Five Dates Only

by R. L. Kenderson

  Caleb snorted, but he seemed all too happy when Bear jumped up on the couch and attempted to lie as much of his body on top of him as possible.

  I took a sip of my beer and sat down next to Caleb. “Did I mention that Bear thinks he’s still the size of a puppy?”

  He laughed and scratched the dog behind the ears. “Nope.” He leaned toward Bear. “Are you a big baby?”

  Bear licked Caleb’s cheek.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  I picked up my remote and turned on the television. “What do you want to watch? What will distract you?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t watch much TV.”

  I wrinkled my nose at him.

  He laughed. “Don’t look at me like that. It’s not because I don’t like it or think I’m too good to watch TV. I just don’t have a lot of time. At least, not lately.”

  “If you say so.”

  “It’s true.”

  “So, when you do find time to watch TV, what do you like watching?”

  “Sports.”

  I stuck my finger in my mouth. “Boring.”

  Caleb laughed again. “Turn on whatever you think is good.”

  “Hmm.” I had to think about this one. The perfect show came to mind. Actually, two of them, but I picked the one I thought Caleb would like the best. “Have you ever watched Animal Kingdom?”

  He curled his lip. “I’m not big on nature shows.”

  I laughed. “It’s not even close to a nature show.”

  “Then, what is it?”

  “You’ll see.”

  We were about five minutes in when Caleb said, “I totally see why you like this show. A lot of dudes with their shirts off.”

  I smiled and shrugged. “It doesn’t hurt. But keep watching.”

  When the show ended fifty minutes and another beer later, Caleb said, “Holy shit,” in amazement. “That was awesome.”

  “I know, right?”

  He looked at me. “And why did you think I would like this?”

  “What’s not to like? There’s action and sex. Also, lying to your boss pales way, way, way in comparison to these guys.”

  “You’re right about that.”

  “Do you want to watch the next episode?”

  Caleb looked at his phone. “I would, but it’s getting late. Tomorrow is Monday.”

  I switched the TV to some random show and turned the volume down low. I looked over at Bear, who was sleeping in Caleb’s lap. “I think you made a friend.”

  He scratched behind Bear’s ears. “That’s good. I like him.”

  “Even if he’s sprawled in your lap like he owns it?”

  “Yeah.” Caleb looked at me, and suddenly, I was aware that he was in my house late at night.

  My eyes traced the lines of his face. He really was a handsome man. It wasn’t any wonder why I had broken my celibacy with him.

  Caleb swallowed. “Right now, I’d rather have—” He shook his head.

  “What?” I had to know what he was going to say.

  “I can’t say. You’ll probably kick me out.”

  Now, I was dying to know the rest of his sentence. “I promise not to kick you out.”

  “I was going to say, I’d rather have Bear’s owner sit on my lap like she owns it.”

  Bear lifted his head at the sound of his name. He yawned and jumped off the couch.

  I moved closer. “But I thought you said the sex was simply good. Why would you want me in your lap? Is this because you can’t date anyone else while we’re ‘dating’?” I asked, using air quotes.

  Caleb laughed and pulled me onto his lap. “I lied.” He ran his nose along my jaw and down my neck. “Being inside you was fucking phenomenal.”

  I shivered.

  “I only said it was good, so I wouldn’t scare you away. Because I was worried, if I told you that I touched myself every night while I thought of you, you’d probably sprint away.”

  Caleb looked up at me. His big hazel eyes were full of heat, and I did the only thing a red-blooded heterosexual woman could do.

  I kissed him.

  I quickly moved, so I was straddling him. I wanted to feel his thickness between my legs.

  Caleb squeezed the top of my thighs and moaned.

  I loved how turned on he was because of me. It made me feel powerful.

  We made out for a few minutes, kissing each other on every inch of bare skin within reach of our mouths, and he thumbed my nipples through my shirt and bra while I rotated my hips over him.

  “Fuck, baby. You’re going to make me come in my pants like a teen.”

