Her Release (One Night Stand Book 3) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Chapter Twenty-five

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  About the Author

  Look for these titles by Toni J. Strawn

  No one cares who started it—only who finishes on top.

  One Night Stand Series, Book 3

  Jess Langford hates being told what to do, hates everything medical and hates that her brother thwarts any attempt she makes at independence.

  When Jess moves out of the university dorms without telling her brother, she celebrates her newfound freedom with a one night stand with a man she thinks she recognizes as handsome Van Sheffield from the University, but it’s only after they’ve spent a night together that Jess finds out who Van really is. A visiting physiotherapy consultant who has already decided Jess is the perfect candidate for his next rehabilitation program.

  Van knew exactly who Jess Langford was when he met her. Stubborn. Rebellious. Trouble with a capital T. All the reasons why Van knew he had to have her in his program and in his bed. He loves the spark of energy that makes Jess pick herself up every time she falls, especially when everyone else in his life has given up. Van will do whatever it takes to harness Jess’s strength of will, but he wasn’t betting on losing his own iron-clad control.

  “This is the second edition of Her Release, a novel originally released in May of 2016.”

  First eBook edition: May 2016

  Second eBook edition: July 2017

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Her Release

  Copyright © 2016 by Toni J. Strawn

  Cover by Flirtation Designs

  Formatted by Jacob Hammer

  Amazon Digital Edition

  First eBook edition: May 2016

  Second eBook edition: July 2017

  All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used, reproduced, or transmitted in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Her Release

  Toni J. Strawn

  Dedication

  Thank you to Holly Atkinson, the most awesome of editors, and a special thanks to fellow author, Natalie Anderson, who encouraged me to write a short novella and to “have fun”. This is book three of having fun.

  Chapter One

  Jess

  “Did you see him?”

  “What?”

  “Him!” I pointed toward the front door, straining to make myself heard above the thump-boom-thump of the stereo.

  My friend, Tash, looked around in confusion. She leaned close to yell in my ear.

  “Which him?”

  I swept my gaze back over the crowd. Damn it. I’d lost him again.

  “Don’t worry,” I muttered.

  Who were all these people anyway? When my new housemates had suggested a party, I hadn’t envisaged this heaving throng. I didn’t know anyone, apart from my one friend standing beside me…and potentially the good-looking guy who’d just slipped in through the front door.

  I had definitely seen him before. I lifted onto my toes for a better look and my leg protested with a painful twinge. I ignored the ache in pursuit of another eyeful of the lean, handsome man who seemed so familiar.

  Where the hell did I know him from?

  In the smoky light of my jam-packed living room, his short, curling hair appeared black, although I knew it was brown—a dark, lustrous brown that was the perfect complement to his clean good looks.

  “I don’t know which one you mean.” Tash tugged on my arm and pulled me back onto my heels.

  “I think I must have—” I was going to say mistaken him when he turned, his dark chocolate gaze skimming the crowd like a stone flicking across choppy water. Straight to me. My breath caught as his eyes clashed with me, a grin curving his lips to transform my mystery man from person of interest to haul-me-down-on-the-floor sexy.

  Then he disappeared into the kitchen.

  I wiped sweaty palms down my pants, wishing I’d worn something sexier than jeans and a Princess Bubblegum T-shirt. But then, the seventies-style house was hardly a backdrop for high fashion. The faded décor was original, left over from Mike’s grandparent’s days. The flooring—what you could see of it—was a swirling pattern of brown and green. Haute de carpet, it was not.

  “So, do you think Cole will appreciate your new living arrangements?” As if following my thoughts, Tash dug me in the ribs.

  “He’ll love it.” I grinned through my uneasiness, well aware of exactly what my brother would think.

  Above the noisy din, I didn’t miss the sound of my friend snorting. Tash thought I was certifiable for giving up the comfort of the dorms for what she considered to be a dive. And that was being polite. Then there was my overprotective brother, who didn’t yet know I’d moved off campus.

  I shrugged. “He’ll get over it.”

  He’d have to. I was through being told what to do by Cole. I was twenty-three years old, well past time I should be making my own decisions. The fact I was recovering from my accident wasn’t an excuse anymore. I wanted control of my own life. I wanted to have fun.

  “Shall we get out there and dance?” I nodded toward the middle of the room.

  We both stared out over the heaving mass of drunk partygoers, dancing, laughing and making out. Had the amount of people doubled or tripled in the last hour? The party was in full swing and if I didn’t start cutting loose shortly, I’d probably give up and go to bed.

  “Well, what do you think?” I prompted. Tash remained quiet.

  “Uhh, actually, Jess, I was thinking of leaving.”

  “No, don’t go.” I grabbed onto her arm. “I can’t believe you’re deserting me. First Jayne. Now you.”

  I’d only invited two friends tonight and they were both piking. The music was loud and headache inducing. The muted lights and sweltering room burned at my eyeballs.

  But still.

