Maybe for You--A Whiskey and Weddings Novel

by Nicole McLaughlin

  He chuckled quietly and did as she asked, moving from one place to the other fluidly, taking her close and then pulling her back. Finally, he focused on one spot and it wasn’t long before she was coming with such intensity she felt tears prickling her eyes. “Holy shit,” she whispered. “Oh God.” Her head fell back to the mattress as the waves crested and then ebbed.

  Taking a deep yet shaky breath, she looked down to find him watching her face. She couldn’t quite read his expression, but it didn’t recall the look of a man about to get laid.

  “Come here,” she said.

  He did, crawling up her body. When she could tell he was about to lie to the side of her, she stilled him with a hand on his firm chest.

  “What are you doing?” she asked. “Stay here.”

  Sliding her hands around to his butt, she tugged him down on top of her. He allowed it, holding much of his weight off of her by resting on his elbows.

  He swiped her hair off her face. “Was that good?” he asked. She realized he meant it as a legit question, and she let out an awkward laugh.

  “Weren’t you here?” Suddenly it occurred to her. She frowned. “Wait, was that … a pity orgasm?”

  His eyes narrowed. “Of course not. Why would you say that?”

  “Well, because I thought we came in here with the same end goal in mind. Screwing. But I get this weird feeling that you were planning to leave it at that.”

  His lips pursed, and her heart sank. He ran a thumb over her lip. “Alex, I don’t want to rush this. Or have you do anything you regret.”

  She considered that. Obviously, he was trying to be caring, and at his own peril, because she could feel an amazingly hard erection pressing against her. “Jake, I’m fully capable of deciding when I want to have sex with someone. I chose you. I thought you wanted me too.”

  “I do,” he said intently. “Like crazy. The past day or two it’s been on my mind constantly, but I also spent a lot of time telling myself to stay back. Not only are you—and I know you don’t like this—but you are one of my best friends’ sister. A sister who’s been through some shit, and I know more than most about what you’ve been feeling because we’ve become close. I don’t want anything to go wrong with that.”

  “Then don’t let it go wrong. We’re just making each other feel good. That’s all this is. I’m leaving in a few months, so I’m not looking for a boyfriend, Jake. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to do that again. But we can have fun on this trip. I need to remember what pleasure feels like. And I don’t just mean my own. I want to give you pleasure.”

  Her heart soared when she felt him press his pelvis into hers in a gentle grind. She definitely wasn’t letting him get away with playing the role of upstanding gentleman now.

  “When we’re back home, everything will be just as it was. Please.” At this point she wasn’t above begging. She wanted him inside of her so much, it was a physical ache.

  “Alex.” His whisper was part groan, his eyes settling on her mouth.

  She stroked his face, cupping his jaw. “What?”

  “Do you have any idea how sexy you are? How hard it is to tell you no?”

  “Then tell me yes.”

  His eyes pinched shut for a moment and then he was on her, his chest smashing her breasts, his mouth devouring her.

  “Get these off,” she muttered against his mouth, shoving at his underwear.

  Doing as she requested, he reached down and fumbled around. When he laid back down on her, she let out a moan at the contact of his length pressing into her. Her hands on his butt, she felt the muscles clench as he rocked against her.

  “You’re so wet,” he whispered, grinding against her folds.

  “If you keep that up, I could go again.”

  His deep chuckle filled her ear as he kissed along her jaw. She reached down to slip her hand in her skirt pocket, grateful he’d asked her to keep it on and making this easy.

  “Here,” she held the condom she’d purchased in the hotel gift shop near his face.

  He grabbed it and pushed up to rest on his knees. Taking his fully nude form in for the first time, she bit at her lower lip. Right now was not the time to compare him to anyone else. She couldn’t go there, and she didn’t need to. He was perfect, and her body began to hum in anticipation as she watched him roll the condom down, taking note that next time she needed to size up. And there would be a next time if she had anything to say about it.

