Road to Love (Triple R Book 4)

by Jules Dixon

  I paused mid-belt-buckling and chuckled to myself.

  Nude versus in his uniform? Definitely better.

  “What?”

  “Nothin’.” I grabbed my shirt from the floor.

  Oliver’s bedroom certainly wasn’t normal bachelor. This place had a woman’s touch. But what woman?

  I pointed. “Did you pick out the furniture?”

  “Nah, my mom. She’s the woman with a purple wand.”

  “Huh?”

  Orgasm stroke, Aston?

  “When I came back to Omaha, although most of the employees didn’t know who I really was to her because of our different last names, I worked for my mother at her interior design firm, Sugar Plum Dreams Design. She did all of this. Even convinced the landlord to let her paint the walls.”

  “You never talked about your mother.”

  He raised and dropped his shoulders. “Kind of felt like if you didn’t want to talk about your parents, I shouldn’t talk about mine. But, of course, I’m open with mine.”

  “Low blow, Oliver.” My voice rumbled from my chest. I moved toward the doorway and he blocked my path.

  “I’d almost think that was an invitation to remind you of my oral talents, but I can tell you’re upset.”

  I huffed, “I’m gonna tell ‘em. Don’t pressure me.”

  “I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry. Please don’t go.”

  “I have to. My brother is at the farm.”

  “And since he’s a twenty-one-year-old man, he’s old enough to spend the night alone. I want you to stay with me.”

  And I wanted to stay. I dug my phone from my jeans pocket.

  Holt: Had a few to drink. Going to stay the night. Need your help fixing barn doors in morning.

  Oliver stepped around me to pull clean boxers from the dark wooden dresser. I watched his moves, remembering how he would stalk around my office all those months ago, and even now I got the same tingle of hope. I lifted my buzzing phone to eye level so I could take in both visions at the same time.

  Cade: The white haired guy from the hospital? Have fun bro. Use protection, ‘cause we don’t need any grandbabies happening from you either. I’ll see you bright and early.

  I groaned at my phone.

  “Problem?”

  “Cade’s pushin’ me a little too hard to come out to him.”

  “Maybe he doesn’t like seeing you struggle with who you are? Maybe he’s trying to support you?”

  I re-read the message, and Ollie was right, there was support in the jackass comments, but my stomach churned a little thinking of telling my baby brother. “I’m not ready,” I mumbled.

  “I’d like to meet him, Holt.”

  I set my phone on the nightstand. “You will. Give me time to figure out how I’m gonna tell him and my family. I’m not askin’ for years, Ollie, I’m askin’ for a day or two.”

  Ollie slid on a clean pair of body-skimming boxer briefs, adjusting his cock and balls with one hand. The blood rushed to my dick watching the way his confidence was so natural. Innate like his hair color, white hot. He was always just himself. I wasn’t jealous or nervous. I admired him. It was a privilege to be with him and have him want to be mine.

  He ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll try to be patient, but we both know, I could do with a little more of that virtue. Holt, back in the sandbox we had to be other people and live in hiding, I don’t want to have to pretend anymore. I want to show you off and take you out and have sex whenever we want and—”

  I rushed the room to him and sealed my mouth over his. Not to shut him up, but because I loved the thought of being so much to each other and knowing he wanted to treat me better than any man ever had. “Ollie, I only wanted to know that you’re committed to me and to us. And after that speech, babe, I don’t have any doubt.” My Wranglers tightened like they’d shrunk in the last two hours. I adjusted my erection. “Damn, how can I already be ready for round two with you?”

  “Because we were meant to do this. You and I were made for each other, Holt.”

  “It’s always been right. And I wanna be right by your side, Ollie.”

  “Does that mean you’re staying?” His long arms trapped me from going anywhere. They were a firm indication of where he wanted me.

  “I’m stayin’.” I cupped his ass. “Are you sore?”

  “In the best fucking way.” Ollie winked.

  “I’m sorry, babe.” My hands slid up his body to behind his neck, and I guided his forehead to my waiting lips.

