Teach Me Daddy: A Mountain Man’s Secret Baby Romance

by Hart, Rye

  Cason held onto me tightly, keeping me from falling off the edge of the bed, as I bucked wildly on top of him, my climax hitting me hard and fast.

  “Yes, yes, yes,” I mumbled, biting his shirt to keep myself from screaming. “Oh Cason, yes...”

  His breathing was growing ragged as well, and I knew he was close. His eyes were squeezed shut tight, his jaw was clenched, and I could tell he was doing everything in his power to put off the inevitable.

  “Come for me, Cason,” I begged. “Please, baby, come for me.”

  A long, drawn out grown escaped his lips and I watched as his eyes grow wide. He pulled my body down, hard, on top of him and I felt him shuddering beneath me.

  “Oh fuck,” he said, appearing surprised by the pleasure flowing through his body.

  That look, and feeling him climax inside of me, made my own body clench tight around him, another orgasm rippling through me. It was so intense and the waves of pleasure so fierce, it felt like my pussy was literally milking his cock of every last ounce of seed.

  Together, we came, shuddering and trying to be as quiet as possible as we rode out the last few moments of bliss together. When my body stopped writhing, I collapsed on top of Cason, my body spent. We looked at each other and shared a smile borne of pure ecstasy.

  “Was it as good as you'd hoped?” Cason asked me, pushing my hair from my face.

  “It was better than I ever could have imagined,” I said.

  CHAPTER TWELVE - BENNETT

  “Cason came home early last night,” I said, in passing, to Quinn. “Can't be a good sign for him.”

  Quinn was in the kitchen at the Driftwood, prepping for the day before our youngest brother came in. He hadn't said much since Cason's date the night before, and neither of us had talked to Cason after either. Considering that he was home by eight, it was probably a safe bet that he didn't get lucky.

  “Mmm Hmm,” Quinn said, focusing all his attention on the tomatoes he was slicing.

  “Why don't you get someone else to do that?” I scoffed. “That's why we have staff.”

  “Because I have nothing better to do,” Quinn said. “Not like I have much of a real role around here.”

  “Hey, suit yourself, man,” I chuckled. “If you want to cut up all the veggies, have at it.”

  I walked out of the kitchen with a smile on my face. I was going to be seeing Hailey later that evening, and I was very much looking forward to it. Knowing that both Quinn and Cason had struck out with her, I figured my chances were good, or better than theirs, at least. Not to toot my own horn, but I had a lot going for me that neither of them had.

  It had been a long time since fresh meat moved into town, and after having dated almost every worthy girl in Black Oak, the idea of someone new was exciting. I felt like I was walking on sunshine and there was a definite spring in my step. I couldn't wait to get together with Hailey and close the deal that neither of my brothers were able to.

  Cason walked through the front door as I walked out of the kitchen, and I couldn't help but smirk as we passed each other by.

  “Struck out last night, huh?”

  “Wouldn't you like it if I had?” he said, a salacious little grin on his face. “But I had her wrapped around my little finger.”

  “And yet, you still managed to get home before the nightly news,” I said. “You either struck out, or you're faster than a jackrabbit, little brother.”

  Cason rolled his eyes. “Just because you have problems with premature ejaculation doesn't mean we all do,” he said. “It's old age, not genetics, man.”

  Quinn had stepped out the back to drop off the lemons and limes at the bar, a lopsided grin on his face. “That one must have burned, Ben,” he said.

  “Nah, I just feel bad for Cason,” I said. “Because after tonight, the new girl in town will forget all about him. That is, if she's even thinking about him at all.”

  “You sure your date is still on with her?” Cason asked.

  “Why wouldn't it be?”

  “Oh, I dunno,” he said. “Maybe because she's already in love with me.”

  I couldn't help but notice that Quinn was quieter than normal, he was busy putting the lemons away and checking the liquor inventory, not even joining in our banter like he usually did. Cason must have noticed too.

  “Why so quiet, Quinn? Shelly still on your mind or something?”