  When he was finished, he gave himself one stroke and then held on, looking at her. “You sure, Alex?”

  Inspired, she took the opportunity to scoot up and over. “Very sure. Lay down.”

  He lifted an eyebrow and then did as she instructed, lying down on his back. “Afraid I was going to try to get away?” he asked. His smile had her doing the same as she lifted a leg and straddled him.

  “Maybe. I also just like it like this.” Her body was positioned just above him as she took his penis into her hand.

  He blew out a hard breath, an intense look of pleasure on his face. “I like it like this too.”

  Alex pushed every thought floating through her mind out of reach as she slowly lowered her body onto him. She watched his lips part, pecs clench, and then felt his body lift, filling her up. His hands went to her skirt.

  “Hold this up,” he said, lifting his head.

  She filled her arms with her skirt, holding it around her waist. Jake reached back and slapped the pillow harder beneath his neck, propping his head up so his eyes could stay on that spot where they were joined.

  “Can you see this?” he asked, as she rose up and then went back down. She couldn’t, which wasn’t fair. She grabbed hold of her skirt and drew it up over her head before tossing it to the floor.

  This left them both naked and joined in the most primal way. After taking a long look at his body entering hers, she let her head lull as she rocked back and forth, hoping for a second release, something she hadn’t always been able to find, especially from penetration. But she wanted it right now, more than anything.

  The feel of Jake’s hands on her waist, guiding her movements, urging her to move faster, harder, had the pleasure building. Dropping forward, she rested her palms on his chest, her body slapping against his. The sound of his muttered encouragement, using the most explicit and naughty language she’d ever heard, should’ve offended her. Instead it had her insides humming and her pelvis thrusting harder against his.

  When it finally broke over her, the release she’d been working toward, she barely registered his deep, “I’m coming, Alex. Keep going, babe.”

  She rocked her body in a steady rhythm, loving the sound of his deep groan filling the room. When she finally slowed and looked down at him, he was grinning up at her. She let out a shaky sigh and smiled right back.

  “Damn, girl,” he said. “That was amazing.”

  “It’s been a while,” she said, making them both laugh. “Hope I didn’t hurt you.”

  His hands rubbed her thighs slowly as he stared up at her. “Hell no. It was amazing.”

  “Yeah, it was.” Almost too amazing.

  Eleven

  Two mornings later, Alex woke up to bright sunlight coming in the RV bedroom window. Picking up her phone, she glanced at the time. Nine. Damn. So much for running today.

  She set the device back down and rolled over to find a naked Jake next to her. They’d had sex for the second night in a row after an exhausting day at the liquor convention. And again, she had absolutely zero regret. In fact, thoughts of all they’d done last night had her blushing, but also wanting to do it all again.

  He was adorable in sleep, his mouth parted, quiet puffs of breath escaping his lips. She reached out and traced a fingernail around his nipple, watching his face. His eyes fluttered without opening, but his mouth slid into a lazy smile. Grinning, she made another circle, forcing him to let out a huffy laugh.

  “Stop.” His hand came up and grabbed hers before yanking her closer. Snuggled against
him, her hands tucked in between their bodies and his head resting on hers, she inhaled his scent.

  “You running this morning?” he asked. She smiled at the way his chin bumped into her head as he spoke.

  “No.”

  “No? What’s gotten into you? Two days in a row,” he teased.

  “I don’t want to move from this spot. Plus, we’ve been getting a lot of exercise walking and lifting things. I’ll get back on schedule when this trip is over.”

  “Mmm hmm, you’re on full vacation mode. Just slumming it, huh?” He gave her butt a playful squeeze.

  She loved the sound of his husky morning voice. “Guess so.”

  An hour later they were up, and Alexis headed to the RV park clubhouse to do her laundry before hitting the road. After getting her load started, she sat down at a table and pulled her journal from her bag.

  Day 415 Day 8 on tour

  Just realized I skipped yesterday. Reason is because … I slept with someone. I’m sorry Nate. It makes me feel sad because it won’t ever be you again, but I don’t feel bad for doing it. I know you want me to be normal. And this is normal. So normal.

