She shut the door behind me and called up the stairs. “Skylar!”
The whole scene gave me high school flashbacks—picking up a girl for a date, hoping her parents wouldn’t grill me too hard.
“I’m sure she’ll be down in a minute,” Caroline said.
I followed her into the kitchen and she gestured for me to take seat at the table. The counters were a mess of pots, pans, dishes, and canned food, like someone had emptied all the cupboards.
“How long do you have to be in the cast?” she asked.
“A few more weeks,” I said, lowering myself into a chair. “It wasn’t a bad break.”
“That’s good.” She shuffled a few things around on the counter. “How’s Gram?”
“She’s great. I don’t think she’s actually aging, so she’s got that going for her.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. Does she still have her gardens?”
“Oh yeah. And chickens.”
She smiled. “I always loved your gram. Such a wonderful woman.”
“Yeah, she’s the best.”
“I hear you’re a firefighter.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Oh for goodness sake, don’t ma’am me. Call me Caroline.”
I grinned at her. “Fair enough.”
“How long have you worked for Norman?”
It was funny hearing her use Chief’s first name. “I started out as a volunteer when I was eighteen, so about eight years.”
“You must be very dedicated.”
“It’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do.”
She opened a cupboard and started emptying the contents onto what little space was left on the counter. “Sounds like Norman. And your dad.”
I glanced away at the mention of my father. She’d known him, of course. She and Chief had been my parents’ best friends.
“Has Tilikum changed much from when you lived here?” I asked, hoping to change the subject.
“Not much. Things are… surprisingly familiar. Does everyone still hang out at the Caboose on weekends?”
“Yeah, most of the time.”
“What about Norman? Is that where he spends his time?”
“Once in a while, but you know Chief, he’s not exactly the social type.”
She started stacking canned food in an empty cupboard. “You don’t know where he brings his dates, do you? I’m not trying to be nosy. It’s just that Skylar wouldn’t know, and since I’m in town for a little while, I wouldn’t want to make things awkward for him.”
I had to think about that one. “I have no idea. I can’t remember ever seeing Chief with a date.”
“No? Hmm.”
“I think he mostly just works.” I shrugged.
She shook her head. “The man needs to get out more.”
“You know, I agree. What’s the use in working hard if you don’t play hard too?”
“Exactly.” She paused to glance at me, the corners of her lips twitching in a subtle smile. “Not that I would wish a broken leg on you, but I think your little accident was fortuitous. If Skylar’s going to have a fling to get over her dipshit ex, he ought to be someone who gets her out of her shell a little.”
A fling to get over her ex? I cleared my throat and started to reply, but Skylar appeared in the doorway.
“Mom,” she said, her voice alarmed.
“Oh hi, honey.”
“Mom, please don’t.”
“Don’t what? I was just chatting with Gavin. I haven’t seen him since he was little.”
Skylar closed her eyes for a second and let out a long breath. “What are you doing? Rearranging the kitchen?”
“That’s exactly what I’m doing.”
“Does Dad know?”
Caroline drew her eyebrows in. “No. Why?”
“Because it’s his house,” Skylar said with a soft laugh.
“He’ll thank me later,” Caroline said. “It’s barely usable as is. I don’t know how he manages to cook anything in here.”
“Okay, well, have fun with that.”
“Actually, I need to run to the market. I don’t think he has a single spice that’s not past its expiration date.” She smiled at me. “Good to see you, Gavin.”
“You too.”
Caroline swept out of the kitchen, grabbing her purse on her way out the front door.
“Sorry,” Skylar said. “My mom can be… a lot.”
“She was fine. Is she staying here with you and your dad?”
“Yes.” Her eyebrows knitted together like she was still confused by that reality. “It’s… very weird.”
“Do they get along?”
“Yes, and no. It’s never seemed like they hate each other or anything, but they definitely know how to get under each other’s skin. So them living in the same house, even temporarily, is a little scary.”
