Tailwind (Love By Design Book 4)

by M. C. Cerny

  “Well, it’s good to meet you Chase.” Dad put out his hand and shook Chase’s in that professional I’m her dad and will kill you sort of way. The tension was thick but dissipated quickly between awkward acknowledgements.

  “Dad could we have a minute before, um, you know.”

  “Sure honey. Just come back to exam room three.” Dad went behind the door leaving us in the now empty waiting room.

  “Well, I wonder if he’ll want to get lunch after.”

  “Jesus, Winsome. He’s going to be…” Chase waved his hand around in the general direction of his manhood. I nodded and realized how far we’d truly sunk in a matter of seconds.

  “So lunch is out this visit. I get it. Hella-weird.” I sung quietly.

  Chase gritted. “I don’t want your dad looking at my dick.”

  I shrugged wincing because really, what could we do about it at this point. “I don’t want my dad looking at your dick, but he is the best.”

  Chase groaned and I don’t know who was more embarrassed by all of this. Meeting my dad. Meeting my dad as his doctor and knowing he was going to be looking at Chase’s junk thinking about it because he was my boyfriend. It was terrible and nerve wracking at best.

  “Wait out here, please.” He clenched his fists and I really felt for him.

  There wasn’t much I could do or say but leave it to me to keep shit real. “Sure, I’ll be holding your dignity, right here in my purse.”

  Chase glanced over his shoulder shaking his head no. “Thanks, babe.” He shored up his shoulders and made his way past the door.

  “I love you.” I whispered wincing as the door shut and Chase didn’t look back. “I should probably warn my mom.” I pulled out my cellphone glancing at the waiting room, glad I was alone.

  Thirty agonizing minutes later Chase pops out from behind the door. I stand up like a hedgehog looking for its shadow.

  “How is it? Is he okay? Did he pass the stone?” My mouth is going a million miles a minute and all I can think is that my father knows Chase nearly as intimately as I do.

  “Deep breaths Winsome. Your young man is just fine. Next time I’ll buy him dinner.” Dad claps Chase on the back and I laugh awkwardly. Chase smiled tight and hugged me burying his face in my neck shaking. My face is pressed against his chest in a bear hug and I wonder if he’s trying to secretly smoother me. I realize he’s laughing and I pinch his side hard. He grunts letting me go.

  “You two come visit me and plan to spend more time.”

  “Thanks dad.” I let go of Chase to hug my dad and we leave the office holding hands.

  I take Chase’s keys and lead him out. “So honestly how did it go?”

  His face grits. “You heard your dad. Next time he’ll buy me dinner.”

  “Oh.” Because really what more is there to say?

  Chase merely holds up his hand and shuts his eyes in a slow blink. He kisses my hand he’s holding and continues to walk out to the car. At least he doesn’t look nearly as pained as he did when we walked inside. I guess we’re not talking about this. I probably shouldn’t have texted Kristen back…

  I’m not sure either of us has gotten a full night’s rest since the stone attack and I didn’t even have pain meds. We were home maybe less than fifteen minutes when a knock sounded.

  “Winnie?” Chase grumbled from his seat on the couch propped up resting.

  “I don’t know?” I shrugged opening the door to find the girls pushing their way through with food and the guys following them in with a gaming system.

  “Winnie.” This time Chase said it grunting and half burying his head in the couch. Hindsight was always twenty-twenty and I released having his group of close nit busybodies wasn’t the brightest idea I’d ever had.

  “I might have texted Kristen.” I sunk down on the couch next to him handing him a soft pillow. Chase covered his face and rolled over grunting.

  “Mad, baby?” I tried teasing but it was hard to keep a straight face when he looked so adorably perturbed with me.

  “So mad. Your ass is mine.” Normally that would be code for anal sex and I would be delighted except I think Chase doesn’t mean it in the sexy way I’d like him too, because of the texting, you know.

  “Oh you poor thing.” Taylor Jane petted my head letting me lean against her side. “Go get a shower. We got the rest.”

