Violent Circle Comedy Series Box Set

by S. M. Shade

  I cup her face in my hands. “People are idiots. Who you sleep with is nobody’s business. Who else do I need to punch in the face? Just give me a list.”

  A bright smile breaks across her face and she drops a quick kiss on my lips. “No punching. And for the record, I’ve never cheated on anyone, I’m always safe, and I get tested twice a year.”

  “Same goes for me.”

  Puffbutt whines his displeasure at being made to wait and she laughs, scooping him up to put him in the car. I drop her off to run a few errands and promise to be back in a couple of hours for the bonfire.

  Chapter Four

  Samantha

  “Don’t you even think about going inside, woman!” Mallory calls out from where she and Jani sit on her step. They just watched Nick drop me off, so I knew I wasn’t going to get away with that.

  “We need details!” Jani exclaims, grinning from ear to ear.

  Laughing, I unlock my door and let Puffbutt inside. “Give me a minute to feed my dog.” I’m inside just long enough to dump some food in his bowl and freshen his water before heading back out.

  I take a seat in the lawn chair beside Mallory’s porch. “I only have a minute. Mitch is having a bonfire and I need to get ready.”

  Jani blinks and grins at me. “Get ready? Half the neighborhood will be in sweats and you’ll be lucky if the frat hell guys wear a shirt.” She points at me. “Your silver fox is coming back, isn’t he?”

  “Silver fox?”

  Jani raises her eyebrows. “That salt and pepper beard is sexy as fuck. If I didn’t have Noble, I’d have to find me a mature guy. Whew.”

  “He’s forty-five. Ten years older than me,” I confess.

  Jani flaps her hand at me. “Doesn’t matter. That man is hot. Tell me he’s good in bed.”

  They both chuckle at my instant grin, and I feel like I’m back in high school. “There’s something to be said for experience.”

  Mallory paces in front of me. “I’ve decided I’m ready to get laid. So, have either of you used those dating apps before? Can you teach me?”

  I’m not sure how many men over fifty would be on those apps but there’s no way I’m saying no. “I used to use them, but be warned, the men lie like crazy. I got so many dick pics that did not match the actual thing. I deleted them when I got tired of being cockfished.”

  “It’s not a bad place if you’re just looking for a hookup though,” Jani says. “I can help you make a profile.”

  “Thanks. I haven’t had to date in almost twenty years. It’s so different now.”

  “It is,” I agree. “Have you heard anything from Dennis since he got arrested last night?”

  “His cousin called to tell me he got released on his own recognizance this morning. Had the nerve to ask me to take him in. I feel sorry his cousin got saddled with him, but I’m free and staying that way.”

  “Good for you,” Jani exclaims.

  Stretching, I get to my feet. “Okay, I need a hot shower. I’ll see you two later.”

  Puffbutt is asleep on my bed and he doesn’t budge as I look through my drawers for something comfortable, but that won’t look like I’m trying too hard. Jani was right. It doesn’t get more casual than a Violent Circle bonfire.

  I finally decide to wear a lacy lingerie set under a pair of jeans and a hoodie. Tomboy on the outside, girly underneath. It doesn’t take me long to take a bath and dry my hair, letting it hang in loose waves around my face. I grab a quick bite because I’ll probably end up having a few drinks again tonight and two nights in a row isn’t usual for me. I don’t want to get sick.

  A text lights up my phone on the counter and I feel my heart leap. What the hell was that? I don’t get all giddy over a text, for hell’s sake. But I know it’s him, and the memory of him making me come with one damn stroke of his tongue flashes through my head. One lick Nick has gotten into my head.

  Nick: Be there in five

  Me: I’ll be ready

  Puffbutt’s head lifts when he sees me pick up his leash. “Come on, I’m going to be gone for a few hours, so let’s see if you need to pee first.”

  His little feet pad across the floor and he stands still as I hook him to the leash. He is such a sweet little guy. I have no idea why someone would dump him the way they did. Monsters.

