It's not something I would tell anyone, but I never have to work another day in my life. These car washes, despite sounding like a simple enterprise, have made me a pretty penny. They've set my sister up in college. They paid for my mother's house, and they made me a millionaire.
It's not something I lead with. I'm not that kind of guy. I prefer to go to the gym, read a book, go to work. I don't know, maybe watch something on Netflix? I'm not complicated, and I definitely don't find my worth in my money. However, it does feel good to give young kids a shot at their first job. And I like coming to the lot closest to me and making sure it’s running like a well-oiled machine.
When I hired Billy last week, I knew I had made a good decision. He's one of those guys who’s always on time, always smiling, and isn't afraid to put in a little bit of extra grit to get the job done.
When he shows up after school today, he is smiling extra wide. "What's going on?" I ask as he clocks in.
"It’s a girl…”
"A girl?" I raise my eyebrows.
“Yeah, Bailey. She's pretty much everything, and I actually got the guts to ask her to prom."
"That's awesome,” I say. "Man, I never even went to my own high school prom."
"No?" Billy says. "Neither did my sister. She was always studying."
"Yeah, me too," I say with a laugh. "Well, good for you. You got the girl." I try not to be jealous of a high school senior.
"Yeah, and now I'm going to go work so I can hopefully pay for the date.”
"Your folks won't help you out?" I ask.
"Oh yeah, my dad would. I'm just… I don't know," Billy says, shrugging. "I like to earn my own money."
"I get it," I say. "I can respect that."
Billy laughs. "All right, see you later." He heads out and I finish my work for the day, making sure my orders are in for the summer promotion I've planned. My publicist had emailed me a big list of things she wanted approval on. It took most of the day, but at least it kept my mind off of Kourtney, because damn, it's hard to think of anything else.
She never replied to my text.
And it kills me. How did I read her so damn wrong?
So I focus, keep my head down, and do my job. Suddenly, it's five o'clock and Billy is back in the office.
"Hey," he says, "I don’t want to interrupt you. I know you're a busy guy, but my sister's here and I wanted you to meet her just because, I don't know. You’re my boss. Is that weird?"
I laugh. "No, it's not weird, Billy. It's nice. I like to know my employees’ families."
"She basically is the reason I eat. She feeds me. She washes my clothes. Drives me around. She's amazing.”
"It sounds like you won the sister lottery," I say, chuckling as we walk outside. But once I get out there, I stop in my damn tracks.
It's not just any girl, any sister. It's Kourtney.
“Kaden?” she asks, her eyes wide. "What are you doing here?"
"I work here," I say.
"Wait," Billy says. “You know Kaden?" he asks Kourtney. "You know my boss?"
"Your boss?" she says. "Oh." She bites her bottom lip. "I didn't realize you... Oh." She smiles, stepping forward. "It's good to see you again," she says. “I meant to text back… I just didn’t know how to write out what I felt. What I thought. I wanted to call after work to see if we could meet face to face. And somehow, here you are.”
My heart is buoyed by her words. I wasn't exactly expecting them. “You have no idea how good it feels to hear that,” I say, stepping toward her. “So you're Billy's sister."
"I am," she says.
"The one who can cook and clean, who washes his clothes?"
"Something like that," she says, giving her brother a cockeyed look.
"But I still… I don't get it. How do you guys know each other?" Billy asks.
"We went out last night," Kourtney says, her eyes on mine. I step closer and take her hand. I lace my fingers through hers, and she doesn't pull back.
"This was the guy you went out with?" Billy laughs. "Okay. This is kind of strange.”
"Is it?" I say, my eyes on Kourtney. "Because I don't think it's strange. I think it's pretty damn perfect."
Kourtney
Okay. Trying not to freak out, like completely freak out, because I'm standing here, holding hands with Kaden. The guy I thought I messed everything up with. And yet, here he is, looking at me. I mean, really looking at me.
Billy is also three feet away. So that's not weird.
"I guess the coincidence gets a little stranger," I say, "because my boss is Josh Jones."
"My Josh?" Kaden says. "Like, Josh, Josh?”