  I feel

  She hesitated, looking around at the brightly lit laundry room. How did she feel today?

  happy. One more week on the road and then I’ll spend a few months in Maple Springs. I don’t think I can go back to staying with Dean and Charlotte. I can’t continue to be independent living under their roof. It’s too much like staying with parents. I think I’ll ask Joel if I can hang at his place for a couple of months. He’s cool and laid back. In fact, the more I think about it the more it feels like the right thing.

  Today my intention is to feel optimistic.

  *   *   *

  Late Friday morning, Jake pulled the truck and RV into a giant field in Atlanta that would soon be home to the 98.9 The Hits Summer Music Fest. He hadn’t been to this event before; they’d reached out to the Stag, which had been nice, and he hoped it would go well.

  He and Alex had spent the previous day driving along the Gulf Coast and hitting beach bars to promote Stag products. It had been a successful day, and they’d spent an amazing night at an RV park in Tallahassee.

  He smiled to himself, thinking about last night. Their third time sleeping together. It was still hard to believe that’s what they were doing, but hell if he was going to complain now. These tours had always been enjoyable for him, but this trip with Alex had turned out to be better than he could have imagined. They’d had more fun over the past week than he’d had in who knew how long. And not just because they were now having sex, although that certainly had been good.

  As she’d been doing for a week now, Alex jumped out of the truck and helped him maneuver their rig into a good spot alongside two other vendors. When he hopped down from the truck, he saw that one appeared to be a craft brewery from Atlanta, and the other something odd. He’d noticed it when they pulled up, a giant white spaceship-looking thing on the top of an oversized semi flatbed behind the tent they were setting up.

  “What do you think that’s about?” He nodded toward their neighbor who’d yet to put up a sign revealing who they were and what they were about.

  Alex looked over. “Well, I know that’s a blade from a wind turbine.”

  His eyes went wide. “Huh. I can see that now. Shit, it’s huge. Wonder what they’re doing here.”

  She shrugged. “I’m sure we’ll find out, but I’d assume promoting wind energy.” Her snarky tone caught his attention.

  “All right smart ass,” he said, making her grin, although he was always a little defensive when it came to things that implied he wasn’t as intelligent. When it came to brains, they were probably far from an even match, which didn’t bother him too much, but the last thing he wanted was for her to think that he was incapable or … stupid.

  “Anyway”—he turned away from the turbine and back to her—“we’ve got three hours until they open the gates. Should be a piece of cake.”

  She nodded, looking nervous. He frowned. “What’s wrong?”

  “I uh … what time do we start tomorrow?”

  He thought about it. Tomorrow was Saturday. “I think the gates open about noon, so we should be set up by eleven thirty for sure. Why?”

  “Well. We’re in Atlanta. I just … I’d like to go visit Nate’s grave.”

  His stomach clenched, mouth pinching shut. How had he not seen this coming? “Of course. God, yeah, why didn’t you say something? We’d have left earlier this morning. Or last night.”

  “I don’t need long. Just a little bit of time.”

  “We’ll get you there. I promise. Is it far?”

  She shook her head. “About twenty minutes I’d bet. Especially on a Saturday morning with no traffic.”

  His eyes narrowed as he realized something. “Do you want to go alone?”

  “I can. I don’t expect you to come.”

  “How about I drive you—but then I can wait in the car if you’d prefer.”

  She nodded, smiling. “Okay. I would like you to drive. I’m not even sure I could handle that big-ass beast of a truck.” Stepping forward, she reached up and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”

  Suddenly feeling protective and—what else, he couldn’t say—just weird, he grabbed her hand and pulled her into his chest. She wrapped her arms around his waist and sighed.

  “What’s this for?” She asked, her voice muffled against his T-shirt.

