Foolish Expectations

by Alison Bliss

  God, she’s so fucking tight.

  She squirmed in response to the extra attention while his own divine patience seared him from the inside out. Every mewling sound she made had him fighting the urge to move inside her. But instead, he continued using the direct touch of his fingers on her clit to counteract the discomfort of him filling her. No matter what, her needs came first.

  He waited until her body was damn near vibrating before he began to slowly thrust his hips, gently angling his body and rocking into her with a rhythmic motion. When he pinpointed a sensitive area that had her body jolting, she closed her eyes and held her breath. Oh, fuck yeah. She was getting close.

  “Uh-uh, keep them open. I want to see your eyes when you let go.”

  She opened them and gazed up at him in despair. “I…feel like…like I’m going to spontaneously combust.”

  Christ. She’s never even had an orgasm before. “That’s the idea,” he whispered, watching her face as she ventured closer to the threshold.

  Panic flashed in her eyes. “No, wait. I can’t…breathe.”

  “It’s okay, baby. Don’t fight it. Just let it happen. It’ll feel good, I promise.”

  One of her hands clutched at the blanket frantically, while the other flew to her mouth. She rubbed at her lips nervously, and he about lost it. Sensations he’d never felt before radiated through him as the heated urgency took over. What the fuck was it about this girl? Dear God, he couldn’t get enough of her.

  His strong thrusts became more demanding while he again tried to keep his eyes from rolling into the back of his head. Her eyes, on the other hand, were like the ocean, where the color darkens the deeper you get. Wild hunger lingered beneath the surface, fueled by the mind-blowing sexual tension her body created as it gripped him tighter and tighter, as if she were tugging at his very soul.

  Finally, she succumbed, biting her fist to muffle the scream she released. With a delighted grin, he stroked more primitively into her as the contractions seized both of their bodies. Nash matched her quivering reflexes and grunted with the exertion of his own feverish climax.

  Holy shit. He’d never come so hard before in his life.

  They hovered together, gasping in large, heavy breaths as their heart rates returned to normal. She gazed up at him with an adorable, dazed, cartoonish look. But it was Nash who felt like he’d just had an anvil dropped on his head.

  He’d slept with his fair share of women in the past. So why the hell had this time been so different? It was as if the intimacy they’d shared matched nothing Nash had ever experienced before.

  Only moments ago, she had been untouched, but now... He’d somehow branded her, searing her with his mark. Mine. The thought crashed through him with such force, he didn’t know what to think. Somehow, it was like she belonged in his bed…with him inside her.

  He’d never really believed in love at first sight, but this damn sure wasn’t just lust he was feeling. Something about this woman called to him. Like she’d grabbed him by the balls and wouldn’t let go.

  As he reluctantly separated from her, she smiled, and satisfaction swelled his chest. Nothing could ruin this moment between them. Nothing.

  Then he looked down. “Oh, shit.” His eyes shot back up to hers. “The sonofabitch broke.”

  Her eyes widened, and she sat up in a panic. “Oh, my God! I broke your—”

  “No, not that…the condom. Don’t you think I’d be a little more concerned if you broke my dick?”

  It was as if her relief morphed into irritation. “Well, I don’t know why you’re yelling at me. If it was an operator error, then that’s on you. I never touched it…well, technically.”

  He gave her a “yeah, right” look, and then eased her out of the bed. They stopped at a trash can before he maneuvered her into the connecting bathroom and ushered her into the shower. She must’ve thought he was letting her go first because she squeaked a little when he stepped into the stall behind her.

  Obviously, the woman had never showered with anyone before. And if her silence was any indication, she wasn’t sure of the rules. Not that there were any rules. But if she wasn’t talking, then neither was he.

  Maybe she was preoccupied with the problem at hand. Or maybe she was disappointed with him and the things he… No, that definitely wasn’t it. He’d seen the way she’d unraveled beneath him. No woman could fake an orgasm that strong even on her best day. Either way, he wasn’t going to ask. At least not yet.