  I had wanted to try something different. Do something crazy. Maybe find someone—someone not associated with the clinic. Like the yummy looking guy who had disappeared deep into the midst of the banging party.

  “You sure you don’t want to come with me?” Tash asked as I opened the door to a rush of fresh, sweet-smelling air.

  I had known I wouldn’t convince Tash to stay. We were both clients at a rehabilitation clinic where pain was a daily reminder of the physical limitations we faced. Drinking, partying, and dancing were not our usual priorities.

  I filled my lungs and shook my head. It was only my second night here and the housewarming was supposed to be in my honor.

  “I’ll be all right,” I said. Of course I’d be all right. I was
young. I was hip. And this was my party. Whoop. Whoop. “Maybe I’ll stalk that hot guy I saw,” I added with a sly wink.

  “Well, if you don’t catch him, I know of someone else who’ll play mouse to your cat. Meow.” Tash made cat claws in the air.

  “Don’t do that.” I laughed and batted at Tash’s hands. “It just looks wrong.”

  “You need to face the fact Brad likes you. He loves you. Ooh yeah, he wants you.” Tash singsonged.

  “Brad?” I screwed my nose up. “God, I hope not.” He was one of my new housemates and not someone on my personal radar.

  “He’s been watching you all night, my little pussy cat. And he’s been drinking. Summoning up his courage to come get you.”

  I glanced back into the room. Tash was right. Brad was currently weaving through the crowd with the grace of a water buffalo, spilling beer out of a red plastic cup onto all and sundry, including the floor.

  Nice. I gritted my teeth. Nothing spoke class like feet squelching across beer-sodden carpet.

  Another quick look revealed no sign of the guy I’d spotted earlier. I wished Tash could have seen him. His face still tickled the periphery of my memory and I was certain Tash would know who he was.

  “I’ll call you tomorrow.” She blew me a kiss and walked down the path to her car.

  “Not too early. Some of us intend to party.”

  “Have fun.”

  “You know it!” I held my smile until Tash’s car pulled away from the curb.

  I didn’t want to go back inside. It stank of stale beer and body odor. Besides, it wasn’t like anyone was going to miss me.

  “Jess. You out here?”

  Except Brad.

  Damn it. I crept into the shadows of the veranda as Brad lurched outside to find me.

  “There you are.” It didn’t take him long to find me. He joined me at the railing.

  “Yep. Here I am.” I offered a tight smile and shuffled along a little farther.

  “Whatcha doing?” Brad leaned into me, his words exhaling on a fog of beer fumes and bad breath. Close. Too close.

  My nose twitched. “Just clearing my head.”

  “Were you waiting for me?” he asked, the words slurring in what he probably imagined was a sexy purr.

  “Uh. No.” I took a step back. Brad was a nice guy and all, but wasn’t there a law against having a relationship with people you lived with? I was at law school. I should know these things.

  “Here, this’ll make you feel better.” Ever generous, Brad tried to hand me his plastic cup, half-filled with spit and beer.

  “No thanks.” I nudged it away.

  “Don’t be like that.” Brad stumbled against me as he tried to shove the cup into my hands. Beer sloshed over my boots, splattering onto the wooden decking. “I’m just trying to be friendly.” His voice lowered and he tweaked a lock of my short, dark hair. “I like you. I mean, really like you.”

  “You’re drunk.” I straightened, deciding on the direct approach. “And I’m not interested.” I smiled to take the sting from my words and save him further embarrassment.

  “It’s a party.” Alcohol made Brad oblivious to rejection and he came at me again. “Parties are where good things happen.”

  A shiver crawled down my spine. I shrugged it off. This was Brad. He was acting like an ass because he was drunk.

  I changed tactics, slinging my arm about his shoulders. “Oh Brad, I don’t think you and I are a good idea.” I tried to steer him back into the party.

  “Why not?” Brad interpreted my gesture as an invitation. He dropped his hand to trail his fingers over my ass and I found myself pressed against the railing with nowhere to go.

  I stopped short of shoving him away. I knew he didn’t mean it, so instead of giving in to my inner ninja warrior and kneeing him in the nuts like I ached to do, I leaned in conspiratorially.

  “Well, for one, we live together. And for another…my boyfriend wouldn’t like it.”

  Brad’s drew back to stare at me. “Boyfriend?” He looked around, grinding my hip into the railing in the process. “I don’t see him here,” he said, wrapping his arm around my waist, hauling me closer. “And I thought you were up for fun.” His breath grew coarse as he leaned in, wheaty beer fumes tickling at my nose. “Isn’t that what you said when you moved in here?”

  I shuddered as his drunk-limp cock squished into my leg. I itched to grab his balls and squeeze them until they popped, but I stayed my hand. He was my roomie. And he was tanked. Tomorrow we’d laugh it off over a plate of nachos.

  “Fun. Yes. But not this kind of fun. And my boyfriend is here.” I pushed at his chest. My injury usually brought out the soft side in men and they treated me with deference, or as if I had the plague. Brad’s crass behavior had caught me unawares.

