Forking Around

by Erin Nicholas

  “Yes, Jane, fuck, yes,” Dax panted.

  “You feel so good,” she told him, her voice breathy. “This is so good.”

  He thrust up into her as their tempo built, and Jane felt her climax winding tight, ready to let go.

  “Yes, fucking grip me like that,” Dax ground out.

  She tightened her muscles around him and he groaned. Then he reached between them and found her clit.

  It only took a few strokes to send her flying.

  “Dax! Oh yes!” She came apart, clamping down on him.

  He groaned, and then he was coming too, surging into her, holding her tightly against him.

  For several long moments, they just panted and gasped. Jane slumped forward on top of him. His arms went around her. Their chests moving up and down together.

  Slowly, her skin started to cool, and her breathing returned to near normal.

  Though she wasn’t sure the rest of her would ever return to a pre-Dax state. She’d never had sex like that. It wasn’t the front seat or the darkness or the fumbling with the clothes. That had all happened before. It just had never felt so… right.

  Everything about this night had felt like it clicked. Like it was exactly the way it should be.

  Like they were exactly the way they should be.

  Laughing, teasing, dancing, and singing, dealing with teenage-girl drama together, and then fucking in the front seat of her car because they couldn’t wait to get anywhere else.

  There was something that told her that even if they were really together, had a relationship, had been doing this for months, or even years, even if they owned a bed together only a few minutes away, they would still get frisky in the car from time to time.

  She liked that thought.

  Too much.

  Jane pushed herself up and looked down at him, taking a deep breath. “So that was definitely better than cake.”

  He chuckled and reached to brush her hair back from her face. “How about strawberry pie?”

  Yeah, he knew that was her weakness. “Well… we might have to do it again sometime, just to be sure, but it was really close.”

  “I’m happy to keep working until I’m right on top of your list of favorite things,” he said with a grin.

  Jane’s heart tripped in her chest.

  She was pretty sure he was headed straight to the top of that list. If he wasn’t already there.

  Uh-oh.

  Jane shifted off of him, rolling into her seat and reaching into the compartment on the side of her door where she stuffed all the napkins she got when she went to the gas station for sandwiches or carried food out from the diner. She handed them over, assuming Dax could deal with the condom somehow. He was the more experienced one after all. She worked on getting her jeans back on, then lifted her hips, pulling her bra and shirt from under her butt and slipping into them as well.

  By the time she was sort of put back together, Dax was too, and his seat was upright again.

  Jane took a deep breath, tucked her hair behind her ear, and finally looked over at him again.

  He was watching her as if waiting to see where she’d lead the conversation next.

  “Are we still on for tomorrow?” she asked. She wanted to see him. She wanted to spend time with him. She wanted to kiss him. A lot. And she kind of wanted to take him to her house, and she was pretty sure she’d be okay with a strawberries-in-bed mess.

  “We are absolutely on for tomorrow,” he said. “And any other time you’ll give me.”

  She wanted to take him home with her right now.

  But she also wanted to have a little time and space. Just to think about it all. Just to be sure she wasn’t on some ice cream high or that the cleaning solutions hadn’t gotten to her or something.

  Could she actually be falling for Dax?

  She needed to figure that out before she saw him again. And then she needed to decide how she felt about that if it turned out she didn’t want to lick him from head to toe just because he’d been nice to her sister.

  And stepsister.

  Yeah, yeah. He’d been nice to Aspen too. Something Jane was ashamed to admit she hadn’t been able to pull off in the past few months very well.

  Her feelings for Dax really might just be because he was a nice guy with a great body. That she absolutely wanted to lick from head to toe. That would make things easier if that was true. For sure.

  “Meet me at the bakery at eight,” she reminded him.

  “Right. And I’m promised amazing muffins if I’m no later than eight oh five,” he said.

  She grinned. “Honestly? I’ll save you the good muffins even if you’re not there ’til eight thirty.”

  He lifted a brow. “Eight thirty. Wow, I must have done well tonight.”

