by Parker, Lexy
“I get it. It’s a nice house.”
“Thank you. Clay, I’m sorry about the picture,” she said.
“Don’t be sorry. You were married,” I assured her.
“It feels weird to be out on a date,” she mumbled.
“I’m sorry. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable,” I told her.
She closed her eyes. “You aren’t. I’m glad we got this out of the way. Let’s just pretend there is no history. We’re both blank canvases.”
“I like the sound of that. So, are you a veterinarian?” I asked, changing the subject.
“No. I’m a vet technician. Basically, I went to school for two years instead of eight.”
“It sounds like a fun job.”
“It is, sometimes. There are plenty of sad days too, like when we have to put down a little old lady’s cat and she’s crying so hard I fear she’ll fall over and have a heart attack,” she said.
“That would be brutal.”
“I’m thinking about going back to school for my actual veterinarian’s degree,” she announced.
“Really? Wow! That’s awesome,” I told her.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m still thinking about it. I’m not sure I’m interested in hitting the books again. I kind of like not being the one responsible for an animal’s overall health. I don’t know if I could handle telling a little old lady her pet was going to die.”
“I could always use another driver,” I teased.
She groaned. “I would not drive that truck.”
I laughed. “For you, I would buy a new truck.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
We ordered our meals, both of us relaxing a little more.
“How long have you had the delivery business?” she asked.
“Almost ten years. I needed to do something once I got out of the marines. I found myself running a lot of errands for my mom and her friends. I realized I could be their errand boy for a fee and the rest kind of bloomed from there.”
“Very clever,” she said with a smile.
“Thank you.”
I didn’t tell her my clever idea was sinking fast. I couldn’t stand the idea of seeing the disappointment on her face. She was not the type of woman who hitched her wagon to a guy that was on the verge of losing everything.
We finished our meals, both of us lingering a little, telling me she wasn’t quite ready to go home. That was good news for me. I wasn’t all that experienced in the art of wooing a woman. I wanted to take it slow.
“You ready to get out of here?” I asked her.
“Yes.”
“Would you like to go back to my place?” I asked her hesitantly.
I couldn’t go to her house and I didn’t think she wanted me there. It was a lot like having a ghost lingering. I wasn’t exactly counting on anything to happen, but if there was a chance I could get a kiss, I didn’t want to be kissing the ghost’s wife in front of him. Not that I was a big believer in the supernatural, but it was still out there. I also had to consider the idea she might not be too keen on the idea of bringing a man home.
“I would,” she said, her voice soft.
I quickly paid the bill and walked out of the restaurant beside her. I didn’t make any attempt to hold her hand or wrap my arm around her. I was moving slow, at a snail’s pace. I liked her enough that I didn’t want to scare her off. I helped her into the passenger’s seat and hurriedly got in the driver’s side to head to my house. I pulled into the driveway of my small house on a large piece of land. I had been more interested in the land than the house. I was an outdoors guy and spent a lot of time in the back yard.
“This is nice,” she said.
I chuckled. “Thank you.”
I opened the truck door for her and walked ahead to unlock the front door. My house was a bachelor pad. I had a massive TV, the leather couch and the requisite pizza box on the coffee table, which I had forgotten was there.
She was looking around and smiling. “I like it.”
“Thank you,” I muttered, grabbing the pizza box and carrying it into the kitchen and stuffing it into the trash.
Dani was walking around, staring at the few pictures I had on the walls. I had never expected to actually bring her back to my house and was regretting not cleaning up before I left. She came into the kitchen, catching me hastily shoving the few dirty dishes that had been in the sink into the dishwasher.
“You don’t have to tidy up. I know you live here. My place isn’t always the cleanest. I don’t expect any house to be perfect all the time. That isn’t natural,” she said with a small laugh.
I sighed with relief. “I’m glad you said that.”
