by K. C. Crowne
“Listen, after everything that happened, I really don’t want to be alone right now.”
Leah raised her eyebrows. “Are you asking if I’d stay with you?”
“Just for a little while. We can go to your place or mine.”
Leah nodded without hesitation. “Phillip is here. Let me hand everything over to him, then we can go to your place. I’m happy to watch Matilda while you get some rest.”
I wasn’t inviting her over to babysit, but I didn’t argue. I could handle Matilda on my own, but I wanted to spend more time with Leah. I hated to admit it, and I should have put a stop to it, but I couldn’t.
I was tired of being alone.
She handed Matilda back to me and hurried off to find Phillip. Without even a second thought, she was willing to come over and help me with Matilda or spend time with me. I was no longer that mysterious asshole to her - I’d finally broken through and she accepted me, as is.
I wasn’t exactly sure how I felt about that, but it was too late to change my mind now.
Ooo000ooo
“She went down easily,” I said, joining Leah on the couch after putting Matilda down for her nap.
“Poor girl was so exhausted from all the stress.”
Leah had helped me with Matilda when we got home, even though I hadn’t asked her too. She was a natural, as I suspected, and it was nice having some help. Especially help from someone who seemed to know what they were doing. Grant was great, but he was as clueless as I was before the nurses at the hospital went over the basics.
“We should probably get some dinner, huh? I don’t have much to eat around here. Besides formula, that is.” I scratched my beard, which was still growing out. It felt weird to have my face mostly exposed.
Leah scooted closer to me on the couch, batting her lashes at me. I knew that look well; I’d seen in from a lot of women over the years. None of them as beautiful or as hard to resist as Leah, though.
Her fiery spirit should have turned me off. I didn’t need drama in my life. But I loved it. I loved her fierceness, the fight she had inside. She was loyal, more so than anyone I’d ever met. She might tear apart her enemies, but once you were inside her inner circle, it was clear she’d defend you to the end.
It was rare to meet someone like that. Besides family and Henry, I’d never had someone on my side before.
Her tongue darted from her mouth, and she ran it across her lower lip. She was practically begging for me to kiss her again, and God knows, I wanted to.
More than anything, I wanted to finish what we started in her office earlier that day.
But I hesitated, fearful of what might happen if everything went south. I hardly knew her, and she hardly knew me. We were attracted to one another, but I wasn’t the best boyfriend. I could be downright shitty at times. She was right when she said I was an asshole.
I moved back slightly and picked up my phone. “I’m guessing you don’t have DoorDash or Postmates here in Liberty?”
“No,” she said as she slipped back from me. Crossing her arms, she leaned back onto the couch and refused to meet my gaze. She looked as if she wanted to hide from me now. “I’m afraid not.”
I hated seeing that look on her face - she was hurt. She’d put herself out there, tried to come onto me, and I rejected her. I didn’t want her to feel that way.
“Leah, you know you were right about me before,” I confessed.
She looked at me with a curious expression on her face. “What do you mean?”
“I’m an asshole. Period.”
“You’re not,” she said simply. “I was wrong about you. I based that on one shitty encounter, that’s all.”
“You really don’t know me that well.”
“Then let me get to know you,” she whispered. She leaned forward again, the look of hurt gone from her face. Her brown eyes were large as saucers, her pink lips parted.
“Why would you want that?”
“Because I’ve seen how you are with Matilda, and I admire the hell out of you, Kellen. Not many men would step up the way you did,” she said. “You know I have a soft spot for kids, and I’m just amazed by all that you’ve done for that little girl.”
I shrugged. “Her parents were good people, and she needed me. What else could I do?”
“Oh, I dunno. A lot of people would have let her go into foster care, I’m sure. Said it ain’t their problem. But not you,” she said, moving closer to me again, placing her hands on my cheeks. She forced me to look her in the eyes. “No, you’re not an asshole. You just want people to think you are. You’re a lot like Grant in that regard.”
“Grant is not an asshole. Not even close.”
“Yeah? Well, neither are you,” she argued. She leaned closer, placing her lips against mine for a split second.
I pulled away, standing from the couch. “Do you know why Matilda’s dad is dead? It’s because of me.”
“What?” Leah stood up. “What in the hell are you talking about?”
“I’m saying, I’m the reason he’s dead.”
“You killed him?” she asked, looking rather doubtful. “Because you don’t seem like a murderer to me.”
“I didn’t murder him,” I said, cringing at the implication. “I’d have never done that. But my negligence cost him his life.”
“So it was an accident then?”
“Yes, and no. It could have been prevented had I—”
She walked over to me and took me by the shoulders. She was a good foot shorter than me, so she had to stand on her tiptoes to reach me. She held me there, even though I could have broken free had I wanted to. I felt hypnotized by her gaze and unable to move away.
“Kellen, whatever happened, you didn’t mean for it to happen. Accidents don’t make you a bad person. Shit happens, we make mistakes, and in your case, your mistake had lethal consequences, but that’s not your fault. It doesn’t define you.”
“I wish I could believe that.” My jaw clenched tight.
