by Lacey Wolfe
“I can’t believe you came back.”
“I said I’d help you close.”
“Thank you, but I’m sure you have to be up early tomorrow for things on the ranch.” She closed the door, latching the lock.
“I can sleep when I’m dead.”
“Come on in, the girls and I would love your help.” She led him to the bar and handed him a bucket full of clean wet towels. “Would you mind wiping down all the tables?”
Bailey laughed. “You’re gonna make that hunk work? I’d much rather he stand there and look pretty.”
Braden smirked. “I’m all for helping to get you ladies out of here earlier.”
“We don’t have much to do tonight. Just quick clean-ups. I appreciate you being here to help.” She winked at him as he lifted the bucket and went to clean the tables.
Candy sauntered up. “He’s a hottie. Big plans after we leave?”
Courtney smiled. She’d love to explore his body even more on the dance floor with only them there, but she wasn’t sure Braden was ready for that. She shook her head, wondering if she was a guy. What kind of thought was that? He was a man...of course he wanted to fool around.
“Help me carry the beer we didn’t use back to the storage room.” She bent and lifted up two boxes.
Twenty minutes later, all duties were done, and Braden had walked both Candy and Bailey to their cars before returning to her.
“Such a gentleman.” She sat on a barstool.
“I had to make sure they got to their cars safely.”
“You’re sweet.”
“I intend to make sure you get to your car without any issues as well.”
She licked her lips. “The only issue I have right now is that you’re way over there and I’m right here.”
He grunted and walked toward her.
“I want you, Braden,” she whispered as she grabbed hold of his shirt and yanked him to her, wrapping her arms around his neck and staring into his blue eyes.
“I need to tell—”
“Shhh, I don’t want to talk tonight.” She kissed him, needing to show him the intensity of her feelings.
This had happened fast, and as much as she’d tried to deny it, she fucking wanted him. The need to connect as one was powerful. It had been a long time since she’d had sex, and those had just been one-night stands to quench the desire of a man touching her. With Braden, she wanted the intimacy. She hadn’t experienced that since Anna’s father left—only his intimacy had been a flat-out lie. This wasn’t the time to think about that.
She stood as she explored his lower belly, tugging on the dark t-shirt. Reaching down farther, she cupped his erection. Braden was huge in his jeans, much more than she expected.
“Touch me, please,” she whispered before returning to the kiss.
His hand shook on her lower back as it rubbed up then down. She grabbed his hand and pressed it to her breast. He squeezed and she moaned. He hesitated, but when she quickened the paced as she rubbed his cock, his palm slid inside her blouse and he unbuttoned it with his other. His calloused fingers twisted her nipple. Arching into him, she caressed her way around his waist until she kneaded his ass, shoving his hard cock against her entrance.
“Courtney,” he moaned out.
“I’m here.” Her lips trailed down his neck. I hope he’s as turned on as me, she thought as she lifted his shirt over his head. Rubbing his toned chest, she lowered until she was kneeling before him, licking his belly button.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
She toyed with the button of his jeans. “What’s it look like?”
“No, stop. The floor is disgusting.” He pulled her up by her shoulders. “We need to slow down. I don’t want you to do anything you’ll regret.”
“I doubt I’d regret giving you a blow-job.”
His eyes were dark, and she could tell he was imagining it, her taking his cock deep into her mouth as her tongue flicked the tip. “It pains me to stop this, but we have to. I want us to get to know each other.”
“Braden, it’s not like we don’t know each other. We’ve been talking to one another for years. I think it’s time we make this physical. I don’t find it fast. We’re not strangers.” She cupped his erection again. “I want you.”
He bit his lip. “I want you too, but I have to tell you something first, sweetheart.”
She huffed and dropped her hand. Obviously, whatever he had to tell her, it had to be now. “Okay, go.”
“Now you sound irritated.”
Just a bit. It wasn’t every day she threw herself at a man, only to be told he wanted to talk. “I’m not. Just sexually charged. The sooner you tell me whatever it is, the sooner I can get back to seducing you.”
He took a deep breath. “I don’t even know how to say this.”
He paled. Oh God, did he have an STD? “Braden, just say it. You’ll feel better once you do.”
“I’m not so sure.” He let out another long breath. “Okay.” He licked his lips. “I’ve waited years and for the right woman. I didn’t want to do this with just anyone.”
What the hell is he talking about? Poor guy never had a blow-job?
He cleared his throat. “I’m a virgin.”
She cocked an eyebrow. Did he just say he was a virgin? “You’ve never had sex?”
“No.”
She sat down on the barstool. This changed things…a lot.
Chapter 8
As soon as Courtney sat down, Braden could sense things had changed. She stared at her palms, avoiding his gaze.
“I don’t want that to change things,” he said.
She rested her hands in her lap and looked at him. “Of course not.” Her tone told him otherwise, as well as the apprehension in her expression. “All right, it’s time to lock up and head out of here before I have to be back again tomorrow.”
