by Lynn LaFleur
The mental image of the petite Dolly beating all those tall men in darts made Julia laugh. She’d love to see that.
“Stephen will be hard to beat tonight if he won his race today.”
Julia paused with her glass raised halfway to her mouth. A sudden chill chased away all the warmth she’d felt after talking with Stephen. “Race?”
“Stephen and four or five other guys race their motorcycles the first Saturday of every month. They each put one hundred dollars into the pot. Stephen usually wins.”
Slowly, she lowered her glass back to the table. “Stephen races motorcycles?”
“Oh, yeah. He’s good at it, too. Like I said, he usually wins that race every month.” She glanced at the clock on the wall. “I’d better clean up in here and shower if I’m going to make it to work by five.”
“I’ll take care of the kitchen.”
Smiling, Dolly reached across the table and squeezed Julia’s hand. “Thank you, sweetie.”
Julia’s mind whirled while she emptied the dishwasher and loaded it with the dirty dishes and utensils from Dolly’s baking spree. Stephen raced motorcycles. That didn’t mean he was an adrenaline junky like Cole. Dolly said the race occurred once a month. Julia didn’t know if someone hooked on adrenaline could wait a whole month for a “fix.” Cole certainly hadn’t. He’d done something to make his blood thunder through his body every few days.
The more she thought about Stephen’s racing, the more she realized she had no right to question anything he chose to do. They barely knew each other. It would be a long time—if ever—that she could call what they had a relationship. They were still in that getting-to-know-each-other stage. Perhaps she’d fallen in bed with him too quickly, yet she’d wanted to make love with him as much as he seemed to want her. As long as they desired each other, she saw no reason for them not to be together sexually.
She added detergent to the dishwasher and started the wash cycle. For now, she planned to enjoy her time with Stephen and not worry about anything but deciding what she would wear on her date tonight.
The way Stephen’s eyes lit up when she opened the front door showed her he approved of her choice of white capris, a pale lilac tank top, and a short-sleeved, dark lilac blouse that she left unbuttoned. His gaze swept all the way down to her white sandals and back to her face. “I’ve changed my mind about going to O’Sullivan’s. Let’s order a pizza, stay here, and make out.”
Julia laughed at the hopeful expression on his face. “No.”
“Damn it. I never get nothing.”
She reached up and patted his cheek. “You poor baby.” Grabbing her keys and purse from the accent table by the door, she pushed him back and stepped over the threshold. “My mouth has been watering all day for fish and chips. You aren’t getting out of taking me to O’Sullivan’s now.”
He slipped his arms around her waist from behind as she locked the door. “I hope you have something in mind for later to make up for my suffering.”
She looked at him over her shoulder. “Did you buy the condoms?”
“Two large boxes, just like you told me to.” He took her hand, led her toward his Mustang. “Of course, I had to put up with the ribbing from James at Caldwell Apothecary when he said I must have big plans for the weekend.”
He opened the passenger side door for her. “You could have told him you were simply restocking,” she said after sliding onto the seat.
“A small box is restocking. Two large boxes means plans.”
“Is that part of the guy code?”
“I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you ’cause you aren’t a guy.” He tapped the end of her nose. “And I’m very glad about that.”
Several cars filled spaces in the parking lot of O’Sullivan’s. Julia felt as if she’d walked into a family reunion with so many people greeting Stephen when they entered the pub. He kept one hand on the small of her back, waved to the people with the other.
An impression of friendliness and warmth struck her as she glanced around the spacious room. Three dart boards hung on the wall to her left with customers playing a game at all of them. A stone fireplace occupied part of the space by the dart boards, now dark and unlit due to the warm weather. A large, lighted bar with an impressive display of different liquor bottles occupied the place to her right. Tall padded stools surrounded the bar, covered in the same dark leather as the chairs and booths placed throughout the room. The scent of cooking food filled the air, enticing a person to sit down for something to eat and a cold drink to wash it down.