  “Not at all,” he said matter-of-factly. “I'm just thinking about what a pair of douchebags you two are right now.”

  His tone was sharp and abrupt. And the way he said it made me think it wasn't a joke.

  “Hey now,” I leaned against the bar. “What did we do to you? Besides steal your crush, I mean.”

  Cason punched me in the arm. “You haven't done shit yet, Ben.”

  “Watch and learn how it's done, boys,” I said.

  Quinn just shook his head, clearly not amused by us.

  “Seriously, man, what is it?” I said.

  Quinn stopped what he was doing and looked up. “Look, it's just that – Hailey is obviously going through some shit,” he said. “You two are so focused on nailing her that you haven't even noticed. Have you even stopped to think about what she wants or how this shit is affecting her?”

  I looked over at Cason who stared at me and shrugged. “What in the hell has gotten into our brother,” he said to me. “He sounds like a sensitive little bitch all of a sudden.”

  “Who the fuck knows, man,” I said.

  Quinn slammed the bottle of Jack Daniels he was holding onto the bar and, with his fists balled up at his sides, turned and walked away from us, slamming his way through the kitchen door and into the back of the restaurant.

  “Jesus Christ,” Cason said. “Alright, I guess one of us is gonna need to talk to him. Wanna flip a coin?”

  “Nah, I got this,” I said, making my way back to the kitchen.

  I found Quinn in the back with a butcher's knife in hand, slicing up the ribs, ripping through the meat with fury. I had to wonder if he was picturing me or Cason as he hacked and slashed at the ribs.

  “Hey now, don't take it out on the meat,” I teased. “It ain't the pig's fault you're pissed off.”

  “I'm not pissed,” he said, not looking up at me.

  “You're not?” I cocked an eyebrow at my younger brother. “Sure coulda fooled me.”

  “Okay, fine, maybe I am,” he said, shrugging. “What the fuck does it matter?”

  “It matters because you're my brother, Quinn,” I said. “Are you seriously into this girl or something?”

  He shrugged again and said nothing. As much as my brother tried to act tough, I could see in his eyes that he was struggling with something deeper than I could possibly understand. Of course, the fact that he wouldn't talk to me about it didn't help me understand it any better.

  So, not being a shrink, I had to do my best to get it out of him. Even though our father taught us both to be tough as nails and to hide our emotions, I knew the value in sometimes being able to let shit out. It was like hitting a pressure release valve before you exploded or something. To be honest, it was something Quinn did better than all of us.

  “You are, aren't you?” I asked.

  “It's not that,” he said. “I mean, it is that. But I saw it in her eyes, Ben. She's been abused. And neither you or Cason seem to have a problem with it. Neither of you seem to care – unless it interferes with you guys getting your rocks off anyway.”

  “Actually, I have a big problem with it,” I said, my voice rising. “If it's true.”

  “It's true,” he said, giving me a look that could have curdled milk.

  “Because you saw a bruise on her wrist?” I asked. “It could be any number of things, and until we know for sure, we – ”

  He stopped me. “We shouldn't be assholes to her,” he said.

  The steely look of determination and anger on his face took me by surprise. I'd never known Quinn to be so vehemently defensive of any woman before in my
life.

  “Okay, you're right,” I said. “Cason and I are acting like jerks. But it's just between us. It's how we've always screwed off with each other. You know that. And you know that I'd never treat a woman badly. You, of all people, know me better than that.”

  His face softened somewhat. “Yeah, I know,” he said with a sigh, wiping the sweat from his brow with his forearm. “Just something about her gets to me, you know? Seeing her look so fragile and seeing the hurt in her eyes – I just want to make it stop.”

  “Because you're a good man, Quinn,” I said. “Do you honestly think either Cason or I would go out of our way to hurt her?”

  Quinn shook his head. “Nah, I know you wouldn't. It's just – she's different for me, man.”

  “How so?”

  My brother stared off into the distance for a while before shaking his head again.

  “Nothing,” he said. “Forget I said anything.”

