Next Guy Through the Door

by Haley Travis

  This time she responded immediately. “No, I think I need a little space.”

  My heart almost stopped. I felt like I’d been punched. My precious sweet girl was more upset than I realized.

  Replaying last night’s events over and over while I painted marble texture on a huge panel, I tried to think of what I did wrong.

  Then I realized that it wasn’t just how I treated her, it was how I treated Lindsay in front of Laurie. Not only had I behaved like a shitty boyfriend, I had not acknowledged her in front of an ex.

  My steady painting hand wobbled slightly. There was no way I was going to lose the love of my life after just one week.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  * Lindsay *

  Thursday night I had been too numb to cry. Friday night, I cried myself to sleep. But Saturday I woke up with a strange sort of clarity. After making a pot of coffee, I sat down at my kitchen table with a huge mug and my notebook.

  Since I couldn’t quite get a handle on what was bothering me, I thought that I’d just scribble it all out until things became more clear. My handwriting was atrocious, but eventually, things started to make sense.

  He made me feel completely rejected. I felt insecure, tiny. Dale probably didn’t know that he was triggering this, because I didn’t tell him.

  I had never told him that I was terrified of being abandoned because of my father. Afraid of being pushed aside because of endless incidents in school. He’s not a mind reader. I can’t expect him to know personal things.

  I don’t know how many women he’s gone out with, because I didn’t ask him. If he was with a loud chick like that who spoke every single thing that came into her head, he might not know how I feel.

  He probably doesn’t know that I need a little time and space to think things through. He doesn’t know how hard it is for me to speak up for myself.

  No matter how hurt and frustrated and angry I am with him, he didn’t intentionally do anything terrible. He was busy, overworked, and stressed out by a sudden emergency job. He was thoughtless. He wasn’t cruel. Just a little scattered.

  What would my friends say? They would tell me to go talk to him. What does my gut say? That I need to tuck into that big strong shoulder and never leave.

  By the time I finished my coffee, had a shower and got dressed, I felt a lot better.

  I wanted all of the good points about having a boyfriend, but I was going to have to deal with the awkward bits too. And that included telling him when I was hurt, and why.

  I’d never been very good at communicating with people, especially people I didn’t know very well. Even though I felt like I knew Dale intimately on some levels, I was going to have to confess that I was a bit fragile in some ways. It was going to be embarrassing and uncomfortable, but somehow I knew that we’d work it out. At least, I was pretty sure.

  When I heard a tentative tap at my door, I instantly knew who it was. Dale was standing there with a bouquet of bright pink Gerber daisies looking completely stressed out.

  Taking the flowers from him, I said, “Thanks,” letting him in while I found a vase.

  He sat rather stiffly on the couch, staying silent until I settled beside him. He took my hands in his, turning to face me. His dark brown eyes were stormy, as if he were in actual pain.

  “Lindsay, I’m completely over the moon for you. Knowing that I hurt you feels like a rusty knife twisting in my heart and I feel like I haven’t been able to take a full breath. I’m not quite sure what I did wrong, but whatever it is, I’ll fix it. I...” He swallowed hard. “I want to deserve a girl as amazing as you are. I want to be everything you need. Tell me how to improve, and I’ll do anything.’

  I hated that I began shaking, tears filling my eyes.

  “Oh god, baby, please, don’t cry,” he rasped quickly, “Please tell me it’s not too late.”

  Throwing my arms around him, I needed to feel him against me. “It’s not too late. We can fix it.”

  I felt him take a huge exhale and relief flooded him. “Jesus, sweetie, I was so scared.”

  “So was I,” I said slowly, trying to choose my words carefully. “But I think I figured it out.”

  His huge hands stroking my back instantly soothed me. But now I had to be brave. Sitting back slightly, I tried to speak above a whisper. “It’s always been really hard for me to speak up for what I want,” I said.

  He nodded, holding my hands and waiting patiently.

  “When you suddenly took that job, seeing that you’re still close with your ex-girlfriend, it really hurt me.”

  “Baby, I’m–”

  I raised a finger to shush him, and he nodded.

  “You have no way of knowing that I’m terrified of being abandoned, because of my father. You have no way of knowing how insecure I am about tall, slender blondes. You don’t know that feeling invisible is one of my biggest fears.”

  The horror in his eyes was sort of touching.

  “But that’s okay,” I said quickly. “We have so much to learn about each other. We’ll have to figure out what we each need, and how to operate so that we’re in sync. Right?”

  He nodded.

  “Everyone has some strange emotional points within them, and some things that are on a hair trigger. I need to be able to speak up and tell you when that’s happening. Or immediately after, once I’ve taken a little time to process it.”

  “I want you to tell me everything you’re feeling. Please. Everything,” Dale begged.

