“How’s this for private?” He spread out a new layer of straw before helping me down and following right down beside me. He flicked the switch for the small naked light bulb hanging from the rafters.
“Much better.”
“Good.” He kissed me. With all the touching, we hadn’t fully kissed yet unless you counted the brush of our lips. It was a fast kiss, and before I knew it, his tongue was demanding entry to my mouth. I gladly let it slide in between my teeth. I nipped his bottom lip, eliciting a groan.
My hand found its way under his shirt as he lowered my straps and tugged down my top to completely expose my breasts. He broke the kiss and pulled his head back to look at me.
“I’ve been dreaming about these for a long time.” He cupped each of my breasts with a hand, making me slightly self-conscious about the way he studied me.
Thankfully, the alcohol kept my confidence up. “Don’t you want to see the rest of me?”
He exhaled sharply. “Of course.” He slid my top the rest of the way down, pulling it along with my jean skirt over my hips and off. He hooked a finger in the side of my panties.
“It’s only fair that I get to see you too.” I pulled his t-shirt over his head.
“Absolutely.” He fumbled with his belt, moving his hands out of the way so I could take care of the button and zipper on his jeans. He pushed up enough to kick them off. The evidence of his arousal revealed itself inside his red checked boxers.
“Now can I finish?” His hand moved back to my leg.
I nodded.
He removed my panties, tossing them next to the rest of our discarded clothes. “You’re like an angel, Mallory. You can’t be real.”
I laughed. “I hope that means you like what you see.”
“You know I love it.” He removed his boxers, lying down completely naked next to me.
“You’re bigger than I thought you’d be.”
“You thought I had a small dick?”
I giggled nervously. “I don’t know. I guess I didn’t think about it.”
“Yes, you did. You just told me I was bigger than you thought.” He kissed my neck, letting his hand settle on my breast again.
“I guess I did, didn’t I?” I reached out to tentatively touch him. Gradually, I got the nerve to take him in my hand.
He groaned. “That feels too good.”
“Should I stop?”
“Yes, but only because I want tonight to be good.” He kissed me, and moved his hand between my legs. Reflexively I closed them, nervous about the touch I knew was coming.
“Are you nervous?” His face became serious.
“A little.” I hadn’t had sex in well over a year. Even when I’d tried to have a random hook-up in college, it hadn’t worked, and I was desperately in need of some physical satisfaction.
“But you want this?” His expression was conflicted. He didn’t want to stop, but I knew he would in a second if I asked him to. He was good old Colton, the guy who’d been my friend for longer than I could remember, and we were about to have sex.
“I want this.”
“So do I.” He moved my legs apart gently, distracting me with his lips on my breast. I gasped as he slipped his fingers inside me.
I grabbed hold of his back, needing to anchor myself on something. I could still hear the low music and laughter from the party, and although it wasn’t likely anyone would happen upon us, the chances were much higher if I let out a scream.
He lifted up his head, reading my mind. “It’s okay. You don’t have to be quiet.”
“Yes, I do.”
“If I do my job right, you’re not going to be able to.” The goofy smile was back, relaxing me so I could enjoy the sensation his busy fingers created.
“I want you.” The words came out altogether. I wanted more than his fingers, I wanted him. Never in a million years would I have expected to hook up with Colton like that, but I didn’t care.
“I want you too.” He pulled a condom from his wallet and unwrapped it before moving over me. “I swear I’m going to worship you, Mallory.” He thrust into me, making me gasp again. After so much time without being touched, my body wasn’t prepared for it.
He stilled. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I’m fine.”
“You’re not a virgin… ” He said it half as a question.
“No, but it’s been awhile.”
A look of triumph crossed his face. “If it hurts, we don’t have to.” That was Colton, willing to cut off his own pleasure if it meant giving me what I wanted. I don’t know how I hadn’t noticed that his interest had gone way beyond friendship before. Maybe I didn’t want to see it. It was easier to pretend his playful flirting was all for show.
“I want this.” I thrust my hips against him, and he immediately moved inside me again.
“I’ll give you everything you’ve ever wanted,” he whispered against my ear, keeping his movements slow.
“Don’t be so careful with me.” I pushed up against him again. “I want all of you.”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he sped up, thrusting into me faster and harder until I thought I’d completely lose control. I dug my nails into his back and used his lips to silence the scream that wanted to come out when he pushed me over the edge. I’d never felt that way before.
He reached his release but stayed inside me, keeping his weight on me as we laid there sweaty and out of breath.
“You’re amazing, Mallory. Amazing.” He rolled off me, pulling me into his arms so my head could lay on his chest.
“So are you.” I closed my eyes, letting myself fade off into the sleep of someone very drunk and completely satisfied.
Chapter Two
Sleeping in hay is not advisable. I woke up with a throbbing headache and no clue why I was covered in the straw. The usual manure smell that permeated our town seemed even stronger. It took me several seconds to realize I was completely naked and most definitely not alone. The hairy leg draped over my body was as naked as the ass it belonged with. I felt the hardness of a very different body part before realizing who all the parts belonged to. Colton’s head rested on my chest, and he slept peacefully. That wasn’t going to last.