She felt as if she’d stepped into a pub in the United Kingdom.
Stephen led her to a table for four close to the back. A very pregnant woman sat there, drinking a glass of iced tea. Her face lit up with a smile as they approached. “Hey, handsome.”
“Hey, gorgeous.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek, then playfully rubbed her rounded tummy. “How’s my little cousin doing?”
“Kicking up a storm. He’s either going to be a punter or a soccer player.” She turned her gaze to Julia. “Hi.”
“Hannah, this is Julia Woods. She’s new to Lanville. Julia, Hannah McGettis, Dusty’s wife.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Hannah.”
“Nice to meet you, too. Dusty’s told me about you.”
The calculating gleam in Hannah’s eyes made Julia wonder exactly what Dusty had said.
She sat in the chair Stephen held for her. “I’ll go to the bar and get us a drink. What’ll you have?”
“White wine.”
“Okay.” He motioned toward Hannah’s half-empty glass. “Want another tea?”
She sighed dramatically. “Yes, since I can’t have a Guinness.”
Stephen chuckled. “You can make up for the lack of liquor once the baby is born.”
Before Stephen could leave the table, Dusty walked up and slapped his cousin on the back. “So? Did you win?”
A wide grin spread across Stephen’s lips. “What do you think?”
Dusty grinned, too, then let out an ear-piercing whistle. Once everyone stopped talking and looked his direction, he yelled out, “Stephen won today. Next round’s on him.”
Applause erupted throughout the pub. Apparently no one had to explain to the crowd exactly what Stephen had won. They already knew.
So did Julia since Dolly had told her about the race, but she wanted to hear the explanation from Stephen. “What did you win?”
“I’ll tell you when I get back with the drinks. Guinness, Dusty?”
“I’ll go with you.”
She watched the two men walk to the bar. They both possessed muscular bodies from the physical labor of their jobs. Otherwise, the cousins favored little physically—Dusty’s light brown hair and blue eyes completely opposite from Stephen’s dark brown hair and cognac eyes—but they both had that swagger Dolly mentioned.
She turned her attention back to Hannah. Dusty’s wife had fair skin, dark brown hair that curled to her shoulders, and icy blue eyes. Julia could sum up her looks with one word—stunning . “When is your baby due?”
“Mid-July. I am so ready to hold him.”
“You know it’s a boy?”
Hannah nodded. “Dusty and I were going to be surprised, but then we decided we wanted to know for sure. All his little dangly bits showed up clearly on the ultrasound last week.”
Julia laughed while Hannah grinned. She liked the open friendliness of the lovely brunette. “Have you picked out a name?”
“Finally. Dusty’s real first name is Randall and I wanted to name our son after him. He thinks Randall is a stuck-up name, which is why he goes by Dusty. But he finally agreed on Randall as the first name if our baby’s middle name could be Jacob, which is Stephen’s middle name. We’re going to call him R. J.” She swirled her straw through her tea, making the ice cubes tinkle against the glass. “Dusty is an only child and grew up with Stephen and his brothers. He and Stephen have always been tight, even though Dusty is closer in ag
e to Stephen’s brother Mark. Dusty and Stephen bonded when they were children and have stayed close ever since.”
“Stephen must be honored to have his cousin named after him.”
“We haven’t told him yet. We’re keeping the name secret until after R. J. is born.” Hannah’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “I can hardly wait to see the look on Stephen’s face when we introduce him to little Randall Jacob. He is such a sensitive man with deep feelings. I know he’ll cry.” Hannah’s eyes suddenly filled with tears. She dabbed at them with her napkin. “Just like me. Damn pregnancy hormones.”
The men arrived with the drinks at the same time a young waitress stepped up to the table. “Hey, y’all.”
“Hey, Nina,” Dusty said.
“Does anyone need a menu?”
Stephen looked at Julia as he sat on the chair to her right. “Fish and chips still okay with you? They come with coleslaw and baked beans, too.”