  “I’m not. The fact that you took control was so hot, Holt. I’ll bottom anytime for you.” His slender fingers ran through my hair. He seemed to have a fascination now that it was grown out. “You fucked me like I’ve never been fucked.”

  “That was me making love to you, Ollie. Like you asked me to.”

  “Then anytime you want to make love to me, I’m yours.”

  As his hand made its way down my neck and chest, then inched south of my belt line, I grabbed his wrist. “There are still a lot of things we need to work out.”

  “I know, Cowboy, but tonight let me hold you and make you sore in the best way, too.”

  “You need to refresh my memory on your oral skills first.” I unbuckled my Wranglers and let them drop to the floor.

  “My pleasure.”

  Was just thinkin’ the same thing.

  Chapter Twelve

  Oliver

  “Hey, darlin’, I think you’re lookin’ for the other warm body in this bed.”

  Holt’s rumbling southern drawl was one of the best things I’d ever heard during the middle of the night, but the screaming that quickly followed wasn’t.

  Shit!

  I sat up as one of my regulars bounced around the dark room shrieking. I flicked the nightstand lamp on and her naked frame froze as the room illuminated.

  “Tara, hey! Stop the screaming. I’m here and you’re fine.” I stood and pulled a pair of boxers up over my hips.

  “What the fuck, Oliver?” she wailed at me.

  I met her at the bottom of the bed with a blanket. “What?” I wrapped her up while Holt sat up in bed.

  “I texted you I was coming over,” she whispered like Holt couldn’t hear us in the twelve by twelve room.

  “My phone is in the kitchen and I was … kinda busy.” I turned her. “Tara, you need to go.”

  She huffed. “I don’t want to go. I’m horny. Kick him out.” She glared at Holt from her peripheral vision.

  Holt twisted over the side of the bed, grabbing his boxers from the floor and pulling them on under the covers. “No need to boot me out. I’m leavin’.” He stood and swiped the rest of his clothes into his hands.

  “Holt, just wait, please.”

  But he didn’t.

  I instructed Tara to get her clothes on, then followed on Holt’s heels. He dressed as he walked.

  “Holt, don’t go.”

  His silence was almost like saying too much and every non-word frustrated me. Scared me.

  After slipping on his boots, he grabbed his hat from the back of the couch and stepped around me. “I’ll talk to you later, Oliver. Enjoy your late-night…” He glanced to his watch and cleared his throat. “Excuse me, early-morning visitor.”

  I slid in between him and the door. “She’s leaving and you are staying.”

  “No, I’m leavin’.” He crammed his hat on his head. “Move, Aston.”

  “Are you mad?”

  Holt’s shoulders rolled back as he tried to release the tension, which after several orgasms shouldn’t have been a problem. “Not mad. Just didn’t realize you had a regular visitor. One who has a key to your place. I need time to think this over. Someone walking in to be with you at any hour, I’m not sure I’m in for that arrangement.” He sighed. “I’m sorry, but that doesn’t sound like somethin’ I could live with.”

  “I understand and I’ll get my keys back.”

  “Keys?” He emphasized the plural nature and the elongated s was
like a cuss, but there was no sexy drawl. “You mean to tell me there’s more than one of those runnin’ round out there?” He pointed to the bedroom.

  I wanted to say no as the real answer was going to set off Hurricane Holt, but I didn’t want him to lie about who he was anymore. I had to hold myself to the higher standard as well.

  “Yes. There are a few.”

  His arm dropped from pointing, but his hat dropped forward, too. All I could see were his lips, which only made me think of things we had done not too long ago. I shook off my craving and concentrated on what he was saying.

  “Now, see, where I come from, ‘a few’ can mean two to five. Maybe six. Now ‘many’, that brings us to six or more. Which is it, Oliver Aston?” He raised his head and his brown eyes crinkled at the edges. “Is it a few or many?”

  I cleared my throat. “Many.” He went to open his mouth, but I interjected. “But normally, I know they’re coming over before they actually crawl into my bed.”

  Holt’s brows sharped inward.

  That didn’t help.

  “I’ll talk to you later. Now move, Aston.”

