Tightwad (Caldwell Brothers Book 2)

by Colleen Charles

  A couple minutes later I was turning into the parking lot of our new business. Immediately, Quinn asked me, “What are we doing here?”

  “I think I forgot something important inside,” I said parking the car.

  “What’s wrong?” Quinn said, his face a mask of concern.

  “Nothing,” I opened the car door and stepped out. “Just had some ideas I wanted to show you. Blueprints.”

  “But…the crab legs. I’m starving.” He reluctantly got out of the car and followed me to the front door.

  “Hold your horses, hungry man. This won’t take long,” I answered.

  He followed me, as I knew he would. Like a lamb to slaughter.

  I used my key to open the front door and we walked inside. The interior was dark as Quinn fiddled around for the lights.

  “It smells like fresh paint,” Quinn said as the lights came on.

  I watched his face as he looked around to see the entire reception area had been painted, furnished and completely renovated. He turned around in circles, mouth gaping open. “What in the world is going on?”

  “I renovated the office,” I stated the obvious. “Do you like it?”

  “Um, I don’t know what to say.”

  I wasn’t sure how to take that. Was he unhappy that I did this behind his back? Or was he just in shock?

  “You can say that you like it.” I continued to watch as he wandered around the reception area taking it all in. My knees quaked and all I wanted to do was collapse in an emotional puddle on the floor.

  “I do like it. It’s just – “Quinn sank down into one of the guest chairs. “I wasn’t expecting this. You did this all on your own?”

  I nodded. “Would you like to see the rest of the office?”

  Quinn looked at me with big eyes. “You mean there’s more?”

  I laughed, fortified with a wave of confidence that he didn’t seem mad. “You didn’t think I would half-ass it, did you?”

  He got to his feet and we walked down the hallway. The conference room was the first door to the right. I stood behind him as he opened it.

  “Surprise!” Voices yelled out as Quinn walked in.

  “What the …” My heart galloped at his shocked expression. Never saw that one coming. That’s the best technique. Stun them with the first surprise and then knock them down with the second.

  All of our friends and close family stood in the conference room. His mom and dad had traveled down from Georgia, my parents were there, our siblings, Mr. Albertson and some of the crew from his old office. Mark, his physical therapist called out from the corner of the room, “I bet you weren’t expecting this after what I put you through today!”

  Quinn shook his head and went to hug his parents. “I can’t believe this.”

  I stepped around the well-wishers and found my friend, Diana. “You pulled it off,” she told me.

  “We pulled it off,” I said. I gave her a hug. “Thanks for all your help. The office looks great.”

  We had a nice spread on the conference room table and credenza. I even made sure the caterer brought in cold stone crab claws with hot mustard sauce for Quinn. We also had chicken and steak kebabs, fried mushrooms, shrimp quesadillas, and zucchini sticks. All of Quinn’s favorite foods. Imported beers, wine, and an array of soft drinks. It was a nice evening to share with all our loved ones.

  But the best thing about it was seeing a smile on Quinn’s face. I’d worried at first that he wouldn’t like the office or he’d be disappointed that I did it without his knowledge. Technically, we both put in fifty-fifty for the business. Equal partners. I should’ve asked him before I spent a lot of money on expensive design. But my gift came straight from my loving heart. Seeing the smile on his face now was worth all the worrying and debating.

  At the end of the evening, Quinn shuffled with exhaustion. We said our goodbyes and strode to the parking lot. As we got into the car, Quinn leaned over and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

  “What is that for?” I asked.

  “Thank you,” Quinn said quietly. “That was the best surprise I’ve ever received. Ever.”

  I leaned back in the driver’s seat. “You’re not mad?”

  “Why would I be mad?” he asked, mouthing hanging open in shock at the question.

  “I took the liberty of renovating our new business without discussing it with you first,” I apologized as I started the ignition. “We’re partners.”

  “What you did was very brave. And sweet. I appreciate it more than you’ll ever know. Besides I dig your taste. You picked me didn’t you? Twice.”

