by Haley Travis
I squeezed her hand, flashing her a wide grin. Turning into the group, I said, “Lindsay is a genius. We contact the audience a few days before, telling them what we need, and if they have a piece we can use, they’ll just show up twenty minutes early so that we can arrange everything.”
Steve nodded. “That will be last minute and weird, but I love it.”
Amy nodded, frantically writing on her legal pad. “It will also give the audience a sense of ownership,” she said. “Hopefully they’ll be telling their friends to watch the show, but they’ll also be pointing out their own special little pieces in the background.”
“It will be like a game of spot the candlestick,” Devon laughed. “Great idea, Lindsay.”
I squeezed her hand again as she grinned to herself. But I noticed that she was cringing back into the couches if she wanted to disappear.
The conversation went on for another twenty minutes, but everyone agreed that the few twists they made to the classic talk show format were indeed working.
Everyone got up to leave, and Amy came over to thank me. Then she turned and shook Lindsay’s hand. “Great input. Thank you,” she said.
Lindsay just smiled and nodded. She seemed hugely relieved when I threw out our sandwich wrappers and led her down the hall. “Are you finished for the day?” she asked.
“Yes. There’s a cute martini lounge around the corner. May I take you for a drink?”
She nodded eagerly. We went out the back door, and I took her down a side street before heading back to Queen West.
“You were fabulous in the meeting,” I said.
“I felt like an intruder,” she said softly.
“Not at all, sweetie. You had an amazing idea. That’s why we need regular people’s input as well.” I wrapped an arm around her waist. “Although you’re certainly not regular, are you?”
Lindsay’s head tilted as she looked up at me. “Are you saying that I’m a weirdo?”
“I’m saying that you are irregular in the best of ways. You are magical.” I kissed her gently, loving the way she seemed to melt every time I touched her.
The next hour and a half was a happy blur of getting to know her in the corner of the lounge over one chocolate martini each.
I learned that her father had left her family when she was little, which filled me with more anger than I would have expected. Apparently she was the shy, bookworm type, which I’d always found adorable.
She worked in an office for a fancy lawyer. I almost bristled from the thought of some man ordering her around. But since he was married with two kids, it sounded like he was definitely more of a father figure. She said that he treated her well, so that’s all I needed to know.
I confessed my love of carpentry, which led me to the theater in high school, since the shop class kids were always given set building duty. Steve and I had taken some college courses, then started our own company right away. I admitted that our business was a little dicey sometimes, since we couldn’t schedule anything in advance.
Lindsay seemed to understand that work came first, and we had to take every job. She also seemed to enjoy the way I couldn’t stop touching her, always having my hand on her back, her knee, her hand. I don’t know why I needed to keep a connection with her. I felt like this entire relationship was set on fast-forward, and it felt right.
CHAPTER FIVE
* Lindsay *
The way he kept touching me was incredible. It felt like we were truly bonding in every way. I couldn’t believe that he brought me to his workplace and introduced me to his coworkers and clients after just having met me yesterday. It felt like he wanted me to be a real part of his life, right away.
This was the connection that I’d been hoping to find. A great guy who would want to be with me, and not treat me like an inconvenience. Someone who would never leave me.
As we finished our martinis, Dale turned to me with a strange look. “Hey, you never told me precisely about that bet or whatever it was with your friends. Was it a dare? Did they think you didn’t have the nerve to speak to me?”
I felt myself blushing immediately. “It wasn’t you, exactly. They’d been telling me that I had to learn to talk to guys, and we agreed that I should go up and talk to someone for just a minute. Since all of the guys in the bar were regulars, I said I’d talk to the next guy who walked in.”
His thumb trailed along my bottom lip, distracting me. “So this gorgeous mouth was going to kiss any old guy who wandered in the door?”
“No, not at all. I was just going to talk to him for a few minutes. But then it turned out to be you, and…” I turned, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. “I can’t believe this sort of seems real.”
His lips bounced across my forehead and nose, kissing me everywhere, ignoring that we were on a couch in the back of a lounge with people everywhere. “I’m just your random guy who showed up at the right time?” he smiled.
“No,” I said, catching his face between my hands. “I think you’re the right guy.”
“I want to be your man,” he said softly. “I want you to be mine.”
I nodded, then the world turned fuzzy as he kissed me deeply, pulling my body to his.
CHAPTER SIX
* Dale *
I knew that we were going too fast. I knew that I was being pushy, and a bit inappropriate. Yet I could not resist her pretty little doll face and sweet energy.
We left the bar before I could use the darkness inside to my advantage. Waiting for the streetcar, I rained kisses all over her neck, pulling her dress off her shoulder as I kissed along her soft skin.
In the back of the streetcar, we made out as if we were the only people on earth. As I walked her to the door of her building, I couldn’t keep my hands from stroking her wide, round hips.