  She laughed. “You did very well.”

  He leaned over and kissed her. She was surprised for just a second, then she started to melt into him.

  He pulled back. “I’ll be there well before eight thirty.”

  “Yeah? Well, I must have done very well tonight too. To be worth getting up early for.”

  He nodded, but instead of teasing, he brushed his thumb over her cheek. “Very worth it.”

  Something in his tone made her throat tighten and her heart flip again.

  Thankfully, before she could cry or beg him to come home with her, he opened his door and got out. She watched him slide into his roadster, aware that even their cars showed how very different they were.

  But he waited for her to pull out of the parking lot in front of him and gave her a little wave when they went in opposite directions at the stop sign at the entrance.

  They were different. But, man, she really liked him.

  Maybe even enough to be convinced to stay in bed with him on a Saturday morning and miss the strawberry-cream-cheese muffins Zoe only made on the weekends.

  Maybe.

  “Good morning!” Jane entered the bakery through the back door the next morning, a definite friends-with-the-owner privilege.

  Both of her best friends were in the kitchen, busily preparing for the big dessert tasting in Dubuque later that morning. The dessert tasting was a part of a huge bridal fair, and the focus was on unique and fun options for wedding receptions outside of the typical wedding cakes.

  Josie and Zoe did amazing wedding cakes, of course, but they’d embraced the idea of bringing new ideas to the tasting as well, including cake pops, brownie bites, and pies in a jar, the newer specialties in the bakery. Those items now outsold the usual bars and cupcakes, and Zoe, a longtime stickler for tradition and the tried and true, had finally admitted trying new things could be good.

  Jane gave them both huge grins as she grabbed plastic gloves and prepared to help out however they needed her.

  Jane hadn’t lied to Dax. The bakery was open and was doing its usual Saturday morning business, but this morning she was here to help Zoe and Josie get their sweets ready for the event while Zoe’s mom and dad handled the front of the bakery.

  He’d still be able to get muffins, and she was happy to get a table with him once he arrived, but she had been called in as more than a patron today. She was happy to help. Not just because she loved the idea of Zoe and Josie showing off their talents to a wider audience and offering some limited shipping options for those outside of Appleby for the first time, but because now Jane had them both to herself for a little bit, and she could tell them about Dax.

  And ask for their advice.

  “Good morning.” Josie gave her a grin from where she was boxing up cake pops. “Hey, you’re wearing a dress.”

  Jane looked down at the navy-blue sundress with the white flowers. “I am.”

  “You almost never wear dresses,” Josie said.

  “I know.”

  “So you’re in a dress kind of mood,” Josie mused.

  “Yes, I am.”

  “Okay, what is going on around here with you two today?” Zoe asked, looking from Josie to Jane.

  “
I have a date later on,” Jane said. “With Dax.”

  “Ah.” Zoe nodded. “So that’s why you’re so chipper. Do you have a date too?” she asked Josie.

  “Too?” Jane asked.

  Zoe tipped her head toward Josie. “She’s been humming all morning.”

  Jane looked at Josie. “Oh really?”

  Josie laughed and waved her hand. “I’m just in a good mood. Maybe I’m excited about this event. We’ve never done something like this before.”

  Zoe and Jane shared a look.

  “Sure,” Zoe said.

  “Right,” Jane agreed.

  Josie giggled, and Jane was certain she saw a little blush on her friend’s cheeks.

  “Well, I am excited about my date,” Jane said, going to the table set up with the apple, cherry, blueberry, and strawberry—her favorite—jar pies. “But I’m also in a really good mood because of the sex.”

  Jane started putting the little mason jars into the box that was padded with Styrofoam peanuts and tissue.

  Both of her friends immediately stopped what they were doing and turned toward her.

  “The sex?” Zoe asked.

  “Yeah,” Jane said, her grin huge and, she was sure, goofy. “The sex last night.”

  “Who did you have sex with?” Zoe asked.

  Jane laughed. “I’m going on a date later with Dax.”

  “So you said.”

