Chapter Eighteen
Jagger
“What the fuck are you doing?” I hissed at myself in the confines of my bedroom. I was pacing the floor with only the streetlamps lighting the way.
I’d wrongly assumed that when Bailey left to go to Carson City, we’d come to an agreement to move in together when he came back to Vegas. He’d reiterated he wasn’t leaving me behind, and I took that to mean we would live together at my place since he didn’t have a place in Vegas.
When he arrived in a chock-full rental SUV, I was certain things were solid.
I’d cleaned the junk out of the closet in the spare room until I had time to go through my closet and make more room for him, and I’d been looking online for a chest of drawers to match my bedroom set, but I hadn’t found one since my bedroom furniture was older.
“I’m an idiot.” That was no lie.
I got too damn upset earlier when things didn’t go as I’d planned, and I didn’t try to talk to him. He went to bed without a word from me, which was wrong on so many levels. For someone I was sure I loved, I’d treated him like someone I didn’t care about.
I tossed and turned all night, trying to figure out how to fix it. It was my fault for not asking him outright, but that wasn’t something I was good at doing. No one needed to tell me that for a man who was forty-four years old, I was being ridiculous.
A scent in the morning air caught my attention. Was that…bacon? I sat up as though that would make it easier to smell whatever it was. I wasn’t out of bed yet, so it wasn’t me making bacon in my kitchen.
The door to my room was open, which wasn’t the case when I’d given up the ghost and gone to bed shortly after Bailey went upstairs the previous night. What a dumbass I’d been.
The scent of bacon and something else had awakened my morning wood as well. If I hadn’t been such a prick, I probably could have gotten rid of the wood in a very fun way before we went down to make breakfast together…
I went to the bathroom and took care of morning business before smoothing down my hair that was sticking up in the back from my restless sleep. I slid on a pair of basketball shorts and a T-shirt, making up my mind to be in a much better humor than the previous night.
The house was cool because I’d turned on the air conditioner while Dixie was visiting.
Poor girl didn’t need to pant all night because I was a fan of fresh air.
My parents kept our house freezing cold when I was a kid, and I’d hated it.
When I could get by with it, living in hot and sunny Las Vegas, I turned off the air and opened the windows. But that wasn’t often.
When I walked into the kitchen, the smell of fresh coffee hit my nose, and I saw biscuits on the counter. My mouth watered.
“I went to the store after I returned the rental. I got a rideshare back. Did someone move my bike?”
I swallowed, having forgotten about Sawyer and Fitz’s visit a few days ago. “Uh, yeah. It was supposed to be a surprise for you, but I’m sorry I didn’t ask you first.
“Not knowing how long before you’d be ho—back in Vegas, I asked Fitz’s husband, Sawyer, to come take it for a short ride to keep it lubed and running.
He looked at a few things, but did he fuck something up?
I’ll pay to have it fixed.” It was as if I had a garrote around my neck. Nothing was going right.
I glanced at Bailey as he stood by the stove, turning bacon. “No, not at all. It’s better than it’s been in years. I’ll have to pay him for adjusting the timing chain.”
“No need. I’m glad it’s better. I cooked dinner for Fitz and Sawyer last Monday night in exchange for Sawyer starting your bike. He took it out for a short ride and then got out his tools while Fitz and I sat in the garage, drinking beer and gossiping about folks at the office.
“Sawyer said if you want to sell it, he’d like to buy it.” I’d told him that would never happen, and I intended to make sure of it. Bailey loved that bike.
“You like him? Fitz’s husband?” Bailey turned from the stove to stare at me. He had dark circles under his eyes, not unlike my own, I was sure. Neither of us had slept worth a fuck the previous night.
“I do. He’s a great guy. He manages the dispensary his motorcycle club owns, though he’s no longer an active member of the club. I’m not sure what’s up with that because I don’t ask questions. It doesn’t feel as though it’s my business.”
Sawyer Abbott was an amazing man, and it was easy to see Fitz adored him. They were a good couple with a few more years between them than Bailey and me. If they could make it work, couldn’t we?
Bailey glanced over his shoulder. “How do you like your eggs?”
I stepped over to the stove and took the uncracked egg from his hand. The bacon was on a plate with paper towels covering it to absorb the grease, and the biscuits were on the counter under a clean towel.
“Can we talk, please? I’m so sorry I was such an asshole last night. I’m not good with disappointment.” If I couldn’t be honest, I was going to blow it with this incredible man.
Bailey smiled. “Please? I wanted us to remind each other how much we missed each other and maybe talk for a while after. I’ve missed the fuck out of you while I was in Carson City, Jagger.”
I released a breath I’d probably been holding all night. “God, I missed you too. I’m so damn sorry I was a huge prick last night.”
Bailey pulled me into his body and kissed my neck. “Let’s clear this up right now. I want to be here with you, if you want me.”
“God, I want to see you every night when I walk through the door after a long day and wake up next to you every morning. I don’t give a flying fuck how long we’ve known each other or what other people consider an acceptable timeline.
“I want you here every day. I’ll do whatever I can to help you figure out what you want to do for a job.
I’m sure there are plenty of people who need private investigators in Vegas.
Or hell, I bet Sparky would hire you. You already have your PI license in Nevada.
Getting your bail agent license and bond insurance wouldn’t be that much additional work.
” I got pretty damn excited at the thought of him possibly working with me.
Bailey grinned. “Being a bail recovery agent might work. Hell, I’ve got time on my side to figure it out. I’m not in a rush to decide anything except I want to be with you, babe.”
