Rowen snickered and dropped her arm back down.
And the rest of the night went off smoothly. Everybody brought Ares into the fold as if she’d always been there. And, for some of them, she had.
Dinner was eaten. Shop was talked. The girls consumed dessert.
And then it was time to go.
The drive to Ares’ apartment was silent.
Mostly because the moment that she got into my truck, she’d fallen asleep.
I didn’t know whether to be flabbergasted or find it adorable.
I chose to find it adorable.
When I reached out at a red light and gently moved her hair out of her face, she curled into my hand.
And I chose to leave it there, even though it was incredibly awkward, until we arrived at her apartment complex.
Leaving the truck running since I knew that I wouldn’t be spending very much time at her place, I got out, pocketed my key fob and rounded the truck.
When I opened her door, she didn’t wake.
“Ares, baby,” I said, unbuckling the seatbelt. “You’re here.”
She flicked open one of her eyes and immediately closed it.
And instead of going back into the position that she was in, she leaned into me and buried her face into my neck.
I laughed softly and gathered her into my arms.
As much as I’d like to walk her all the way into the apartment like that, I didn’t think that I could.
So, reluctantly, I pulled her out of the truck and helped her stand.
She moaned into my neck and wrapped her arms around my shoulders.
“Whhhhy?” she moaned.
Laughing, I helped guide her to her door.
By the time we reached it, she was more awake, but only just barely.
Reaching for the keys that were in her hand, I unlocked the door and opened it up for her, then went ahead and guided her to her bed.
She stopped halfway there and shook her head. “I have to brush my teeth.”
I smoothed my hands up her back and pulled her to me, loving the way she felt in my arms.
She moaned and leaned more fully into me, and I allowed my hands to sneak up under the back of her sweatshirt she had put on in the truck to touch smooth, hot skin.
“Would you like to go on a hike with me the day after tomorrow?” I asked. “Saturday morning?”
She nodded her head against my chest.
“I’d love that,” she breathed.
Sadly, after that I let her go.
It was obvious that she was tired as hell, and I wasn’t in much better shape.
“’Night, sweetness,” I said, pressing my lips to her forehead.
I stepped away before she replied.
“Goodnight, Hayes.”
She watched me leave. “Lock this after me, Ares.”
She did as I asked, locking the door behind me as I left.
I wanted nothing more than to join her in that bed. But I knew that I couldn’t.
That night, I thought that my dreams wouldn’t haunt me since I’d spent so much time with Ares. Since she’d left me with a smile on my face.
I was wrong.
Chapter 10
Some people are just beautifully wrapped boxes of shit.
-Ares to Hayes
Ares
I was nervous.
Why was I nervous?
Because I was about to meet even more of Hayes’ friends, and these I didn’t know.
Oh, and I hadn’t heard from Hayes in two days.
After how things had ended after dinner with the SWAT team, I’d fully expected Hayes to call me the next day. But he hadn’t.
And then I’d only gotten the text stating ‘hike starts at eight am. Still want to go?’
After I’d replied with ‘yes’ he’d not said another word.
Which led me to now, seven-thirty in the morning, pacing along the sidewalk outside wondering what in the hell I should say and do.
I’d thought we’d hit it off well the other day. I’d thought that would at least warrant a few phone calls. Or hell, even a text message besides the terse one he’d given me.
Maybe I was overthinking things? Maybe I was seeing more there than there actually was?
I was so confused and caught up in my head that I didn’t even realize that Hayes had shown up.
Hell, I didn’t even realize that he was standing right behind me until I turned to make another round of pacing and nearly plowed directly into him.
“Oh!” I said, putting my hands out to keep my face from hitting the hard chest. “I’m sorry. I didn’t see you…”
I trailed off when I looked up into Hayes’ eyes.
He looked… tired.
“Hayes,” I said softly.
He grinned, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes, making my belly take off into a different direction.
“Hey,” I said. “Are you okay?”
He tilted his head. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
I licked my lips, realizing that maybe I really was just overthinking it.
I shook my head and stepped into him, wrapping my arms around his belly.
He stiffened slightly, almost to the point where I nearly pulled away, but then he was back. Once again wrapping those strong arms around and pulling me in tightly to his big body.
“You’re early,” I said into his chest.
“You’re waiting early,” he countered.
I was.
“I’m usually up and doing something at this point in the day. I feel like I’m wasting it,” I admitted.
He gestured for me to follow him to the truck with a tilt of his chin, and I moved in front of him.
He was always at my back. Was that a military thing?
I wasn’t sure seeing as neither my father nor my brother did it.
But it wasn’t like it bothered me or anything. It actually made me feel safe. Cherished.
“Glad that you’re up to hiking,” he teased.
I snorted out a laugh. “Well, I wouldn’t say I’m up for that. More like, I’m up doing errands. Getting donuts. Visiting the public library. Going for a walk down my parents’ road.”
