LuLLaY

by Freya Barker

  “And, uh, not to make a point, but how much of the world have you seen?” he asks, a spark of humor in his eyes.

  I chuckle, well aware of the irony. “Not a hell of a lot,” I admit. “That will change, though.”

  “Yeah?”

  "Mhmmm. Since I had Flynn, I hired a general manager who slowly took over day-to-day management, freeing me up. Two years ago I wouldn't have been able to take off like this for any extended period of time."

  “You plan to stay long?” I can hear the silent question behind the spoken one and decide to be straightforward.

  Finding out we not only live in relatively close proximity now, but grew up even closer to each other, opens up possibilities. The distance in age seems to become less and less important as we share more of ourselves. The chemistry we have is something I’d love to explore, and Matt has been pretty obvious in his attraction to me.

  “However long it takes to help my parents get through the holidays, and convince my dad to step back from the day-to-day running of the bakery. His health is not good, and he needs to start looking after himself.”

  “I get it.” His words are firm, but he can’t quite hide the disappointment at hearing my return is up in the air.

  “What’s happening here, Matt?”

  He lowers his eyes at my question and seems to be studying our now entwined fingers, much as I had before.

  “Have you ever felt so at home somewhere, right off the bat, you could easily see yourself stay there?” His voice is almost timid, but when he lifts his face, there’s nothing held back. I don’t think he really expects me to answer, but I nod all the same. “That’s how I feel about you. You feel right.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Matt

  Her lips are soft when I touch them with mine.

  The little sigh when she opens her mouth to me brushes my skin like a silent invitation. One I gladly accept. The glide of her tongue against mine is a perfect distraction from the weighty words I just dropped. Fucking hell, I've known this woman for all of two days, and I as much as threw my feelings on the table.

  I’m an idiot—and incredibly lucky—she seems to be reciprocating my attention with enthusiasm, instead of running for the hills. That’s what I would’ve done in similar situations: a girl starts talking about feelings on the second or third date, and my ass would be out that door so fast.

  I blame it on the bubble we find ourselves in: thrown together in a hotel room, waiting out the storm that rages outside, and far removed from our real lives. A rip in time, a chance encounter, a temporary fantasy that probably wouldn’t have a chance out there in the real world. The fact I voluntarily opened up about my childhood is indication enough I’m not in my normal frame of mind. I don’t talk about my parents at all and rarely even mentioned my sister until recently.

  The light scratch of her nails on the skin of my neck draws my focus back to the warm, and apparently willing, woman in my arms. Any and all thought evaporates when she pushes her tits against my chest. Soft curves I rush to explore with my hands, but when I slide one under the waistband at the small of her back and press my fingers in the globe of her ass, she pulls away. Not ready to let go, I tighten my arms around her.

  “Flynn,” she whispers against my lips.

  Then I hear it, a soft “Mommy” coming from the other room, and I immediately let her go.

  As Tana scrambles off the couch and goes to check on her daughter, I lean back on the couch and try to get my breathing under control. I brush one hand over my face, while pressing down on the near painful erection tenting my flannel pants with my other. Jesus, I need some fresh air.

  In the bedroom, I hear the soft mumble of voices, and I get to my feet. "I'm just gonna check on our clothes," I call out, not waiting for an answer before I slip out the door.

  Hitting the men’s washroom down the hall, I take a piss, and splash cold water on my face before heading for the lobby. The same woman who was there earlier stands behind the desk.

  “Any luck with our stuff? Room 109?”

  “It should be done in another fifteen minutes or so.”

  “Great, I’ll just wait for it here.”

  I sit down in the lobby and try to kill time with the local newspaper. It’s two days old, but I’m not really reading anyway. My mind is on the feel of Tana’s body under my hands.

  “Mr. Savela?” I look up to see the woman at the desk wave me over. “Your things are dry,” she explains when I walk up.

  “That was fast.”

  “The dryer has been running nonstop since yesterday.” She smiles as she hands over the plastic bag.

