Roadside Assistance

by Marie Harte

  “I’ve always been there for my mom. My dad died when I was little. And Mom always put me first. I knew she dated, but I never met the guy unless she got serious, and that didn’t happen that often. She worked hard to put food on the table and keep me out of trouble.” He gave a half smile, but his pain was real. “I was a handful. Then we took Sam in. Sam had a shitty mom. Hell, he has a shitty mom. But that’s another story. Sam needed us, and we took care of him. So Mom had another troublemaker to deal with, and she did. But Sam and I kept her from the moochers and the assholes out there. A few tried to push her around, but we wouldn’t let them.” He paused to drink again.

  She rubbed his thigh, aware he was troubled. Feeling his pain pushed all anxiety about him away. “She had no one serious or steady, not in, gosh, how many years?”

  “Twenty-nine,” he muttered. “No, and I feel like a real shit, because now she has a decent guy, and I want him gone.” He put his beer down and held his head in his hands.

  “Foley.”

  “I can’t tell Sam about this. He’ll think I’m nuts. My mom is awesome. I love her more than anything. I want her to be happy, but I feel so fucking weird about the thought of her getting married or leaving. It’s not like I live with her or anything. Like, we split years ago. It’s just… I’m supposed to be the one who protects her. What if I leave it to this guy and he fucks her over? What if she gets really hurt because I wasn’t there to stop it?”

  She moved to straddle his lap and pulled his head to her chest for a hug. “Oh, Foley. You’re a big dope.”

  He tensed and tried to pull away, but she held him tight. He gradually relaxed, then started to nuzzle her breasts.

  “I can feel you doing that.”

  “You called me a dope,” he said, muffled against her chest. “You owe me.”

  She tugged his head up so she could look into his eyes. “You are the sweetest, most devoted, perfect son I’ve ever met.”

  “Shut up, Cyn.”

  “No, don’t look away. You should want to take care of your mom.” God, how had she ever doubted he might be a good guy? “It’s hard to let go, Foley. You know, she might get hurt. But that’s what being an adult is about. Have you been hurt before?”

  His expression closed, and he stared at her chin, not meeting her eyes. “Yeah. And it sucked.”

  “But you grew from that. You learned to be more careful. Or at least not to make the same mistakes again. Your mom raised you and Sam. Don’t you think she can handle anything else life throws at her?”

  He looked up at her. “That’s a good point.” He frowned. “Not very nice, but a good point. I know. It’s stupid. Trust me. I’ve tried not to feel like this, but I can’t help worrying about her. Plus, this guy is rich.”

  “Right. You said that. But that’s good, because he doesn’t want her for her money.”

  “But he could be a total rapey asshole, and he’ll be too rich to take down. Then I’ll just have to kill the fucker.”

  “Whoa. Slow down.” She handed him his beer. “Drink and listen.”

  He sighed and obeyed.

  “First off, no one is too rich to take down. Unless he’s Bill Gates, and I’m not thinking your mom is dating him.”

  “No.”

  “Why would you even think about him being too rich to take down?”

  “Lara—you met her, Johnny’s girlfriend, fiancée, whatever the hell she is—nearly got raped by her ex-brother-in-law. The slime was a rich dude who barely got a slap on the wrist.”

  “Really?”

  “Well, actually he’s up on charges, but if he goes to jail, he’ll be in some penthouse with see-through bars, most likely.” Foley groaned. “It’s dumb. Jacob is nice. I know that. He acts like my mom is awesome, and she told me she loves him. That he even told her he loves her.”

  “That’s sweet.”

  “He’s got a boat. His own private dock.”

  “And he loves her,” she said slowly, trying to follow his train of thought. Which had clearly derailed.

  “I just want to take care of her. That’s my job. How can I hand her off to this dude I don’t even know?”

