by Destiny, Sam
“Yes, I do.” I rubbed my hand over my forehead, wondering if I should tell Sarah I was worried, but then one of my colleagues walked up and told her the suspect was ready to be discharged.
She winked at me, then was gone, leaving me alone with my thoughts—and the determination to talk to Hayden and find out what was going on with him.
* * *
HAYDEN
The lasagna was in the oven, the tiramisu in the fridge. I was surprised how well I’d managed to put it all together. Granted, the kitchen looked like a war zone, but I’d clean that up later.
When I heard the key turn in the front door, glad I’d given Katie one, I made my way into the small hallway. She didn’t know it yet, but we had a quiet evening ahead of us.
In fact, it was one of two for me. Tomorrow, I’d go to a bar with the guys—I hoped. It all hinged on Katie agreeing to watch Cory for a few hours.
I missed not having a care in the world. Granted, even if I did go to the bar tomorrow, I knew I’d be thinking about Cory the whole time, but that didn’t mean I didn’t need to see my friends. Although I realized that was a pretty loose term, I needed it. Football, beer, and… Well, that was pretty much it because I didn’t need to look for anything else.
I never thought Katie would fit so perfectly into my life. I’d wanted her in my arms and my bed, maybe even long-term, but Jesus. The woman calmed me like no one else did, keeping my demons at bay.
I didn’t think she knew the impact she had on me, but I was set on seducing her—or, rather, be so charming she’d have no choice but to seduce me. It had to be her choice. If I’d start something, she’d just construe it as less than it was.
“Hey, Katie,” I greeted her, loving the way she smiled at me.
“A welcome by the door. I like it,” she replied while taking off her shoes, jacket, and scarf, then sniffed. “Have you been cooking?”
I nodded and stepped closer. “I wanted to surprise you. Cory is at Dale’s, and unless he causes trouble, we have a night to ourselves.”
Her eyes widened and she gave me an insecure smile. “Really? Why?”
Such a fucking loaded question. One I wouldn’t answer.
“How about we go eat first?” I asked instead. She slowly nodded.
I was going to make amends with everyone, and Katie was my first stop.
“You even set the table,” she whispered, spotting the candles I’d put on the coffee table in the living room. I figured it was less formal if we sat on the floor and maybe, just maybe, it would also give me an excuse to be closer to her.
I nodded. “Yes, I did. I wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done for us so far.” I gestured to the table. “Do you want a glass of wine?”
She blinked as she settled on the floor. “You bought wine?”
“The clerk said it was a good one and that women usually went for white. However, I didn’t believe him and bought red, too.” I shrugged.
She shook her head in wonder. “What are we having?”
“Lasagna?” I posed it as a question, suddenly worried she wouldn’t like it.
“It’s perfect. Then I’ll take the red, please.”
I grabbed the bottle and poured her a glass, then walked into the kitchen, dished up the plates, and carried them to the table. I sat across from her, watching her in the soft candlelight.
“What?” she asked, squinting at me. She clearly thought I was planning something. It was written all over her face. Maybe I was.
“You look pretty with the soft candlelight on your face. Well, you always look pretty, but…” Jesus, this is the exact reason I’ve never flirted with her before. The moment I like a girl, I’m dumb as rocks. I cleared my throat. “Let me try again.” I inhaled deeply. “You look beautiful, Katie.”
She smirked. “That sounds better.” She held out her glass. I realized I hadn’t brought anything back for me.
“Um… Hold that thought,” I muttered and strode back into the kitchen, debating if I just wanted to grab a beer or… Fuck. This was supposed to be all romantic and shit. I poured myself some of the red, took a brief sniff, hoping it tasted better than it smelled, then went back and settled into my spot.
“Now?” she asked, her eyes shining with amusement—and something else. Apprehension maybe? I decided to not worry about it right now.
“Yes.” I raised my glass to hers. “To us. To you. To unwanted gifts.”
