He wipes his mouth, throws the napkin on his plate, and gets up from the chair. “Let’s see if I can change your mind.” He holds his hand out to me.
I stare at him in shock. I wasn’t expecting this to go down now. “What?”
His eyes grow wilder every second he stares at me. “A warning, sweetheart. Don’t challenge me and then be surprised when I rise to it.”
I take his hand and let him pull me up. He doesn’t give me a chance to take another breath before he hungrily captures my mouth with this. I moan when his tongue slips into my mouth. The kiss makes it clear that he’s going to make me regret saying that all I wanted was his cock. It explains he’ll make me beg for it until I admit that I want more.
I gasp for those lost breaths when he grabs a handful of my ass and draws me in closer. I waste no time in pushing his shirt up and over his head. I didn’t have the chance to thoroughly appreciate his body last night in the shower. His tongue between my legs consumed my every thought.
My mouth waters at the sight of his firm chest, muscles galore, the six-pack finely sculpted. He’s right about one thing. He might be older, but his body and his cock outweigh Brett in every way. He tenses when I run my lips down his chest and flick my tongue against his nipple. His cock swells under his jeans, him rising for the challenge, if you will, and I drop to my knees to frantically pull it out.
I’m taking control before he gets the chance to.
Blow jobs have never been my thing. I saw them as a chore with Brett, but everything is different with Dallas. The thought of his hard dick inside my mouth excites me. Pleasing him pleases me.
I wet my lips, drinking in the sight of his large erection twitching in front of me, pre-cum dripping from the tip. His head falls back when I take the full length of him in my mouth. He’s so big, it stabs me in the back of my throat. I bring my mouth back, drawing his dick out to catch my breath, and then eagerly suck him back in.
“Fuck, that mouth, Willow,” he croaks out when I sink my nails into his ass to blow him better.
His hand dips down to wrap around his cock, and he jacks off in sync with my mouth. The hottest fucking thing I’ve ever experienced. I take him in, more excitedly.
He’s close, I can tell, and I can’t wait to taste his cum again.
Can’t wait to swallow him down but still have the taste of him lingering there.
I wait for it, my mouth moving faster, but he pulls away right before we reach the finish line.
The hell?
His face burns with desire as he stares down at me on my knees. “I’ll never get the sight of this out of my mind. It’s better than anything I’ve imagined while jacking off.”
Chills climb up my spine. “You think about me when you’re jacking off?”
His hand is still wrapped around his cock, and he goes back to slowly stroking it. “Every fucking time,” he grits out.
“Let me finish the job then,” I say with a pout.
He shakes his head. “I’m going to finish the job in your tight pussy. I know you enjoy sucking my cock, but that’ll be nothing compared to sliding inside you.” He catches my chin between his thumb and forefinger. “Now, stand up, so I can put you on this table and eat you as my dessert.”
I shyly bite my lip. “How can a girl deny that?”
“You’ll never want to deny me when I give you this dick again. You’ll be coming back for more.”
He picks me up underneath my elbows and settles me on the table. I open my legs the second my ass hits the edge. I’m ready for this. I need this.
“Put your hand over my mouth before you start,” I breathe out.
He cocks his head to the side. “Didn’t know you were into that.”
I shake my head and laugh. “We have to be quiet. Your sister lives right above me, and the walls are thin.”
“I don’t give a shit. I want to hear you scream my name.”
My sweatpants and panties are off in seconds, and he disposes of my bra and T-shirt. He licks his lips when he takes in my breasts. He cups them and leans down to draw a nipple into his mouth. He sucks hard and releases me, and not another word leaves his mouth before he drags my legs over his shoulders. My breathing hitches when he falls to his knees.
The first lick sends jolts through my body, and I would fall off the table if he wasn’t holding me in place. His tongue is an expert, dipping in and out of me, before he slips it out to suck on my clit. When he uses it to separate my folds for a better angle, my toes arch toward the ceiling.
Ache blossoms through my chest, and the need for an orgasm pushes at me even harder. His hands move up and down my legs as he pleasures me, and I make sure I’m balanced well enough before reaching down and pushing a finger inside myself. I work in sync with his tongue the same way he did when I was sucking him off earlier.
Our connection is what ends me. My back comes off the table, my legs buckling against his shoulders, and I never want to come down from this orgasm as it shoots through me.
“Say my name,” he groans, still working his tongue in me.
I do as I was told—not screaming it at the top of my lungs, but repeatedly gasping it out.
He slowly releases my legs with a shit-eating grin on his face. “Damn, I love the sound of that when my face is shoved in your pussy.”
He gets up and goes to help me down from the table, but I stop him.
“I want to fuck you.”
He’s shocked at my outburst. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I fully plan on doing that—multiple times—but let’s save the table sex for another time. I want you in your bed.”
I grunt when he picks me up in his arms, newlywed-style, and he races to the bedroom. As badly as I want this, I still have nervousness riding through me like a hurricane. We’re taking a big step here.
This isn’t a quick blow job in the shower.
This is sex—something so intimate for the both of us. Neither one of us sleep around, so this is a big deal, especially for him.