I started to push him off me until I realized I didn’t know where my clothes were. His body was the only thing shielding me. He’d already seen me naked, but that didn’t mean I wanted him to see me again.
I sat up enough to notice the pile of clothes about a foot from us. I pushed against him once more, but he didn’t budge. My head throbbed, and I felt sick. I wasn’t sure if it was from being hung over, or from the fact that I’d just had sex with a guy I wasn’t even dating. I didn’t need to look at my watch to realize we’d spent the whole night in the barn. The morning sun streamed in through the slats in the barn wall, reminding me of how much trouble I was in. I was almost positive my stepdad, Rob, would have called the cops already. He may have let me go to college hours away, but when I lived at home, I was still required to follow his rules.
“Colton.” I said his name softly, nervous about what his reaction would be to our precarious situation.
He stirred, but only cuddled into me more.
“Colt. Wake up.”
“Mmm?” he half mumbled, half moaned.
“Wake up.” I pushed into his arms.
He opened his blue eyes. “Morning, babe.”
“Morning? Is that all you have to say?” I pushed against him harder. He wasn’t having any of it, and he tightened his hold.
“That and wow, what an incredible night.”
“You call that incredible? What the hell happened, Colt?”
“What happened? Come on, you were there.”
“I was drunk.” I could remember the whole night and was probably not that intoxicated, but I wasn’t going to admit that to Colt…or myself.
“No, you weren’t. I wouldn’t have let it get that far if you didn’t know what you were doing.” He was right. I did know what I was doing. I
just happened to regret it on the other side. I wished I knew what was going on in his head. Surely he had to be thinking the same thing I was. It didn’t matter. It was a one night stand. He couldn’t hurt me, because what happened meant nothing.
“Last night was a mistake, and we need to stop it from getting any worse.”
“Any worse?” He brushed some hair back from my face. “Don’t talk like that.”
“I have to go, Colt. Do you know what Rob would do to you if he found out about this?”
“He knows you’re safe.”
“How?”
“Annie texted you after you fell asleep. She covered for you.”
“How’d she know to cover?”
“I texted her and asked her to. My parents couldn’t care less, but I know yours aren’t like that. For good reason. You’re supposed to worry about your daughter staying out all night.”
“I need to go.” I pressed against him, and this time he didn’t resist. I slipped on my clothes while he watched, just lying there buck naked. He was hard as a rock, but he wasn’t getting any relief from me.
I put on my skirt and attempted to straighten my hair with my fingers. “I can’t believe this. How did I let this happen?”
“You make it sound like a bad thing. It was perfect.”
“We hooked up in a hayloft. There’s nothing perfect about it.” I pulled a few pieces of straw from my hair. People don’t tell you about the non-glamorous parts of a hayloft hook up. In movies, it’s all sexy, but in real life it’s anything but. First, there’s the hay itself, add in the manure smell and the last thing you get is sexy.
“All right, it wasn’t the most romantic first time, but when we look back, we’ll remember the passion that brought us here.” He was just lying there grinning. Still naked.
“First and last time. Don’t make any mistake about it. This was a one-time thing.” I threw his boxers at him. “Get dressed. I need you to drop me off near my house.” I needed to get away from him, and I definitely needed him to put on some clothes.
“Last time? Not a chance. You can’t discover something that amazing and run from it.”
“I’m going back to school in a week. I can’t deal with this.”
“Did you read the letter in the package?”
“I didn’t see a letter.”
“I figured that’s why you were finally interested last night…” He looked at me funny then smiled. “I guess you’d have wanted me anyway. Good to know.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but you have to get me home.” Rob would kill me if he found out where I’d been. He’d probably make me transfer to a school closer to home.
Colton slipped into his boxers excruciatingly slowly. “Do you want to do something tonight? Maybe dinner and a movie?”
“Are you serious? Stop stalling and get dressed!”
He sighed. “Calm down, it’s only seven.”
“Please, Colt. I don’t want to get in trouble.”
“I know.” He pulled on his jeans and t-shirt, and we climbed down. His truck was the only one left in the empty field. Annie’s uncle was away another few days. I’d have to make sure to come back and help her clean up. If she covered for me, I owed her.
I got in the passenger side of his Toyota Tacoma and waited for him to back out.
“If you get in any trouble, just call me. I’ll take all the blame.” He put a hand behind my seat.
“That’s not going to change anything. I just don’t want Rob freaking out. He already doesn’t want me going back to Harrison. He saw some pictures someone tagged me in where I was drunk at a frat party. I promised him that wasn’t typical behavior for me. Clearly it is.”
“I’m not some random guy. You don’t need to feel embarrassed.”
“I’m not embarrassed.” I looked out the window.
“Good.”
“Stop here.” We were half a block from my house. I didn’t want him pulling up out front. My parents would freak if they saw a guy dropping me off.