She nodded slowly, giving me a smile, then she lifted the glass to her lips and took a sip.
“Wow,” she praised.
Even if I hated the wine, and I probably would, I still made a note to find the clerk and thank him for his suggestion.
* * *
KATIE
The food was delicious, all the more so because Hayden had taken the time to prepare not only a main course, but also a dessert…and an incredible one, no less. It practically melted in my mouth.
Once we were done, he cleared away the plates, leaving the bowls in case I wanted more dessert. And who knew. Maybe I did.
I rested against the couch, twirling the wine glass in my hands. “I’m pretty sure you didn’t have these before,” I stated, and Hayden blushed.
“Yeah… I might have bought those along with the wine.”
Suicidal people don’t buy things, do they? While my initial thought was that this was a goodbye dinner, I didn’t think so anymore.
He was attentive, and if I didn’t know better, I would have even assumed he was trying to charm me. After he had cleared the table, he sat next to me, and while we weren’t touching, he was turned toward me, his arm resting on the couch.
Any other guy in any other situation, I’d be leaning in to kiss him, demand his attention, thank him for this thoughtful evening. But it wasn’t any other guy—and I wouldn’t want it any other way. He was exactly what I’d always wanted, and I knew that once we got over his weird behavior, we could be perfect.
“What’s going on, Hayden?” I couldn’t decide what exactly I’d asked. Did I mean this evening? Did I mean overall? What?
He held my gaze, clearly contemplating his answer, then he reached out and brushed a strand of hair back from my face. I leaned into his touch and cupped his hand with mine, kissing his palm. I wanted him to understand that I desired more but wouldn’t push.
“You have been my salvation, Katie. You dropped everything to be here, and I…I was an ass. Yet you came back and helped me time and time again. You still help me. I don’t know what I’d do without you. When I became a dad, I thought I’d have to figure everything out by myself, be a single dad.” His brows furrowed. “While I guess that’s true, what’s also true is that I wasn’t alone. At least when I didn’t push you away.” His voice got quiet. “I don’t deserve you, Katie. Never have, never will.”
I swallowed. This sounded even more like a goodbye than anything he’d said before, and I blinked away tears. “That’s not true, Hay, and you know it,” I replied urgently, but he just smiled.
“You just don’t see yourself the way I see you, Katie.”
I leaned in to kiss him. “You deserve me, Hayden, because you’re amazing,” I whispered in-between kisses, relieved when his arms encircled me.
He squeezed me tightly, kissing me back with vengeance and a hunger I hadn’t expected.
“Katie…” My name was nothing more than a rough whisper leaving his lips, and I smiled to myself.
“Right here, Hay. Right here.”
And I was.
Hell, for him, I always would be because I loved him. I didn’t know when exactly it had happened, but it had, and I was lost.
Lost to the broken man sitting next to me.
HAYDEN
She was soft, yet fierce. Her kiss was demanding, her fingers fumbling for the hem of my shirt. I didn’t mind, stretching my arms above my head as she pulled it off me. She took a second to stare at my chest.
“It’s different seeing you naked knowing I took these clothes off you.” Sh
e almost giggled. I drew her in until our lips were all but touching.
“I’m not naked,” I growled.
She cocked her head. “Not yet.” Katie slipped onto my lap, straddling me.
If I had a fireplace, I would have stripped her right there. Sadly, I didn’t, and moving her to the bedroom when I wasn’t completely sure that was where she wanted to go seemed weird.
Instead, I enjoyed the feeling of her lips traveling across my shoulders, my neck, nibbling, licking. She was a woman on a mission.
I couldn’t believe my plan had worked and I’d seduced her into seducing me, although my speech had been unplanned. I’d meant to thank her, albeit with fewer words, and I definitely didn’t mean to tell her how much I didn’t consider myself worthy of her.
When she started to roll her hips, teasing me through my jeans, I grabbed her sides and held her still. “Unless you want this, Katie, really want this, you should stop right now,” I warned.
