“It’s because you have me loaded down with enough junk food to feed a small nation.”
“Oh, quit your bitching, you know you’re going to eat most of mine anyway.” She was right, but still, how in the hell they could drop more money on food at the theater than they could at an expensive dinner was beyond him.
They were the second set of people in the theaters, so Lydia was still using her outside voice.
“Billy, you’re not a talker at the movies, are you?” It was clear his answer had to be no, and the kid was not stupid.
“No, ma’am.”
“Cut the crap, you know my name is Lydia.”
“No Lydia, I’m not a talker during the movie.” Billy grinned. Like Clint thought, the kid wasn’t stupid.
“Okay, Clint’s in the middle so he can hold my food, and I can be free to enjoy the movie. Now it’s okay to talk during the previews. After all we need to give them the thumbs up or thumbs down. So commentary is practically mandatory.”
They were at the theater with the reclining seats, so Clint watched in fascination as Lydia played around with hers until she had just the setting she wanted. God, he loved this woman. He loved it when she was so excited she was bursting at the seams with orders, especially when he knew tonight he would be taking over and she would enjoy every moment of him giving the orders.
All three of them agreed on the new James Bond movie.
He was voted against on a new movie with Tom Cruise. How could they take him seriously as a military man?
It went on and on, and finally the lights were going down. Lydia leaned over his lap, and whispered to Billy.
“The one exception to the no talking rule is, ‘he who spots Stan Lee first, gets major points’.”
“Gotchya.”
****
Clint totally approved of how Billy wanted to spend his ‘major points’.
“I’m so excited Beth and Jack are going to meet us here,” Lydia enthused.
“I haven’t met, Beth. She wasn’t at your engagement party,” Billy said.
“Do me a favor kid and never mention that again. As a matter of fact, I’ll pay for extra laps around the track, if you don’t even bring up the fact Lydia and I are engaged in front of Lydia’s sister.”
Clint pulled his souped-up truck into the K-1 Indoor Racing Center parking lot.
“You got it, Clint,” Billy agreed.
“I see Jack’s car.” Lydia pointed to a decked out SUV. “They must already be inside.”
Clint let her out at the entrance, while he and Billy went to park the truck.
“So what’s the deal? Why wasn’t Beth at the big surprise engagement party you threw for Lydia?”
“I fucked up. It’s a long story. There was a piece of shit out after Beth, and I thought I was protecting her. She still doesn’t much talk to me. All I can say, is at least she isn’t a lot like Lydia, otherwise I’d have to sleep with one eye open.”
Billy nodded. They opened the door to the center, and were met with a draft of cool air, and the scent of gasoline. Clint went to pay for the tickets, but was met by a big blonde man.
“Clint, it’s already covered. Thanks for inviting us. This sounds like a blast.”
“Hi, Jack. You didn’t have to pay.”
“I know.” Jack tipped his chin towards the two women who were chatting away while trying to get helmets. “I love the idea of Beth trying this out.”
“She’s become quite the surprise,” Clint agreed. “She’ll probably kick all of our asses.”
“Nope, I’m the one who’s going to do that,” Billy piped up.
“Hi. I’m Jack Preston. You must be Billy Gault.” Jack held out his hand.
“Billy Anderson,” Billy corrected. “I’m Mason’s soon-to-be brother-in-law. Clint and Lydia have rescued me from the horror of wedding planning.”
The blonde giant grinned. “Clint’s a good man.”
Clint watched as Billy took out his phone, and frowned. Then he carefully keyed in a response. He waited, and then smiled.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah, I’m just scheduling my next study session on Martin Luther King, Jr. with my social studies partner.”
Jack gave him a sideways glance. Then they both looked at Billy.
“That sure was a lot of concentration on a text for just a study session, Billy,” Clint said. “Is your study partner a girl?”
Billy shook his head resignedly. “I’m that obvious?”
“Only to another man.”
