by Dahlia West
Easy’s fingers pressed against her mound until she spread her legs for him. He grazed over her clit as he reached down and dipped into her. He pulled back a little and smirked at her as he realized she was a little wet already. Daisy wasn’t embarrassed, though. She’d been watching him for the better part of an hour, waiting as patiently as she could until this moment.
She grabbed his hand and guided him, pressing his fingers farther into her. With her other hand, she found his massive erection through his khakis. She gripped it tightly, rubbing it between her fingers. He groaned and felt as though she’d scored another victory. He pulled down the top of her bikini, revealing her breasts. He ran his thumb over her nipple, and she shivered.
He moved closer to her and kissed her again. He pressed her hard against the wall, and Daisy realized he was going to win this round. His fingers were in her pussy, and his tongue was in her mouth. Though she still had a hold of his cock, that was nothing compared to being opened and penetrated. His fingers moved rhythmically inside her, and she clenched every time he pulled them out.
With his free hand, he fumbled with his zipper, and before she could react Easy had both his hands wrapped around her thighs. He was lifting her and pulling her legs apart. His eyes held her for the briefest of seconds, waiting for some sign that she wanted this. Daisy couldn’t catch her breath enough to say anything so she simply swallowed and nodded.
He impaled her in one quick stroke, his bare cock sliding through her wetness and into her core. Daisy cried out and grabbed at his shoulders. His hands cupped her ass and held her firmly as he thrust up into her. He buried his head first into her neck, before she felt his lips on her shoulder. His mouth found its way further down as she rode him. He bit her gently at first then harder.
“Oh, God!” she gasped as his fingers dug into her ass and his teeth sank into her breast.
He slammed into her hard, over and over. The pain of the wall behind her warred with the amazing feeling of him moving inside her. She felt her belly tighten and knew she was about to come. She did, loudly, clawing at him to keep him inside her as she clenched around his shaft.
“Wait, wait, no!” she demanded as she felt him trying to pull out.
“Daisy,” he rasped into her ear. “I’m going to come.”
“Not yet!” she cried as the last of her orgasm rippled through her. Only the last few moments were foiled as he pulled himself out of her at the last second. Jets of thick, hot cum coated her inner thighs and belly as he climaxed.
He set her down, more like he’d simply let go of her. She leaned against the wall, panting, trying to regain the ability to stand on her own. His eyes were closed as he also took a moment to recover. When he opened them, he tugged his khakis up over his hips but didn’t bother to fasten them. He pushed off the wall, moving away from her, and headed down the hall.
Daisy only watched as he stepped into the bathroom. He closed the door behind him, and in the ensuing silence she heard the sharp snap of the lock.
Chapter 25
Daisy stepped into the cool confines of Adam’s tattoo shop and let her eyes adjust to the light. It was blazing hot outside, but the shop was nicely air conditioned.
“Can I help you?” a girl said from behind the counter.
“I’m-”
“She’s my muse,” Adam announced dramatically.
Daisy laughed.
“And an artist in her own right,” he added. “Are you almost done with that flash book?”
She nodded. “Nearly, but I need new pencils. And some other things for a project I’m working on. Point me in the direction of the nearest art supply store.”
Adam took a business card off the counter and picked up a pen. “There’s one downtown,” he said, scrawling the address on the back of the card. He started to hand it to her, but then caught hold of her wrist and extended her arm. “You need a touch up,” he remarked.
“No, I don’t.”
“Yes, you do. Come on,” he said pulling her toward the door. “No charge.”
“It must be a slow day,” she said, following him.
“Afternoons are always slow. Not that it matters. If I can’t have you in my bed, I’ll have you in my chair.”
He gestured and Daisy sat down in a brown leather recliner near the wall. “When did you get this one?” he asked, examining the tiny dove.
“That was my first time.”
Adam’s eyes twinkled. “Ah, memories.”
“It’s terrible.”
“All first times are,” he replied. He lifted his shirt and revealed a tribal tattoo around one of his nipples.