  “Foley, she’s your mom. First off, you don’t hand her off. Remember my rant about not being a baton in a relay race?” At his blank look, she drank some beer. “No one listens to me. Anyway, she’s her own person. She doesn’t need you to look after her. She needs you to support her. Keep an eye out, but let this guy step on his own crank if he’s a schmuck. Your mom sounds pretty smart. She kept you two out of jail, didn’t she?” she teased.

  At his pregnant pause, she blinked. “Didn’t she?”

  “Mostly.” He blew out a breath. “I was still in high school when Sam and I did something stupid. To impress a girl, if you can believe it. We didn’t do anything wrong, exactly, but her dad wasn’t thrilled his baby girl liked a dirt-poor kid like Sam.”

  She was shocked. “What happened?”

  “I don’t like remembering.” He looked grim. “It was a long-ass time ago, and I learned my lesson. Never break into a girl’s house to write I love you too on her mirror if you haven’t checked to see if the place has cameras for security.” He groaned. “Her dad was some rich tech guy. Rich people suck. Because of her dad and his ties to the police, Sam and I were charged as adults. A few other run-ins prior to that, for goofy stuff, added up to us doing prison time. Not county jail, the hard stuff.”

  “I’m so sorry.” She truly was. She couldn’t imagine what that had been like for a young man just out of high school.

  “I know what you’re thinking. I didn’t get violated or anything.” He was really red. “Never bent over to pick up the soap.”

  “Good to know.” A huge sense of relief filled her.

  “But Sam and I got the shit beaten out of us a bunch of times. Helped teach us some fine fighting skills though. How to hold out against some tough motherfu—ah, some tough guys. Also got us some experience working on cars.” He paused. “Bottom line, I don’t like rich dudes.”

  “But you like Jacob,” she said, trying to make him feel better.

  “Yeah, I kind of do. I guess.” He hugged her. “Tell me I’m an idiot and my mom will be okay.”

  “You’re an idiot and your mom will be okay.”

  He sighed. “Now tell me to relax and enjoy being with you.”

  She smiled and kissed the top of his head, wanting to offer comfort. “Relax and enjoy being with me.”

  “Now tell me I’m the most amazing man you’ve ever been with, and put your hand down my pants.”

  “Foley.”

  He chuckled. “What? That’s too much of a stretch?”

  Unfortunately, it wasn’t. She leaned back so she could see him. “Well, if it’ll make you feel better.” She slid her hand down his taut abdomen, unfastened the fly of his jeans, then eased her hand beneath his underwear. Wonder of wonders, he was hard, huge, and hot for her. “Oh, Foley,” she said in a deliberately breathless voice, “you’re the most amazing man I’ve ever been with.” She gripped him, shocked to find it difficult to make her fingers touch.

  “Baby.” He cupped her head and brought her mouth down to his.

  While they kissed, she continued to fondle him, and the power she held—literally and figuratively—turned her world hazy.

  He grew more enthusiastic, deepening the kiss.

  She rubbed her thumb over him, felt his excitement, and whispered against his lips, “I love touching you.”

  He groaned. “Me too. But, Cyn, I want to make you feel good.”

  “This is doing the trick. Besides, you deserve it.”

  “Who are you kidding?” he rasped. “We both know I don’t deserve you.”

  Before she could argue that, he tilted his head back to rest on the couch and put a hand over hers, stopping her. “Hold on. Let’s sl
ow this down, or I’ll be done before we’re started.”

  “Lightweight.”

  “You’ll pay for that.” He lifted his head and stared at her. “Now what coupon did you want to use first?”

  She reluctantly let him go and fetched the booklet. “I believe the foot rub is where I’d like to start.” She glanced at his erection, pleased to see him still hungry for her. “You sure you can handle me in that condition?”

  “Don’t you worry about me.” He stood and dragged her with him down the hall into her bedroom. “Now get undressed and lay down.”

  “You’re telling me that in order to get a foot rub I have to be naked?”

  “Yeah. And there are no refunds. Drop the bra and panties, Nichols.”

  “Bossy.” She undressed in front of him without a qualm, feeling sexy and powerful under his gaze. He palmed himself through his jeans while he watched her, and she thought it the most erotic thing. Foley wanted her. All of her.

