Hunks, Hammers, and Happily Ever Afters

by Cari Quinn

  "It better be as much as she charged you to walk in here. You bring all your dates here?" Inside the Dollhouse, some country singer was going on and on about picking wild flowers while up on stage a busty blonde pranced around in a thong and a cowboy hat.

  "Only the special ones."

  When Wade had asked me out on a date, I never imagined he’d take me to a strip joint. Albeit one that qualified as the epitome of swanky. The place was busier than I’d expected for a Thursday night, but judging from the amount of suits and ties, Wade was right. No one from work would be caught dead in here.

  Wade guided me to a table near a side stage, planted our chairs so close that I was nearly in his lap and then draped an arm around my shoulder. I listened as he ordered us beer but couldn’t seem to take my eyes off the woman on stage drawing figure eights with the cheeks of her ass.

  He pressed his lips to my earlobe and asked with a husky laugh, "Think you could do that?"

  Pursing my lips, I watched for a few more minutes. Her golden tanned skin shone under the lights, and when she turned around I didn’t miss the challenging angle of her chin or how she appraised the crowd with slightly narrowed eyes. She might have been almost naked but she was completely in charge and knew it. She was also incredibly hot.

  "I could do that."

  "But would you?"

  "I didn’t go to college for four years to strip for a living." I raised my voice to make myself heard above the music. "And besides, my steel-toed boots are a hell of a lot more comfortable than what she’s wearing."

  The four-inch come-fuck-me heels practically made me wince. But I could see why she wore them. They probably added an extra cup to her firm, dark tipped breasts and curve to the globes of her full bottom. She had nice tits, full and natural looking. But then most of the women in here were exceptional.

  "Want me to buy you a lap dance?" He leaned over and slipped a hand up my skirt.

  I squeezed my thighs together and gave him a long hard look, then took in the Mayan cutie cupping her breasts with long red-tipped fingers and licking lips that matched. "How about I buy you one?"

  "How about you give me one?" His hand slid a little higher, and I squirmed against the tingle of excitement between my thighs.

  "Right here?" I waved a hand at the high-class crowd, at the busty redhead who’d taken the last girl’s place on the small stage two tables in front of us.

  "They won’t say anything. Just pretend it’s the VIP lounge at Jimmy Z’s."

  "How did you get in that lounge?" I sipped my beer, needing a little false courage for what I was about to do. The thought of climbing on his lap with an audience made my blood flow a little...a lot faster.

  "Gimme a lap dance and I’ll tell you," he coaxed with a sly grin.

  Smiling, I stood and straddled his lap and lifted my skirt out of the way so my thong and the bare cheeks of my ass rested against the rough denim crotch of his jeans. A waitress with a tray full of beer walked by, her pace slowing as she returned my smile. I wrapped my arms around Wade’s neck and winked at the guys at the next table. The slender, well-fed duo, a blonde with a crew cut and lots of well-developed muscles and a preppy looking brunette, watched in fascination. I never took my eyes off of our audience, even as Wade’s hands slipped under my skirt and cupped my ass. My panties grew damper and my clit swelled at the constant friction on my pussy lips and Wade’s strong fingers, but I refused to let myself speed up. Refused to let myself just hurry and finish, because my climax was imminent.

  Wade’s lips were on my neck and he was saying something, but I couldn’t make out what, and honestly, it didn’t matter. All I could do was focus on his hands, the finger slipping under the thin string of my thong to tease the tender, nerve-filled skin. Then he slid one finger inside me and I bit back a moan, licked my lips and checked to see if our audience had grown. The waitress who’d winked at me earlier now stood at the bar, watching while she chattered with the female bartender. If anything, my nipples grew harder at the few appreciative smiles I caught.

  That finger slid in and out of me as I rode it, never going deep enough, never hard enough or big enough, while Wade smiled at me in a way that made my insides quivered and quickened. I slid down as far I could go and my thighs clenched his hips. "I want you," I mouthed, knowing he’d understand.

  He nodded in understanding and gently withdrew his finger. "I think that’s enough for you, little girl."

