by Sherri Hayes
She found a large rock and sat down. Instead of joining her—because if he did he was afraid they’d end up right back where they’d been a few minutes before—he strolled over to the bank and knelt down. “I’ve spent many hours fishing here.”
“Did you use to fish with your dad when you were younger?” Beth asked.
He picked up a stick that had washed up along the bank, tossed it out into the water, and stood. “Almost every Saturday morning when there wasn’t snow on the ground.”
“I’ve noticed that you never mention your brother when you talk about these trips with your dad. Why is that?”
Drew waited to answer her until he was back at her side. She scooted over to make room for him. He sat down, and he instantly felt that electric pull toward her. Taking a deep breath, he looked out across the pond, and tried to concentrate on the conversation. “He used to go when I was younger, but as Seth got older, he lost interest. By the time he was sixteen, he was off doing his own thing, leaving me and Dad on our own.”
“You would have been six then, right?” Beth smiled, and he felt the muscles in his stomach clench.
“Right.” He swallowed and pressed his hands into his thighs to keep from reaching for her like he wanted to. “The age difference meant we didn’t have much in common. I think that was part of the reason he didn’t want to go camping and fishing with us. I mean, what fun is it when you have your six-year-old little brother tagging along?”
“I bet you were cute when you were younger.”
He drew back and pretended to be offended. “Are you implying I’m not cute now?”
Beth pressed her lips together and studied him in a way that had his entire body vibrating.
The air around them felt as if it could ignite at any moment. Drew didn’t know what it was about Beth, but being with her was both comfortable and excruciatingly frustrating at the same time.
She closed the gap between them once more. This time her lips came within an inch of his. Drew held his breath waiting to see what she’d do.
Her eyes met his. “I’m not sure I’d use the word cute to describe you.”
His palms were itching, but he tried to remain still. All those years of learning to work under pressure were coming in handy. Who knew he’d be relying on his crisis management training to navigate a relationship? “What word would you use?”
“Hmm. I have a few words I could use, but I think I’ll keep them to myself for now.”
The look in her eyes had him desperate to close the distance between her lips and his.
Right when he thought he couldn’t take it anymore, Beth’s mouth made contact with his own. Before he knew what was happening, she was framing his face between both of her hands and straddling his lap.
Instinctively, he brought his arms up to embrace her.
“Hands on the rock. Keep them there,” she ordered.
It was absolutely insane, but her words caused his cock to swell. He groaned in frustration, but did what he was told.
She plunged her tongue inside his mouth and took what she wanted. It was the hottest thing Drew could ever remember experiencing in his life.
The kiss didn’t last more than a minute or two, but it was long enough for him to know he wanted more.
Beth rested her forehead against his. She was breathing just as hard as he was. Her chest was heaving up and down, brushing against his chest. Not to mention that she was still straddling his lap.
“Please tell me you want to do that again.”
She laughed. It was so nice to see her happy and carefree.
“Is that a yes?”
“Don’t get cocky on me now.” She ran a single finger down the side of his face and over his lower lip.
He closed his eyes, trying not to push.
“Open your eyes,” she whispered.
When he met her gaze, he noticed the amusement was gone. He was instantly on alert. “What’s wrong?”
Beth shook her head. “Nothing’s wrong. I’m just . . . considering my options.”
“Options about what?”
“You.”
“Oh.” He wasn’t sure he liked the fact that thinking over her options had banished the fun they’d be having.
Before he could formulate another question, she explained. “Things between us are moving faster than I thought they would.”
“Is that bad?” He needed to know. In his opinion, things between them weren’t moving fast enough.
She sighed. But Drew also noted that she hadn’t removed herself from his lap. That was good, wasn’t it?
“I don’t know. Maybe. Maybe not.”
Since they were no longer in the heat of the moment, he took a chance and brought his hands up to rest on her hips. She didn’t protest, so he settled in and enjoyed finally being able to touch her. “We’re friends, right? So talk to me.”
Beth released a single, rather sarcastic-sounding laugh. “Last time I checked, friends didn’t do what we just did.”
He decided to try to lighten the mood. “Well, some friends do. At least, that’s what I’ve heard.”
She gave him a small smile. “I don’t do friends with benefits.”
“Good,” he said in all seriousness. “Neither do I.”
They were both quiet for several minutes. As much as he wanted to say something, he knew she had to process this thing between them in her own time. He was hoping after the kiss they shared that she’d be ready to move to the next level with him. As much as he enjoyed their friendship, he wanted more with her. And after that kiss, he knew the potential was there.
Beth sat back, resting her ass on his thighs. The serious look was still there, and he wanted to wipe it away. He wanted to go back to when he’d seen the passion and teasing in her eyes.
“What’s your schedule this week? I know you said you had the next couple of days off.”
He had no idea why she was asking, but he’d gladly tell her anything she wanted to know. “I work Friday, Sunday, and Tuesday. Then I’m off for four days.”
