Big Bad Neighbor: A Single Dad Next Door Romance

by Tia Siren

  I needed it. I needed her.

  The drive home along the interstate was long and dark. All the lights, except the one in the living room, were off. My heart rate increased when a dainty hand pushed the curtains back. Jenna peered out the window as I cut the engine off.

  “I started coffee,” Jenna said when I closed the front door behind me as quietly as possible. “I wasn’t sure when you were going to be back.”

  “Great,” I said. “I need some.”

  I stepped into the kitchen while Jenna turned the living room light off before joining me. She shut the kitchen door to keep the light from coming out it wouldn’t wake Owen. I poured us both a cup of coffee.

  “He wasn’t upset all night, right?” I asked, leaning up against the kitchen counter.

  Jenna shook her head. “No,” she said, lifting up her cup to take a slow drink. “He’s just confused, Derek. He told me he has no idea what happened besides that you packed up one day and the both of you came out here.”

  Guilt gnawed on my heart. The child truly got the worst of it during a divorce. I’d never thought through all the anger to explain to Owen that sometimes things truly didn’t work out between parents. It was still a fresh wound to think about those first few weeks of fighting Sidney on our finances and custody of Owen.

  “I know. I didn’t want to explain it to him,” I said. “I was pissed during the whole thing. I just never thought it’d be easy to explain to a five-year old what had happened.”

  “What did happen?”

  I took a long drink of hot coffee. “She had an affair.” Images of Sidney’s legs wrapped around some man’s waist flashed through my head. I could still hear that over exaggerated moaning. “She was upset with me over not putting her as the beneficiary on a life insurance policy. So, she found some clueless bastard to have sex with in my bed.”

  “That’s horrible,” Jenna exclaimed, horrified. “I don’t understand how people rationalize that sort of thing to themselves.”

  “I can’t either, but it happened.”

  I shoved those images away from my mind to focus on Jenna standing in front of me, dressed only in a large sleeping shirt, barefoot, and her long hair pulled up in a messy bun. The faint smell of vanilla filled the air along with the fresh coffee.

  “What about you?” I asked a bit cautiously. I didn’t care about people’s pasts, but I’d never once heard Jenna mention a name to me.

  Jenna immediately lowered her gaze. “What about me?”

  “I know something happened to you,” I said. “I told you about my ex-wife. What happened to you?”

  “I wasn’t aware we were sharing stories this morning,” she replied tightly. “Maybe there’s a better time to—”

  “There’s never a better time to tell besides now.”

  “Why do you want to know?” she asked, looking up at me. Shadows danced across her slender face. “You’ve already figured out what happened. You’re an investigator. You’ve put the pieces together.” She looked away before I could reply. “I can see it in your eyes when you look at me, because you’ve seen these cases too often.”

  “More than I’d like to admit,” I said, and a wave of anger crashed over me. “You went to the police about him, right?”

  “That’s how I ended up here. They told me that the most dangerous time after escaping an abusive relationship is within the weeks and months after a breakup.” Jenna scuffed a bare foot across the tiled floor, not willing to look up at me, but I could hear that tremor in her voice. “I was in the hospital with a concussion and two broken ribs. The hospital staff brought in the police, and it just spiraled from there. They took me to a shelter in the city for a few days before I was cleared to travel on a plane. I left everything behind me at their recommendation— my friends, social life, all of it. They didn’t want him to—”

  “Track you,” I responded coldly. “What’s his name?”

  “Leon Mills,” she said. “He hasn’t figured out where I am yet, so obviously, the shelter and police were right about a few things.”

  I made a mental note of the name for later. Setting my cup down on the counter, I took a step toward Jenna, who only looked up at me. A variety of emotions were dancing there—pain, confusion, anger, and the faintest trace of nervousness. I reached forward to brush my fingers against the softness of her jawline. I never understood how another human being could do physical damage just for the sake of control. Jenna’s eyes fluttered shut under my touch, and her mouth parted in a wordless invitation that I gladly took.