I laugh. "Yeah, like Josh and Jessa. Like Jessa, who makes the best blueberry muffins in town, Jessa. And Josh, who met her and fell in love in twenty-four hours?"
"Right," he says with a smile. "Hashtag relatable."
I cover my face with my hands. "Oh my God, I cannot believe you just hashtagged this moment."
"Why?" Kaden asks. "You know you wanted to."
"Maybe," I say. "I mean, is this weird?"
He shakes his head. "No, it's not weird to me. But I can't believe we're both here.”
I swallow and start to speak, but then close my eyes. "Do you think we could take this somewhere? Like, where my brother isn't a few feet away?"
Billy laughs. "Hey, why don't you give me your keys, sis? I'll drive home and you can get a ride with my boss."
Kaden laughs. "Sounds good to me."
I give my brother my keys. "Drive safe."
"I'm an adult. Remember?"
"I know, but…"
"I know. You love me."
"I do."
Billy leaves and I try to inhale, exhale, without freaking out because this is real. Really happening.
"Are you happy?"
"Uh-huh. Little bit," I say with a shaky laugh.
"Don't worry. I'm not going to take you back to the lookout.”
"The problem wasn't where you took me," I say. "I just got a little freaked out because a girl like me and a guy like you…"
"…are a perfect match?" he asks, finishing my sentence.
"I wasn't going to say that exactly."
"But it's true," he says, stepping closer, wrapping his arms around me, tilting my head, my chin, and pulling me in for a kiss. "This is pretty damn perfect."
"Mm-hmm,” I say softly. “It is."
His stomach growls mid-kiss.
"Are you hungry?" I ask.
He laughs. “Kourtney, I'm goddamn starved."
Chapter Six
Kaden
We stop and get tacos to go with chips, guac, the works. When we pull up to my house, Kourtney turns to me.
"You live here?" she asks. "It's gorgeous."
"Well, I dropped you off at your place last night and it was pretty nice too."
"Yeah, but that's my dad's place."
"You still live at home?"
She nods. "Yeah. After my mom died, I thought my dad needed someone around, so I moved back home and helped with my brother, and, well…” She lifts her shoulders high. "I haven't left. I think at this point, my dad is probably ready to move on and my brother is going to leave for college soon, and I don't know, maybe it's time for me to move on too."
I smile. "Maybe it's time for you to move in."
Her eyes go wide. "Oh my God. This is the second day I've known you."
"Too fast?"
"Maybe," she says, laughing, then she throws her hands up in the air. "Or maybe not. I mean, Josh and Jessa knew each other for a day and then they were like, the rest is history."
"Actually, I think it was a week."
"Maybe," Kourtney says. "A day, a week. Does that matter? All I know is sometimes people fall hard and fast."
"Sometimes they do," I say back, loving the way she looks when she smiles. I could stare at her all day, all night. I lead her inside my house and she seems comfortable here, kicking off her shoes next to mine and running her hand al
ong the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. Smiling at the framed photos of me and my sister and mom on the wall.
"You're like a real grown-up," she says.
"Yeah,” I chuckle. “And are you a real grown-up?"
She turns to me. "Yeah. I mean, except for the fact I still live in my childhood bedroom, but in other ways, yes. I have a job and I pay my bills, and I… I don't know. What makes someone a grown-up?"
"I don't know. I think it's probably overrated, whatever it is,” I say, running my hand over her back.
"Yeah," she says. "I look at my brother and think these are the years he needs to hold onto, when there are no worries, no problems. Everything is just easy."
"Yeah. They can be easy now too, though," I say, pulling her to face me. "I have everything I want in the world. A successful business, a beautiful home, a great family, but I'm missing the one thing I want."
"And what's that, Kaden?" she asks as we stand in front of the fireplace.
"I'm missing the other half of my heart,” I tell her simply.
"Do you think you’ll ever find it?" she asks.
I lift her into the air, her legs wrap around my waist and I squeeze her ass, holding her to me. "Oh, baby. I think I already found it."
I take her into my bedroom and I lay her down on the bed, my cock demanding the girl it’s always dreamed of.
