But right now, with Nash? I feel like I belong.
My belly flip-flops at the wild thought. This man is a stranger and I just ended things with Brent. Thinking about belonging, safely, fitting into his world are the last things I need to consider right now.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, reading my cues.
“I need another drink.” Some more liquid courage. I take his hand and drag him to the bar. I’m already feeling the last one, and I’ll probably regret the hangover I’ll have tomorrow, but tonight I’m letting loose.
No more rules.
Just fun.
“I need another kick in the crotch,” I tell the bartender who looks burly, both arms covered in full sleeves of ink. “Actually,” I tell him, feeling bold. “Make that four.”
Nash gives the bartender a look, but he doesn’t stop me. And I smile, liking that. I don’t want a man who wants to rein me in. Especially not tonight. Right now, I want a man who will give me a wild ass ride.
I down the first one, and offer the second to Nash, but he shakes his head. “I’ll take an IPA, Pax,” he tells the bartender.
“Fine,” I say, shrugging my shoulders and tossing it back. The buzzing in my head begins to fade and I focus on the man in front of me. At least I try to, he’s a little blurry now. We sit on stools at the bar and I run my hand over his bicep. “You’re so strong,” I say, my words slightly slurred. “You like to work out?” Another cliché pick up line, but the truth is, I don’t have many moves.
He chuckles. “I suppose.” Then he frowns. “I remember when we met, you told me you were here visiting from out of town. Why are you here now?”
I swallow. Not interested in killing the vibe over my sob story. “I’m here staying with my cousin Kenna. I live in Boston now. Well, I have been living there. I’m currently between ... gigs.”
“Gigs?” He lifts his eyebrows. “Thought you were headed off to some fancy-ass school.”
I twist my lips. “I guess gig isn’t the right word, exactly. I’m a veterinarian, actually.”
His brows shoot up and I know he’s impressed. “So you like animals?”
I nod, picking up the next shot, downing it, and I immediately feel more bold. “I like G.O.A.T.s.”
Nash’s shoulder’s shake, laughing. “I heard you back there, with those girls. Glad to know you remember our time as fondly as I do.”
Oh God, he heard that? I should be mortified, but I have too many drinks in me to really care.
“Fondly?” I say, repeating his choice of word. “What are you, eighty?”
He grunts, still smiling.
Leaning close. I breathe him in, he’s fresh air and cedar and being next to him is like taking a long drink of water. I had no idea how damn thirsty I’d been.
“So who’s your G.O.A.T.?” I ask him, picking up my final shot. He hasn’t taken a sip of his beer.
He laughs wryly. “Darlin’, you know.”
I lift my brows. “Little old me?”
“Yes, you.” He leans closer, placing a hand on my jaw and pulls my mouth to his.
The kiss makes me dizzy, so dizzy that I practically fall off the stool and into his arms. His lap. I want him to push me against the wall, to ravish me here and now, but instead, he simply holds my cheek, our lips parting, that tongue of his finding mine and I whimper. Well, it’s more of a moan and I give in to it. To him. To this night. To forgetting. To remembering. All of it.
“Take me home,” I tell him. Without a single glance around, he takes my hand and leads the way. And I sure as hell follow.
Chapter Three
Nash
When I wake up, the first thing I see is her.
Tessa.
So damn beautiful.
God, she’s the one I’ve been dreaming about for years, the one I thought I’d never see again. And here she is, in my bed, snoring like a satisfied kitten. Only I know her pussy hasn’t been taken care of. And neither has my cock.
I groan, pulling myself off the couch and adjusting my morning wood. All night I tossed and turned, being only ten feet away from the one who got away.
Only it turns out she never meant to hurt me - it was all a misunderstanding. Maybe now we can make up for lost time. Considering the way she moved those curvy hips of hers last night on the dance floor, I have a feeling she hasn’t lost any of her charm. If anything, she’s only become more gorgeous.
