The Workaholic and the Realist (New Hampshire Bears #2)

by Mary Smith

  I eased off the bed, grabbing his t-shirt and slipping it on, before heading down to the kitchen. I turned on the coffee pot and started grabbing items from the fridge to make breakfast. The last time I fixed breakfast was a long time ago. Actually, it had been my last serious boyfriend. Three years ago? Wow, time does fly.

  Now, it was Keaton.

  I cut the potatoes and started the bacon. I whipped the eggs and then made myself a cup of coffee as everything began to cook up.

  Staring out into my backyard, I didn’t think about anything particular, except for how thankful I was the snow finally melted away. I could feel the spring approaching, and I couldn’t wait. I caught the reflection of Keaton coming toward me. He wrapped one arm around my waist and the other around my shoulders. I leaned my head against his bicep, reveling in the comfort.

  “Morning, puppy.”

  He kissed my cheek. “Good morning, honey-bunny. The smell of coffee and breakfast woke me.”

  I smiled. “Make yourself a cup, and I’ll finish breakfast.” I didn’t want to move from his arms, but I needed to.

  As he made his coffee, I began to plate up everything. We were wrapped in silence again, and I knew we would have to discuss what I’d said last night, but I’d wait until he brought it up first. If he never did, then it’d just be an unspoken topic between us.

  I put the plate in front of him, and I freshened up my coffee. When I sat down, I noticed he hadn’t touched his food.

  “Something wrong?” I figured he wouldn’t have any trouble with a simple breakfast.

  He smiled and dived into the food. He’d burned a lot of calories over the past twenty-four hours as have I.

  Of course, Keaton finished his food, long before I did, and fixed himself another cup of coffee while I continued to eat. I could feel his eyes on me.

  “You know I’ve only loved one woman in my life.”

  I quickly swallowed my food. Where was this going? “Okay.”

  “Grams. She’s been the only one I could count on.”

  “I believe it.” Exactly what does one reply with? “She raised you.”

  “She threw me out the other morning.” Keaton began a long in-depth detailed explanation on why his grandmother tossed him out of the house and how he needed to treat his mother better. I partially agreed with her. People do change and remain better than they once were. He told me how he apologized and what was said between him and his grandmother.

  “Do you trust Grams?” I asked him as I’d done before.

  “More than anything.”

  “Then give your mother another chance. At least, this time, she’ll be closer to you in proximity, and you can keep an eye on her.”

  He nodded, and we fell back into silence. I gathered up our dirty dishes and put everything in the sink.

  “Did you mean what you said last night?”

  I froze in place. He was bringing it up again. “Yes.” I went back to busying myself with the dishes. I heard him push back his chair. His bare feet padded over to me.

  “Why?”

  I turned off the water and faced him. “Because you mean something to me.”

  “So, you would marry me?”

  “No.” I shook my head. “I would become engaged to you to help you out.”

  Keaton searched my face, and I knew he was already thinking of a million question to ask.

  “Do you like me?”

  There’s question number one. “You know I do.”

  “Have you ever been in love?”

  “I’ve been in serious relationships where I deeply cared for the person.”

  “That’s bullshit. Answer me honestly.”

  “Yes, I have been in love.”

  “Would you ever marry someone?”

  I shook my head. “Marriage is a waste of paper. Love, trust, and kindness is what holds a relationship together. Not a piece of paper.”

  “People get married to solidify their love.”

  “They could just as easily do it with buying a house or car.” I tried to make my way around him, but he countered my move.

  “Would you marry me?”

  I gasped. “Excuse me?”

  “If I asked you, would you marry me; what would be your answer?”

  “No,” I rushed out. “And you don’t ask a female that unless you’re dead serious. Plus, you don’t want to get married.”

  “I always thought that.” He gazed at me with lust in his eyes.

  He could easily throw me up on the counter and have his way with me, and I’d allow it at this point.

  “Harlow?”

  I looked around Keaton to see Dacey walking into the room.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry.” She dropped her head and stared at the floor.

  “You’re fine, Dacey. Head up to the office and catch up on the emails.”

  “Okay.” She bolted from my kitchen and Keaton’s naked chest and low riding jeans.

  “I need to get some work done.” This time, I did make it past him, or so I thought until he spun me around to face him.

  “Go out with me.”

  I should have said yes, but I stopped myself. “When was the last time you were on a date?”

  “A long time ago, but it doesn’t mean I don’t know how to treat a woman or how I want to treat you.” His blue eyes didn’t blink, and neither did mine.

  “Okay,” I answered, wondering what the hell just happened.

  “So, you’re going on a real date?” Meadow took a sip from the wine glass.

  I nodded. “When he comes back into town Sunday.”

  “Wow, but you know what? You two hit it off right away. I shouldn’t be shocked.”

  Meadow and I were sitting on opposite ends of her couch, getting ready to catch up on a couple of our shows.

  “He’s never really dated though.”

  “What’s you point?” She turned on Scandal.

  “He’s more of the type to have sex and bounce the next morning. I don’t think he knows the definition of wine and dine.”

