Good at Being Bad

by Codi Gary

  “And love? What about love Ellie.”

  Ellie’s throat tightened and her voice came out hoarse. “Why can’t we just have fun? Just support me while I figure things out instead of pushing me like this?”

  “I’ll support you, as long as you are willing to give me what I need.”

  “What is it you need, Mike? Babies? A homemaker?” Ellie laughed. “Don’t you think it’s just a little too early for all this?”

  “Those are goals, Ellie, not what I need. I need someone to love me.”

  “Again, it’s early to drop those three words.”

  “Not for me. I love you, Ellie. I see my future and you’re the central, shining part of it.”

  “I…I…” Why couldn’t she say anything?

  Mike sighed. “Maybe you were right. If we don’t have the same goals for the future, we might as well call it now.”

  As he turned away, she demanded, “Wait, where are you going?”

  He stopped at the car door and looked at her intensely. “I think we need to take some time and imagine our futures, whether they’re together or separate. I’ll be in touch.”

  Mike climbed into the car and a hollow feeling swept over Ellie. Everything she’d said to Mike had been true, but it felt as if someone had shredded her insides with razor-sharp claws. As she sank into the chair and considered his words, without Mike, the future just looked blank.

  “Ellie? Come back from the land of the gnomes,” Caroline said, waving her hand in front of Ellie’s face.

  Ellie blinked a few times, before smiling apologetically. “Sorry, I was just thinking.”

  “About a certain hottie whose name starts with M? Seriously, why don’t you just call him and put yourselves out of this misery?”

  Ellie glanced toward the counter of The Local Bean, where Gracie was working at the espresso machine and giving her the stink eye whenever she caught Ellie looking. Since her fallout with Mike, Ellie had filed a restraining order against Forrest, although he’d been pretty much MIA anyway since moving to Pocatello.

  Ellie jumped as an idea shot through her and she stumbled to her feet. “Hey, I’ve got to go, okay? I’ll call you later.”

  Walking away before Caroline could reply, Ellie asked Gracie, “Hey, Gracie, do you have a small tablet and pencil?”

  Frowning, Gracie squatted down and seemed to be looking through drawers until she stood up with a pink notebook and a pencil. “Will this work?”

  “Perfect, thanks.” Before she left, she stopped and added, “By the way, I’m going to fix it.”

  Gracie paused, and then a small smile tilted her lips up at the corners. “Well, let me know when you do.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Mike came back from a call at the Thompsons’ ranch after five that evening and set his tool bag down on his desk.

  Next to a small, pink notebook with a heart and an arrow on the cover in what appeared to be white out.

  He picked it up curiously and slipped it open. And his heart pounded hard and fast as he read the first page.

  Rules to Love By

  Mike flipped it to the next page and number one was written in all caps.

  Ellie has a year to figure out what she wants to do. After they get married, Ellie will divide her energy between her work and giving Mike kids.

  Laughing, Mike flipped to the next page.

  Mike and Ellie will support each other and do everything they can to make the other happy.

  The rules went on for twelve pages, even addressing where they would spend their anniversary—playing in the fountain. On the last page, Mike choked up as he read the words he found there.

  Ellie will love Mike and trust him for as long as she lives. Will Mike do the same?

  Slipping the book into his pocket, he rushed to lock up, and just as he was headed out the door, the phone rang.

  “Hello?” he said impatiently.

  “Hey, buddy, how goes it?” Drew asked.

  “Honestly, has anyone ever told you that you have the worst timing?”

  “Is that any way to talk to your old friend?”

  “As much as I love you, buddy, I’m going to have to call you back,” Mike said. He turned the phone on silent and climbed into his SUV.

  Mike turned on the car and cranked up the AC. When he got his seat belt on, he pulled out his phone one more time. Dismissing the missed call from Drew, he pulled out the book and wrote one little word before snapping a picture of it with his phone.

  Quickly, he sent the picture, and stepped on the gas.

  It was time for him to find his forever.

  Ellie stared at the screen again. Yes.

  It had been thirty minutes since Mike had sent the text and she’d responded with a half a dozen messages, but he wasn’t answering. She was tempted to drive over to his place and wait for him, but her mind was spinning. Did he mean it?

  God, she hoped so, because she wanted him desperately. She wanted those deep brown eyes and hard shoulders and strong arms. She wanted his ridiculous donkey laugh and high cheekbones and dumb jokes and warm touch.

  More than anything, she wanted to kiss him again. To see if she’d only imagined the all-consuming fire his lips on hers had created.

  A loud banging on her door made her jump.

  When the pounding continued, she got up and ran to answer, her heart hammering faster with every step she took.

  When she pulled the door open, Mike was standing on the porch. He gazed at her intensely under his furrowed brow, as if he was trying to figure out what he was doing there.

  “Mike, what—”

  Suddenly, she was jerked out onto the porch and the door closed behind her with a thud. With her back pressed against the wood and the July wind racing across the porch, signaling a thunderstorm was approaching, she shivered. It had nothing to do with Mike leaning over her, his lips so close she could feel the branding heat without them touching.

  “I’ll give you the year, and then we’re getting married,” Mike said.

