Hard Read online

  Evernight Publishing ®

  www.evernightpublishing.com

  Copyright© 2016 Jenika Snow

  ISBN: 978-1-772233-758-7

  Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Des.igns

  Editor: Karryn White

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  HARD

  Jenika Snow

  Copyright © 2016

  Chapter One

  He’d been called many things in the past, and most of them were true, although there was one that Izabella never believed, and that was that Corbin Grant was a womanizer. She didn’t want to believe it, at least.

  Izabella Heart had known Corbin and his twin sister Crestin since they were fifteen years old. All three of them living right next door to each other meant Izabella and Crestin had become close friends. Even ten years later and with Crestin moved away, Izabella still kept in contact with her best friend.

  But with Crestin and Corbin’s parents passing away unexpectedly five years ago, and Corbin now living in their home, and with Izabella’s family moving for her father’s business, Izabella had the opportunity to see Corbin all the time.

  Yeah, but seeing him all the time meant I get to see the revolving door of women in his life.

  The three of them might have hung out when they were younger, but anymore all Izabella got from Corbin was a corner grin and a tilt of his head in acknowledgment her way.

  It doesn’t help that you want him, and always have.

  Clearing her mind of Corbin and what he did in his own time, she grabbed her cell, her purse and jacket, and headed outside. She was locking the front door when she heard the sound of as motorcycle approaching. Glancing over her shoulder she saw Corbin pulling into his driveway, his Harley roaring like some kind of feral animal. A small Toyota pulled up behind him only seconds later, and although Izabella shouldn’t have been nosy, well, she also couldn’t turn away.

  The way her house was situated and where she stood on the porch allowed her to watch Corbin without him really being able to see her. The bushes slightly blocked her from his view, so as much as she knew watching him was slightly on the creepy side, she also found this weird fascination with the women he brought home.

  They were always gorgeous, all different ages and races, but they all had one thing in common … they had perfect bodies. The woman that got out of the car was no different. She had black curly hair, her skin this gorgeous mocha color, and her body a size two. The crop top she wore showed off her flat belly, and Izabella found herself covering her own stomach. With her belly having a softness to it, and Izabella never having the confidence to pull off a shirt like that, she knew she’d never strike the attention of Corbin in that way.

  He’s a friend. Nothing more. He’ll never see me as one of those women he brings home.

  The woman walked up to Corbin and smiled widely as she lifted her hand and ran her fingers over his bulging bicep. Izabella let her gaze travel the wide expanse of his chest, what she could see anyway, but she’d memorized what he’d looked like already, with and without a shirt on.

  Her keys slipped from her fingers, clattering to the ground, and seeming so loud everything else stopped. The houses were close enough together that the woman and Corbin both turned and glanced Izabella’s way. She felt her face heat, lifted her hand in an awkward wave, and bent down to grab the keys. The she kept her head low and made her way to the car. It wasn’t until she was in the car and pulling out of her driveway that she glanced at Corbin again. The woman was heading into the house, but Corbin was watching her, his sunglasses in place and a cocky smile on his face.

  ****

  Corbin couldn’t help but watch Izabella drive off. He’d been watching her watch him, for longer than he cared to even admit, the truth was he fucking liked that she did it. In the last ten years since they’d known each other, since he’d watched her grow from an awkward teenager to a voluptuous, gorgeous woman, he’d wanted to admit how he felt for her. But maybe it was because their friendship hindered him, or maybe he just didn’t want to fuck things up with her? Either way, he’d kept his distance and didn’t plan on saying anything and potentially ruining shit.

  He wanted Izabella Heart, his twin sister’s friend, a figure in his life he’d known for the last decade, and a woman he probably would never have.

  It wasn’t that he played the field, or that he liked the reputation of being a man-whore, because truth was he didn’t sleep around, not anymore.

  He might have had his fair share of sleeping around as a teenager and in his early twenties, but he’d been focused on work, on making something of his life. Now he wanted a family, wanted a woman he could love and trust, could give his heart to, and in return have hers.

  “Corbin, are you coming in?” Allie said, her hip cocked out, and her grin wide. He’d known Allie for a few years through Crestin. Allie was here to pick up a few of his twin’s things, and even though he’d had something with Allie years ago for just a short time, he knew the woman wanted to fuck. But he wasn’t interested. Truth was he hadn’t been interested in fucking others since he realized he wanted Izabella. His damn dick couldn’t even get more then semi-hard anymore, and the only way he could find relief was to jerk off thinking of Izabella in those shorts she wore during the summer, bending over and gardening.

  Fuck, I’m getting hard now.

  He adjusted his hardening cock, pushed the thought and image of Izabella out of his mind, and headed inside. They were friends, she knew about his wild past, and probably still thought he was a bastard for the things he did. But that was good, because her keeping away meant he wouldn’t potentially ruin shit with her, and cross lines that were meant to be friends only.

  ****

  “I can’t go on a blind date, Mel,” Izabella said, her focus on the stack of paperwork she still had to file and enter into the computer.