I don’t want him to freak out this time and feel like he’s betraying Lucy by sleeping with me.
“Are you sure about this?” I ask when he carefully lowers me onto the bed.
He doesn’t respond until I give him full eye contact. “I’ve never been surer.” He situates himself between my legs, and his cock impales me with no warning.
I constrict around him while he gives me time to adjust to his size. I know the situation I’m getting into with his first thrust. His first moan tells me I’m not making the wrong decision.
He starts out slow, which frustrates me. This is something I’ve wanted for months. I tilt my hips up to give him a better angle, excite him, and hint that I want more.
Harder. Faster. More.
It works.
He pounds into me rougher, sweat building up along his forehead, and groans with every stroke.
“Say my name,” I whisper. “Tell me who you’re in bed with.” It’s my turn to show ownership.
“Willow,” he says, his eyes drinking in my face … my body.
We slow down when he stretches forward to take my lips with his, and he devours my mouth.
“I’m in Willow’s bed, fucking Willow, and Willow is about to make my dick explode.”
I kiss him until he pulls away to fuck me harder. That’s when I place my hands over my stomach to hide it. I’ve never been an insecure person, but I’ve gained weight. A lot of weight. My stomach is no longer flat. I see myself as less attractive.
“Don’t,” he demands in a raspy voice. “Let me see what we did together.”
I slowly drag them away, and he grasps my hands in his, placing them over my head and tightly holding them.
I shudder underneath him, coming undone, and scream out his name again.
There’s no doubt everyone in the building heard that one.
He jerks and gives me two more thrusts before releasing himself inside me.
“Fuck,” he grunts, breathing as hard as I am. “Th
at was fucking amazing.”
I’m still catching my breath when he collapses next to me. We’re a sticky and sweaty mess. Pretty sure I’ve burned off every calorie of those tacos.
I turn my focus on him. “You work an appetite back up?”
He smirks. “I had a very filling dessert.”
His answer makes me tingle. Tingle. This is the first time I’ve ever felt myself do that.
“I’m starving, and I don’t like eating alone if I don’t have to. Lucky for you, I have a pantry full of ramen noodles.”
He chuckles. “Fucking ramen noodles.”
I’m falling for this man who is broken, a little ruined, a bit of a disaster … and who gave up on love.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Willow
I tense when the bed shifts behind me.
He yawns.
Then, he heads to the bathroom.
What happens now?
God, why am I so paranoid every morning after?
We went back to the kitchen last night and didn’t have ramen noodles. Instead, we had ice cream, and then he did fuck me on the table after licking our dessert off my chest. We were exhausted, and I’d reached my exercise goal for the month, so he suggested a movie. I introduced him to my favorite black-and-white film, Casablanca, and we passed out before reaching the end. He carried me to bed, kissed me good night, and wrapped his arms around me. It felt good to be held, relaxed me, and I was back to sleep in seconds.
His next move this morning will tell me everything I need to know about our relationship—or possible lack thereof. Him not bailing at the hotel doesn’t count, doesn’t ease my mind, because he had an obligation to stay with me. He didn’t have a working car, and Stella would’ve kicked his ass if he’d left me stranded.
I brace myself for whatever is about to happen when he comes around the bed and drops to one knee, so we’re eye-level.
His lips curl up as he edges closer. “I didn’t want you to assume I was sneaking out. I have to pick up Maven from camp.”
I smile. “Do you mind if I come along?”
What the hell am I thinking?
“You up for another road trip with me?”
“Why not?” I want to spend all my time with him.
My smile grows when he kisses my forehead.
“All right, get dressed, and we’ll be on our way. I’ll grab my clothes from the truck.”
I hop out of bed like I’m ten and it’s Christmas, and I scurry to the bathroom.
Our relationship shifted into something last night—something that exceeds friends but isn’t quite into the whole relationship thing yet.
Friends with benefits?
Co-parenting with benefits?
Sex, not love?
“Oh my gosh, this is so cute,” I say when we pull into the camp parking lot. “It’s not like the movies but still cool.”
Dallas cocks his head toward my stomach. “Can’t wait for our little ones to join Maven here in a few years.”
“A few years? You mean, six?”
“I started coming here in Pampers.”
I slap his shoulder. “You are such a liar.”
Maven comes running our way as soon as we get out of the truck.
“Daddy!” she screams. “You brought Willow! This is the bestest day ever!”
I lose a breath when she rushes into me and wraps her tiny arms around my waist.
“Hey now,” Dallas says, coming up behind her and peeling her away from me. “What am I, chopped liver? You haven’t seen your dad in a week, and you roll right past me.”
She giggles and jumps into his arms. “You know I missed you, Daddy!” When he releases her, she pulls a stack of papers from her bag. “I made all of these for you and wrote letters like you said!” She snatches the top piece from Dallas’s hand and holds it out like she can’t wait for me to see it. “This one is for you.”
“Wow, thank you,” I say with a smile. It’s a hand-drawn picture of her and a tall redhead holding hands and walking around what resembles lights. “It’s so pretty.”
Her eyes sparkle with pride, and she bounces on her tiptoes. “It’s us at the fair. I had sooo much fun and can’t wait to do it again next year!”