“I bet they’ll be fine.”
“I hope so.”
“I didn’t know you were getting over an ex. Is that recent?”
She nodded. “Yeah, that’s a lot of why I moved here. It was… messy.”
I had no idea who this guy was, but I wanted to punch him in the face. “That sucks. But I already know you’re better off without him.”
“How do you know that?”
“If he let you go, he’s an idiot. And you shouldn’t be with an idiot.”
She met my eyes and for a second, I was caught. There was hurt in those pretty brown eyes, but also something else.
Heat.
I was suddenly in dangerous territory. It would have been stupid to say I wasn’t attracted to her. I’d fantasized about her too many times to kid myself. But her mom was wrong. I wasn’t going to be the fling that helped her get over her dipshit ex. So even though the way she looked at me gave me very solid kiss me vibes, I wasn’t taking the bait.
Yet.
No, there was no yet. I wasn’t taking the bait at all.
But damn it, I wanted to.
Squeaker moved in my hood, crawling from behind my neck onto my shoulder.
“Oh my goodness, your kitten,” Skylar said, clutching her hands to her chest. “She’s so cute.”
I reached up and plucked her off my shoulder. “I almost forgot she was back there. She likes to sleep in my hood.”
“Can I pet her?”
“Of course.”
I held Squeaker while Skylar gently stroked her.
“She’s so soft.”
“Yeah, she is.” I brought her closer to my face and kissed her head. She squeaked.
“I see where she gets her name. Didn’t you say you rescued her?”
“I found her out by the old railroad tracks the other night.”
“Are you serious? Do you think someone abandoned her?”
“It looks like it. But she has a mommy now, so she’ll be fine.” I lightly kissed her again. “Isn’t that right, Princess Squeaker? So, time to get to work?”
“Do you mind coming upstairs again? Or I can bring my laptop down here.”
“Upstairs is great, actually. That way I can stretch out my leg.” I deposited Squeaker back in my hood and got up.
Skylar handed me my crutches. “Thank you again for coming over. I tried to write this morning, but I didn’t get very far.”
“Never fear, Gavin Bailey to the rescue.”
She smiled and it did something weird to my insides.
We went up to her room and I got comfortable on her bed. I took Squeaker out of my hood and set her on my chest. She curled up, her little purr-motor going.
Like yesterday, Skylar sat at the little desk in front of the window, her back to me. I’d brought her book, so I opened it to where I’d left off last night and started reading.
Sort of.
The book was damn good—she was seriously talented. But my eyes kept darting up to look over the top of the pages.
At Skylar.
I pulled my eyes back to the page and focused on what I was reading. For a while, Skylar
wrote and I read, temporarily lost in her words. In the plight of the FBI agent trying desperately to uncover the identity of the killer before he struck again.
I finished another chapter and turned the page, but my eyes moved up again.
Skylar’s hair hung down in a sheet around her shoulders. I could imagine all that silky hair fanned out over my pillow while she looked up at me, her lips parting in a soft moan.
I’d sink my cock into her, driving in deep. Cup one of her tits and suck on her nipple. Thrust in, then glide out through her wetness. In and out, hips jerking, heat and pressure building.
Fuck, I bet she’d feel good.
I took a deep breath and forced my eyes back to the page. Her fingers clicked on her keyboard, the rhythmic sound oddly soothing. She was definitely writing something. Maybe having me here was working again. I had no clue why me sitting here would help her write. But even though this should have been boring, it wasn’t, and it had nothing to do with having a broken leg and not being able to do much anyway. I simply liked being here.
The room smelled like her, and lying on her bed—even knowing nothing sexual was going to happen between us—felt a little dangerous. A little risky.
Maybe that was because she lived with her dad—my boss—and he could come home at any time. I didn’t think he was at work today, so I had no way of knowing when he’d return.
