Chapter Eleven
Okay.
A date.
A normal, regular date. With a normal, regular guy.
Except he wasn’t like any other guys Bailey had ever met.
Besides the fact he was Daddy to a five-year-old.
Besides the fact he was a widower.
Besides the fact he was hot as fuck.
Besides the fact he wasn’t aware he was hot as fuck.
Besides the fact that oblivious hot-as-fuck Daddio hadn’t been fucked for a very fucking long time.
Hey. No pressure.
Oh, and no pressure that he’d only had sex with one woman in his thirty-six years.
The woman he’d been married to for a dozen years . . . before she died.
Yeah. This was light-years away from a normal date.
Bailey locked up Wild West Clothiers and exited out the side entrance, using the cut-across to get to the employee compound.
She waved to Bobbie and Pete, who were making final evening rounds on the ATV.
Before she went home to prepare for her date, she stopped at her car and grabbed the box of condoms she’d purchased after last night’s make-out session with Streeter.
Her belly did a little flip, remembering how quickly Streeter had gotten his kissing skills back up to speed. She hadn’t ever been kissed with such thoughtful deliberation. With such barely controlled greed. Add in his admission that he wanted to learn how to please her and she’d just about jumped him in the parking lot.
She’d gotten lost in those kinds of thoughts as she backtracked to her place. But before she reached it, she heard a rhythmic thumping coming from Ted and Zack’s trailer. Specifically from the bedroom at the back of the trailer, which was situated right across from her bedroom. She glanced up and saw their bedroom windows were open.
Weird. They kept their place buttoned up, preferring to keep their window air conditioner running night and day.
And when she heard a very masculine groan, followed by, “Fuck me harder, Ted. I need to come now. My break’s nearly over,” Bailey understood why they kept the windows shut.
She also understood why the two young men were content in each other’s company.
Good for them that they’d found love or hot fucking or whatever. But since they’d kept their relationship secret, she oughta give them a sign that keeping their windows closed would maintain that privacy.
Even though she wasn’t ready to see him yet, she marched over to Streeter’s trailer and banged loudly on the door.
Sure enough, all audible activity in the Ted and Zack secret sex show stopped immediately.
Bailey knocked again. Louder. She added on, “Streeter, I know you’re in there,” for good measure.
Locks tumbled and the door opened to reveal a shirtless Streeter, brandishing a washcloth in his left hand. “Bailey? I thought we agreed on seven o’clock.”
Good lord, would you look at those damn abs?
The only way they could’ve been more appealing was if he’d just stepped out of the shower and tiny drops of water rolled between those firm pillows of glistening flesh. And then more drops followed the happy trail of dark blond hair into the white towel wrapped around his hips. A towel that was dangerously close to dropping to the floor. Or combusting, given the deep cut of muscle that disappeared into his jeans—his body was hot enough that it could happen.
“Bailey?”
“Oh. Yeah. Right. Six-pack. Seven o’clock, whatever.”
Warm fingers curled around the bottom of her jaw and tilted her chin up.
Damn. The view of his rugged face was just as droolworthy as his belly.
Amusement danced in his sexy green eyes. “You do realize you said ‘six-pack’ and not ‘six o’clock’?”
“I did?”
“And hot stuff, this is the first time you’ve looked me in the eyes since I opened the door.”
“Well, you shouldn’t go around half-dressed, flashing those abs at people. They’re distracting.”
Streeter raised an eyebrow. “You knocked on my door.”
“So I did. Should I be sorry?”
“No. I’m happy to see you, even if you’re seein’ more of me than I intended.” He stepped back. “Come in and I’ll finish getting dressed.”
“You don’t need to do that on my account” slipped out.
He chuckled.
As soon as she stepped inside and he shut the door, she went toe-to-toe with him. “I feel we need to be totally, one hundred percent, brutally honest with each other.”
Some of the amusement in his eyes dimmed. “What’s on your mind?”
“You. And me. Naked.”
He waited.
“We’ve gotten to know each other over the past couple of weeks to realize we like each other. Last night we acted on our mutual attraction with that superhot make-out session. I don’t want to waste the limited amount of time we’ve got alone together suffering through a dinner we probably won’t taste, in a public place where neither of us wants to be, when we’re both wondering if we’ll end up in bed after the dessert course, when it’s obvious that’s where this is headed. So let’s cut out the boring middle and get right to the explosive ending.”