Daisy bit her lip and tried not to laugh. “You didn’t cover it up?”
“Nah. Some fuck ups stay with you forever.”
She nodded. “That’s why I never got mine covered. Life lesson: don’t rush into things.”
Adam smirked at her. “You ever take your own advice?”
She sighed. “Rarely. Not sleeping with you was the best decision I’ve made so far.”
Adam paused. “You know, no woman has ever said that to me before.”
He snapped on some gloves and wiped her arm down. The sharp smell of alcohol stung her nose. He unholstered the gun. Daisy didn’t flinch when he touched the needle to her skin. “We could go crazy,” he told her. “Give you a whole new one.”
“Not today.”
“You sure? What about a tramp stamp that says Easy?”
Daisy rolled her eyes at him. “I’m pretty sure that’s the wrong message to send. To anyone.”
Adam shrugged. “If you break up, it still works,” he teased.
“We’re not going to break up.”
“That good, huh? Can’t say I’m not jealous.”
Daisy shook her head. “We can’t break up, because we’re not together.”
“We men are complicated creatures.”
“If by complicated you mean dumb, then yeah.”
Daisy caught a glimmer of gold as Adam leaned over her. She reached out and tucked her finger into the neck of his shirt. He paused and looked down at her. “Thought we settled this, Daisy,” he said quietly.
She laughed. “We did.” She fingered the gold cross around his neck. “I’m just looking. This is nice. Did you get it around here?”
He nodded. “There’s a store downtown. It’s not too far from the art supply place.”
“Pricey?”
“A bit, yeah. If you need God in your life, Daisy, you should go to church. It’s free.”
“Not looking to get struck by lightning, thanks.”
“God forgives,” Adam replied.
Daisy grinned. “Only if you stop sinning.”
Chapter 26
Daisy dabbed concealer on her skin, just above the bust line of her borrowed dress. Easy had managed to give her one hell of a hickey, right where everyone could see. She slapped the cap back on and tossed the tiny bottle onto the table Tildy had been using to get ready. She caught sight of Sarah looking at her in the mirror and shook her head.
“Don’t.”
Sarah held up her hands. “I didn’t say anything,” she insisted, but she was grinning from ear to ear.
“Good,” Daisy replied. The sex had been good, phenomenal really, but she didn’t want to talk about how he’d just left her standing naked in the hallway. As she looked at the small, black box that housed Hawk’s wedding band, Daisy couldn’t help but be reminded of the silver one she’d discovered when she’d snooped in Easy’s room afterward, looking for a shirt.
She was startled out of her reverie by Abby pounding on the bathroom door. “Have you gone yet?” she demanded.
“Yes!” Tildy called back through the door.
“What does it say?!” Sarah practically shrieked.
Tildy flung open the door. Her face was red, and she was close to hyperventilating. “It takes three minutes!” she reminded them.
“You’ve been in there for fifteen!” Abby cried.
�
�I can’t go when I’m nervous!” Tildy looked like a strange combination of innocent and guilty. She was clad in a white bra and panties with a slip over them. Her long, beautiful hair hung in curls around her shoulders. Sarah had done her makeup, light and fresh, and altogether Tildy looked like one of the models in her wedding magazine. She was also glancing furtively at the plastic stick in her hand.
“You’re not the first person to take a pregnancy test on their wedding day,” Daisy assured her.
Tildy wrinkled her nose. “Do you think he’ll know?”
“Well, he’s pacing outside the door,” Abby pointed out. “So, yeah, I think the cat’s out of the bag, hon.”
“Not Hawk! The minister!” Tildy whispered fiercely.
“He’s seen Hawk,” Daisy said helpfully. “He’s probably wondering why you don’t already have two or three.”
“Oh, God!”
“Don’t say that around him,” Daisy replied.
“Don’t worry about it,” Abby said. “He’s making an honest woman out of you. It’s fine.”
“Is he, though?” Sarah asked and reached for the stick. All four women leaned in and peered down at it.