I pulled us to the side of the door, pressing her back against the brick wall as I drew her to me. Tracing my tongue along the seam of her lips, I plunged in, overtaking her mouth as I kissed her hard. Her delicate whimpering moan nearly undid me. I could feel her trembling slightly. It drove me crazy knowing that I was the one arousing her. The one who was making her breath quick, her pupils huge.
“You are dangerously sexy,” I murmured. “So I should probably say good night before I even think about what would happen if we went upstairs together.”
Lindsay gave me the cutest smile. “I’m not sexy. But… You make me feel sexy,” she whispered.
“I’m very glad, sweetie,” I said, kissing her again until she cried out softly against my lips.
“Sleep well,” I said, stepping back.
She dug in her purse for her keys, then shot me a grin and another kiss on the cheek before going inside. I watched her get into the elevator, then decided to walk home.
I was relieved that I was able to take off before she could consider inviting me upstairs. It would be far too tempting. Since I hadn’t had time to date very much, and rarely found a woman interesting enough to hold my attention, I didn’t know what the rules were.
With proper, formal dates, I didn’t think that sex could be considered before the third. Or was it fifth? Yet something in the way we seemed to be growing so close so fast, I wondered what Lindsay would want to do on our next date.
Instantly realizing when and where our next date should be, I began walking home as fast as I could.
CHAPTER SEVEN
* Lindsay *
Saturday morning I woke up with a gigantic smile already in place. I felt strangely calm and energized at the same time. Being with Dale was uplifting somehow. Inspiring. He made me feel like a new version of myself that I was still getting to know, but I really liked it.
Reaching for my phone, I saw that Dale had sent me a text just five minutes ago, asking if I had plans for brunch this morning. Already laughing to myself, I responded, “Brunch would be amazing. Where should I meet you?”
I jumped into the shower and got ready quickly, then checked my phone again, but he hadn’t responded. It h
ad only been fifteen minutes, so I put a pot of coffee on just in case.
The apartment buzzer made me jump, and when I went to answer it, I practically squealed when I heard Dale’s voice. “Brunch delivery. May I come up?”
Buzzing him in, I quickly fluffed my hair and opened the curtains to let some light in. I opened the door just as he approached.
“If you keep becoming more gorgeous every time I see you, we’re going to have a problem in a few months, sweetie.”
It thrilled me to pieces that he was already thinking of us as being together for a long time. Dale squeezed past me to drop a shopping bag on my kitchen counter, then pulled me against him as the door swung shut.
Looking up into those deep, soulful eyes, he instantly took my mouth, kissing me, controlling me as he pushed me back against the wall. Having my body pinned by his felt so deliciously hot that I couldn’t quiet the moan that escaped my throat.
He delved deeper, tasting me, consuming me. His fingertips glided down the side of my throat, making my skin come alive. My heart was fluttering as his tongue parted my lips. A shudder ran through me as I realized how much I needed to be naked with him, immediately. If this man could actually make me moan from just a kiss, what would happen if…
“I’m sorry, sweetie,” he grinned as he pulled away. “I want to take care of you in every possible way, but I think we should start with food.”
As much as I completely disagreed with him at the moment, I almost changed my mind when he brought the bag to the table, pulling out a fun assortment of freshly baked muffins, and scrambled egg bagel sandwiches.
The coffee maker beeped that it was finished. “Perfect timing,” I laughed, grabbing us mugs and plates and napkins.
As we ate, I tried not to notice the way he stared at me so intently. “So, you do the sets for TV shows?” I asked. “That must be interesting.”
“It is,” he nodded, popping a fallen almond chunk into his mouth. “We also do specialty pieces for movies, commercials, theater, whoever needs things built. Steve and I have a lot of connections, but the work is a little unsteady sometimes.”
“I guess some of it must be seasonal,” I said.
“Yeah, sometimes. Other times everything happens at once, and we’re afraid to turn any job down these days. So we might have a week where we’re working eighteen hour days, then the next week will be a very civilized eight hour day.” He shrugged. “You get used to it.”
I nodded. “My hours are pretty regimented, but once a month or so there will be a couple of late nights where we all pitch in to get a massive project done.”
He peppered me with questions about my job for a while, and I realized that he was checking to see how safe I was there.
“The guys in your office all behave themselves, right?” he asked. His voice was casual, but his eyes were intense. It gave him that dark, almost dangerous look again.
I couldn’t help laughing. “Trust me, if anyone got out of line, Mr. Donnelly would kick their ass before HR even had a chance to speak with them. It’s a very respectable place, and he values the reputation of his company. There’s absolutely no funny business, and no one would ever consider it.”