  I kissed him again and slid off his lap and onto the floor between his legs.

  “God, you look so sexy right now,” he said. “It makes me wish you would …”

  I tugged my bottom lip between my teeth. “Makes you wish what?” I ran the palm of my hand over his bulging erection and unbuttoned his jeans. “That I would go down on you? Suck you off? Make you come?”

  He put his hand on mine. “You have to stop teasing me.”

  I pushed his hand away. “Who said I’m teasing?”

  I lowered the zipper and reached for the waist of his pants. He lifted his hips, and I pulled his jeans down.

  “There he is,” I said breathlessly and grabbed on to Caleb’s shaft.

  I knew I would sound weird, saying it out loud, but he had a beautiful dick. It was long and thick and the same girth from the base to almost the tip, where his mushroom head was bulbous, just like I liked penises to be.

  A drop of pre-cum leaked out, so I swiped my thumb over it and spread it around his crown.

  Caleb groaned.

  I lowered my mouth to him and took a deep pull. I moaned at his flavor. He tasted as good as he looked. I’d already known this from last weekend, but it was nice to know it hadn’t been my imagination.

  Caleb grabbed on to my hair. “Fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck. Did you take lessons in giving head or something?”

  He made a gagging sound as I sucked him into the back of my throat. He pulled on my hair, hard enough that I knew he wanted me to let go and look up.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “This isn’t fair. You blew me first last time.”

  I smiled. This was why I liked him. He might say stupid shit sometimes and tease me, but when it came down to it, he was a gentleman. Kind of. I was pretty sure whoever had coined the term was not referring to men eating women out.

  “Don’t fret,” I said, enveloping his cock with my hand. “I like giving head.” In fact, I loved it. “Haven’t you ever met a girl who does before?”

  “Yes. I just …”

  “What?”

  “Never expected it from you.”

  I lifted my eyebrows. “That’s what makes it that much more fun.” I looked down at him from my nose. “Now, be quiet. I have a dick to suck.”

  “I think I’ve died and gone to heaven.”

  Twenty-Three

  Caleb

  A week and a half later, Ted stopped me at work. “Caleb, how about you and I grab a beer after work?”

  “Sure. I’ll text Sloan to tell her that I might be a little late.”

  He clapped me on the back. “Sounds good,” he said and headed back to his office.

  I pulled out my phone to shoot Sloan a quick message. I hadn’t been making it up when I told Ted I needed to let her know.

  Since the night we’d received the trip to Hawaii, I had felt less guilty because, at this point, it felt like Sloan and I were really dating.

  If you considered fucking like bunnies and binge-watching Animal Kingdom dating. The fact that neither of our families knew about our situation was probably an argument against it being dating. But the two of us were enjoying ourselves, so I ignored that part of my brain.

  A couple of hours later, the two of us were ready to go.

  “Do you mind if I drive?” Ted asked.

  It was an odd question because we usually
drove separately. Then, we could go home after, and no one would have to give the other person a ride.

  “It’s not far,” Ted said when I didn’t answer.

  “Okay. Sure.”

  We got in Ted’s SUV.

  “Where are we going?”

  The two of us had only about three places that we frequented.

  “Someplace new. You’ll see.”

  My suspicions rose even more. If I didn’t know Ted so well, I would worry he was going to murder me or something.

  The good thing was that he was right. The place we were going was only about ten minutes away. But it wasn’t a bar or a restaurant.

  It was Ted’s jewelry store.

  Ted had asked me to help him pick out gifts for Mary in the past, but he had never kept it a secret or tricked me into coming.

  “Why are we here?”

  Ted turned off the engine and exited the vehicle. I had no choice but to follow or sit in the car and wonder what I was missing.

  There were several people in the store, but the minute an older gentleman in an expensive suit saw Ted, he said, “Excuse me,” to the couple he’d been speaking with. “Henry, can you help this couple, please?”

