Hooked (TKO #2)

by Ana Layne

  Before he can say another word, I leave him in the hallway. Part of me is waiting for him to come up behind me and start a fight, but he doesn’t. I walk outside and find Garrett, Raegan, and Hilary standing beside my truck.

  “You didn’t get yourself in trouble, did you?” Raegan asks. “I was ready to beat his ass.”

  “Easy, killer, everything is fine. No, I’m not in trouble. He’s not worth me losing everything.”

  “Well, I’m getting my firecracker here off to bed. You two have a good night.” Garrett pulls Raegan’s hand into his. I wave goodbye to them, and turn to face Hilary.

  “I’m so sorry he said those things to you in there,” I tell her, pressing my forehead against hers.

  “I didn’t mean to slip out about the baby.”

  “It doesn’t matter. What matters is you’re safe, and I’m here to take care of you and the baby. He doesn’t deserve to be a father. Not after what he said.”

  “You’re too good to me. I don’t deserve you.”

  “You’re wrong. You do deserve me, and you’ll see it one day. I never thought I could be the guy to make someone’s dreams come true, but with you, I want to give you everything I can. I don’t know too much about you, but I love you, Hilary.”

  Silence fills the air around us. I can’t believe I just told her I love her. I bet even God is silent right now. I didn’t think there would ever be a day I’d tell a girl I love her.

  “You love me?” she whispers.

  “I do. Somehow you stole my heart, and it’s okay because I don’t want it back. I trust you with it.”

  “I love you too, Lance.” She presses her lips against mine. I pick her up by the backs of her thighs, and hold her against me. I wish we were anywhere but in a parking lot right now.

  “Spend the night with me?” I ask, breaking the kiss. My breathing is uneven, but I don’t care right now. I just need to hear her say yes.

  Her eyes are filled with lust when she nods. I’m trying to keep her from noticing my hard-on, but the moan that escapes her throat tells me she is fully aware. It’s time for a change of scenery. We head for a hotel.

  The old Lance would have taken her in the truck, and had his way with her, but the new Lance wants to treat her right. And that’s just what I’m going to do.

  Chapter 24

  Hilary

  Lance pulls up at the same hotel we stayed in the night I got away from Travis. Same hotel, different room.

  Once he has the room key, he drives around to the back of the hotel. He parks and gets out, first opening the door to the room. Then he picks me up and carries me into the room, shutting the door behind us. The room is dark, but I can see him and that’s all I need. He places me on the bed and attacks my mouth with his. I wrap my arms around his back, pulling him closer as the kiss deepens. Our tongues tangle, dancing along to the rhythm of my heart.

  Lance breaks the kiss to catch his breath. “Tell me if you want me to stop.”

  I know I won’t want him to.

  He fumbles with the hem of my shirt and raises it up. I sit up on my elbows and help him take the shirt off. My red lace bra moves up and down along with my chest as I breathe.

  He cups my breast in his hand, squeezing gently. My nipple hardens against the fabric, and it’s a matter of seconds before he reaches behind me and unclasps the bra. He licks his lips as he tosses the bra carelessly to the floor. His mouth wraps around my breast and my back arches sharply. My insides tingle as he switches to my other breast. He continues to suck as I run my hand down his stomach to find the waistband of his shorts, and I lower my hand into them. I wrap my fingers around his cock, and my eyes widen. I’m not even at the base, I have to stretch a little farther to reach it. I gently begin stroking him. He moans, removing his mouth from my breast.

  “Oh fuck, Hil, that feels so damn good.” He closes his eyes and I stroke him a little harder. I could almost orgasm just from touching him. I’ve never felt so alive.

  He begins to slide down my body, kissing my stomach. I lose my hold on him and rest my hand on my belly. Lance unbuttons my jeans and gently slides them off to reveal my matching red lace thong. He cups his hand under my ass and groans. I take it he likes the thong. I wait for him to take it off, but instead he slides the fabric to the side and gently licks my clit. My hips buck at his touch, and a moan escapes my throat. He licks it again and again, then slides a finger inside me and begins a rhythm that almost sends me over the edge.