  “Why? Are you seeing someone or something?”

  Izabella exhaled and glanced up at her coworker. “No, I’m not seeing someone, but I don’t really want to be set-up, you know?”

  “No, I don’t know. You need to get out. You always back out of going with us to dinner and the bar.”

  “I just have a lot to do, Mel, that’s all.”

  Mel gave her an unimpressed look.

  “Listen, all I’m asking is for you to go out with Zachary. He’s friends with my brother.”

  “So you know him well?” Mel didn’t answer for a second, and Izabella exhaled once more. “Mel, do you even know him?”

  “I mean I know of him. Brent always talks about him, and they go out all the time.”

  “So he’s like your brother, then?” Izabella grabbed the paperwork and started making her way toward her desk.

  “I mean, I guess.”

  Izabella shook her head. “Didn’t you tell me your brother is kind of an asshole?” She placed the papers on her desk and sat down, seeing Mel follow her in.

  “He has his moments with me—”

  “And his friend is like this, too?”

  Mel pouted. “Please, just go out, let him pay for dinner and a drink for you, and call it a night. If nothing else your meal was free.”

  She stared at Mel for a prolonged second.

  “I just think you should go out and meet someone. You’re always working overtime, I never see you with anyone, and who knows? It could be fun.” Mel grinned. “
Besides, I don’t know if Zachary is an asshole. He just hangs out with my brother, who happens to be one on occasion. Zach might be really sweet.”

  “Okay, fine.”

  Mel made an excited noise, and Izabella knew it was probably because she felt like a matchmaker. “I’ll give him your number. And you’ll tell me all about it once you go out?”

  Isabella nodded. “Yes, can I get this done before I have Mr. Juster down my throat?” Izabella smiled, giving Mel a hard time.

  Mel held her hands up. “I’ll let you get to it.”

  God, what have I agreed to?

  Chapter Two

  If I feel this way over a blind date, this has to be a bad idea, right?

  Looking at herself one last time in the mirror, Izabella breathed out, gave her reflection a nod, and headed toward the front door. The sun was already setting, and she’d agreed to meet Zachary at the bar and grille instead of him meeting at her home and picking her up. She figured if things didn’t work out with the date she at least had an escape route. Maybe not the best attitude to have before even seeing the guy, but the one blind date she’d gone on before this had been a disaster, and she didn’t want to be put in that situation again.

  She grabbed her purse and car keys, knowing she’d be early, but wanting to get there before her date so she could try to calm her nerves before she faced him. Honestly, Izabella didn’t know why she was so nervous. It was just a blind date, not like she was going to her funeral, or even her wedding to a man she despised. Hell, she may even end up liking Zachary. But the tightness in her belly, and the man who currently was on her mind, told her this wasn’t really what she wanted to be doing.

  She locked up and walked to her car. The sound of metal hitting cement had her looking over and seeing Corbin on his back on the ground, and working on his Harley. It was going on April, and although the days were warmer, and the snow pretty much melted, it was still chilly.

  Say hello to him. Be neighborly. You’re friends, after all.

  They were friends, but they hadn’t actually talked or hung out in years, not since Crestin moved away. It just seemed weird to Izabella to hang out with her best friend’s brother, especially when she wasn’t around, and they’d never exactly done that when Crestin had been living right next door.

  “Hi, Corbin,” she yelled out, and felt her face heat as her voice got high pitched at the end. He sat up, grease on his hands and even his white shirt and cheeks.

  “Hey,” he said and gave her that signature half smile, the one that made her wet and thinking of some pretty inappropriate things. He stood to his towering six-foot-four height, and all of her girly parts started to tingle and come alive. Her pussy got wet, her nipples hardened, and her skin tightened. Goosebumps popped out along her flesh, and her pulse raced. This man, this cocky, rumored womanizing man, could make her feel so alive. He didn’t even have to touch her to cause these intense feelings inside of her.

  “You look nice,” he said while looking her up and down and wiping his grease-stained hands off on a red rag.

  “Thanks,” she said, but it sounded so weak at the moment. She knew the type of guy Corbin was, had seen how he was during their teenage years, and of course now, but that didn’t stop her from wanting him. “I have a date.” She could have slapped a hand over her mouth for the words that tumbled out. She hadn’t meant to say that, and didn’t even know why she had.

  He didn’t say anything, just kept wiping off his hands, but now he stared right into her eyes. “Have fun,” he said, but his voice was tight, almost annoyed, dare she say.

  She nodded and licked her lips, not sure why he seemed upset all of a sudden, but knowing she should just head to the grille unless she wanted to make an ass out of herself, which would happen if she gawked any longer.

  “See you around.” She lifted her hand in a wave and got into her car. Without looking at Corbin again, she headed to the restaurant and told herself to put her neighbor, and her best friend’s brother, out of her mind.

  ****

  In all the years that Corbin had known Izabella he had only seen her go on a handful of dates. But no matter how much he wanted her, he knew better than to go after her, because that would be dumb as fuck.