I squat down and give her another hug. “Me either. Maybe, next time, I can gain some courage and join you on the rides.”
“I would love that so much!” She turns around. “Daddy! Willow said she’d get on the big-kid rides with me next year!”
Dallas smiles and winks at me. “Oh, really? We’d better hold her to that.”
“Dallas, I thought that was you,” a feminine voice calls out.
Maven loses my attention when I see a woman walking our way. A pretty blonde dressed similar to what Lucy used to wear, and she gives me a once-over, sizing me up to see if I’m competition.
Sure am, sweetie.
She thrusts her hand in my face when she reaches us, and I can’t stop myself from rolling my eyes. Her face scrunches up into a sneer to assure me it wasn’t missed.
“You must be Willow. It’s nice to finally meet you. You’re all everyone in town has been talking about.”
Her eyes drop down to my stomach, and I pull my arms around it to block her view.
Really? I cross my arms. Let’s see her squirm.
“Like what?”
I’ve only gone to the fair and the diner for lunch once. The only other times I’ve left my apartment is to go to work, and Stella’s show is filmed thirty minutes out of Blue Beech. I’ve kept to myself, but I’m sure she’s heard about me from the videos taken at the fair.
My question surprises her. I don’t mean to be rude, but the way her eyes scrutinize me is rude in itself.
She signals between Dallas and me. “That you two have been spendin’ an awful lot of time together.” Her smile is bright and phony. “You’re from the big city, like Hudson’s little fiancé, right?”
“Sure am. I’m her best friend and assistant.”
“I see,” she clips. “How long do you plan on staying here? You probably miss LA. It’s pretty boring around here.”
“Cindy,” Dallas warns.
She whips around to smile at him. “What? I’m only introducing myself to the town’s newest …” Her attention moves back to me. “Visitor? Resident?”
“Resident,” he growls to her back. “Willow is a new resident of Blue Beech, so you march on and relay that to your gossip club and quit interrogating her.”
She throws me a flat smile, turns around to give him her attention, and slides her hand across his chest. He jerks away.
“You want me to make y’all dinner tonight? I can bring that fried chicken of mine you love so much.” She glances down at Maven with a faker smile than she gave me. “Didn’t you say it was your favorite, honey?”
Maven shakes her head. “My grammy’s fried chicken is my favorite.”
Dallas glares at Cindy. “As much as I’d love to chat and deny your company, we have places to be. Enjoy our day.”
“Call me,” she sings out to him.
This time, she wraps her arm around his, and he pulls out of her grip, narrowing his eyes on her.
“Stop.” He gives her his back and grabs Maven around the waist. “You ready to go, sweetheart?”
I throw Cindy the dirtiest look I can manage before getting into the truck.
She brings him dinner? He said he cooks every night.
Dallas gets into the truck and leans into my space. “Don’t let your head go there. Give me the benefit of the doubt, and we’ll talk about it.”
I nod. My heart aches with jealousy, terror, and betrayal.
Dallas starts the truck with fire in his eyes.
“Walkers! Walkers! Walkers!” Maven chants twenty minutes into the drive home. “Daddy, you promised!”
Dallas pats my thigh. “You hungry?”
“The waiters are rude to you at Walkers!” Maven says. “It’s so, so, so, so funny! They told Daddy he had a nose
bigger than a rhino’s horn one time.”
I laugh and twist in my seat to smile at her. “No way.” I fake lower my voice and place my hand on the side of my mouth. “I totally see what they’re talking about though.”
Maven bursts into a fit of laughter.
“Hey now,” Dallas cuts in. “That’s supposed to be the part where you stick up for your dad and argue that I don’t have a nose like a rhino.” His hand moves to rest on my leg this time when I turn back around. “You cool with stopping?”
“I’m not passing on this, rhino man.”
Maven and Dallas sit across from me in the booth.
Walkers is an old-fashioned diner where the waiters wear ridiculous uniforms with unusual, most likely made-up names.
The waitress tells me I’m cheap when I order a water. Maven cracks up.
She says Dallas isn’t man enough for real beer when he orders a root beer. Maven cracks up.
She gladly takes Maven’s order for a milkshake without saying a word. Maven still cracks up.
At least they’re nice to kids.
Not only does Maven take over all the conversation, telling us everything she did at camp, but she also takes my mind off what happened with Cindy.
Fucking Cindy. I can’t be pissed at Dallas for hanging out with another woman when we’re not officially anything. I can’t call dibs on him just because I’m carrying his babies.
Wait … yes, I can.
I can because, last night, he was in my bed.
I’m calling dibs.
I’m stuffed after lunch, but Maven insists we share a dessert.
“My birthday party is next weekend,” she tells me, scooping up a bite of the brownie sundae. “Will you come? Pretty, pretty please with cherries on top?”
I swallow my bite down. “Sure.” My attention goes to Dallas. “I mean, if that’s okay with your dad.”
“I’d love for you to come,” he answers.
“It’s at my grammy and grampy’s,” she continues. “They have a giant yard, and Daddy promised to get me a princess bounce house, so all my friends can play in it. Didn’t you, Daddy?”
Just One Night Page 15