  ***

  Ada Roberts laughed when she opened the door and saw me standing on her porch out front. She just looked at me and shook her head, a smile on her face.

  “Bennett McCormick,” she said. “What in heaven's name are you doing here?”

  “I'm here to see Hailey,” I said. “We have a date tonight.”

  Mrs. Roberts raised an eyebrow as she looked at me. “Alright then,” she said. “Though I don't think Hailey is ready. Want to come in for a minute?”

  “Sure thing, thank you,” I said, stepping into their home. “I don't mind waiting.”

  “Uh huh,” she said, giving me a long, curious look. “Well, let me go talk to Hailey and let her know you're here. I'll be right back. Please, make yourself at home.”

  As she walked away, I sat down in an arm chair facing the stairway, and listened as Mrs. Roberts' footsteps echoed up them and then above me.

  “Hailey?” her voice echoed down the hallway. “You have a visitor. Another one of the McCormick boys.”

  I heard the door open, creaking on the hinges, but that was the last thing I was able to make out. Their voices lowered to a mumble, distorting their words. After a couple of minutes, I heard the sound of footsteps coming back down the hall toward me. Only one pair of footsteps, I noted.

  Mrs. Roberts looked at me and shook her head, “She's busy tonight, Bennett,” she said. “I'm really sorry you drove all this way and dressed up for nothing.”

  Most men might give up after hearing that – but I wasn't most men. It was going to take a little more than that to throw me off. I was a man on a mission.

  “Do you think I could speak with her?” I asked. “Just for a moment?”

  “I'm afraid –” she'd started to stay, but then the doorbell rang, cutting us off. She shook her head and grinned, “I swear, if this is one of your other brothers...”

  She was laughing all the way to the door, and for a moment, I feared it might actually be Quinn or Cason, trying to get in the way of my night with Hailey. I wouldn't put that level of cockblocking past either of them. I cleared my throat and clenched my jaw as I readied myself for competition, just in case.

  I followed Hailey's mother to the doorway, staying a couple of steps behind, but when she opened the door, it wasn't one of my brother's standing there. Instead of one of the brothers McCormick, it was a large, well-dressed man with jet black hair and steely gray eyes.

  Definitely not someone from around here, and not someone Mrs. Roberts recognized either. Judging by the look on her face, I could tell she was as confused as I was about the stranger on her doorstep. The larger man, without a word, pushed his way into the house, running a hand through his hair as he looked around.

  “Where's Hailey? I know she's here, I need to speak to her,” he said.

  He paced the living room, talking really fast. And as he walked back and forth in front of me, I gave the guy a once-over - leather jacket, tattoos, but an expensive Rolex on his wrist and hair that was well-styled. He was, by most standards, a fairly attractive, well-built guy. Someone I should probably be jealous of. Competition for Hailey's attention.

  “Who are you?” I asked.

  He stopped and gave me the same once over I'd just given to him – likely coming to the same conclusion I had.

  “I'm Leo,” he said. “Who the fuck are you?”

  “Well, Leo, who do you think you are coming in here like that?” I asked. “I think you owe Mrs. Roberts here an explanation and an apology for your poor manners.”

  Without a word, the man lunged at me, trying to grab me by the shirt, but I ducked just in time. As I straightened up though, I caught his balled-up fist in the side of my face. The man could hit hard. I almost literally saw stars when he clocked me. I shook my head and quickly recovered, a predatory grin crossing my face as I turned to face him.

  “That the best you got, Leo?”

  Mrs. Roberts, a stricken look on her face, was screaming, her tone harried and frantic.

  “Frank! Frank!” she called out for her husband.

  The sound of footsteps rushing down the stairs filled my ears, followed by Hailey's voice.

  “Mom? What's going on –” she stopped speaking as Leo turned toward her and a look of near panic crossed her face. “Shit.”

  But Hailey wasn't alone – Quinn was with her, standing protectively in front of her. He put himself between her and Leo, preventing him from rushing toward her. It wasn't anything close to the right time for it, but my first question was – what in the hell was Quinn doing there?

