by Brynn Hale
“Fuck!” She throws her head back. “I haven’t dry humped in years, but damn, Kelton, I feel like I’m going to explode right here and now.”
I lean to her ear. “Do it…come for me my goddess.”
Her head lists back. “Oh God…” She slides a hand between us, and her fingers go to work on her clit.
I love that she’s not afraid to touch herself. I want her to feel good, and if she can get herself there faster, I’m all for it. This isn’t me giving her an orgasm. It’s us sharing an orgasmic encounter. I return my lips to her neck, trying to find that one spot that will make her moan.
“Do you have a condom?” she asks while my cock drips pre-cum down my balls. He wants to be inside of her. I want to connect with this mind-blowing angel.
But I don’t want to just be a random one-and-done with this woman. I want it all. I want to walk through the door and call out “Honey I’m home!” and I want to fight with her and make up like this. And I want to…be her everything forever, not just her something for right now.
I slow things down and my cock threatens to kill me. “Babe, I…I want you.” I drop my mouth to her ear and flick the drop of her lobe.
“I want you too, Kelton.” She moans my name and my cock jumps, rubbing her pussy through her pants. Her eyes open. “Please, just fuck me…”
I lower her to the ground and fish the condom out of my wallet. Dropping my boxer-briefs, I slide the protection over my body. “I’m clean.”
“I’m clean. Just been so busy that I haven’t made it to get my prescription refilled.”
Reese drops her pants and climbs out of her slip-on shoes. She continues to touch herself, and I almost crumble watching what’s so erotic. If I stroke my cock, it will be over.
I lift her again and line up our bodies. “Reese…”
Her eyes meet mine. “Kelton.” She nods, and I drive deep in one solid thrust.
And I’m lost in her.
This woman is mine. She will be mine.
Forever.
Chapter Six
Reese
Have I forgiven him? Not quite yet. But let’s just say that what he’s doing to my pussy is getting me there a lot quicker.
Holy shit the man is loaded. If he hadn’t had a condom, I probably would’ve slapped him. But the man is a firefighter—prepared for action.
The long, deep strokes he’s delivering have me a mass of quivering woman in his arms. He’s nothing but skilled, and part of me wonders if I’m giving him enough.
“Shit, you’re so warm. And tight…” He stills. “You’re not a…” His eyebrows rise with the questions. “Right?”
“Virgin? No. But you’re only the second man to be inside of me…” And yet the first to be inside of me in so many ways.
“Fuck…” he growls out the word. “And that first guy?”
My heart clops along in my chest.
“He was nothing to me.”
“And am I something to you, Sugar?”
The way ‘sugar’ rolls from him, slow and rumbly, I feel faint just listening to it. Do I answer truthfully, or do I keep my façade up? Do I protect myself and pretend this means nothing to me? A quick fuck in the morning to start the day out right? Or do I risk everything I’ve started and follow my heart?
I stare into those bright blue eyes, the copper of his beard emphasizing the color. My body clenches around him.
“You might be everything, and that terrifies me, Kelton Cassidy.”
“I will be everything, Reese Dynas.”
He drives even deeper and my stomach burns. His lips ride down my neck.
“Fuck…yes…” I moan into his ear.
“That’s it. Come with me, Sugar.”
“Almost…” I gasp as sparks form deep inside of me. My neck arches and I inhale a deep breath giving oxygen to the fire that’s ignited. My legs tighten around his waist and he quickens his thrusting just a bit.
“You’re so beautiful.”
He claims my mouth and the kiss is fuel to my fire. My body explodes and pulses in waves around his massive cock. The feeling is unreal. So natural. So perfect. I start to come down, but he adjusts his thrusts, and his cock rides along my clit, striking another match.
“Sugar…” he growls my pet name, tight but lovingly.
“Kelton!” I scream his name and hope that no one is in the kitchen yet.
“That’s it, baby. Give me another one. I’m here with you.”
I let go, and the wash of a second orgasm roars through me. Burning across my nerves and contracting every muscle in unison. He plants deep and sighs out my name while his body rocks with long throbs of his cock.
There’s no holding anything in with this man. He could steal my heart and I’m thinking I’d let him walk away with it.
Kelton
I came from the tips of my toes, and the damn thing kept going. Like I wanted to fill her with everything in my body. Plant my seed deep in her, even if I was wearing a condom. I still and wait for the soft flutters to stop along my cock.
When I draw my head away from her neck, she’s a perfect pink flush. Satiated. Relaxed.
I press my lips to hers, softly. I don’t want the moment to end, but I did hear someone in the kitchen banging pots around. I doubt they heard us, but it’s possible.
“Ready?” I ask.
“No…” Her lips press to mine. “That was incredible, Kelton.”
“I agree.” I grab my dick, holding the condom, and pull out slowly, both of us making a tortured sound. To stay in that soft, wet, tight pussy all day would be my heaven.
After I clean up, we both stand there. I know where I want to go from here. It’s a step above throwing her over my shoulder and taking her back to my place for more of that today and a step below going to the courthouse to stand in front of a judge.