  “Thanks, I appreciate it. Any news on my wife’s vehicle? The red Toyota SUV?” I ask, kind of enjoying the way that sounds.

  “Yes,” she says, flipping through a small stack of papers until she appears to find what she’s looking for.

  “They called back this morning, but I didn’t want to disturb you. From what they tell me, the system is moving slowly east. The snow should stop sometime during the night, at which time they’ll dispatch the tow truck and bring the vehicle here. My guess is, you should be good to head out sometime tomorrow morning.”

  “That’s good news. Thanks again.”

  Walking back to the room—back to Tana—I realize that was a lie. I don’t think that’s good news at all.

  “Man!” The little girl is no more than a blur running toward me when I open the door. I barely manage to drop the clean laundry on the couch when she attaches herself to my legs. “Wanna pway in da snow?” Her little face smiles up at me, and I reach down to swing her up in my arms, just as her mother comes out of the bedroom.

  “Don’t you go asking Matt when I’ve already told you no, Peanut.”

  I grin when Flynn’s face drops into an impressive pout. This one’s going to be a handful at thirteen. “You heard your momma, little one, but maybe we can play inside? How about we build a fort? You know how to build a fort?” It’s the one thing I remember enjoying when I was little. Creating hideaways where I could pretend to be anything and anyone I wanted.

  Her blonde hair whips around her face as she shakes her head no.

  “I’ll teach you. It’s easy,” I assure her, setting her back on her feet. “But first I have to put away the laundry.”

  I let my free hand slide down the curve of Tana’s hip when I slip by her into the bedroom. Setting the stack of dry clothes on the dresser, I turn around and yank the covers off one of the beds, balling them up in my arms.

  “You and my daughter are gonna be making a mess, aren’t you?” Tana mutters behind me.

  “You bet.” I turn my grin at her, enjoying the slightly flustered look on her face when I step into her space. “It’ll be fun, but not as much as it would be making a mess of these sheets with you.”

  Tana

  The room is unrecognizable.

  Offering to find something to snack on while Matt and Flynn built their fort, I left the room and took the opportunity to check in with Mom, and to give Maggie, my manager, an update on my whereabouts should she need anything from me. That resulted in hitting up the hotel business center, where I used one of their computers to print off a couple of things she wanted me to look at.

  Armed with my documents, the snacks I raided from the small store in the lobby, and a bottle of wine I managed to get from the restaurant, I return to the room, determined to get a little work done. Get back in touch with reality so I don’t completely lose myself in the fantasy I’m planning to indulge in tonight.

  The past couple of days have been a little surreal. Running into Matt three different times, in three different states, in a twenty-four hour time frame was beyond coincidental, making it easy—maybe too easy—to get swept up in the fantasy. Getting hit on by an attentive handsome guy like him, who seems to adore my child as much as she adores him, makes for a dangerous temptation. One that has become more and more difficult to resist.

  For the last few years, Flynn ha
s acted as an unwitting gatekeeper, a deterrent for most guys, and an easy excuse when I needed one. However, she doesn’t seem to have any impact on Matt to hold back on his pursuit of me, and that only makes him more attractive—and more of a risk. Already I’ve caught myself trying to fit him into an imaginary future. For Pete’s sake, the man is building a fort to keep my daughter entertained. I don’t know many who would go out of their way like that to make sure my child was happy, which she is, judging by the giggles from inside when I push open the door.

  Furniture is pushed into a large circle and covered with sheets that Matt somehow secured to the ceiling fixture with a belt. The result looks almost like a circus tent. Inside, my daughter has laid out every single pillow on the floor, making it look like a sultan’s lair. The makeshift tent is folded open, facing the TV, which is showing a Disney movie. My daughter is cuddled up inside next to Matt, who is leaning back on an elbow, a grin on his face.

  “I come bearing gifts,” I announce, forcibly ignoring the shiver that runs down my back at Matt’s playful wink.

  “Mommy, come sit!” Flynn, whose every word comes out at a higher than necessary volume, pats the pile of pillows on the other side of her.