  We kissed slow and hotly in the kitchen with my hands cupping Jenna’s face to tilt her head back slightly for better access. She was soft and warm underneath me. A shiver went up my spine just thinking about how she would feel everywhere else. A few seconds later, she pulled back with a trembling sigh.

  “I guess this means you agree with my earlier statement then?”

  “Yes,” I whispered, tangling my fingers through the loose hair at the back of her neck. “I’ve thought about it long and hard. One time can’t hurt us.”

  “It won’t.”

  She reached up to kiss me again, this time with a little more fervor that instantly left my cock growing thick and hard in my pants. I pulled back before things could progress any further to look down at Jenna, who stared up at me with a flushed face.

  “I just want to make sure you’re okay with this,” I said. “I’m not looking for a commitment and all that.”

  “I know,” she said seriously. “I’m twenty-three. I get how something like this works. Less talking. More kissing.” Her smile was contagious.

  “So you’re okay with this then? I don’t want to confuse Owen even more.”

  “We can be discreet about it, but yes, I want this. I want you.” Her arms wound around my neck as she pressed her soft breasts against my chest, molding herself to me perfectly. “Now shut up and kiss me.”

  I groaned and ran my hands down her back as she tightened her hold on me. She wasn’t wearing a bra, I realized when I felt the strain of her nipples against the fabric of our shirts. As tempting as it was to bend her over right there and teach her a thing or two about submission, and then some, I didn’t want another repeat of Owen coming in on us.

  “Bedroom,” I said. “It has a lock on it at least.”

  “That might be a good thing.” She licked her lips and moved back, running her hand down my chest and brushing the backs of her fingers down my rock-hard cock. “I want this.”

  “Good. You’re about to get it.” I leaned in for another quick kiss, licking at her perfect lips before forcing myself back. My body was rigid with need for the sexy girl who had been teasing me far too much lately.

  Jenna smiled cheekily before reaching around to click the kitchen light off. I gathered her in my arms for another kiss, her tongue battling mine as we stumbled as quietly as possible through the kitchen. We broke apart before I opened the door to peer out into the dark hallway cautiously for any sign of Owen. I reached out for Jenna’s hand to lead her through the dark hallway to the stairs.

  Her fingers squeezed mine softly, trusting me to help her up the stairs and through the darkness of the early morning. All I could do was pray that Owen didn’t wake to the sound of us coming up the stairs. I wouldn’t be able to go through another day without this. There was a small part of me that cautioned this could only end in disaster, but lust quickly trampled over those thoughts.

  I had to have Jenna, even if it wasn’t a good idea. There was no way I was letting her go without feeling her soft skin pressed to mine, experiencing the hunger of her touch. She was mine for the night. We’d figure out the rest in the morning.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Jenna

  This is really happening. We’re going to have sex. Holy shit. No more imagining what it would be like. I’d soon know how good it felt to have him pressed on top of me, his hands all over me, his mouth, tongue, and teeth working against me.

  My heart pounde
d so hard that I was afraid Derek could hear it in the stillness of the house. The sun had yet to rise outside. Darkness clouded my vision, but Derek led me through the dark expertly. Self-doubt filled me, but I pushed it back. I wanted this, so damn badly.

  The sound of crickets chirping reached my ears when Derek ushered me through a door. He shut it gently before locking it for good reason. Owen had a sneaky ability to walk in at the worst times. Neither one of us wanted to see that devastated and confused face again.

  I gazed around the room while I tried to force myself to cool down a bit. Every inch of my skin was on fire, my panties were wet, and my nipples were budded. I felt the heat radiating off me. A hazy lust settled in my brain while I took in the dark shapes of what appeared to be a dresser, a few nightstands, curtains fluttering in the morning breeze, and a large king-sized bed. The smell of Derek, a familiar fresh smell of cut grass and cologne, filled the air. It felt so intimate, almost too intimate, to be standing in his room.

