“Wow. That was more of an explanation than I needed.”
He shrugged. “You asked.”
“You’re right; I did. And while I’m glad your wife is educating you, I could have gone with the CliffsNotes version.”
I was happy that Maddox was liking his new career and was actually trying to be a good sheriff, unlike the previous guy. But jealousy turned in my gut. I’d retired from the Navy four months ago, and I still didn’t know what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I tried to blame some of my waiting on my knee surgery, but I was just putting off the inevitable. I was going to have to find a job.
First, I’d have to find a place to live. I still lived in my house in Virginia, but being away from there, even for only a few days, had made me realize I couldn’t stay there and not feel homesick for the SEALs. And I didn’t want to return to New York, where I’d grown up. I’d never loved it there, which was one of the reasons I’d joined the military.
At the moment, I felt pretty lost, and I didn’t like it.
“Everything okay?” Maddox asked.
I smiled. “Yeah. But I’d better get going. What time should I be back for dinner? Do I need to bring anything?”
“I’ll pick the boys up around five, so a little after. Addison will be here if I’m not back yet.”
“Okay. I’ll see you then,” I said. I put my earbud back in, hit play on my phone, and headed back to the apartment.
6
Olivia
I pulled up to Addison and Maddox’s house at twenty minutes to five.
I had already done my grocery shopping and unpacked. Since it was almost five o’clock anyway, I had decided to head over to her house.
I had only been there once before, but it looked the same as I remembered.
Maddox’s SUV was in the garage along with Addison’s minivan. In the driveway was Maddox’s work vehicle—an SUV that read Carford County Sheriff on the side.
As I walked up the driveway, I had to wonder if the block had coordinated their lawn mowing to be on the same day. The neighbor right next door and the neighbor across the street were mowing, and then another guy a few houses up was also cutting his yard.
With the garage door open, I decided to enter the house that way since the front door was more formal. Once I was in the garage, I could see through the screen door that the main door was only about three-fourths of the way closed. I was surprised because it was so hot outside. But Addison must have left it open because she knew I was coming over.
While I was sure Addison wouldn’t care if I simply walked into her house, I knocked on the screen door anyway. I heard what sounded like a voice call out, but I couldn’t be sure because at the same time, the next-door neighbor chose that moment to mow the edge of his yard, right next to the garage.
But my friend knew I was coming, so I figured she was calling me in. It felt silly to yell back into the house and ask if she had told me to come in when I could just walk inside.
But within moments of entering the house, I realized Addison had not been yelling for me to enter. And I also knew why she hadn’t wanted me to come early. And more importantly, I understood that I should have listened to her.
Addison and Maddox were having sex in the living room, and it was not like any sex that I’d had before.
They looked like something I’d see on-screen. But not porn, where everything was for the cameras and the woman was faking it. This was like in an R-rated movie or a TV-MA show.
Maddox pushed Addison’s dark hair out of the way as he pounded into her. It wasn’t a word I would normally use to describe sex, but there was nothing else as accurate. Her knees were up by her waist like she wanted him in as deeply as he could go.
Addison reached up, and I thought she was going to wrap her hand around the back of Maddox’s neck, but she changed direction and pushed her hand against the back of her couch, as if she was bracing herself.
No as if. The way Maddox was screwing her, she was definitely bracing herself.
Maddox threaded his fingers through Addison’s hair with one hand and cupped the side of her head with the other.
“Are you going to come?” he asked her.
She made a low, “Mmhmm,” noise in response that sounded like she was in pain…or at the height of pleasure.
Maddox stared into his wife’s eyes, as if he was waiting for something, and when she came, I knew that was what he had been holding out for. He shoved his hips into Addison’s as he climaxed, looking in her eyes the whole time.
I felt like a total perv for standing there and watching them. It was such an intimate moment.
But when Maddox kissed Addison as they lay there, connected, I realized that was more intimate than anything.
I needed to get out of there.
Thankfully, I heard the lawn mower move closer to the house, and I used the noise to cover up my escape.
I made it around to the front of the house and collapsed on the steps of the porch. My legs were like gelatin from the adrenaline rush of almost getting caught.
Yet my skin felt like it was on fire, and when I opened my legs under my summer dress to catch a breeze, I realized my underwear was soaked. I looked down at myself to see my nipples poking through my dress and my bra.
I’d had a handful of boyfriends in my life, and I didn’t think I’d ever been as turned on as I was at that moment.
I pulled my legs closer and rested my head on my knees.
I needed to do some deep breathing and focus my thoughts on something else.
“You okay?”
I jumped and screeched. I flung my head up to see Tommy standing in front of me, but I quickly lowered my eyes before he could read my face. I was sure voyeur was written all over it.
But that wasn’t the smartest move because my eyes landed on his crotch, and even though he wasn’t hard, I could still see the outline of his dick through his shorts. I was getting wet again.
I groaned and dropped my head back to my knees.
I sensed Tommy taking a seat beside me. “That bad, huh?”
“I don’t even know what to say,” I said into my legs.