“Hey,” Lydia interrupted. “They don’t have a helmet that fits Beth. We’re going to go talk to the people up front.”
“Beth, show me the one they end up giving you, okay?” Jack said to the woman who looked so much like Lydia. Her eyes shined bright as she nodded.
“We’re also going to go look around. They said it would take a half hour before we would get to race. I want to watch some of the other people do their laps,” Beth said.
“We’ll be over there,” Clint said pointing to some tables near the food stalls.
“Okay.” Clint watched as Jack brushed a kiss on Beth’s lips. He loved seeing how tender the big man was with Beth. She might have come out of her shell with a bang, but in Clint’s opinion she would always need that kind of loving care.
As the two women walked away, he admired Lydia’s ass. Now his woman, his woman was almost one hundred percent fire. There were those rare moments she too needed to be cossetted. He loved being the man who could put out the fire, and also cherish her when she needed it. He was a hell of a lucky man.
“Give it up, Billy, he’s admiring Lydia’s attributes,” Jack said.
Clint turned and saw Jack and Billy laughing at him. He scowled.
“What?”
“We wondered if you wanted to order food.”
“Fuck no, we ate half the menu at the theater. We’ll eat after the races.” He walked towards the table. Billy and Jack were still laughing. He found it funny too, but he couldn’t let them know.
They all sat down, and both men turned towards Billy.
“Your turn, spill it,” Clint said.
“I liked laughing at you better.” Billy laughed at him. Clint really liked Billy Anderson. Sophia and Mason had done a great job instilling confidence in him. Considering he had been in foster care two years ago, and now he was giving shit to two Navy SEALs, it was pretty damned amazing.
“I’m sure you do like laughing at me better. But I already have my woman. Seems to me like you don’t have yours. Let’s see if Jack and I can give you some advice.”
“You can’t. I just have to man up,” Billy said dejectedly.
“What do you mean?” Jack asked.
“Rebecca Barnes is my social studies partner. I want to ask her to the Valentine’s Day Dance. I’m nervous about asking her out, but I just have to man up and do it.”
Clint shared a pointed look with Jack.
“You know that half the asking is really up to her, don’t you?” Jack asked.
“Huh?”
“What Jack means is she puts out signals as to whether she likes you and whether she wants to be asked.”
“She does?” Clint looked at the boy who was soon going to be a man. He was now at the gangly stage where his feet and hands were too big for his body. He looked almost like a puppy as he glanced from him to Jack and back to him again.
“Yep. Women and girls have been leading us around for years.” Clint chuckled. “At least it’s what my sister Jenny told me when I was fourteen.”
“I still don’t get it.”
“Billy, how comfortable do you feel around Rebecca?” Jack asked.
“I’ve never felt so good around a girl. She makes me feel smart. When we’re together, she acts like I’m her best friend even though I know Cammie is.”
“That means she really likes you,” Clint piped up. Billy rolled his eyes.
“Clint, I know that. She likes me as a friend.”
<
br /> “No girl makes a guy, a teenage guy, feel that good unless she likes, and I mean really, likes him,” Jack said.
“But what about you? Do you really like her? Is this her first dance? Because this shit is important. I remember when somebody was an asshole to my little sister.” Clint gave Billy a hard stare.
“Damn, Clint, the kid wouldn’t be this tied up in knots if she didn’t really matter to him,” Jack said.
Clint smiled. “Sorry Billy, just had a flashback to my sister crying. Seriously dude, she’s sending out the right signals. She likes you, likes you. Go forth and ask her out.” Clint cocked his head. “I just heard our names called.”
****
“Were you giving Billy dating advice,” Lydia asked later that night.
Clint traced the soothing lotion onto Lydia’s back, paying special attention to the three raised scars.
“Yes.”
“Do you wish somebody had given you advice when you were growing up?” she asked as she arched into his touch. Clint loved the fact she now relished his hands on this part of her body she once tried to hide from him.