  I’m ushered into the bathroom and locked the door behind me. I heard Chase shouting and the guys laughing. I stand under the spray of hot water feeling the jets beat down on my shoulders. The weight of the world seemed to wash off me and down the drain relieving the burden I didn’t know I had been carrying. Feeling better, I dried off and dress in comfy leggings and an off the shoulder top. I felt ten times better already.

  I open the door and peer into the living room. The guys have coaxed Chase to shower and propped him on the couch to play Mario Cart. They’re zooming around a track. Hunter played Bowser, a grumpy spikey dinosaur which seemed like an obvious choice. Damien played Princess Peach and Whit maneuvered Yoshi around the track. My guy was Mario and in the head of the pack.

  “Shouldn’t you be playing?” I stood next to Evan who sipped a beer watching them.

  “Nah, besides I get to hang out with the girls and irritate you know who.” He tipped his head at Damien. These guys were on a crash course for a beat down behind a bar dumpster, but that was a tale for another day.

  “We like you better over here anyway.” Kristen approached our twosome and handed me a beer. She glanced back at Damien and winked at Hunter who shook his head like he was used to these antics.

  “I made some salads and Evan promised to grill the man food.” Taylor handed him a pair of tongs and a chef’s apron. The food smelled delicious.

  “Where’s this beer from?” I asked checking out the unusual label. It tasted hoppy and like raspberries although I was no expert.

  “Easton’s Pub. Andy makes his own brew and he saves us a case of the new stuff. He couldn’t stop by, but he called and asked me to pick this up.”

  “Yeah, we’re all the unofficial guinea pigs for his craft beer.”

  “Hmm. It’s good.” I said taking another sip.

  “Babe, can you get me one.” Chase called from the living room.

  “No, you’re on pain medication.” I yelled back. He groaned loudly flopping back on the couch being dramatic.

  “Dude, don’t be such a dick!” Damien teased and Chase scowled. Hunter couldn’t stop the laugh fill apology and I bit my lip. Oops. He’d never live meeting my dad this way down.

  Evan leaned over, “and that’s why we’re here. He’s a real pain in the ass.”

  I chuckled. “I’m glad you all see it too.” I finished my beer and reached for another.

  By the time we ate grilled food and cleaned up I was feeling pretty buzzed about life in general.

  27

  Chase

  Winsome was drunk. Snoring. Drooling. I hoped she wasn’t going to wake up with a splitting headache hung over. Evan actually carried her inside for me and dumped her gently in the middle of the bed before leaving. I still didn’t get what Damien was so hung up over with Evan, but I hoped they’d work it out some day for my sister’s sake.

  It was great having my friends come over and distract us. This was why we were all so close. We were always in each other’s business, but I guess that’s what small towns do. At some point we all thought about moving on and far away, but we always seemed to come back here, back home to New Paltz. If my knee hadn’t failed me and required reconstructive surgery, I was certain I would have been playing for a team in another city and state until I quit.

  I certainly didn’t stay for Damien’s quippy comments.

  Maybe things happened for a reason? Maybe fate has a way of putting the right things in your path when you’re ready. Maybe it’s a joke and snoring girlfriends who mumble about hating cats in her sleep. Either way, I love her, and I love our life together.

  I scroll through m
y phone to read the bevy of text messages. One is a group message from Damien who can’t help himself but talk shit about Evan. Asshole makes me laugh. Another message was from Whit seeing about when I get this stone passed if I’m interested in hiking one of the peaks on our list. It’ll be good to hike. Better than a session of physical therapy. My mom demanded an update from the doctor she sent me too see in Albany. She simply can’t help herself and I reluctantly promise to follow up because I know it’s her way of caring and gets me off her hot list. I just don’t know if I can explain that my doctor is also Winnie’s dad. Probably best to wait on that one.

  28

  Winnie

  There’s something odd about lying in bed surrounded by so much warmth and a flick of fur bopping me in the face. I reached out to feel a muscled arm only to be greeted with a handful of fur and a sandpaper tongue licking my hand. I pushed the offending licker away and earned myself the slap of a paw.