  Tears clogging her throat, she choked on a wet laugh. “Deal.”

  His hand rested on her waist then slid behind until it was bringing her body flush against his. “I love you.”

  “Was it just the notebook, or did you come to this realization on your own?”

  “Oh, I knew it already. I’d meant it when I told you before. But I wasn’t sure you were ready to jump in with me.”

  “I was ready, I just wasn’t sure how to ask.”

  “From now on, all you have to say is, ‘Mike, I love you, damn it.’ Now kiss me.”

  And then his mouth was on hers, his tongue sweeping inside her mouth and she melted. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she held on tight as his hand slid down over her ass. She felt his erection evident against her stomach and that heavy throb started beating steadily between her legs.

  When he broke the kiss, she wanted to protest, but his mouth fastened against her neck and the hard, fast suction bowed her back. She gripped his shoulders, her fingers digging in as desire shot to the pit of her stomach and spread warmth through her chilled body. Mike’s teeth raked across her skin and she whimpered with pleasure at the sharp sting.

  The sensations his mouth and hand created made her forget why they weren’t a good match. All she wanted was to get closer, to feel Mike’s kiss on every part of her body.

  “Do you want to come inside,” she asked breathlessly.

  “No.”

  That rough, guttural word made her pause. “Why not?”

  “Is Jenny home?”

  “Yes.”

  He pulled back and stared down at her, his lips curling up slightly at the edges. “Because I don’t really want an audience for the things I’m about to do to you.”

  Holy melting panties.

  “Come home with me, El.”

  The shortened name made her heart skip, flip, and a flash of giddiness jumped into her throat. It was filled with affection and caring and she hadn’t even
been aware of how much she’d missed both.

  She nodded.

  Mike pulled her down the steps toward his car, but she kept dragging her feet.

  “What are you doing? I thought you wanted to make up at my place.”

  She smiled as she led him around back. “I do, but I but I thought we could get there in style.”

  Ellie opened the door to the garage and watched Mike’s face. His brown eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

  “What did you do?”

  She was bouncing from foot to foot and she pulled him closer. “I had her rebuilt for you.”

  Mike stared at the bike for several seconds and then his mouth was on hers, devouring her lips that left her knees buckling. When his mouth left hers to trail kisses down her neck, she sighed. “I just can’t believe this is really happening. That this is real.”

  Mike dropped her hand and stepped into her, cupping her face with his hands.

  “It’s real, all right. And I’m about to show you exactly how real.”

  Normally, his bossiness irritated her, but this time, there was none of that usual urge to fight. Mike and she had been circling each other for weeks, pushing and pulling, driving each other crazy and deep down, she’d known they would end up here. The attraction she’d had for him the first time they’d met was too strong.

  “I want you. Bad.”

  His mouth covered hers at the same time his hands came up to the buttons of her pajama top, working the shirt open until he could slip it off one arm and then the other. With his arm around her waist, lifted her on top of the trunk of her car.

  He walked away from her and pressed the electric garage door opener. As he shut the door, she knew there was no turning back.

  This was her future, and it was beautiful.

  Mike had been hanging on a wing and a prayer that she wanted him as badly as he wanted her, and now that he had her, he wanted to see everything. Feel and taste all of her.

  Flipping on the light, he stared at her rose-tipped breasts, full as ripe oranges, and his hands reached out, covering them. He watched her face as he kneaded, flicking the hard nubs of her nipples with his thumbs, and her eyelids lowered, cheeks flushing and her wet, pink lips parted temptingly. A heavy sigh escaped them when he squeezed her, and his cock jerked inside his jeans.

  Slipping his hands along her side until they wrapped around her, he pulled her to him, skimming her naked back until they reached the top of her pajama pants. After placing a kiss on her shoulder, he squatted down, hooking his thumbs inside both her pants and underwear and pulled them down slowly, his lips trailing the path of exposure. His mouth settled on her inner thigh as he helped her step from her clothes.

  He sat back on his heels, his gaze eating her up until he was staring into those unforgettable blue eyes.

  “You are so—”

  “I know,” she said.

  That little twinkle in her gaze made him laugh. “Of course.”

  Her hands reached behind his head, and started pulling on his shirt. “My turn to get you all naked and exposed.”

  Mike helped her, grabbing his T-shirt and pulling it over his head. As he climbed to his feet, he shifted from foot to foot, kicking off his boots and watching her face as she looked him over, her expression admiring.

  When his hands moved to the snap of his jeans, she pushed them aside. “You undressed me. Fair is fair.”

  “Whatever you want,” Mike said.

  The slide of his zipper was followed by Ellie’s gentle teasing. “Promises. Promises.”

  When Mike stepped out of his jeans and boxer briefs, he stood there waiting for Ellie’s assessment. Her finger trailed from his jaw to his chest, where her palm flattened and spread, running down over his abs until it rested right above his hard, jutting cock.

  “I’m still impressed,” she said.

  “What the hell does that mean?” he asked.

  “Well, your shoes and hands don’t really give away what a nice package you carry.”

  With a groan, Mike pulled her to him, trapping her hand between them. “Way to make it awkward, El.”