  It wasn’t until she’d lain back on the bed, bared all the way, that her insecurities returned.

  Foley, however, wouldn’t let her dwell. He removed his jeans, keeping his boxer briefs on, and sat by her feet. He put her foot on his lap and started rubbing.

  “Oh. You’re good at that.” She closed her eyes, not wanting to see him looking at her thick thighs and belly.

  “You know, it’s funny how you get shy on me. I get hard just looking at you, but you seem to think I don’t like the way you look.”

  “That’s not true.” She sounded weak to her own ears.

  “Yeah? Tell me something about yourself you like.”

  “I have nice hair.”

  “Come on. Something about your naked body. I’ll tell you something about mine.”

  “Yeah?”

  “I have a big cock. There. Now your turn.” He dug into her arch, and she gave a low moan. He really was good at that.

  “Okay. I have nice breasts.”

  “Spectacular tits. Big, round, with tight red nipples. Hmm.” He leaned across her body and took a nipple into his mouth.

  “Foley.”

  He sucked, licking and caressing her nipple into a hard peak. “Yeah, gorgeous.” He leaned back and rubbed her foot again. “Tell me something else you like.”

  “Well, my hips are kind of wide, but I have a waist.”

  “Damn. I was hoping you’d get to your ass. But I can do a waist.”

  “What?”

  He ran his hands over her hips, then her waist, stroking her until she almost begged him to stop the sensual torture. “How wet are you?” he murmured and maneuvered himself over her once more. He leaned down for a kiss.

  She pulled him closer, her hands on his broad shoulders, and tried to draw him into her. But the stubborn man refused to budge.

  When he eventually parted from her lips, he remained close, staring into her eyes. “Yeah. Gorgeous all over.”

  “Wh-what about you?”

  “Me? I’m good with my hands.” He moved to straddle her waist and put his hands on her breasts while he watched her. Her breasts fit into his palms, and the way he held her made her squirm.

  She wasn’t the only one affected. Foley had a large tent in his shorts, and she couldn’t look away from it. “Take off your underwear.”

  “What will you give me if I do?”

  “I’ll tell you everything I like about you.”

  “How about you tell me everything you like about you?”

  “That’s stupid. I—” Cyn sucked in a breath when he scooted back on her thighs and ran his hands over her hips and in between her legs. Feeling the press of his palms over her sex distracted her, to say the least.

  He grinned at her, then rose and removed his underwear. Foley Sanders, naked, was a treat to the senses.

  She stared, wide-eyed. “I want to trace all your tattoos with my tongue.”

  “That nails it. I’m getting that dick tattoo for sure now.”

  She chuckled and reached up for him.

  “First, tell me how great you are.”

  “Stop the feel-good crap. Come to me.”

  Foley shook his head. “You’re wired to think you’re too big or ugly or some bullshit I just don’t get. You’re a walking wet dream. I’m hard just thinking about you. And that’s not because of your winning personality,” he said drily.

  “Shut up.”

  “It’s that rockin’ body. You have no idea how sexy you are. And I want you to believe it.”

  “What does it matter to you?” She didn’t understand why they couldn’t just have uncomplicated sex. But nothing with Foley had been simple. He aroused complex emotions in her without trying.

  “What you think matters to me. Don’t ask, because I can’t explain it. I’m happy around you. But I want you to be happy too.”

  “I would be if you’d stop playing hard to get,” she grumbled.

  To which he laughed and joined her once again on the bed, this time lying beside her up on his elbow while he studied her from head to toe. “I sure would like to fuck you. Just waiting on you to do your part.” He gripped his erection, holding himself like an offering. But he made no move to do anything more than hold that impressive shaft.

  She swallowed a curse, determined to have him without begging. “I’m smart, financially independent, and I have a great family—well, only half-counting my mom. Oh, and my house is awesome.”