My chest is wound tight. No woman has ever made me this out of control. Or this under her control is more like it.
She’s spicy. She’s sweet. She’s tart. She’s savory. I can’t wait to explore every inch of her with my tongue. Every. Damn. Millimeter.
“Dinner tonight?” I ask.
“I could do something late.”
“Phone?”
She hands over her phone. I smile at the picture of her surrounded by kids of all ages.
“More family?”
“My nieces and nephews.”
“Wow.”
“You don’t have any?”
“Nope. Only child and I was a mistake.”
Her hand lands on mine as I type my contact into her phone. “No child is a mistake.”
“Okay, not a mistake, but definitely not wanted.”
“I want you.”
I bring my gaze up from the phone. “I wanted you from the moment you sprayed whipped cream in my mouth.”
She laughs. “I can’t believe I did that.”
“Hottest moment in the dairy case, I’ve ever experienced.”
“We probably soured some milk.”
I laugh. “When it was that close to you, it would be even sweeter.”
She rolls her eyes. “Why is it that I feel like you’ve got some southern gentleman in you?”
“My grandfather raised me. He was from Alabama, ma’am.” I slip into a southern drawl, and her eyes widen. “Miss Reese, if you keep looking at me like that, I’m going to throw you over my shoulder and take you back to my place to ravage that body over and over.” I step closer and lower my mouth to the side of her neck, kissing lightly. “And over…”
She purrs and rises to her tiptoes, but a soft knock on the door breaks the moment.
“Reese? You in there? I have a couple questions on today’s menu specials and the desserts.” It’s a female voice and she seems quite reluctant to even be knocking.
“Gotta get back to work.” She lowers without kissing me and my disappointment is mountainous.
I inhale a deep breath. “You think by midnight?”
She turns at the door
, those curves in just the right light. Tiny waist and a bountiful ass…perfect. “Before.”
It’s like she’s saying she’ll do everything in her power to get to me as soon as she can. It means more to me than she’ll ever know.
Reese swings the door wide. “Hey, Bryar, let’s hear what you’re thinking.” She glances back at me and mouths. “See you later.”
I chin jut, then make my way out the back. There’s no fanfare or final kisses at the door. She’s still cautious, but I’ll prove to her that I’m committed, I’m here for her, and I’m her future.
Chapter Seven
Reese
All day. All damn day, I thought about him. My brain couldn’t concentrate on anything else. He was deep inside of me, mentally, emotionally, and physically. For a man I’d screamed at twenty-four hours earlier, I was thinking, if our screaming ended up like that every time, I’d find reasons to yell at him.
But I could tell how much Kelton needed someone. He was a hurt little boy inside. He’d been ignored, and as much as I knew how that could happen, having parents who also had a restaurant, I also knew that parents didn’t have to be that way. Ours each had two days off from the restaurant, worked no more than ten-hour days, and they hired competent management and staff.
The day goes well. Bryar is in charge as chef today, something that really only happens once in a while. I’m starting to see how she could really run her own kitchen. She’s efficient. She doesn’t get easily flustered like Chef Landry. She makes fantastic decisions with the specials, using up a lot of what we have extras of in the walk-in or the fridge. Increasing profit margins and lowering losses due to excess inventory going bad. She’s inventive and wows me every time and tonight is no different.
A double tenderloin medallion duo with fig sauce for one and an Asian-inspired spicy orange sauce for the other. I request she save one to take to Kelton and she looks at me like she’s just learned the secret of the year. Maybe she has. It’s no secret that I’m not known for dating.
But this doesn’t feel like dating. Having sex with him felt like cementing something. I’m not ready to do the whole family thing. That is what was expected of me by my parents, and it isn’t me. I’m not mad that we had sex, but I’m upset that I haven’t gotten that one last kiss in.
And that scares me.
The evening goes well. Again, we’re busier than ever.
The last person stands to leave, and I meet them at the door.
“Dr. Lakeman, I didn’t see you come in.” I open the door. “Hope you enjoyed your meal.”
“I loved it. This is my favorite place.”
I met the local oncologist a couple weeks ago and she’s been a regular since.
“I saw what that Cassidy person had to say in the paper. I’m going to write a letter to the editor.” She grabs my elbow. “You didn’t deserve that.”
“You know, hold off on the blistering rebuttal. I’ve…I’ve recently met him and I’m thinking that he was having a bad night. I’m hoping there’s a retraction in the future, but if not, that review has brought in double the customers in the last two days.”
“Wow, then what they say is true: good PR is best, but bad PR can be better.”
“I guess so.”
“You can be sure that I’ll be back soon.”
We give our goodbyes, and I lock up. I clean up the bar area and the front desk. Turn off the lights and then head to the kitchen. I usually help with the nightly cleaning to help everyone get out early, but when I get back there, it’s spotless.
Bryar’s standing at the back door. “Ready to go?”
“Yeah. Is everything—”
“Done. Everything. Everyone else clocked out. It’s time for you to go…” She holds out a bag with more than a couple meals. “For you and the hottie you chased out of here this morning.”