"Is this really happening?" she asks, beaming up at me.
I nod. "Yes, baby. It is."
"Good," she exhales. “Because I’ve waited my whole damn life for you, Kaden.”
We undress quickly. Our inhibitions are gone because of the coincidences maybe, or because of how right we seem to fit together, or how easy conversation is. I don't know. Whatever it is, we don't hold back.
I pull off my jeans and shirt, and she whimpers as she looks at me. "Oh my God. You are so hot, Kaden." I chuckle, balling up my tee shirt and throwing it at her.
"Don't make me blush," I joke.
She giggles. “I’ve never undressed for a man before," she admits.
"Then how about I undress you for myself?" I ask. She nods ever so slightly, standing before me, and I lift the hem of her dress up over her head, letting it fall to the floor. She's in pretty pink panties and a pink lacy bra that pushes up her big tits, high and close. Her curves get me so damn hard.
"God, you're beautiful," I tell her, stepping closer. My cock rubs against her belly, and she inhales, biting down on her lip.
"Oh, Kaden, I've waited for this all my life."
"Do you want it hard and fast or soft and slow?"
She smiles. "I want both."
"Greedy, are you?" I kiss her, massaging her big round tits. God, her skin is so fucking soft.
She nods. “Greedy and hungry."
"So you're as starved as I am?" I ask her.
She licks her lips. "Maybe I am." She runs her fingers over the waistband of my boxers, slipping her hand underneath and stroking my shaft. "You're so hard,” she says. I groan. My cock thick for her. It feels so good to feel her hand against me. I need to feel her, too.
I slip down her panties and unclasp her bra. I need her naked, bare, mine. "Fuck, you're gorgeous," I tell her. Dropping to my knees, kissing her tits, her belly, breathing in her sweet pussy. It smells so good — it smells like mine. I draw her to the bed, leaning over her. "God, I want you."
"You have me," she says.
"Do I?" I ask, wanting to know for absolute certain.
She nods. "Yes, Kaden. I'm yours."
Kourtney
It's gone from zero to one hundred and yet this speed feels so absolutely right. I'm not saying Josh telling me that Kaden was a good guy was what I needed to hear, but it's like all these pieces just fell into place.
Billy vouched for him. Josh vouched for him. Everything about Kaden is the thing I want and I don't know why I pushed him off last night, but I'm not pushing him off now.
When you know, you know. Who am I to say this can't be my love story?
“You're smiling," Kaden says, looking down at me.
I nod. "I'm just really happy."
"Good," he says, running his hand over my bare skin. Every inch of me is on fire in the most delicious way. "Because I'm happy too — really happy," he says, moving down, spreading my knees open, dipping his head to my pussy. I'm wet, I'm so eager.
He feels it, my want, as he licks me, breathing me in. I run my fingers through his thick, dark hair. Loving the way it feels to be kissed and teased and sucked. His tongue slides against my folds, teasing my clit, sucking it hard, making me dizzy.
I close my eyes and press my hand to my forehead. "Oh God," I moan. "That feels so, so so…" He kisses me deeper, harder, sucking me more, licking me up and down. Then he adds a finger to my open pussy and he begins to move against me. Up and down, up and down, faster, faster. A second finger, then a third, and I'm moaning now. Loud.
My knees drop open, my body shakes, my back arches, my breasts bounce as he fingers me. So damn good, so damn hard.
"Oh God," I moan as he takes me with his hand, the sound of my juice spilling on his bed. He licks it up. Savors it. He runs his wet fingers over my belly, over my breasts, and he pulls up closer to me, kissing me. I taste myself and I kiss him harder, rolling over on top of him, wanting him. This. Us.
"Oh God," I moan. "I need you in me. Please come inside of me."
"You sure, baby?" His thick cock is too close to my needy pussy.
I nod, taking his shaft, stroking him up and down. He's so hard and so smooth. It's what I imagined, only better — a hundred times better.
