No Excuses

by Nikky Kaye

  Now, this morning’s jog had turned into a run, and Jake had left me in the dust. We’d always been competitive, but today my brother wasn’t letting the chip on his shoulder weigh him down.

  “What’s wrong with you?” I asked, wishing I had a bottle of water.

  Jake wouldn’t sit, instead pacing back and forth with his arms crossed tightly over his chest. “I haven’t seen Stella in two weeks.”

  “Damn. Why?”

  Back. Forth. Back. Forth. “Fuck if I know.” He muttered something about his ex and some family emergency a couple of states over.

  “I wish Grandad got how much you love your daughter,” I thought out loud.

  Jake was a mass of contradictions. Brawny and built like a Midwestern farm boy, his muscles were big and his ideas small. He was the kind of guy that constantly surprised you, even surprising himself at the same time. Like with Stella. Admittedly I hadn’t spent a lot of time with the baby, but Jake tended to wear his heart on his sleeve—when he was wearing a shirt, anyhow.

  At the moment, his tanned torso was gleaming in the bright sunlight, shadows from the trees overhead contouring his body. The dude was a show-off, even still wearing his dog tags despite being out of the service.

  He snorted. “No shit. But then you—we—wouldn’t have met Evie.”

  The idea rattled me, but I still felt bad on his behalf. It wasn’t his fault he knocked up a total bitch. Well, okay, it was, but mistakes happen—not that he’d call Stella a mistake. Either way, Grandad was being too rigid about the whole inheritance slash legacy thing.

  And I—we—did meet Evie. Biblically.

  That first time was still the only time that the three of us had been together, in any way. The next morning Evie and I had woken in my bed to find Jake long gone, and her phone blowing up with calls from her friend. She was too flustered to be up for some morning sex. She was also sore. “Down there.”

  That was understandable.

  Since our picnic, we’d somehow fallen into a pattern of lunch a few times a week. I took her to a fancy place for dinner, where she looked around with eyes the size of the gilded charger plates before narrowing them at me.

  “I can’t be here.”

  I nearly choked on the martini I’d brought over from the bar where we waited for our table. “What?”

  She shifted in her seat and methodically picked up every item on the table. “This is too much.”

  Looking around, I didn’t understand what she meant. “Is the place too big? Too noisy? Too—”

  “Too expensive.”

  “So?” I frowned.

  “I’m not dressed for this kind of place,” she whisper-hissed at me.

  Well, sure, she wasn’t dripping in diamonds or designer clothes, but she wasn’t exactly wearing a clown suit either. Everything about her was simple and subtle, which was one of the things I lo—liked about her.

  Now she blushed with embarrassment, as I openly looked up and down her body, from the silver hoops in her ears to the flouncy hem of her little black dress. Her legs were bare, and she wore the same heels that she’d worn to the “interview” and our date at the amusement park.

  It only occurred to me then that she might only have one pair of good heels. With legs like hers, that would be a fucking tragedy that I’d have to remedy.

  “You look fine,” I assured her.

  A huffing, grumbling noise came from deep inside her throat. “Thanks.” The tone of her voice told me she wasn’t actually grateful.

  She picked up the menu and glanced through it, before placing it carefully on the table. “Excuse me, please. I need to, uh…”

  I barely had time to admire the shapely curves of her ass in her dress as she scurried away.

  After seven minutes, I realized that it was an escape, not a bathroom break. Now it was my turn to make a frustrated noise as I got up and found the ladies room.

  I opened the door at the same time that a middle-aged woman—who was wearing diamonds and designer clothes, naturally—came out.

  “Oh!”

  “Sorry. I’m looking for my—”

  She looked down her nose job at me. “If that’s your wife crying in there then you’d better go apologize.”

  “For what?” Shit, what had Evie told her?

  “For everything. Anything. Being a man is a good place to start.” She sniffed with contempt and stalked out to the main dining room.

  With a deep sigh, I went in. “Evie? Please come out, honey.”