  “I’d like to share everything with you, but I also don’t want to seem like a fragile little girl. Like someone who needs constant attention. I don’t want to interrupt your busy life or get in your way.” Leaning forward, I gave him a gentle kiss, because it looked like he’d nearly stopped breathing. “We’re going to learn how to fix things in advance next time. It’s okay.”

  “I was a total asshole for not taking you home, at least,” he said quietly.

  “No, you were focused on the job. That’s okay. I wish that I could have told you what I needed.”

  Dale nodded, giving my hands a squeeze. “What could I have done better?”

  “You could have pulled me aside for just two minutes for a proper goodbye. I think that’s all it would have taken. Then a text goodnight.”

  He nodded, thinking. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know how to function with Laurie there.” He hesitated. “She’s always been really loud and outspoken, and she was really frantic that day.”

  “I understand why you didn’t introduce me. It’s still really new.”

  “I wanted to,” he stammered, “I really did. I wanted to tell her that you’re my new girlfriend and that she was interrupting, but...” He stopped, staring desperately into my eyes. “I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to call you that yet. I was afraid that I’d say the wrong thing and upset you.”

  “You think that calling me your girlfriend would upset me?”

  “I don’t know. I mean, some people have timelines and rules and stuff, and you’re a bit proper about some things and I wanted to check first.” His lips curled up in a strange smile. “Lindsay... You sort of terrify me.”

  I stared at him, blinking. “Me?”

  “Yes. I’m scared that I’m not in your league, and that I’m too rough and strange for you. You’re always so put together, and seem to know what’s going on. I was quiet so that I didn’t make a mistake.”

  Shaking my head, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

  “Now I think I know that I should always speak up, right?” he asked. I nodded quickly. “Okay, good. So if my ex, or my coworkers, or anyone comes around, I’m going to pull you into my arms and tell them you’re my girlfriend.”

  My chin tipped up and down slower this time as I smiled at him. “Yeah. If that’s okay.”

  “Sweetie, I feel such strange, possessive urges for you that I’m trying to be careful. I don’t want to scare you off. If you tell me that I’m allowed, I’ll tell the whole city that you’re my girlfrie
nd.”

  “You’re allowed,” I said. My eyes dropped, hesitating. “How could someone like you really be seen with someone like me? Your ex didn’t even think for one second that we were a couple.”

  “That’s because she’s a stuck up bitch. Listen, I only went out with her for a month, and I was miserable. I ended it years ago. Then she just ended up in my industry again.” His fingertips danced through the back of my hair. “I need someone who makes me happy.” Dale leaned in to breathe into my ear, “That’s you.”

  “I want to make you happy. I just...” I was so flustered that I didn’t even know how to finish my thought.

  “Sweetie, I’m never going to expect you to have all the answers. I won’t either. I’ve never had a girlfriend for longer than a month, and I don’t know how things are supposed to work. But I don’t care. Let’s just do what’s right for us, and ask each other immediately if we’re not sure. Alright?”

  “Alright.”

  “Like when you asked me what to wear,” he chuckled. “I would never have thought of that, but girls need to know those things, don’t they?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “And now I know that you need to know that we’re permanent, and I’ll always be here for you.” Dale lifted me and set me on his lap. “Lindsay, I’ll always be here for you. Even if I’m working like crazy, just text me and I can sneak off for a quick phone call. I want to be the one you turn to.”

  My head snuggled against his shoulder. “Thank you.”

  His lips brushed my hair. “Except for extra girly stuff, and I know you have Nadia and Charity for that.” He grinned at me. “Have you told them that your little science experiment really worked?”

  “Not all of the details yet, but a bit.”

  He grinned. “I try to pretend I’m a cool guy once in a while, but I’d really love to do something cheesy as hell.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like take a super cute photo of the two of us together, and have us both post it online so that I can introduce my new girlfriend to the world.”

  I giggled, then threw my arms around him, kissing him with that deep, soft fire we shared. He was willing to be silly and cheesy for me. He really did have a mushy side.

  We both held up our phones, giggling and snuggling the whole time. He took a photo where he was kissing my cheek, then I took a photo where I was kissing him.

  We looked adorable together. His tan, slightly rugged face was such a contrast to my pale, round, slightly wide-eyed expression.

  “Before I post it, is this okay?” Dale held his phone over so that I could read the caption. “I’d like everyone to meet my beautiful new girlfriend and the love of my life, Lindsay. You’ll be seeing a lot of her soon, since I never want to be away from her.”

  Turning to him, I just stared for a moment.

  “Oh, sweetie, I’m sorry. You’re nervous. Your lips are doing that tight thing.”

  I tried to unclench my mouth. “You said... Um. To everyone.”