  Half the neighborhood is out as I lead him around to the corner of my yard and let him spray the grass. Denton and his new girlfriend, Becca walk by, giving me a wave. That girl must be brave, living with the frat guys.

  As I let Puffbutt back inside and remove his leash, Nick pulls in and parks, gesturing to me to come outside.

  “Hey, I brought some stuff for your neighbor, but I couldn’t remember what apartment Mitch said she lived in.”

  “What stuff?” I’m not sure what he’s talking about until he starts pulling bags of groceries out of the backseat. “For Roni?”

  “Yeah, you want to give me a hand?” He places a bag on the hood of the car as Jani and Noble approach us, on their way to the bonfire.

  Jani grins, pausing beside us.

  “Nick, this is Jani and Noble.”

  “Nice to meet you.” Nick bumps his car door closed with his hip, then looks at me expectantly.

  “Uh, yeah, her apartment is on the way. Just let me lock my door and we’ll go.”

  When I return, Noble and Nick have a couple of plastic bags hanging from each hand, and we make our way down the street. Noble and Jani walk ahead of us.

  “I can’t believe you bought groceries for someone you don’t even know. You didn’t have to do that.”

  Nick shrugs. “I took up a quick collection from my work crew. We all know how it is to struggle.”

  There’s a cynical side of me that wonders if he did it to score points with me, but honestly, he’s already gotten what he wants, and I’m sure he knows I didn’t invite him to stay tonight to play Scrabble.

  Roni is in tears when we show up and she sees not only a solid week worth of food, but that Nick and his friends also provided a gift card to the local grocery store to get her through the rest of the month. He seems uncomfortable with her gratitude and retreats outside with Noble the first chance he gets.

  Jani and I congratulate Roni on her new job, and head outside. I’m happy for her. She has a new job, making decent money. Once she gets over this initial hump of losing all the government help at once, and having her rent hiked, she’ll be better off in the long run.

  “I think you’ve found a good one, Sam,” Jani murmurs as we walk across the yard to meet them.

  I flash her a quick smile. “He’s great, but this is temporary. We just met.”

  “Then you don’t know it’s temporary.”

  Nick slings an arm around me, and we head down to the bonfire. I can smell the smoke and hear the laughter before we get there. The cool evening breeze lifts my hair and Nick’s warm arm wraps tighter around me. A simple joy flows through me. It’s the little things, the little moments like this that somehow make everything feel perfect. Like the everyday problems and struggles don’t matter.

  Mitch is hosting the bonfire tonight, but neighbors come and go over the next few hours. There’s lots of laughter and good natured teasing. The most interesting thing I noticed was Mallory and Mitch spending most of the evening together. When Nick and I excuse ourselves and tell everyone goodbye, they’re sitting side by side, so deep in conversation they seem to have blocked out everyone else.

  Nick loops an arm around my neck as we walk back toward my apartment. “Your neighbors are crazy, but they’re fun.”

  “Yeah, you really haven’t seen their crazy side.”

  “Trey had a pair of panties on his head all evening and Denton only talked in rhymes.”

  He grins at my laughter. “Yeah they must’ve lost a bet. It happens so often I don’t even ask anymore.”

  When we get back to my apartment, we waste no time getting naked. I’d like to think it’s the couple of drinks I had that makes me lose
control around this man, but that’s not it. A glance, a sweep of his hand over my arm, is all it takes for me to want him inside of me. The way he kisses me, like he can’t stand for his lips not to be on mine for another second, makes me think he feels the same powerful chemistry.

  We don’t even make it to the bedroom this time. He spins me around and pulls me backward until my back slams into his chest. His lips are on my neck and his fingers between my legs before I can take a breath. Fuck, I love the way he takes control.

  His large hand presses on the middle of my back, bending me over the arm of the couch. I hear the crinkle of the condom wrapper a moment before he plunges into me, making us both groan.

  It’s a night to remember. For a guy over forty, he sure can fuck like a twenty year old, and it’s nearly dawn when we finally shower and fall into my bed.

  It’s after ten when Puffbutt licks my face, waking me to let him outside. I probably look like I’ve been dragged naked through a swamp when I take him out to pee, but none of the neighbors are out to see me.

