Playing Dirty by Jamie Ann Denton Page A

to Trenton.  
    But Ford was her husband.
    Yes, and so is Trenton.
    Embarrassed, she eased away from Ford and straightened her clothes. Good heavens, the neighbors had probably heard her. Boy, talk about fuel for the town gossips. Not only was she a bigamist, now she’d be labeled an exhibitionist, too.  
    “We didn’t do anything wrong.” Ford always had an uncanny ability to know what she was thinking. Apparently that hadn’t changed, either. Nor had his ability to set her on fire. And that was a huge problem.
    “I don’t think you should stay here,” she said, zipping up her shorts. “You need to go to the motel. Or to my dad’s. Trenton was right. You can’t stay here.”
    “Why? Because you don’t trust me?”
    “No. Because I can’t be trusted around you.”
    His smile was more than just predatory, it was downright victorious. He narrowed what distance she’d managed to put between them. “And what’s wrong with that?” he asked, his voice low and filled with sex.
    Her thighs tingled. “Ford, please.”
    “I thought I did.”
    Yes, he most certainly did. She pressed her legs together.  
    Her cell phone sounded off again, triggering a fresh round of guilt. “Just go.”
    “Sorry, babe. Not gonna happen. This is my home and I’m not leaving.”
    “Then I’ll leave.”
    “What about Phoebe?” he asked. “I thought the whole point was to give us a chance to get to know each other.”
    He was right. Dammit, she hated to admit it, but he was right. Tonight when Phoebe had kissed his photograph goodnight she’d witnessed the hurt deep in his brilliant, blue eyes. He had a right to know his daughter, to establish a relationship with her, and what better way than for him to be an integral part of her life? She owed him that much, at least.  
    She let out a long, slow breath. “Fine. We’ll stay here. But you will keep your distance. No more...none of this...”
    That wicked gleam was back in his eyes. “No more what? Orgasms? But you sound so fucking hot when you come for me.”
    She narrowed her eyes. “You know what I mean.” The warning tone she was aiming for fell short, all because of that knowing look and sexier than sin smile curving that mouth.  
    He chuckled as he drew the back of his hand lightly down her cheek. “No more what?” he pressed. “No more of this?”
    Before she managed to formulate a response, his mouth caught hers in another kiss. A hot, wet kiss. Demanding. Possessive.  
    Dammit, her toes curled. Her nipples hardened and her clit throbbed.  
    As her cellphone signaled another message left in her voice mail box, she didn’t need to wonder if Ford could sense her body’s response. The man had an uncanny sixth sense where she was concerned. He no doubt knew she was wet for him all over again. Well, she knew him, too, and the whole kissing her stupid thing was the entire point of his argument. Fine. She wanted him. She’d never not wanted him, but until their situation was resolved, she could not allow him to affect her in this way.  
    She needed him to agree to keep his distance. The only problem was, she knew there wasn’t a chance in hell Ford would ever agree to her terms. Because when he wanted something, nothing stood in his way.

Seven

    “YOU GONNA ANSWER that?”
    No. She wasn’t. How could she possibly hope to have a normal conversation with Trenton after the orgasm Ford had just given her? She wasn’t that good of a liar.
    She walked back into the house as the Law and Order theme song she’d designated as Trenton’s ringtone ended. The familiar ding signaling the call had rolled into voice mail followed.
    Ford chuckled as he closed the patio door, then casually strolled into the kitchen. “Persistent bastard, isn’t he?”
    The overwhelming desire to chuck her iPhone at Ford’s smug face had Mattie stalking across the family room to the bar where she poured herself a shot of Crown.  
    He came up behind her, invading her space, crowding