  “He could surprise you and be the best at it.”

  “Could be,” I shrugged. “How are you and Kyson?” Getting off the topic of me was what I needed right now.

  “Great, we’re planning a trip for the offseason. Hopefully somewhere warm with lots of water.”

  “Fancy.” I tipped my glass to her. “Heard from Maxima?”

  “Poor kid,” I sighed. “I’m sure she’ll make the right decision.”

  “She will, but the question is will she be able to live with the consequences?”

  I shrugged. “I have no clue.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Keaton

  Dress pants wrinkle free?

  Check.

  Dress shirt wrinkle free?

  Check.

  Sleeves rolled up and even?

  Check.

  Tie straight?

  Check.

  Hair good? Smell good?

  Check. Check.

  Flowers? Harlow’s gift?

  Check. Check.

  After going through this week without really talking to Harlow, my nerves were getting the better of me. This was Harlow. I’ve had sex with her, revealed my deepest goals to her, and introduced to my Grams. Well, the last part was an accident, but I would have, and I didn’t do that with just anyone.

  Not to mention, I asked her out. She was right about asking me when the last time I’d been on a date. It had been a long while, but something deep inside told me to do this because it was the right thing. I couldn’t figure out where the little voice was coming from, but I was going to listen to it.

  I knocked on Harlow’s door and adjusted my tie once more before she opened it.

  “You are one hot honey-bunny.” I smirked as my eyes worked up and down her body. Her skintight strapless black dress was paired with bright red heels. She was perfectly eye level with me.

  “Hi, puppy.”

  “Here.” I handed her a red rose.


  “Aw.” She smiled. “Thank you.”

  “I have a gift too.” I strolled over the threshold and shut the door. “The question is are you woman enough to do it.”

  She tilted her head, letting her long auburn hair fall over her shoulder. “What in the hell are you talking about?”

  “I got a present for you, and I want you to wear it tonight. For me.” I hand over a small pink gift bag.

  She pulled out the small box, read it, and then looked up at me, then back at the box. I watched the corner of her mouth twitched.

  “You’re asking me to wear vibrating panties on our date.” She still was holding back a smile.

  “Are you game?”

  “I’m guessing you want to control the remote.”

  I ever so slowly nodded my head.

  She looked me up and down at a leisurely pace, her smile widening. “Hold this.” She handed me the bag and her rose. I gaped, watching her reach up under her dress and oscillate her hips until her thin G-string appeared. She reached for the bag. Placing her underwear in my hand, she opened the box and pulled the vibrating panties out, putting them on and positioning them correctly on her. She gave me the remote, took the rose from my hand, but not her underwear.

  “You can keep those.” She kissed my cheek and headed out the door.

  I slipped her lacy G-string into my pocket and headed out to my car. Harlow was waiting by the passenger side. I opened it and watched her gracefully sit down, swinging her legs in. when I made it to my side, I checked to make sure the batteries of the remote worked.

  “Oh,” Harlow jumped. “It works,” she said on a wispy exhale.

  “This is going to be so much fun,” I chuckled and headed off to Firefly American Bistro and Bar.

  On our way over, I desperately wanted to hit the button to send her over the edge, but she was very enthusiastically telling me about a new big client. She seemed so happy, and I didn’t want to ruin it.

  We held each other hands as we walked into the restaurant. We hadn’t done this small gesture yet, but it meant a lot to her. As a guy, holding hands really wasn’t a big deal. I could care less, but females seem to get a huge kick out of it.

  We were seated right away, and I held Harlow’s chair for her to sit down. “I guess being Keaton Puppy Jaco has its advantages.”

  “It’s because I’m with a beautiful woman.” I kissed her cheek.

  I took the seat across from her and held the remote in my hand and covered it with a cloth napkin to conceal it from others. When Harlow studied her menu, I clicked it on low and she jumped.

  She gave me a flick of her eyes and went back to the menu. “How’s hockey?”

  “Good.” I flipped it off as the waitress came over. I ordered a bottle of red wine and our appetizers.

  “Do I get to pick dessert then?” She was so damn independent.

  “Sure.”

  “When are you heading out the road again?”

  “Soon, but the season is almost over.”

  I turned the underwear on low again, and this time she moaned a bit loud, but quickly cleared her throat to recover.

  “Excited for playoffs?” The quiver in her voice was noticeable as she tried to hide the pleasure.

  “Very, very excited.” Even though I cared less about hockey as she squirmed in her seat. “Uncomfortable?”

  She gazed at me over the top of her menu. “No, not at all.”

  “Sure?”

  She nodded. I watched her release a slow breath, and I turned it off when our waitress came back with the wine. I ordered the steak and Harlow the salmon. Just as she was about to order her side, I turned it on again and she jumped. It took everything I had not to laugh out loud.

  “Are you okay, ma’am?” the waitress asked, concerned.

  “Leg cramp.” Harlow recovered and finished ordering. She glared at me, but my smile didn’t falter. “You think you’re so funny?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  Harlow wiggled again, and I clicked it up one more notch. Our eyes were locked tight, and I felt myself growing harder, thinking of how wet she was at the vibrations I was controlling.