  “Mommy has to read through a few papers, but I’ll be quick and then I’ll come sit with you. I’ve got some Cheetos and some candy for you though.” I toss the little bags at Matt, who catches them deftly in his free hand.”

  “Cheetos!”

  I know I’m gonna regret this. I make sure my daughter eats well—healthy—but the past few days have blown that completely out of the water. Cheetos are her favorite treat, but she only gets them once in a blue moon. I shudder thinking about all the additives they put in that stuff.

  “And what’s that for?” Matt points at the bottle of wine in my hand, and I can feel that damn blush crawling up my neck.

  “For us. For later.” My voice suddenly a bit hoarse, hearing the promise in my own words.

  His eyes, playful before, suddenly spark a heat I can feel across the room. “I like that plan,” he rumbles, as I slip around their fort to get to the bedroom.

  Oh yeah, I’m well aware of what I was offering, and clearly so is he. Closing the door firmly, I sit down at the small desk, trying—and eventually succeeding—to focus on the stack of papers. The contract is from a large grocery store chain, looking to carry my products on their shelves. From specialty stores to mainstream grocery stores is a major move—one that could do big things for my little company. A game changer.

  I’m surprised to find it dark outside when the door opens and Matt sticks his head in. “She’s asleep. Has been for the past twenty minutes.”

  "Really? What time is it?" I swing around to look at the alarm clock on the nightstand. "Eight-thirty? Jesus, I'm so sorry," I mutter, scrambling out of my chair. "I haven't even fed her."

  “Trust me, she’s not starving. By the time the second movie was done, she’d scarfed her way through her snacks.”

  "I'm so sorry," I apologize, getting to my feet. "I didn't mean to—"

  “Stop. You get your work done?” he asks, after cutting me off.

  “I did.”

  “Perfect,” he says, walking right up to me, stroking his hands from my shoulders down my arms. He grasps my wrists loosely and pulls them around to his back, where I grab onto his shirt. “That means we just entered the adult entertainment part of the night.”

  I look up into his dark brown eyes that seem to rake over my face until they settle on my lips. I forget to breathe when he lowers his head and brushes his mouth over mine, but just as quickly he pulls away. “Hold that thought,” he mumbles, nudging the tip of my nose with his. “I’m going to put Flynn in here, and see if I can order some food. Then we’re going to see if there’s a decent movie on, settle into my awesome fort, and crack that bottle of wine.”

  Twenty minutes later, my Peanut is tucked into bed in the other room, and Matt walks in carrying a plate with a stack of grilled cheese sandwiches.

  “This was the fastest thing I could get,” he apologizes, shrugging his shoulders. “Far from the gourmet meal I would’ve loved to feed you on our first official date.”

  “Date?”

  “Of course. What did you think this was?”

  I figure my pleased smile is response enough, as I take the plate from him and duck into his fort. He follows a few minutes later carrying two glasses of wine and settles in beside me. We eat while Matt flips through the channels, looking for a suitable movie. By the time we’re done, he’s finally settled on an all music channel, the volume turned down to an easy listening level.

  “Give me your glass,” he says after I take a sip of my wine. I hand it over and he sets it along with his, beside the TV.

  Sitting on his knees, he turns to face me and I take in a sharp breath at the predatory gleam in his eyes. “You’re sure?” He doesn’t have to clarify, I know exactly what he’s asking.

  “Positive,” is my firm answer.

  “Lie back, Montana,” he orders, his voice low and raspy. Normally not one for taking orders, I’m so primed, I willingly do as he says, enjoying the slow roam of his gaze from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. Goosebumps rise over my skin and my nipples harden in tight buds. “That body of yours has been teasing me since the first time I laid eyes on it. I’m aiming to do wicked things to it tonight.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Matt

  Christ, she’s beautiful.

  A blush darkening from her cleavage to her face, her lips slightly parted, and her nostrils flared on every intake of breath.

  If I wasn’t sure before she was ready for me, I sure as fuck am sure now. Tana is as turned on as I am.