“There are so many things that I want to address with what you just said,” he teased as he opened my door for me.
I got in, very aware that in the way that I did, I gave him a fine view of my backside.
“Address away,” I said as I latched myself in.
He gave me a quick grin, then closed my door soundly before rounding the hood and getting into his own seat.
“Do you do donuts every weekend?” he asked curiously.
I shrugged. “If that’s what I’m in the mood for. Sometimes I drive to Longview and go to Panera where I get bagels, cookies, and macaroni and cheese.”
There was a moment of stunned silence, then he looked over at me with a large grin on his face.
“Macaroni and cheese,” he stated.
I shrugged. “Yep.”
“We’re going to Longview…” He left the rest of his statement hanging, allowing me to fill in whether I wanted to go or not.
I just shook my head. “I’m going to be honest with you here, and that’s only because I don’t want to surprise you or anything… but I can eat. You should really not tease me unless you’re willing to take me there.”
His gaze turned to me as he started the truck up and started to ease out of the parking space in front of my apartment.
“I wouldn’t have said it if I wasn’t willing to take you there,” he said.
I grinned.
“Do you like bagels?” I asked.
“I like bagels,” he confirmed. “Though I try to stay away from them because they’re high in carbs, and low in nutritional value. I do cheat once upon a blue moon, though.”
I grinned. “What about a red moon? Because I heard that we’re supposed to have one tonight.”
; He chuckled softly underneath his breath. “I guess that means I can have a bagel. I mean, a red moon? Now, about that walking thing. Why do you do it in your parents’ neighborhood, and not your own?” he wondered.
I looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “You were literally just giving me shit for my apartment’s location the day before yesterday. And you ask me why I’m not willing to walk in the neighborhood that it’s located in?”
“Touché,” he said. “You could always walk in my neighborhood.”
My brows rose. “I think that I have to be invited to do that.”
He tilted his head and gave me a quick glance before returning his eyes to the road.
“You’re invited,” he said. “Anytime.”
My lips turned up into a small smile.
“Where do you live?” I asked. “With all the other SWAT team?”
“Yep,” he said. “I live in the duplex right at the entrance.”
I pictured the one under question and nearly slapped my hand onto my forehead.
“I’ve seen your truck there before,” I said, snapping my fingers.
He flashed me a grin and then continued to drive.
And, true to his word, when we got to Longview he pulled into Panera and ordered me exactly what I wanted.
We ate in his truck as we motored down the loop and headed out of town.
“So where exactly are we going?” I asked, licking my fingers free of cream cheese.
He watched, his eyes focused on me more than the road, causing me to snicker.
He looked away and shifted in his seat, which was when I allowed my eyes to wander down to his crotch.
Today he was in jeans and a t-shirt, and both fit him really well. Which meant his jeans were tight enough that I could see his very there erection.
I ate my bagel in silence after that. I did, however, make sure to be incredibly thorough as I licked my fingers clean.
Toward the end of my bagel, Hayes groaned.
I looked over at him with a raised eyebrow, and he snorted. “You know exactly what you’re doing.”
I did.
I just wanted him to say it.
“I have no idea,” I admitted. “Maybe you should enlighten me.”
As I said that, I once again licked a smear of cream cheese off my finger.
It was at that point that I realized we were in the middle of nowhere, and that we were slowing down.
“If you’re not careful,” he said as he once again started to accelerate back up to speed. “I might forget that I’m a gentleman.”
I blinked innocently at him. “Who was it that said you had to be one?”
That was the comment that had Hayes pulling over to the side of the road near some dumpsters, throwing it into park, and reaching for me.
I gasped when I found the remains of my bagel plucked from my fingers, tossed unceremoniously into the bag in the middle console between us, and then my body flying directly toward his.
“Hayes,” I breathed, startled to find myself in his lap. “What are you…”
Then he was kissing me.
Kissing me like he meant it, too.
There was no sweet kissing anymore. It was all carnal and rough. Desperate and passionate.
I gasped and looped my arms around his neck, trying to practically crawl into his skin.
I pulled back with a gasp, and Hayes took advantage of my position and started to shove my shirt up past my bra.
I groaned when he roughly yanked the cups of my bra down and exposed my nipple to his gaze.
And before I could say anything more, be scandalized in the least, he was leaning forward and catching the tip of one into his mouth.
Gasping, I speared my fingers into his hair, groaning as he slowly rolled his tongue over the peak as if he had all the time in the world.
“Hayes,” I gasped. “What are we doing?”
He pulled back only to blow on my nipple, causing it to go even harder.
“Isn’t it obvious?” he asked. “I was trying to be good,” he moved his hand down between the seat and the door and the seat started to roll backward. “But you continued to tease me. Now we’re gonna have to figure this out. Because I’m not hiking over the next couple of hours with a dick that wants you.”