In a t-shirt and sweats, I quietly walk past my moving boxes - still unpacked. It’s been years since I’ve been back, but I haven’t really made this place a home. Haven’t felt the need to. But maybe with Tessa, that can change.
I open the fridge, hoping she can sleep off her brutal hangover a little longer. But since my industrial loft has an open floor plan, the moment the coffee is brewing, she’s stirring.
I look over the kitchen island from where I’m cracking eggs for breakfast, and my cock twitches. Damn, she looks adorable with bedhead. She sits up, her eyes adjusting to the morning light that filters through the window and she stretches her arms up over her head, her top lifting and showing off her belly. I swallow, hard. God, I wish I could see more than a few inches.
She would have shown me every inch of her perfect body last night, but by the time I got her back to my place, I knew she was too drunk to enjoy it. And when I have her again, she will enjoy it.
“Hey,” she says, slipping out from under the sheet and walking over to me. “So about last night...”
I smile. “Nothing happened.”
She looks down at herself, and I see her cheeks turn pink when she notices she’s in nothing but a top and a pair of pink panties. She threw off her bra and tore off her pants before throwing herself at me once we were inside my door, but instead of the fuck that I’ve been dreaming of, I tucked her cute little butt in bed and turned off the lights.
“You passed out before we could even start,” I tell her, whisking the eggs. Adding butter to a pan.
“Oh my God,” she mumbles, her cheeks turning an even darker shade of pink.
“Do you want coffee?” I ask.
She nods and I pour her a cup, along with a glass of water and a bottle of pain reliever.
“Thank you,” she groans, rubbing her temple. “I’m slightly mortified. And my cousin must be worried sick.”
“Actually, I got her number from Pax—”
“Who?”
“The bartender,” I tell her. “I called your cousin last night after you fell asleep. She knows you’re safe.”
“Thank you.” Then she groans again and covers her face, shaking her head. “I kind of threw myself at you, didn’t I?”
I smile, scrambling the eggs as the bread toasts. “Yeah, but the feeling was mutual. I wanted you just as bad.”
“Yeah?” She lowers her hands and licks her pouty pink lips.
Does she not realize how fucking hot she is? “Yeah, Tessa. There’s nothing I wanted more. But you got yourself in trouble with those shots.” I chuckle, and say, “Here I was thinking you wanted to replay the summer that you turned eighteen, turns out you wanted to party like a college freshman.”
She laughs, picking up her coffee. “Sorry. I do want to travel down memory lane with you, but I’ve had a shit week and kinda lost myself there for a second. Or found myself...God...” She breathes out a long sigh. “I’m not really sure which.”
I hand her a plate of food and slide onto the stool opposite her at the kitchen island. “That bad, huh?”
“You have no idea.” She twists her lips and I can tell she isn’t ready to tell me what happened. She takes a bite of the eggs and moans in pleasure. “Wow, these are fantastic.”
“We all have our unexpected talents. Mine is making a killer breakfast. What’s yours?”
“Hmmm ... you mean besides skillfully giving my G.O.A.T. blue balls?” She laughs and so do I.
I like how Tessa doesn’t take herself too seriously, she has an effortless beauty. Like she’s comfortable in who she is.
“Right,” I say, my cock perking up. “Besides that.”
“I guess I’m pretty decent at keeping houseplants alive.”
“That’s a skill,” I say, pointing to my tragic cactus in the windowsill. “I can hardly keep that little guy happy and he needs water once a month.”
“Mine are probably miserable right now, actually. I kind of left town in a hurry and didn’t think about them.”
“Are you headed back to Boston soon?”
“In a week.”
Disappointment settles in my gut. But at least I have a few days with her.
“You have any plans while you’re here?” I ask.
Her eyebrows lift, and a small flicker of hope lights up her brown eyes. “Actually, no. Do you have anything in mind?”
I lean over the counter taking in her messy morning hair so ridiculously cute, her upturned nose so damn sexy. Knowing that under the table she’s got on nothing but a pair of panties. I grin at her, and say, “I’m sure we could think of something.”