  The absence of his finger was almost painful and incredibly frustrating and I sagged against him. "Damnit, Wade."

  "Payback’s a bitch, darlin’."

  I sucked in a deep breath of cold air and then let it out slowly. "So that was for Jimmy Z’s?" I asked, pushing myself upright on his lap and reaching for my beer.

  Nodding, he squeezed my thigh. "My college roommate is a part owner."

  "So, if you went to college, how come you’re a drywall foreman?"

  "No more talking. Let’s get out of here."

  ~*~

  We turned onto my dark quiet street, lit with splashes of paleness from the occasional street lights. Neither of us spoke again until Wade pulled into the driveway beside my truck and killed the engine.

  "I had a nice time."

  "We’re not through," I insisted. I slid out of the truck to the sound of his chuckle in my ears. The warm night air quickly took away the air conditioner’s chill as I crossed from the driveway to the sidewalk, Wade on my heels. We barely made it to the door before he had his hand under my skirt again and his fingers under the thin strap of my thong.

  "A wedgie is not the way to win me over," I said, yanking my keys out of my purse and finally located the right one. My shaking hands didn’t help matters at all.

  "Maybe this is," he murmured huskily. His fingers trailed across my butt cheeks and down my thighs, distracting me even more from the door lock that refused to cooperate with my determined attempts to get it open, get Wade inside and get naked. I gave one last rattle of frustration and rested my forehead against the door with a chuckle of frustration.

  "Problems?" Wade whispered in my hair. His hands were busy elsewhere, pushing my thong off my hips until it was tangled around my feet.

  "I can’t get the damned door open." I dropped my purse.

  Wade lifted the skirt of my dress and smoothed a hand over my belly while slowly grinding his crotch against me in a way that made me want to bend over and just submit. The twenty minute drive home hadn’t quenched my appetite for him at all.

  Turning, I peeked over his shoulder at the quiet dark neighborhood, then stepped out of the thong and yanked my dress over my head, dropping it beside my purse. "What happened to the old-fashioned guy who needed a bed?"

  With a chuckle, he untucked his shirt and unzipped his jeans, pushing them down just enough to free his cock. "I was afraid I’d scare you off."

  "I kissed a woman in a bar and you were afraid you’d scare me off?" Snorting with laughter, I wrapped my fingers around his erection and rubbed my thumb across the tip then licked it.

  "Turn around."

  "No." Giving him a saucy grin in the dim light, I leaned against the door and lifted my right leg, waiting for him to take it.

  He did, moving closer so his cock was pressed against the cradle of my hips. "Your hand’s in the way."

  "I know," I said, giving it a firm stroke.

  He grabbed my wrist and pushed it away, then guided himself inside me. Sighing, I relaxed against the door as he filled me, pumping into me with smooth even strokes. The sound of an oversized pickup truck caught my attention and I wrapped my arms around his neck, watching from the safety of my recessed porch as it eased up the street with no clue that not far from where they passed a couple were fucking like rabbits. Laughing softly at the fact that Wade never even stopped, I sank my teeth into his neck, sucking at the warm, slightly salty skin.

  "Harder," I ordered, slipping an arm under his and grabbing a firm butt cheek.

  He obliged with a grunt, thr
usting nearly hard enough to make my teeth rattle, and suddenly we were all business, fighting for our release. Fighting for it not to end. Fucking like a couple of back-alley dogs in heat as we took turns nipping at each other.

  Like I said nothing was sacred. Wade kept me pinned to the door with one hand while the other one roamed free, down the length of my leg and back up again, leaving heat trails in its wake and pushing me closer to my climax. He caught a tight, hard nipple between his fingers and worried it as his hips never stopped. Neither did mine.

  We were both straining for our climax, until all it took was one last hard stroke, and the one leg I had on the ground buckled. I clung to him as the force of my orgasm left me breathless, and only the chunk of flesh I’d nearly taken out of his shoulder saved me from the whole neighborhood finding out what a tramp I was.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  "I think I pulled a muscle last night," I murmured in reply to the kiss Wade pressed on my neck before he rolled out of bed.