  I felt a rush of heat flood my body. “I wanted to do something to show how committed I was to you and the business.”

  Quinn rubbed a thumb over my cheek. “I love you for that.”

  “How about we get home and you can show me just how much?”

  We hadn’t made love since the accident. Quinn always seemed to find some excuse why he couldn’t do it. Since I didn’t want to push him, I’d just allowed him to go at his own pace. He’d be ready when he was ready.

  “Why wait?” Quinn picked up my hand and kissed it.

  I giggled. “Because my parents are still in the office and if they came out and saw us making out in the car …”

  “Good point,” he said, blue eyes twinkling with desire. “How fast can you get us home?”

  I cranked up the car and put it in reverse. “Five minutes.”

  * * *

  We made it home in record time. Quinn kicked the door open with his good leg and pulled me over the threshold, never breaking contact. We managed to land on the couch, limbs twisted with desire. I ripped at my clothes in a frantic attempt to get them off my fevered skin, then went to work on his.

  I lifted his shirt, pausing to scrape my nails across the indentions of his abs. I pulled it over his head, and admired his sculpted physique. The recent work Quinn had put in at PT was evident. He’d lost muscle mass laying in that ICU for so many days, but he was starting to look like his old self in body and in expression. Better than ever.

  Quinn turned, opened his mouth and latched onto my right nipple. Licking. Sucking. Easy, at first, then harder, tugging and nipping. He breathed out a huff of cold air on the turgid tip. Whimpering, I tried pulling away but he threaded his fingers through my long curls and wouldn’t let me move. My breath caught as he raked his teeth over the swollen pink tip.

  I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Quinn and my hazel ones locked with his. He had the passion back in those azure eyes. Burning with desire. For me. His quick tongue lashed at my nipple, his left hand kneading my other breast. As my body tightened and trembled in response, I could feel the heat rising within and wetness pool between my legs.

  Pushing him back, I managed to tug his pants and underwear down far enough to free him. I held his rigid cock in both hands. My fingertips traced the thick veins along the sexy length, paying extra attention to the sensitive spot underneath the tip. Quinn hissed in a breath and a drop of pre-cum escaped. I used it to tease him as I continued to run both hands up and down the velvety smooth skin.

  His mouth covered mine as I guided him to my quivering opening. Our tongues tangled in a dance as I continued to rub his cock over the swollen lips of my sex, heightening my pleasure until I felt like I couldn’t last another second without him impaling me. He suddenly pulled back and growled, “Let’s go slow. I don’t want this to end.”

  I shivered not knowing if I could take it slow. I had been waiting for this for months. “I’m not making any promises.”

  Quinn reached up and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. “I wouldn’t expect any less. Ashton, look at me. I need to know something.”

  “Anything,” I said, never letting go of him and trying in vain to drive him deep. He still leaned back, denying me and speared me with a demanding gaze.

  “Are you repulsed by any part of me?”

  I locked eyes with his again and smiled. How could he ask me that? There wasn’t
an inch of him that I didn’t love. Not the ones made of flesh or the ones made of titanium.

  “Quinn Andrews. You are the hottest, sexiest man in the entire Universe. You’re my first and will be my only. No one could ever entice me to be or make me as turned on as you do. If you do not fuck me right now, I’m going to go mad with wanting.”

  He growled at the feel of me, grabbing my hips as he pulled me down, the tip of his cock spreading my sex open. Then Quinn gave me what I’d been begging for and entered me with one smooth, needy thrust.

  I ground my clit against him, sighing with pleasure. It had been so long. Too long. And now, it felt like coming home. I moaned and ground against his pubic bone as he filled me completely. This felt right. It felt amazing.

  Quinn continued to lift me with his strong arms and when he lowered me again, making me take every inch, he groaned with delight. “I love how tight your pussy is as it squeezes my cock. Because you were made just for me. And only me. I’m sorry it took so long for me to feel comfortable doing this. I forgot for a moment how good you feel, Ashton.”