“Well, I’ll believe it for you, and maybe one day, you’ll see yourself the way I do.”
Her words touched something deep inside me. No one had ever spoken to my soul the way she did.
She kissed me again, and it was far from chaste. Her lips pressed against mine, and I grabbed her, pulling her closer to me.
She whimpered as her arms threaded around my neck, and I lifted her off her feet. Her legs wrapped around my waist, and I carried her down the hallway to my bedroom.
It had been so long since I’d been with a woman, my erection was pulsing at just the thought of it. I knew I’d have to do everything in my power to not lose control too quickly. It would be hard with someone like Leah - something about her just pushed all the right buttons, and I had no doubt that seeing her naked and being inside her would push me over the edge quickly.
Chapter 14
Leah
He carried me in his arms like I weighed nothing at all. I’m petite, sure, but it had more to do with his massive strength and those tree-trunk arms of his than anything else. Mountain men tended to be big and strong, but Kellen was easily one of the largest men I’d ever met.
I felt like a child in his arms. Better yet, I felt safe there.
He carried me into his bedroom, which was nicer than I expected. Bare bones, yes, but his furniture was all hand-crafted with intricate details. The headboard was a dark, rich wood, expertly carved. Grant had mentioned that he was into woodworking, so I imagined that everything in his room had been made by him.
And if so, he was good. No, not just good, but incredible.
His bedding was simple, just a thick down comforter with a forest green duvet cover, but it was soft and warm. He laid me down on the bed, and I sunk into the bedding, feeling like I might disappear from sight altogether.
Kellen joined me, lying beside me, facing me. We kissed on his bed, his hands working my body like it was a fine piece of wood. His fingers caressing my flesh underneath my shirt as he lifted it over m
y head.
He reached around for my bra, unhooking it like a pro and letting my breasts fall free. He cupped them into his palms, and they looked so small in his large hands.
“You’re so fucking sexy,” he murmured, moving lower and taking my nipple between his lips.
I gasped at the sensation, like an electrical current that went straight from my nipple down to my clit. Shuddering against him, I begged, “Please, Kellen, I need you.”
I pulled off his shirt, my hands grazing his chest and washboard abs. His body appeared to be carved from stone. A tattoo on his chest caught my eye - a fireman’s badge. His old fireman’s badge most likely. I traced it with my fingers, mesmerized by the darkness against his flesh.
I knew so little about his past, just what he’d told me. Maybe one day I’d find out more.
Before I could think much more about his past as a firefighter, he slipped my skirt down over my thighs and dropped between my legs. I’d already had a taste of him - or rather, he had a taste of me - but I wasn’t about to stop him. He dove between my thighs, his tongue finding my clit with ease.
I was so wet already, his fingers slipped right inside me.
“Yes, yes,” I muttered. “I need you inside me, Kellen.”
I wanted more than just his fingers.
Kellen continued fucking me with his fingers while teasing my clit. He was so good with his mouth, it was unbelievable. Most of the men in my past were so-so about eating pussy; they never really enjoyed it. It was just something to do.
Kellen, however, seemed to savor it. He devoured my pussy, sucking and licking my juices as he brought me closer and closer to the edge.
“I’m going to cum,” I whimpered, writhing underneath him.
He held my hips down on the bed, stilling me as he continued working me over with his magical tongue. I gripped the back of his head, and without meaning to, pressed him into me as I cried out in pleasure. My entire body trembled like an earthquake as I came harder than I ever had in my entire life.
As my orgasm subsided, jolts of sensation spread from my clit up through my body, causing me to jump. I giggled, then flinched as his tongue touched my overly sensitive clit. Grabbing his shoulders, I pulled him upward.
His face and beard were wet with my juices, and he licked his lips clean, smiling at me as he did so.
God, I needed him so badly.
My hands fumbled with his pants, and with his help, we were able to remove them at record speed. He slipped them down around his hips and they fell to the floor with a clatter. Wrapping my legs around him, I lifted myself until I felt his erection against my opening.
I could only get a sense of how big he was, but my eyes widened at what I felt. He was so thick, but I was ready to be stretched by him.
“Please, Kellen.”
I didn’t have to ask again.
He thrust into me, spreading my pussy lips wide, and buried himself deep inside. I grabbed him, my nails digging into his back as I cried out in pleasure.
No one had ever stretched me the way he did.
And no one ever felt as good as he did inside me.
Within seconds, I knew it wouldn’t be long before I came again.
Kellen remained still for a second to let us both get used to the sensations of our coming together. His handsome face was scrunched up in a look of pure bliss. Slowly, he began rocking back and forth, sliding in and out of me with such ease.
I ran my nails down his back, cupping his tight ass and using it to pull myself upward, taking him inside me even deeper than before.
“Fuck, yes,” he growled, his voice low.
It wasn’t long before our bodies found that perfect rhythm. I rose with each thrust, helping him get as deep as possible. I wanted all of him, every inch of him, inside me.
He kissed my neck, nibbling along my jaw and my ear lobe as he fucked me. His breathing was heavy, and he groaned each time he buried that thick cock in my pussy. Hearing his pleasure only intensified my feelings. I wanted him to feel as good as he made me feel.