  When I get back inside, Nick is still asleep, sprawled out like a starfish on my bed, gloriously naked and sporting an impressive hard on. God, he’s sexy. Our little weekend is about to come to an end, and I can’t resist having him once more, no matter how much my vagina protests.

  Quietly, I remove a condom from my nightstand, and roll it over him. He stirs a little but doesn’t wake up. Straddling his hips, I slowly lower myself onto him, relishing the way he fills me up.

  A groan rumbles his chest, and his eyes flutter open as I start to ride him. The sleepy grin on his face does things to me, and his hands run up my thighs until they reach my hips. We don’t speak, just enjoy the slow and steady morning fuck.

  I lean over to kiss him, and he rolls me until I’m on my side and he’s behind me, sliding into me again. I’m getting close, and the world is starting to slip away as I close my eyes and just feel him.

  “Sam,” he gasps.

  “Mmm.” It’s so good, I can barely stand it.

  “Sam. Uh…” The amusement in his voice makes me open my eyes, and he stills his hips, which is frustrating as hell. Before I can complain, he shakes his leg and gestures toward our feet.

  For a split second I think maybe someone came in. That I left my door unlocked or something, but that would be preferable to the sight of Puffbutt, latched onto the back of his knee and humping away. Oh god. My dog was fucking him while he was fucking me.

  “This isn’t the kind of threesome I’m into,” he says, reaching back to remove the dog from his leg. My horror grows as I watch Puffbutt’s tongue dart out and lick him right on the ass.

  “Puffy! No!” My shrill admonishment makes him release Nick’s leg, but apparently, he mistakes it for playtime because a second later, a ball of fluff dives smack in the middle of us. We pull apart as I try to grab the wiggling lunatic and put him out of the bed. With a huff, he stalks out of the room.

  The mood has been effectively killed, and Nick’s gaze meets mine before we both break into laughter. “I feel so violated,” he chuckles.

  “I’m so sorry my dog sexually assaulted you.”

  “Maybe next time, we make sure the door is closed, or go to my place.”

  I run my hand over the scruff on his jaw. “There’s going to be a next time, huh?”

  His gaze burns into mine. “You tell me.”

  My heart thumps in my chest. “Definitely a next time.”

  Chapter Five

  One month later

  Nick

  Jake scoops up the pile of money, laughing. “Another total ass fucking, guys. You’d think you’d learn.”

  Dylan shakes his head. “If anyone would know about ass fucking, it’s you. Bending over for it every night.”

  Always the quiet one, Julian just laughs, draining his beer. It’s poker night with my crew and Jake has just swept the table for the second week in a row. The asshole is too good.

  “I won’t make poker night next week,” I tell them.

  “You got something better to do?” Jake laughs.

  “County fair.”

  All heads swirl toward me. “You’re going to the fair? You taking your nephew or something?” Julian asks.

  A smile spreads across Dylan’s face. “It’s that new woman you’re seeing, isn’t it?”

  “Samantha,” I remind him.

  Jake grins. “Slut name.” The look I give him has him explaining quickly. He holds his hands up. “I didn’t say she was slutty. I’m just saying it’s a slutty name. The same way Brett is the douchiest name. It’s how it is. I didn’t make it up.”

  “I know a Brett. I can confirm he is a douche. All he wants to talk about is Crossfit and smashing,” Dylan says.

  “I don’t have a problem with women that have slept around. Be kind of a dick move to judge them for the same thing I do. Besides, they’re the best in bed,” Jake says. “They don’t pull shit like that woman I picked up at the bar last week.”

  Julian grins at him. “Story time. What did she do?”

  Jake gets to his feet, swaying a little. Bastard can even beat us in poker when he’s drunk. “First, she just wouldn’t shut up. I don’t even know what she was going on about, but she talked so much I wanted to tap her like a Youtube video to see how much time was left.”

  “But you still took her home,” Julian points out.

  “She was hot. She had those dick sucking lips too, but once I got her in bed, it was awful.”

  “No sex can be that bad,” Julian scoffs.