But the real risk wasn’t that her dad might catch us making out in her room. It was the undeniable temptation of her. Holding myself back was the challenge.
I was basically reverse chasing her. And that held a weird kind of thrill.
How much temptation could I take and still resist? It was an interesting question.
So the next time my eyes lifted and my thoughts strayed to things I shouldn’t be thinking, I indulged. Went deeper. Imagined her on her knees, my dick in her mouth. Her sweet brown eyes lifting to meet mine, shining with a wicked gleam. I imagined what it would be like to turn to putty in her hands—and mouth—while she sucked me off, making me come so hard I could barely stand.
I licked my lips, imagining her taste. Burying my face between her legs and eating her sweet pussy until she begged me to stop. Until her back arched and she clutched the sheets, moaning my name as she came in my mouth.
Blinking, I took a deep breath to clear my head. Unfortunately, that did nothing for the aching erection in my pants. Damn. I was going to have to take care of that when I got home.
Maybe I needed to whack off before hanging out with Skylar. Make a habit of it. Coming in hot with a loaded weapon was probably not the smartest move, given the circumstances.
I went back to the book for a little while and it was a testament to her writing that it held my attention, given how hard my dick was trying to distract me. But pretty soon the FBI agent was in serious danger and I couldn’t stop reading.
“Hey.” Skylar’s soft voice jolted me back to reality.
I lowered the book. “Did it work?”
“Yeah. Like you said, Gavin to the rescue.”
“It’s what I do.”
Princess Squeaker got up, stretched, and crawled down onto the bed. I sat up and swung my legs over the side.
I didn’t particularly want to go, but I had a feeling if I stayed much longer, I’d screw up. Temptation would win. Sitting with her, here in her bedroom, was already making it hard to remember why holding back was so important. Why I couldn’t sneak a taste.
“So, tomorrow?” I asked.
“You don’t mind?”
Hell no, I didn’t mind. For one thing, she was cool and I liked her. For another, this felt like a dare. How close could I get to the edge without falling. But I’d also promised to introduce her around, and our little Tilikum town tour had only been the beginning.
“I don’t mind at all. But what are you doing next Friday night?”
Her lips parted in surprise. “I don’t know. But—”
I grinned. “Don’t worry, I’m not asking you out. But it’s my brother Asher’s birthday and they’re having a party at my gram’s house. It’s the perfect chance for you to get to know more people.”
She fiddled with a strand of hair. “It’s not that I don’t appreciate the offer, but crowds of people I don’t know make me nervous.”
“Will your friend still be in town?”
“Ginny? Yeah.”
“Cool. You can bring her too. Worst case scenario, you hate it and you go home. Best case, you have fun and make some new friends.” I flashed her another grin. “Besides, you’ll have me.”
She took a deep breath. “Okay. I’ll come.”
“Great.”
Princess Squeaker batted at a little piece of dust drifting in the air. She chased it across the bed, coming close to the edge.
“I’ll get her.” Skylar stood and moved to scoop her up into her hands. “Silly kitten. You don’t want to fall off the bed.”
I stood, leaning on my crutches. “You can just stick her in my hood. She’ll be fine there.”
Skylar brought her around to my side of the bed and stepped close. I leaned down and she reached around to open my hood, then deposited Squeaker inside.
Still standing just inches from me, she adjusted the fabric so Squeaker was secure. Her arms were around my neck, her face so close. I took a deep breath, inhaling her. God, she smelled good.
Just a taste. What would that hurt?
I licked my lips and the movement seemed to catch her attention. She froze, her eyes resting on my mouth. Slowly, her thick lashes lifted, bringing her gaze to mine.
If I’d ever been faced with a girl who really wanted to be kissed, it was now.
Her chin lifted slightly. My heart beat harder, thumping in my chest. Only a second passed, but it felt like time had slowed. I could already taste her. Feel her soft lips pressing against mine.
A knock on her bedroom door jolted me back to reality. Skylar gasped and took a step away.