“No, I like who I turned out to be. If I had been more social, I don’t know if I would have gotten my mad computer skills and ended up being your Dork King.” Lydia giggled, and he peeked over her shoulder so he could see her breasts bounce.
“I can tell your ogling my breasts,” she whispered.
“I’d have to be dead for three years before I stop ogling your breasts, Ms. Hildalgo.” He poured more of the luscious smelling lotion into his hands, and then smoothed around her ribcage and cupped her generous flesh. She let out a moan of pleasure.
“I think tonight I want you to let me have my way with you, what do you think of that?”
“I think since I end up with three hundred million orgasms that way, I’m all for it.”
He kissed the shell of her ear.
“Lie down on the bed, baby.” She shifted from a sitting position, and was soon lying in front of him like a succulent playground. The mind boggled, his eyes kept shifting unable to figure out where to look.
“Clint, please touch me.” Lydia lifted her arms. He linked their fingers and eased over her, then brought her arms outward until they were spread wide. He let go.
“Keep them there, baby. I don’t want any interruptions while I play.” She whimpered, but nodded.
“Good girl.”
He scanned her again, and took in the visual feast she presented. Her breasts jutted up, her rose brown nipples against her golden skin were too much to resist. He swooped down and started to suckle.
“More. Harder.” He kept going, his fingers plucking at her other nipple, continuing until her hands clutched his head.
Bingo.
“Lydia, where do your hands belong?”
“Dammit,” she whined, but eventually she put them back.
He laughed at her slow progress. He lowered his head and rewarded them both.
“Please, Clint, you promised me orgasms,” she panted out.
He trailed his hand lower, and she parted her thighs in welcome. She was so ready, so needy, so wonderfully wet. He found her engorged flesh, and played in time to the licks on her nipple. She let out a wail of completion that shot satisfaction to his soul.
This time, when her hands moved and she grabbed his ass, he didn’t care.
“I’m claiming my orgasm the way I really want it. With you inside me.” Who was he to disagree?
With shallow thrusts he tested her, and she whined in frustration.
“Stop teasing!”
He smiled. Teasing Lydia was a joy.
She pushed upwards, and he retreated. She growled, and he laughed.
“Clint! You’re killing me.”
“Put your hands over your head.” Her eyes heated up, and her body clenched around him. He wasn’t going to last.
Finally she released him, and complied, which arched her torso like a beautiful temptation. He pulled her tight against him, and started a strong rhythm. She let out a happy laugh.
Clint kissed her smiling lips, and she took a nip at his. They played and loved, as she pressed up, and he thrust down.
“So good, you’re so damn good at this.”
“It’s you, Lydia, it’s always been you, love.” She wrapped her legs around him, and demanded more, which he gladly gave. And once again, she proved to him it was her as she took him on a tour of the stars.
Chapter Six
Jack Preston
“Hop on in.”
“Don’t you think I should be driving since I beat you yesterday?” Billy teased. Jack liked the kid even more for the smart ass comment.
“Tell you what, you can definitely practice in my car when you get your learner’s permit.”
“Really?” Jack pulled onto the Five Freeway heading north to San Clemente.
“Really. But no lapping the other cars like you did yesterday. I don’t want you to get pulled over and have your learner’s permit pulled the first day out.”
“Jack, why are you willing to come out to the Food Pantry so early in the morning on a Sunday?”
He loved kids, they asked what was on their minds.
“My mom and I lived in a women’s shelter when I was little, I always try to give back when I have time. Sophia told me about this place, and it sounded like a great place to volunteer. Frannie and Tony said this is when they get deliveries and needed the most help sorting the food.”
“I know, it’s why I come on these days. Usually Mason or Sophia drop me off.” Billy yawned. “But Sundays are Sophia’s one day to sleep in, so it was great when you said you could pick me up. Thanks.”
“No problem.” They stayed silent for a while. Both admiring the view of the sun glimmering on the Pacific Ocean.