  "Come take a shower with me and I’ll massage it," he offered.

  "You go ahead." I threw back the covers and rolled over, smiling appreciatively at the sight of his bare ass disappearing into the bathroom. After a slow stretch, I gave my leg an experimental flex and forced myself up. I grabbed my robe from a nearby chair before hollering, "I’ll start the coffee."

  A few minutes later we traded places, sorta. I stepped into the steam-filled bathroom for a shower while Wade dressed and sipped at the cup of coffee I’d left sitting on the dresser for him.

  On sore legs I stood letting warm water run down me, soaping my hair and thinking. A dangerous thing for any woman, especially after a night like last night. I couldn’t even begin to contemplate what a real relationship with Wade would mean for our jobs. Someone would have to leave Dolan Industries. And just then, I wasn’t even sure I wanted one—a relationship. What I was sure of was that I liked his company in and out of bed. Wade had become more than just a fuck, but then I’d probably already known that all along. A lover maybe? Not a boyfriend. That implied too much control, and holidays and families—things that tended to complicate relationships even more. I shuddered and added body wash to the sponge, then winced as I bent over to wash my feet and legs.

  "You gonna stay in there all day?"

  Leaning against the wall, I peered up at Wade through the water streaming down my face. "I just got in."

  "Want me to fix us something to eat?" he offered with a tender smile that made me grimace a bit.

  Oh dear. Maybe I’m just imagining things. I blinked to clear the water from my eyes and shook my head no. "You don’t have to wait on me or anything, I’ll just grab something on the way to work."

  "Suit yourself." He disappeared from view, and with a sigh of relief, I reached for the conditioner. "I guess you don’t want a ride to work, either, huh?"

  "No, thanks." The bottle slipped from my hand and landed in the bottom of the shower with a loud splat. I frowned down at it while slowly untangling my hair. "See you later," I blurted out, unsure if it was a question or a comment.

  By the time I stepped out of the shower Wade was gone and my house was silent as a tomb. Sighing in frustration, I sipped lukewarm coffee and stared at myself in the dresser mirror. I didn’t have time right now to think about what to do with Wade.

  After drying my hair and pulling it up in a clip, I hurriedly dressed. While a bagel toasted, I packed a lunch and filled my thermos with iced tea, grabbing a couple of extra bottles of water for later in the afternoon. I slathered my breakfast with cream cheese, and then collapsed in a kitchen chair with a fresh cup of coffee, refusing to think about how tired I was.

  Or how much I didn’t want to go out tonight.

  Or how I was going to make it through the day dead on my feet. At least Wade had to work tonight. I snorted into my cup, then quickly finished my breakfast and headed out the door before I was late.

  Other than stopping to talk drywall progress during their afternoon break, we didn’t speak until it was nearly my quitting time. And surprisingly he didn’t put off any of those bristly angry-man vibes like he’d done on Tuesday.

  "At this rate, y’all might finish up tomorrow." I slid onto the tailgate of his truck and swung my legs. Fatigue weighed me down nearly as much as the heat and humidity did. Hal stood on the steps of the construction trailer watching us.

  "I don’t think I’m gonna make it," he murmured with a tired sigh. "But yeah, we should finish hanging the sheetrock tomorrow."

  We both laughed softly. Thankfully, no one was within hearing distance.

  "If you do, I’ll cook dinner Sunday to celebrate."

  "Fuck that. We’re going out."

  "I thought we were staying in?"

  "How about a movie and popcorn instead?"

  "How about you rent movies and bring them over?"

  "I’ve got a great porno collection."

  Snorting softly, I slipped off the tailgate and smoothed my jeans down with my hands.

  "We need to talk...about this morning," he added before I could say anything.

  "Yeah, we do."

  "How late is your crew working tonight?" Hal stepped off the porch and headed our way, reminding me that I had no business flirting or making plans with Wade on the clock.

  Then again, I had no business fooling around with him in the first place.

  "’Til the sun’s gone—eight or so."

  "I need to get going," I said, "but remember, I’ll have my phone on if y’all need anything."

