Hustler_A Second Chance Romance

by Rye Hart

“Because I don’t know if I can do this all over again,” I said.

  Caleb slowly got to his feet, using his crutches for support. He moved closer to me, and my heart raced inside my chest. He was inches away and just when I was sure he would kiss me, the door opened with a bang.

  I jumped and spun around. Cathy was walking toward us with a smile on her face.

  “Hey, you guys about done?” she asked.

  “Yes,” I said quickly. “He’s ready to go home.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN - CALEB

  No matter what I did, I couldn’t get Tara off my mind. I pictured her face and her body every second of every day. It was torturous and awful. My cock got hard after just two seconds of imagining her face. I felt pathetic, but part of me didn’t care. I waited ten long years to be with Tara again, and now that I knew how it felt to be buried inside of her, I couldn’t let it go.

  Still, as the days dragged on, I wondered if we could be together at all. She was so distant after we finally had sex. All I wanted to do was pull her close and fuck her senseless, but she pushed me away. She reminded me how much her father hated the idea of us being together, and nothing I said could change her mind. She wanted to respect her dad, and I didn’t give a shit what he thought.

  As much as I wanted her, I tried to think about other things. Tara wasn’t the only girl in the world. I was a fucking firefighter who could get any woman I wanted. If Tara didn’t want me, what the hell did I care? As soon as I got back on my feet, I could use my tragic hero story to win over some sympathy pussy. Then, Tara would be all but forgotten in my mind.

  Even as I thought it, I knew it would never work. No amount of free pussy could replace Tara. I wished it would be that simple to forget about her, but I wasn’t stupid enough to try it. Nothing I had done for ten years could dull the memory of Tara. I didn’t have a chance of that happening now, not when I saw her for PT multiple times a week. My head spun, and my body longed to be touched by her.

  More than anything, I wanted to go back to work. If I could just spend a few hours on the job, then maybe I could get my head back on straight. There was nothing like delving into a few fires to clear my mind. I knew that wasn’t an option. I still had a lot of physical therapy left before I would be well enough to even walk without crutches. I felt weak and pathetic. I couldn’t work. I couldn’t convince Tara to be with me. My entire world was just crumbling around me, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do to stop it.

  By the time my next physical therapy session rolled around, I was eager to see Tara. I needed to know where we stood and that couldn’t happen unless I saw her. As I walked through the door of the PT building, my eyes roamed around the room. Tara’s desk was empty, but there were a few therapy sessions underway all around me. I groaned quietly and cursed my early appointment time.

  I’d grown to love my evening sessions with Tara. The building was deserted, no one around but us. It felt private and personal. Plus, it gave me a chance to get close to her. In the afternoon, with people surrounding us, I knew Tara would be on her best behavior.

  “You’re early,” Tara said, walking up behind me.

  “Yeah,” I nodded. “Just wanted to get this over with. I’m ready to get back to work.”

  “You have to take it slow,” she said. “If you rush your recovery, then it will take longer.”

  “I know,” I said. I didn’t think I could stand to hear that speech again. “I’m just bored sitting at home all day.”

  She met my eyes, and my heart stopped. My stomach clenched painfully as I looked down at her lips. They were so inviting. It took everything in me not to claim them right there in front of everyone. As I trailed my eyes down her body, she cleared her throat and took a step back. Her expression was professional as she led me toward our workout area.

  I sighed and followed her, resting my crutches against the wall. Instead of helping me to the low table like she had every other time, she led toward two bars and positioned me between them. I looked at her with surprise but didn’t argue. If she thought I was ready to try walking, then I would do it without a single word of complaint.

  “Hold onto the bars,” she said. “Put all your weight on them the first few steps, okay? Don’t put pressure on your leg. Not yet.”

  I nodded and did as she said. Even with my weight on the bars, it was hard to keep my leg from giving out. I felt sharp pains shooting through my leg and into my hip. I winced and grit my teeth, forcing myself through the pain.

