Free Bound by the Past by Mari Carr

with soft, wet kisses.
    Afterward, they cuddled.
    “Mmm. I think I promised you dinner.” Carly ran her hand across his bare chest.
    “So you did. What do you say we order a pizza and fuck again? I don’t really like the idea of you getting out of this bed.”
    “No, no more pizza. That’s all we ate this weekend. I am making you a proper dinner.”
    He started to complain but at that exact moment, his stomach growled. Carly laughed. Bending down, she placed a quick kiss on his abdomen. “I bought steaks.”
    “Damn, why didn’t you say so? Come on, I’ll help.”
    As they cooked together, Jon tried to push back the guilt that wouldn’t let him go. He didn’t deserve her, didn’t deserve this happiness. Jesus. If he were a stronger man, he would get the hell out of this town—away from her and his fucking past—before both of them were destroyed completely.
    “Penny for your thoughts,” she said, jerking him from his disturbing concerns.
    “Actually, I was considering tossing you up on that counter and having my way with you again.” The lie came easily. A lifetime of practice at deception was bound to lead to perfection.
    “You, Mr. Walker, have a one-track mind.”
    “I warned you right from the start, Carly.”
    “Yeah,” she acknowledged. “You did, but let’s eat first. We’ve got all night for what you have in mind.”
    Her words triggered another thought and he sighed. “Actually, we don’t. My best friend Night showed up late last night. He’s at my place right now. I really need to leave after dinner.”
    Carly placed her hands on her hips, annoyed. “Why didn’t you tell me? I would have invited him to dinner tonight as well.”
    He grinned before swatting her playfully on the ass. “If you’d done that, I wouldn’t have gotten my appetizer.”
    “You plan to introduce us, don’t you?”
    Her question left him instantly regretting the fact that he’d started this conversation. “I’m not sure how long he’ll be staying.”
    Carly’s face fell a bit, shrugging sadly before she turned around to continue mixing the salad. Shit, there was no way he could confess his reason for not wanting her and Night to meet. How could he tell her he was afraid the image of her with his best friend would lead to cravings he’d never be able to fight?
    Walking over to her, Jon wrapped his arms around her, pulling Carly back to his chest. He nipped lightly at her ear and did the one thing he sensed he would be doing a lot of in regards to his new love. He lied. “I’ll bring him around one day. I’m warning you, though, he thinks he’s a regular lady killer.”
    She smiled at his words and turned in his arms. “I can’t wait to meet him. You’ve never told me anything about your past and I have to say, I’ve always wondered. Besides Night, you’ve never even mentioned any other friends or relatives.”
    Jon shrugged and tried to keep his face from giving away the turmoil swamping his insides. “Not much to tell. Night is my only connection to the past. My dad died when I was just a kid and I don’t talk to my mother.”
    He could see a million questions lining up on her lips, but he cut them all off with a deep kiss.
    “I’m starving, Blue Eyes. What do you say we get this dinner out of the way, so you can feed my hunger?”
     

 

Chapter Seven
     
    When Jon let himself into his townhouse later that night, he immediately sensed Night’s presence in the darkened living room. It looked like his friend didn’t plan to return to his observation post on the mountain anytime soon.
    “Hello, Jon. How’s the girlfriend?”
    “Why are you sitting in the dark?”
    “You know me, bud. Happier in the dark. Easier to hide my sins without some harsh light beating down.”
    “Have you been drinking?” Jon turned on the light. Night’s legs were stretched out and resting on the coffee table. He noticed the half-empty bottle of Jack Daniel’s in his hands.
    “Making yourself at home,