“You sure?”
“Yeah.”
“Call me, later, okay?”
“Okay.” I told him what he wanted to hear, but I knew I wouldn’t call. Instead, I’d go upstairs and pack. I needed to get out of my stupid town before I messed things up more. I wanted to leave Gasden behind, and no one, especially not Colton Waters, was going to hold me back.
Chapter Three
“You promised me a car.” I hated sounding like such a brat, but it was true. My parents had promised me a car for sophomore year since I kept my full scholarship.
Rob tapped his foot impatiently. “And we’re giving you one.”
“No. You’re giving me a beat-up, old Ford pickup. That is not a car.”
“It still runs great, and it’s big enough to keep you safe.” Now I knew why Rob had held onto the old thing after he got his new truck.
“I’m a good driver. I don’t need extra protection.”
“It’s not you I’m worried about. City drivers aren’t very cautious.”
“As compared to the gems around here?” I put a hand on my hip. Rob took the stepdad thing far too seriously.
“I don’t know what to tell you, honey. It’s the truck or nothing.”
I sighed. Nothing would probably be better, but I also wanted the freedom to drive. Maybe I could play it off as a cool thing. Like I wanted to go retro classic with an old truck. Yeah, not going to fly, but I’d figure something out. “Fine.”
“Fine? Your mother and I are giving you a car and you say fine?” He scowled. “Maybe we shouldn’t even be sending you back to that school if you’re going to turn out this way.”
“Stop threatening me. I’m going.” I clenched my jaw and stopped short of saying anything that would get me in trouble.
“Just because you have a scholarship doesn’t mean we’re not your parents. Who’s going to write the check for that fancy sorority you’re in?”
“Come on. Don’t hold that over my head.”
“Then don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”
I nodded. Fighting with Rob was pointless.
He flipped through a pile of mail. “Are you sure you want to leave today? I thought you had another week.”
“I want to help the girls get set-up for rush. My room’s ready, and I already planned to take this week off.”
“Why are you in such a hurry?” Mom joined the conversation for the first time. She’d let Rob navigate the truck argument.
“I want to see my friends.” I also wanted to get as far away from Colton as possible. Three months in a small town was bad enough. Now I had to dodge a one night stand. Who did that with their ex’s younger brother? I’d lost my mind.
“You have friends here. Annie’s going to be sad you’re leaving so soon.” Mom rested her hands in front of her on the wooden kitchen table.
I felt a tinge of guilt. It looked like I wasn’t going to be helping Annie clean. She’d stayed in town after graduation and attended the local community college. She didn’t hold my decision to leave against me, but I know she was surprised by my decision to move hours away. “She won’t care. She’s busy with Greg anyway.”
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“Who are you busy with?” Mom took off her glasses and set them down beside the morning paper.
“If you’re talking about guys, none.” That wasn’t exactly true, but Colt was a one-time thing. There was no one at school.
“Really? So you aren’t running back to school to see someone?”
I shook my head. “I wish.”
“You’ll meet someone, honey. You just have to leave yourself open to falling in love.”
I sighed. “Not everyone wants to fall in love. I’d be fine with a couple of decent dates.” I’d done the love thing once, and all it left me with was a broken heart.
“If you say so.” She shrugged. “By the way, have you called your dad yet?”
&n
bsp; I crossed my arms. “No.”
“Mallory, you need to thank him. If you’re that opposed to calling, send him a thank you note. That was a nice birthday check he sent you.”
“My birthday was over six months ago, Mom. Am I supposed to thank him for the incredibly late gift or for one that was early?”
She shook her head. “You won’t care when you spend the money.”
“Should I send the thank you note to him or his assistant? That wasn’t a very good forgery.” Maybe I should suggest he find a better secretary, one who remembered dates and could halfway sign his signature.
“Just send a note or pick up the phone. No one has ever won in life by being inconsiderate.” There was a warning in her tone. She didn’t want to go any further with the conversation. My relationship with my dad was beyond complicated, and I doubted he’d care whether I thanked him for the money.
“I will, but I should probably get going.”
“Do you want to wait and have lunch first? You haven’t given us any time to say goodbye.”
“I’ll be back for Fall Fest. Wasn’t that one of the requirements of taking a car?”
Rob smiled. “It’s important to Davie that you come home for it.”
“Like he cares.” My relationship with my younger brother was pretty typical. We had fun spending time together occasionally, but we definitely lived different lives.
“Of course he does. It’s his senior year, and he’s the quarterback. It would do you good to watch at least one of his games.”
“I could always come back a different weekend.”
“Mallory.” Rob gave me his signature ‘you’re treading thin ice’ look.
“I’ll be back for it.” Fall Fest was bigger than Homecoming. The whole town got into it.
“Have fun, sweetie.” Mom hugged me. “Know we love you, and we’re always here.”
“I know. Tell Davie I said bye.”
Mom shook her head. “No, you can do that yourself.”
“But he’s at football practice,” I protested.
The Hazards of a One Night Stand Page 2