  Running my tongue over my dry lips, I answered, “It’s good that we waited. It feels so good. I’d never want to rush you into intimacy that you weren’t ready for.”

  Over and over, I continued to push up, then slid back down. A steady rhythm developed as my buttocks sat on his thighs, taking him deeper inside of me each time. I whimpered as I could feel his cock throbbing inside of me. I realized he wasn’t done with me yet. This was just the beginning.

  I kissed Quinn, savoring his taste as my tongue did a slow slide against his. He kissed me back with urgency as we worked together in a nice rhythm.

  I placed my hands on his shoulders and fucked him with everything that I had. Screw it. I wasn’t going to take it slow.

  I waited for this.

  I wanted him now.

  I gave it everything that I had.

  Quinn was delicious. With his cock moving inside of me, I could feel the twitching signaling that he was close.

  I slid my hands over his slick chest. I loved the way his body responded to mine as his cock was pushed deep inside of me. I couldn’t get enough of Quinn.

  “I’m getting close,” he whispered in my ear. “So close. You’re driving me absolutely crazy.”

  I was deliriously happy. I loved the way that Quinn made me feel safe. He always put my needs ahead of his. Throwing my head back, I moaned as Quinn plunged into me harder and harder. “I’m losing control.”

  Reaching down between us, Quinn rubbed my clit with the pad of his thumb, sending me over the edge. I cried out his name as his cock thrusted inside of me one more time.

  His cock jerked, sending quivers down my spine as he spurted hotly inside of me. His lips met mine as we kissed a final time. Trying to slow my breathing, I collapsed on top of him.

  Quinn tilted his head and kissed me on the forehead. “I love you, Ashton.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Quinn

  Searching the pocket of my shorts I felt around to be sure the small velvet box was still tucked inside. A jolt of nervous energy traveled through my stomach, flipping it over. I’d never done this before and it was a once in a lifetime event. Here I stood. The guy who’d had a crush on his best friend’s sister since middle school quivered with insecurity about asking her to marry him.

  But Ashton wasn’t just any girl. She was the girl that had stolen my heart and never let go. There was no one else like her. I’d been in love with her since I’d taken her virginity when we were just teenagers and didn’t know any better. Then I’d left her with no explanation, just walked right out of her life. That wasn’t ever going to happen again.

  But Ashton had forgiven me and for that, I sat in gratitude. And she now still accepted me and wanted me in spite of my handicaps. The day she’d walked back onto my life and turned it upside down, hovered in my mind as the best ever. Her power suit, her bad-ass negotiation skills and the way her perfect chest had heaved as she’d laid her palms on the mahogany conference table to get her point across. It was touch and go during those few days we’d reconnected, but we’d persevered.

  Despite my accident and losing part of my leg, Ashton remained staunch and supportive by my side. Like a loving wife would have done. Which was why her single status deserved to be rectified today. She’d gripped my heart in an iron fist and shaken it, then settled deep into my soul. I was so damn crazy about Ashton. Ten years later, she still made my head spin.

  I didn’t bother to dress up, anxious to get the words out of the way so we could just get on to the happily ever after portion. I hobbled into the kitchen where Ashton stood at the sink looking out at the glassy blue sheen of the pool. Her curly blonde hair still damp from her morning swim cascaded over tanned, firm shoulders. She wore a skimpy navy bathing suit. The early summer sun pushed its way over the horizon as Minnie, our adopted alley cat, bathed in the drowsy heat. It wouldn’t be long until triple digit numbers hit the Florida coastline, causing a massive heat wave.

  Ashton turned when she heard me approach. Her smile, brighter than the morning sunshine, reached my eyes and then cast its glow over the tiny kitchen. She’d only been living here about three months, but it seemed like she’d always been here because she’d lived in my heart even before she’d moved into my house. Every time I touched her, every time I looked at her, it felt fresh. New. She turned me to mush with just a simple thing like brushing a wayward piece of hair from her eyes. Or chewing her thumbnail when nerves got the better of her. I’d learned all her nuances. And I cherished them all.