  Breathing out roughly, he tossed the now grease-covered rag beside his toolbox and headed inside. Yeah, he wasn’t ashamed to jerk off after seeing Izabella. She’d been looking good, really good, and he needed something to take his mind off of the fact she was going on a date with some motherfucker. He might have seen her as a friend, someone to watch over when they were younger, but for a long time now he’d seen her as something a hell of a lot less friendly.

  He went into the bathroom, turned on the shower, and got undressed. He thought about Izabella in those tight black leggings, and the way her ass was perfectly curved, big and round, and so fuckable. Corbin groaned, not able to stop himself, not able to stop the way his cock got so fucking hard it ached. The sweater she wore was hardly long enough to cover her, but damn, he liked that, loved that he could see every curve of her. It made him want to say fuck it all and just go after her.

  He could imagine himself going up to her, throwing her over his shoulder, and taking her to his room. He’d tear off her clothes, but she’d be panty-less and braless, because she’d know he loved that, got off on it.

  Her tits would sway slightly from the force of him pushing her back on the bed, and the sight would mesmerize him. Corbin held in his groan at the visual, wishing he had Izabella here instead of having to resort to jerking off in his bathroom. He started to stroke his cock from root to tip, feeling his balls draw up, his body tighten as the pleasure washed through him. The image of Izabella spread out for him, her ass in the air, her body flat with the table, the bed, fuck, any piece of furniture he had, flashed through his mind vividly.

  Corbin squeezed his eyes shut and stroked his dick harder, faster, picturing her legs spread, her pussy on display. He’d touch every part of her, make her so damn wet she was begging for his cock by the time it was all said and done. He’d touch her pussy, stroke her clit, and make her come for him. When he was finally balls deep in her Corbin would fuck her so hard and good she wouldn’t be able to walk straight the next day. She’d remember exactly who had been deep inside of her.

  His throat tightened as pleasure moved through his body, starting at the base of his spine and encompassing every inch of him. He stroked his cock faster, curling his fingers around his shaft even tighter until the pain mixed with the pleasure.

  Fucking hell.

  I want her.

  I have to have her, damn the consequences.

  The pleasure came on stronger, and Corbin knew he couldn’t hold off from getting off. Hell, he didn’t want to. Every muscle in his body clenched, tightened, and the need to just unload and get off came on fast and strong.

  Bracing a hand on the wall, he positioned himself so when he got off his cum would go in the shower. He stroked himself faster, clenched his jaw, and let the pleasure claim him, and all the while he thought of Izabella. The hot jets of his cum shot out, and he groaned deeply, not able to hold off on the sound.

  Once his orgasm receded and he was able to finally able to breathe normally, he opened his eyes. The water was on for the shower, the bathroom filled with steam already. He needed to get his fucking head on straight. If he was going to go after Izabella it wasn’t going to be for one damn night. No, she wasn’t just hook-up material. She was something special, and he was realizing that holding off had been a dumb ass mistake. She might very well tell him to screw off, or that being together was wrong because of the relationship they’d had in the past. She was his sister’s best friend, after all, and they’d all grown up together. But Corbin wasn’t going to sit on how he felt or what he wanted anymore. He couldn’t.

  Scrubbing a hand over his face, he knew this was messed-up, that being with her would cross a line. Right? He’d never been one for commitment, but when he looked at Izabella he saw some
thing special in her. She wasn’t like the other women he’d associated with, and maybe it was because she knew him so well that he finally realized it.

  You have to do this, because if not you’ll wonder what in the hell could have been.

  Chapter Three

  “Come on, one more shot,” Zachary said, his grin wide, his focus on her, but also on every other woman in the bar.

  Izabella had been on this blind date for the last hour, and she was ready to go home. Zachary might look attractive, but his personality made him one of the most unattractive people she’d ever met. Not only was he blatant in checking out other women while he was on a date with her, he was obnoxious in his arrogance, and the fact he kept making sexual innuendos and then winking at her made her gag. Izabella wasn’t a prude, not by any means, but on a first date, and a blind one at that, she would have assumed he’d have a little more class.

  “I’m already tipsy,” Izabella said, but she took the glass anyway. She was at least going to get free food and booze out of this train wreck of a date.

  “So, maybe after this we can go hang out at my place, or maybe yours?” He cocked an eyebrow, and she made a face, not even about to conceal the fact.

  “I think I’ll pass,” she said, her voice not hiding her disinterest. He reached out and placed his hand on hers, and instantly she felt her skin crawl.

  “Come on. It’ll be fun.”

  She took her hand from his and shook her head. She was feeling buzzed enough that she had no problem speaking her mind especially since this guy was such an ass. Leaning forward, she stared at him right in the eye. He’d already paid for dinner, and this last shot he gave her was covered, as well. Now was a good time to just tell him straight-up he wasn’t getting a piece of ass from her, because he definitely seemed like the type of guy to stick her with the bill because she denied him.