  I want to experience this a little longer. I grab hold of his hair, and he sucks my clit hard. The impulse it sends through my body causes my toes to curl, and my hips buck again. He repeats licking, thrusting, and sucking and the sensation rocks my body. I come so hard I almost see stars, and he doesn’t stop until I’m done.

  He hovers over me, and I reach up and pull his shirt off. His chest is impeccably flawless. There isn’t a bad thing about him at all. His abs are perfectly shaped and lead straight down to the one thing I’m wanting the most, which is standing at attention in those shorts that need to come off.

  “You taste as sweet as I imagined you would,” he says, kissing my forehead.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever come that hard in my life,” I admit while trying to catch my breath.

  “Well, get ready, because I’m not through with you yet.”

  “Wait, maybe I’m not through with you yet,” I tell him. “Roll over.”

  He rolls over on his back, and I’m the one straddling him. I want to see more of his cock. I lick my lips and move down to his shorts. The elastic waistband makes it too easy to remove them, and his large rigid cock springs to life. I almost have to psych myself up for this even though I do want to do this for him. I know he isn’t expecting it like Travis used to, so that should make this easier, right?

  I quickly shove him out of my mind, and focus solely on Lance. I wrap my mouth around his cock. He groans, reaching for my hair like I did his. My head bobs up and down as I take in as much as I can. He fills my mouth and there’s still more cock to go. I wrap my hand around the base and stroke him. He moans louder and I wonder if he’s getting close.

  “Come here, Hil.” He groans.

  I stop, and look up at him. “Did I do something wrong?” I hate sounding so timid but he hasn’t even come yet, so why would he be stopping me?

  “No, never. I just need to be inside you. Your pretty mouth has me worked up and I need to feel you.”

  “Oh.” I blush. I can’t believe I thought I’d done something wrong. Lance wouldn’t dare embarrass me like that.

  He flips me onto my back. A giggle escapes, and his grin turns mischievous before he plants his lips on mine. He breaks the kiss and reaches down for his shorts. He pulls out a condom and puts it on. I close my eyes and mentally brace myself for him. “We don’t have to do this if you’re not ready,” he tells me.

  “I love you. I’m ready,” I assure him.

  “I love you too.”

  He gently presses against me and begins to slide in. Whimpers and moans escape my mouth as he fills me. He slides in and out, rocking my body to the core. He’s gentle, never once hurting me. My body convulses with each thrust. I close my eyes and wrap my arms around his neck. He grunts as he thrusts a little harder and my hips raise up to meet his. Our bodies melt together. As long as he doesn’t stop what he’s doing, I don’t care what happens.

  “God, I’m trying not to come, but you are going to be the death of me.” He moans.

  He thrusts are harder again, and my toes curl. Once again, my body rides out another wave of sensation. He moans loudly before collapsing against me. Our hearts seem to be beating together in perfect unison.

  “I’ve been wondering what this would feel like,” I murmur.

  “Did it live up to your expectations?” he asks, lifting his head.

  “It exceeded it. That was amazing.”

  “Get some rest then, because I don’t think I’m quite done with you yet.”

  “Oh, r
eally?”

  “I promise. But first let’s clean up and order a pizza. You sure helped me work up an appetite.” He kisses my head and slowly pulls himself off of me. He reaches for my hand and helps me up, leading me into the shower where round two commences. I thought the man had moves in the bed, but this is even better in the shower.

  Chapter 25

  Lance

  I have wondered every day since the first day I met Hilary what it would be like to be inside of her. Hearing her moan and whimper almost made me come earlier than I wanted to.

  She follows me into the shower, and we kiss as the water cascades over us. I pick her up, wrapping her legs around my waist and gently slide my cock inside of her again. Being inside of her without the condom feels a thousand times better. I thrust in and out, gritting my teeth as I listen to her moaning again.

  “Fuck, I’m about to come,” I warn her.