She stood and brushed past him. He ached to grab hold of her, but the truth was he was embarrassed. He’d told her something very personal and she was freaked out. Maybe a night of rest would give her a clear head. Just because he’d never had sex, that didn’t make him a different person. At least he didn’t think so.
“Okay. I’m ready.” She appeared next to him with her purse on her shoulder.
“All right.” He touched her lower back as she turned and headed toward the entrance.
They were silent as he walked her to her car. She unlocked the door and tossed her purse inside before spinning back around.
“Thank you for helping me close up tonight.”
“Anytime.”
“You go home and get some sleep.”
“Same to you.”
She leaned forward and placed a peck on his cheek. “Good night, Braden.”
“Good night, sweetheart.” He pushed her door closed and stepped back. She started the vehicle and backed out before he opened his truck door and climbed in.
So maybe telling her had been a mistake this early on, but it wasn’t something he could’ve kept quiet for long. It would’ve been obvious when they’d had sex, wouldn’t it?
He groaned. This was ridiculous. He’d built her up to be his dream girl, and maybe he needed to face reality that she wasn’t. If she couldn’t look past his inexperience, then it wasn’t worth it. All he could do now was see what tomorrow—more like later today—brought.
* * * *
Braden threw the hammer on the ground and then dropped down himself. He lay on his back, staring up at the dark sky. The clouds were moving in quickly and before long, the rain would start. He really should clean up and head back to the house, but he didn’t have the motivation. He was doing the one thing he did best—sulking. He finally got the woman he’d wanted for as long as he could remember…and he’d screwed it up.
He’d tossed and turned all night. He should’ve waited to tell her until she’d at least fallen for him a little. It might’ve been harder for her to walk away then. Now, he’d just made it easy. Each time his phone buzzed in his back pocket, he
expected it to be a text from her—dumping his loser self.
Rain drops dampened his skin. He sat up and collected the tools around him, tossing them into the wheelbarrow. As soon as he convinced himself to stand, he pushed it into the chicken house that was almost finished. Just a few last touches. At least he was good at building, because he wasn’t sure there was much else.
He hopped into his truck and went home. As he swung open the front door and entered his dirty home, something washed over him. He was letting this bother him too much. For all he knew, when he spoke to Courtney again, she would be back to her normal self. Or hell, maybe she hadn’t even acted weird last night and that was all in his head.
Damn it, there really was no way to know unless he reached out to her. He’d asked her last night to be his girlfriend, so he had no reason to be afraid of calling her.
He removed the phone from his pants pocket and scrolled through his contacts to her number. His finger shook above the call button. Calling her was harder than he thought it would be. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and touched the screen.
One ring.
Two rings.
Three rings.
“Hello,” she answered, just as it rang a fourth time.
“Hey, Courtney. It’s Braden.”
“I know who it is, silly. I have your number in my cell.”
Well, duh. Maybe he could hang up and call again. “How are you?”
“I’m all right. Anna’s having a meltdown at the moment.”
Maybe this was his chance to actually call back. “Need me to call later?”
“No, it’s okay. I needed a timeout myself. She and I butt heads so badly...I don’t get it.”
“My mom and Melissa fought a lot. They still do.”
“Glad I’m not alone. Must be a mother-daughter thing.”
He chuckled. “Must be.” He paused to collect his thoughts. “So, uh, other than butting heads with Anna, how is your day?”
“It’s okay. Just getting some things done before work. Owning your own bar and being a single mom doesn’t leave much time for other stuff.”
Like a virgin boyfriend. “Anything I can help with?”
“Nah, I’m used to it. Thanks for asking though. Will you and the rest of the Carver crew be by the bar tonight?”
He needed to check in with his family. With Nathan home, Braden had an agenda he had to follow—and not his own. “Not sure. I need to check in with them and see what the plans are.”
“Your family is so cute, knowing everything about each other.”
“That’s not always a good thing.”
“Sure it is.” She groaned. “I’ve got to go. Anna’s crying.”
“No problem.”
“See ya tonight, maybe.”
She disconnected the call, and he stared at the screen a moment before tossing the phone onto a table. She’d spoken to him at least, normal chit-chat. She could’ve ignored him, so maybe that was a good sign after all.
Perhaps he was overthinking his confession and Courtney didn’t really care.
* * * *
Courtney placed the mop back in the storage room then headed up front to where Bailey and Candy were stocking the peanut bowls. She’d cut the cook, Jeff’s, hours down, but was most likely going to let him go. Most people just went to the diner next door, so it was more cost effective to hire another bartender than to keep someone around to make sandwiches.
“So…” Candy leaned against a wall. “Anything fun happen last night after the sweet man walked us to our cars?”
Candy was a nosey girl, but Courtney liked her. “Nothing.”
“I find that hard to believe. You had that look in your eyes. That I’m gonna devour him look.”
“Oh yeah, you did,” Bailey added.
“Like I said, nothing happened.”
“What’s the matter?” Candy asked. “I can tell something is wrong from your tone.”
It was definitely something she didn’t want to discuss with them. Braden had put his trust in her, confessing his innocence. The last thing he would want was people knowing. Though, something deep in her needed to tell someone, get advice, because honestly, she was a little freaked out.