“Sounds great.”
Stephen turned back to the waitress. “Fish and chips all around, Nina.”
“Got it.” She made a note on her order pad before she grinned at him. “I’ve started the tab of drinks for you.”
“Gee, thanks.”
With a sparkling laugh, she moved on to the next table. Julia decided the mention of Stephen’s tab would be the perfect opening to ask him about the race. “What did you win and why are you buying drinks?”
Stephen took a long pull from his mug of Guinness before he spoke. “I’m in a motorcycle race the first Saturday of every month with five other guys. We all chip in one hundred dollars. Whoever wins the race wins the money.”
“So you won five hundred dollars today?”
“Yeah.”
“What he isn’t telling you,” Dusty said, “is that he usually wins.”
Stephen shrugged. “I’ve been lucky.”
“You’re skilled, man, not lucky.”
“Hey, McGettis,” a man called from the area of the dart boards, “you wanna lose some of that money you won today?”
“Who’s supposed to beat me, Greene?”
“Come over here and find out.”
“The tournament doesn’t start until eight.”
“Afraid you’ll lose now?”
“Yeah, right.” He lowered his voice before he spoke to Julia again. “That’s Jaxon Greene. The guy next to him is Bain Duncan. They work at the newspaper.”
Julia touched the back of his hand. “If you want to play a game with them, don’t feel like you have to entertain me. I was enjoying talking to Hannah.”
“Yeah,” Hannah said. “Why don’t you guys go play until the food comes?”
“I think they’re trying to get rid of us,” Stephen said.
“They probably want to talk about girl stuff.” Dusty gave his wife a quick kiss. “Back in a bit.”
Once the men left, Julia leaned forward in her chair. “Tell me more about Stephen.”
8
“You’re quiet,” Stephen said halfway to Dolly’s house. “Is something wrong?”
Yes, something was wrong, but she didn’t know how to bring it up with him, or whether she should say anything at all. “No, of course not. I’m just full from all the fish I ate.”
He reached for her hand, lifted it to his mouth, and kissed her palm. “Good, huh?”
“The best I’ve ever eaten.”
He smiled, kissed her hand again. “I’m glad you liked it.”
“I enjoyed everything about tonight, even if you didn’t win the dart tournament.”
“That damn Jax beats me almost every time.”
She could see the smile still tugging at his lips, so she knew losing didn’t truly upset him. She studied his profile in the dim light from the dash. Her conversation with Hannah while Stephen and Dusty played darts with Jax and Bain had been very enlightening. Not only did Stephen race motorcycles, he also went white-water rafting and participated in several other activities that could easily put his life in danger.
A true adrenaline junky, just like Cole.
She didn’t have the nerve to travel that road again. She should end their relationship now, before her feelings for Stephen deepened.
Stephen pulled over to the side of the road. Leaving the motor running, he turned in the seat to face her. “The road to my house is coming up soon. We can keep going to Dolly’s, or you can come home with me. Your choice.”
It would be awkward to ask him to take her back to Dolly’s house once she told him good-bye. If she told him good-bye. “Dolly’s.”
He touched her cheek with the back of his knuckle. “You got it.”
Stephen had sensed Julia’s discomfort all evening. She’d laughed and talked and been friendly with everyone he introduced her to, yet he knew something bothered her.
He wanted her fiercely, but perhaps he should tell her good night at the front door and leave.
Deciding he’d take his cue from her, Stephen parked in Dolly’s driveway behind Julia’s car. He met her at the hood of his car, took her hand, and led her to the porch. Once they reached the door, he released her hand and took a step back, giving her the chance to invite him inside or say good-bye.
Julia unlocked the door, stepped over the threshold. She stood still, her back to him, for several seconds before her shoulders rose and fell with a deep breath. Turning to face him, she held out her hand to him.
Relief surged through him, along with the desire to hold her. He stepped inside, closed the door, and drew her into his arms. He held her close for long moments before he covered her lips with his.