“So you don’t have to work this Saturday?” she asked.
“No. I get off around eight in the morning and don’t have to be back in until about seven Sunday morning.”
She nodded, and he waited to see what she’d say next. “Did you still want to go out on that date?”
Was she serious? “Yes. Of course I do.”
Beth nodded. “Okay.”
He tried to contain his excitement. “Does this mean you want to go out on a date with me Saturday? A real date? Not just meeting up at the club?”
“Yes, if you want to.”
Without thinking, Drew pulled her against him and gave her a solid kiss.
Luckily, she didn’t seem upset.
“Thank you. For trusting me, I mean.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him another kiss. It wasn’t as heated as the first one, but this time he was able to hold her in his arms. Drew couldn’t imagine it got much better than this.
Chapter 11
They sat for a little longer, enjoying their peaceful surroundings before making their way back to the trail. Drew couldn’t wipe the smile off his face. Never in a million years could he have imagined that a short hike to talk about an invitation to his family barbecue would result in Beth agreeing to go out on a date with him. And that kiss. Heaven help him, but he wanted more of those. Well, he wanted more, period, but he had confidence that it would come in time. He only had to be patient.
Beth walked quietly beside him as they wound their way back down the path that led to their cars. She seemed . . . pensive.
“Something wrong?”
She glanced over at him and then back up at the trees. “No. Just thinking.”
“About?”
There was a twinkle in her eye when she met his gaze this time. “I’m trying to decide how fast I want to take things with you versus how far . . . and fast . . . you’d want to go.”
Although she said
it with a hint of levity, Drew knew she was being serious. They would need to talk about things if their relationship was changing. Given the BDSM aspect they both wanted, it would mean a more detailed conversation. “I’ll be honest. Other than the basics and what I’ve seen at the club, I don’t know much. And the more I do learn, the more I’m realizing most of what’s online is wrong.”
Beth nodded. “If you don’t know the specific sites to look for, you mostly end up with porn. It’s a bad example of what the lifestyle really is.”
He snorted. “That’s for sure. I was so nervous the first time I got up the courage to go to a munch.”
“It was nerve-racking for me as well, even though I didn’t go by myself.”
“Was it with . . . Ben?” he asked, almost afraid saying his name would somehow shatter the progress they’d made.
“Yes.”
They both grew quiet as they reached the top of the hill and stepped out onto the grass surrounding the parking area. He could see their vehicles parked side by side about thirty feet away. Soon they would be going their separate ways, and it was the last thing he wanted. Drew wasn’t ready to say goodbye to her yet. “Did you still want to catch a movie?”
Beth didn’t answer until they were in front of their cars. She shook her head. “I’m not really in a movie kind of mood anymore.”
“Hungry?” He didn’t want to sound desperate, but let’s face it—he kind of was.
She chuckled. “I could probably eat.”
“So could I. Would you care to join me? I know a place not far from here. We could ride together and I could bring you back to your vehicle when we’re done.” He paused. “Or you could follow me.”
After a moment’s consideration—Drew thought it was more to toy with him than anything else—she sashayed over to the passenger side of his vehicle. He grinned and went to unlock her door. Beth smiled a thank you, and then slid inside.
While he could cook for himself, he was no stranger to eating out. Being a bachelor meant he knew a lot about the local places to eat. For their date on Saturday, he planned to take her some place nice, but he figured he should keep it casual for tonight. This wasn’t a date. Or officially it wasn’t.
They pulled up in front of a small family-run restaurant, and he turned off the engine. “Ever been here before?”
She looked up at the sign. “I think so. But it’s been a while.”
After exiting the vehicle, they met around front before heading toward the entrance. As soon as they were through the door, an older lady greeted them. “Welcome. Two of you this evening?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Drew answered.
The hostess escorted them to a table along the wall and handed them menus.
Beth scanned the dining room and grinned. “I have been here before. I remember that green counter along the wall.”
He glanced over to see what Beth was referring to, and had to chuckle. Most of the décor in the place had been done in the seventies, including the mint green counter that separated the kitchen from the dining room. “I guess it doesn’t hurt business.”
She took in the other diners. “I guess not. You’d think it would, though. I mean mint green?”
Drew couldn’t argue with her. The décor was tacky at best.
Their server came a few moments later, and they put in their orders. Once they were alone again, Beth clasped her hands together on the table in front of her. “Are you sure you want to go forward with this?”
When he tilted his head to the side in confusion, she clarified. “The non-vanilla part, I mean. Did you want to keep things . . . normal for a while first, or—”
“I’ve done normal. Normal doesn’t work for me.”
Beth nodded. “Okay. Katrina has a limits list on the club’s website that you can download. Fill it out and bring it with you Saturday. We can go over it and see where we want to go from there. Sound good?”
“I can do that.” Nervous excitement was coursing through his body. This was really happening.
She smiled as the server brought their salads. When the woman walked away, Beth cleared her throat. “Were you surprised that I kissed you?”
