by Riley, Alexa
“Sounds like you have a lot more to tell me,” Kyle says, and I shrug.
“I’ll tell you over lunch,” I say, knowing Kyle is going to want to know as much as he can pry from me.
“Bailey, my office.” Kyle and I both turn to see Mason standing in the break room doorway. He turns to leave before I can even respond.
“Kim’s gone. I’m guessing it’s about the promotion. Her last day was yesterday. You missed the goodbye party.”
“I’m devastated,” I deadpan.
“The cake wasn't bad, but I’m glad the bitch is gone. Just when I didn't think she could get any bitchier, Mason sticks his dick in her and bang! She’s a mega bitch.” I shake my head, laughing because it’s true. I thought sex was supposed to mellow you out. Not that I would know.
“See you at lunch,” I tell him and head to Mason’s office.
When I enter, Mason makes me close the door behind me and it puts me on edge. I sit in the chair in front of his desk as he types on his computer. It goes on for a few minutes and he ignores me, so I wait until finally he speaks.
“A promotion would be good for you, Bailey. I know you and Hazel need the money.” I fidget in my lap. It’s odd to hear him talk about my personal situation with Hazel. It’s not his business.
More so because I don’t want anyone digging into it. All it would take is one phone call and the state would know about my mom being MIA. Then I take the risk of them coming to snatch Hazel from me. But I don’t say anything to him. Instead I nod in agreement, keeping my mouth shut.
“I just didn't think you would try to sleep your way to the top.”
All the blood drains from my face when he says that. I know it’s not against company rules to date other people you work with. That much was clear from watching Mason sleep around. Still, I can’t believe he just said that to me.
“It’s not like that,” I defend, but he’s not having it.
He lets out a sound of disgust. “I’m going to give you the promotion, Bailey, so don’t get all worked up.”
Worked up? Seriously? I want to snap back at him, but I remember he’s still my boss and can fire me.
“Thank you,” I manage to say. I keep reminding myself that I need this job. I think of Hazel and the insurance I just got on her. I keep thinking it over and over so I can keep calm.
“All I’m saying is you should rethink your relationship with Mr. Reed.” Mason stands up and comes around his desk to lean on it in front of me. “This promotion is on a trial basis, so if I were you I’d get some things straightened out in your personal life or you’ll be having a lot more free time.” He folds his arms over his chest and I swear he’s trying to puff it out and intimidate me.
In a roundabout way, he’s threatening to fire me if I don’t end things with Shawn. He doesn't outright say it, but it’s there between the lines. He’s an even bigger asshole than I thought.
“Thank you,” I say again before I stand up and turn to leave.
I know he’s doing this because I rejected him. Every time he made a pass at me, I shot him down and now his ego is hurting. And probably more so now that I’m seeing someone. I go to open the door and he speaks again.
“He’ll get tired of you, Bailey. You have too much baggage in your life. Don’t let this fling ruin all the hard work you’ve done around here.”
I feel him come up behind me and I hold still as he moves my hair off my shoulder. Inwardly I cringe at how close he is to me.
“I’d be good to you around here. Just think about that.”
With that he steps back, and I open the door and flee his office. My heart is pounding and I don’t stop until I’m in the women's bathroom, in a stall by myself. I pull my cell phone out and look down at it, wanting to call Shawn. But I don’t want to go crying to him about my boss being an asshole to me. We haven't been together long, and I don’t want him to think I’m taking advantage of him. Reluctantly I put the cell phone back in my pocket, hating how everything was so great just moments ago. Now I could lose it all.
Chapter 8
Shawn
“Shh,” I say to Bailey as I give her another quick kiss.
I’ve just gotten to the store and I pulled her into a hidden corner of the stock room before we have to go. I missed being with her, even though we were only separated for a few hours. It’s clear that I’ve got it bad.
“I don’t want you to stop,” she whispers, and she dips her hands lower to the front of my jeans.