  They showered in silence, then rinsed and dried off. She wrapped a towel around herself, refusing to let her eyes meet his, and headed into the bedroom before him. Actually, she hadn’t looked at him at all since they’d gotten out of bed. It frustrated him that he wasn’t sure what she was thinking, and he needed to do something about it before things between them went even further south.

  He slung a towel around his waist and headed into the bedroom to find her. She’d retrieved her clothes from the living room and was sitting on the edge of the bed, holding them in her hands.

  “Sorry I shut down in there,” he said, gauging her reaction. “I’ve just never gone…uh, skydiving without a parachute before. This is a first for me.”

  She trembled, looking timid and fragile, but didn’t lift her eyes. “Same here.”

  Ah, shit. He ran his fingers through his damp hair. “I’m sorry if I’m being a jerk. It was your first time for…well, everything. You’re probably scared to death, while I’m over here belly-aching.” When she didn’t respond, he lifted her chin with his finger. “Are you okay? I mean, physically? I didn’t hurt you too much, did I?”

  “I’m fine.” But her words sounded weak and unsure as her voice cracked from the emotion welling up inside her throat.

  “Are you upset with me, then?”

  “No.” She sniffled a little. “I’m just being stupid and sentimental. I’d always thought my first time would be with my husband on our wedding night, not…a stranger who I’d just met.”

  Nash sighed heavily. “Damn it. I knew you’d regret it. I just didn’t think it would be this soon.”

  “Oh, no,” she said, shaking her head. “That’s not what I meant. Nash, I don’t regret it one bit.”

  He wanted to grin but thought that might be the equivalent of high-fiving his dick. So instead, he sat down beside her and pressed his lips to her temple. “Are you worried about the condom mishap?”

  “As far as pregnancy goes? No. I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure the timing is off.” She glanced over at him, but he knew he didn’t look any more relieved than she did. “Should I be…concerned, though?” she asked, cringing at her own words.

  Without spelling it out, he knew exactly what she meant. “I’ve been tested,” he admitted. “Unless you’re a needle junkie or something, then you’re clean, too. Pregnancy is probably our only real concern. I’d want to know if you were, but since you don’t think you are…”

  “We dodged a bullet, then?”

  He shrugged. “I’d say so.”

  She gave him an awkward smile and sighed. “Well, I guess it’s time for me to get dressed and go—”

  “No. Why don’t you stay here tonight? I’ll take you home in the morning.”

  She blinked rapidly, probably wondering if she’d heard him right. But Nash never thought of himself as a wham-bam kind of man. Not usually, anyway.

  “I don’t have anything to sleep in.”

  He grinned and loosened the knot in her towel over her breasts. “Doesn’t matter. You won’t need it.”

  Chapter Five

  Bailey awoke to warm fingers trailing down her stomach to her nether regions. She slapped at his hands and rolled away. “Get away from me, you creep!”

  “What?” Nash laughed and reached for her again. “I thought you said you liked it?”

  “That’s before I knew you were as unstable as an old stick of dynamite. Don’t you have to recharge or something? You know, come up to the surface for a breath?”

  �
��Oh, come on, sweetheart. I’ll even let you light the fuse this time. In fact, if we create enough friction, I’ll guarantee sparks.” He winked at her.

  She smirked, knowing full-well his fuse was already lit, burning with desire, and aching to be snuffed out once again. “What you have is a self-igniting fuse. You don’t need any help from me.”

  Nash latched his arms around her body and flipped onto his back, pulling her on top of him. “Okay, I’ll surrender this time. You control everything.”

  For a split second, the idea thrilled her. He’d already blown her mind in so many ways. His muscle tone. Strength. Endurance. As if he’d ripped her open, then hand-stitched her closed, just to shred her to pieces once again. She wanted to do the same for him.

  But anxiety washed over her. The last time she was on top of anything, she fell off her bunk bed and broke her arm in two places. That hardly qualified her as an expert. What the hell did she know about pleasing a man?