He nearly choked on his food. After taking a sip of water, he met her gaze. “A little. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hoping for a repeat performance when I drop you off at your car.”
Beth smirked and dug into her salad again. “I might be able to arrange that.”
Drew turned his attention to his food, but inside he was counting down the minutes until he would be able to get his hands on her again.
“Why don’t you tell me more about your family? I should probably know what I’m getting myself into if I decide to spend Memorial Day with them.”
“Not much to tell. I mean, we’re a fairly normal bunch. Dad farms and takes care of his animals. Mom runs the house.” Drew shrugged, not sure what else to say. Overall, his family was pretty boring.
Beth shook her head. “There has to be more to it than that. I mean, you grew up on a farm. What was that like? Were your parents strict or did they let you get away with everything? Inquiring minds want to know.”
He finished his salad and pushed his plate to the side. “It was a lot like you’d expect. It was just my parents, Seth, and I, until Seth went away to college. Our nearest neighbors were almost a mile away, so until I was old enough to go to school I didn’t play with other kids my age much. We went to school, did our homework, and our chores.”
“Did that bother you?” she asked. “Being so far away from other kids, I mean. Given there was such a big age gap between you and your bother, I imagine it could be pretty lonely.”
“Not really.” He paused as their server returned with their meals. When they were alone again, he continued. “There was always plenty to do. If I wasn’t helping Mom or Dad, I was running around the farm pretending to protect our home from approaching enemies and wild animals.”
She laughed.
“Then, once I started school, I made a few friends and they’d come over on the weekends and they’d help me defend the farm.”
“It sounds like a very normal childhood.”
“It was. I was very lucky. My parents have been together since they were in their early twenties and are as much in love today as they were then. I couldn’t ask for better.”
They grew quiet for several minutes as they ate. After talking about his own family, Drew couldn’t help but wonder about hers. “What about you? Was your childhood normal?”
Beth shrugged. “I suppose you could call it normal. My parents didn’t get married until they were in their early thirties. They had me seven months later.”
“Were you the reason—”
“That they got married? Yeah.” Beth hesitated. “I mean, they loved each other—still do—but I sort of rushed things along.”
“And your siblings?” he asked.
“I think they were more planned than I was.” She took a bite and swallowed. “We were all loved and cared for. Even when my dad lost his job and we had to move in with my grandparents for a few months, they made sure we had what we needed.”
It was nice to hear more about Beth and her life. Although he’d gotten to know her some over the last month, he loved that she was opening up to him.
They lingered over coffee and shared a piece of apple pie. Being with Beth was easy.
Although he didn’t want to, Drew let her pay for her dinner. When they went out on their date on Saturday, he was paying and she’d just have to deal with it.
The drive back to her car was too short. They’d spent the last five hours together, yet it wasn’t enough. He felt as if he’d only scratched the surface and he wanted to know more. He wanted to know everything.
When she got out of the car, he followed her. They were alone in the parking lot. All the other vehicles were gone.
Drew was trying to decide whether to ask if he could kiss her or just do it when she reached up to cup the back of his head. She
pulled his mouth toward hers, and he didn’t resist. Seconds after their lips connected, he had her pressed back against her car, and her leg was wrapped around his waist. This time he didn’t hold back. His hands were on her back, her legs, her ass. She felt amazing, but there were too many clothes between them.
Beth was the first one to break the kiss. When her mouth left his, she trailed her lips down his jaw to his neck. She grazed her teeth right where his pulse was pounding beneath the skin. Part of him wanted her to bite down so he could know what it felt like. Instead, she teased him, holding him on the edge, not giving him what he wanted.
He dug his fingers into her hips and ground his pelvis into the heat he could feel coming from between her legs. Ever since he noticed her across the room that first night, he’d wanted to get his hands on her. Now that he was able to touch her, he didn’t want to stop.
Finally, she clamped down on his neck with her teeth, and his cock pulsed almost painfully. He was hoping she wouldn’t make him wait too long before he was able to feel her pussy surrounding his cock. But thinking about her pussy did nothing to help calm him down. Neither did her snaking her hand between them to cup his erection and give it a squeeze.
“Mmm,” she hummed against his neck.
He swallowed. “I want you.”
“Patience.” Her breath ghosted along his neck, sending a chill down his spine.
He moaned.
She ran her fingernail down the side of his neck, and released her hold on his cock. He didn’t know if that was better or worse.
Drew took a deep breath and nodded. It would be getting dark soon, and he knew she should be on her way. The park closed at dusk. “I should let you get home.”
Beth rose up on her tiptoes and brushed her lips against his. “I’ll see you Saturday. And . . . you can call me.” She was teasing him, and he loved it.
“I’ll call. Let you know what time I’m picking you up for our date.” He hadn’t let go of her, and she didn’t seem anxious to pull away.
She nodded and brought their mouths together once again.