  After a long day of grooming Mrs. Morretti’s dog and ending up with more suds on me than the animal I was exhausted. My body had nothing left to give and lying sprawled out like a starfish was as good as it was going to get. Saturdays had become work days while Monday was the new extension of my weekend. I didn’t think my shower would get rid of the smell but the floral body wash Chase found online made everything come up roses. I lean my head up to see a pair of slanted green eyes watching my every move. It would have been alarming had this not been our usual routine. I make a move, the cat makes a move until one of us, typically me gave up and let him have his way. Chase snored soundly and I traced the sculpted lines of his back exposed by the sliding sheet. He groaned and shifted, his arm sliding from the bed to the floor. I gave it about a minute before his arm became a plaything for the puppy that couldn’t climb into the bed–yet.

  “Chase…” I tried coaxing him awake but only heard grunts in response. I wiggled in the bed but was greeted with a pouncing body swatting at my feet.

  The damn cat flicked his tail getting ready to commit owner-fratricide. They were definitely devious creatures. This one seemed to be plotting world domination no matter how many times I explained to Chase he was evil incarnate. At least he got kicked out when we were in the middle of sex. Last time the cat tried crawling Chase’s back and while funny, he still has scratch marks I had nothing to do with. Try explaining that at the next picnic with friends while swimming…

  “Winsome.” His gruff voice surfaced from sheets and I smiled into my pillow. Big man was awake which meant these beggars in our bed would be getting the boot.

  “Yeah?” I didn’t mind being coy when the situation called for it. A paw smacked my hand resting on his back. We stared each other down while Chase shifted and rolled in the bed reaching for me.

  “Come here babe.” The cat yowled getting pushed away and I smiled giving him the side eye right back. That animal was about to get exiled if I had anything to say about it.

  “Been waiting for you to wake up.”

  Chase chuckled. “I bet you have.” His body covered mine and I kicked sheets out as he positioned me under him pressing his knee between my thighs. Our bodies lined up and he rested on his elbows nuzzling his face into my neck. Warm air puffed and heat suffused blooming in my cheeks all the way down to my center. There was no pretense for us. I pushed his boxers down his wide hips pulling him in close feeling the bite of his hipbones pinch against my skin. His cock rested a damp tip against my belly hot and heavy. Chase eased back and then canted forward in a long stroke filling me up. His balls slapped against me low and I moaned into the empty space of the room.

  A bark emanated from the floor followed by a mewling whine and the tugging of sheets.

  “Damn it.” I growled.

  Chase pulled back and then pushed forward again speaking gruffly into my ear. “Ignore them, Win.” I met his thrust with one of my own relishing the feel of him stretch me. The bite of pleasure is an unexpected pinch I can’t seem to live without. He pounded several strokes, the bed hitting the wall and the door vibrated in the jam. I couldn’t get the vermin out of my mind. This wasn’t working for me and I tossed my head about.

  “Winnie, my love. Look at me.” Chase coaxed my eyes from the rattling picture frame that will probably slide off the wall at this rate and he kissed my nose distracting me for a second.

  My nose scrunched and I groused unhappily, “I’ve been staring the cat down since six this morning.” That little shit with its glowing eyes convinced me I’d find a dead mouse in my shoe later or a loose bell to trip on in the middle of the night.

  “I bet you have my eager little beaver.” He snickered thrusting again.

  “Are you always this mouthy during sex?” I asked letting my nails scour his shoulder blades until he hissed. Turnabout was fair play.

  “Only when I know it makes you wild and grumpy.” Our bodies undulated in a steady rhythm that kept me present in the moment. Chase leaned into me and the leisurely fucking built into a heated frenzy.

  “I can feel you swelling inside me.” I squeezed my inner muscles listening to him groan. His eyes shut and he bit his lip deep in concentration. It was a game to see who could make the other break first. This time it would be him. I’d make sure of it.

  “I love your walls strangling me. I love this pussy of yours milking me hard. I’m at your mercy, Winsome.” God, this man’s dirty talk would make me squirt if I wasn’t careful. Heck, he’d enjoy that.