“What’s that mean?” Daisy asked, never having taken one herself.
Sarah screamed, and Tildy fumbled the stick. Suddenly Daisy was drawn into a screaming, giggling mass of arms, perfume, and hairspray. The door burst open, and Hawk’s huge frame filled the doorway. Tildy broke free from the girls and flung herself at him.
Hawk swept her into his arms and held her tightly. “Yeah?” he asked quietly.
Tildy nodded into his broad chest.
Hawk beamed as Tildy stepped back and swiped a hand over her cheek. “You have to go,” she told him firmly.
He grinned at her. “Babe, I’ve already seen you. It’s too late.”
“I’m naked!” she hissed.
“This isn’t naked. You’re going to be naked, though. When I get you alone I’m going to-”
“Go!” she cried and pushed him out the door.
He laughed but complied. Tildy slammed the door and sagged against it. She was smiling, too.
“Dress!” Abby declared, snatching it off the bed. “Then we’ll fix your makeup again.”
Daisy tugged at her own dress as Tildy finished getting ready. Now that she was used to it, she kind of liked it. The heels were a little more than she was used to, but she’d manage. She smoothed her hair and tried to pretend there was nobody in particular she wanted to look nice for.
When Tildy was finally ready for her walk down the aisle, Abby and Daisy headed to the ballroom to snag some seats. Abby took the chair next to Tex in the front row, and Daisy sat beside her. She caught sight of Easy seated at the end of the row and cradling baby Hope in his arms. Well, if that wasn’t enough to make a girl’s panties melt, Daisy didn’t know what was. She tore her attention away from the two of them when music started.
Hawk and Shooter, looking damn fine in their tuxes, made their way up front and stood with the minister and waited for Sarah, who looked just as beautiful as Tildy in a very light pink dress. She grinned at her husband as she headed down the aisle. Daisy thought that must have been the look she’d had on her face when she’d gotten married herself. Shooter couldn’t take his eyes off his wife, and Daisy was glad to see it. They seemed like great people.
The march started, and Tildy appeared at the large, double doors. She looked a bit nervous, even though the room was hardly packed. It seemed Tildy and Hawk had only invited their closest friends and family. Maria sat next to Milo, probably to keep him in line during the ceremony, and there were a few other faces Daisy didn’t recognize.
Tildy began her slow walk down the aisle. Her nerves seemed to fade away, though, as she watched the man she was about to marry. In truth they looked as though they were the only two people in the entire world. Tildy reached the front and stood next to Sarah. Hawk reached out and took her hand to hold it during the ceremony. They exchanged rings and kissed to the applause of the small group watching them. Ushers cleared the folding chairs, so that Hawk and Tildy could dance under the twinkling white lights of the decorated hotel ballroom.
Daisy sipped some champagne and watched them, then she caught sight of Easy handing Hope back to Sarah. Sarah disappeared out of the ballroom, probably to feed her, and Daisy slipped up next to Easy. “You look nice,” she told him, gesturing to his suit.
He tugged at it uncomfortably. “I guess. Haven’t worn anything close to it since the Army,” he grumbled.
Daisy waited for him to say something about her dress, but he didn’t. Undeterred, she set her empty glass down on a nearby table. “Dance with me,” she said.
Easy looked stricken. “What?”
She sighed, irritated. “You heard me.”
“I don’t want to dance.”
“It’s a wedding. Everyone’s dancing. Even Milo.” Daisy pointed to the old man who was doing something alright, though even Daisy had to admit it was a stretch to call it dancing.
“Not interested.”
“No one’s going to notice. It’ll be fun. It’ll-”
“No,” he snapped and tried to walk away.
Daisy snagged his elbow and tugged him back. “How about a honeymoon, then?” she asked, batting her eyelashes at him for effect.
“What?”
“Apparently the honeymoon suite comes with the ballroom,” she told him. “But Hawk and Tildy are catching a plane tonight.” She grinned at him. “Abby gave me the key. There’s a mini bar and a Jacuzzi tub.”
“Jesus.”