  “Come in my mouth,” she whispers against my ear.

  I gently let go of her legs and lower her to her feet. She kneels down with the water hitting her back and brings my cock into her mouth. She only has to suck a little before I moan, and it all comes pouring into her. I press a hand against the shower wall to steady myself. She pulls away and brings her lips to mine and I kiss her good and hard.

  She pulls away, laughing, and grabs a bar of soap to help wash me off. This is fucking hot as hell. She even tries to wash my hair. No woman has ever helped me wash my hair. Mainly because I’ve never gotten this close emotionally to anyone. I take the soap from her and try to keep my mind out of the gutter. After our shower, I hand her a towel and she wraps it around her body. I grab the other towel and follow her to the bed. I wasn’t joking when I told her we’d order pizza. I’m starving now.

  “What do you like on your pizza?” I ask her.

  “I like whatever you like.”

  “Pepperoni, beef, and jalapenos?” I ask with a raised eyebrow.

  She licks her lips, and nods.

  “You’ve got to stop licking your lips, babe.”

  “Sorry.” She giggles.

  I grab my phone and order the pizza, then collect her clothes and hand them to her. They’re a little crumpled up from being on the floor.

  “If I had known this is what I’d be getting, I wouldn’t have let you walk out of that closet at the bar,” she jokes.

  “Hil, you deserve way better than a closet. Hell, you deserve better than this hotel but—”

  “But nothing, this was perfect. I know this evening started out bad, but you seem to make everything better.”

  “I make everything better? You make me better, I know that for a fact. I love you, Hil, and I mean that with every beat of my heart.”

  She tries to hide the tears forming in her eyes but she’s terrible at it. I can read her a mile away. “I love you too. I didn’t know I could ever feel this way about anyone, but I feel it with you. I’ve been drawn to you since the beginning but I couldn’t figure out what it was. I didn’t know why you kept popping up everywhere, but it makes sense now. Everything finally makes sense. I went through hell to find you, and I swear I am not letting you go.”

  “You better not, because I’ll keep fighting for you. Shit, I know I told Raegan her real fight was coming, and I never realized my real fight is now. It began when I met you.”

  “I lost all faith in fairytales long ago, but you’ve made me believe again. Thank you for that, Lance.”

  “Anything for you, Hilary. I mean that.”

  When the pizza arrives, I grab a few bucks out of my wallet and open the door for the pizza delivery guy. He hands me our large pizza, and two twenty ounce drinks. I pay him, give him his tip, and shut the door.

  “Dinner is served,” I announce, placing the pizza on the bed between us. I grab the remote for the television and turn it on. Reruns of The Walking Dead are playing, so we snuggle up with our box of pizza and watch zombies roam the city of Atlanta.

  The smell of the pizza makes my stomach growl, but I offer her the first piece. We sit there and eat until there’s nothing left. I didn’t realize just how hungry we were. Two episodes into The Walking Dead, I hear light, steady breathing. I look over to discover Hilary is sleeping. I chuckle, then kiss her gently, before grabbing the covers and tugging them over us both. I’m not sleepy yet, so I keep watching the show.

  I wrap my arm around her and close my eyes. Her breathing remains even, and she snores a little. I listen to her until I finally succumb to my dreams, and she’s in every single one of them.

  Morning comes and I open my eyes. Hilary gives me a lazy grin and leans in to kiss me. “What do you want to do today?” she asks.

  “Well, anything and everything with you, of course. I was thinking I could introduce you to my dad.”

  “That sounds good to me.” She yawns as she sits up. “Let me get ready, and we can go whenever you’re ready.”

  “What kind of go are you talking about?” I joke, raising my eyebrow.

  “To your dad’s house, silly.”

  I clench my heart, pretending to be hurt, when I’m really anything but. She disappears into the bathroom, and when she returns, she looks just as beautiful as always. I step into the bathroom after her, and I’m out within a matter of seconds.