  “She bit the tip of my dick like it was a corn dog.”

  Laughter fills the room. “If you stopped going for those college girls, you might find a woman who knows what she’s doing,” I tell him. I guess I’m not one to judge since Jake is nearly ten years younger than me, so the age difference in the women he sees is no more than the difference between me and Sam, but people grow up a lot through their twenties.

  Damn, Sam sure knows her way around me. I’ve been fucking since I was fifteen years old, and in all those years, I’ve never had someone like her. She’s the best I’ve ever been with, no contest.

  More than that, she’s the first woman I’ve met in a long time that I could see being in a relationship with. She’s laid back and easy to be around. She cares about people but doesn’t give half a shit what others think of her. After all the self-conscious, eager to please, or downright narcissistic chicks I’ve dated in the past, I feel like I’ve hit the lottery.

  We’ve only been seeing one another for a little over a month, but we’ve spent a lot of time together during it. This weekend, I want to talk to her about making it official, make sure she knows I’m not seeing anyone else, and hopefully she isn’t either.

  The rest of the week seems to drag by and when the weekend finally does come, there’s the threat of rain, but I’m not letting it ruin our day. Half the time the weather men couldn’t predict wind until it hits them in the face, so I’ll risk it.

  When I park in front of Samantha’s apartment, the clank of swings from the park behind me makes me turn around, and I do a double take. Is that kid…?

  “Hey.” Sam rushes out, a bright smile on her face. She looks beautiful but I’m a little distracted and slightly disturbed as I remark. “Uh, Sam? Do you know the kid in the park? Because he’s naked.”

  The little boy looks around four years old and he’s swinging for all its worth, his face turned up toward the sky with a gleeful sound. Fair enough, because that has to be the freest a person could feel, nuts in the wind and all.

  “Oh no! Neddie!” she calls. “His grandma lives on the other end. She babysits him. I’m sure she doesn’t know he’s out here.”

  I accompany her over to the park and Neddie grins down at her. “Hi Sam!”

  “Hi, buddy. Stop your swing, okay?”

  “’Kay.”

  He’s agreeable enough as he drags his bare feet in the dirt, kicking up dust over his whole body. He looks like
a nude Pig-pen from the Peanuts cartoon when he hops off. “Where’s your Mamaw?”

  “She fell asleep on the couch while I was watching cartoons.”

  Sam takes his hand. “Well, let’s go check on her.” She gives me an amused look. “I’ll be right back.”

  “Take your time,” I chuckle, heading back toward my car. There’s never a dull moment in her neighborhood and I swear, it’s kind of growing on me. Neddie takes her hand and she walks him down the street and into an apartment.

  She returns a few minutes later, and we’re off to the county fair. “Did the kid sneak out on her?” I ask, chuckling.

  “Yeah, and apparently, he spilled milk on his clothes, so they had to go.”

  It’s a short drive, but we hit some traffic when we get close, and it takes a few minutes to find a parking spot because half the county is here. The crowd will get even thicker this evening when the concert starts.

  “What do you want to do first?” I ask, slipping my hand into hers. I love how she always looks at our hands and smiles as if she didn’t expect it. Maybe the last man she dated wasn’t as affectionate, but I take every opportunity to get my hands on her.

  “Do you want to see the animals? I know it’s kind of smelly, but last year they had alpacas and they are so adorable.”

  “I think I can handle smelly.” We turn toward the livestock pavilion and petting zoo. If it were hotter, the stench probably would be overwhelming, but with the cool breeze blowing, it’s not bad at all.

  We take our time, wandering through the petting zoo, stopping to pet and feed the animals here and there. When we enter a pen of goats, Sam kneels down to one with a handful of corn and it walks up, eating out of her hand. She smiles up at me, but it only lasts a spilt second because the goat behind her isn’t happy. Maybe it’s jealous. Who knows? But it rams its head into her side, not hard enough to hurt, but it’s enough to knock her off balance and back onto her butt. The corn scatters around her and she laughs as she’s suddenly surrounded by goats trying to get a bite.