My phone rings and I see the number is from Adrenaline Rush, the business I co-own with my buddies.
“It’s work,” I tell her. “Hold that thought?”
She nods and goes back to eating her breakfast.
I answer the call. “Yeah?”
“Hey man,” Terrance says on the other end. “A last minute booking means you’re working today. That cool?”
Shit.
I look over at Tess, knowing that what I really want to work is her. Up and down and back again.
“I don’t think—”
“They paid double,” he says quickly. “It’s a rock-climbing trip up at Sunny Peak. Lunch in the yurt on top. I know it’s your day off but, the other guys are all booked and—”
“It’s all good,” I tell him with a sigh. Our business is still getting off the ground and we aren’t in a position to turn customers away. Besides, this will give me time to plan the perfect night for Tessa. We can go back to the lake where it all began. “When is it?”
“In two hours.”
“I’ll be there.”
I end the call and Tessa is already standing.
“I’ll go,” she says. “Honestly, I’ve overstayed as it is.”
“No,” I say, taking her hand. “You haven’t. But I do have to work.”
“Right. Of course.”
“I only have to work a few hours. What about tonight? You and me. The lake. I can make a bonfire and we can get a bottle of Boone’s Farm, for old time’s sake.”
Her smile returns.
“What do you say?” I ask, pulling her toward me and kissing her.
When we break the kiss, she beams up at me and says, “I’d say I’m excited to see if memory serves me right.”
Chapter Four
Tessa
Nash gets me a Lyft and a half hour later I’m back at Kenna’s cottage. She has the cutest place. It’s all shabby chic decor, pink bedding and white lace. She’s refurbished second-hand furniture and really made this place feel like her. Nothing like my place in Boston. Minimalist, stainless steel, a handful of houseplants the most I’ve done to make the place my home.
Truth is, if I could have it my way, I’d have a big farmhouse on the edge of town. Any town. A bunch of animals, a big front porch. I’d work at a veterinary clinic by day and tend to the sheep and cows at night.
I don’t have any actual experience running a farm, but I’d like to learn. Have a garden, an apple tree or two, maybe a whole orchard. But right now, that dream is so far from my reality it isn’t even funny. Dreams are cool and all, but when they leave you feeling empty, they aren’t so fun.
The moment I open the door to Kenna’s place, she pounces on me as if she’s one of her two adorable tabby cats.
“What the heck happened?” she asks. “Tell me everything!”
I laugh, kicking off my shoes and joining her in the kitchen where she’s finishing a bagel. I’m not hungry after Nash’s delicious breakfast, but I could use more coffee. I help myself to a mug and then we both head to her plush couch filled with throw pillows.
“Not much to tell. He told me you two spoke?”
She nods. “He’s pretty sweet, actually. He actually Facetimed me so I could see for myself that you were okay.”
“Wow,” I say. “Yeah, he is kinda sweet.” And hot, and sexy, and everything I’ve wanted for so long but never thought was possible.
“He’s a far cry from Brent, if that’s what you mean,” she says, frowning.
“He’s the opposite of Brent in literally every way. Even his loft is different than Brent’s. It looks like he just moved in. Boxes still unpacked. Whereas Brent—”
She cuts me off. “There’s no comparing the two. Brent was a freaking cheating lying piece of shit. And Nash is your sexy as hell G.O.A.T.”
I laugh. “Not that I had a chance to reacquaint myself with that part of him, but he does make good eggs.”
“You didn’t have sex this morning? I figured you’d jump his bones at least once before you came back.”
“He had to go to work. But he asked me out tonight.”
Kenna smiles but doesn’t say anything. We finish our coffee and she tells me all about how Stacey, the beotch from her high school, continued to push her buttons when she was out in the parking lot. Eventually she came home alone and cuddled with Netflix all by herself.
“And your cats,” I add, pulling Heathcliff into my lap.