  Tara watched me closely, but there was something behind her eyes I didn’t recognize. It was as if she wasn’t all there like something was distracting her. I wanted to ask her about it, but I knew it wasn’t the right time. The other therapists were surrounding us on both sides, and a few patients were still lingering in the building.

  I let Tara lead me through the session, all the while desperate for her touch. This was the first PT session where Tara didn’t touch me once. I didn’t realize just how much I longed for her hands on me until I had to go without it. I was frustrated. I hated this distance between us.

  The room cleared as my session came to an end. I was beyond grateful to have a minute alone with Tara. When she gripped my arm to help me to a chair, I sighed and grabbed her hand in mine.

  “What’s going on with you?” I asked, falling into the chair but keeping my hold on her hand. “You’ve been distracted this entire session.”

  “I’m fine,” she said.

  “Bullshit,” I snapped. “Just talk to me.”

  “I’m confused, okay?” she said, throwing her hands up in frustration. The motion ripped her hand from my grasp, and I sighed, already missing the contact. “I don’t know what the hell to do anymore.”

  “You’re overthinking everything,” I said. “Just relax and let yourself be happy for once. Jesus, Tara, this doesn’t have to be so complicated.”

  “Except that it is,” she shot back. “It became complicated the day my dad married your mom.”

  “Who the fuck cares about that?” I asked. “We didn’t grow up together. We aren’t siblings. God, we didn’t even meet until we were seventeen!”

  “That doesn’t matter,” Tara said. “Our parents won’t approve.”

  I pushed myself to my feet and stumbled toward her as fast as I could. Without letting her finish, I grabbed her around the waist and pressed my lips to hers. The kiss was deep and hard. I threw all my emotions behind it, every ounce of desperation I felt pouring out of me. Tara kissed me back, sighing against me and letting herself be free for just a few seconds.

  The kiss was hot. It melted Tara’s resolve and strengthened my own. I had to have this woman. No matter what, I couldn’t let what happened between us became a one-night stand.

  “When’s your next day off?” I asked when we pulled away from each other. I was still holding onto her waist, but I could feel my leg trembling beneath me. She looked down and sighed, leading me back toward the chair.

  “You shouldn’t have done that,” she said softly.

  “You loved it,” I grinned wickedly.

  “I’m not talking about the kiss,” she said. “I’m talking about your damn leg. You can’t push yourself that hard.”

  “It was worth it,” I said.

  She met my eyes and sighed deeply. When she kissed me, it was soft, and it barely lasted a second. She just brushed her lips against mine and closed her eyes. I could tell how much she wanted me, but something was still holding her back. She wouldn’t let herself go. Not completely.

  “When’s your next day off?” I asked again. “I want to see you somewhere that isn’t this damn building.”

  “I’m off tomorrow, but I already have plans to see Stephanie,” she said quickly.

  “Oh,” I said, nodding. “How is Stephanie doing?”

  “She’s great,” Tara said with a smile. “Working at a bar downtown and loving it.”

  “Bartending?” I raised my eyebrows.

  “You know Stephanie,” Tara said
. “She never takes life too seriously.”

  “Yeah,” I said.

  I tried to keep the disappointment out of my voice, but it was impossible. Tara was right there, just a foot away from me and yet, we felt so far apart. I wanted to spend the entire day with her so I could remind her what it really felt like between us. Then, she wouldn’t be able to resist it any longer.

  Still, I couldn’t fight her. She was spending the day with Stephanie, and I had to be okay with that, just like I had to be okay with the injury to my leg and the fact that Tara still insisted on listening to her father after all these years.

  My life no longer felt like my own. Everything had spiraled out of control, and it just fucking sucked.

  CHAPTER TWELVE - TARA

  After all the confusion with Caleb, I was in desperate need of a day off. I woke up on Wednesday morning, grateful that my head felt fine. I was still worried about whatever was causing my severe headaches, but for the first time in a while, I decided to let myself relax for the day. I climbed out of bed and took a long, hot shower. The water cascaded over my body, loosening my muscles and propelling me toward the rest of my day.