“You’re serious.”
“Completely and utterly serious.”
His face showed his suspicion. “This ain’t some kind of test?”
“A test? Like to see if I eat dessert first?”
“What?”
Oh, and lookit whose eyes zeroed in on her groin with her eat-dessert-first comment.
They both seemed to realize that the train had already veered off the track.
She managed a quick “Explain the test thing.”
“Like you have a dating rule where I have to prove I’m a gentleman and tell you I don’t want to fuck you stupid on the first date, so you think my intentions are honorable or some shit, and that’s when you tell me I passed the test. Because I’ll admit right now, I’m about to fail that motherfucker with flying colors.”
Bailey’s brain got stuck on fuck you stupid. Could she be so lucky that he had all that going on and he was a dirty talker in bed?
“Are you even listenin’ to me?”
Her gaze winged back to his. “Uh. No. Everything you said after fuck you stupid became white noise.”
“So your ‘eat dessert first’ philosophy truly sums this up.”
“Yes. I’m a sure thing.” Dammit. “I meant dessert is a sure thing if it’s the first course. Or the only course.”
Streeter stepped back and dropped the washcloth at her feet.
“Does that mean what I think it means?”
“That I’m throwin’ in the towel? Yep. You wanna do this now, I wanna do this now, so baby, we’re doin’ this now.”
Then they came at each other so fast it was a wonder they didn’t knock their damn teeth out.
Between voracious kisses, Streeter muttered, “Off. Get your clothes off. I need to touch you.”
Their fingers got tangled as they both tried to undo her buttons.
Streeter trapped her face in his hands. “You strip and I’ll do this.”
And he kissed her with such raw hunger that she nearly tore her blouse off, screw the buttons. Then she reached behind her and unhooked her bra, baring herself to him.
Immediately he slid his hands down her neck and over her chest to palm her tits.
She was mesmerized by how thoroughly his rough-skinned hands searched for her trigger points—not the obvious ones. First kneading and stroking her whole breasts, then working her nipples, pulling and pinching, until he’d learned which ones made her arch into his touch, which ones caused her to gasp. And as he figured out that after a hard pinch to her nipples, she craved a lighter caress to soothe the sting, he kept up the ebb and flow of their kiss.
Until the moment he ripped his mouth free and bent her backward over his arm to feast on her tits.
“Streeter.”
He said, “Mmm?” as he tongued her nipple.
“You’re breaking my back, dude.”
That brought him upright. “Sorry.”
“Take me to bed. Unless we’re doing this right here on the living room floor?”
“No, bossy. I do have some class.”
“Me too.” Bailey snatched the box of condoms out of her purse.
“An entire box?”
“That oughta get us through tonight.” She sashayed down the hallway, heading straight to his bedroom at the back of the trailer.
When Streeter paused in the doorway, he said, “Bailey? What’re you doin’?”
“Checking to make sure the windows are closed.”
“Why?”
You don’t wanna know. “Maybe I’m a screamer.”
“If you’re tryin’ to get me more riled up, it’s workin’.” Streeter pointed to her pants. “Off.”
She shimmied her capris down to her ankles, trying to be sexy as she did it. The way his eyes flared with heat indicated she’d achieved sexy with the removal of her panties. Go her!
“Now you.”
He undid the top button on the waistband of his jeans and eased the zipper down. His “date” jeans were baggier than the Wranglers he wore every day on the job, so she caught a quick glimpse of his boxers after he shed them. Then he stood naked before her and she couldn’t look anywhere except at his dick.
His truly magnificent dick in all its long, thick, circumcised glory.
Had she mentioned long?
Had she mentioned thick?
“You’re starin’ at it.”
“So?”
“So, you’re givin’ me a complex.”
Bailey managed to tear her gaze away from the one-eyed monster and look into his eyes. “Here’s a hint, cowboy. You know you’ve got a big dick. Let me admire it.” She paused. “Please tell me you’ve got lube.”
“Yes, I’ve got lube.”
“You sound testy.”
“I am. This ain’t goin’ the way I thought it would.”
She sauntered forward. “You’re naked. I’m naked. We’re in your bedroom. We’ve got a box of condoms, lube and the whole night ahead of us. How is this not going in the right direction?”
He jammed a hand into his hair. “I’m nervous. I thought we’d be kissin’ and then the next image in my head is of us rollin’ around nekkid in bed.”
