Free Hard Core (Hard As Nails Book 3) by Hope Conrad Page A

that’s fine. Just know you’re not fooling anyone but yourself.”
    I narrow my eyes. “Can you please leave?”
    “Are you always this grouchy in the morning?”
    “Grouchy isn’t the word,” I say, but when he picks up a piece of bacon and bites into it, my stomach grumbles. I snag a slice of bacon from the frying pan, and blow on it to cool it down. “Annoyed, definitely. Maybe even violated given you stayed over last night without my knowledge.”
    He laughs. “Baby, you wrapped yourself around me in bed last night and wouldn’t let go.”
    “I was sleeping,” I remind him.
    “And looking very beautiful while you did, too. But if there was any violation in this apartment, that would be what you did to me last night.”
    “What did I do to you last night?”
    “You rode me hard. Again. Plus, you gave me a piece of you, more than your body but a piece of you , then tried to take it back.”
    “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
    But I can see by the look on his face he knows I’m lying. I did give him a piece of me last night. I’d allowed myself to open my heart to him, just a little, thinking he’d never know, but somehow he’d figured it out.
    I have to be far more careful if we are going to continue playing this little game of ours. Because I don’t have it in me to quit.
    Not yet.
    He eyes me as he moves the eggs from the pan and onto two paper plates. “I’m content with waiting for you to figure it out.”
    “I hate mind games,” I warn him and grab the plate he passes to me.
    “I find that ironic given you’re so good at them,” he mumbles.
    “Excuse me?”
    “Nothing.” He jumps backwards, his ass landing on my counter.
    I’d protest and tell him to take a seat at the two-person kitchenette table, but I’d be a hypocrite. I’m always sitting on the counter. I jump onto the counter opposite of him and stick a fork into my eggs.
    “Take a bite,” he suggests with a wide grin.
    I cut into the egg and raise the fork to my mouth. It’s really good, with a slight hint of spice. “It’s good. What did you season it with?”
    “That’s a secret that will go to the grave with me.” He pushes a slice of crisp bacon into his mouth.
    I shift my attention to the spice rack, and there are two missing spices: red pepper flakes, and soul seasoning. “I’ll get it out of you sooner rather than later.”
    “Good luck with that.” He scrapes the remainder of the food from his plate, stuffs it into his mouth, and then lowers his plate into the empty sink. “What are you planning on doing today?”
    Suddenly remembering my upcoming “lesson,” my appetite vanishes and I put my plate down beside me on the counter. Maybe I look as queasy as I feel because his brow furrows.
    “Alyssa, what’s wrong?”
    I shake my head and force a smile. “Nothing.”
    I jump off the counter and my bare feet land against tile. Moving past him, I grab my phone from the entry table in the hall, and scan for recent calls or messages. I find the one I’m expecting, but not one I’m hoping for.
    Axel is watching me, eyes and body alert. “Waiting to hear from someone?”
    I decide to tell him part of the truth. “I haven’t heard from my friend Marley. A stripper at Sugar Bare. She was messed up the night I met you. I was supposed to tell Walt she went home sick. She was going to stay gone for a few days and we were going to talk, but I haven’t been able to reach her.”
    His brow furrows. “You’re worried something happened to her?”
    “No. Not really. I mean, I have no reason to think that. Maybe she’s just been busy. But I don’t know where she lives, so I can’t check in on her.”
    Axel nods. “That sucks. Hopefully she’ll get in touch today. Which reminds me, what have you got planned for today?”
    The guy’s relentless. But I’m stubborn, too. No way am I telling him that today is the day I start my first pole dancing lesson. Mr. Prince set it up weeks ago, but I’d