  Shit. Absolutely nothing.

  Her decision to maintain her virginity until marriage had been a stupid one. Her mother had been a pure woman when she’d married Bailey’s father at a young age, and Bailey had hoped to honor her mom’s memory by doing the same. But when she crept into her early twenties and was still single, she should have given up the idea behind that logic. Because the older she got, the weirder it had become to explain.

  Thankfully, Nash hadn’t asked her reasoning behind it. Maybe he thought it was none of his business. Or maybe it just didn’t matter to him. Either way, he hadn’t pushed for the details and she wasn’t about to volunteer them.

  For years, she’d longed to feel the intimate connection she imagined existed between two lovers, but somehow she’d always managed to tamp down her urges and suppress her desires. Hell, she’d never even masturbated before in fear that it would only make her want to give in. But after what she’d went through last night, she couldn’t hold out any longer.

  Just the thought of what could have happened if Nash hadn’t found her in the parking lot before Richard was enough to send shivers down her spine. And although it hadn’t been the only thing that factored into her decision to sleep with him, Nash coming to her rescue had definitely been at the top of the list. After she’d realized what he’d done for her, she’d felt an intimate connection with him, one she’d never shared with anyone before. One she wanted to feel again right now.

  Nash slid on a condom, shifted her hips, and eased into her. She accommodated him easier now, but his breath still hissed out, as if he lowered himself into scalding water.

  “Nash, I…” Heat flooded her cheeks. “I don’t know how to…”

  “Just move back and forth. Or up and down. Hell, side to side. It doesn’t matter. You’re so fucking tight that even you just breathing is driving me mad.”

  She swallowed hard, knowing he was doing his damnedest to keep her from feeling silly for not knowing how to pleasure him. But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t try. Hoping for the best, she bit her lip and started to move. Ten minutes later, they were both stretched out on the bed wearing goofy grins. Although her performance was probably more along the lines of a rodeo clown, he made her feel like a champion bull rider.

  “Down for the count?” she asked, still panting.

  The corners of his mouth curved, ripening into a full-on smile. “Maybe. Why don’t you turn over onto your stomach.” When her mouth fell open, he laughed. “No, it’s not what you think.”

  She sighed with relief and flipped over, propping herself with a pillow. Nash held his head up with one bent elbow beside her and fanned the fingers of his free hand flat over the smooth skin on her back. As he lightly traced the subtle contours of her spine, her overexerted body basked in the sensation. Within minutes, her mind plummeted into a deep, relaxing slumber.

  It seemed like only seconds had passed when her eyes fluttered open again. She glanced at the curtains on the window and noted the blue morning light peeking in. Tangled in the sheets next to her, Nash had sprawled out and was fast asleep with his face buried into the pillow.

  She was tempted to curl up to him and fight for the covers, but she wasn’t sure waking him was the right thing to do. Not if she wanted her vagina to one day forgive her. Truth be told, getting shagged by a man like Nash Sutherland wasn’t the worst thing that could happen to a girl…unless that girl had been a virgin.

  The delicious ache between her thighs reminded her why waking him would be a very bad idea. Hell, the orgasms he’d given her alone were nearly as crippling as the numerous times he’d plundered her.

  Bailey rose quietly, and padded across the room, but a twinge of guilt forced her to look back at him. She hated walking out on him like this, but just like her life, her emotions were in flux. Nash was one of the good guys, but there were things he didn’t know about her, things she didn’t want to explain. Maybe it’s better this way.

  Silently, she slid on her dress and made her way to the kitchen. She used his phone in the kitchen to call for a cab, giving them the address she found on a piece of mail laying on the counter. Then she found her shoes and purse and headed for the front door.

  Another pang of guilt stopped her in her tracks. Damn it.

  Could she just leave without saying goodbye? No, she couldn’t do that to him, not after what they’d shared. Not after he’d taken care of her the way he had. Sure, it had meant more to her than it probably had for him. But that didn’t excuse bad manners.