  Hell, he had no idea. The thought of Nate’s grave made him feel odd. Sad and maybe a little jealous. He didn’t want to think that could be it, but he was usually pretty honest with himself. He decided to be honest with her. “I just needed to feel you for a minute.”

  She chuckled and angled her head up to look at him. “You’re sweet, Jake.”

  After a quick kiss, she pulled away and headed to the RV. When he didn’t follow, she turned around, hand up to her eye to shield the sun. “You coming?”

  Shaking off his wayward thoughts, he smiled. “Yeah. I’m coming. Let’s get to work.”

  *   *   *

  Nearly seven hours later, Jake’s feelings had gone from confused to all-out jealousy, but it wasn’t about her dead fiancé, which had been selfish of him. No, this was about the young dude working the AnderCol Clean Energy Company next to them. He’d now been shooting the breeze with Alex for nearly an hour. Ever since things had slowed down and she’d gone over to ask about the wind turbine.

  Jake had been able to tell that the blade interested her, which wasn’t that much of a surprise. She was into science and maps and land formations. She’d been worried about him being alone to deal with their stuff, but he’d assured her that he’d done this a million times by himself and that he’d start loading the truck up without her. But hell, if he’d have known it would lead to her chatting with the dude for an hour, he might not have been so convincing.

  Normally, he might assert himself, but every time he considered joining them he heard them using words like “cadastral,” “hydrography,” and “feasibility study.” Things he not only didn’t understand but, quite honestly, didn’t care to. Not that he wanted her to know that.

  It was the laughing they were doing on and off that was killing him. The way she’d get so excited about what she was saying that she nearly reached out and touched the guy. Jake believed in eliminating fossil fuels as much as the next person, but was clean energy that damn exciting? Or was there more going on here? The guy was good looking, Jake supposed. In a nerdy kind of way. In shape, but kind of thin, with sunglasses and super-short hair. Maybe she was into that.

  From the corner of his eye, he saw her shake the man’s hand and then glance down at a piece of paper in hers. Jake shut the tailgate of the pickup with a little too much force.

  “Thanks so much, Garrett,” Alex said before heading toward him. Jake turned, giving her his best this-has-not-bothered-me-at-all smile.

  “Look at this,” she whispered, hol
ding out a business card. “That guy is the son of Nolan Anderson. One of the owners of this company.”

  “Sounds like he’s rich,” Jake said, hating how cold it had come out.

  Her eyes narrowed, and she let out an awkward laugh, as if she didn’t connect his point with what she was discussing. Yeah, he didn’t know his point either, so he headed toward the RV, Alex on his heels.

  “Anyway, he wants me to apply for a job.”

  Jake stopped in his tracks outside the door and turned. “What? You already have a job lined up.”

  “I know, and I told him that. But he still urged me to take this and consider it. If things didn’t work out with the CIA.”

  Jake let out a bitter laugh. “Who quits the CIA to work on a wind farm?”

  Her head jerked back. “Wow, really?”

  “I’m sorry,” he said, shaking his head. “Tell me about the job.”

  She hesitated, and he hated himself for how he’d just reacted.

  “I’m being a dick, Alex. I’m just tired. Please, tell me about it.”

  “Well, they specialize in wind and solar. Clean energy is a field I’d never really considered getting into, but talking to him, I realized it could be something that really lined up with my values. Way more than oil or coal—and I’ve been contacted by people in both of those fields.”

  He hadn’t known that. She must really be something in her line of work to be courted not only by private companies but by the government.

  She followed him toward the RV, still talking, and he could tell this idea excited her. “What if I end up hating working for the government? All the ridiculousness going on in D.C. right now, and really any politics. Plus, all the bullshit red tape.”

  “Pretty sure there’s going to be plenty of red tape and politics in clean energy,” he said. That much he was certain of.

  “Well, of course. But you’d be fighting against the Man, not for him. Whether politics and old money like it or not, wind and solar are the future.”

  “You don’t have to convince me, Alex. Where’s this company located?” he asked, fearful he knew the answer.

  “Here. In Atlanta.”