  A younger man stepped in as the older man came over to us.

  “Ted,” he said, holding out his hand. “It’s good to see you.”

  “You’re just saying that because, every time I come in, I spend money,” Ted said.

  The man turned to me and held out his hand. “Hello again, Caleb.”

  “Hello, Frank.”

  Frank, who was Ted’s jewelry guy, looked at me and said, “Are you ready to get started?”

  I looked at Ted. “Uh … sure?”

  Ted chuckled. “I didn’t tell Caleb why we were coming today.”

  “Ah,” Frank said. “This will be exciting then.” He waved his hand to the corner of the store. “I set some stuff out for you.”

  Still having no clue as to what these two were talking about, I blindly followed Frank and Ted.

  Frank opened a cabinet with a key. “I set these aside for you earlier today. Ted told me what you were looking for, but I still have a couple of other options for you.” He set a velvet box on the counter.

  In the box were several rings, all with diamonds and birthstones on each side.

  Just when I was beginning to feel less guilty, Ted had to do something else to bring it all back. Which made me sound like an asshole for complaining.

  By the time these five dates were over, I wasn’t even going to want to buy the store anymore.

  Ted clapped me on the shoulder. “Go ahead, Caleb. Look. I told Frank what Sloan had said up at the lake, but you know her best.”

  I laughed inside at the joke. I didn’t know her that well.

  Just tell Ted you’re not ready.

  Excellent plan, brain.

  “Mary thought Hawaii would be the perfect place to propose. It’s not often you get to travel to a beautiful location to ask the woman you love to marry you.”

  “Oh, she did, huh?”

  Fucking Mary.

  Now, my excuse sounded like a bunch of horseshit.

  Also, I secretly sent out an apology to Mary for swearing about her, but seriously, Ted and Mary were making my life very difficult.

  I tentatively picked up a ring. It was what Sloan had said she wanted, but the band was too thick. “I need a thinner band.” I set it down and picked up another. “Something like this.” I looked at the stones though and saw that it was a round cut. Sloan had said she wanted princess.

  Sometimes, us guys could pay attention.

  I set the ring down and went for another. It was a princess cut with two smaller gemstones in round cut. The two cuts looked good together. And the band was a thin white metal. I couldn’t tell white gold from platinum.

  I held it up. “This one.”

  Frank looked down. “Are you sure? You don’t want one of these other ones with a little more sparkle?” He pointed to one ring that had small diamonds running down each side of the band. Another had a band that twisted with tiny diamonds.

  I shook my head. “They’re pretty, but no. Sloan said she wanted simple.”

  “All right. This one it is,” Frank said and grabbed the ring from me. He took out a pad of paper and wrote on it. “We’ll take out the two emeralds on the sides. What birthstones do you want in there?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know what they’re called, but our birthdays are February and October. All I know is, she said pink and purple.”

  Frank wrote that down, too.

  A thought occurred to me. “Will these even be done before we leave for our trip?” I tried not to sound too excited when I asked the question.

  Frank winked. “Don’t you worry about that. Ted has been my customer for over thirty years.” He leaned in closer and whispered, “I’m moving you to the front of the line.”

  “Thank you,” I said in a tight voice. “That’s so kind of you.”

  “Only the best for Ted. And Ted’s friends, of course.”

  I put a down payment on the ring and left a few hundred dollars lighter and with an empty pit in my stomach.

  I sent Sloan a text, telling her I wasn’t going to make it tonight.

  I had no idea how I was going to tell Sloan that I’d bought an engagement ring and that Ted and Mary wanted me to propose to her on the trip. She was going to flip.

  Twenty-Four

  Sloan

  “Hey, Sloan. Come up here?”

  “One second.”

  Caleb and I were looking at a house that had just come on the market, and he had already gone upstairs while I was still looking around on the main level. We had plans to go to dinner, and he’d said he had to talk to me about what had happened with Ted yesterday, but I had wanted to show him the house first.