  “This is the first I’ve heard of a boyfriend.” Brad crossed his arms and pouted.

  It was the first I had heard of it too. I tended to stay away from men, seeing as my brother was a tad on the protective side. That was one of the reasons I’d moved from Buffalo to Wellsford University, to escape the long reach of Cole’s arm. Not that shifting away had improved my date quota. Since my accident which had left me with a lingering leg injury, I hadn’t exactly had time in between hospital, physiotherapy, specialists, exercise, and classes.

  Still, ol’ Brad here didn’t need to know that.

  I pulled out a coy smile. “He only just got here from Buffalo.” I lied through my teeth. If he didn’t take the bait soon I was going to resort to getting angry. And Brad wouldn’t like me when I got angry.

  “He’s here?” Brad didn’t look convinced.

  “Yes. He’s here.” I pointed in the general direction of the lounge. The Archbishop of England could be at this party and no one would notice. “He’s gone to get a drink, then he’s meeting me outside.”

  Brad’s brows drew together into a heavy frown and I could almost see the thoughts churning through his drunk, Neanderthal brain… Duh, boyfriend wasn’t here and that meant…

  “I’ve still got time to change your mind.” He lumbered forward again. “You like me, don’t you?”

  I heaved out a sigh. “Sure, I like you, Brad. As a friend.”

  I ducked around him before he boxed me in again and my damned leg chose that moment to give out. I stumbled sideways. Sparks of pain shot through my kneecap as my leg crumpled. I lunged for the open doorway and made a wild grab at whoever was standing there, not caring who it was.

  Awareness trickled over my senses and my fingers flexed convulsively on his arm. Open. Close.

  Mystery Man.

  “Ah, here he is.” Inwardly cringing, I spoke out loud for Brad’s benefit.

  Ignoring the fist-clenching cramp in my thigh, I clamped more firmly onto the muscled shoulder under my grasp. My unwitting savior turned and I looped my arm in his, teeth gritted in an effort to grin through my pain. Brad glared from behind me, sullen and unmoving.

  I rolled my eyes and said a prayer as I stretched up to brush my lips across the stranger’s cheek.

  “Hey, I thought I recognized you. Great to see you.”

  Up close, he looked slightly older than I’d imagined. Too old to be a student, I thought with a hint of disappointment. A young professor maybe? Yeah, that was it. I must’ve seen his photo on the university webpage…

  I pushed him farther into the room, laughing inanely into his face like a loon. I had no idea what his reaction to me was. I was too busy trying to keep my balance as my knee gave way again. Nope. I was going down.

  This was gonna hurt.

  I squeezed my eyes shut for the impact that never came. My escort braced his arm beneath my elbow and held me up.

  “Nice to see you too,” he said, his step barely faltering. His voice cut through the wall of noise, warm and smooth, close to my ear. “Is this your party?”

  I nodded, my cheeks flaming. Embarrassment and relief. Maybe I could get away with this. He wasn’t even questioning why I’d hurl
ed myself at him. Or why I was propelling him through the lounge as fast as my crapped-out knee would let me.

  He lowered his head to my ear. “Keep walking. He’s still looking.”

  Busted.

  “Sorry.” I tried to keep up as he took control and picked the path of least resistance to the front door. A kick of disappointment prodded under my ribs when I realized he was going. “Ah, thanks for coming. I probably should explain…” I readied myself to offer an explanation, but my words dried up when my gaze hit his face. God, he really was good looking when he smiled.

  And he was smiling now. “Do you want to come with me?” he offered. “Or you can stay?” He glanced around the room.

  Noise. Smoke. The thud, thud, thud of the speakers. No question, I wanted to bust out of here. But…

  “I know you, right? I mean, I’ve seen you before. In class or something?”

  “Or something.” His grin broadened and once again I experienced a jolt of recognition. “The name’s Van. You’re Jess.” He laughed as my confusion showed. “I know your friend Jayne,” he explained.

  Oh. Jayne. A streak of jealously caught me off guard.

  Was that who he’d been looking for? Jayne? Jayne had been the first of my friends to ditch me tonight. She hadn’t mentioned anything about a man, but then, she was known to be a little secretive…

  “So, you’re Jayne’s boyfriend?” I asked in a rush of breath.

  “No.” He chuckled, seeming quite definite about that.

  And it was surprising how much better that made me feel. It was a game-changer. No way was I staying here to dodge Bradzilla, and simply put, Van was the sexiest thing I’d seen all night. All week. All…anything.

  “Let’s do it, then.” I grinned. “Let’s get out of here.”

  Chapter Two

  Van

  “Where to?”

  I cut my gaze across the car to Jessica Langford. Jess to her friends.

  “How about your place?”

  Her suggestion gave me pause, but I shrugged as if it didn’t. Going anywhere intimate with Jess was a bad, bad idea. Except…did I have a choice? I glanced back at the house. I couldn’t leave her with the asshole roommate. Chances were he wouldn’t hurt her, but I wasn’t going to risk it. That was not what I did.