  "Will do," Wade said with a nod.

  "I’m sure he’ll holler if he needs anything," Hal muttered snidely.

  Ignoring him, I headed for the trailer to get my stuff and call it a day. By the time I stepped back outside Hal’s truck was gone. Apparently, he’d slipped out early to get his nightly beer fix.

  Wade motioned me over to the building’s entrance. From inside I could hear the nail guns going non-stop as his men worked to finish up. "Behave yourself tonight. No seducing men in the VIP lounge."

  "Just because I took you home doesn’t mean I take just anyone home."

  "I did wonder."

  "You aren’t going to get all jealous and clingy on me, are you?" The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them, but I didn’t appreciate him questioning my morals. Those were mine to live or die by, not his.

  "Should I?"

  "Remember when I said you weren’t worth my job? I wasn’t kidding, and this week I came this close—" I held my thumb and forefinger together just inches from his nose, "—to losing my job."

  "Don’t blame me because you’ve got an exhibitionist streak."

  "I’m not, but I’m not the only one.” I gave him a pointed look. “And I don’t think this is going to work. I’m sorry." And I truly was sorry. I liked Wade, a lot. Regret at my decision weighed me down, but I didn’t see where we had any other choice.

  He sighed and offered up a last-ditch save. "No more sex at work, I swear."

  "I don’t know if that’s enough for me." I needed my job, more than I needed him. If I had no job, I had nothing. Going back to Washington State, home, with my tail between my legs, was not an option.

  "Is it the blue collar thing?" He offered me a smile that could only be called sad and for a minute, I softened.

  "No, silly. The whole point of going to Jimmy’s is about being around men who don’t resent us because they have to take orders from us—women."

  "So what do you want?"

  Famous last words. "I think, in this case, what I want and what I’m gonna have aren’t the same thing. I want you to be my lover—I just don’t see how that’s possible."

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  As soon as I got out of the parking lot, I pulled out my cell phone and hit auto-dial for Carlotta.

  "’H’lo?" She sounded like she’d been crying—which wasn’t very Carlotta-like at all.

  "Girl, are you okay?"

  "I’m fine," she said, sniffling.

&nb
sp; I pulled the phone away and stared at it before putting it to my ear again. "Meet me for dinner at Casa Grande, and call Lanie pretty please." I hung up, not waiting for a response, and forced myself to focus on the Friday rush-hour traffic.

  I pulled into my driveway and killed the truck’s engine, and then sat there listening to the soft tick of the engine cooling. I eased out of the truck and inside the house, grabbed myself a beer, and headed for the bath. Unlike last week, this one was a quick utilitarian shave and wash with no time or desire for playing. I was even more tired than I’d been last Friday. And if I stayed in the tub too long, there was a good chance I’d doze off.

  I’d barely dried myself off when a knock at the door had me groaning in frustration.

  "Hello, hello," two voices chorused from the entryway. Either Carlotta or Lanie had used their key. "We brought wine and pizza!"

  "Are we staying in?" I stuck my head into the hall while tying my robe at my waist.

  "You look like shit." Carlotta pursed her lips and frowned at me.

  "Can I cancel tonight?" I asked hopeful.

  "No!" Lanie wagged a finger at me and shook her head.

  "How the hell did y’all get cleaned up so fast, and don’t you have a date tonight, Lanie?"

  "I quit my job." Carlotta shook the pizza box with a triumphant grin.

  "And she shanghaied me out from under a Volvo. I had two mechanics quit this week." Lanie added with a scowl, "I’m never going to get caught up."

  "Let me get dressed." I turned back toward my bedroom not at all surprised when Carlotta followed with the pizza. My stomach rumbled as the spicy scent of tomato sauce and sausage filled the bedroom.

  By the time Lanie reappeared, carrying paper plates and cups for the wine, I’d finished drying myself off and had slipped into some underwear. Eyeing the both of them clad in jeans, I pulled my second-best pair of jeans off a hanger. Then dove back in for a shirt, yanking a chocolate brown, crotched halter over my head.