  My dad called early that morning, wanting to meet up for an early lunch. He knew I had the day off and his schedule was light. It was the perfect opportunity for us to spend some time alone, which meant he wanted to lecture me without an audience. I wasn’t looking forward to it, but I knew it was inevitable. Now that I was back in town and spending time with Caleb, my father’s protective nature had been kicked into overdrive.

  I walked inside the restaurant and hurried over to him. He rose from his chair and kissed my cheek, smiling as we both sat down.

  “Are you feeling okay?” he asked. “No headaches today?”

  “Not yet.” I shrugged. “We’ll see how the rest of the day goes.”

  “Did you go see Dr. Anderson?” he asked.

  I nodded. “Monday afternoon.”

  “What did he say?”

  “He did some tests,” I said. I didn’t want to talk about my headaches. I was already worried enough. “CT scan and bloodwork. Nothing huge.”

  “Did he tell you anything?” Dad asked. “What he thought might be wrong or anything like that?”

  “You know he wouldn’t do that,” I said with a sigh. “They won’t tell me anything until the results come back.”

  Dad nodded. The waitress came over, and we ordered our food. We lapsed into an easy silence while we sipped our coffee. Dad was still worried about me, but he was kind enough to drop the subject. I couldn’t stand to dwell on what might be wrong with me. There were too many options to consider. If I thought about them all, I would drive myself insane.

  We got our food and ate slowly. Dad told me about work and asked about my other patients. We circled the subject of Caleb, but neither of us mentioned his name. I could tell Dad was leading us in that direction. His expression slowly darkened and eventually, he couldn’t contain himself any longer.

  “We should talk about your brother,” Dad said.

  I rolled my eyes. “He’s not my brother.”

  “I’m married to his mother,” Dad said.

  “That means nothing,” I said with a soft laugh. “It means nothing, Dad. Caleb and I met when we were practically adults. You can’t expect us to act like brother and sister. That’s ridiculous.”

  “How should I expect you to act?” he asked, quickly losing patience.

  “However I want to,” I said. “I’m an adult. So is Caleb. Our lives aren’t any of your business anymore.”

  “He’s trouble, Tara.” Dad’s voice stern. “I know he seems like he’s changed but he hasn’t. He’s still the same.”

  “Dad,” I said sharply. “You can’t keep doing this. I hear you, okay? I get it. Please, drop it already.”

  “I can’t,” he said, shaking his head. “Not when I’m this worried about you.”

  “I can take care of myself.”

  “Can you?”

  His question echoed in my mind throughout the rest of the day. I forced him to change the subject while we finished our food. We said goodbye, and he went back to the hospital, leaving me more confused than ever.

  That night, I went to Stephanie’s bar. I was eager for a little distraction. My father’s words still echoed through my mind and my thoughts of Caleb were stronger than ever. Seeing Stephanie would help me relax and feel like myself again.

  “Oh, thank God!” Stephanie squealed when I arrived. She jumped on the bar and swung her legs over, dropping to her feet in front of me. “I thought for sure you would bail on me tonight.”

  “Not a chance,” I said. We hugged, and she grinned at me.

  “Drinks?” she asked.

  “Are you off already?” I asked.

  “Yup.” She grinned wider and ordered us each three shots of tequila.

  “Shit,” I said after we downed all of them. “Are you trying to kill me?”

  “I’m trying to loosen you up, baby!” Stephanie said. “You’re all tied up in knots.”

  “I’ll drink to that,” I said.

  Stephanie laughed, and we spent the rest of the night losing ourselves in alcohol and fun. I hadn’t spent an entire night with Stephanie in months. My job kept me busy, and these damn headaches prevented me from enjoying myself. With Caleb back in my life, everything felt more complicated. I needed a night out with Stephanie more than I realized.

  We danced, letting the world melt away. Stephanie and I jumped around, drunk and happy. Everything felt simple. I was myself again, and when Stephanie finally put me in a cab, there was only one place I wanted to be.

