pulled out a bottle.
    “I
get it,” she mumbled and began scanning the dimly lit room for any trace of her
clothing. She spotted her panties and scooped them up.
    “What
do you get, exactly?” He twisted the cap off, not giving her his full attention
and not seeming to give a crap what her answer would be.
    “I’m
supposed to leave before it gets awkward.” She pulled her panties on and picked
up her skirt and sweater.
    “Come
on, you said yourself this was a one night stand.” He took a swig of his beer
and then set it down on top of the fridge. “I don’t even know your real name.”
    And
it’s a good thing, too.
    She
tugged her skirt up and tried to remain calm. She should be used to assholes
treating her like a discount whore, like she was less than her worth.
Unfortunately, she let this particular asshole lure her out of the safety of
the club and straight to his bed.
    She’d
been lonely and she’d let herself read too much into his actions, and the
connection they made in bed. It was a stupid mistake, and she wouldn’t let it
happen again.
    “Hey,”
he said in a low voice and walked the distance between them. “I’m sorry if you
thought this was leading somewhere. I didn’t mean to give you that impression.
I’m only in town until I complete a job and then I’m gone. A relationship would
never work.”
    Ava
gave him her best dirty look. “Don’t you think I know that? Why else wouldn’t I
give you my name? It was just sex. No big deal.”
    She
shrugged but couldn’t seem to take her eyes off of his shirtless body. The
ribbed muscles. The scars that didn’t seem to faze him. The eyes that bore into
her.
    Focus,
Ava. He’s a jerk.
    She
took a deep breath and slid her arms into her sweater. His hand ran down the side
of her breast before she could fully pull it on.
    “No
big deal? Do you mean that?” he asked with an unsmiling face.
    “Don’t
touch me,” she snapped, more furious with herself than with him.
    He
pulled his hand away and clenched it at his side. “Sorry. You tempt me like no
woman I’ve ever known before.”
    “You
don’t know me, and you never will.” She clasped her sweater shut and grabbed
her jacket off the floor.
    “Listen.
I don’t want it to end this way. I’d like to see you again before I leave.
Maybe tonight after you get off work?”
    Ava
held back a laugh. How desperate did he think she was? “Sorry. I have a date,”
she lied.
    Dates
were a thing of the past. Something she couldn’t enjoy as long as she was on
the run. But he didn’t need to know that. If he could play games, then so could
she.
    “With
who?” he asked, his blue eyes narrowing.
    Why
did he even care? She shook her head and opened the door to leave.
    “With
who?”