  Strong hands slithered around my waist before curving down to grip my hips tightly. Derek’s body brushed up against mine as he leaned down and pressed his lips to my neck before licking up to my ear. There was no resisting him. His teeth nipped at a particularly sensitive spot below my ear, and I bit my lip to stifle a moan in response as he pulled me flush against him. The thick press of his cock against the curve of my ass was delicious, demanding.

  Derek trailed hot kisses down my neck before coming back up. My knees wobbled slightly when he breathed into my ear. “You can be quiet, right?”

  “That depends,” I said breathlessly. “How hard do you plan on making it to stay quiet?”

  He chuckled deeply. I felt the vibrations in his chest against my back. The hair on the back of my neck rose as Derek’s hand slid up from my hip to cup my breast, the other running down my stomach and sliding into my panties to toy with me.

  “Very hard,” he whispered, nipping at my earlobe. “I can promise you that. You’re so fucking wet. Delicious.”

  I cried out softly as he rocked against me, his fingers feeling so good as they teased my clit.

  “More,” I whispered, and I cupped my hand over his, wanting him inside me.

  “Anything you want, Jenna.” He ran his finger through my folds and pressed in a little as I arched my back and whimpered softly. “Shhh, baby. Keep it down.”

  “I’m trying.” I rolled my hips, wanting to massage his cock as he played along my wetness.

  A cord of desire had been tied to the two of us, and the harder we pulled away, the closer it brought us together. Nothing could stop us now. I wouldn’t let it. I needed him too badly.

  Derek ran his hand from my breast up to my throat, cupping me just under the chin as he forced me to look back at him. His lips found mine in the dark for another passionate kiss through our panting. He coaxed me into spin around so that we could face each other, the movement leaving me a little dizzy and standing on wobbly knees.

  I arched up into him eagerly when his hands slowly made their way down the slope of my back to gather the hemline of my sleeping shirt. “I want this off.”

  “Then take it off.” I lifted my hands above my head, and he pulled it off and tossed it into the abyss of darkness surrounding us before cupping my breasts and kneading them softly.

  “Beautiful.” He leaned down and brushed his lips over my soft skin, licking at the tight buds he had helped to create.

  Wetness coated my legs, and pleasure shot through me as he dragged his lips down the slope of my chest to suckle at me until my knees threatened to give out.

  He cupped one of my breasts, taking his time to adore it as he brushed the back of his fingers down my stomach again and played along the side of my panties. I had to bite the inside of my lip in futile effort to keep quiet. I clenched the fabric of Derek’s shirt when I felt those fingers start a sinful rhythm that instantly made my skin pull tight against my body.

  “So ready for me,” Derek mumbled against my breast, and then he straightened back up to press a quick kiss to my lips. “Get on the bed and lie back for me, Jenna.”

  I didn’t protest. I couldn’t.

  I took a few steps back until I felt the edge of his bed hit the back of my legs. Derek guided me into a reclined position with my legs dangling off the side. He shimmied the fabric of my underwear down my thighs. I leaned up on my elbows in confusion when I felt him disappear for a moment.

  “Derek?” I called out in whisper. “What are you—oh.”

  Nothing could have prepared me for the moment he lowered himself to his knees and ran his strong fingers over my thighs. A liquid rush of hot pleasure raced across my center as he worked his tongue against me, opening me up and lapping at me in slow, methodical motions.

  “Fuck,” I moaned and spread my legs father, finding no shame in my need. He was beautiful, and for the night, he was mine.

  I was utterly powerless against him as he sucked my clit into his mouth, his tongue rolling around the swollen bud of nerves before flicking it back and forth. I needed penetration, but I was too timid to ask for it.

  “You want more, don’t you?” he whispered across my skin, and I whimpered my answer, feeling almost helpless to the power he had over me. I couldn’t even think straight. He pressed two thick fingers into me and rolled them before pulling out and working them into me again.

