Single Dad On Tap

by Cathryn Fox

  I stare at her. Kids and adults both can be cruel if you don’t fall into a nice square box. I’m seeing that with my own son, and I’m working hard to change it.

  “I’m sorry. People can be assholes.” I remember the time in junior high when I sat with her during a particularly difficult time when those mean girls were picking on her.

  “They can be.”

  “Any man in this room would be lucky to be sitting where I am right now. If they’re too stupid to see how gorgeous you are, they’re too stupid to have a chance with you.”

  She narrows her eyes. “Are you talking about Colin?”

  Shit, I’ve said too much.

  “No, I’m just saying,” I say and glance at the bride and groom as they stand for their first song. But before the music begins, angels turns to the crowd.

  “Tradition is for the groom to remove the garter and the bride to toss the bouquet before they leave for the night, but as many of you know, I’m not all that traditional.” Cheers erupt from the crowd. She fist-pumps the air. “I plan to stay and shut this party down tonight.” She grins at Phil and he kisses her.

  Someone brings her a chair and she sits. Sexy music begins playing as Phil drops to his knees and fishes her garter out from under her dress—with his teeth. I laugh, glad that there are no children present. I can’t even imagine Lucas’ reaction. Good thing he’s tucked in for the night with his great-grandmother. Phil finally gets the blue garter off, and swings it around his index finger.

  Smiling back at the crowd, Angie lifts her arms. “So come on single ladies, someone is going to catch this bouquet and get this party started.”

  Chairs scrape as those in the crowd jump up, but Olivia doesn’t move.

  “Aren’t you joining in?”

  She shakes her head. “No, I don’t…let’s just let someone who is close to marriage catch it.”

  “You sure?”

  She nods and looks back at the crowd. Angie scans the girls standing, and frowns when she sees Olivia still seated. Olivia rests back in her chair, and her hair is long and loose tonight, falling down her back. A light perfume scent fills my senses as she pushes a strand off her shoulder, and it’s all I can do not to bend forward and press my lips to her neck, taste her one last time before she goes off with another man.

  I briefly close my eyes, to get my shit together, and open them again when Olivia lets out a little yelp. Holy shit. She fumbles with the bouquet as it comes out of nowhere and hits her in the chest.

  “I wasn’t…I didn’t…” she tries to say as everyone claps. “What the heck?”

  “Looks like I’m stronger than I realized,” Angie says with a laugh. “Get your ass up here, girl.”

  “Go,” I say, and give her a nudge. She stands, and her dress falls, not quite reaching her knees. My God, she is so beautiful. She walks to the floor, and Angie puts her in the chair.

  “What is going on?” she asks as Phillip twirls the garter in his hands.

  “Well, whoever catches this garter has to put it on your leg, Olivia, it’s tradition.”

  “I thought you weren’t traditional,” Olivia croaks out, her eyes wide. “Wait, who’s putting the garter on me?”

  “Here’s where I’m going to show you that I’m not traditional,” Angie says as she nudges Phil. He walks through the crowd, and I groan when he stops in front of me, palm open and garter waiting for me to claim it.

  The crowd claps and when I catch Olivia’s gaze, relief moves over her face. I guess she’d prefer me over a stranger sliding this up her leg.

  “Let’s go, Jesse,” Phil says, and I push from the chair and shake my head. I scan the crowd as they cheer me on, and catch Colin’s eyes. He has the strangest look on his face, and it feels like a fist to the gut. Putting this on her leg, while raunchy music plays and the crowd cheers us on, isn’t conducive to our planned break up.

  I drop to my knees in front of her. “You okay with this, Liv?”

  “Thank God it’s you,” she says, and my heart beats a little faster. “It would have been so embarrassing.”

  Sweet, shy Olivia, who is anything but demure when I get her alone and put my hands on her.

  “What is that music?” she asks, and shakes her head. I grin up at her.

  “Want to give them a show?”