“I’d like us to be exclusive.” The words just came out as though I had no control over my damn mouth.
I held my breath as he studied me, his face more serious than I’d ever seen. Being together exclusively was a big deal to me, and I hoped it was to him too.
“Do you have something to ask me?” Bailey lifted his eyebrow and stared. God help me not to fuck it up.
I exhaled. “I do. Bailey, would you please move in with me? I’d love to have you live here with me…if you want.”
There. I’d done the best I could. It was up to him.
Staring into those gorgeous blue eyes nearly had me unable to breath as I waited for Bailey to answer me. He would be the one to decide whether we had any future at all.
“Can I sleep in your room, or do I need to stay in the guest room?”
I sucked in a breath. “You want my room? You can have it.”
“With you in it, of course. Yes, I want your room with you in the bed next to me. If I move in with you, it’s an all-or-nothing proposition.
I don’t give a fuck about how long we’ve known each other, and I don’t give a good goddamn if we have a fight over something fucking stupid.
We don’t walk away from each other like you did last night. Do you agree?”
“Yes, I agree. I don’t want to be without you either. I think we have a great future ahead of us, Bailey, if we agree to be honest with each other. What do you think?” My lungs were squeezing in my chest as I waited for his answer.
Bailey grinned. “I think you’re a smart man, Trooper. We create a great future…together.”
I smirked. “We agree to look out for each other and create a future together…and you quit calling me Trooper?”
The unbelievably handsome man staring at me laughed. “In my head, you’re my sexy Nevada trooper with that stupid hat with the flat brim. I don’t mean to offend, but that hat…”
I laughed hard. “I hated that hat, but it was part of the job. What was I supposed to do? Think you can find another pet name for me?”
Bailey stared at me for a moment before he smiled. “How about mine? Can I call you mine?”
I studied him for an instant. He was serious, and it surprised me. “Only if I can call you mine.”
Much to my surprise, Bailey spit in his right hand and stuck it out, which wasn’t anything I’d expected. “Come on. Spit swear?”
I laughed hard and did as he asked. When we stared at each other, I knew for a fact that I loved the guy. Who else would suggest something so corny? Who would be as supportive and incredible as Bailey Gregory?
Nobody I knew.
I glanced over my shoulder. “You okay? You gonna get in there anytime soon?” I shook my ass at him as I waited on my hands and knees.
It was all I could do to keep from laughing as I studied Bailey’s handsome face. He was staring at my asshole as if it held the answers to the mysteries of life, and he was taking too fucking long to follow through with what he’d just prepared me to do.
Bailey was kneeling behind me as my head and chest were on the bed and my ass was in the air. He’d been tonguing my entrance as he got me ready for him to shove that beautiful cock inside me before he’d come to an abrupt halt.
“It just occurred to me that you might want to fuck me. I mean, we can take turns, babe. I like a dick in my ass too.” He had a big grin plastered across his handsome face, and it was on the tip of my tongue to tell him I loved him, but not with my bare ass swaying in the breeze.
Hell, I was lubed up, and Bailey had tongue- and finger-fucked me so well I was about to spray the damn sheet under me because I couldn’t hold back any longer.
I fell onto the bed and turned onto my back. “Babe, I’m all greased up and ready to go. If you want me to fuck you, I’ll do it, but let’s do this one first.”
Bailey stared at me for a moment and then started laughing. It was a slow, deep rumble at first before it grew into a loud, raucous laugh that got me guffawing with him.
He collapsed onto the bed next to me, and we couldn’t stop laughing. It was fucking amazing to laugh with him about something so silly as who got to top who while we were both naked with our cocks bouncing in unison as we laughed.
“Okay, baby. One at a time.” With that, I spread my legs for the beautiful man who had shown me how much he could rock my world.
Once he was sliding inside me, I was as near to heaven as I believed I’d ever get. I wasn’t a religious man, but Bailey Gregory was someone I could worship as his cock sawed in and out of me, hitting my prostate with every stroke and driving me out of my mind.
“Fuck, Bailey. I can’t hold back. I’m about to—”
He stopped immediately and gazed into my eyes. “Not yet, baby. I’m close. Hang on a sec.”
Bailey pushed into me harder and faster, and I fucking loved it. He knew what the fuck he was doing when it came to giving me pleasure. I did my best not to come, but every time his hard cock grazed my prostate, my eyes rolled back in my head.
“Okay, baby, I’m about to nut. I want you to come with me.” Bailey slowed down and pushed in slower, giving me the most amazing sensation I’d ever felt in my fucking life. Every nerve ending in my body was zapping, and I worried the top of my head would blow off.
My balls tingled and then spilled between us as he continued pounding into me. “Oh fuck!” My eyes rolled back in my head as I spilled onto my stomach. My skin was hot with sweat, but I was floating on a cloud.
“Oh fuck is right,” Bailey whispered.
The warmth inside my ass was damn incredible as his body stiffened before he relaxed. Bailey collapsed on my chest as we both fought to catch our breath.
“Bailey, if there’s anything you want to change about the house, please feel free. Like I said, I’d like to buy the unit next door and make it a single-family, but if that’s not possible, maybe we can find a house we both like?”
The sexy man rolled off me and grabbed my right hand, twining our fingers as he settled on the bed next to me. It was the most intimate gesture we’d ever had between us. Nobody had ever held my hand like Bailey, and I loved it.
Words of love were on the tip of my tongue, but for some reason, I held them back. It was too soon, I was sure. I’d bet my life he’d agree.