“You skipped a few crucial steps in that fantasy. The reality is I’ve gotta be prepared to take that bad boy or it’s gonna hurt.” She smoothed her palms over his pecs. “You grab the lube. I’ll open a condom and we’ll meet on the bed. Deal?”
“Deal.”
She turned away, but he pulled her back against his body with one hand on her belly and one arm braced across her chest.
“Wait.”
Please don’t change your mind.
Then she felt his lips gliding back and forth across her hair. “Be patient with me.”
His rapid exhales tickled her ear, causing her skin to tingle from that spot straight to her core. “Do you want to stop?” she said a little breathlessly.
“Fuck no.”
“Then grab the lube and we’ll get to the rolling-around-naked part.”
Thankfully he couldn’t see how much her hands shook as she opened the box of condoms. She was nervous too.
When she faced the bed, she noticed Streeter’s eyes on her butt. “You’re staring at it.”
“So?”
“So, it’s giving me a complex.”
“Here’s a hint, hot stuff. You know you’ve got a damn fine ass. Let me admire it.” He smirked. “That lube is gonna come in handy, ain’t it.”
“Omigod, no, you are not fucking me in the ass at least until our third date.”
“Damn, dating rules do exist.” He cocked his head. “I wanna take a bite outta that cute butt of yours, though.”
“And then what would you do?”
“Bite the other side.”
Bailey walked across the mattress on her knees. “And then?”
“Then I’d rub my face all over it, so we’re cheek to cheek in a whole new way.”
“Cheeky man.” She ran her fingertips down his jawline from one side to the other. “You shaved for our date. I like that.”
“I’d like you to put the condom on me. Now.”
Any momentum they’d lost blasted through them as she rolled the condom on.
And on.
His hand covered hers as he slammed his mouth down on hers.
God. She loved his mix of raw sexuality and innocence. She let go of his dick and grabbed onto his shoulders, pressing their bodies together.
The heat between them increased with every kiss. Every touch.
Streeter had a hold of her hair, limiting her movement, which was . . . wow. Way sexier than she’d imagined it’d be. When he broke their kiss to whisper, “Spread your legs for me,” her heart raced faster, her blood seemed to run hotter and her need ran deeper.
His growl of satisfaction rumbled in her ear when he touched her pussy and found her wet. Really wet.
He urged her onto her back as he remained on his knees.
“So fucking sexy.” Streeter squirted lube into his hand and coated his cock. Another dollop covered his fingers and he kept his slumberous gaze focused on hers as he slipped those digits inside her. Once. Twice. Three times.
“You wet enough to take me?”
“Yes, but keep the lube handy.”
There was no hiding his emotions in those beautifully expressive green eyes as he planted his left hand above her shoulder and rolled his pelvis up, dragging his cock over her mound.
She groaned. “Do that like a hundred more times.”
“You’re way more optimistic than I am about how long this is gonna last.” He pushed into her slowly. Watching her face like there would be a test later about exactly when pleasure overtook her pain.
It’d been so long since she’d felt that stretching burn—and never like this—as he inched his way inside.
“Streeter.”
He stopped.
She felt his legs shaking. Watched the sweat building on his hairline. Saw him clenching his jaw when he forced out a terse “What?”
“Kiss me.” Bailey twined her arms around his neck. “Please.”
“I can concentrate on fucking you or kissing you, but not both at the same time yet, so pick one.”
She bit her cheek to keep from laughing. “Definitely fucking.”
“Thank god.” He snapped his hips and he was all in.
The weight of him was the perfect amount of pressure on her clit. And if he stayed like that, she might embarrass herself and come at the first hard thrust.
“Tell me what’ll get you off.”
“Rock forward. Oh god, yes, just like that. So close.”
“Already?”
“Yes! And no goddamned judgment when you just admitted you were ready to blow too. Please just . . .”
Streeter laid his hands on the insides of her thighs and pushed them flat to the mattress, pinning her like a butterfly. Then he started to move.
That one adjustment was all she needed. She unraveled immediately. Arching hard, swearing a streak of gibberish, then unable to make a single sound as she held her breath through every throbbing pulse.
It. Was. Fantastic.
A dozen fast jabs later, she looked up as Streeter closed his eyes and groaned.
She felt every pulse of his cock and clamped her inner muscles to the rhythm of his release.
Sex-drunk, he pitched forward and buried his face in the crook of her neck.
