by Peyton Banks
She was one lucky woman.
She breathed in his scent. It was woodsy, almost earthy in nature, and if she had to bottle the scent of a man, it would be Stan.
“Morning,” his deep voice rumbled. His hand slid along the curve of her back in slow, steady strokes, coming to rest on the curve of her ass.
“Morning to you.” Her fingers danced along his abdomen. She had taken her time to count every ridge with her tongue. They had gotten to know each other very intimately.
Nasia didn’t hold any regrets in her heart for sleeping—having sex with him; there was barely any sleeping. It was the day of the modern woman, he was good friends with someone she trusted, who vouched for him, and it had ended with a night of explosive sex.
Her fingers slowly traveled down his stomach. It trembled from his laughter spilling from him. His free hand rested on hers, holding it in place.
“You’re playing a dangerous game, woman.” He kissed the top of her head.
“What game? I’m just wanting to say good morning to him, too. I don’t want him to feel neglected,” she joked. She broke free from his hold and continued on to her destination. Nasia wrapped it around the base of his shaft, finding him growing rigid.
“He’s not.” Stan’s quick intake of breath could be heard.
She stroked the length of his long shaft, her core clenching, remembering the sensation of him sinking inside her.
Pushing up on her elbow, she continued, watching Stan’s face. His eyes were closed, and his expression was that of someone experiencing pure ecstasy.
Nasia’s heart raced. She loved that she had given this man so much pleasure through the night.
His blue eyes fluttered open and met her gaze.
“We can’t stay in bed all day.” He reached underneath the blanket, stilling hers.
“Really?” Her eyebrows rose high. “Are you sure?”
“We have to eat sometime,” he murmured. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. He cupped her cheek and covered her lips. “If I recall, I asked to take you out and you accepted.”
“I did, but there is so much more we can do here,” she assured him.
She let out a shriek when he suddenly moved, rolling them over until he was braced above her. He settled between her legs, and she groaned from the feeling of his hardened member resting near her core.
“I’m sure there is, and we will come back to that.” He laughed.
Nasia saw how relaxed he appeared. She knew she would know what he needed now, if only she could get him to follow her advice.
“But—”
“No buts.” He dropped a kiss on her lips.
She skated her hand up to the nape of his neck in an attempt to hold him in place, but he was too fast. He snagged her wrists and pinned them down over her head. His gaze dropped down to her breasts thrusting toward him.
Leaning down, he nipped one of her nipples, moving off the bed. “You are a temptation I’m going to have to avoid.”
She chuckled and turned on her side, bracing her head on her hand as she watched him stride across the room. Nasia bit her lip to keep from groaning aloud. His body was chiseled, firm muscles everywhere, and she had spent plenty of time exploring them with her tongue.
“Are you sure we have to eat?” She pouted.
“Yes. I’m a man of my word, and we’re going to go out to eat. Now let’s shower.” He snagged her foot and dragged her to the edge of the bed.
A scream escaped her when his hand brushed against the arch of her foot. She was extremely ticklish and tried to get away from him.
His laughter filled the air, and she thrashed around the bed, unable to breathe due to laughing hysterically.
“Now, that’s something I’m going to have to keep in the back of my mind.” He pulled her from the bed, her body leaning into his.
She rested her head on his chest, trying to control her breathing.
“Are we going to have to swing by your house for fresh clothes?” she asked once she was able to drag air into her lungs normally.
“Nah, I keep a bag in my truck.” Stan shook his head. “Sometimes I crash at the ranch during the busy seasons. Go ahead and get the water ready. I’ll be right back.”
He dropped another kiss on her lips. She nodded and stepped away from him, heading into the bathroom. Excitement filled her at the thought of spending the entire day with him. He was a great guy, and she was definitely going to ensure they explored this. Last night would not be a one-night stand.
Stan was in for a surprise.
He now had a girlfriend.
Nasia glanced at herself in the mirror and barked a laugh. She looked like someone who had spent the entire night getting her back blown out. Her hair stood up everywhere, and a silly grin was ingrained on her face.
Her stomach chose that moment to growl.
“Okay, maybe the man had a point,” she grumbled. Reaching for her brush, she quickly got all the kinks out of her hair and wrapped it, covering her head with her silk scarf.
Nasia started the shower and let the water run. By the time the steam started filling the room, the door to the bathroom opened with Stan entering.
“You’re just in time.” She spun around and grabbed her shower cap to cover her head. There was no way in hell she was risking getting her head wet today. Her appointment with Yani wasn’t until next week, and she didn’t want to have to wrestle with her hair on her own.
Stan moved over to the shower and stuck his hand in. “What the devil!”
“What?” Her eyes widened as he adjusted the temperature.
“I’m not trying to be boiled alive, woman,” he muttered. Once he felt it was appropriate, he got in.
“Aw, afraid of a little warm water?” She followed him in. Nasia froze in place watching him lean back in the water, allowing it to flow onto his head. Her gaze tracked the trail of water sliding down his body.
Swallowing hard, she blinked.