  On the way to my house, I stop at a gas station and get us each a cup of coffee. I’m still tired from last night so this caffeine is just what I need. Dad’s home. His truck is in the driveway, and the blinds in the front are open, letting the sunlight in. I park the truck and get out. Hilary is right beside me with her hand in mine. Inside, Dad is sitting at the table reading the morning paper.

  “Hey, Dad.” I pull out the chair beside him.

  “Hey, son, feels like it’s been forever.”

  “Yeah, I’ve been back at the gym and I’m totally forgetting my manners. Dad, this is Hilary.”

  Dad’s eyes light up. Maybe, just maybe, he remembers the girl I talked about the night I almost gave up fighting. “Nice to meet you, Hilary.” They shake hands, and she smiles.

  “It’s nice to meet you too.”

  Dad glances at me and winks. Yep, he knows. If I were a teenager I’d probably die of embarrassment. “I wanted you to finally meet her now that I’ve managed to lure her in,” I joke.

  “This is the girl, huh? The one you told me about. I see she escaped the…what did you call him? The douchebag?”

  “I’m, uh…in the room.” Hilary sounds a little uneasy.

  I clear my throat and remember the other reason we’re here. “Dad, I’ve made a decision and hopefully you will respect it. You and Mom raised me right, and instilled in me the morals I need. I’m going to quit babbling and just come out and say this. Hilary is pregnant but the father is the douchebag. He’s the guy I quit the gym over a while back. I’m going to step up and take responsibility for this baby because I love her.”

  Dad’s eyes widen and I’m not sure if he’s getting ready to have a heart attack or actually say something. He glances between Hilary and me several times before he taps his hand on the table. “I’m sure you already know this is a huge responsibility, and the fact that you want to step up and do this speaks for the kind of man you’ve become. I know you probably already know this won’t be easy, but I do respect your decision, son. How does the, uh…douchebag actually feel about you stepping into this role?”

  “He doesn’t give a shit, Dad. He doesn’t even want the baby.” I pause, replaying his words in my mind. “You really respect my decision?”

  “I do. You know what’s right for you, and if this is it, you’ve made the right decision. Plus, having a baby around here to spoil will bring some happiness back into this house.”

  Hilary lets out a sigh, and we both turn to face her. “Oh, I’m sorry. I’m just relieved, I guess.”

  “Sweetheart, if my boy is serious about you, then I know this is real. I know he wouldn’t say something like this unless he intends to follow through. I’m glad you found him.”


  I grab her hand and gently squeeze it. I want to tell her I knew everything would work out, but instead we sit there and talk to my dad. I keep wishing Mom were there. She would have absolutely loved this.

  Chapter 26

  Lance

  We spend the rest of the day visiting with my dad. Hilary bonds quickly with him, and the two of them chat the afternoon away as if they’re old buddies. He takes on the role of the embarrassing parent and brings out photo albums. I cringe when I see myself as a toddler in nothing but a diaper. Then there were the awkward haircut days, and I pretty much want to die, but she’s loving every minute of it.

  Photos of Mom are everywhere. Sadness overtakes me. I know she never wanted us to be upset, but it’s so damn hard sometimes. She was never supposed to go the way she did. She was supposed to live a long happy life with Dad, and spoil the hell out of my future kids. Now Dad gets to do all of that, and I know he doesn’t mind. Like he said, it’ll give him some sort of happiness around here. He needs that, and I believe we all do.

  It’s getting late and I really need to get Hilary home. Staying on the good side of her parents is for the best, especially since I’m going to be around for a long time. She hugs my dad, and he gives me a thumbs up. I have to shake my head and close my eyes to keep from laughing. He approves.

  Sitting in my truck, I stare at my house. This place is my solitude. I know I’ll have to eventually leave it and get a place for Hilary and myself if we’re going to raise this baby together. That means I’ll be fighting for real survival like my mom and dad did when they first started out. If they could make it twenty-five years, Hilary and I will be able to.

  “Hey, Hil, you trust me, right?”

  Her eyes glimmer with a hint of hope. “Yeah, I trust you. Why are you asking me this?”