She was standing close to me. I could smell her light perfume and longed to lower my face to her neck and inhale. I caught a whiff of her shampoo, mingled with the perfume and her natural scent. It was making me hard and hot and threatening to steal away my self-control. I resisted the urge, my hand going up to push her hair away from her face.
“This house suits you. I like that it isn’t big and pretentious. When you told me you owned your own business, I assumed you had a big fancy house and I will admit, I was hesitant,” she murmured.
I shook my head. “Nope. I don’t like that kind of thing. I’m a simple guy. I like the simple things in life. I prefer to keep things easy. I don’t like clutter and don’t buy a lot of stuff.”
She nodded her head. “I see that. Simple certainly sounds nice.”
We were staring at each other, her green eyes making me crazy. I wasn’t a player, but I certainly wasn’t a fucking monk. No man could stand within inches of her and not be tempted to kiss her. Just one little kiss was all I needed.
She stepped forward, the distance between us shrinking to mere inches. Her eyes dropped to my mouth. I could practically see the thought bubble above her head announcing what she was thinking. I wouldn’t make the first move. That was up to her. If she gave me the green light, I would take over, but not until I knew exactly what she wanted.
“Clay?” she whispered.
“Yes?” I said, the word barely a whisper.
“I’m going to kiss you,” she breathed out a split second before her soft, lush lips connected with mine. I reached for her waist, not deepening the kiss.
I let her set the pace. It could be nothing more than a sweet kiss. I didn’t want to let myself jump to conclusions. Her lips pressed harder and I felt them slightly part. That’s when I knew. I pulled her closer to me, using my mouth to push her lips open wider. My tongue swept inside, tasting her and wanting more. I heard her moan softly. I put my hands around her waist and lifted her slim body up, depositing her on the counter.
Her hands moved to my shoulders, sliding down my arms and coming to rest with her palms on my chest. I waited for her to push me away, telling myself I would stop, even though it would kill me to do it. It was then I felt her fingertips moving and realized she was unbuttoning my shirt.
That was all it took to ignite a fire within my belly that nearly scorched me from the inside out. I plunged my tongue inside her mouth and let myself go, throwing away all the restraint I had barely been clinging to since she had opened her front door a couple of hours ago.
Chapter 18
Dani
His mouth was hot, wet and the things his tongue was doing were amazing. He was an amazing kisser. His lips were full, and he was using just the right amount of pressure to make me crazy with need. I scooted toward the edge of the counter, trying to get my body closer to his. I had managed to get his shirt opened, baring his chest.
I reached my hands up, splaying them over his chest, feeling the defined muscles under the smattering of hair stretched across his chest. He was all man. The feeling of his hot skin under my palms sent a shiver down my spine. I raised my hands to his shoulders, pushing the shirt back and down his arms.
He shimmied, shaking it off him. His mouth stayed on mine the whole time as if he were starving and it was on
ly me who could give him what he needed. I felt needed, wanted and it was an incredibly heady feeling.
His hands reached around to the back of my dress, pulling the zipper down. When it fell forward, I wriggled out of it, letting it drop to my waist, leaving me in my bra. His hands immediately dropped to my breasts, cupping them through the lace. He groaned, his kiss deepening before he pulled back, nibbling at my bottom lip.
My hands reached up to his hair, which had been perfectly styled. I could feel product between my fingers and loved that he had such a full head of hair. It was silky and lush. I pulled his head closer to mine, as if there were any space left between us.
His fingers flicked open the front clasp on my bra, freeing my breasts and leaving them exposed to his touch. He massaged them before pulling his mouth from mine and dropping to my left breast. He suckled on my nipple before moving to the other one, kissing and nuzzling before sliding his tongue up my throat, to my neck, where he sucked my flesh between his teeth.
I gasped, feeling an awakening within my body that was so violent I nearly jumped off the counter. I was desperate, frantic for more. I could feel that familiar tingling of an orgasm building and was suddenly very desperate to reach my breaking point.