“Right,” she says, laughing and petting Mr. Darcy. “Gosh, I’m kind of pathetic. I’m literally that cat lady people make memes about.”
“Nah,” I say. “I think you’ve got it all figured out. Cute house, cute cats, cute clothes. Having a man is totally overrated.”
Kenna smirks. “Says the girl who is going out with a guy who looks like Henry Cavill.”
“Who?”
“The guy who played Superman.”
I blink at her, never having watched it.
“Seriously,” she says. “Do you not watch movies?”
“Not very often,” I admit. Brent wasn’t a fan, so we never watched many. I am so done letting a man control what I do, who I am. I shake my head. “Anyway, this is all ridiculous. I literally got dumped a week ago. I should be getting my hair and nails done right now, not thinking about sleeping with a guy who is probably a real asshole underneath all those muscles.”
Kenna rolls her eyes. “Sure, an asshole who tucks you into bed and makes you breakfast. Sounds like a real douche canoe.”
“I just don’t want to get hurt again. Going out last night helped me forget what I just went through ... but the fact is, guys suck.”
Kenna shakes her head. “No. Brent sucked.” She takes my coffee cup and sets it on her mint green coffee table. “Come on, go shower. We have things to do and people to see.”
I twist my lips. “I thought we were binge-watching Vanderpump Rules today and drinking Prosecco?”
“New plan of attack. I organized us a little adventure!”
“Is that code word for spa day because if so then I’m in.”
Kenna laughs. “No, but maybe we could get facials tomorrow. Today though, we’re going to get some fresh air, okay? Return to the land of the living. We’ve been inside all week.”
“Not true! Last night we went out.”
“Last night was a start. But I promise I planned one of your favorite things.”
* * *
An hour and a half later, I look like a person again. I’d been running on dry shampoo fumes a few days too long, and now I’m in stretchy pants and a tank top with the words Fries Before Guys printed on the front. “What shoes should I wear?”
“Running shoes,” Kenna says, stepping out of the bathroom. She’s in workout clothes too and when I ask if this activity was actually some form of torture, she only laughs and refuses to answer my question.
Soon enough we’re on the road, driving through town. This town is so different from the big
city and I get the appeal. Out here it feels like the Wild West, like possibilities are endless. In Boston, it felt like my entire life was laid out for me. Now that Brent’s out of the picture though, I wonder if there is more for me in life than I planned.
“I know you aren’t answering questions, but where are we headed?”
“Actually,” Kenna says, grinning and turning on her blinker. “We’re here.”
I read the signage out front of the big warehouse. ADRENALINE RUSH HQ. “What is this?”
“Rock climbing!”
“Um.” I bite down on my lip, trying to hide my disappointment. “I’ve never tried rock climbing before.” I’m much more of a hot-yoga-followed-by-a-boozy-brunch kinda gal.
“It’s time for you to try new things.” She parks the car and unbuckles.
“Right, that’s so ... thoughtful.”
Kenna bursts out laughing. “Okay, just trust me. Please?”
Trying my best to remain positive and grateful for my cousin’s willingness to stay by my side as I work through my breakup, I decide to grin and bear it. How bad could it be?
When we walk through the front doors of the building, my jaw drops when I see the gorgeous man waiting to greet us.
What. The. Heck.
I turn to Kenna. “Seriously?”
“Surprise!” she says, laughing at me. “Told you I knew what I was doing.”
I turn back around, to Nash, who is standing there wearing an ARHQ t-shirt, and a grin spreading across his face when he sees me.
I guess rock climbing might be fun after all.
Chapter Five
Nash
“Have either of you ever done this before?” I ask the women as I help them both into their harnesses.
“No,” Tessa says, glancing up at the cliffs above us, and I see the apprehension in her eyes when she does. “Are you sure this is safe?”
“You’re with me,” I tell her, resisting the urge to pull her into my arms and kiss her.
G.O.A.T.: Get Some Series Page 2