Sudden Response (EMS #1)(43)

His large warm hand landed on her stomach, gently caressing her skin. "Everything would be okay. Nathan would watch out for you and take care of you, Joe," he said soothingly as he pressed a warm kiss to her forehead.

"I don't need anyone to look out for me!" she snapped, sick of this constant babying. When exactly did she become a weak needy woman in his eyes? It was really insulting. She was anything but weak and he damn well knew it.

He sighed heavily even as his hand continued to caress her stomach through her thin shirt. "Yes, you do."

"What the hell is it going to take for you to realize that I can take care of myself?" she demanded, trying not to sound hurt, but probably failed miserably. She didn't want to appear weak and needy in his eyes. She wanted.......

Hell, she didn't even know what she wanted, but she knew she didn't want that. She didn't want him hanging around because he thought that she needed a keeper.

"If I thought having a boyfriend in my life would get you to back off I'd run out and get one," she said, not noticing the way his hand suddenly stilled on her stomach, "but we both know that wouldn't help since you become a complete jerk whenever I'm dating someone."

"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked tightly and she wished she could see his expression. This little news flash really couldn't be a shock. Everyone knew that when she dated someone Eric developed a raging case of PMS.

"What am I talking about? Are you serious?" she asked, feeling a little muscle begin to tick in his jaw when he nodded firmly.

"How many of my ex-boyfriends have you beaten up?" she asked, arching an eyebrow, almost daring him to lie about it.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he grumbled, shifting to move away from her, but she wasn't having that. She turned into him, pressing her hands to his bare chest and threw a leg over his hip as she moved up, giving him no choice but to lie on his back as she straddled his waist.

She really couldn't help the smug little smile that played at her lips since she'd just proved that she was more than physically capable of taking care of herself. He would just have to suck it-

"Hey!" she cried out in surprise as she suddenly found herself pushed onto her back with him situated between her legs and her arms held down firmly by her head.

After a brief struggle that didn't improve her situation she gave up with a sigh. "Just know that I could kick your ass at any moment, Eric. You're lucky I'm tired."

His amused chuckle was kind of insulting even if she did find it soothing. "I know. I'm counting my blessings right now," he said, pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose as he settled himself more comfortably between her legs.

"Well?" she demanded, curious to see if he'd admit to being an overbearing jerk when she dated.

"Well, what?"

"You're not going to admit that you don't trust me to take care of myself and that you sure as hell don't trust any of the men I bring into my life," she said, wondering if he was going to play it off like he usually did when she called him on it.

"You date ass**les and losers," he said, shocking her. Not that she didn't realize that her taste in men sucked, but he usually just shrugged it off like it was nothing. He'd never acted like he didn't like the guys she dated even when she knew for a fact that he didn't like them. He always treated her boyfriends like they were his long lost friends, but as soon as it was over he gave her ex the cold shoulder. She also knew that he'd given more than one of them a reason or two to visit the ER.

"Then why the hell do you act like you like them?"

"It makes it easier to keep an eye on you," he explained as he pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. "It's the same reason why you pretend to like the annoying women I date, Joe. You don't want to be pushed off to the side," he said softly as he entwined their fingers together.

"They really are annoying," she agreed on a sigh.

"I want you safe, Joe."

"I am safe," she said, biting back a groan. What the hell was it going to take for him to see that?

"I hate being away from you and I know if I keep pushing this that you're going to pull away from me so for now I'm going to drop it, but I'm really hoping that you discover that you like dispatching more than working on the truck," he said, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips that shocked her, but what shocked her even more was her reaction to the simple chaste kiss.

When he moved away from her, cursing softly, she leaned up and brushed her lips against his, unable to help herself. She knew she shouldn't be doing this, but she couldn't help herself. Years of holding back, pretending that she didn't want him, need him shattered with that first kiss last week and any hope of holding back what she felt for this man was gone.

This was probably going to wreck their relationship, but at the moment she didn't care. She needed to hold him, to touch him and be with him more than she needed her next breath.

It wasn't fair that the one man she craved was the one she shouldn't be touching. He was her best friend, the person she counted on, needed, and loved more than anyone on this earth and she was going to lose him over this.

His mouth crashed down on hers, forcing her head back onto the pillow as he devoured her mouth. When his tongue slid into her mouth and tangled with hers she moaned. He released her hands as he kneeled between her legs, putting space between their chests. She cupped the back of his neck to keep his mouth right where she wanted it, afraid that he was going to put a stop to this madness.