I have to swallow a choked groan when her palm rubs the front and squeezes my hard length. “Bailey, you’ve got to stop,” I say as I take her wrist in my hand. But instead of pulling her hand away, I press it tighter to me.
“Maybe you could stay a little later tonight?” she suggests as she kisses my neck.
My breath catches in my throat and it takes all my willpower to take her hand away and wrap her arms around my waist. I hug her close and kiss the top of her head.
“I just don’t want to rush you into anything. We can wait.” I close my eyes and just enjoy the feeling of her in my arms. “I’m not going anywhere.”
There’s a crash in the stockroom and we both tense. I take her hand and we step out of our hidden corner and see a box has been smashed nearby. The stockroom door is swinging back and forth as if someone just walked out of it.
“Do you think anyone saw us?” Bailey asks, and I shrug.
“I don’t think they could see, but they may have heard. Doesn’t really matter though.” I bring her hand up to my lips and kiss it. “Let’s get Hazel and go home.”
“Sounds perfect,” she says and we walk to the lockers.
Hazel and Kyle are sitting on the bench and he’s trying to teach her how to play rock, paper, scissors. She’s slower than he is, but he’s patient. Hazel laughs and then turns to Bailey and tries to teach her how to play. I love watching the two of them together.
When we leave I make sure to stop and get pizza on the way, and that makes Hazel happy. On the drive home Hazel sings in the back while Bailey tells me about her day. I can tell something is bothering her, but just when I begin to press her a little to tell me, the whole car falls silent.
I pull up into the driveway and there’s a big truck with an enclosed trailer attached and a police car there. The blue lights are flashing and I can see it’s already stressing Hazel out.
“Why are the police here?” Hazel asks, and Bailey just shakes her head.
“I don’t know, but maybe you should wait here and let me talk to them,” she says as she opens her door.
“Can you hang tight, Hazel? I’ll go with Bailey to check it out,” I say as I turn around and look at her. She starts biting her fingernail, but she nods and scoots away from the window.
I jump out of the SUV and go around to where Bailey is. The cop comes over and a man in a jean jacket and cowboy hat stands back a little bit in the distance. There are two younger guys with him standing up against the trailer, and I wonder what’s happening.
“Are you Mrs. Webb?” the officer asks, and Bailey nods.
“I’m Shawn Reed, her fiancé,” I say and put my arm around Bailey’s back.
She doesn’t flinch when I say the word or pull away from me. Instead she leans on me for support and I love the way it feels.
“I got a call from Jim Hopper,” he says and points his thumb over his shoulder. “His farm is on the other side of the creek that runs south of your property line. He said you’ve got one of his cows pinned up in your fence. Do you have any explanation for it?”
“She just wandered up here a couple of months ago. She was standing in the front yard and we put her in the fence to keep her from going towards the road and getting hit by a car.”
“Yeah, he made it sound like that’s probably what happened. He just wanted to call us to come check it out in case there was a problem.” The cop motions for the farmer to come over and he does.
One of the guys with the farmer begins to open the trai
ler while the other opens the fence and puts a rope on the cow.
“Sorry to scare you, I just wanted to get my cow back. I’m selling to the butcher this week and I need all the heads of cattle I can get.”
“You’re going to kill her?” Bailey says as she puts her hands over her mouth.
“Sugar!”
Hazel screams, and we all turn to see her coming out of the SUV in tears. Bailey rushes to her to try and stop her, but she’s already beyond consoling. She must have heard Bailey, because she’s sobbing and trying to push past her to get to the cow.
“You said you’re going to sell her?” I say, turning to the farmer.
“Yeah, she’s no good as a dairy cow anymore. I’m going to sell her for beef.”
Hazel cries even louder at his words and I’m trying to keep my anger in check.
“How much?” I shout, and everyone goes quiet. I hear Hazel sniff from behind me as I look the farmer in the eye. “How much are you selling her for?”
“Two thousand dollars.”