I love his room. It's dark and intimate. The lights are low, the shades are drawn. It feels so decadent, so sensual, so utterly perfect. I lift my ass and I sink down against him nice and slow. I know most girls probably aren't so comfortable being on top their first time, and I never thought I'd want that, considering my extra pounds, but I like being on top of him. I like the way he squeezes my ass, the way he rubs my breasts together, pulling them close and then lifting his mouth to my nipple, twirling his tongue around it.
"God, you're so sexy. I love holding you," he groans as I open my pussy for him.
Taking his big, thick cock, inch by inch, I sink down. It feels so good. I moan, dropping my head, my hair swishing down my back, my breasts exposed, my heart open. His. "Oh God, Kaden," I moan.
His cock is so deep inside of me, buried nice and tight. It's so, so tight. "Oh God," I cry out. "It hurts, but it hurts so good." He smiles as I look down at him.
He pulls me close, my breasts against his chest, my lips against his lips. We kiss hard. Hard and deep. He rolls me over and he pushes deeper inside of me, thrusting his big, thick cock where it belongs, in me. Deep inside of me.
"Oh God. I can't hardly breathe,” he tells me. “Fuck. This is everything. I love you, Kourtney.” His fingers thread through my hair as he fucks me, as he takes me, as he makes me his. I'm marked and I'm made new.
"Oh God. I love you too," I tell him.
It's not the sex talking. It's not the way his thick cock fills me up so nice and good.
It's the way his eyes reach inside of me. It's the way his fingers lace into my own. It's the way my heart thrums, pounds when we're together. "I love you," he says again.
"I love you," I tell him. "I love you. I love you. I love you."
He finishes and I finish too, the orgasm we share rolling through my body, reaching my core.
I'm breathless, and I'm his, and he knows it.
He pulls me close, tight enough, squeezing me to him, and he kisses me again.
"God, I love you," he says. We’re laughing, exhilarated. I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my life.
“You mean it?” I ask him, smiling so hard my cheeks hurt.
He runs his hand over my hair. "I mean it.” He grins. “Kourtney, you seriously guac my world."
Epilogue 1
Kaden
One month later…
O’Malley’s is packed �
�� maybe because I told all my buddies to come. Yes, it’s Tacos and Trivia Night, but it’s also so much more.
Kourtney walks toward me with two margaritas and hands me one. We clink glasses before taking a sip. Then I pull her in for a kiss, squeezing her creamy ass as I do. She beams up at me, the pair of us on the top of the world.
The last month has been unbelievable. Once Kourtney and I went all in, we never looked back.
“Tacos for two!” Sylvia says, setting down a platter along with a hefty side of guac.
“Thanks so much,” Kourtney says. Then she pulls out her phone. She has a text from her dad, Logan. “So my dad is being super cryptic in his texts. He’s on a work trip and I think he might have met someone.”
“Love is in the air. Apparently Billy is all set for his prom date with Bailey,” I say. “I’m letting him borrow the Corvette.”
“And what about your sister, Trista?” Kourtney dips a chip in the guacamole. “She’s been pretty vague lately.”
“Agreed.” In fact, so have a lot of the guys. Grady has been acting weird around Vance, for starters. “But at least everyone showed up tonight.”
“Yeah. Who is that guy?” Kourtney asks, nodding toward Trent. He’s a tall guy in a blazer.
“Trent. He teaches at the college. Biology, I think?”
“Trista seems to know him.”
I watch as Trista and Trent move down the hallway out of view. “Huh, I wonder what that’s about.”
“You gonna go into beast mode and find out?”
I shake my head. “Not tonight. I have bigger things to worry about.”
“Like what?”
I grin. “Like beating everyone here at trivia.”
Kourtney laughs as Tim begins explaining the rules. I look at Kourtney, swept up in my love for her. Not really caring about this game… what I really care about is making her my wife.
* * *
The rounds go quickly, and soon enough, it’s the final question of the night. Vance and Grady are groaning, saying Kourtney and I must have rigged it somehow since we’re schooling them all, but we are winning fair and square. Can’t help it if my girl and I are just that much smarter than everyone else at the bar.
The Way To A Man’s Heart: Books 1-10 Page 9