Her soft lips moved, parted, beneath his. She pressed her body close so he could feel her firm breasts against his chest. He wanted them in his hands, her hard nipples in his mouth. He longed to touch every inch of her skin.
It almost frightened him how much he craved her.
She took his hand and led him to her bedroom. The lamps on either side of the bed came on when she flipped the wall switch. She stopped beside the bed, looked at him with lust burning in her eyes. Taking her quickly would be easy. He had no doubt her pussy already creamed from desire. Fast and furious didn’t work for him. He wanted to take his time and savor her.
He kissed the spot beneath her ear that he’d already learned made her breath hitch. “I’m going to undress you.”
“Okay,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Blood surged in his cock when he heard her breathy surrender. Stephen moved up her neck, dropping gentle, nipping kisses until he reached her mouth. Once again, it softened beneath his. He laid one hand over her heart. It pounded beneath his palm. Moving his hand lower, he cradled her breast and gently squeezed it. Her moan urged him to continue, to give her even more.
He would gladly give her whatever she needed.
He slipped the blouse from her shoulders, let it fall to the floor behind her. The tank top followed. Before he could unhook her bra, she tugged his T-shirt out of his jeans and slid her hands beneath the fabric. Now Stephen moaned when she scratched his nipples.
“You don’t like scratching?” she asked.
“Love scratching.” He proved his words by digging his fingernails into her ass. “And biting.” He scraped his teeth across her neck. “And sucking.” Placing his mouth over the throbbing pulse in her neck, he sucked hard.
“Are you giving me a hickey?”
He’d love to mark her neck so everyone would know she belonged with him, but wouldn’t do that when she started a brand-new job in two days. However, he could suck on other parts of her body that no one else would see. And he would love doing that.
Still holding tightly to her ass, Stephen brushed his dick back and forth on her mound. Julia whimpered. She rubbed both thumbs over his nipples, urging them to hardness. Stephen loved her touch, but wanted to give her pleasure before he thought about himself. Grabbing the hem of his T-shirt, he jerked it over his head and dropped it on top of her blouse and tank. Her bra soon followed. He tugged her clo
ser, until her breasts once again flattened against his chest.
She drew back so they no longer touched. “I want to look at you.”
Stephen stood still while her gaze moved over him. She glided her hands over his shoulders, across his chest, and down his flat stomach to the waistband of his jeans. She loosened the buckle on his belt before looking back into his eyes.
“Don’t stop now,” he said, his voice raspy.
Her gaze still locked with his, she unsnapped his jeans and slowly lowered the zipper. Stephen kissed her neck again as she pulled his briefs away from his body. He waited, breath held, for her hand on his hard flesh.
He blew out his breath with a groan when she slid her hand inside to wrap around him. He arched his hips forward, searching for more of her soft hand. “Yeah. Touch me.”
She gripped his cock, ran her thumb over the velvety head. He could feel her thumb sliding through the moisture oozing from the slit. Cradling her face, he drove his tongue deep into her mouth as she spread the pre-cum over the tip.
The sensation became too much when she started moving her hand up and down his shaft. He had to stop her before he wouldn’t be able to.
“How about if we get rid of the rest of our clothes?” Stephen asked as he pulled her hand out of his briefs. He gently pushed on her shoulders until she sat on the side of the bed. Dropping to his knees, he slipped off her sandals. He massaged one foot, then the other, until her eyes turned slumberous.
She leaned over and kissed him. Her position let her breasts sway away from her body. He couldn’t resist cradling them while her lips and tongue played over his mouth.
Her breathing sounded heavy and harsh when she ended the kiss. “I want to watch you take off your clothes.”
Happy to do what she requested, Stephen stood. He toed off his shoes, then removed his socks. He liked that Julia’s breathing became heavier when he hooked his thumbs in the sides of his jeans. They and his briefs fell to the floor at the same time. He kicked them aside. His cock stood up, thick and long and straight, with moisture still leaking from the slit.