  “Shit indeed, sweetheart,” Leo said, a cocky grin on his face. “Now tell me, who the fuck is he and why was he in your bedroom? And who is this other asshole waitin' downstairs for you? What the fuck are you doin' out here?”

  Quinn walked toward Leo and I approached him from behind. He was outnumbered. He might have gotten a shot on me earlier, but this time, between me and Quinn, this prick was looking at a real beatdown.

  “Leo, please, get out,” Hailey said.

  Her voice cracked as she spoke, and I saw her standing there, shaking uncontrollably, with tears welling in her eyes. She backed up against the wall and seemed to collapse against it, sliding down until she sat down on the landing.

  “Please, just leave,” she said, her voice barely more than a whisper. “Please, leave me alone.”

  As she slid to the ground, her shirt rode up on her body, showing on her stomach. A large bruise on her right side caught my eye, and I had to wonder – was this douchebag responsible for it? While maybe the bruise on her wrist could have been explained away, this one couldn't. It was roughly the size and shape of a fist.

  Leo ignored us and walked toward Hailey, pure menace in his eyes. Seeing that bruise on her body, and feeling the pain radiating in my cheek from his cheap shot, made the anger within me boil over. There was no way in hell I was letting him get close to her.

  I rushed toward the man, knocking him to the ground before he could get to her. Mrs. Roberts was standing with her back to the wall, her hand clamped over her mouth, a look of absolute terror in her eyes. As I moved on Leo, Quinn fell in beside me, helping me take the asshole down. I jumped on him and threw a few quick punches to the face, smacking him right in the side of his head.

  “How does that feel, asshole?” I screamed. “Huh? Like that?”

  Quinn was right there, holding his arms down as I took shot after shot on the guy. Blood poured from his mouth and nose and was smeared all over his face. Through it all though, he looked at me with eyes that were angry, defiant, and promising retribution.

  The sound of sirens approaching filled the air, growing louder until they stopped right outside the door. Still, I wasn't about to let the asshole up from the floor. As cops rushed through the front door, I struggled against him, but Quinn managed to pull me off of Leo. Only when he was in cuffs did I stop fighting to knock the shit out of him.

  Wiping the blood from my face he'd drawn when he sucker punched me, I glanced at the stairway. Hailey was gone. In the madness, she'd run awa
y, and I was glad for that. She didn't need to see that. Because as he was being taken away, Leo screamed, his voice echoing through the house.

  “I'll come back for you, Hailey,” he raved. “I swear to God, I'm coming back.”

  Mrs. Roberts gave us both a look that said she was thankful that we'd been there to protect them. Turning, she followed the cops outside to give her statement, leaving us standing in the foyer of their home.

  “God, I hope she didn't hear that,” Quinn said.

  “Don't see how she couldn't have,” I said. “Where'd she go?”

  He shrugged. “Probably upstairs.”

  I looked over at my brother and we both shared a smile, but now that the madness was fading and the adrenaline wasn't flowing quite as much, I had to ask the question that still nagged at me.

  “So Quinn, what were you doing upstairs in her room, huh?” I playfully smacked him in the arm and grinned. “It was my night, remember?”

  “Yeah, well, when did the McCormick boys ever play fair?” he said. “Come on, let's find Hailey.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN - QUINN

  I'd only been over at the Roberts’ house for a few minutes when Bennett arrived. I had no intention of staying – I'd just stopped by to check on her, to make sure my brothers weren't bothering her too much. I really didn't want any of us bothering her. But, one thing led to another, and yes, I ended up in her bedroom, but not for sex.

  When she'd opened the front door and saw me standing there, she sighed and shook her head, a momentary flash of irritation in her eyes.

  “What do you want, Quinn?”

  “I just want to make sure my brothers aren't driving you crazy,” I said. “I can only imagine how overwhelming this has to be for you.”

  “Yeah, tell me about it,” she said and laughed, the irritation in her eyes fading.

  She invited me in and we started talking about books and writing. She'd asked me upstairs to read something she wrote. That was it.