  It might have been a mistake, but I didn’t care. I was drunk and horny, and I couldn’t get Caleb off my mind. While I danced with Stephanie, I imagined how it would feel to do the same with Caleb. I pictured his strong arms around my waist and his cock pressed against my ass while I moved against him.

  I had the cab driver take me to his place, and I stumbled toward the front door. When I knocked, Caleb answered with sleep in his eyes and wearing only a pair of sweatpants. I knew it was late, but I didn’t care. I needed to feel him.

  “Come here,” I said, shoving myself through the door and throwing my arms around his neck. My lips crashed onto his, and he grabbed me around the waist to steady us.

  “Tara,” he said breathlessly. “What are you doing here?”

  “What does it look like?” I asked. “I’m here to finally stop fighting what I want.”

  “And what do you want?” he asked, his voice rough with desire.

  “I want you to fuck me until I can’t see straight,” I said and licked my tongue over his bottom lip. “And then, I want you to hold me until the sun comes up.”

  Caleb growled and kissed me roughly, our bodies pressing together. I smashed my breasts into his chiseled bare chest while grinding my hips back and forth against him. He groaned in response as his cock enlarged and hardened.

  I wanted my clothes off so I could feel his skin against mine. I pulled off my shirt and threw it aside. Within seconds Caleb unhooked my bra, letting it drop to the floor.

  He gave a wicked smile at the sight of my breasts, the nipples hard. His hand moved down to the curve of my back to hold me up. He enveloped one nipple with his hot mouth and pinched the other with his free hand. Desire shot through me as longing flooded my jeans.

  “That feels so good,” I moaned. “More, please, do it harder.”

  He sucked harder and bit my nipple with his teeth. His hand moved from my breast down over the skin on my stomach and unbuttoned my jeans. I shivered, arching my back and nearly falling over.

  “Let’s move this to the bedroom,” he said, laughing at my drunkenness.

  But I wasn’t ready to pause and move to another room. I ran my hands down his washboard stomach and yanked his sweatpants and boxers down. His rock-hard cock sprang loose toward me as I bent down and slid him into my mouth.

  “Oh fuck, Tara,” Caleb’s voice
breathed out above me as he steadied himself against the back of the couch.

  I swirled my tongue over his engorged tip. I swallowed the salty precum and took him in deep until his hardness hit the back of my throat. He gripped my hair as I moved up and down along his shaft. His cock jerked in my mouth each time my lips reached his tip. His moaning encouraged me to continue. I couldn’t get enough of his scent and his taste. And I liked being the one in control.

  Suddenly his leg twitched as a soft cry escaped his lips. I had forgotten about his injured leg!

  I stood up, licking my lips and then wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. As I stared into Caleb’s eyes, I unzipped my jeans and shimmied them off, while standing just out of reach. Then, I turned around so he could watch my ass as I wiggled out of my panties.

  “You are so gorgeous and sexy,” he said as he started taking his sweatpants off from around his ankles.

  “Last one to the bedroom is a rotten egg,” I teased and got on my hands and knees. I started crawling to the bedroom so I wouldn’t fall. Halfway there I turned to see Caleb, fully naked now, following me, laughing and watching my naked ass. Damn, he looked hot! My juices dripped down the inside of my leg in anticipation.

  I was still on my hands and knees after crawling onto the bed when Caleb entered the room. Not hesitating for a second, he grabbed my hips from behind and thrust his huge cock into my soaking wet pussy. A primal cry of pleasure escaped my lips. He pulled out slowly almost all the way before jabbing back in hard.

  His hand reached down and found my clit. I shuddered from the sensation as his finger pressed around in a circle. The intensity rose higher as his cock slipped in and out while his finger moved faster and faster. My toes curled and my pussy clenched.

  “Oh, Caleb,” I called out as my orgasm sent waves of ecstasy through my entire body.

  My arms gave way beneath me, and I collapsed onto the bed.

  “Mmm, you liked that, didn’t you?” Caleb said.

  He threw back the covers from the bed and rolled me onto my back on the cool sheets. My body was still vibrating as I closed my eyes.