Nothing To Lose

by Jenna Byrnes

  Bailey sighed. “I don’t know what to do.”

  “Why don’t you let me check into some things? I’d like to get a little more information before you make your decision. Can you give me a day or so?”

  “Sure.” She shrugged again. “I’m not going anywhere until we get the place emptied, anyway. We didn’t make much progress today, did we?” She smiled at Mandy. They’d spent the whole day surfing the internet.

  Mandy grinned. “We’ll do better tomorrow.”

  “You betcha.” Bailey pushed her plate away and rose. “Leave this. Let’s go sit and relax for awhile.”

  “I can’t,” Mandy said. “I’m going to the movies with some friends tonight. Can someone give me a ride home?” She looked from her mother to her uncle.

  “Sure, I’m leaving.” Doug shoved one last bite of pizza into his mouth and stood up.

  “Can I sleep in tomorrow, please?” Bailey asked him politely.

  “Makes a rat’s ass to me. I won’t be here.”

  “Thank God!”

  He rolled his eyes at his sister and led Mandy out.

  “See you tomorrow Bailey!” the girl called.

  “Okay, have fun! Don’t—”

  Doug pulled the door shut, cutting her off.

  “Well,” Bailey snorted, and headed to the front room.

  Sarah followed her, sitting at the opposite end of the sofa.

  Bailey sighed. “I know my mother loved this house. I just don’t know if it’ll be worth it to fix it up.”

  “We all love this house. We spent quite a bit of time over here, especially towards the end. Your mom had a lot of bad nights, and we didn’t want her to be alone.”

  “I’ve been thinking about that.” Bailey kicked her feet up on the coffee table. “I wonder if Mom didn’t mention you guys because she didn’t want me to know how much she depended on you. I know she didn’t want me to take time off work to come stay with her. If I’d known how bad she was, of course I would have been here.”

  “She kept it from you?” Sarah appeared surprised.

  Had they assumed I’d simply chosen not to come? “She kept a lot of things from me. I regret now that I didn’t visit more often. I would have gotten a better idea of what was going on with her. But I was swamped with work, and after I talked to her on the phone a couple of times a week, it seemed like things were okay. I feel bad about that now.”

  “She should have told you.” Sarah shook her head. “It’s not fair for you to feel guilty. She didn’t do you any favours by keeping things from you.”

  Bailey appreciated the sentiment. “Well, thanks. But I feel like a crummy daughter. I have to face the fact—your family was here for her and I wasn’t. Now you’re here for me. I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

  “Nobody’s looking for payment. We’re just doing the right thing, and we’re doing it because we want to. Your mother was a nice woman. You are a nice woman.”

  “You’re kind to say so.” Bailey sat up, feeling tired all of a sudden and ready for sleep. “I suppose I should turn in. I’ve got some decisions to make tomorrow and I need a clear head.”

  Sarah stood and gathered her things. “Try to get some sleep and don’t worry too much. It’ll all work out.”

  “I know,” she said softly. “Thanks for the pizza and the talk.”

  “Good night, Bailey.”

  “Night.” Bailey walked her out, stopping long enough to stare at the house with its chipped white paint. What am I going to do? She flicked a chunk of paint into the grass and went back inside.

  Checking the clock, she decided to call Marc. He was out every time she’d tried to reach him, and she got his voicemail again. “Call me,” she said in an irritated voice into the phone. Hanging up abruptly, she cleaned the kitchen and got ready for bed, thinking about him. Six voicemails in the past two days, and he hadn’t returned one call. She knew he was busy, but that was ridiculous.

  Bailey had just finishing emptying a kitchen cabinet when Doug arrived the next afternoon.

  “What are you doing with all that stuff?” he asked.

  Rolling her eyes, she tossed her hair over her shoulder and carried a box to the front porch. “Same thing as the last time you asked, getting rid of it. You see something you want, take it. There’s a rolling pin that would be perfect for someone to use when beating you over the head.”

  He grinned. “I may take that, thanks, Darlin’.”