  I took my time, walking up the stairs to look for any major flaws and thankfully found none.

  “Where are you?” I asked.

  “In the master.”

  The top floor had three bedrooms with another on the lower level. It was in a nice neighborhood, and the price was decent.

  “Look at this view,” Caleb said as I walked into the bedroom.

  The back of the house had no neighbors. It sat up against a grove of trees, and the view and privacy bumped up the price from decent to great.

  Even better, the master bedroom had two French doors that went outside to a small terrace. Caleb opened the doors, and we stepped outside. Even though there were neighboring houses on either side, unless the neighbors were standing in the backyard, no one could see where we stood.

  I went up to the rail and looked down. “This would be perfect to sit out here and drink coffee.” I closed my eyes and imagined it.

  Caleb came up behind me and wrapped one arm around my waist. “I can think of one other thing to do up here.”

  I turned my head and rubbed his cheek with the side of my face. “Oh, yeah? What’s that?”

  “Hmm … something like this.”

  His other hand slid up my leg and under my dress. I closed my eyes and soaked up his touch. His fingers brushed my clit, and I suddenly couldn’t wait to get home. I figured Caleb was teasing me, letting me know what was to come later, so I was completely surprised when he pulled my underwear aside and slid his fingers through my wetness.

  “Oh, yeah.” He kissed my neck. “I love how you’re always ready for me.”

  “I’m not always ready.”

  He chuckled. “Coulda fooled me.” He pushed a finger inside me.

  I moaned. I should tell him to stop. I was technically working after all. But I hadn’t seen him for two days, and my body already missed him.

  His hand went straight for my magical spot. At this point, he knew exactly how to tease me and exactly how to make me come.

  Another digit joined the first, and I rolled my hips on his hand. “Oh. Yes. Right there.”

  “Right here?” he asked, putting a little extra p
ressure on my G-spot.

  I softly cried out. “Yes. Please. Don’t stop.”

  I threw my arm around the back of his neck and used his body to ride his hand. I was thankful for the secluded spot because I was right there. I felt my inner muscles tighten, but a split second before I exploded, Caleb pulled his hand away.

  I cried out again, this time in frustration, and let my knees buckle. “I hate you.”

  Caleb held me up and chuckled. “Don’t worry, baby. I got you.”

  “Lies.”

  He laughed again and took my arm from around his neck and placed it on the railing. He nudged me forward. “Lean over.”

  I rested my elbows on the banister as Caleb slipped my underwear off.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I told you, I got you.” He flipped the back of my dress up. “So pretty. Pink and wet.”

  I heard and felt him bend down. I had no clue as to what he planned to do, so when his mouth touched my clit, I jolted.

  I lifted the front of my dress and met Caleb’s eyes. He smiled and sucked me into his mouth. I tried to look away, but the eye contact he was giving me was hot as hell.

  He slightly drew away. “I wish you could taste you like I can,” he said before putting his mouth back between my legs.

  My legs started shaking, and my orgasm was building up again. “Are you going to let me come this time?”

  Caleb smiled but didn’t answer.

  I closed my eyes and put my forehead down on my arms. It was getting harder for me to stand up.

  I began to rock my hips again when Caleb pulled away. I thought he merely needed a break, but when I felt the cool air travel over my pussy, I knew he was gone.

  I lifted my head and looked over my shoulder just in time to watch Caleb’s face as he thrust his cock inside me.

  I gripped the rail. “Oh shit.”

  “Yes,” Caleb hissed. “Someday, I’m going to take you bare.”

  I pushed my hips back at him to let him know I liked the idea. Not only was he a fantastic lover, but he was also always safe, to the point that I was almost convinced that he had a magical pocket in his pants that had a portal to condoms.

  He grabbed my hips and thrust into me slow but deep. He gradually picked up his pace, and I knew it wouldn’t be long for me. He’d already prepped my G-spot with his fingers, so every time his shaft hit, I was that much closer.