“Hey, Skylar?” Chief said through the door. “Can I come in?”
She moved closer to her desk. “Yeah, what’s up?”
Chief opened the door. His eyes landed on me, but he didn’t look surprised to see me. He’d probably seen my truck out front. “What happened to the kitchen?”
“That was Mom. She’s reorganizing?”
Chief groaned. “Of course she is. Hey, Gav. How’s the leg?”
“Getting better”
“Good.” His eyes darted between me and Skylar, and I really wondered what he was thinking. “I guess I’ll go wait for Caroline.”
“She’s just trying to help, Dad.”
He grumbled something that sounded like infernal woman and shut the door.
Skylar sighed.
I thought about asking if she needed an excuse to get out of the house. She could come over to my place. My brothers were on duty until Saturday morning.
But after how close I’d just come to kissing her, I decided not to. Forcing myself to resist temptation was one thing, but I wasn’t a total masochist.
Plus, Chief’s brief appearance had been like jumping in the freezing cold river.
Resisting her wasn’t just a game I was playing to amuse myself while I was laid up. I had reasons. Good ones.
And those reasons weren’t going to change.
17
Gavin
The air in Gram’s backyard was chilly, but propane heaters pumped out warmth, as did the bonfire Levi and Logan had built. Grace had strung lights around the porch and tied helium balloons to the railings at the bottom of the porch stairs. Despite Asher’s insistence that we didn’t need to make a big deal out of his birthday, she’d insisted on throwing him a party.
Personally, I was a big believer in birthday parties. In parties of all kinds, really. Life needed to be celebrated. Plus, any excuse for cake was a good thing.
Family and friends congregated in the kitchen, or in the warm spots outside. It was a beautiful night, aside from the early October cold. Sparks ro
se from the fire when Logan tossed another piece of wood on the growing blaze. Grace, Gram, and Fiona had set out enough food for twice as many people as were actually here, which was how we rolled when it came to these things. Gram liked to say she never wanted anyone to leave her house hungry, and always kept that promise.
I balanced on my crutches near one of the heaters, a beer in my hand. It had been almost three weeks since I’d broken my leg, and I was starting to get edgy.
Okay, maybe not starting to get edgy. I’d been that way from day one. But it was definitely getting worse.
Under normal circumstances, I would have been doing back flips over the bonfire, or I’d have gone climbing this morning, or… something. Anything but what I actually did, which was mostly nothing. I’d played with Princess Squeaker, which was fun in its own way. But the energy building inside me needed an outlet, and I had several weeks left before I’d be free of the damn cast.
It was driving me up the wall.
As if to add insult to injury, my leg started to itch.
Skylar had texted me earlier to say she and her friend were coming, but they’d be a little late. I’d seen her several times in the last week. Mostly I just hung out while she wrote. I’d been reading her books and they were really fucking good. She had a twisted mind inside that pretty head of hers. I liked it.
I took a sip of my beer, keeping an eye on the back door for her. Maybe this party would get more fun once she got here.
Gram sat on the porch in her rocking chair wrapped in a thick sweater. Someone had fixed her a plate of food, and she watched the growing party with a contented smile. Fiona and Evan sat next to her, and Fiona might as well have been on Evan’s lap, they were so close. They were getting married soon and it sounded like they’d decided to have it here.
Asher came out of the house and down the porch steps. He walked up behind Grace, kissed her neck, and slipped an arm around her waist so he could rest his hand on her belly.
A Bailey baby. That was some crazy shit. Of course, if Asher hadn’t gone to prison, they probably would have had kids years ago.
The restlessness I felt reminded me of when Asher had first been sent away. I’d been just a kid. September had rolled around again and I’d had to go back to school. Sit there in a classroom as if my oldest brother hadn’t been forcibly ripped from our lives. Like everything was normal.
Rushing In: A Small Town Family Romance Page 13