“I didn’t borrow Tildy’s bikini, though,” she told him. “I forgot.”
“Still not interested.”
“Why not?” she asked, though she knew goddamn well why not.
His eyes narrowed, and he leaned toward her. “We just fucked yesterday,” he said quietly. “Can’t you get enough?” He pried himself loose of her hand and turned.
“Apparently not,” she told him harshly. “Guess I’ll scout the place out for a real man. A whole man.”
Easy turned on her, anger blazing in his eyes. “What did you just say to me?”
"You heard me,” she said quietly, not wanting to attract attention. “You’re sure as shit aren’t a whole man. And it’s got nothing to do with your leg.” She raised her hand and jabbed a finger at him. "I know exactly what's underneath that pant leg of yours,” she whispered fiercely, “even though you won't show it to me. I know, and I... don't... care." She continued her one-woman invasion into his personal space. "But you sure as shit aren't a whole man, Jimmy Turnbull! I'm also telling you that you better locate the missing pieces of that heart of yours. And you better do it right quick, 'cause I am not waiting forever for you!”
She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Now, I’m willing to forgive a lot, because I happen to know a thing or two about needing someone to look beyond what’s right in front of them and into the soul of a person. And no matter how much you treat me like a piece of shit, white trash, bathroom lay, don't think for a second that I don't see how you hold Hope, like she’s the most precious thing in the world.
“So, there's something inside you, Jimmy Turnbull. Something that kinda looks like a heart. Something that maybe used to be a heart. Like the ghost of a heart. It's just missing so many pieces that there's not room for a whole hell of a lot of people in there."
She stomped away before he could respond, careful not to totter on her high heels. She would have preferred to just leave, but Tildy blocked her path. She was holding a large, cardboard cylinder in her hand. “You didn’t have to get a gift!” she gushed.
Daisy felt heat creeping up her face and blamed Easy for it. Her stomach turned as she felt another kind of embarrassment. “I... ” she said weakly. She’d buried the ‘gift’ behind all the other wrapped presents on the corner table, hoping neither Tildy nor Hawk would notice it. “I didn’t really,” she mumbled.
To Daisy’s horror, T
ildy pulled the top off and began pulling the rolled paper out of the tube. She bit her lip and looked at her feet. It wasn’t a toaster, or a clock, or whatever else people gave as gifts for a wedding like this.
Tildy rolled it flat onto a table and gasped. “Oh, Daisy.”
A fair number of people gathered around to look. Daisy was used to colored pencils more than anything else, but she’d opted for charcoal this time, and it had taken several tries to get it just right. The drawing was large; it took up half the table. Most of the details she’d drawn from memory, which hadn’t been hard because she saw the place almost every day.
It was Maria’s bar, minus Maria- or anyone else. The jukebox was against the wall; the glasses and bottles were lined up on the shelves. The only two people were Hawk and Tildy, dancing alone in the center of the room, just like they had moments earlier for their first dance as a married couple.
In the drawing, Tildy’s head rested against his chest. Her eyes were closed, her face serene. Hawk had his chin against the side of her head. His eyes were closed, too. Hawk Red Cloud, with his huge muscles and large frame, looked even larger when compared to Tildy’s wispy figure. They looked like a couple that shouldn’t work, a hulking bad ass and a rich princess, but they fit together perfectly. And they only had eyes for each other. Daisy didn’t actually know what that felt like, to be with someone in a crowd of people but still be alone together.
Chapter 27
Daisy sat alone in the hotel room, keeping one eye on the door. As much as she’d meant it when she said she wouldn’t wait forever, she had to admit she was doing just that. She sighed and grasped the neck of a bottle of champagne that Abby had thoughtfully left in a bucket of ice.
As she tugged on the cork, she made another cursory inspection of the suite. It was beautiful with thick, plush carpet and a huge, four-poster bed. The comforter was a deep, royal blue that matched the walls. The only thing Daisy regretted, other than being alone here, was the fact that she’d have to give it up in the morning.