  “You’re close, aren’t you?” I could tell by the way she was biting her lip. I ended the vibrating when our first round of food came to the table.

  Harlow’s hands shook as she reached for her wine glass. “Yes,” she finally answered my question. I decided to wait and torture her more later. Right now, I would let her enjoy her food.

  My mind began to relive the marriage talk I’d had with Harlow. No other female had even had me utter the word before, but Harlow was special. If she’d said yes, I would have made her hop on a plane and we’d been in Vegas pledging our lives together.

  However, her words to me rang true when she’d said people could show commitment in various forms. I would buy a house with her in a heartbeat. Maybe I should suggest that instead.

  What the fuck am I thinking?

  “Keaton?”

  I glanced up from my untouched crab cake to see Harlow’s concerned expression. “Yes?”

  “Are you all right?”

  “Just thinking.”

  “About what?”

  I opened my mouth to her the truth, but I stopped. How does someone ask another someone to buy a house together when neither have even declared their love?

  Love?

  “I’m thinking about love.” Let me see if I could ease into this subject.

  “What about it?”

  “You told me you thought you were love before, true?”

  She nodded. “Have you?”

  “No, well…” I trailed off.

  “Well, what?” She seemed intrigued.

  Instead of answering her, I turned on the panties. Harlow gasped loudly, and I watched as she struggled to keep her face relaxed and her moaning quiet. I covered my smile with my fingers, but my dick was growing harder seeing her this way.

  I turned it off a moment later because I knew she was close again. I wasn’t going to let her come at the table. Thankfully, the food came, and I saw Harlow struggling to eat. She was in delicious pain, and she kept writhing in her seat.

  On the other hand, my food was mouthwatering, and even though, I was still hard, my body began to relax.

  “Now, who’s the one avoiding the question?”

  I slowly chewed on my steak and bought myself some time. I reached down the remote, but Harlow stopped me.

  “Don’t,” her tone low and serious. “Answer me.”

  “I’ve never been in love.”

  “But…” she knew there was more to say, but I didn’t say it.

  I remained silent.

  “If you don’t tell me, I’ll go take these off right now, and we can call it a night.” She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms.

  “I believe I could fall in love.” I finished my thought. “I could buy a house with someone. I could come home from road games to my significant other. We could lie around and read together, or workout together; hell maybe, we’d open a publishing company together because she’s the world’s best editor.”

  Okay, I’d said too much.

  “Is there anything else I can get you?” The waitress appeared at the table.

  “We need the check,” Harlow answered, not shifting her eyes from mine.

  This was the end then. I’d run my mouth, exposed my feelings, and she’d shot me down. I’d ruined it. When the waitress returned, I paid the bill, neither of us saying anything.

  We didn’t hold hands to the car or utter a word to her house. I shut the car off when I parked in her driveway.

  “Why, Keaton?”

  “Why what?” I rested my elbows on the arm rest and stared at her. She wouldn’t even look at me.

  “Why me? We aren’t the type of people to fall for each other.”

  “Were Meadow and Kyson? You were their number one supporter in getting them back together.”

  “They were each other’s soulmates.”

/>   “But not us?”

  “Keaton,” she sighed and slouched in the seat a bit. I gave her a few seconds to think about what she was going to say. “I’m a realist; I always have been.”

  “So?”

  “My reality of our future is dim.”

  “Why?” I didn’t expect her to say something of that nature.

  “You’re a hockey player who should be enjoying the women falling at your feet.”

  I shook my head. “I want you, Harlow. You have been the only person I’ve told all my secrets to. You are the only person who I constantly think about. It’s you, Harlow. It took you saying you’d get engaged to me, like Remington, to realize how much I care for you. And you for me.”

  The porch light reflected the tear falling down her cheek. “You could easily break me, Keaton. I may have had men in my life before, but none of them had a hold on me like you.”

  I smiled at her words. I held out my hand, and she placed hers in mine. “Then let’s see what trouble we can get into together? As a team.”

  She pursed her pips a bit and studied our hands laced together. “Okay, as a team.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Harlow

  My cheeks hurt from smiling. Keaton stayed the night but had an early morning practice. It was sweet of him to wake me up before he left by nuzzling my neck. Once he left, I did my yoga at home and got ready for my day.

  Dacey came at exactly ten. I’d told her numerous times she could dress down, but she dressed as if this was some sort of fortune five hundred company.

  “Harlow, I have Meadow’s first half of her latest book printed out and your new client, Joseph Green, is going to send the rest of his book by the end of the day. Oh, and this came yesterday.” She picked up a sheet of paper and handed it to me. “I was going to discuss it with you, but you seemed on edge yesterday.”

  “By the way, thanks for coming yesterday. I know it was Sunday.”

  Dacey shrugged. “It’s fine. Vance worked out with the team. I only had plans to read anyway.”

  “That sounds like fun, but in all seriousness, thank you.”

  “No problem. But, um, I’m still curious about the email,” she said in her small voice, and her cheeks reddened.