I wanted it. I wanted it so much, my heart nearly beat out of my chest. I wanted to lose myself in her and remind myself that she was with me, right here, right now.
She leaned in until our lips were almost touching. “Hayden, if you don’t know by now that I really want this, you haven’t been paying attention.”
I exhaled. Holding onto her with one arm, I struggled to my feet. It was a little awkward and made her giggle, but at least that loosened the tension some.
“I can walk,” she explained.
“No. You’re staying where you are.”
Cleaning the kitchen could wait.
Almost the whole world could wait.
When we entered the bedroom, I put my cell on the nightstand. The only person I’d answer for was Dale, and only because he was watching Cory.
Placing Katie on the bed, I saw she was blushing, suddenly seeming shy. “Don’t say it’s been a while,” I groaned. I wouldn’t mind, but I always felt pressured the moment I heard that sentence, almost like I needed to up my performance.
Katie laughed, shaking her head. “I just… I wasn’t prepared. I didn’t put make-up on, didn’t brush my hair after I showered at the hospital. I’m just…me.”
I gave her a soft smile as I leaned in. “And just you is enough.”
I pushed up her shirt and kissed my way along the line of her bra before pulling the cup down, my lips wrapping around her rosy nipple.
A moan fell from her mouth, and I reveled in the sound. It was sweet, tempting, and seductive. I wanted to make her feel good, just like she’d made me feel better during the last several days.
“Hayden,” she whispered, then gently tugged on my hair.
I followed her silent plea and met her lips, claiming her mouth, marking her as mine. She held onto me, her nails digging into my back, but I didn’t mind. The small pain kept me in the present and dissolved the nervousness.
I sat back on my heels and opened my jeans before pushing them down my legs and kicking them off. I kissed my way down her chest and stomach, then opened her pants and pulled them and her panties down, discarding both onto the floor.
Taking my time, I kissed my way up her left leg, running my tongue over her skin before repeating the same motion on the other side. She’d gotten rid of her shirt and bra, and I couldn’t help but want more.
Pale moonlight shone into the room, but it wasn’t enough to let me see all I wanted to. I leaned over her and turned on the lamp on the nightstand, while she rose up and pressed a kiss to my chest.
The warm glow bathed her in golden light, and I ran my hands along every curve of her body. “You are…” I shook my head, at a loss for words. She wrapped an arm around my neck.
“I can tell,” she replied, her voice soft, then she drew me in, kissing me until my head swam.
* * *
KATIE
The tenderness in Hayden’s eyes was nearly my undoing. There was wonder, surprise, and awe in his gaze, and I had to admit, I’d never felt as beautiful as I did when he kept pulling back to just look at me.
As if he wanted to remember me forever.
Not that I wasn’t looking myself because he was a sight for sore eyes. He wore nothing but black boxer briefs, his need for me visible, and I was tempted to reach out and cup him though the material. Almost anticipating my move, he caught my wrist and brought it down next to my head, holding it there as he kissed my collarbone, licking along the sensitive skin.
Jesus, I sure hoped he had condoms somewhere because, as much as I wanted to be with him, I hadn’t been on the pill in forever, and STDs weren’t a joke.
Not that I thought there was any risk of that, but better safe than sorry.
“Where did you go, Katie?” he muttered against my skin, his teeth scraping across my nipple. I arched into him.
“I was thinking about condoms. If you’re not prepared, I’m going to regret having to stop this whole thing.”
He chuckled against my skin, which I liked…a lot.
I knew some people viewed sex as the most serious thing out there, but if you didn’t have fun in bed, could laugh at some point, were you really having a great time? Or were you just going through the motions?
When he reached for the nightstand, I licked his chest, running my tongue across his nipple and causing a shiver to race through him, his hard length pressing into my stomach.
He sucked in a breath. “Fuck, Katie. If you keep that up, this will be a very short experience,” he muttered, handing me a condom he’d taken out of the drawer.