  Tara glided into the hallway naked. “Oliver, move so the cowboy can leave us alone.”

  I glanced over my shoulder to her. “Tara, this doesn’t concern you and you’ll be leaving soon.”

  “We’ll see!” She spun to the bedroom and the whooshing sound of a body plopping onto the bed lofted into the living room. Then from the moaning and panting, Tara started to enjoy her time alone in my bedroom.

  I had a penchant for sexually open females. Imagine that. The fact she hadn’t brought a friend with her was something to be thankful for, but her verbalization of what she was doing to herself wasn’t at all helpful.

  “Shit! Is she takin’ care of herself?” Holt’s eyebrows went up when Tara screamed out her grand finale. “Impressive,” he deadpanned. “Get out of my way, Aston, or I will make you.”

  I stepped from the door. “I’ll call you later.”

  “I’m busy today. I’ll call you.”

  After Holt slammed the door, I grabbed my phone off the counter in the kitchen. I rubbed my eyes to clear the sleep. There were three messages, and it was just after four in the morning.

  Chloe: I’ve tried to call you these last few days. Please, call me. We need to talk.

  You are beautiful and fun, Chloe, but that’s not going to happen and I need my key back.

  Cinnamon: If you’re looking for some company, call me.

  Pretty sure that’s not your real name, but I don’t care what your name is anymore anyway. I’m damn glad I didn’t give you a key, but who else did I give one to?

  Tara: I’m coming over to rock your world. You’ll be the one coming soon. Be right there.

  I stared at the screen filled with messages that only spoke one disturbing fact. I’d tried to keep my mind off Holt by entertaining any willing vagina that would listen to my smooth-talking dick. Well, not every one, but there weren’t many I had turned down, or who’d turned me down.

  Fuck! Nice mess, Aston.

  I heard Tara start a solo round two. Back inside my bedroom, I stood at the bottom of the bed, watching in awe as she proceeded to get herself off again. I wasn’t mad at her. I appreciated people who could express themselves sexually and openly. The fact Holt had communicated what he really wanted tonight was one of the best nights we’d ever had together. Plus, I’d given her the key, another shit-show moment in a long list of spectacularly fucked-up decisions.

  “Tara.” Her moaning was loud and there really wasn’t a break to get in a word edgewise. “Tara!”

  She continued her self-attentions, but her eyes sprung open. “Slap on a condom and join me, Ollie.”

  “Not going to happen, Tara. It’s time for you to get dressed and leave.”

  She writhed on the bed. “The cowboy still here?”

  “No, but—”

  “Then come fuck me!” She moved onto all fours and her hanging globes tempted me. Beautiful, but not even close to what I wanted.

  The desire was fleeting. Memories of last night flashed through my brain. The way Holt cradled me next to him and we fell asleep wrapped up together—that’s what I wanted every night. The softness of a woman would never be enough by itself, but Holt could be enough for me. It was always just Holt.

  “Oliver, I said fuck me!”

  “No, Tara.”

  “What, you’re only into guys now?” Her large eyes rolled, accompanied by a huff of skepticism.

  “I’m only into one guy now.”

  She rocked back on her haunches. “Oliver—”

  I held up a hand. “It’s a done deal. Get your clothes on. I’ll walk you out to your car.” I grabbed cargo shorts and a t-shirt and walked to the bathroom.

  When I left the bathroom, she stood in the living room waiting—clothes on and hands on her hips, demanding my attention. “I don’t understand, Oliver. We have fun together. I don’t ask you for anything other than a good fuck, but you get the pleasure of getting off, too. Why does the cowboy have to take that away?”

  “I need my key back, Tara.”

  She dangled the key in front of me. “Answer my question.”

  “Because I love him and I want to make my future with him.”

  Her sculpted eyebrows shot up. “Damn, playboy wants to settle down?” She shook her head. “Do you know how many women are crying now that’s out in the universe?”

  I laughed. “Probably a lot fewer than you think.” But I had to admit there would be a few who would fight the information. Some probably worse than she did.