  A cat yowled and a paw scratched at the door begging to be let out. These damn animals and he wondered why I wanted to wait as long as humanly possible to have kids. I was selfish.

  “Why do we let them sleep in here?” My hand tangled in the back of his hair kissing him.

  The question was rhetorical.

  “You know one of us would wake up and just open the door anyway.” He reminded me. It was true. We let them in because to listen to them whine and scratch the door would drive us nuts all night long. We tried to crate train the puppy, but I didn’t have it in me to leave him there all night. He cried and scratched up his pee-pee pad making an unholy mess. He wasn’t destructive as long as he was in the room with us–which meant sleeping in here at night with ridiculously early morning wake up calls.

  “One of these days we’re going to have a pet free night.”

  “Like date night, except at home.” Chase leaned up and started trailing kisses down my chest stopping at my breasts to bite them until I moaned. We’d be that couple hiring a babysitter except we had no kids.

  Breathless, I agreed with him. “Yeah. Wednesday sounds good for me.” I panted and he nodded his head yes. Date night was fun and we were due to have one. No pets. And no friends either because they were like pets and kids themselves when in a group. Pack mentality.

  He kissed my belly whispering, “Good practice for kids.”

  I heard him loud and clear. I was choosing to ignore him at the moment. “Maybe in ten years.”

  He stopped kissing me which was a shame.

  Our eyes met and he asked, “Ten?”

  I confirmed his question. “Ten.”

  He gripped my legs and pushed them wide. The stretch was pleasant and I eased into the position. His hair tickled the inner muscles of my legs and he rubbed his scruff along the skin teasing me. He could tease me for hours, days, weeks, and my decision would firmly remain the same. I was content to wait on kids and he knew this.

  “You sure about that?” Chase delivered a long lick trailing his tongue from my opening up and around my swollen clit. He had a way with his mouth muscles. He could have been oral MVP instead of his team’s football MVP and lucky me he was all mine. Ladies between the ages of eighteen and eighty would have to look elsewhere. Magic tongue was staying right here with me. I’d have a jersey made. Something in pink with glitter to match my new Michael Kors bag.

  “I’m sure you’re not done down there.” My hands gripped his shoulders pushing him back down. I felt his smile against my skin as he goes back to town on
my lady parts. His warm breath heats me up and I felt my desire like a heatwave course over my body. I reverted to autopilot shivering and making a mess of Chase’s handsome face with my arousal. He’s like a puppy with a new chew toy every time he’s down there and it’s tempting to say yes to a great many things I’d generally say no to. Cocking my head to the side I do recall a plethora of things on my hard limits list that he’s convinced me of otherwise. I’m lucky he doesn’t think I’m serious when I relent in the heat of the moment.

  “I’m just getting started babe.”

  Chase worked his magic until I’m yelping and moaning incoherently making promises he knows I don’t mean. Heck, I’d have a litter of babies as long as he kept doing what he was doing and that was some serious voodoo magic since me thinking about the mechanics of having said babies killed the mood pretty quick. He’s sexy and fun and I get to keep him. Who knew that coming to the middle of nowhere to babysit furballs would have yielded a tailwind of good things to come? Definitely not me, but I was grateful all the same. My head flopped back into the feathered pillows tuning out the puppy growling and barking, the hissing cat, and the thumping of the headboard against the wall. We’d probably need to have that fixed or repainted, but I didn’t care. I had a full heart and everything I needed right here.

  Epilogue

  WINNIE

  “Darling you look so beautiful.” My dad sniffs loudly holding my arm as we walk down the path to where everyone is waiting. He isn’t usually so sentimental. I don’t know if it’s the rollercoaster he experienced with my mom or the fact that his only daughter is now in the hands of another man. I’m thinking it’s a dad thing by the wave of protective alpha pheromones he’s giving off despite Chase being one of the biggest guys here.

  “What were you thinking on the day you married mom?” The burning question had been in my mind for years since they divorced and mouth blurted it out now of all times. How did two people love each other one day and then decide they didn’t love each other enough the next? It terrified me that as close as I felt to Chase today that it was possible to feel equally as far away if something went horribly wrong.