“I didn’t chase him.”
“Didn’t introduce him either.”
She is right.
“That was the guy who wrote the review.”
Her jaw tightens, but then she seems to have some sort of lightbulb moment. She and she laughs. “Are you kidding? That was the 2-Star Bandit?”
“Is that what you call him?”
“Actually, Chef Landry calls him the 2-Star Bastard. I was just making it better…a little. And what do you call him, Reese?”
I blow out a long breath. “I’m not sure. I’m still a little upset at him.”
“Very valid reaction.” She sets the alarm system.
I invested in the best security and fire suppression systems. I worked way too hard for this. My father would tell me that they weren’t worth it and just to buy good insurance, but that wasn’t me. Risk vs. reward was always in the back of my mind.
And maybe that’s my problem with Kelton, too. He’s a big risk.
“But…as much as I don’t like him, I like him. But I just started this business. It’s a distraction. I have to stay focused.”
I pull the door closed behind me, checking it a second time. “Are you seeing anyone, Bryar?”
“I was. He dumped me last week. Said I worked too much.”
“Do you think you work too much?”
“No, I love what I do! I’d work more, but you won’t let me.”
“You have to have balance, Bryar.”
She stills. “Do you have balance?”
“Well played.”
Her blonde ponytail rocks behind her. “He was weird anyway. And really bad in bed. But I’m going to assume that Mr. Kelton isn’t bad…considering I had to turn up the music in the kitchen. You two were like wild animals.”
I slide to a stop. “Oh, my God. You’re kidding right?”
She laughs. “Yeah, I was. But that confirms what I thought when you came out of your office.” Grabbing the door handle, she opens her older-model SUV. “He was really cute, Reese. Don’t forget, a wise woman once said, ‘Love with abandon, forgive quickly, and hate very little.’”
I shake my head. “She does sound wise.” Forgiving needed a little more time, but I am really close to taking the leap.
“She’s the best.”
“Have a good night, Bryar.”
“You, too, boss.”
I pull out my phone and search for his name. I don’t immediately see it, and then I see what he put himself in as.
I shake my head. The man has balls. And I know that.
Reese:
I pause. Making this move feels like saying I want to forgive him.
Reese: Still up for some company?
Man of My Dreams: Definitely. Any chance you can bring some of those fortune cookies?
I look in the bag. Bryar’s a genius. They’re right there on top and I can’t wait to see what the fortunes say.
Reese: Done. See you in ten minutes.
Man of My Dreams: Can’t come soon enough, Sugar.
I drive away and pass my parents’ restaurant in the same strip mall. They’re still there, of course. I’m glad that I have set some boundaries and I have staff that I trust to get shit done.
Maybe I occasionally make sure that the ovens got turned off, or that the security system is actually set, but that’s not because I don’t trust them. It’s because I don’t like thinking my investment could be gone in minutes. It ultimately falls on me to protect what is mine.
And that comes to my heart as well. If I stop myself from falling for Kelton…
Am I protecting or am I avoiding?
Kelton
Reese pulls up. My chest pulses with an animal need. She’s in a dark gray, form-fitting dress that does nothing to hide her curves and I like it that way. Let every man envy me for what is mine.
I walk out and lift the bag from her hands. She looks up with those big dark eyes. I lean down, pressing my lips to her cheek and lingering. “You are stunning.”
When I pull away, in the light of the streetlamp a rosy pink blush brightens her glowing skin.
“Ladies, first.” I watch her wal
k in front of me.
Inside, we say very little. A cloud of tension floating over both of us. After a few niceties, we settle into a general conversation about family and friends. We know a lot of the same people. Her parents sound like they’re a handful, in a very different way. I understand the expectations they’ve set for her. They want someone to carry the legacy.
“My parents want me to take over Sienna Terrace, but I’ve said no.”
“Why?” Her eyes about pop out of her head.
“I’m a firefighter. That’s what I love. We can’t be expected to do what we don’t love.”
“I’m right there with you, but the problem with my situation is that I love food service and so my parents can’t understand why I don’t want to take over the Greek Leaf empire.”
“You want to make your own empire?”
She nods, staring into her glass of wine. “I do. It won’t feel like mine. It’ll always feel like theirs.”
She can’t possibly know how much I feel that statement.
We continue getting to know each other. And the more I know the more I just know—she’s right for me. She’s strong. She’s confident. She’s full of life. She’s driven, but I wonder how driven.
“How was the dinner crowd?” I ask, handing back her filled glass of white wine.
“Do you really want to know?”
“Reese, I love that you want to own a restaurant. I just know the amount of work that goes into owning one, and I don’t want to see you sucked into the eighty- to ninety-hours a week mindset. Balance.”
“This coming from a man who works what…48 hours straight.”
“Fair enough. But I do get four days off after that to recoup and that forty-eight hours is rarely constant work. I usually get at least four hours of sleep each day, so it’s 40 hours.”
She takes a long drink. “I’m going to start taking an extra day, other than Sundays, which we are closed on so I can go to church and spend time with my family, off to have a little more life in my life.”