I wanted to make him cum.
His breathing grew heavier and heavier, his movements more desperate. I felt my own orgasm building inside of me.
I was so close.
As was he.
“Oh shit,” he groaned. “We need to slow down, I’m gonna cum--”
He started to pull out of me, but my orgasm hit me hard and fast. I held onto him, wrapping myself around him.
“Don’t stop, please don’t stop,” I begged.
He thrust into me one more time, and I felt him pulse as he filled me with his seed. I came with him, our bodies intertwined and shaking. Our moans blending together. We were in our own little world of pleasure. I’d thought my orgasm earlier was the best I’d ever had, but this one knocked that one out of the water.
My arms and legs were locked around him, and there was no way I was going to let him pull out. Not until our orgasms subsided.
After a few seconds, I relaxed into the bed and Kellen nearly collapsed on top of me. He held himself up on his arms, staring deep into my eyes.
We sat there for what felt like an eternity, letting our bodies return to normal. When he finally managed to pull his deflated cock out of me, I felt the warmth of his cum, and it made me feel tingly all over.
Kellen laid down beside me, and neither of us said a word. He held me in his arms until we both fell asleep, which happened within minutes.
Ooo000ooo
I’m not sure what time it was, but we both woke up to the sound of Matilda crying over the baby monitor. Kellen climbed out of bed with a yawn and threw on some pants. It was still dark outside, and I could hardly see anything in the dimly lit room.
I crawled from bed too, putting on my clothes and following him into the hallway. I wasn’t sure where the baby’s room was located, and the house was dark, but I saw a light coming from across the hall.
I walked over to the doorway, and through the open door, I saw Kellen cradling the baby in his arms. Seeing the tiny, little Matilda nestled against his big, broad body melted my heart. He was so good with her, especially for someone who wasn’t prepared to be a father. When he came out of the room, I couldn’t help but smile. Matilda was still fussing, but he spoke to her in soft, soothing tones.
He walked down the hallway into the kitchen, and I could only watch as he prepared her bottle like a pro. I stepped in and offered to help once he had everything together on the counter.
“I’ve got it,” he said, his voice hoarse and full of sleep. “You can go back to bed.”
I wasn’t about to do that, however. “Here, let me take her while you make the bottle.” I reached for the fussy infant, and he handed her to me carefully.
She was so tiny, so fragile. I remembered when Caroline was this small. I wasn’t much older, but I remembered when she was a baby. She used to like when I sang to her. The only song I remembered was “Do Your Ears Hang Low,” and I started singing it to her softly.
Kellen shot me a smile as he tested the temperature of the bottle on his wrist. “You’re really good with her.”
I shrugged. “Thanks, I’ve always loved kids, but you knew that already.”
“I did,” he said. “But for someone without any childcare training, you’re really good.”
“Don’t tell Piper that she has competition,” I teased.
“Oh, there’s no competition,” he said, taking Matilda and giving her the bottle. “You’ve already won.”
While Kellen fed Matilda, I checked the time on my phone. It was two in the morning. I also noticed several missed calls and text messages from Piper, including a text from fifteen minutes before I checked my phone.
Worried, I read through the messages.
She was drunk, at a local bar, and needed a ride home.
Piper wasn’t really a drinker and had never gotten drunk before. Not even on her twenty-first birthday. She was never into that, choosing a good book and maybe one glass of red wine ev
ery now and then. She was a bit of a good girl, maybe too goody two shoes at times.
“Everything okay?” Kellen asked.
“Uh, yeah, I think I need to head out, though.” I didn’t want to tell him that his childcare provider was three sheets to the wind at the local bar. Not that she was on the clock, but still, probably not the best image you want to portray.
“You sure everything is okay?” he asked, raising his eyebrows this time.
I sighed. “Piper’s a bit upset about everything that happened. She needs me.”
I should have thought about checking in with her before heading to Kellen’s and sleeping with him. She was my best friend, and I just left her hanging after one of the shittiest days of her life. What a friend I was, I thought, typing a message to her, telling her I’d be right there.
“Oh, okay,” Kellen said. He laid a kiss on my lips. “Be careful, alright? We still don’t know who’s starting these fires, but go. Take care of your friend.”
The fact that he cared so much made my heart swell.
“Thank you,” I said. “You be careful too.”
I gave Matilda a kiss on her head before sprinting out to my car. The bar was in town and would take me a good fifteen or twenty minutes to get there. Piper hadn’t responded since I told her I was on my way. I prayed she was okay.
The drive into town seemed to take even longer than it was, and when I pulled up outside the bar, I found that the place was closed. It was dark inside, the signs weren’t on, nothing. My heart raced as I climbed from my car.
Piper’s car was still in the parking lot, so that was a good sign at least. She hadn’t drove while drunk. When I walked past it, I saw movement inside of her car and someone was just on the other side.
I heard voices. Followed by Piper’s laughter.
I walked to the other side of the car and found the rear driver’s side door opened, and Piper was laying down inside. Grant was standing outside the car, leaning against his truck parked next to it. They both seemed surprised to see me.