  “And I had sex last night.”

  “You also said that,” Zoe agreed.

  “You think I had sex with someone last night and am going out with someone else today?” Jane asked.

  “So you did have sex last night with Dax?” Josie asked.

  “Yes.” Jane grinned and kept packing jars.

  “Oh my God, Jane!” Josie said. “That’s awesome!”

  She laughed. “It is?”

  “He’s so good looking and funny and charming.” Josie sighed.

  Zoe shook her head. “I thought you were adamantly against that,” she said to Jane. “Since he’s your boss and everything.” She held up a hand. “Not that I don’t love Dax. He really is awesome and I know you’ve been flirting. But why did you change your mind?”

  Jane paused with a jar in each hand. “Well, for one, he went over to the house with me and helped me and Kelsey clean last night.”

  Josie gasped. “He did? Wow. That’s pretty sweet.”

  “And he totally mediated this whole situation with the girls, and then he took us all out for ice cream and made the girls hugely popular with the hottest guys in their class.” She told them the whole story.

  Through it all, Zoe’s smile continued to grow, and Jane thought Josie might actually swoon at some point.

  “Wow.” Josie had her hands on her chest, her eyes wide, as Jane finished. “Just wow. That’s so sweet. He’s just so… heroic,” she decided. “He must really like you to go in there and fix things like that.”

  “That’s the thing,” Jane said. “I don’t think he was even trying to fix anything.” She sighed. “That’s just who he is.”

  Josie sighed too with a dreamy smile.

  “So he was awesome yesterday,” Zoe agreed. “And you decided that was more important than him being your boss?”

  Zoe didn’t actually think Dax being Jane’s boss was a problem. She knew Dax and Jane. She knew Dax wouldn’t reward Jane at work for sexual favors, and she knew Jane would never expect or want that. But she agreed it didn’t look good to other employees, potentially.

  “Actually,” Jane said, shooting a glance at Josie, sure this would make her friend swoon. “He gave up his shares in the company.”

  Zoe’s eyes got round, and Josie made a little squeak-gasp-choking sound.

  “What?” Zoe asked.

  Jane nodded. “Yep.”

  “To date you,” Josie clarified. “He gave up his part of the business… that could have made him millions… so he could date you?”

  Jane lifted a shoulder. “Evidently.”

  “Oh my God. I need to sit down.” Josie reached for a tall stool nearby and slid onto it.

  Jane laughed. “He can get it back. Of course. The guys would sell it back to him. In fact, the paperwork isn’t even finished yet.” She looked at Zoe. “Aiden didn’t say anything?”

  “No, but Grant’s in town, which is unusual, so they took advantage of all being in the same place, in person, at the same time and had a big meeting.” She grinned as she put air quotes around meeting. “Which I think means they went out and ate and bullshitted and drank a lot. He came in really late and crashed in the other bedroom so he wouldn’t wake me up. There was a sticky note on the bathroom mirror, but I haven’t seen him yet this morning.” She shook her head. “It’s a little hard on them all being apart, not being in the same office together every day. It’s pretty cute that they miss each other.”

  Jane agreed. She knew the guys had all been friends for a very long time, and the things they’d accomplished together were definitely impressive. Which made it even nicer Dax had chosen to spend the evening with her. Sure, he might not be a Hot Cakes partner right now, but the guys getting together had been about more than business. It was longtime friends hanging out. But he’d chosen Jane. She felt a little warm at that realization.

  “So,” she said, starting to pack jar pies again. “I was thinking that, before it’s all official and he’s really given everything up, I need to let him truly see my life. Really see what being with me would be like.”

  “You mean with your family?” Zoe asked.

  Jane nodded. “With everything. But he’s already seen the factory and knows what my job is like and how I feel about it. He’s met Kelsey and Aspen, and he’s heard about and gotten a look at what Cassie is like. So now he needs to meet my dad.” She looked up. “Right?”

  “That’s big for you,” Zoe said, studying Jane.

  “It is.”