“Take a left here, and then the first right,” Billy directed.
A truck was already at the back, and a man who had left middle age behind, was helping the deliveryman unload the truck. Jack eyed the dolly he was maneuvering, and guessed it to have at least two hundred pounds of boxes. He stopped the car quickly and got out. Billy followed at a fast clip.
“Hey Mr. D,” Billy called out. “I brought reinforcements. He’s the brawn, and I’m the brains,” Billy quipped. “Mrs. D, your big new recruit is here, and Mr. D. is trying to get another hernia,” Billy yelled into the back door of the building.
“Billy, I can’t believe you would tell on me like that. For shame.”
“Tony, stop with the dolly this instant,” Frannie DeLuca said as she came outside, the early morning light causing her flaming red hair to glow.
“I’m fine. I have it all under control,” he grunted.
“Let the young guns do the heavy lifting,” she had the raspy voice of a former smoker, and the loving tone of a wife who adored her husband.
“I know exactly where this needs to go,” Tony protested.
“And you can supervise, when Jack takes it there. I’m assuming you’re Jack, right?”
“Yes, ma’am. I’m great at taking direction.”
“Good to know. I’m great at bossing good looking men around.” She winked at him. “Isn’t that right Billy?” She put her arm around the young man and headed him into the building.
“I’m happy to have you lift and carry. But tell Frannie I made a big deal about protesting. I like her to think I’m still a stud, okay?” Jack laughed.
“You got it, Mr. D.” He followed the man in, maneuvering the dolly. They made quick work of unloading all of the food onto the appropriate shelves. Next came the pallets of fruit. Tony looked at them in disgust.
“Seriously, they send more of this crap every week.”
“What?” Jack asked as they unloaded crate after crate of bananas.
“Rotten fruit. There is no way we can set out this stuff for the people. I’d say more than two thirds will have to be thrown out. They’re using us for a tax write off.”
“Tony, don’t get so upset, reme
mber your blood pressure.” Tony pulled over a large green trash can, and sorted through the produce.
“To hell with my blood pressure.” Tony threw the fruit forcefully into the can, and Billy winced. He looked at Jack.
“Hey Mr. D, I meant to ask you something,” he whispered, after Frannie walked away muttering about stubborn men.
“What is it kid?” He threw two bunches of bananas into the container.
“Jack was telling me girls gave off signals if they liked you. Is that true?” Tony paused with the next batch in his hands, looked over at Jack, and then back at Billy.
“You like some girl? A lot?”
“I want to ask her out.”
“That’s a lot,” Tony said, as he sat down on one of the pallets, the rotten fruit forgotten. “So Mr. Navy SEAL, what was your advice?”
“I had some generic advice, but I really need to know more about the girl.”
“She’s been hurt I think. She’s in foster care. I think she’s been abandoned, but she hasn’t told me. Sometimes I see she’s really sad.”
“That’s a special kind of girl, who will probably need to be treated delicately.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Yes you do,” Tony interrupted. “Think of your sister after those thugs hurt her. Mason had to be very cautious with her.”
“He did?”
“Ah damn kid, you were still with the Bards, weren’t you?” Tony remembered.
“My fiancé, Beth, had been hurt, and she needed to know she was safe. I didn’t have to do anything I didn’t want to do, so it was no hardship. But, I did have to make sure she knew she was valued and cared for more often than I would have with a woman who hadn’t been hurt. Does that make sense?”
Jack saw Billy’s perplexed look.
“I needed to give her more outward signs of affection and care, I couldn’t assume she knew what I was thinking and feeling, even when it made me more vulnerable.”
“Oh.” Billy nodded. Then he grimaced. “That must have been kind of hard.”
“Not when you really care. I loved Beth. I’d have done anything for her.” Jack thought back to those early days with her, and he couldn’t help but smile.
Chapter Seven
Drake Avery
SEALED with a Kiss (Midnight Delta Book 4) Page 3