  I heard the telltale sound of a toilet roll being pulled and a nose being blown. The restroom was almost as fancy and romantic as the restaurant. Everything sparkled, including Evie’s eyes when she emerged. Her nose was red and tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to overflow.

  Goddammit.

  “C’mere.” I held out my hand and tried to wait patiently, like she was a wounded animal. Patience was not my strong suit.

  I was about to reach for her when she stepped toward me, her heels clicking on the tile. When she was close enough, I pulled her into my arms and squeezed another huffing, grumbling noise out of her.

  “I’m sorry,” she mumbled.

  “No, I’m sorry. We’ll go. I didn’t know it bothered you that much.” Designer nose job lady was right—I was a stupid, insensitive man.

  She looked at my chest and nodded silently. I nudged her chin up so I could look her in the eye.

  “Would it help if I fucked you here?”

  Her gaze flew to the long granite countertop where glass vessel sinks bloomed like a row of flowers, then looked at me with horror. “You’re joking.”

  “I’m deadly serious.” My dick was hardening in my pants as I said it. I didn’t want her crying as we walked out of here. I’d rather she be smiling.

  “Somebody could come in.”

  My lips touched her ear as I whispered, “That’s part of the fun.” A shiver wracked her curvy body. “You want to, don’t you? You want to be naughty and risk it.”

  She let out a little moan as my nose dragged down her neck. Then I moaned when my wandering hand found her damp panties. Thank fuck she wasn’t wearing one of those spanky girdle things, I thought to myself.

  I kissed her, gently at first, then harder and with more hunger, as if we knew that time was not on our side. I teased her center, tracing the edges of her panties, trying to get her to beg for my fingers.

  She undid my pants with trembling fingers, breaking our kiss to glance at the door. Her gasp as she pulled out my rock hard cock made me chuckle.

  “It’s like your first time, every time. Isn’t it, Evie?” Her reactions were so innocent, but inside I knew she was burning with desire. She had a raging sexual curiosity, but I could tell she was embarrassed by her emerging needs. “You want my cock, don’t you?” I asked her.

  In response, she wrapped her fingers around me and squeezed. Impertinent wench. Now was not the time to hear Grandad’s voice in my head. I shook it out, blinking at her, my hands going to her shoulders.

  “Get on your knees,” I commanded roughly.

  She did. Her nipples stuck out against the fabric of her dress, and the skirt tightened around her thighs as she knelt before me. Still she held my dick, which was throbbing and eager.

  “Suck my cock, Evie.”

  With only a fraction of hesitation, she leaned forward and tried to get her mouth around my erection.

  “Fuck, yes!” My hands went into her hair as she bobbed up and down, trying to taste all of me.

  Warm. Wet. Soft. Firm. Rough.

  “Do you want me to come in your mouth, baby?” In the heavenly haven of her mouth, I was getting close—fast.

  She shook her head, my cock brushing against her back molars and making me grunt.

  “Get up. Take off your panties.”

  Again, only a slight pause before she obeyed. She stepped out of them and held them from two fingers, looking around as if she wasn’t sure what to do with them.

  I knew ex
actly what to do with Evie’s wet panties.

  Taking them from her, I briefly sniffed them before shoving them in my pocket. They created a bulge, but I was used to having a bulge in my pants.

  I kissed her again, my body hot and straining toward release. I needed to be inside her—now. Twenty seconds ago would be even fucking better.

  When I tested her with my finger, I found her slick and plump with arousal. Two fingers. Then three. Her pussy tried to suck me in and push me out at the same time.

  “Dom!” she moaned against my mouth. “Please.”

  There was the begging. A satisfied smile stretched my mouth at the same time as we both registered a noise outside the door.

  Shit!

  I shoved her until her back hit the door and my hands braced against it, keeping it closed.

  Evie yelped in surprise as someone behind the door pushed back, trying to get in. With my considerable strength, I kept them out.

  “Sorry, ma’am! There was an unfortunate incident, that we’re just taking care of right now!” I called out.

  The pressure on the other side of the door eased. “How long will it be?”