  She flopped onto the sofa, trying to ignore the mental images forming in her mind. Doug pulling her into his arms, nuzzling her neck, whispering in her ear, ‘How do you want it, Darlin’? Hard and fast, or slow and sweet?’ Pressing his denim-clad crotch against hers—the picture became increasingly uncomfortable as her thighs trembled. Fighting the thoughts, she shook her head. “I’m not your darling, so don’t call me that. Did you want something or are you just here to piss me off?”

  “That would be a good reason to come over, I’ll admit. But I wanted to talk to you,” he sat on the edge of the chair across from her, “about the house.”

  “What about it?” She willed herself to focus and ignore the bulge in his jeans when he sat.

  “I’ve been thinking. I’d like to fix it up.” He raised a hand when she started to interrupt. “Please hear me out, I’ve given this a lot of thought. I’ll buy all the supplies and I’ll do the work myself. What you would need to do, though, is find the right buyer—someone who wants the house and won’t tear it down. I wouldn’t want to go through all that work for nothing.”

  “How could I be sure a buyer really wanted the house? They could lie to me and tear it down anyway.”

  “They could,” he nodded. “But I think we’ll be able to tell. I’ll talk to the realtor and help screen prospective buyers if you like.”

  She looked at him. “I know you like the house, but I don’t understand why you’d want to go to all that trouble and expense.”

  He shrugged. “We could add the cost of the supplies on to the selling price. If you get it, I could be reimbursed. If not, I’ll swallow it. But I’d really hate to see the house get torn down.”

  Bailey studied him for a minute and finally said, “Maybe we could tack another few thousand on for the labour. Not good business sense doing it for nothing.”

  “I’m not doing it for the money. But I wouldn’t turn it away, either.”

  “I don’t know. It seems so much easier to sell it as is and not have to bother with fixing it up.”

  “You’re going to sell the house either way and make the same amount of money. I like the fixing up—it’s what I enjoy doing. If it doesn’t work out, well hell, I gave it a shot. But you won’t have to do a thing, I promise. Really, you’ve got nothing to lose.”

  “Nothing to lose,” Bailey repeated. “And I won’t have to do a thing?”

  He shook his head and she thought about it some more. Actually, she would have to do one thing—put up with a smartass Doug Kenny every day. Each time she saw him she formed new mental images—his lean, long form, naked and sweat-slicked, bending her over the sofa and fucking her senseless. Fighting the fantasies might be harder than the actual work. “Oh, all right. I’d already planned to stay here for a couple more weeks. I guess I can give you that long to see what you can do with the house.”

  “Two weeks? Well, gee, I hope I can find my magic wand…”

  She gave him a sarcastic look.

  He grinned. “Okay. I have two weeks of vacation coming. I thought I’d use that to get the roof replaced and the outside painted while the weather forecast is with me. A couple questions—I’ll run the colour choices of paint and shingles past you, but I’m assuming you’ll let me handle the choice of materials? I’ll use good quality but affordable supplies.”

  “Of course, you know more about that than I do. You can pick the colours, too, I trust you.”

  He smiled wickedly. “Why would you say such a thing?”

  She placed her palm against her temple.
“I don’t know. Feeling light-headed all of a sudden, must be getting hungry or something.”

  “The other thing is—what time am I allowed to begin work in the morning? Wouldn’t want anyone to come outside and start yelling at me.”

  “Heaven forbid. You know what, come over whenever you like. I’ve got nothing pressing going on these days so it doesn’t matter if you wake me up early.”

  “Six-thirty works for you then?”

  “Come over at fucking four-thirty, I told you, I don’t care. Whenever.”

  “Okay, okay,” he held his hands up. “Lordy, you’re a hot-blooded woman.”

  “You’d better believe it.” She threw him a sassy look, noticing how his eyes crinkled when he was fired up. She resisted the urge to stare into the brown orbs, but it became harder with each day that passed. Saved from herself by a knock at the door, she glanced up to see Sarah enter.

  “Hello, everyone. What’s going on?”