“I’ll give you five thousand. Do we have a deal?” I hold out my hand and the farmer looks at it for a second then takes it.
“Absolutely.”
“Then have your guys put Sugar back in the fence and I’ll get you your money.”
“Shawn.” Bailey looks up at me with tears in her eyes.
“You okay, Hazel?” She’s cuddled tight against Bailey, but when she peeks up to see me she throws herself in my arms.
“You saved Sugar.” I hug her in my arms for a moment until she stops crying.
When I let her go she goes right back to Bailey, so I tell her to take her inside so she can be calm. I know all the people and lights outside her house have worked her up, along with almost losing one of her animals.
When they’re safe inside I talk to the farmer and make a call to get the money transferred to his account. I end up talking to him about his land and how many animals he has. We exchange phone numbers and I tell him I’ll be in touch. I thank the cop for coming out and wait for everyone to leave before I grab the pizza from the SUV. It’s not totally cold, so it should still be good for dinner.
Hazel is still pretty quiet even after we eat dinner and watch a movie. Bailey helps her get ready for bed and talks to her for a few moments when she gets under the covers.
“You okay, Hazel?” I hear Bailey ask as I stand out of sight in the hallway.
“Shawn saved Sugar,” she says, and I feel my heart swell.
“He did,” Bailey confirms.
“Shawn takes care of us.”
“He does.”
“Will Shawn ever leave like Mom?”
It’s the first time I’ve ever heard her talk about her mom, and though I want to walk in there and tell her I’m not going anywhere, she needs her sister to reassure her. She’s her safety net, and if it comes from her, then she’ll know it’s the truth. I just close my eyes and pray that Bailey knows this is for keeps.
“No, Shawn won’t ever leave like Mom did. He’s our knight in shining armor,” Bailey says, and the weight that was sitting on my chest lifts.
“Good. He orders the pizza I like.” I hear Bailey laugh as she turns off the light and comes out of the bedroom.
When Bailey turns around I’m right there waiting, and I scoop her up in my arms and carry her to her room. I close the door behind us as my lips connect to hers. I’m so overwhelmed with what I feel for her that I can’t hold back anymore.
“I love you,” I say as I hold her in my arms and look into her eyes.
“I love you, too,” she says softly. Her fingers trail against my stubble and she looks up at me with her soft brown eyes. “Did you hear me in there?” I nod, and she smiles. “You are, though, you know. You saved the two of us.”
“You both saved me, too,” I say, kissing her. “And you were right. I’ll never leave.” I carry her to the small bed and place her on it before I lie down on top of her. “If you want me to stop, all you have to do is say the word.”
She puts her hand behind my neck and presses her lips to mine.
Chapter 9
Shawn
“I don’t want you to stop,” she says as her body moves under mine.
I can feel the heat of her pussy through her shorts, and I close my eyes to try to get myself under control.
“Can I kiss you?” I whisper in her ear as my hand covers her heat and I rub over the material. “Here?”
“Yes.” Her answer is shaky, but I slide down her body anxiously.
I kiss her hips as I pull off the sleep shorts along with her panties. She’s still got her shirt on, but I push it up to reveal her soft stomach. My hands rest there as she spreads her legs, and I kiss down to her short curls. The glow of the lamp shines across her skin and I’m suddenly nervous.
“I’ve never done this before,” I say as I kiss the tender place between her pussy and her thigh.
“Me either.” I watch her hands fidget in the blanket, and I smile.
“I have a feeling we’ll figure it out.” She laughs, and I feel some of the tension leave her body as I gently brush my lips against her. “I want this, Bailey. More than I’ve ever wanted anything. I promised myself that I’d wait until I was in love, and now that I am, I don’t want anything between us.” I run my nose against the top of her pussy and place a kiss there. “You know I’ll take care of you if anything happens.” I lick along the seam of her lips and taste her for the first time.