  “Jesse…what are you up to?” I take her foot, remove her shoe and slip the garter over her ankle. I click my teeth together, playfully and give her a teasing wink. Her eyes go wide. “Don’t you dare,” she says, and I laugh. Putting it on with my teeth would be bad in so many ways, and I’d never do anything to embarrass her like that.

  Maybe later, when we’re alone, I’ll use my teeth to take it off.

  There is no later, dude.

  Yeah, well, fuck that.

  In a less-than-climatic mood for the crowd, I put the garter on, and lift her from her chair. Her body collides with mine and I slide my arm around her.

  “Thank you,” she says.

  “Don’t thank me yet.”

  Her body quakes beneath my touch, and I fucking love the way she reacts to my closeness. “What is that supposed to mean?” she asks, a bit breathless.

  “Why don’t you go find us a bottle of champagne and meet me in the lobby.”

  She angles her head, her eyes moving over my face like she’s trying to figure out where I’m going with this.

  “The night is still early, Liv, and I promise to make this worth your while.” Yeah, if I couldn’t make sliding the garter up her thigh a climatic event for her, I plan to make something else climatic. “Jesse…”

  “Trust me?”

  “Yes,” she says quickly, without hesitation and it does the weirdest fucking things to me.

  I put my mouth to her ear. “Five minutes. In the lobby.”

  She nods, and I give her elbow a squeeze to reassure her. She leaves my side and I make a beeline for the front lobby, quickly securing us a room. Five minutes later, she emerges from the ballroom, and her chest rises when she finds me near the elevators waiting for her.

  With a bottle of champagne in her hands, she steps up to me. “Are we celebrating something?” she asks as she holds the bottle up.

  “I was thinking. If we have to end this tonight, why don’t we go out with a bang?”

  She swallows. “Do you think that’s a good idea.”

  “No, it’s a bad idea, and you and I both know how they go.”

  The doors open and we both step onto the elevator. I punch in our floor and our eyes meet during the short ride up. We stare at each other in silence, and there is enough tension to cut the air in the small space. The doors open and I put my hand on the small of her back to usher her off. Our steps are hurried as we make our way down the hall, and our knuckles brush, like we both need the contact.

  Inside the room, I close the door and lock it. She’s breathing so damn hard I’m worried she’s going to hyperventilate. With my hands on her hips, I push her against the door, and put the champagne on the table beside us. My lips find hers for a slow, long deep kiss so steeped in passion, it sets my body on fire. Heat burns through me, my cock never more ready for anything, or…anyone.

  “I need you naked. Need to be inside you, Liv.” I wait for her consent, and when she nods, I slide my hands around her back and unzip her dress. She rolls her shoulders and I suck in a breath when the dress falls to her feet.

  I stare at her, take pleasure in her matching bra and panties, and can’t help but wonder if she wore them for me, that she might have hoped something like this would happen.

  With confidence oozing off her, she cups her breasts, squeezes them together, and forms a tight little channel where my cock needs to go. I take a small step back and take off my jacket. I loosen my tie, and her body quivers when I wrap it around my hand, in much the same manner I’m going to wrap it around her wrists. We’ve done so many things over the last few weeks, but I’ve yet to tie her up, and goddammit, it’s not because I want to teach her any
thing, it’s because I fucking want her.

  All to myself.

  I remove the rest of my clothes, and take my dick into my hands as she continues to massage her full breasts. “Do you like that bra?” I ask.

  “It’s one of my favorites.”

  “Then you better take it off, before I rip it from your body.”

  She bites down on her lips, her excited little gasp curling around me. Five seconds later, her breasts spill free, and I bend to take her nipple into my mouth. I grip the tiny scrap of material of her panties that’s keeping her sweet pussy from my mouth, and in one quick tug, I remove the lace from her hips.

  “Were they your favorite, too?”

  “Yes,” she whispers. “But now you’ve ruined them.”

  I chuckle and take in the heat in her eyes. “You were never getting them back anyway, Liv.”

  “What is it with you and my panties?” she asks, her voice full of desire and amusement.

  “Like you even have to ask.” I drag her from the door, and cross the room, until we’re standing by the bed. She sits and I toss my tie onto my pillow, and go to work on popping the champagne. I fill two glasses from the bar, and hand one to her.