My hands dropped to his waistband, shaking wildly as I fumbled with the button and sliding the zipper down. I pushed the pants down his hips, my heart pounding wildly in my chest. I ran my hand over his firm ass, the briefs he was wearing clinging to his body. I reached around front, running my hand over the bulge.
“Oh God,” I gasped, feeling how hard he was and immediately growing wet.
He stepped away from me, pulling me off the counter, my feet hitting the floor. He pushed the dress down, leaving me standing in nothing but black lace panties. He pushed them down without hesitation before lifting me up again and putting me on the smooth counter. I was convinced my heart was going to stop. I was so aroused I could hardly draw a breath.
His hand ran over my thigh, sending goosebumps popping up all over my body. He used one hand to gently open my legs before his mouth dropped to mine again. His hand slid up my thigh, scraping over my core. I was about to embarrass myself. I could feel the orgasm spiraling out of control.
“Clay,” I gasped, begging him to touch me.
His fingertips slid over my folds before scraping back over, applying pressure as he parted me. I leaned back, one hand on his neck. His mouth hovered, his eyes boring into mine as he ran his fingers over me again before he gently probed inside me with one index finger. It was all I needed. I closed my eyes, my head dropping back and my body exploding around his finger. He pushed in higher, drawing out the orgasm.
I opened my eyes, finding his on me, watching me as I fell apart in his arms. He leaned forward and kissed me, gently moving his lips over mine as I whimpered and shook in his arms. When I could think straight, I reached for him again, grabbing his hard length through the underwear.
He moaned, his body jumping as I rubbed him. I quickly pushed the underwear down, my eyes going wide as I checked out the glorious package. He was so masculine. As I stared at him, standing naked in front of me, I realized the man I was seeing was very different from the one I had first met. The man standing between my legs, his hard cock jutting forward and a look of pure, unadulterated passion in his eyes, was all alpha male.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
I licked my lips, my eyes dropping down to his cock and sizing him up. “I am very ready.”
He stepped closer, his hand cupping my cheek, his other hand gripping his cock and guiding it to my opening. I spread my legs wider, prepared to take all of him deep inside. He was a big man. I felt the head probing, some pressure as he pushed inside slowly, his eyes holding mine. He pushed in deeper, sliding inside me until he was buried to the hilt. We both stared at each other, our bodies adjusting, throbbing.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered.
I offered a small smile before leaning forward and kissing him. I wanted the sex, but I didn’t want to talk about it. His calm, mild demeanor faded, and his kiss took on a new intensity I hadn’t felt earlier. His hand wrapped around my waist, anchoring my lower body to his. His other hand moved to the back of my head, holding it as his mouth plundered mine.
He started to move his hips, sliding in and out, slowly at first until everything changed. His hand dropped from my head to my hips, his fingers digging into the flesh as he held me steady. His thrusts were purposeful and driven, sliding me across the counter with every push. I held onto his shoulders, leaning back and bucking my hips wildly, feeling completely uninhibited.
His face was twisted in what looked like pain. I knew it was ecstasy. I had a feeling my face looked the same. I was on the verge of another explosive orgasm. His body was a finely-tuned machine, moving in a rhythm that was taking us both higher and higher.
“Fuck, I’m so close,” he muttered.
“Go. Go. Go,” I ordered, moving my hand to his back and digging my nails into his skin.
He jerked, his teeth clenching as he moved faster, every thrust harder and more intense. I could feel the power vibrating through him. Every muscle was straining as he moved. I could feel my body coiled, a spring wound too tight and ready to snap.
I leaned back, dropping my elbows to the counter. He growled, low in his throat, pulling me closer to him as he continued moving fast and hard. I was lost. I could feel myself flying away as the slow burn of pure pleasure rolled through my body, touching every nerve ending as it moved. It was glorious, magnificent and absolutely mind-blowing.
“Oh shit.” He uttered the words as his body exploded inside mine.
I cried out as my orgasm soared ever higher. His arms moved under me, pulling me up and holding me close against his chest as we both rocked against each other, little spasms slamming into us. I felt every one of his and he felt each of mine with our joined bodies.