  “I’m going to miss this house,” I pulled out a chair and sat at the small dining table. Eggs, bacon and pancakes lay piled in platters on the Formica.

  “I’m going to miss this place too,” Ashton said. She’d made this awesome breakfast hoping it would make me feel better about selling my Nanna’s house. My grandparents had lived at the beach house since my grandfather had retired from BellSouth in his early sixties. Despite my initial misgivings about selling the place to Jed, I’d given in. We’d agreed to a purchase price of seven hundred thousand even.

  With the proceeds, Ashton and I had arranged to buy a bay front home that had every feature on our wish list. A great place to raise a family. We’d loved being near the beach, but wanted something with a larger yard. And lush, green grass to run through with bare feet. With having kids on the agenda, we wanted to be in a more established neighborhood. What we didn’t expect is for the beach house to close so quickly. Now, we needed to move in two months. Not nearly enough time to pack away thirty years of memories.

  Ashton carried a steaming pot of coffee to the table and stood in front of me as she poured me a cup. I stared at her. The compulsion to stroke her silky skin overtook my senses and I gave in, caressing her lower back. She set the coffee pot on the macramé hot pad Nanna had made as I reached out and took hold of her hands. We’d spent the early hours of the morning, before her swim, making love. I wanted her again already. Seemed that once the cap had burst off the bottle, my passion was unable to be tamped back down.

  A wicked sparkle flashed in her eyes. “Will that chair hold both of us?”

  I wiggled my finger at her. “Come here and let’s find out.”

  She chewed a thumbnail in consideration. “I’m game if you are.” She slipped off her bikini bottoms as I unzipped my shorts. She straddled my lap. My face pushed against her breasts as she slid down over my hard cock. I ran my tongue along the edge of her bikini top and took a finger to lift the thin fabric off her body. She shrugged the top off, her pink nipples mocking me.

  Ashton giggled as the chair squeaked angrily. Chair, please don’t shatter now. At least not until we’re done. I slid my hands underneath her ass, and she rode me at her own pace. She lowered her lips to mine, flicking her tongue into my mouth as I thrusted into her over and over, rocking the rickety chair to the cheap plywood limit.

  Her movements quickened as she leaned her hips
forward. My cock quivered as she ground her sweet pussy against me. Our kiss deepened as we neared climax, tongues intertwined just as our bodies were. I still loved the taste of Ashton. Sweet with a hint of syrup and coffee.

  She pulled back as soft moans drifted from her mouth, and she held me tight. I felt her wet pussy as it clenched around my cock, pulling an earth shattering orgasm from deep within me. Ashton shuddered as she slid back and forth over me, bringing me closer to the edge of no return. I thrust deep inside her one final time as a guttural sound rolled up from my throat.

  “I’m ready,” I said, holding her tightly as I came.

  “Oh, baby, you feel amazing,” Ashton said, collapsing against me. After a few seconds she let out a giggle, “They don’t make chairs like this anymore. I can’t believe it held up through that level of pressure.”

  “Let’s go sit down in the living room,” I suggested. “My ass hurts from this old creaky chair. Not that I don’t thank it profusely for staying together.”

  I pulled up my shorts, still feeling the outline of the velvet box.

  Ashton led me back to the living area, the biggest room in the house. We climbed under a soft blanket and snuggled. Despite the heat of the summer day, I liked to keep the cottage at a cooler temperature, like sixty-eight degrees. Ashton was always complaining it was too cold due to her hot Atlanta blood, but I think she was getting used to it.

  I blew out a deep breath and pulled the box from its hiding spot. Ashton had rested her head against my shoulder.

  “When I’m sitting here with you like this, I have to remind myself that this is all real. It’s not a dream.”

  I kissed her on the forehead. “You make me incredibly happy.” I fished out the box, surprised she hadn’t noticed it yet. “Ashton, will you promise me that you’ll stay with me forever and ever?” I lifted the box up over the blanket and opened it. Ashton’s wide eyes stared at the ring.

  “Ashton Jansen, will you marry me?”