“Yes,” she hisses as she grabs the pillow beside her and clenches it in her fists.
I rub one hand along her lower belly and think about what it would be like to get her pregnant. I use my other hand to spread her lips before I lean forward and run my tongue along her pink folds. She hisses and then puts the pillow over her mouth to smother her moans. I lick back and forth across her hardening clit before I cover her with my mouth and suck. She nearly comes off the bed, and to my surprise she cums. I slide two fingers inside of her and feel her soaked pussy clenching around them. Her legs are tight, but she quickly relaxes against the bed and I do the same thing to try and get another one out of her.
“More,” she mumbles into the pillow, and I smile against her pussy.
I grind my cock into the mattress, trying to get some relief as I keep kissing her pussy and getting her off. I never knew it could feel so good, and all I want to do is give her orgasms all night long.
“I can’t,” she breathes as she tosses the pillow beside her and grabs my hand. “Come here.”
She pulled my shirt off long ago, but I’m still in my jeans. I opened the top button to get some relief and now my cock has creeped out of the restraints of my boxer briefs and the tip is exposed. I hiss when her fingers slide across it as I move between her legs and up her body.
“Careful,” I say when her fingers spread the cream on the tip. “I’m close.”
“I couldn’t take it anymore. I want to feel you in me.” She bites her bottom lip and I don’t know how she can be embarrassed after all I’ve just done to her.
I pull on the edge of her shirt and take it off. Then I unclasp her bra so we’re skin to skin. I lean down and kiss each nipple before sucking on one. I have this overwhelming urge to have a part of her in my mouth at all times.
Her hands push my jeans down over my ass and I lean forward, pressing the naked tip of my cock into her wet folds.
“Are you sure?” I ask, desperate to sink into her. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop.” I press my forehead to hers and swallow hard. “I’ll want to cum inside you.”
She nods as she raises her hips, and the head of my cock slides into her just a bit. I lower myself and feel the warm, tight heat of her pussy wrap around me.
“Fuck,” I groan and bury my face in her neck.
“Keep going,” she whispers as I grit my teeth and slide all the way in.
She flinches but only for a second and I try to breathe. She’s squeezing me all the way to the root of my cock an
d I’ve never felt anything more addicting. The pressure is unreal and all I want to do is let instinct take over. But I try to remember to be gentle as I slowly slide out of her and then back in.
“I can’t last,” I say as my back tenses and I have to stop. “I can’t move. It’s too good.” She relaxes under me, and I try to get myself under control. But even the smallest movement has my cock dripping inside her and I don’t think I can wait. I take her wrist and guide her hand between us. “Rub it for me. Like when you’re alone at night and under the covers.”
I watch as her fingers begin to move, and I feel them rubbing against me. My cock swells with need at the sight and it’s heavy with cum.
“Shawn.” Her eyelids are heavy as my cock stretches her tight.
“Is that what you say when your hand is between your legs? How does it feel to finally have me between them?” I move only a little, not wanting to leave her embrace.
She arches her back and I lean down to suck on her tight, rosy nipple. She gasps, and I place my hand over her mouth as her whole body jerks and I feel the rush of warm liquid coat my cock. I use her breast in my mouth to smother my own grunt as hot semen flows out of me and into her.
I’m shaking as the orgasm comes over me like a tidal wave. It takes my breath, every part of my body lighting up like it’s been electrocuted with pleasure. I’ve never in my life experienced anything so strong or incredible.
When the peak finally begins to ebb, I lick her nipple one last time and look up into her sleepy eyes. She smiles at me as damp hair clings to her forehead and cheeks. I kiss my way back up to her until our lips connect. It’s slower this time, less rushed, and I begin to rock in and out of her with more control.
“I love you so fucking much,” I say as I push her hair out of her face and kiss her cheeks. I can’t keep my mouth off of her. “I want to make love all night.”
“If it’s anything like that, I don’t know if I’ll survive,” she says as she reaches up and touches my face.