  Dropping down to hands and knees, I slowly crawl to her, hovering with my body over hers, and even now I can smell the heady scent of her arousal. Magnificent.

  This time, when I lower my mouth to hers, there is nothing tentative or restrained about my intent. I mean to feast on her. The soft groan when I slide my tongue between her lips is matched with my own, when she tangles her fingers in my hair. There is nothing sexier than a woman who knows what she likes and how she likes it. Tana may not use words, but her body speaks loud and clear when I lower my hips between legs, she opens in invitation.

  Our clothes are a barrier, but I don’t want to rush this. Who knows what will happen tomorrow, but there’s no doubt what is happening here tonight, and I’m gonna make it last as long as I possibly can.

  While our tongues explore, she slides a hand along my spine, down to my ass, where she grabs a handful, pulling me closer. I swivel my hips and rub my rock-hard cock against her core. She tilts her hips and I groan, feeling her damp heat through the layers of fabric.

  Pulling my mouth from hers, I drop my face into her neck, inhaling her unique scent and burning it into my memory.

  “I was going to take my time, but those plans have changed,” I whisper into her hair, my hands already pulling up her top. “Lift your arms.” Raising higher, I sit her up and strip the shirt all the way off. No bra to hold them, her tits are the first thing my eyes are drawn to. My hands follow right behind, lifting their weight in my palms. “Beautiful,” I mumble, dropping my head to take first one, and then the second nipple deep into my mouth, eliciting a moan from her lips.

  “Lie back, sweetheart. Let me look at you.”

  Her lips still red and swollen from our kiss, her blonde tresses fanned around her flushed face as she settles back in the pillows, she looks like a fucking fantasy come true.

  Already she’s wiggling to get her yoga pants down her ass, and I’m struck once again by the quiet confidence she exudes. There’s no self-conscious hesitation as she slips out of her clothes, exposing her soft belly lined with stretch marks, or the dimpled flesh of her thighs. Her eyes never waver from mine as she kicks the offensive piece of clothing to the side, cocks her knees and lets them fall open, her hand slipping down to lazily stroke through the pale curls between he
r legs.

  It takes me a second to whip off my shirt, and push down the ridiculous flannel pants, my cock bouncing eagerly when released. I'm not an athlete. I don't have a particularly buff body and am probably average in the girth department, but the way Tana's eyes take me in; I feel like that Henry Cavill guy she was ogling on TV, complete with monster cock.

  I’m good with that.

  Any and all coherent thought evaporates when her nimble fingers slip down and spread her pussy lips, her arousal glistening between. Dipping her middle finger inside, she tracks the wetness to her clit, rubbing it gently. That’s when any semblance of control disappears, and I drop down between her legs, following the damp trail her finger left behind.

  “Matt,” she sighs, when I push her legs high and wide and latch on to that little bundle of nerves.

  Immediately the muscles in her legs start trembling, as she writhes under my hands. Selfishly, I release her clit. I want to be inside her when she comes. Reaching over, I pull a condom free from the pocket of my pajamas and cover myself quickly. Spreading my knees wide, I guide my cock to her entrance, and find her eyes again before I slide inside, stopping only when my balls hit her ass.

  Fucking perfect.

  “Lift my legs against your shoulders,” she urges. With her legs folded up, she presses her knees together and my eyes about roll back in my head. I can feel her tightening around me. “Now fuck me, Matt.”

  I don’t have to be told twice, and with her fingers digging into my ass, I feel myself barreling toward release as I hammer into her. Just as I feel her walls close in on me, I let go of the hot flow of cum, surging up from my balls, pulled tight against my body.

  I swear I’m blind as I fall on her, both our bodies sweaty and twitching with aftershocks.

  Tana

  I’m not sure what round we’re on when Flynn calls from the other room, but I know it has to be past midnight.

  Apparently, Matt is no one-trick pony. There’s something to say for youth: his capacity for recovery is astounding. I’m not a virgin by any stretch of the imagination, and I can honestly say that kind of stamina is unique.