Change Up

by Ann, Natalie

  “Which is surprising since I’m from this area.”

  “Does it bother you not to be recognized out?”

  “Just different. Again, guess I’m more conceited than I thought.”

  “I’m sure everyone you hang around with is so it’s second nature to you.”

  “I didn’t think I was that bad. Or I tried not to be. My parents have done their best to keep me grounded.”

  “My family has been the same way,” she said. “Do you want to sit here to wait for the pizza to be done?”

  “I want dessert,” he said. “Let’s run to a bakery or something to kill time, then the pizza should be ready.”

  “That works for me.”

  Once they had their dinner and éclairs, they went back to his house, let Nicks out, fed him, and ate themselves.

  There wasn’t a lot of conversation and that was fine with her. She liked that they could have this quiet time and not have it feel uncomfortable.

  Though part of her wasn’t uncomfortable right now, she was feeling a bit anxious.

  She’d dropped enough worms in the water of what she wanted tonight and he didn’t seem to be biting.

  He was making her ask for it, she knew without a doubt. So she was going to have to take the plunge and do it, hoping the fish swam toward her and not away.

  As they were cleaning up dinner, she reached her hands around his waist from behind, and pulled him close, her fingers moving down toward his groin.

  “Something you want?” he asked.

  “Are you going to make me voice it?”

  He turned in her arms, his grin wide enough to give her the answer. “What do you think?”

  She let out a big sigh. “Fine. I want you to take me to your bedroom.”

  “And do what? Are you ready for that tour now?”

  They hadn’t been in his room once; she hadn’t wanted to tempt fate. “Yep, I am,” she said. “Don’t you think it’s time?”

  He squinted one eye at her. Maybe she could play this up and not actually ask for it.

  He shut the dishwasher, then started to walk to the back of the house where his room was, opened the door and said, “My room.”

  “Bathroom through there?” she asked, moving forward.

  “Yep. Need to use it for anything?”

  “Nope. Just want to check it out.” She walked across the room, her eyes not even glancing at his king-sized bed showing much more restraint than she’d thought she’d have. She popped her head into the bathroom, not shocked at the sheer size of it. “Very nice.”

  She was walking back toward him by the door, ready to make an exit. But he would not be having any of it and had her in his arms before she could say a word.

  13

  Just Bragging

  Harris had enough of waiting.

  He was shocked he’d lasted the three weeks that he had. Honestly, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d been with a woman that long and hadn’t gotten in her pants. Not even up her shirt.

  It had been worse than being in high school.

  Hell, even in high school, his senior year, he could get into a girl’s pants faster than he’d been able to get into Kaelyn’s.

  She’d been putting out more signals than a traffic light in LA for the past week. He saw them. He wanted to take advantage of them.

  He wasn’t going back on his word or the challenge he’d laid down to her though.

  No matter how much he wanted to lay himself down on her.

  She thought she was being so cute just now walking in his room and looking around and thinking she was going to escape.

  Nope, not happening.

  She was in his arms, then over his shoulder, the ten feet to his bed was the fastest he’d taken them. He flopped her on her back, his long body covering hers, his mouth doing the same to her lips.

  Her hands went behind his back, her hips lifting up into his. He was already rock hard and wanting to rip his shorts off, plunge right into her wetness, and just hold himself there for hours.

  “You taste so good,” she said.

  “I taste the same as I always do. Are you looking to try some more?” He could compromise and ask. If she said yes, at least it was the same in his mind.

  Her hands slipped under his shirt, over his back, then down and into his shorts and cupping his ass. “Is that answer enough?”

  “No,” he said. “I want the words. Or one word.”

  Too long in his life and career, he made sure he heard it. He never took chances and he wasn’t going to now even though he knew Kaelyn was different. Everything about what they had was different.

  But old habits were hard to break.

  “Yes. Is that clear enough?”

  “Crystal,” he said, his hand reaching under her shirt and pulling it over her head. She had a light pink lace bra on, and as pretty as it was, it followed her shirt across the room.

  “In a hurry?”

  “You’ve been teasing me for a solid week. I want to say for three weeks, but I don’t think you’ve got it in you to do it for weeks. This last week, though. Yes. I’ve seen your eyes moving over my body.”

  “It’s such a nice body though.”

  “I could say the same,” he said before his mouth went right to her nipple. It was hard and pointy and letting him know she was worked up. “No more talking.”

  His hands cupped her breast, lifting it up closer to his mouth. The taste was like honey. Soft, sweet, and a tang behind it that made him not want to let go.

  He wouldn’t be letting her go tonight either. Not until he was done with her.

  Her hands started to lift his shirt up, and he let go of her nipple reluctantly so that she could undress him.

  Rather than go back to what he was doing, he inched down her waist, unbuttoned her shorts, parting them to see matching pink lace bikinis. “You had this all planned out, didn’t you? Or do you have a secret side to you that I’m going to love exploring?”

  “Yes to both.”

  “Shit,” he said.

