Burning Heart: Fighting Heart Erotic Bad Boy Romance Series Book 4 Read Online Free

Because I really hoped that once you and I had been together in the sack a few times that you would forget about that one altogether. I must be losing my touch. Tell me I’m not losing my touch…It really doesn’t make me feel very good when you’re always mentioning another girl’s name.”
    “Hey, I haven’t even said a name as yet.”
    “You didn’t have to, Cody. It’s in your eyes. But… hey… I’m glad you’re here. I could do with a little stress relief.” She grinned and shifted in her chair, apparently pleased at the mere possibility of indulging. But Cody still found her just a little too pragmatic about sex, a little too functional … She would speak about them ‘having sex’ rather than having an affair or being in love or all those other great ways of saying it. Now she talked about stress relief… it was funny, but Cody thought that was exactly what she meant. Not making love, but having some sexual stress relief.
    “Shut the door, will you. Lock it too, there’s a good boy.”
    “Joanna, we need to discuss something. Ashley came by this morning. She’s in trouble.”
    “When is that bloody girl not in trouble? I warned her to keep away from you up in York, Cody. She’s trouble and she doesn’t even know it.”
    “You warned her to keep away from me?”
    “Okay. Reality check time, Cody. You are an asset, Cody. Not only that, I care about you as a person too. I am always looking out for your interests. If she got the chance to mess your head up with all her psychodramas how would you ever be able to write a single quality piece? Your talent would be wasted. I mean, look what she’s done to Brandon Lynes! Inside two months that she’s been with him the guy is a shambles, you don’t want to end up the next on the list, do you?”
    “Joanna, listen to yourself!”
    Joanna sat back in her chair and turned a little to face the window. She took a few strands of hair in her hands and pulled her fingers down its length, thoughtfully. Her voice was quiet when she spoke.
    “Oh dear. We’re about to have our first argument, aren’t we?”
    Cody shook his head in disbelief. “I don’t want to argue with you, Joanna. I just wanted both of us to be as good as our word. We both said – you and me – that we would help that girl, and she came round today to see if we were as good as our word. The only reason I hesitated in saying yes was because I wanted you to be there with me. Together. Do you see? Then you go and jump down my throat and tell me that Ashley is some kind of waste of space, and that you told her to keep away from me! I bet that happened right outside the ice cream shop on that country lane, didn’t it? You were both acting funny when I came back outside.”
    Joanna sighed. “I can’t remember, Cody. I do find arguing the worst part of any relationship, it’s so tiresome. I prefer the hugs, kisses and fireworks.”
    “Joanna...”
    “What?  You come in here raising your voice at me, flapping your arms like a chicken. Do I deserve that? I don’t think so! And that’s not the most appealing view of you I’ve ever had. I was rather hoping your visit was a lunch time booty call, not a moral lecture.”
    “Damn, Joanna. Ashley was the inspiration behind Seismic Girl. She’s the reason we’re both talking in the first place.”
    “No, Cody. The reason we’re talking like this is because you’re hot property, with a tight little butt and an attractive face. We liked each other, had sex, and now we’ve got a thing going. Don’t make me regret it, Cody, because I really don’t want to. Not yet.”
    Not yet. Cody heard those two little words and it was as if Joanna had just plastered a use-by-date label over their relationship. It felt like proof that their time together was compartmentalised and time limited, just as he suspected. Her language had betrayed her. Cody’s eyes lost their emotional spark. In realisation, his anger drifted towards acceptance. His voice