“Only when it’s hot enough to take off the first layer of my skin.” He grinned at her, and her heart stuttered.
Jesus, how could this man be so sexy?
And he was currently all hers.
Nasia stepped to him, unable to resist touching him. Her hands explored his chest and the ridges of his abdomen. His quick intake of breath was barely heard over the running water.
“Nasia,” he groaned. He brought her flush to him, covering her mouth with his.
Nasia ignored the chilled wall when her back hit it. Stan covered her front with his body, and that’s all she could comprehend.
She needed him.
Again.
Stan opened the door to the Tipsy Cow and ushered Nasia inside. It was a local bar and restaurant all of the locals frequented on the weekend.
“Have you been here yet since you’ve been back?” he asked Nasia. He kept his hand on the small of her back.
“No, not yet. I’ve heard good things about this place.” Nasia turned her big brown eyes on him.
His gaze dropped down to a darkened area on her neck. Flashbacks came to mind. That was his mark he’d put on her. He just couldn’t get enough of her. Seeing her marked by him did strange things to him.
“They have great food, and their lunch specials are the best.”
He had planned to take her out for breakfast, but once she’d run her hands along him, all thoughts of food had gone out the window.
Three hours later, here they were.
An early lunch.
There was a good lunch rush.
“Hey, Stan,” Sonya greeted him. She came over to them with a wide smile on her face. “Just two of you?”
“Yup.”
“Give us about five minutes or so. One of the busboys called in sick, so I’m cleaning tables, too,” Sonya said.
“That’s fine. No rush.” Stan pushed his hat back on his head and looked around. Pretty much all the tables were full. They moved away from the door and stood near the bar so people could
leave without them in the way.
“I’m famished.” Nasia patted her belly. “Wonder why?”
“Seriously?” he scoffed. His little sex kitten was insatiable. It had been years since he had spent so much time in bed making love to a beautiful woman.
Hell, the last time was when he and Victoria—
Stan immediately put a halt to the train of thought quick. His ex-wife was not going to creep up into his thoughts while he was out with Nasia. She was in the past and was going to stay there.
He brought his arm up to rest on Nasia’s shoulders and pulled her in close to him. He was a lucky man. She was beautiful, smart, had a sense of humor that matched his, and was a woman who knew what she wanted sexually.
When they had finally dressed, she had poured herself into skintight jeans, a white graphic t-shirt with a woman with an Afro on it, and she paired it with multicolored heels. Her makeup was light, and her dark hair rested on her shoulders.
He wasn’t sure what she had done to it, but once she took the scarf off her head, it fell perfectly.
“Do you come here often?” Nasia leaned into him.
“Yeah. Usually with the Brooks brothers on the weekends once in a while. Now they are all getting married, it’s usually me, Carson, Karl, and Darnell.” He dropped a kiss to her forehead.
“So, they are all getting hitched so they can’t come out to play as often?” She laughed.
“Something like that.” He chuckled.
Parker had his hands full with his new wife, a baby, and their rambunctious son, Tyler. Wade was engaged to Joy, they were expecting, and now Rashad was with Yani. His little circle of single buddies was getting smaller every time he turned around. Going out with the guys had helped him stay sane after the divorce. They were all there for him.
The Brooks brothers and his friends made sure he never had to drink alone to drown his sorrows. Parker, Wade, and Carson ensured he had plenty of work to keep him busy.
He appreciated everything they had done for him.
They were good men.
His gaze dropped down to Nasia, and he wondered, would this turn into something more? Or was this just a fun weekend fling?
“What are you staring at?” He tweaked her nose.
“That woman staring at us from the bar.” She nodded toward someone behind him.
He glanced over his shoulder and froze.
Victoria was sitting at the bar with her friend, Leslie. He hadn’t seen her in months. She hadn’t moved from Shady Springs but had got a place on the outskirts of town. He wasn’t even sure if her and Connor were still together. He hadn’t wanted to speak to either of them since the divorce. After the signing of the papers at the magistrate’s office, he’d walked out and hadn’t looked back.
“Is that, um, her?” Nasia whispered.
He turned back to her and jerked his head in a nod.
“Do you still feel anything for her?” she asked softly.
“Hell, no.” It was a knee-jerk reaction. Stan believed in truth and honesty. He wouldn’t lie to Nasia.
What he had once felt for Victoria was gone.
“Stan?” a soft voice sounded behind him.
He closed his eyes for a moment, unable to believe she would come over to them.
Where was Sonya? Wasn’t the table ready yet?
Victoria came to stand before him and Nasia. Curiosity was burning in her eyes as her gaze landed on Nasia.
Nasia leaned more into him and wrapped a possessive arm around his waist.
“Victoria.” He nodded, keeping his greeting short and curt. With everything they had been through, she was lucky he was even acknowledging her.
“You look good.” She tucked her blonde hair behind her ear. “Who’s your friend?”
Stan opened his mouth to tell her none of her business, but Nasia beat him to the punch.
“Hi, I’m Nasia, Stan’s girlfriend. You must be Victoria,” Nasia replied haughtily. She tilted her head to the side and studied Victoria.
