by Claire Raye
Making
Home with You
A Rockport Beach Novel
Book Three
Claire Raye
Copyright © 2019 by Claire Raye
All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission from the author. Please do not participate in or encourage the piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. All characters and storylines are the property of the author and your support and respect is appreciated. The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarities to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Editing by Kelly Brennan
Other books by Claire Raye
Prologue
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
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Epilogue
Prologue
A couple of weeks earlier – Rockport
Finn
I walk into the bar and take a seat at the end in the spot that seems to be tacitly reserved for Pop, Beck or me when one of us isn’t working.
“Wow, what the fuck happened to you?” comes my brother’s voice from the other end of the bar.
I shake my head, scrubbing a hand across my jaw. “Nothing, a work thing.”
“You want a beer?” Beck asks.
I nod and watch as he pours me a pint of Guinness, sliding it down the bar toward me before pouring another for himself.
“You okay?” he asks as he walks closer to me.
“Yeah,” I say, taking a sip of beer. “It’s nothing, really. Just a misunderstanding.”
Beck nods. “Okay, you want something to eat?”
I look over at the kitchen area at the back of the bar and the so-called chef that’s attempting to put some food together. “You got anything apart from deep fried shit?” I ask, even though as a silent partner in this place, I know he doesn’t.
Beck glances over at the kitchen. “Burgers,” he says, half apologetically.
I let out a long exhale. “Man, we gotta do something about that kitchen, Beck. I know I’m only a silent partner in all this, but seriously, the food sucks.”
Beck nods because this isn’t the first time I’ve brought this up and besides which, he also knows it’s the truth. “Yeah, I know. We should sit down sometime and try and work something out.”
“Before the summer,” I say, knowing that tourist season is when we make most of our money on this place.
“Agreed.”
Beck wanders off to serve some regulars, who like me, have come in after a day of work for a couple of quiet ones. The difference being they are here to socialize, while I’m here to relax in my own company.
It’s not that I don’t have friends or drinking buddies, it’s just that after the day, hell, the last couple of weeks I’ve had, a little peace and quiet is exactly what I need.
“Another?” Beck calls out, gesturing toward my glass.
I look down and realize it’s almost empty. “Yeah, thanks. Just gonna hit the bathroom though.”
Beck nods in acknowledgement as I slide off my stool and wander back to the bathrooms. Just as I hit the back corridor, my phone chimes out with a text. I pull it from my pocket, quickly reading the message from Erin before typing out a response.
Before I can hit send however, I’m suddenly hit in the side with a force that sends me flying into the opposite wall and my phone skidding along the floor.
“Fuck!” I say, rubbing my already sore jaw.
“Oh shit,” comes a voice before two hands are on me, pulling my hand away from my face. “Oh shit, shit, shit, look what’ve I done,” the voice says. “Quick, come in here.”
Before I can even process what’s happening, I’m being pulled into what I quickly realize is the ladies’ restroom and backed up against the counter.
“Hold on, I’ll get your phone,” the voice says, disappearing.
The woman the voice belongs to is back before I have a chance to say anything, placing my phone on the counter before turning and grabbing a wad of paper towels, which she immediately holds under the faucet.
“Here, put this on your face,” she says, holding the cool towels to my jaw.
I glance up, my hands going to the towels. “It’s okay, really,” I say, seeing my would-be assailant for the first time.
Now that I do, I gotta admit, she’s hot. A tall, blonde haired, blue eyed goddess who somehow looks like she could bring me to my knees with just a look.
“I should get you some ice,” she says, finally meeting my stare.
“It’s okay,” I repeat as I find myself smiling at her. “You didn’t do this,” I add, lowering the paper towels.
“Really?” she asks, her fingers reaching up to touch my jaw as I nod my confirmation.
The second she touches me; all brain function ceases to exist as a jolt of pure electricity shoots through me. From the very spot she’s touching me, all the way down my spine and straight to my dick. It shocks me, but given the way her eyes widen at the touch, I get the feeling I’m not the only one who felt it.
“Ah, you’re…you’re sure…sure you’re alright?” she stammers, her words a whisper.
“I am,” I say, sliding my hand up so it’s covering hers.
“It looks like a decent bruise you’ve got there,” she continues, her eyes never leaving mine.
I grin. “You should see the other guy,” I say, even though this doesn’t come close to the truth.
The woman smiles back at me, sending my stomach into a freefall as her eyes sparkle with mischief. “Tough guy, huh?” she asks teasingly.
“I can hold my own,” I reply, sliding my fingers down her arm to her hip.
I watch as her lips part, the small breath she releases as she steps closer. “I’ll bet you can,” she whispers. “In more ways than one.”