  I reached down to pull up Evie’s dress. “Not long,” I said, looking at her gorgeous creamy thighs and the dewy patch of hair between them.

  “What are you—ah!” She sucked in a surprised breath as I hauled her up, my hands clamped around her curves.

  We both exhaled harshly as I impaled her on my cock. A thud sounded out as I pressed her into the door, and her dress rasped against the wood as she moved up and down with each thrust.

  “Is she gone?” Evie panted.

  “I don’t. Fucking. Care,” I grunted back, my body taut and hurtling toward release. “God, your pussy is so fucking tight. Every. Time!”

  It was like taking her virginity every time I entered her—so tight and hot.

  I tried to move one hand—to tease her clit, tweak her nipple, anything—but her luscious hourglass figure needed my undivided attention, and both hands to keep her on my cock as long as possible.

  “I didn’t know I could do this,” she confessed, her chin dropping to my shoulder and her husky voice in my ear. “I always imagined I was too heavy, too—”

  “Shut up and let me fuck you.”

  My sassy girl bit my earlobe in response. Burning heat seared my dick, but also my thighs and glutes. Sweat broke out on my body, with the effort and the knowledge that I was seconds away from flooding her lovely body with my life-giving seed.

  I ground against her pubic bone with each thrust, until she was biting her lip to keep in her wails. “Come, Evie. Come with me,” I ordered.

  She made a high-pitched noise that threatened to become a scream before I covered her mouth with mine. Her slick walls quivered around me, gripping my cock rhythmically until I was unable to do anything but pour into her.

  “Ungh ungh fuck! Yes! Take it, Evie. Take it!”

  I came so hard I felt like my cum was shooting out of my spine, straight up into her. She whimpered with every hot pulse, until I was left sweaty and boneless with satisfaction.

  My muscles protested as I lowered her carefully to the floor.

  “No, stay in me!” she begged, trying to wrap her legs around my hips.

  “I can’t, baby. We can’t stay here.”

  She nodded as I kissed her. I hated having to withdraw from her, but at forty dollars an entrée, I was guessing most patrons here expected an available ladies room.

  Hopefully they wouldn’t mind that it smelled like sex.

  We both had smiles on our faces as we left the restaurant—and a gratuity, despite not ordering anything. It reminded me of an old dirty joke.

  “What did the leper say to the prostitute?” I asked Evie with a grin. She raised an eyebrow. “Keep the tip.”

  She was still giggling when the valet brought around the car.

  That was the last time I took her somewhere so… conspicuous. She was much happier discovering hole in the wall family restaurants. One night she even insisted on making dinner in my apartment, since her “kitchen” was so tiny she suspected it had been salvaged from a Barbie dream house.

  I tried to buy her some designer dresses, but was disappointed to discover that they didn’t make anything in her size. She scolded me for even looking.

  What kind of girl didn’t want to be spoiled? Evie, apparently.

  Paying off her debts was really all she’d wanted. She wasn’t looking for a sugar daddy. I truly believed her when she confessed that signing up for that website was both a drunken mistake and an act of desperation.

  Intoxicated by the scent of her skin, I confessed that going on the auction site wasn’t exactly regular web surfing for me, either. I blamed Jake. She believed me.

  Would she believe me if I told her I was falling for her?

  “Dominic!” Jake’s large fingers snapped in front of my face. “You listening to me?”

  “Of course.” Not one bit. I blinked at his hand as it waved before me. We’d been talking about his baby daughter, Stella, right?

  “I just want a little time with her, you know?” He slid his old dog tags up and down on the chain, making a sound like a zipper.

  “Yeah, I’m sure.”

  My body had cooled down from the run, my muscles starting to stiffen up a bit. I needed to get moving again.

  “So it’s okay with you?”

  “Whatever you need, man. I support you one hundred percent.”

  Jake’s whole body relaxed. His dog tags fell silent as he stopped anxiously tugging at them. “Awesome.”