  Stepping back inside, Bailey tiptoed down the hallway and back into the bedroom, where Nash lay in the same position he’d been in when she’d left the room. Bailey pulled her lipstick out of her purse and scrawled a quick message onto the mirror over the dresser. Four short words to express her gratitude. Not the most endearing note she’d ever written, but she was in a hurry.

  If she wasn’t waiting outside when the taxi pulled in, the driver might honk. More importantly, she needed to get out the door before Nash woke up and caught her doing the walk of shame. After all, one-night-stands were notorious for them.

  But although she had a lot of regrets about last night, sleeping with him would never be one of them. Her shame came from something else.

  She’d never told Nash her real name.

  ***

  Six weeks later…

  Bailey looked up with tears in her eyes. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, I’m sure. Honey, you’ve had a rough few months. It’s all the stress you’ve been under. I think it’s taking a toll on you. Now go home, put your feet up, and get some rest. I’ll tell the other girls you’ll be back in a few days.”

  “But I’m scheduled to work all weekend.”

  “One of the others will cover your shift. Either way, we’ll make do. No one wants to be served by a waitress who’s gagging and running to the bathroom every five minutes.”

  “It’s the smell of the food that’s—”

  “If you finish that sentence, I’ll fire you,” her boss threatened.

  As owner of the bar and grill, Danny ran a tight ship and took as much pride in the food that left the kitchen as he did the premium spirits he stocked in the bar.

  She gave him a weak smile. “You know what I mean. I’m just sick to my stomach and the smells—any of them—only make it worse.”

  “Then do yourself a favor and go to a doctor. But don’t come back until you’re over this bug. Last thing I want is for you to get the other girls sick.”

  Bailey finished up her tables and clocked out before noon with only forty-three dollars in tips lining her pocket. She hated leaving them in a bind during the lunch rush and could’ve used the extra cash, but she was in no condition to stick around. Not when she couldn’t shake the nausea and had already vomited twice.

  On the drive home, she considered going to the emergency room, but knew she couldn’t afford the hefty bill that would surely follow. With her car breaking down every other week and the debt she already had, she didn’t need more financial problems. Danny
had been right about that; stress was definitely playing a role.

  Not long ago, she’d walked out on a man who had promised her the stars. Then, several hours later, she’d gone to bed with one who actually showed them to her. Now she couldn’t even look at a horse trailer without thinking about that night. Sad thing was, she wouldn’t change a thing. Well, except for maybe the part where Casanova broke the… Oh, shit!

  Her car swerved, but she managed to correct the wheel before she ended up in the ditch. She pulled onto the shoulder and stopped.

  No, it wasn’t that.

  Couldn’t be that.

  Could it?

  Just that morning, she’d awakened with cramps and figured it was time for her period to start. She even remembered the exact day it would begin, too. June nineteenth. She picked up her phone and checked the date on the screen. It was the seventeenth...of July?

  Oh, fuck! No way.

  Her body weakened, but she wasn’t sure if it was due to the illness or the idea that she could possibly be knocked up by a virtual stranger. This was exactly why everyone referred to it as reckless abandon. Though they hadn’t really been reckless. At least not intentionally. Neither of them had set out to play a penile version of Russian Roulette. It had just happened, even after they—or rather he—had tried to protect them from it. They’d even used condoms every time afterward just to be safe.

  Shit. Shit. Shit.

  Maybe she was wrong. How had she missed her period for a whole month without noticing? But with all the bullshit she’d been dealing with over the past month, she knew exactly how.

  Still, to be certain, she needed to check the calendar hanging on her kitchen wall.

  Right now.

  For her own sanity.

  I just have to rule it out, that’s all.

  Frantically, she drove home, and within minutes, pulled into her driveway. She darted up the stairs to her small one-bedroom apartment and straight inside to her calendar, while chanting, “Please be food poisoning! Please be food poisoning!”