  “That’s all stuff you have. Except for the smart part. Come on. You can do better than that.” He pumped his cock once. “Unless you don’t want this.”

  “Stop teasing.” She scratched his chest with her nails, not hard, but enough to show she meant business. “If I tell you what you want to hear, will you fuck me?”

  His eyes darkened. “I love that mouth. Yeah, I’ll give you exactly what you need.”

  The growl in his voice nailed it. “Fine. I have a sturdy frame—I’m strong and can take some rough stuff in bed.” He liked that, because his breathing grew harsher. “My breasts are big. My waist is small, and my hips make sense on my body. Oh, and my ass isn’t half-bad.”

  “Touch yourself,” Foley ordered, hoarse. “Let me see how sexy you are.”

  Watching him watch her while she trailed her hands over her body was its own kind of hellish foreplay. Odd, but having Foley pay such close attention to her made her flaws seem smaller, less important. Her soft, rounded tummy didn’t seem so large when he watched her touch herself. And her thighs felt more muscular than thick when his gaze trailed over them.

  “Between your legs,” he rasped. “Spread your thighs and touch yourself there.”

  “Yes,” she whispered as she ran her hands between her legs, grazing her folds while he watched.

  Foley groaned. “God. I want you. Right fucking now.”

  She spread her legs wider and waited.

  Foley didn’t disappoint. He followed her hands and scooted down between her legs. Then he kissed her there, taking her clit into his mouth.

  “Foley.”

  He made sweet love to her body. Not rushed, but moving with deliberation and a slowness that drove her insane.

  His rough, callused hands were everywhere, plucking her nipples, stroking her belly, tracing her inner thighs. As he increased pressure on her taut nub, his tongue and teeth doing a number on her, his thick fingers found their way into her body. First one, then another digit sank deep inside her, and she thrust back against him, needing more.

  Foley pulled his mouth away and rose over her. “I need you.”

  No pretense, no more teasing. He positioned himself at her entrance and shoved deep.

  She cried out as he surged into her, and then he was fucking her hard. He kissed her while he took her, and she could do no more than hang on while he rode her into oblivion. She seized around him while he po
unded into her, and she’d never been so satisfied with a lover as she was now.

  Then he swore and pulled out, spending over her belly in great heaves.

  Still riding a natural high, Cyn started to come down. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t insisted on birth control—again. What was it about Foley that made her mindless to everything but pleasure?

  “Damn. Sorry, baby,” he said between breaths. “I totally meant to put a condom on. Next time for sure.” He kissed her, an entreaty of forgiveness and thanks she could feel deep inside.

  She entwined her fingers behind his neck, holding him while she pardoned him with gentle kisses.

  They broke apart, and he leaned his forehead against hers. “Fuck, you get to me.”

  “Yeah? Me too.”

  She felt his grin when he kissed her. “Good. God knows I don’t want to be the only lovesick moron in this bed.”

  Lovesick made her start, but she realized he might not mean it as more than a token expression a guy might use after great sex.

  “I am a moron for not insisting you use a condom.”

  He grabbed clothing off the floor to clean off her belly, then rolled to his back and pulled her on top of him. She leaned up so she could see him and just stared, still not sure what he was doing with her when he could have any woman he wanted.

  “What’s that look?”

  “It’s my breasts, isn’t it? That’s what has you coming back.”

  He grew serious. “Well, that and the hair. I’m a sucker for a natural redhead. It hasn’t escaped my notice that your sexy landing strip is that same deep red curling around your breast.” He trailed the lock over her chest.

  Her lips twitched. “Yeah? Well I’m a sucker for big muscles and tattoos. Obviously that’s got me hooked.”

  “And my big cock. Don’t forget about that.”

  “Quit bragging. It’s not that big.”

  He arched a brow, and she flushed.

  “Okay, it’s huge. Happy now?”

  “Yeah. And I’ll be happy again. I just need a little break. You wore me out.”

  More sex with Foley?

  “This day just keeps getting better.” She grinned. “For the record, I’m winning.”