  “Take the rest of my clothes off, Harris. Do to me what you want.”

  “What I want to do is not let you out of this room until you scream my name a couple of dozen times.”

  “Now you’re just bragging.”

  He laughed. When was the last time he could talk and laugh and wanted to bury himself deep into a woman all at the same time? Never, that’s when!

  “You’re going to find out,” he said, lowering her shorts and attacking the soft silky skin between her legs.

  She was soaking wet and he was going to just add to it.

  Her hips lifted, her hands going to his hair holding his head in place. “That’s it. Right there, just like that.”

  Man, he loved it when a woman told him what she liked. What she wanted.

  He knew Kaelyn wasn’t shy, but since she’d been beating around the bush getting to this point, he wasn’t sure what her thoughts were in terms of bedroom activities. Now he was going to find out.

  That swollen sweet bud of hers was right there for the taking and that was exactly what he was going to do. Between his lips, he tugged it in, he swirled his tongue around, heard her start to squeal and brought it between his teeth.

  “Jesus,” she shouted, her legs coming up on his shoulders letting him get closer.

  He buried his face in her, he went to work, and he sent her over the edge, the screeching of his name music to his ears.

  He sat back, moving her legs off his shoulders, looking at her face. Her eyes were closed, her dark hair spread out on the pillow, her mouth open, breath coming in and out choppy.

  “That’s one,” he said.

  Her eyes flew open. “Are you really going to be counting?”

  “Do you want me to?”

  He moved off the bed and undid his shorts, let them fall to the ground with his underwear. Her eyes went right to his dick, standing tall, proud, and firm.

  “I’m not sure what my body can take, but I’m
willing to give it a try.”

  “You might be the death of me,” he said, moving to the bedside table and opening a drawer. He pulled a condom out and tore it open, covered himself and realized her eyes never left his movements. “See something you like?”

  “You know I do. He’s all covered now so I guess I need to wait my turn until later.”

  “Plenty of time,” he said, knowing he’d never last if she put her mouth on him. That she wanted to the first time was enough in his eyes.

  “Come to me,” she said. “Don’t make me wait any longer.”

  He got on one knee, then the other, lay on top of her and then realized he was going to let her take control. He rolled before she could stop him and had her stretched out on top of him.

  “Your turn,” he said.

  “Oh man. Just what I was hoping for.”

  “Why didn’t you say anything?” he asked as she got on her knees and started to hover over him. He was still amazed at how much they were talking. He never talked like this during sex.

  “Because I figured I’d get a chance anyway. I’m not bossy or greedy and can wait until it’s my chance.”

  “I am bossy and greedy,” he said, reaching for her breasts. They were the perfect size to fit into his hands nicely, his thumbs flicking over her nipples.

  She glided down on top of him and he was sure his eyes closed in an ecstasy that could only be described as getting the first taste of cake after dieting for months. The moment when his trainers told him he had to follow a strict diet full of protein and no sweets.

  To get strong. To get powerful.

  He did everything that was asked of him and denied himself some of the simpler pleasures in life.

  He wasn’t denying himself a damn thing anymore.

  “Do you like that?” she asked.

  His eyes popped open to see the grin on her face. “I like what I see. I like what I feel. Are you going to make me shout like you did?”

  “I can be loud when I get something I like,” she said.

  He’d called it. She was a noisy girl.

  She was riding him now. Slow and steady, her eyes locked on his. There was a connection between them that was damn close to sparks flickering around the room.

  “Noisy is good,” he said. “No one around to hear us but each other.”

  “Nicks?” she asked.

  “Not in the room and not on my mind.”

  “Am I on your mind?” she asked, moving up higher and then getting on her feet, squatting over him now but staying inside.

  “My mind, my body. Come closer,” he said, having lost his grip on her breasts.

  “Nope. My turn, you said.”

  She’d gotten on her feet for leverage and was now moving up and down over him, her hands on his chest, helping her balance.

  He didn’t care where her hands were or went. All he cared about was the fact that Kaelyn was moving up and down on him like a boat out to sea with fifty foot waves.

  She was surrounding him. Sucking him in. Building him up and then he was exploding all around, her name ripped from his mouth.

  And while he was throbbing, she was continuing on, working herself to that point again. He got to watch her this time. The way her eyes went wide with the shock of what was to come.

  Her mouth opening, the moan escaping, then her body collapsing on his chest.

  A solid minute went by and she asked, “Did I hurt you?”

  “This might be the best I’ve felt in years.”

  He meant every word of it.

  14

  Foreseeable Future

  Monday morning, Harris was walking back with Nicks when he noticed a pickup truck in his driveway. He couldn’t imagine who the heck would be at his house, not even knocking on the door. Whoever it was was nowhere to be seen.

  The closer he got he realized it was a Butler Construction truck. There was no way anyone could have gotten in his house so they must be around back. Unless they just parked there but were checking out the empty land and getting ready to build. He liked the quietness around him and wasn’t looking forward to any construction.