  Dropping the phone in his lap, he took my hands in his. “I love you, Lindsay. I think you’re amazing, and the entire world is more amazing every time I’m with you.”

  “I love you too,’ I whispered, feeling tears prick my eyes.

  He grabbed me, holding me against his chest. “I’m so sorry, did I freak you out? Or are those happy tears?”

  “Yes,” I squeaked. “Happy. And relief, I think.”

  “My sweet baby,” he purred, stroking my back as he held me close. “Any time you have big feelings, my shoulder is right here for you to tuck into. Okay?”

  I nodded, cuddling against him. Then I grabbed my phone, adding my own caption to our photo, and holding it up for him to read.

  “This is the amazing new man in my life, Dale. Don’t tell him that he’s my mushy little cuddle monkey, because he thinks he’s a big tough guy.”

  His eyes sparkled as he looked back at me. “You wouldn’t dare.”

  “I might.”

  Dale squared his shoulders. “I don’t think you’ve got the guts, punk.”

  Raising my finger, I lifted it, then lowered it, hitting the send button.

  “You cheeky little...” He pressed send on his phone as well, then grabbed both to set them on the coffee table so he could tickle me. In a blink, he was on top of me, his hands under my shirt, his mouth hot against mine.

  “You’re mine now,” he purred against me. “All mine, sweet thing. You’re stuck with me for a long, long time.”

  “Good,” I breathed, sliding my hands up the back of his shirt. “There’s a long, long list of things you’ll need to do to me.”

  His grin was dazzling. “Saucy little vixen. You think you can just say something cute and I’ll haul you off to worship this luscious body?”

  I nodded. “Yes.”

  “Mmm, you know me so well.” Suddenly I was in the air as Dale scooped me into his arms, carrying me to the bedroom.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  * Dale *

  Although it had only been a few days away from her, I craved the feeling of her soft, sexy body more than I craved air. It wasn’t normal that I could feel it in my spine when she kissed me.

  “I missed you so much,” I said gently, unzipping the back of her dress and slipping it off. I quickly unhooked her bra and slid off her panties, guiding her onto the bed. I needed to stare at her, laid out before me like an offering. Like a goddess to be worshiped.

  “Damn, Lindsay, you are too perfect for your own good.”

  Her breath hitched from the force of my stare, as I tore off my clothes to join her, naked across her bed.

  It was harder to control myself this time as I kissed her deeply, almost roughly. My coarse hands skimmed along her tender skin, gripping her hip and squeezing her until she moaned. Our bodies molded into one, our tongues dancing together as my hand slid lower. She opened those luscious thick thighs for me, allowing my fingers to wander around every delicate fold, gently teasing her as she quivered.

  So pale and delicate under me. So sweetly sensitive, the way she gasped as my finger slid inside her wet pussy lips.

  Her little hands ran across my chest. The feeling of our skin together was so intoxicating that I barely realized I had plunged a second finger inside her, my thumb dancing around her clit. Everything was hazy and I just needed to feel my sweet girl come for me.

  She was giving herself to me so freely, and I wanted to tell her that I would treasure her forever. That she was the most perfect gift a man had ever been given.

  Lindsay began almost panting, her hands sliding around to my back, digging into the muscles of my shoulders. Then she seemed to implode, freezing completely, motionless except for her snug inner walls pulsing around my fingers.

  “Oh my…” she whispered, barely trembling. “Dale…”

  When her eyes finally opened, she looked positively drunk from the force of that climax. Grinning up at me, she grabbed the back of my head, crushing her mouth to mine.

  She spread her legs wider, wrapping them around my waist in a way that left no room for interpretation. Knowing how much my baby needed me was an adrenaline rush I would never forget.

  Teasing her by moving slowly, I gripped my cock, nestling it between her soft folds, but not yet pushing inside.

  Lindsay could have taught a master class on how to beg with just her eyes. There was no way I could resist or tease any longer, slipping inside her sweet wetness gently, hoping that I didn’t hurt her at all this time.

  From her feathery soft gasps, she was enjoying every stroke. I couldn’t make sense of how perfectly we fit together. Gripping her hands, I interlaced our fingers and stretched them up over her head, pinning her completely.

  “Yes,” she whined. “Dale, how can anything feel this good?”

  “Because we’re perfect together,” I groaned, flexing my hips as I drove into her slow and steady. Her body had completely surrendered to mine. Watching her bite her bottom lip, tilting her head from s
ide to side as I worked deeper, made every animal urge take over.

  The pressure was incredible. Her delicate noises were driving me wild. I could feel the way the base of my shaft was rubbing against her swollen little nub just the way she needed.

  Then my beautiful sweet girl said the hottest thing a woman could possibly say to a man.

  “Harder? Please…”

  Releasing her fingers, I gripped her waist with one hand, while rubbing her clit with my other thumb.