  She takes a drink and wets her lips. “Mmm, so good. I was parched.”

  I touch her shoulder. “Babe, I have a better way to quench your thirst.” I nudge her and her excitement strokes my cock as she falls backward and cups her breasts, offering them up to me.

  “Fuck yeah,” I say, and while I might have checked my gentlemanly side at the door, I plan to get her off first. I reposition her and flip her over until she’s on her stomach.

  “Ooh,” she says as I put a pillow under her belly to lift her.

  “I want you on my face,” I tell her and go down on my back between her legs. I drag her to me until her sweet cunt is pressed against my mouth, and I suck on her clit.

  “Jesse,” she cries out, and bucks against my face. “Oh my God, that is so good.”

  She rides my face, wild, unabandoned, a woman who knows what she wants and has no problem taking it.

  That’s my girl.

  I put my tongue inside her, rub her hot clit all over my wet face. Her breathing changes, and the second she starts whimpering, her release so damn close, I reach up, grab hold of her hips and drag her down my body until her legs are straddling my hips. Her eyes are wild, and she runs her nails over my chest, like she can barely hang on, but I want my cock in her sweet pussy when she feels that first sweet clench.

  I lift her, and she holds her breasts, squeezing tightly as I lower her onto my cock.

  “Yes,” she cries out, her head going back as I fill her completely. Her hot wet cunt squeezes around me, and I growl with pleasure.

  “Fuck me, babe,” I say and she begins to move, lifting up and down and I hold her hips to help her. I power upward with her, wanting to bury myself balls-fucking-deep and knowing it will still never be deep enough.

  “Jesse,” she whimpers, a new urgency in her tone as she puts her hand between her legs, shamelessly rubbing her clit. I damn near shoot off.

  “You are so hot, Liv. I love…this between us,” I say, dangerously close to telling her all my secrets. What would she do if I did? What would she do if I said I never wanted this to end?

  She rolls her hips and grinds down on me, and I can barely take this sexy sight of her. I reach for her hands, weave them in mine and her eyes flash to mine. As our eyes collide, warmth and intimacy passes between us, and an overwhelming amount of happiness—something I haven’t felt in far too long—fills my soul. Sex with her, everything with her, is genuine and real, and so damn right. Sometimes I think I must be dreaming.

  “Liv,” I say.

  “I know,” she whispers, like she’s feeling this every bit as much as I am. “Jesse, I’m there.” She lifts and slides down the length of me, her muscles milking my cock as she gives in to the pleasure. Her body convulses and her hot juices pour down my shaft and tickle my balls.

  “Fuck,” I cry out and keep my dick inside her as she moves and writhes and just takes what she needs. After a big contented sigh, she grins at me and I grin back, the connection between us so goddamn powerful, I feel it deep in my chest, right around the vicinity of my heart. I grab hold of her hips and lift her from my cock and set her on the bed.

  She frowns. “Jesse, what about you?”

  “On your back. Hands on these gorgeous tits,” I command in a soft voice and she squeals, knowing exactly where I’m going with this. I moan as she presents her body like a buffet and goddammit, I plan to take my fill.

  She cups her breasts, forming a beautiful tight channel for my cock, and I squeeze my shaft, letting my pre-cum pool on her tits. I reposition and put my cock between her lush breasts and power forward. Her mouth parts, and she laps at my wet crown when I reach her mouth.

  “Fuck yeah, you are sexy,” I say, and she moans and squirms beneath me, massaging my dick in mind fucking ways. I pump against her body, and her sweet tongue treats me to a hot lick every time I reach her mouth. I want to be in her throat, but this… this is so goddamn good there is no way I could stop even if I wanted to. I fuck her, long and deep and so needy, my vision goes fuzzy around the edges. I pump once, then twice, and when I throw my head back, she knows my every movement and facial feature so well, she knows I’m going to come. She lifts up and opens her mouth for me, and her moan of pleasure wraps around me and squeezes tight.

  I am so fucking in love with this woman.