I moaned when he moved to the other nipple, giving that one the same treatment that he’d just given the other one.
“Do you…” I moaned as he switched back to the first breast. “Do you have a condom?”
He pulled back, biting down lightly on my nipple.
“Yes,” he said simply, his eyes fully focused on mine.
That was when I realized that he was right.
I was turned on beyond belief. Had been in a constant state of arousal for days.
And now was my chance.
I was taking it.
Moving, I slid back on his lap as far as I could go, my back digging into the steering wheel, and started to work the button on his jeans.
He didn’t stop me, but he for sure didn’t help me, either.
He only watched as I unzipped his jeans and then slowly lowered the zipper down until his black underwear was exposed.
His cock bulged out the moment that it tasted freedom, and I reached forward and ran one lone finger down the length of it.
He growled when I stopped, but while he was busy wanting me to keep touching him, I was busy thinking about the best way to get my tight leggings off in the small space allotted to me.
“What are you doing?” he asked, sounding desperate.
“I’m trying to figure out how to get my leggings off without kneeing you in the jaw,” I told him honestly. “And, barring that, I’m trying to figure out the best way to… eep!”
I trailed off as he practically rolled me over the center console, ripped my leggings off, and then brought me all the way back around again, this time with my front facing away from him.
I gasped at the sudden change in position, staring out the front windshield at the trees that we were nearly parked under.
“Jesus,” I breathed, shifting on his lap. “I don’t…”
He moved until my ass was canted and my chest was pressing against the steering wheel.
“Hold that position,” he ordered as he pulled his wallet out, withdrew a condom, and then deftly rolled it down onto his cock.
I licked my lips, wishing I could see what he was doing, but also being quite logical about it all. I mean, having sex in a vehicle as two grown adults—especially an adult Hayes’ size—meant that car sex wasn’t the most doable in the first place.
“Use the steering wheel to lift your ass, sweetness,” he rumbled.
I wriggled on his thighs, but then did what he said.
The head of his cock lodged at my entrance in the next second, and I was practically squirming on top of him as I waited for my next instruction.
“Good,” he said. “Take me. Slowly. Not too fast.”
I nearly laughed out loud when I heard him say that.
Not because he was being silly, but because he honestly thought that I could just take his monster cock like it was nothing without taking it slow.
“Hayes,” I breathed as my thighs started to burn from the static movements. “It’s funny that you think that I can take something as big as you fast. It’s gonna take me a while to accommodate your size.”
I mean, it’d been two years since I had sex last. And even then, the man that I had sex with, the man that’d taken my virginity, hadn’t been Hayes’ size.
He’d been average. Or below average. Smaller than my smallest dildo, to be honest.
Needless to say, I wasn’t used to taking anything quite so impressive.
“Good to know,” he murmured. “I like that I’m gonna stretch you. Make you mine.”
Oh, I was his all right.
I was also well and truly about to fall straight on his cock whether I wanted to or
not.
I took another inch in, which was when I gasped in surprise.
“Hayes,” I breathed, loving the way he filled me up. “My thighs are burning, and if you want me to take you slow, you better start helping me.”
He chuckled, but his hands went to my hips to help hold me up.
The relief on my quads was instant.
“Sorry,” he said. “Just admiring the view.”
I’m sure he was.
What I was also sure of was that I needed to take him into my body before I lost the courage. Because the more cock I fit into my body, the more I realized that he might very well be too much for me to handle.
Which I told him seconds later.
“When you take me in all the way,” he said, “I’m gonna touch your clit. Make you take me.”
I shivered at his words, and how he worked my body as if it was his to work.
I moaned when he hit a particularly good spot inside of me, making me gyrate my hips and causing him to hiss.
“Don’t,” he growled.
Don’t stop? Or don’t twist my hips? Because I wasn’t sure which one he was wanting me to ‘don’t’ at that moment in time.
And, even if I wanted to, I couldn’t stop. Not taking him inside of me and not squirming on his cock.
His hands tightened on my hips, pushing me up this time instead of pulling me down.
I groaned and tried to stop him from pulling out, but his manly muscles kept my puny girl muscles from overpowering him.
“What are you doing?” I whined.
“I’m trying to make sure you can take more of me,” he said. “And to do that, I need to get my cock wet so I can slide deep inside of you.”
I licked my lips, feeling wanton and a little wild for doing this in the middle of a deserted drive in the middle of freakin’ nowhere.
The idea of getting caught was turning me on even more.
And the fact that it was Hayes, a good cop who likely had never done anything like this before, only made it all the better.
Just as I had that thought, he started to slide me back down again on his cock. This time getting even deeper than the time before.
“Aw, hell,” he growled. “You’re tight.”
I wasn’t tight.
Or, maybe I was tight, and he was just that big.
Ask Me If I Care Page 11