“Good,” he said, nodding. “I’ve heard stories of those corporate guys taking advantage of young ladies in the office.”
Staring down into my almost empty coffee mug, I didn’t know what to say. It was adorable that he was already looking out for me.
Dale reached over to take my hand. “I can’t help it, Lindsay. I feel very protective of you. You seem quiet, so I want to make sure that you would speak up for yourself if you needed to.”
“I think I could,” I said honestly. “I’ve been working on it, a little.”
Dale laughed. “You certainly made an impression when you came over to talk to me.”
Shaking my head, I grabbed my napkin to remove the last of the bagel crumbs from my lips. “I still sort of can’t believe that I did that.”
“I’m very glad that you did,” he said. Turning in his chair, he took both of my hands and hands. “You feel this, don’t you? That this is real?”
I nodded.
“Now, I’m going to ask you a question,” he said, leaning in close to kiss along the side of my neck, making me giggle. “I need to kiss you until you make that soft little noise again. Would you be more comfortable on the couch, or in the bedroom?”
It felt like my heart thumped too hard for two beats, then stopped.
I’d never felt this comfortable around a man before. He obviously listened to me, and cared for me. He made me feel things I couldn’t believe. And he also made me feel more aroused than I’d ever been in my life. Taking a chance and being bold had worked out pretty well last time.
“Bedroom,” I breathed.
He stood up, taking my hand and leading me to the bedroom. After a quick look around, he smiled down at me. “May I undress you, gorgeous?” I nodded, trying not to tremble too hard.
He slowly pulled off my t-shirt, then his lips fell to my shoulder, kissing along my skin as he pulled my bra strap down, teasing me. Reaching behind me, he unfastened it and slid it off completely.
“Damn,” he muttered. His large, rough hands circled my breasts, squeezing and fondling until I thought I was going to moan again.
His hands slid down to my hips, sliding into my skirt. I was still trying to decide how far I was ready to go, but the second I asked myself the question, I knew.
He unbuttoned my skirt, sliding it down my hips. The way he was taking his time, being so gentle with me, made me need to give him everything.
Dale leaned in, his breath mingling with mine as he teased me, making me stretch up for the kiss I needed so badly. As our lips met, I felt my thighs clench as my body announced its desire.
“You are so sexy, sweetie,” he murmured, bending down to slip off my panties, dragging them down my thighs until I was naked in front of him.
His hand skimmed around my hip, and I felt him shiver. I almost couldn’t believe that my round, soft body turned him on so much. But it obviously did. He laid me back on the bed, tearing his own clothes off while staring at me, licking his lips to make me giggle.
My eyes felt wide as saucers as I took in his thick arms, chiseled abs, and broad chest. Carpentry and construction must be more physically demanding then I’d known. I didn’t know if it was rude to stare at the thick shaft that caught my eye, but he grinned. I’d never seen one up close before, and it was sexier than I would have expected.
Dale laid over me gently, kissing me delicately, as if he was testing my reaction. I felt his palm rest gently at the base of my throat. Such a strange, possessive gesture, even though it was light as a feather.
Feeling his weight over me, his heat through me, my body and sense of touch were being consumed by him. I loved every second of it.
His thumb stroked over my hard nipple, making me gasp. His other hand slid down, cupping the delicate skin between my legs as he studied my eyes.
“Lindsay,” he said softly, moving his head back and forth to playfully brush his lips against mine while he spoke, “I hope you know that I’ve been having far too many intense feelings for you from the second we met. I love that you’re trying to challenge yourself and be bold. But I also need you to speak up if you want me to stop.”
He kissed the tip of my nose, then dragged his fingers between my unbelievably wet pussy lips. His light touch sent spikes of desire up my spine. “Sweetie, may I please lick you until you squeal for me?”
I nodded, giggling and breathless. Slowly working down my body, he gripped my breasts, sucking hard at each nipple until I moaned loudly. Then down the curve of my stomach until he spread me open, diving straight in to tongue my tender skin.
I gasped, gripping the back of his shoulders as I tried to make sense of this much pleasure. It was too much. I was overloaded. Then he pushed his tongue inside and I moaned wildly.
“You really are delicious,” he murmured, be
fore thrusting his entire tongue inside me. My thighs shook, my arms clenched, and my entire body felt like it was heating up from the inside. I’d never considered being this intimate with anyone before, and Dale just dove in, so eager to please me.
A hazy cloud of lust washed over me as he removed his tongue, replacing it with a finger as he wrapped his lips around my swollen little button. Another low, choked moan rumbled through me, as my hips began rocking, almost riding his face.
“That’s it, sweetie,” he groaned. “Let go for me.”
I really didn’t have a choice, feeling my inner walls squeezing his finger as my hips and legs tensed. His tongue began lapping steadily at my little nub of nerves.