Braden had always had his eyes on her, but had he been saving himself for her all these years? If so, was that creepy or sweet?
“Court, what is it?” Candy wore a concerned expression.
“I really shouldn’t say. It’s not right.”
“I won’t say anything.”
“How about I go straighten the stockroom and give you two a few minutes?” Bailey didn’t even wait for a response, just pushed the swinging door and disappeared.
Courtney sighed. “I don’t feel right sharing this.”
“It’s obviously bothering you. You need to get it out so you can get over whatever it is.”
She hoped she didn’t come to regret this. “Do you promise it stays between us?”
“Pinky.” She held her small finger out.
Courtney linked pinkies with her then said, “Braden confessed he’s a virgin.”
“Whoa, that’s kinda hot.”
“Hot? Seriously?” She hadn’t seen it that way. When he’d told her, she’d wanted to bolt from the bar. It felt like pressure. As though she was the one to shape him for his life—did she want that kind of responsibility?
“Yeah. You get to teach him how to please a woman—specifically you. Who wouldn’t like that?”
“You have a point.”
“Damn straight, I do.”
“But isn’t it weird he’s waited so long?”
Her friend shrugged. “No. It’s sweet. He’s not a man whore like the rest of the guys around here. He must really respect women. He’s fucking sexy as hell, so it’s not like he’s not had the chance.”
Courtney giggled. “That’s true, but I don’t want to take his virginity if we’re not meant to be.”
“Then you need to figure out what you want.”
“That’s a lot of pressure when we just started to date, though I feel like I’ve known him forever when we’re together.” She’d known him for years, but as a couple, it felt natural.
“Then take it slow. Hell, you know getting you in the sack isn’t his top priority. You can get to know him.”
She nodded, liking the thought. The pressure of sex wasn’t there, like with most men. “You’ve given me a lot to think about.”
“Good. I sure as hell hope you plan on fucking his brains out though.”
She grinned. “You’re so dirty, Candy.”
“I get around.” She winked.
Courtney rolled her eyes. “I need to run a few errands. Can you and Bailey handle opening?”
“Of course. No one comes in here at three PM.”
“I’ll be back.” She grabbed her purse from under the bar and left.
As she drove to the local hardware store, she felt better. Talking to Candy had been the right thing. Having someone else’s perspective had helped a lot, because, as of last night, she had thought about ending things.
It wasn’t as though when he was sixteen he’d made some decision to save it for her. She was being egotistical even thinking that way. For whatever reason, the right woman hadn’t come around. It wasn’t even like he said she was the one. He’d stopped her when she was seducing him.
Oh God, what if I’m not his first? She groaned. This was insane, all this thinking about his lack of sex. It wasn’t like she had a whole lot of notches in her belt.
She parked her car in front of the worn-out wooden building. She’d go in and get the things on her list and head back to Long Necks. As she scanned the aisles, she had a sinking feeling someone watched her. Which was insane, because who would be watching her, except the old man behind the counter. His vision probably wasn’t even all there.
She grabbed the brackets needed to fix the storage room door, now all she had to find was caulk. As she spun around, she came face-to-face with Melissa.
“Oh, hey. Sorry, I didn’t see you.” Courtney smiled. “How are you?”
“Good. You?”
“I’m okay,” Courtney said.
“I spoke with Braden earlier.”
Something in his sister’s tone led her to believe that he’d told Melissa about how strange she had acted after his confession. “I did too.”
“You’re not gonna dump him, are you?” She twirled a lock of hair.
“No. Why would you think that?”
“You know why.”
She didn’t want to discuss this with his sister. That was just weird. “I’m cool with it. It was a lot to take in at first, but it’s fine, really.”
Melissa crossed her arms. “Just don’t play him.”
“Have I given off the vibe I would?”
“That’s the thing, I don’t know. Unlike my brother, who has admired you from afar, and my other two who think you’re a sweet girl, I’m not so sure yet what I think about you.”
Wow, she hadn’t seen that coming. The Carvers had never been anything but welcoming to her. “I’m sorry you feel that way. I need to finish getting supplies and get back to the bar. Is there anything else you wanted to say?”
“Just don’t hurt my brother.”
“I don’t plan on it. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” She brushed past Melissa.
In the section with the caulking material, she let out a loud sigh. She wasn’t used to family being in her business. Her dad never wanted to know the details of her life. The Carvers were close, which meant they’d always know everything going on between the two of them. Was Braden going to run to them each time they had a fight? Having people in her business wasn’t something she wanted.
Courtney kept things to herself. Before she took this relationship much farther, she needed to sit down with Braden and express her desires that their relationship stay between them.
Chapter 9
“Do you think Braden will like my picture?” Anna asked from the backseat of Courtney’s small sedan.
“He’ll love it.” She turned down the road that led to Carver Ranch for Anna’s lesson.
She was nervous as hell. Braden hadn’t come into the bar last night. She’d spent all night hoping he’d show up. Disappointment flooded her when closing time came and he wasn’t there.