  I deplete myself, and her eyes are full of desire and wonderment as I fall beside her and drag her to my body. She rests her head on my chest, and I stroke her hair and arm, both of us lost in our thoughts for a long time. The air chills and I pull the blankets up. Minutes tick by for a long time, and for a second I wonder if she’s asleep but then she runs her finger around my nipple, going lower and lower, teasing the hair from my belly button to my cock—which suddenly wakes up again. Something tells me this was her plan all along. Like me, maybe she just can’t get enough. I harden and she moans and wraps her fingers around me.

  I might have just fucked her, but I still need more. Yeah, she really does make me feel like a hormonal teen. I flip her back over and put her hands above her head, taking my tie to bind them together.

  “Oh my God,” she murmurs and wiggles. The knot is loose enough for her to get out if she wants, but I don’t think she does.

  I crawl back between her legs and crouch. I lightly pet her sex. “Such a pretty pussy.” I say, and she swallows. “I think I’m going to need my cock in here again. Can you take me, Liv?”

  “Yes,” she says quickly, her body flushing.

  I take my cock in my hand, and stroke until I’m hard as steel. She widens her legs, opening herself up to me. I fall over her, and ease into her heat. I move my hips slowly, savoring the sweet feel of her body as I slowly make love to her. We move together slowly, each taking and giving as we savor the sweet, tender moment between us. In no time at all, she comes around my cock, and pulls another orgasm from me. Sated, I fall to her side again and release her hands.

  She rests her head on my chest, the satisfaction in her eyes filling me with pride as she glances up at me, like she might want more than just sex. But how can I open up and ask for that?

  How can I not?

  I don’t want to hurt her, or have any sort of resentment between us, but how can I just let her go from my life, from Lucas’? She’s been open and honest with me all along, and doesn’t she deserve the same from me? Honestly, if she was into Colin, wouldn’t she have stayed downstairs and demanded we stage a breakup instead of hurrying to this room with me.

  We need to talk, and we need to do it now.

  “Olivia,” I say and her head lifts from my chest.

  “Yeah.” She blinks dark lashes over brown eyes that gaze up at me with admiration, and something else…

  Could it be love?

  I open my mouth, about to come clean when my cell p
hone rings, my grandmother’s special ring.

  Shit.

  15

  Olivia

  It’s been a long week helping Jesse with a sick child. We left the wedding right after we found out Lucas had come down with chicken pox, and the next morning Jesse got a call from Janice, telling her Madelyn had them too, which is likely where he picked them up in the first place.

  I hate that Lucas contracted the disease—and he’s been itchy and achy—and I’m probably going to hell for being grateful that phone call ended our night, and we never did get to stage that breakup. Honestly, after sexy times, or rather, making love to Jesse—at least that’s what it felt like to me—I never wanted to go downstairs and split up, or entice Colin in any way. It was a stupid, stupid plan.

  Jesse and I both had chicken pox as children, but I’ve been keeping Dad away. He has a compromised immune system and he hasn’t had the shingles shot, and so I don’t want him catching anything. This morning I have to take him for his check-up, and then I have a late shift at the bar. All I want to do is sleep, but I’m not about to abandon Jesse and leave him short-staffed when he’s home taking care of his son.

  “All set?” I ask my father and put on a smile when he walks into the kitchen.

  His eyes narrow. “You haven’t been getting enough sleep,” he says as he looks me over.

  “I know. I’ll sleep tonight,” I say and brush it off. “After the late shift.”

  He grumbles something about Heidi driving him, but I put my hand up to stop him. “I’m your daughter, I’ll drive you. Besides, Jesse lent me his car. He’s home with Lucas and said he doesn’t need it today.”

  “You both do enough for me as it is,” he grumbles as we head outdoors, and I grab my key off the counter, lock up and drop it into my backpack. “I better not lose this one,” I mumble.

  “What’s that?” Dad asks as I carefully zip up my new pink bag. My heart wobbles to think Jesse and Lucas picked this out for me.

  “I keep losing my keys, or someone keeps stealing them.”