  He did a few windmills with his arms then bounded down the path like Tigger. Whatever I’d just agreed to, it gave him a burst of happiness and energy.

  I stretched out my quads and hamstrings quickly, then starting jogging slowly behind him. He was so far ahead of me already that I barely heard him when he turned back to me and yelled, “I promise I’ll wear a condom, okay? One baby is enough for me. That’s your territory, dude.”

  My stop was so sudden, it should have had screeching sound effects accompanying it. My toes actually slid forward, smushing painfully against the front of my shoes.

  “What?”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  JAKE

  “This place is amazing!”

  Something in me lightened at the sight of Evie’s smile. It was so pure, so guileless. There was nothing fake or manipulative about her, unlike a lot of the women I’d known. I looked around, trying to see the place through her eyes.

  We were in a dollhouse—almost literally. It was the company’s first boutique toy store, and it was admittedly a big gamble. These days, when most kids had their eyes glued to a screen and with online shopping so easy, it was hard to see why a kid would choose to come here.

  I still hoped they would.

  The store was shaped like a star, with the tills in the middle. Each of the points stretching out had a different theme. One was a miniature play house, another was a science and technology lab. Then there was a zoo, a small-scale city, and the last one was empty—on purpose.

  Evie strode over to the blank space, her long sundress rippling behind her. “What are you putting in here?”

  “Nothing, yet. Blocks. Cardboard boxes. Paper on the walls, maybe?”

  She spun around in a circle, squinting her eyes. “So they can use their imaginations?”

  “Yeah, that was the idea.”

  “This really is fantastic, Jake. You should be really proud of yourself. This was all you?”

  My face grew hot. “Mostly.” I laughed, sort of. “I guess a single dad without a kid—most of the time—has an imagination, too.”

  Her smile faded from delight into sympathy. Fuck, I hated that. I wasn’t weak or needy, and I didn’t need her big hazel eyes getting all moist and girly on me. Time to end this pity party.

  “Right now my imagination is telling me that you are wearing black panties under that dress.”

  She rolle
d her eyes and turned away to drift back to the central cash register. “Nice try,” she said, but there was extra sway in her hips as she walked away. Her silver flip-flops smacked at her heels as they peeped out from beneath the hem of her white flowy dress. She looked like an angel from the top of a Christmas tree.

  In the past month or so, Evie had gone from virgin to vixen—at least according to Dominic. She still had a shy, sardonic demeanor to the outside world, but was wild and curious in the bedroom. She’d been the one to call me to ask about a date. Dom said he was okay with it, which surprised me a little. But whatever. I didn’t answer his calls or texts in the last two days, not wanting any of his “helpful” advice or dating “tips.”

  I had my own style with women, and I didn’t need tall, dark, and Dominic questioning everything. So far, Evie hadn’t had any complaints. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes sparkling, and that damn maxi dress hinted at every curve of her ripe body without actually revealing anything.

  It was driving me fucking batshit.

  She lifted the pass, so she could enter into the big donut-shaped desk in the middle. Then she bent over the desk as far as she could, and I leaned toward her on my side of it. If I stretched just a little more, I could take her bottom lip between my teeth and—

  “What’s it called?” she asked.

  “We haven’t finalized it yet. The marketing guys are throwing a bunch of shit at the wall to see if it sticks, and they’re running some focus groups. There’s nothing that goes with the word ‘toy’ that really works, and—”

  “Stella.”

  My jaw clicked shut and my hackles went up when she said my daughter’s name. “What?”

  “Stella means star. This place is shaped like a star.”

  I thought about it. Stared at her mouth moving. Tasted the air around her radiating enthusiasm. “Stella,” I repeated.

  Of course I’d thought about the munchkin when we envisioned this place, but more in what I thought she might like, or what I wanted her to check out someday. But I hadn’t realized that I’d literally built her into the design.

  My daughter hadn’t seen it yet, even. The store was in the final stages of construction, and I wanted a woman’s opinion on it—a woman who wasn’t my heinous bitch of an ex or someone who already worked for the company.