Stan tried to see his ex-wife as Nasia would.
They were about the same height, but that was where the similarities stopped. Victoria was thin, blonde, with huge green eyes. She was a selfish woman, he’d realized after they had divorced. Everything in their relationship had been about her. Where they ate, what movies they watched, where they traveled…he was just expected to pay.
Which he hadn’t had a problem with. He was raised to be a provider, but nothing he ever did was good enough for her.
“Yes, I am. Stan talks about me?” A small smile spread on her face. The narcissist in her would love to hear he’d been talking about her.
“Not a word. I just put two and two together.” Nasia shook her head.
“Oh.” Victoria stood tall, her eyes narrowing on Nasia prior to latching her attention back on him. “I didn’t know you had started seeing anyone.”
“Why would you? It’s none of your business.” He shrugged and looked away.
“Well, with as much as you work, when would you have time?” Victoria rolled her eyes.
“Oh, he makes time for me.” Nasia ran her hand along his chest.
He glanced down into her big brown eyes and felt a stirring beneath his belt.
She broke their stare and set her sights on Victoria. “I make it very worth it. I have no problems holding his attention.”
Stan had to hold back the laughter threatening to spill from him.
Victoria sputtered, her face growing flushed. “Listen here, my husband—”
“Ex-husband,” Nasia interjected.
Stan felt her body grow tense, and as much as he would love to see Nasia scratch Victoria’s eyes out, he couldn’t allow that. At least not on their first date.
“You made sure of that, so don’t go forgetting it now, honey. He’s with me.” Nasia’s voice dripped venom, turning him on and pissing Victoria off.
Stan loved it.
“Hey, Stan. Your table is ready.” Sonya came over with a haggard expression on her face.
“Wait a minute—”
“We would love to chat, but my man needs to feed me.” Nasia took his hand and practically dragged him behind her.
At the moment, he would follow this woman anywhere.
Sonya stopped at an available booth in the back and motioned for them to sit.
“I’m sorry about the wait,” she began, but he waved her off.
“Not a problem,” Stan said.
She set menus down for them and took their drink orders and disappeared.
He sat back in the booth and took in Nasia who was glancing over the menu. She was calm and collected as if she hadn’t just confronted his ex.
Nasia Henry was one hell of a woman.
“What’s good here?” she asked, not looking up.
“Girlfriend, huh?” He took off his Stetson and rested it on the hook at the edge of the booth. He ignored Victoria’s stare from across the restaurant and turned his attention back to the amazing woman sitting opposite him.
She grinned and met his gaze.
“You think after the night and morning we had, that I was letting you walk out of my house unclaimed?” Her perfectly sculpted eyebrows rose high.
He barked a hefty laugh, unsure when the last time was where he had laughed so much. Tears blurred his vision from her attempt at innocence with her proclamation. He wiped his face and shook his head.
“Come here, woman.” He leaned over and grabbed her hand.
She slid around the table and went straight under his arm.
He held her close and tipped her chin up. “Well, since we are making this relationship official between us, I think we need to seal it with a kiss.”
Nasia’s smile grew brighter.
He leaned down and touched his lips to hers.
7
“Hey, boss. Your cowboy is here,” Sara called out from the door. She had a wide grin and wiggled her eyebrows.
Nasia glanced up from the concoction she was
making. She had debuted her new muffin, and it sold out every day. From the response of the town, she may have to make it a regular item on the menu.
Now she had to find something to top it for next month.
For the past three weeks, she and Stan had been inseparable. Every morning before he went to the ranch, he stopped by the café to get his coffee and breakfast.
She looked forward to their morning coffee together.
Nasia arrived every morning around four to prep and begin baking for the day. Sara was one of her trusted employees who came in early also to help.
“Thanks.” Nasia wiped her hands on her apron then removed it. She glanced down at the counter and just left everything where it was. She had made a mess of things. Since she was doing strawberry this month, she wanted to make something chocolatey. She had a mind to make a s’mores breakfast muffin and was trying to get the combo of chocolate and marshmallows right.
“So, are you two an item?” Sara asked.
“Yes, ma’am.” Nasia breezed past Sara and headed out to the café. After breakfast with Stan, she’d go back into the kitchen to finish her experiment.
Her gaze landed on her big, handsome cowboy standing in line staring at the menu. She rolled her eyes and headed behind the counter to make their coffee.
He had to have tried everything on the menu by now.
“Stan,” she called out.
He turned those bright-blue eyes to her, and her heart skipped a beat.
She waved him over to where she stood. “You know you don’t have to get in line.”
“Well, I was checking to see if you changed anything on the menu.” He gave her his killer-watt smile, and her panties just about went up in flames.
“You know anything I add, you automatically get to taste.” He loved when she brought things to his place for him to try out. He was like her own personal taste tester.
Each day he worked, he stopped by the café first. Even on his off days he still stopped in. The past few weeks had been wonderful.
The nights even better.
“All right then. You choose what I’m eating then,” he said. He leaned against the counter and tossed her a wink. “I trust you.”