  Jane was very protective of her dad. He hated people seeing him in the nursing home. He didn’t want visitors other than Jane and Kelsey and Cassie.

  “You don’t think Dax will change his mind just because your dad is sick, do you?” Zoe asked, frowning.

  “No. I don’t, actually,” Jane said. “But he’s making this huge gesture in giving up the business. I just feel it’s only fair for him to really see what my life is like. And I want Dad to meet him.”

  “Will your dad be up for that?” Josie asked. She often said how much she wished Jack would let her come and visit. Zoe and Josie and Jane were close, and they knew one another’s parents well.

  “I don’t know. I think if I tell him Dax is important to me, he’ll make an exception.”

  “You’re not using this as a way to scare Dax off, or test him, hoping he reacts badly and gives you a reason to not see him anymore?” Zoe asked.

  “I’m not,” Jane said truthfully. “I don’t think this will scare him off anyway. I think he’ll pass with flying colors.”

  “You’re falling for him,” Zoe said, still watching Jane closely.

  Jane’s instinct was to deny it, but she couldn’t. She didn’t introduce guys to her dad. She didn’t introduce guys to Kelsey, for that matter. Guys were just a once-in-a while diversion. Until now.

  She nodded. “Yeah, I think I am.”

  Josie smiled and gave another big, happy sigh. “That’s so awesome, Jane. I’m so happy for you.”

  “Thanks.” Jane took a deep breath. “So introducing him to Dad is a good idea, right? I want him to know all these parts of my life.”

  “I think it’s awesome,” Zoe said. “Dax seems like exactly the type of guy you need. Fun, confident, generous, laid back.”

  Jane agreed. With all of that.

  “Me too,” Josie agreed. “I hope Dax understands what a big deal it is, but we know. I’m so happy you’re falling in love.”

  Jane was too. It was a strange feeling, one she hadn’t felt in a very long time, if ever, but she liked it.

  “So what about you?” she
asked Josie. “Did you get lucky too?

  Josie blushed and shook her head. “Not the way you did.”

  “No sex?”

  “Nope.”

  “Then why the humming and blushing?” Zoe asked.

  “I had a… romantic encounter with someone,” Josie said. Then she frowned slightly. “Well, I thought it was romantic. But he seemed annoyed.”

  Jane laughed. “What happened?”

  “Last night after Zoe left, I was just finishing things up and wanted to refill the flour canister. So I was up on the step stool reaching for a bag on the top shelf. My shoulder’s been bugging me, and I got a major twinge of pain when I grabbed the bag, and I almost dropped it. I jerked, and I almost slipped off the stool. Suddenly there was this guy there, catching me.” She sighed and lifted a shoulder. “I thought it was very gallant and said something about him being a knight in shining armor. He just set me down on the floor and said, ‘For fuck’s sake, you need to be more careful.’”

  Jane snorted, but Zoe’s eyes were wide.

  “Well, he’s right,” Zoe said. “What if you’d fallen and gotten hurt? You were here alone. You can’t do stuff like that when no one’s around.”

  “I didn’t even think about it,” Josie protested. “I needed the bag of flour so I climbed up to get it.”

  Zoe shook her head. “Well, thank God he was there. And he just caught you? You just fell into his arms?”

  “It wasn’t graceful,” Josie said. “I fell, and he kind of just kept me from smacking the floor. But he did save me. And…” She sighed. “He was very good looking. Big. Smelled amazing.”

  “Who was it?” Jane asked. “Oh my God.” Big, good-looking, amazing-smelling guys were definitely not as common around Appleby as the female population would have liked.

  “I… can’t tell you,” Josie said, focusing her gaze on the cake pops she was now wrapping again.

  “You can’t tell us?” Zoe asked. “Excuse me? Why not?”

  “Because I don’t know.”

  Josie’s cheeks were bright red now.

  “You don’t know?” Zoe repeated. “He was a stranger?”

  “Yep. Never seen him before.”

  “He didn’t tell you his name when you introduced yourself?” Jane prompted.