A heavy sigh later and he started nibbling her jawline. Then her earlobe. He kissed a path to her mouth, bestowing soft smooches and tiny sugar bites, pausing only to whisper praises into her neck and promises into her ear.
Their soul kisses started out slow but didn’t remain that way for long. When she felt him harden inside her again, and that white-hot spark of need ignited between them, she clamped her hands on his ass and held on.
Bailey wasn’t sure how long they’d lain in his bed, indulging in afterplay after the second time. But at some point, they both fell asleep.
“Streeter?”
“Yeah.”
“I need food. I’m starving.”
On cue, her stomach rumbled.
She kissed his shoulder and rolled to the opposite side of the bed. “I’ll cook since it was my idea to have dessert first.” She found her panties and one of Streeter’s T-shirts, which hung to her knees but was still better than putting on pants.
She wandered into the kitchen and peered into the fridge. Of course it was fully stocked. She took out the eggs, a package of sharp cheddar cheese and a gallon of milk.
When Streeter appeared, his hair adorably messy, wearing just his boxers, she bit back a sigh. He really was too good to be true. “So, cutie, I’ve decided on scrambled eggs with cheese and tomatoes.”
“Sounds good. I’ll make the toast. The pan you’ll need is in the oven.” He paused. “I’ve got bacon in the freezer.”
“That’ll take too long.” That was sort of a half-truth. Bacon didn’t agree with her so she usually avoided it.
The meal came together pretty fast.
After the first bite, Streeter set his fork down. “Thank you for cookin’.”
“Thank you for fucking me stupid.”
He smiled. “Totally my pleasure.”
He was quiet too long after he finished eating.
Bailey touched his forearm and he jumped.
“Shit. Sorry. Lost in thought.”
“About?” Please don’t say guilt.
His troubled eyes met hers. “Why a beautiful, sexy, funny woman like you isn’t married or in a relationship.”
Maybe if she talked about her past he’d talk about his. “I’ve been in relationships, even a couple of serious ones. But I knew they wouldn’t last.”
“How?”
“They were based on convenience or the taboo nature of screwing around when we weren’t supposed to be during deployment. My last relationship was with a guy in my company. It ended two years ago. He ended it, in case you were curious.”
“I am. Why’d he break it off?”
Bailey snagged the piece of crust on her plate and proceeded to shred it into crumbs. “Logan said I wasn’t what he wanted anymore. That stung. I mean, it would’ve been easier if he’d cheated on me. Then I could blame his new squeeze for the breakup. But when someone you care about says to your face, ‘Babe, it’s not me, it is you,’ that’s a personal blow to the core of who I am. Or who I was. That changed me. Not because I couldn’t live without him, but because I could. I’d wasted a few years with a guy . . .” Who ran at the first sign of trouble. But she couldn’t admit that. She cleared her throat. “With a guy who had a standard that I couldn’t live up to.”
“His loss”—Streeter leaned over and easily lifted her out of the chair and onto his lap—“is my gain.”
“Just as long as you’re aware that I’m only about the sex.”
He frowned.
“If that’s a problem, let’s get it out there now.”
“No, actually that’s better for me. Then I won’t feel guilty about spending my off-hours with Olivia.”
She pressed her forehead to his. “See? That wasn’t so hard.”
“Surprisingly . . . no. But since this kick-started my libido, I can’t wait to hear you knockin’ on my door after Olivia’s in bed.” His gaze bored into hers. “It’s gotta be here during the week. I can’t leave her alone.”
“I’d never ask you to do that.”
They stayed like that for a while. Breathing the same air as Streeter trailed his fingers up and down her leg.
Finally he said, “After I told you I’m fine with just sex, I’m gonna ask you not to leave. It’s only nine o’clock. Hang out with me.”
“Streeter Hale. Are you asking if I wanna Netflix and chill with you?”
“Yeah.”
Dear lord. Was the man . . . blushing?
Oh, Bailey, how are you gonna keep yourself from falling for him?
She’d think about that later. Much later.
“I don’t care what we start watching first, but I wanna end our night with some porn.” She kissed the muscle flexing in his jaw. “Don’t tell me you don’t watch it.”
“Of course I watch it, but not out here where my kid could catch me with my dick in my hand. Them kinda movies I watch in my bedroom.”
“I’m in.”
“But I’m gonna be honest. I don’t wanna watch porn with you. I wanna do the things I’ve seen in porn with you.”
“Even better.”