  “Hi there. Mandy’s in the kitchen. Your brother and I were just ironing out some details on the house. He’s going to fix it up for me.”

  “You are?” Sarah smiled at Doug. “How great! I wasn’t going to say anything but I would hate to see the place torn down. I was noticing it more and more while I was here yesterday—it’s a beautiful little house.”

  “Little being the problem,” Bailey said. “The lot is huge but the house is small with just the two bedrooms and one bathroom. Too small for a family, really.”

  Doug said, “But it would be so easy to add on. There’s plenty of room in the back—a person could easily add a couple more bedrooms and a bathroom and still have a nice-sized yard.”

  Sarah thought about it and nodded. “You’ll have to find the right buyer.”

  “Definitely,” Doug agreed.

  “You two think alike.” Bailey leaned back into the sofa. “Scary.”

  Sarah laughed and Doug stood up next to her. “I’m starved. How about dinner, my treat? Anybody up for Chinese?”

  “Chinese sounds great,” Bailey said. “Sweet and sour chicken and Crab Rangoon.”

  He wiggled his eyebrows in her direction. “I love Crab Rangoon.”

  “What’s scary is how much you two have in common,” Sarah commented.

  Bailey snorted. “Yeah, a total of two things—both food related.”

  Sarah grinned “It’s a start!”

  “Please,” Bailey forced a shudder. He annoyed the hell out of her. The fact that she creamed her panties whenever he walked by was just as disturbing.

  Doug chuckled. “Okay, on to the food. Sarah, you want your usual?”

  She nodded and he asked, “You mind if I run home and shower real quick? I came here straight from work.”

  “Go ahead, we’ll survive until you get back.”

  He leaned down to Bailey and asked softly, “How about you? Will you survive until I get back?”

  “I’ll try,” she said sarcastically, working to keep her manner light. If he sensed the feelings he aroused in her, she’d never hear the end of it.

  He made a point of looking at her breasts, shook his head and walked towards the kitchen. “I’ll see what Mandy wants and go out through the back.”

  “Okay.” Sarah dropped into the chair next to Bailey. “He giving you a bad time?”

  “Always,” Bailey replied. “But it’s nice what he’s doing with the house. He said he’d pay for the supplies himself. Can he swing that? I don’t want to put him out and I’ve got the money…”

  “So does he. Let him do it his way, Bailey. It’ll make him happy.”

  “Well the most important thing is to keep Doug happy, now isn’t it?” Bailey said jokingly, and they laughed.

  A couple of evenings later, Bailey looked around the garage at all the supplies Doug had purchased. There were several buckets of paint, and as she was checking out the colour—green?—he stepped up behind her.

  “Help you with something?” he asked.

  She jumped. “Shit! You startled me!”

  “Maybe because you’re snooping in stuff that doesn’t belong to you.”

  She stood up and faced him. “It’s in my garage, to be used on my house. And by the way, whoever told you that you could paint the house green, for fuck’s sake?”

  Doug chuckled as he removed his ball cap and shook his head. “I asked if you wanted to be in on the colour decisions and you said no.”

  “But green?” Bailey was sceptical.

  “Are you going to micro-manage everything I do? Because I know what I’m doing and I don’t appreciate—”

  “Oh who gives a damn what you appreciate?” She stepped closer to him. “I’m sick to death of your macho bull-shit attitude—”

  Bailey’s eyes widened as Doug grabbed her, and she put up her fists in protection. He didn’t strike her. Instead he yanked her next to him and pressed his mouth firmly on hers.

  She pounded her fists on his chest for a moment until she felt his tongue nudging her lips, seeking entry. It was the last thing she expected and the last thing she wanted…wasn’t it? Not exactly sure, Bailey opened her mouth and Doug’s tongue took over, tracing every inch, every line, and batting against hers as if it, too, was looking for a fight.

  His hands ran down her back and cupped her butt securely, pressing her body into his. Bailey could feel his rigid erection against her thigh and it was enough to make wetness seep between her legs. A thrill shivered down her spine as she pressed into him. She knew it was wrong—the whole thing felt extremely wicked—but she couldn’t remember wanting anything more.