“Okay, let’s start with something easy. Why are you sitting out here?”
“I arrived too early.”
“That doesn’t seem so bad. I’m a little early, too.”
“I…” I couldn’t believe I was going to tell him this, but it was like I needed someone to share my pain. “I walked into the house, and I shouldn’t have. I saw—”
Tommy burst out laughing, so I sat up.
He had his hand on his chest, as if he couldn’t breathe from laughing so hard.
“What’s so funny?” I hadn’t even told him what I’d seen.
“You saw Maddox and Addison having sex.”
I narrowed my eyes. “How did you know?”
“Because when I was here earlier, Maddox told me to leave, so he could fuck his wife.”
“Yeah, well, Addison didn’t warn me.” I wrinkled my nose. “And do you have to be so crude?”
Tommy laughed again. “Those were his words, not mine.” He leaned close to my ear. “And there is nothing wrong with the word fuck.”
I shivered. “Agree to disagree.”
“I’ve never met someone who needs it more.”
I swung my head around to glare at him. “I’ve been…you know.”
“Honey, I don’t want to start another fight with you, but if you’ve been…you know…you wouldn’t be sitting out here, so shaken up about what you just saw or about me saying the very word.”
He lifted my leg over his knee. He put his hand on my ankle and slowly ran it up toward my crotch. I watched it slip under the dress, as if I were in someone else’s body. He reached the top of my thigh and cupped me between the legs.
“So hot.” He removed his hand and set my foot on the step. “Like I said, I’ve never met someone who needs it more.”
It took me a second to find my voice. “And how d
o you know that?”
“Because you didn’t stop me from touching you.” He leaned closer again. “And you probably didn’t realize it, but you spread your legs for me just a tiny bit further.”
I wanted to argue more—I was a professional at arguing after all—but this was a disagreement I wasn’t going to win. And I was smart enough to know when to back down before I lost.
As luck would have it, Addison and Maddox came outside from the garage at that moment. I was saved from having to concede to Tommy.
“Hey, Maddison,” Tommy said.
“Maddison?” I asked.
“It’s their couple name,” he said and stood as I stared at him
He was an odd duck. One minute, he was saying fuck to me, and then another, he was giving our friends a couple name.
7
Tommy
“I’ll be right back,” Maddox said and kissed his wife on the cheek. He looked at me. “You want to go with me to pick up the boys?”
I loved his boys, but I was more interested in watching Olivia try not to be embarrassed around Addison. “Nah, I’ll stay here.”
“Beer’s in the fridge,” he said to me before he hopped in the minivan and took off.
At the same moment, I heard Olivia come up behind me.
“How long have you been here?” Addison asked us.
“A few minutes,” I said before Olivia could answer.
Addison smiled at her friend. “Hey, you listened to me for once about not coming early.” She turned around as Olivia made a choking noise. “Come inside. I’ll pour us some wine.”
I didn’t immediately follow because I was trying to hold in a laugh, and I didn’t want Addison to notice. Olivia did though, and she elbowed me in the gut as she walked by.
“Oof.” I rubbed my abdomen as I trailed behind the two women. Olivia was stronger than she looked.
In the kitchen, Addison pulled a beer from the fridge for me and grabbed wine and wineglasses for her and Olivia.
I didn’t know if Addison could sense the weird tension in the room, but I could, so I decided to step in. “Who’s all coming tonight?”
“You and Olivia, obviously. Also, Maddox’s mom, brother, sister, and niece.”
“That’ll be nice.”
Addison slid a glass over to Olivia, who picked it up and downed the whole thing.
Addison’s eyebrows flew up practically to her hairline. “Everything okay?”
“Hmm?” Olivia said.
She glanced at me, but there was no way I could tell her she needed to chill out without Addison noticing, so I purposely eyed her empty wineglass in hopes that she would get the message.
“Oh,” Olivia said. “Yeah, everything’s fine.”
She smiled awkwardly, and I tried not to cringe.
Addison filled up Olivia’s glass with more wine. “Do you want to go and sit in the living room or in the backyard? It’s shaded out there, so it’s not too hot.”
Olivia almost spit out the sip of wine she’d just taken. “Outside.”
Addison laughed. “I didn’t think you’d care so much. Outside it is,” she said as she walked to the sliding glass doors.
Once she was out of earshot, I leaned over and whispered to Olivia, “Get it together. If you can stand up in a courtroom with criminals and judges, you can talk to your friend. Besides, sex is natural. Everyone has it.”
I could be mistaken, but I thought I saw a shiver.
“You’re right. I just can’t stop…picturing it.”
“And it’s turning you on?”
She whipped her head around. “No.”
I grinned. “Liar.”
I stepped around her and went outside to join Addison. I took a seat across from her at the round patio table so that Olivia and Maddox could sit on either side of her.
Olivia walked out with her head held high and sat down between Addison and me. But she made sure to shoot me a dirty look.
I took a big swig of my beer. “You’re right. It’s not too hot out here. But for some reason, Olivia’s face is already red. Maybe you should put on sunblock.”