“Then we’ll need more than one of these to have repeat performances,” I replied, biting his skin and easing the sting with my lips.
He pushed me back onto the bed and ran his tongue between my breasts, over my stomach, and right to my core, making me gasp.
He circled the tip of his tongue around my clit, and I reached for something to hold onto, finding his hair.
His hands grasped my hips, holding me in place while teasing and licking me, making me whimper. I needed more friction, needed to come right that second or I’d lose my mind.
“Hayden… God, please,” I whispered over and over, but he didn’t stop. Instead, he pushed to fingers into me, finding me wet and ready for him.
He knew what he was doing, and I couldn’t remember ever having been on the edge as quickly as I was today. I couldn’t decide if I wanted to come around his fingers, riding out the first wave before taking my time with him, or just demand he enter me.
I didn’t know what I wanted. I just knew I needed something.
“Talk,” he whispered against my core, the air hitting my sensitive skin, making me shiver. “Tell me what you want.”
“Make me come.” I wasn’t used to voicing my needs, but I liked it, liked the way he hummed in appreciation.
“How, babe? How do you want me to do that?” He licked up my core lazily. That definitely wasn’t enough.
“Kiss me…hard,” I demanded. He found the sensitive bundle of nerves and bit it softly, making me cry out.
At that moment, I was so glad Cory wasn’t home.
“Oh, Katie,” Hayden murmured, his fingers teasing and tormenting me, bringing me back to the edge of the cliff. His tongue, his fingers, the slight scruff from a long day…
That was what finally pushed me over the edge, his name a whispered prayer as I trembled. Emotions and need coursed through me.
Slowly, lazily, Hayden kissed his way up my body. When he reached my lips, I could taste my own arousal on them.
Hand shaking, I reached between us until I found his boxers, his pre-cum soaking them. My hands frantically tried to get rid of them while he kissed me, not letting me move enough to get him naked.
“This was about you,” he muttered against my lips.
“Well, I want you naked right now. I need to get my hands on you, feel you. I need to… I want to…” God, I wanted to make him feel as good as I was, but he seemed to be totally at ease—except for the pressing hard-on in my hand.
He final
ly lifted his hips enough for me to push down the offending material and wrap my hand around his erection. I stroked him a few times, making him quiver.
I didn’t want him to come in my hand. I wanted him inside me, wanted me wrapped around him.
I wanted us to be one.
* * *
HAYDEN
If she kept moving her hand like that, I’d make a mess. The way she’d come undone, her body so damn responsive, had my dick hardening to the point of pain. I’d been tempted to stroke myself, just to ease a little of the need, but I’d meant what I said.
This was about her…but she needed me to come. Well, who was I to deny her that?
Before I knew what she was doing, the foil pack was between her teeth. She tore it open, taking the condom out and rolling it onto me. As much as she’d been trembling just a minute ago, her hands were steady now.
“You really want this, Katie?”
She cupped the back of my neck and hooked one leg around my hips, drawing me where she wanted me.
“Yes.” She kissed me, her tongue delving into my mouth.
The head of my cock nudged her entrance. Since she was still wet, I slipped in easily in one long, hard stroke.
I gasped into her mouth, holding still. She wasn’t tight, like all those books made you believe, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t a perfect fit.
At least for me, and that’s all that matters, right?
“Move, Hay,” she urged, rolling her hips until I could hardly think.
“I want to, just… One fucking second, Katie. This is too good to rush.”
She giggled, then kissed me again. “We have all night to repeat this,” she promised. Although I knew she was right, I couldn’t help but think I had to make this, this first time, count.
“Maybe, but we won’t be able to repeat our first time,” I whispered, brushing some strands of hair out of her eyes while slowly starting to move. She tried to rush me, but I didn’t want that. I held her eyes, kissing her lips every now and then. I couldn’t help but think that no one had ever touched the parts of me Katie was touching.