My grin widens as I stare down at her having no clue as to what the fuck is going on here. How in the hell did I go from a quiet post-work drink, to heading to the john, to getting taken out by this little spit fire, to being trapped in the ladies’ restroom with her and suddenly itching to tear her clothes off and do a whole lot more to her?
“What are you thinking about?” she asks, seemingly reading my mind as she licks her bottom lip.
The groan falls from my mouth before I can stop it. “This,” I whisper as I lean down and press my mouth against hers.
This time it’s her groaning as she pushes the length of her body flush against mine, practically forcing her way between my legs. I slide both hands onto her ass, grabbing it as I lift her up and spin us around so she’s now sitting on the counter and
I’m the one standing between her legs, my lips never leaving hers.
Eventually I pull back, both of us breathing harder.
“Wow,” she whispers against my mouth.
“I know,” I murmur, sliding my hands up her thighs and under her sweater so they are resting on her hips.
She smiles in response, hooking her legs around me and pulling me even closer. “That all you got?” she teases.
“Oh, you want more, huh?”
She bites her bottom lip. “Well, you did say you could hold your own,” she says, hands grabbing my hips now. “Guess I wanna see if that’s true.”
“You serious?” I ask.
Where the hell did this woman come from? She’s like a walking wet dream. Gorgeous, sexy and with one hell of an attitude, she’s like no one I’ve ever met before.
“Uh huh,” she says, pressing her lips against mine again as her hands now start to unbuckle my belt.
“Wait, fuck, hold on,” I say, pulling back. I watch as a flash of disappointment crosses her face before I turn and walk toward the door, locking it so no one can walk in on us. God knows given my job in this town, the last thing I need is someone walking in and catching me fucking a woman in the restroom.
I’ll leave that notoriety to Beck and Ryan.
When I turn back, I stop in my tracks, taking in the sight of her as she now sits on the counter, her boots and pants discarded on the floor. She smiles at me, beckoning me over with her finger.
I walk over to her, my hands finishing off my belt and undoing the buttons on my jeans. The second I’m standing between her legs, her hands are on me, pushing my jeans and briefs down my hips. My dick now standing to attention between us.
“You sure you wanna do this?” I ask.
“Yes,” she breathes, as I catch the sound of a condom wrapper being torn open.
Before I can say anything more, her hands are on my dick and I’m groaning with the exquisite agony of what that feels like. It’s been months since I got laid.
I lean in, my hands moving to her hips as she pulls me closer to her. Pulling her panties to the side, she guides me to her entrance, rubbing the head of my cock against her.
“Oh jesus christ,” I breathe out, struggling to maintain control.
“You sure you wanna do this?” she asks, her teeth latching on to my bottom lip.
“Yes,” I grit out as I push inside her, both of us letting out loud moans.
My fingers dig into her hips now as I start to move, thrusting in and out of her in long, slow movements that have both of us panting. Her legs are still wrapped around me, guiding me each time I push deep inside her.
Sliding my hands up, I pull her sweater up and over her head, before my lips are back on hers and my hands are palming her breasts.
“Oh god,” she groans, as I start to kiss my way down her neck, pulling aside her bra so I can suck a nipple into my mouth. “Harder.”
I don’t know what she’s referring to, but I up the tempo of my hips as I suck harder on her nipple.
“Yes,” she moans as one hand lets go of my hip.
I open my eyes, my mouth still on her breast as I watch her hand move between her legs and start to rub at her clit.
“God that’s hot,” I murmur, my eyes watching as she runs her fingers over my cock, which is now covered in her juices, before moving back to her clit.
She moans again, her heels on my ass encouraging me to push harder. I give her what she wants, pounding my hips against hers as both of us stop talking, nothing but the sounds of our moans and skin slapping against skin, filling the room.
I don’t know how long we fuck for, but eventually I can’t hold back any longer.
“I’m gonna come,” I murmur, finding her mouth again as I thrust my tongue inside.
“Me too,” she says, kissing me hard.
Her legs lock around me as I feel her pussy clenching around my dick. It’s enough to throw me over the edge, my balls tightening as I explode inside her. She throws her head back, moaning loudly as she comes with me, both of us breathing hard.
Eventually, when my heart manages to slow down and my breathing returns to normal, I pull back a little, press a soft kiss to her lips and say, “Wow, that was amazing.”
She grins against my mouth, kissing me again as she says, “Yeah and exactly what I needed.”
I pull back, reluctantly separating us and disposing of the condom. “Me too, actually.”
The sound of a text message arriving breaks whatever post-sex glow there was between us. I glance at my phone, just as she scrambles from the counter, cursing as she reaches for her jacket.