Anger flared behind her eyes, and I was pretty sure she wanted me dead, but I didn’t care. I was having too much fun.
“Tommy’s right. Your face is a little pink.”
“I’ll be fine,” Olivia said with a forced smile.
There was a commotion from the house, and Addison turned to see her husband and kids. “I’d better go help Maddox.”
The second she walked away, Olivia kicked me under the table.
I laughed and shook my head. “You’ll have to try harder than that if you want to hurt me.”
She elbowed me once more.
I laughed again.
She narrowed her eyes before she reached under the table, and I felt pressure on my leg.
“Did you just pinch me?”
Her jaw tightened. “Grr. Doesn’t anything hurt you?”
I grinned. “Nope.” I frowned. “I mean, besides the obvious. I am a man.”
Olivia’s eyes sparkled, and just as her arm swung out toward my crotch, all four Wolfes came outside.
Thankfully, I was fast, and I caught her hand before it collided with my junk. But since I was afraid she’d do it again, I clamped my hand down on hers, trapping it between my palm and my upper thigh.
“Hey, Spencer. Hey, Thane,” I said as Olivia tried to pull her hand away. I increased my hold.
Thane smiled at me, and drool slid over his cute little chin.
“Tommy,” Spencer said and rushed over to me.
I reluctantly let go of Olivia.
“Yook,” Spencer said. “Car.” He held up a Hot Wheels toy.
“Cool. Can I see it?”
“No.”
“Spencer,” Addison said, but I laughed.
“It’s okay.”
“Spence, go play, buddy,” Maddox said, and Spencer ran to the sandbox out in his yard.
“Let me see Thane,” I said, holding out my arms.
Maddox handed him to me as he sat down beside me.
“Hey, buddy.”
I got another smile and more drool.
“What are you men doing out here?” Olivia asked as she peered at the yard and the work Maddox and I had been doing there.
“Tommy and I are putting in egress windows, and then we’re going to redo the basement. We’re hoping to put a family room down there along with another bedroom and bathroom, so guests have somewhere to stay.”
“That sounds like a lot of work.”
Maddox shrugged. “I already did our bedroom and the kitchen. It is a lot of work, but it’ll be worth it when it’s done.”
I set Thane’s butt on the table, so he could face me. “Except no one wants to stay at your mommy and daddy’s house,” I said in a baby voice. “No, no, no. Mommy and Daddy have too much sex, and their room is going to be right above the new guest room. Mommy and Daddy had better buy earplugs.”
Thane giggled as if he actually knew what I was talking about.
Maddox and Addison were rolling their eyes, but Olivia looked horrified.
I made a face at Thane because I had gotten the exact reaction out of her that I was looking for.
“Quit talking to my six-month-old about sex, Tommy,” Addison said. “And if you stayed in our guest room, we would be sure not to do anything while you were there.”
“Speak for yourself,” Maddox protested.
“Oh, I’m fine with you two”—I looked at Thane—“having relations while I’m in the house. It’s someone else who can’t handle it.” I nodded my head rather enthusiastically toward Olivia.
She gasped and stomped her heel on my insole.
“Mother…fudger,” I said just in time before I accidentally swore in front of the baby.
Thane laughed at me, as did Mad Dog and Addison, while Olivia smiled smugly.
“That hurt,” I said through clenched teeth.
“Good,” she said and took a dr
ink of her wine.
8
Olivia
“Hey, Tommy, would you mind going to Des Moines tomorrow to pick up the windows? You can take my SUV. I need to do a few things at the station for work, and then I can finish up here, so we can install them when you get back.”
My ears perked up at the mention of Des Moines. “I’ll go with you to help.”
Three pairs of eyes turned to me.
“No way,” Addison said.
“Why not?”
She narrowed her eyes. “Because you just want to check in at work. You only got here today.”
“But, I mean, if Tommy is going anyway, like I said, I can help.”
Tommy laughed. “The store will bring the windows right to my vehicle. I don’t need help. Besides, you couldn’t lift one even if you did really want to help.”
“I’m stronger than I look.”
“You can go if you apologize for stepping on my foot.”
I started to protest that he had goaded me first, but it was pointless. “Fine. I’m sorry.”
He shrugged. “Whatever. I don’t care if you come with. You can keep me company.”
“Why, you…”
He’d tricked me.
“Focus on what’s important,” he said to me.
He had a point.
I turned and smiled triumphantly to Addison. “See, Tommy doesn’t care if I come with.”
She stuck out her bottom lip. “But I thought you came to hang out with me.”
“But I thought you had to help someone with a will tomorrow?” Maddox asked her.
Addison glared at her husband.
He laughed. “Sorry, babe.”
She sighed and looked at Tommy. “Olivia can go with you, but I’m warning you. She’s going to try and get you to take her to work. And when she does, she only gets a half hour, tops. If you give her more than that, she’ll never leave. And if she refuses, I give you permission to pick her up and carry her out of there.”
Take Me in the Dark (Take Me #2) Page 4