  Chapter Four

  Doug tugged at Bailey’s T-shirt impatiently, and she raised her arms to assist. She was as eager to be rid of it as he seemed to be. He yanked it over her head and sent the shirt flying. Her bra fell away with a flick of his fingers, and then his mouth was on her. She groaned with pleasure as he sucked her nipple, getting it wet and hard before moving to the other side. As he closed his teeth over the second nipple, he twisted the first between his thumb and forefinger. Bailey felt like she might explode.

  She arched her back to him, offering more, and his hands skimmed over her waist. Quickly unbuttoning her jeans, he pulled them down and dropped to his knees before her. Without uttering a sound, Doug peeled off her panties and worked his fingers through her damp folds. He sucked her clit into his mouth and worked two fingers in and out of her pussy.

  Bailey leaned back against the workbench in the garage and bit her lip. He was being so quiet but she was about to come, and quiet had never been her style. When the first waves of her orgasm washed over her, she groaned loudly, grasping the bench behind her for support.

  She felt a gush of fluid release from her throbbing pussy and heard him moan enjoyably as he lapped it up. That was all she needed to let go, and her climax was swift and intense. Doug stayed with her until her pussy stopped pulsing around his fingers and then he released her and stood up. He tugged at his jeans and practically dragged them off his body.

  Bailey looked down at the stiff cock between them and knew she wanted it inside her. “Oh yes,” she whispered, and reached for him.

  He leaned in to her ear and asked softly, “Condom?”

  “Not necessary,” she answered, raising one leg and guiding him to her soft centre.

  He slipped into her well-lubed body and held steady, not moving for a moment.

  She reached for his face and kissed him deeply, tasting her own musky-scented juices. She tugged at his lower lip with her teeth and murmured, “Fuck me.”

  Doug groaned and thrust deeply, grabbing her waist and holding her close. She wrapped one leg around his ass and drew him in, enveloping his cock the way her mouth enveloped his tongue. She felt the pulsating sensation begin from deep within and clenched her muscles so he could share it with her.

  “Sweet Jesus!” he muttered, pounding into her until they were both quivering and clutching each other.

  Bailey felt his heat spew into her in waves, warming
her centre and intensifying her own pleasure. “Oh yes!” she cried out, grabbing his hair as he clamped down on one nipple. “Oh god, yes!” Her orgasm was powerful and magnificent and, judging by his expression, his was much the same.

  As they regained their senses, Bailey lowered her leg so he could pull out of her. He looked into her eyes but she suddenly felt embarrassed, mortified really, and turned away to reach for her clothes.

  “That was—” he began.

  She cut him off. “You should go.” She dressed without looking at him.

  “Bailey…”

  He obviously wanted to talk, but she couldn’t face him, not yet.

  “Please just go,” she repeated quietly and walked away from him into the house.

  Doug’s emotions were a jumbled mess. He’d just experienced the hottest sex of his life with the most infuriating woman on the planet. Even after what they’d shared, she wouldn’t look at him or talk to him. He finished dressing and left, seeing as Bailey had gone into her house almost immediately after they’d separated. He couldn’t get a read on her feelings and it pissed him off. Did she like it? Did she hate it? He couldn’t be sure. He was sure that she came twice, quite explosively it seemed, but then she pushed him away.

  He slammed his truck into gear and headed home. To hell with her. No woman treated him like that. She liked the sex, he was sure of it. But then to walk away as she had, well, screw her. He didn’t need her, or that hot, sexy body. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.

  Unless she let him.

  Bailey tossed and turned all night. Her feelings were conflicted—she had just lost her mother, and there she was having sex like an animal, in the garage of all places, with a man she couldn’t stand. It was fantastic sex, no doubt about that, but she and Doug didn’t like each other. So why did they practically tear each other’s clothes off?

  And what about Marc? Just because he hadn’t called in a few days didn’t mean anything was wrong. She had an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach, but that was just a feeling. Bailey wondered if she was using that as an excuse to keep from feeling like a cheap whore.