  Nicks started to pull him toward the back. “Good dog,” he said.

  When Harris went to open the gate, he saw Evan Butler stand up and look over. “Sorry to just come back here. I rang the doorbell and no one answered. The two pieces of molding I ordered came in to go around the dog door. Sorry it took so long. I’ve just been crazy busy.”

  “No worries,” he said. “Are you okay with the dog if I let him loose?” He’d had Nicks crated when Evan installed the door.

  “Sure. I like dogs.”

  He let Nicks off the leash, the puppy taking off tripping over his own big paws to get to the stranger and sniff him out.

  Evan bent down, let the puppy sniff his hand, and then scratched him behind the ears. “Good-looking dog. Mix of boxer, but what else?'”

  “American bulldog, they said. Probably something else small too.”

  “No purebred for you?”

  “It was a last minute decision.”

  Evan laughed. “Like this house.”

  “I’m learning sometimes it doesn’t pay to plan.”

  He’d been a planner his whole life. Thought he had it all worked out. Guess it didn’t go the way he’d imagined it would.

  And there he was feeling sorry for himself when he had to stop.

  He’d had a great career. Better than most.

  He had more money than he knew what to do with.

  He could be a bum the rest of his life drinking beer for breakfast or coffee at midnight and no one would care.

  Probably not true. He’d like to think Kaelyn would care. He knew he was coming to care for her.

  And here was her brother standing in front of him having no idea that Harris had his hands and mouth all over his baby sister.

  It’d be wise to keep it that way too. At least for the foreseeable future. Or until Kaelyn wanted them to know.

  “Tell me about it,” Evan said. “I planned on being here days ago and just kept getting pulled aside. It’s on my way home and every time I came by, I’d forget. I just left the office to run to some of the new builds going on a few streets over and remembered to grab these and bring them by.”

  “No problem,” he said. “I’m sure this is your busiest time of year.”

  “And then some. Even in the winter we don’t slow down too much. The new builds do, but we’ve got plenty of other properties and projects going on.”

  Which he knew from Kaelyn but wasn’t going to share that. “You’ve got to put the molding on the inside too, right?”

  “Yep, so I’m glad you are home and I can get in. Otherwise it’d be weeks before I’d remember again.”

  “Nicks,” Harris said, calling the dog over who was running around with a ball in his mouth. “House.”

  “Lawn looks good,” Evan said. “Sometimes you never know how well it will take, but the landscapers did a good job here.”

  “The people who wanted this house went all out. Why did they back out, if you don’t mind me asking? Or aren’t I suppose to know?” He opened the door and held it for Evan to pass through with the molding and his toolbag, then Nicks racing in and running straight to his bed and flopping down in the living room.

  “Not a big deal if you do. The husband ran out of money. Or I should say the wife ran out on the husband and then they were running out of money since they now need divorce attorneys.”

  “Sucks for him, but I’m glad it was available right away.”

  “I’m sure they aren’t so happy. Though they were fighting the whole time picking things out in his house. I should have seen it coming, but the truth is, most fight during the building stage. That’s why we ask for a nonrefundable deposit if they don’t end up closing.”

  He’d looked up their site and business. From a business standpoint when he was buying the house. A personal one after he met Kaelyn.

  He knew ten percent ha
d to be down, and considering what he paid for this house, that wasn’t chump change to lose. It wasn’t much to him, but to many it was more than a year’s salary.

  “Then I helped them out buying it so fast. You’d just finished it up a few weeks before I put an offer in, right?”

  “Yep, but we knew a month prior they were backing out. From that point on, we put our own choices in the house. They had some odd tastes, but we were able to keep it neutral enough. The landscaping hadn’t even been talked about with them.”

  He looked out through the glass doors at his backyard. It was a decent size, lots of grass, bushes along different areas down the sides, inside the fence. If he got neighbors, he’d want trees. Something to think about.

  “What are my chances of buying the land to the right of me? Since I’m the last on this street I don’t have to worry about the left.”

  “The land isn’t cheap since we make more if someone builds on it, but sometimes we get requests for the same reason as you. Of course you’ll still get people across the street from you at some point, unless you want all the land on the street that isn’t developed.”

  He smiled at the look in Evan’s eyes. “I can deal with people, I guess. For now, if you can let me know the cost of the land next to me. Will it be an option to purchase the one across the street directly before someone else takes it? Not sure if I want it now, but I definitely would like to have the land empty next to me.”

  “I’ll talk to a few people in the office and get an idea for you. With the land we normally have stipulations on building. If you ever build on it, it has to go through our business. If you want to sell it, it has to come back to us at the current market value.”

  “Got yourself a nice little monopoly here, don’t you?” he asked, not minding. Things like that didn’t bother him and let him know he made the right choice buying in this development. They liked things a certain way and he appreciated when others thought like him.

  “It’s a family business that works well. Why change things?”

  “Good point,” he said. “I’ll get out of your way. Can I get you a drink?”