“Shit, I gotta go,” she says, reading whatever message has just come through on her phone.
“That’s not your husband or boyfriend texting, is it?” I ask, half joking, half serious.
As much as I’m not into the whole relationship thing, I’m not exactly down with sleeping with someone else’s wife or girlfriend either. That’s a line I’m definitely not willing to cross, no matter how tempting the offer.
“No,” she says, “nothing like that. Listen, I gotta go, sorry,” she adds, pulling on her clothes. “But thank you, seriously. That was amazing.”
“You think maybe I could get your number?” I ask, buttoning up my jeans as a strange anxiety settles over me. “Maybe we could do this again sometime?”
I don’t know what possesses me to ask her this; it’s not something I’d normally do. But somehow in this moment, everything feels strangely different. And it’s not just the sex we had, it’s my reaction to her too, and some weird ass feeling I’m having about the possibility that I might not get to do it with her again.
Where the hell is this coming from?
She stops, looks over at me. “You’re a local, right?” she asks.
I nod.
She smiles, walks toward me before pressing up on her toes and planting a soft kiss against my mouth. “Then I’m sure I’ll see you around,” she says before turning and walking out of the restroom.
I stand there, half dressed and my brain a scrambled mess as I try to figure out what the hell has just happened. Never in my life have I experienced a one-night stand, if that’s what you could even call it, like this.
“Shit,” I say, grabbing my phone and fixing up my shirt before quickly exiting the restroom and heading back into the bar.
“Jesus,” comes Beck’s voice, followed by laughter. “You sure you’re alright, dude? You look like you’ve just been put through the wringer.”
My eyes scan the room, ignoring Beck’s remarks as I search for the mystery woman who did in fact just bring me to my knees in the ladies’ restroom. But she’s nowhere to be found and despite her assurances that she’d see me around, I know that can’t possibly be true.
Especially considering I’ve never seen her before in my life.
Chapter One
Present Day
Sarah
I pull into Erin and Ryan’s driveway, but it’s late, nearly eleven p.m. on New Year’s Eve. I had no intention of arriving this late, but I ended up working a double shift at the bar forcing me to leave far later than I wanted.
In order to get the next few days off, I had to work lunch and the dinner rush. I use the term “dinner rush” loosely because in a small town like Eddington the dinner rush starts at 4:30 and comes to a screeching halt at six, even on New Year’s Eve.
I rushed home; showered, changed and packed my car and headed down to Rockport, making it here later than I wanted, but at least I’m here and not in Eddington.
I got a text from Erin about an hour ago telling me to meet her and Ryan at O’Loughlin’s, a local place I’m quite familiar with.
I grab my bag from the car and head up to the porch, grabbing the key from under the mat. I know Ryan would lose his shit if he knew Erin had stashed it under there for me, but the convenience factor outweighed one of them having to come home an
d let me in. We’ll explain it to him later.
I open the door somewhat cautiously since the last time I was here Ryan had that hired thug watching over Erin’s house. When I call out and no one answers, I walk in and toss my bag in their extra bedroom.
Digging out my makeup bag, I walk into the bathroom and run a brush through my hair. I add some makeup before quickly checking myself out in the full-length mirror.
I look decent, good enough if I happen to get hit on tonight, or better yet, maybe I’ll run into the guy I met at the pub last time I was in town. Maybe I’ll even be able to convince him to hit the bathroom with me again.
It’s been a few weeks since we had our tryst, and I’d be kidding myself if I said I haven’t thought about him. I’ve even wanted to confess to Erin what happened, but my fear of Ryan finding out and hunting the guy down stopped me in my tracks.
Living in Eddington without any friends, or normal people for that matter, has me wishing I was back in Boston or at least in Rockport. And I pretty much spent the ride here wondering when the hell my life is going to pull itself out of the shitter.
As soon as I graduated with my MBA, I moved in with Ryan in the hopes of landing my dream job, but after months of resumes and only a couple of interviews, I found myself jobless and back in Eddington.
I don’t blame Ryan for kicking me out, although I suspect it had more to do with him hooking up with Erin than with me not having a job.
Regardless of how it all played out, I’m even more determined to get out of Eddington. I’ve spent the last few weeks sending my resume to anything that requires a degree at this point.
I add another swipe of lipstick, and slide my feet back into my boots as I put the house key on my key ring.
It’s a decent walk to the pub, so I end up driving over there knowing my car will probably be left in the parking lot. Erin had already assured me that she would be our designated driver given that she’s pregnant and can’t drink anyway.
The pub is busy, crowded actually, and it takes me a few minutes to make my way to the bar and order a drink.