His mouth moved to mine, a sweet kiss, lacking the passion that had held us in its grip moments earlier. I sighed into him, kissing him back as our overheated bodies began to cool. With the passion fading, reality began to set in.
I pushed him back and hopped off the kitchen counter, snatching up my clothes before turning to look at him. “Bathroom?”
“Down the hall on the left,” he said, looking at me with concern.
I rushed away, embarrassed to be walking through his house completely nude. I slammed the bathroom door shut and dropped my clothes on the floor. I turned to look at myself in the mirror, loathing what I saw. I turned on the cold water and splashed it on my face, not worrying about smearing my makeup. The vigorous sex had already taken care of that.
I took a deep breath and then dressed, composing myself before I walked out of the bathroom. Clay was dressed, his shirt unbuttoned. I turned my head away, unable to look him in the eyes.
“I should go. I’ll call a cab,” I mumbled.
“Dani,” he said, stepping forward.
“No, I need to go,” I said.
“I’ll take you home,” he said, his voice soft.
I nodded and walked to the door, waiting for him to put his shoes on. We walked to his truck. I didn’t wait for him to open the door, getting in myself. The ride back to my house was quiet. I couldn’t believe what I had done. The worst part was how much I had enjoyed it all. I had enjoyed the sex—sex with another man that wasn’t my husband. I had never slept with another man. It had always been Gage. He’d been my first and last.
Clay stopped in front of my house. I turned to look at him. “Thank you for tonight. It was nice.”
“Dani, is everything okay?” he asked.
I smiled. “Yep, fine. I better go. Thanks again,” I said and jumped out of the truck and practically sprinted across the lawn to get to the front door.
Once inside, I locked the door and slid to the floor, my face buried in my hands. I was afraid to open my eyes and look around. I knew I would see pictures of me and Gage. I would see our wedding picture, the d
ay I vowed to love him until death did us part. I wasn’t dead. Didn’t that mean I was supposed to keep loving him? I couldn’t bring myself to look at the pictures and the mementos from our life together. I felt so much guilt it was physically weighing me down. My first instinct was to call Jamie. But I couldn’t call Jamie. My guilt prevented me from doing that.
Part of me knew she would be happy for me. She would tell me I’d done nothing wrong and that it was okay. She’d congratulate me and wish me all the best and tell me to move on with my life. I didn’t want to hear that. I felt like I should feel like shit. I should feel guilty. I had slept with another man. It was inexcusable. Gage had died defending our country and I was having multiple orgasms that curled my toes with another man that was NOT my husband.
Chapter 19
Clay
I hung up the phone, rubbing my face before pinching the bridge of my nose. It was Monday. Things were not going well. Mondays sucked. I was sticking to my original belief that I hated all Mondays. They never brought anything good. I knew I was in a shit mood because of the way my night had ended on Friday. Watching her run away from me, literally, had hurt. It made me feel like shit, like the worst kind of man on the planet.
I was pissed at myself for having sex with Dani. She wasn’t ready to move on. I should have known when I saw the picture. I heard the way she talked about him at the park and knew then she loved her husband. I had told myself then to stay away. She’d initiated the sex and certainly seemed to enjoy it, but it was evident she regretted it. That made me feel like shit. I felt like the biggest asshole in the world. I should have been man enough to step away. I should have driven her home, given her a kiss at the front door and promised another date. That’s what a good man would have done. Instead, I had given in to my want for her and pretended there was nothing standing in the way.
That was a problem for later, I thought, steering myself back to the problem at hand. Right now, I needed to figure out what to do about the truck broken down out back. I needed to hire another driver. I needed to have a driver in order to make more deliveries and make more money. That was the only way I was going to dig myself out of the hole we were sinking into. I couldn’t hire another driver if I didn’t have a truck for that driver to drive. No truck, no driver, no money, no way out of the hole. I was stuck.