  I searched desperately for something to grab ahold of to keep myself grounded against the onslaught. Every brush of his tongue and fingers brought me so dangerously close to that edge that I squirmed against him shamelessly for release. The muscles in my lower stomach quivered in anticipation as he picked up the pace and glanced up, locking eyes with me as he licked and sucked at my center.

  “So close,” I said, burying my fingers in the soft strands of his hair. I lifted my hips, willing to play whore if I could simply have more of him.

  A tingling sensation grabbed me captive, and bright lights danced in front of my eyes. I shoved my fist into my mouth to stifle the scream of release that ripped through my throat. It came barreling down through me hard and fast. I dug my teeth into the skin of my hand while tears stung the back of my eyes against the hot sensation filling every inch of my body. I jerked and rocked my hips against him as he drank me down, using everything he had to force me to ride the high for as long as it might last.

  I collapsed and pulled my hand from my mouth as I panted loudly. “I’m sorry. That was so damn good.”

  “Yeah, you were, Jenna.” He smiled and reached to run his hand between my breasts. “You are good at keeping quiet,” Derek said, amusement lacing his voice. “I was afraid you might bite your hand off though.”

  I blinked away the saltiness of tears in my eyes while I tried to regather myself from the panting mess I was. The metallic taste of blood and the throbbing of my hand alerted me that I had done some damage to it.

  “I think I did,” I replied breathlessly. “Damn…you’re good at that. Ridiculously good at it.”

  “I pride myself on it. I enjoy it—a lot.”

  A shiver raced through me. “I’d be proud of myself too if I was good at that.”

  “It’s not over yet, lover,” he said. “Don’t take this offensively, but I knew I had to get you off before we continued. I’m not going to last very long. I’ve been waiting too long to touch you, to taste you, to fuck you.”

  “I’m touched,” I said, and I was touched. Leon had never cared about any pleasure besides his own. Derek’s words were naughty, though, just enough so to have me on the edge of desire again as my body pulsed.

  I felt him moving about in the dark, followed by the sound of jeans being unzipped. Moments later, his naked, hot body was pressed up against mine. He scooped me up effortlessly in his strong arms, leaving everything right in the world. Goosebumps covered my skin as he pressed me to the bed and rolled his hips, pressing the thick head of his cock against my entrance.

  Strong arms braced themselves on either side of my head, and I wa
s utterly pinned and safe at the same time.

  “You’re still okay with this, right?” Derek whispered from above me before leaning down and brushing his lips softly over mine.

  I wrapped my legs around his waist tightly in response to the question and tried hard not to lift my hips and force more of him inside me. Oral sex was delicious, but I wanted to feel him forcing his way in, opening me up like a flower and working me until he found his own orgasm.

  “Don’t stop,” I whispered and pressed my heel against his perfect ass.

  He let out a trembling breath as he slid fully inside me, the fit snug, tight, and delicious. I dug my fingernails into his forearms to adjust to the intrusion, not willing to move, though, when the stretching and burning gave out to pleasure.

  He set a deep and slow rhythm until I lifted my hips to parry his thrusts, craving something deeper and more powerful. Derek leaned down to kiss me again before letting out a harsh growl against my lips. He increased the rhythm and depth as pleasure quickly built between us.

  Pants and moans escaped my lips despite my best efforts to keep quiet. I couldn’t help myself against the feeling of Derek’s body sliding against mine, his hips thrusting, his thick cock burrowing into me roughly. The tingling sensation started in between my legs again. I looked up at Derek moving above me in the dark, shadows dancing across his face. His jaw was clenched shut while his eyes were closed as well against the pleasure contorting his face.

  He thrust two more times before bright lights consumed me. Derek stiffened against me with a low, throaty groan before collapsing against me.

  I traced errant patterns with my fingertips on the sweaty skin of his strong back while I tried to calm the pounding in my heart, relishing the feeling of our sated bodies against each other. Our pants eventually slowed to normal breathing. Daylight was beginning to slip through the bedroom window.