  Before she could give him a snappy comeback, he was kissing her again. As he stepped between her legs, he rained kisses along her collar bone and breasts, taking the tip into his mouth and drawing on it.

  Mike pressed against her, and slipped his hand between her legs as he continued to love her breasts. As he pressed first one finger inside her, and then a second, his thumb sought the firm button of her clit, pressing and rubbing it in small, circular motions and his fingers curled inside her. The nubby flesh just inside her channel shivered with every touch, and her throaty moans and raking nails told him he was on the right track. Ellie was so self-assured, so independent, he wanted to please her. No, more than that. He wanted to possess her, to consume her until she craved him.

  He had never been the possessive type, but he wanted Ellie to be his.

  Ellie jerked under his hand, and high pitched cries escalated as he felt her come on his fingers, her slick wetness making his hips thrust against her side in excitement. God, he wanted to be inside her heat, to feel her fall apart under him.

  When she came down from her orgasm, Mike pulled his hand away, staring at her. With her hair surrounding her shoulders, hovering around her waist like a dark cloud. She was breathtaking, like a forest nymph from the Greek mythology he used to read in school.

  At the first brush of her hands against his cock, he stopped. His eyes closed as she gripped him, running her hand up and down his length, pumping him. He felt her mouth close over his head of his cock, the wet heat enough to make him lose it after a long dry spell, and then her tongue slid along the tip, licking him like he was a fucking lollipop.

  Gripping her shoulders, he pulled her off gently. “Sorry, baby, but not this time.”

  He grabbed the back of her head, his hand tangling in her hair. As he pulled her in for a rough kiss, wrapped his other arm around her waist and brought her to the edge of the car.

  He took her hips in hard hands and pushed against her. As she opened to him, and he slipped inside slowly, fighting his way into her tight warmth. He groaned loudly when he was all the way in. “I’m sorry.”

  “For what?” She braced her knee next to his hips and started moving her hips over him.

  “Oh, God,” he ground out as he moved her faster over him, hanging on to her as he lifted her and brought her back down. Going in high and coming out low, touching every bit of her. “Nothing. Fuck.”

  Mike stopped talking, finding other places to put his mouth. Like her shoulder. Neck. Collarbone. Bending his head he played with her breasts again as she rode him, his hands guiding her own motions faster, harder, until her rhythm turned choppy. She grabbed the back of his head, forcing his mouth up to hers as she screamed against his mouth, her body squeezing his dick so hard, spasming around him until he thought she would shake right off his lap.

  It was exciting and hot and all Ellie.

  Unable to stop himself, he pumped once, twice and exploded inside her. She caught his own shout of pleasure, and then her mouth slid from his, her arms wrapping around his shoulders. Sighing, she laid her cheek against his, her short, deep breaths puffing against the side of his neck.

  Running the tips of his fingers over her spine, he was loath to move her.

  “Are you cold?” he asked, noting the thin dew of sweat on her body.

  “A little, but I feel like Jell-O. I’m not sure I can move. By the way, what are these called?”

  He felt her hand come between them until it rested just along his pelvis.

  “I don’t know,” he said, opening his eyes again to look down at her. “Why?”

  “Because there is a picture on the internet that says, ‘I don’t know what these are, but they make smart women stupid.’”

  “Do they make you stupid?” Mike asked, amused.

  “Yours have.”

  He held her close. “I’ll look it up later. Right now,
I’m too tired to do anything but hold you.”

  “Really? You’re a one and done kind of guy?”

  He smacked her thigh. “I’ll be good to go once we get home. You know, where the bed is”

  “I guess I can wait that long.”

  “Speaking of waiting for something,” Mike said, gazing into her eyes. “I have been waiting to hear three simple words from you since I stood on your porch.”

  “Hmm, I hate straw?” she murmured.

  “No, smart-ass.”

  “I missed you?” she asked.

  “Getting warmer?”

  “I love…chocolate?”

  “You’re killing me.”

  She brushed her lips against his, and her breath warmed his lips as her words did the rest of his body.

  “I love you, Mike. Always.”

  He kissed her tenderly, his hand stroking over her arm.

  Suddenly, the door to the garage swung open and both of then turned to find Jenny standing in the doorway, an expression of horror on her face.

  “Oh, my God, on my car?”

  Epilogue

  Five Years later

  Ellie sat on the couch playing Hungry Hungry Hippos with her three-year-old daughter, Alisa. Mike hadn’t been kidding about marrying her as soon as she figured out what she wanted to do with her life, and while she was making that dream a reality, he’d been busy trying to create something else. She’d had Alisa a year and a day from their wedding, and she’d been terrified of screwing it up. There had been a lot of tears, a lot of worry and doubt, but through it all her amazing husband had stood by her, cheering her on.

  In a million years, she never envisioned her life could be this great.

  “I’m going to destroy you, Mommy!” Alisa cackled.

  “You’ve been hanging around Aunt Gracie too much. No one can defeat the mama!”

  The lock turned in the door and Smalls jumped to his feet with an excited bark.

  “Daddy!” Alisa cried as she abandoned their game to meet her father at the door.

  Mike stepped inside and dropped his tool bag just before Alisa launched herself at him.