  Tara pressed her body against mine. “Good luck, Oliver.” She slipped the key into my hand. “You ever change your mind, or the cowboy and you want to mix a little softness into your bedroom rodeo, you call me first.” Her lips hit mine, but I pulled back immediately. She lingered before sighing and stepping away.

  “I’ll walk you out.”

  After sending the surprise visitor on her way, I cleaned up what was left of last night’s dinner, then headed back to bed.

  A black case on the nightstand caught my eye.

  Holt’s phone. Guess he’ll have to see me today.

  My alarm sounded and I stretched in bed before deciding to go to Triple R to work out. My body was sore, but that reminder only made me crave more of the same and riding a bicycle would keep the discomfort fresh, flashing Holt to the forefront of my thoughts where he deserved to be.

  I made it to the eight o’clock spin class, and Rory waved me over.

  “Hey, Ollie. How’s Sage doing?”

  “I’m going to see her after this. I’ll let you know.”

  “So, the hottie Holt? He’s the one you told me about in the car?”

  The class started and although it wasn’t proper decorum to talk, since we were in the back I decided “fuck it”. I needed to talk this out with someone. Sage was usually my go-to girlfriend, but she had too much on her plate right now.

  Keeping my voice low, I leaned to her. “He moved to Omaha without telling me.”

  “I’d think that means good things. Are you two back together now?”

  “I thought so, but then…” I told her about Tara’s untimely visit and how Holt left.

  “You have to go to him today and talk it out.” She slowed her cycling and I did the same.

  “I think the surprise visitor just threw in Holt’s face that I can’t promise him I wouldn’t want to have the best of both worlds once in a while.”

  The guy next to me cleared his throat, and with his voice just above a whisper he snarled, “It’s bad enough you people exist, but that you have to talk about your repulsive bedroom habits in public. Makes me want to fucking hurl.”

  Having spent the last few months with women, I’d forgotten the homophobic element that existed, but normally the menace wasn’t that vocal. Two men holding hands was rarely seen, and kissing was treated as if porn was being shown on a repeating loop at an elementary sc
hool assembly. If two guys were out, they were only two friends having a drink or seeing a movie. No touching. Nothing more than friendly eye contact and certainly no contact of body parts. The fact was things had gotten slightly better, but this wasn’t what I needed right now and it only showed me how far there was to go.

  To my surprise, I didn’t have to fight my own battle.

  Rory bounced off of her machine. “Class, can I please have your attention?”

  Everyone slowed as the instructor picked up the remote and silenced the music. About sixty eyes turned to the back of the room. And the guy beside me mumbled expletives under his breath.

  “Mr. Jonathan Overhill of the law firm of Overhill, Andersen, Dudlow and Walker, otherwise known as OADW here in the city, would like to share something with the class. Please, Jon, tell everyone your fascinating exposé on sexual orientation.”

  The black-haired man with slate-grey eyes squirmed and plastered on a fake smile. “I didn’t see you there, Miss Jessen.”

  She leaned toward him and lowered her voice. “Yeah, I got that. Now, you can either come clean or shut the fuck up! What’s it gonna be, law boy?”

  Overhill stepped from his bike, grabbed his towel and water bottle. From his inches over six-foot height, he leaned down to her. “Your father will hear about this.”

  She raised her voice. “Considering my brother is gay, and my dad was the first member of our family to hug his boyfriend and welcome him into our family, and Dad treats him as his own son, how do you think that’s going to go over, Jon? I tell him what you said and OADW will mean ‘Over And Done With’ to Jessen Auto.”

  His hands fisted and I slipped from my bike to stand beside Rory.

  The corners of his grey eyes wrinkled as he raised his voice, keeping a tight smile on his face. “Sorry, class, Miss Jessen has always had a spunky side.” He slid around us to the door. “Personally, I think she’s off of her meds and she should be in a padded room right now, but carry on without me.” And he exited the room.

  Rory grabbed her bag and bottle. “Sorry everyone, that was very rude of both of us. My sincere apologies.”

  I followed her out of Triple R. I touched her arm and she stopped outside of the front doors. “Thank you for that in there.”