Chapter 30
CHAPTER 30
“S o, you seriously haven’t spoken to him since you had sex last night?” Emma asked
Her voice cut in and out, and Rayna stepped on the gas, speeding through the stretch of road that always had a poor signal.
“Emma, you still there?”
“Yep,” Emma said. “You haven’t spoken to Stark?”
“No… well, yes, but not really…”
“What do you mean?”
“I texted him this morning with a brief message that I was on birth control and a copy of my medical records. We’re obviously not going to do this again, but I figured it was the right thing to do since we both lost our minds and had sex without a condom.”
“What did he say?”
Rayna flicked on her indicator and turned right on the road leading to her house. “He replied with a copy of his medical records.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
“You haven’t texted or spoken to him since?” Emma asked.
“No, but it hasn’t even been twenty-four hours,” Rayna said.
“Sure, but if some guy fucked me on my kitchen table, I’d probably reach out to talk about it,” Emma said.
“It was a hate fuck,” Rayna said. “I don’t think you’re supposed to talk after one of those.”
There was silence, and Rayna said, “I can hear you judging me, Emmy.”
“I am not judging you, honey,” Emma said emphatically. “I can see how the adrenaline and the rush of what happened with Louis and then Stark saving you would bring on certain feelings.”
“No feelings,” Rayna said. “Zero feelings, Emma. This was about a release and nothing more.”
“Okay,” Emma said. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come over tonight to talk more about you being attacked by that fucking asshole Louis and then recovering by banging Stark? I feel like a fifteen minute conversation as you’re driving home isn’t really covering my best friend duties.”
Rayna laughed. “I’m sure. I have a ton of things to catch up on with the rescue, and besides, what else is there to discuss? It was a mistake, and it’ll never happen again.”
“Okay, but I really wish you would press charges against Louis. What happened last night could easily happen again.”
“It won’t,” Rayna said. “The sheriff called me this morning. Even though Louis agreed not to charge Stark and promised not to go near my property, Sheriff Walker suggested that I get a restraining order against him, which I did. So, if Louis comes anywhere near my place, he’ll go to jail.”
She could almost hear Emma’s concern over the phone. “Rayna, I hate this. If Stark hadn’t been there last night…”
“He was, and I’m fine,” Rayna said. “It was a scary experience, and I never want to go through it again, but I have zero doubts that Louis will do a repeat performance. He won’t, Emma. Listen, I better go. I’m almost home, and you know there’s another dead zone coming up. I’ll lose the call anyway.”
“All right,” Emma said. “But we’re having lunch together tomorrow, and there will be a serious discussion about you getting a doorbell cam and a better lock for your door. I don’t care if I have to pay for it myself. It’s happening, Rayna.”
Love for Emma rushed over her, and her throat tightened with emotion. “I love you, Emmy.”
“I love you, too, Rayna. Text me later.”
“I will.”
Three minutes later, she pulled up to her property, staring in surprise at the familiar red pickup in her driveway. She parked next to it and climbed out of her vehicle, glancing at the decal on the truck door. The decal was a large black oval with a hammer and screwdriver crisscrossed over the top of the oval, and the words “North Handyman Services” were in bold font across the bottom. She walked toward the house, joining the man standing on her porch.
“Hey, Wallace.”
“Hi, Rayna. How are you?”
“Good,” she said. She studied Wallace as he turned and rummaged through a reusable bag sitting on one of the porch chairs. Wallace North was in his mid-forties with dark hair and eyes. He had a quiet and calm energy and was the guy most people in Harmony Falls called when they needed something repaired. He was particularly popular with the single ladies, and Rayna could see why. He was nearly twenty years her senior, but she could appreciate a good looking man when she saw one. She studied his ass in his jeans. Especially one with an ass like his.
Sure, but it’s not as nice as Stark’s ass. His dick probably isn’t as big either.
She flushed bright red as Wallace turned to face her. He stared at her red cheeks before saying, “Something wrong?”
“No,” she said. “What, uh, are you doing here?”
He pointed to the door. “Installing your new door cam.”
“I’m sorry, what?” She stared at the camera installed next to the door.
“Your new door cam,” he said before holding out an envelope. “Here are the instructions on downloading the app.”
She took it from him numbly, staring at it as Wallace said. “If you unlock your door, I’ll install the new door locks next.”
She blinked at him. “New door lock?”
“Yes,” he said, giving her a puzzled look. “Why do you look so confused?”
“Because I had no idea this was happening,” she said. “Who hired you?”
Now, he looked as confused as her. “You didn’t know I was coming by this evening?”
“No,” she said. “Who asked you to do this?”
“Isaac Stark,” Wallace said, glancing over Rayna’s head at Stark’s house. “Well, more accurately, it was his assistant, but she was calling on his behalf, she said.”
He frowned. “I assumed you knew about it, although I guess I should have known better.”
“What do you mean?” Rayna asked.
“Stark’s assistant was very clear that I was to install both the door cam and the new locks no matter what you said. Stark said you can talk to him if there’s a problem.”
She sighed in exasperation. “Of course he did, the arrogant son of a bitch.”
Wallace raised his eyebrows at her, and she sighed again. “Sorry, it’s not… that is… sorry.”
“It’s fine. So, do you want to unlock the door, and I’ll get started?”
“And if I say no?” Rayna said.
He glanced at Stark’s house again, and she sighed before unlocking the door. “Yeah, okay. Install the new lock.”
* * *
Stark wasn’t at all surprised to see Rayna standing outside his door when he opened it. Nor was he surprised by the annoyance on her face.
He was surprised by his immediate impulse to pick her up, carry her to his bedroom, and fuck her into the mattress.
“Ms. Abrams,” he said. “How can I help you?”
She glared at him before pushing past him into his house. “What the hell, Stark?”
She wore her usual hoodie and leggings combo, but the bulkiness of her hoodie did nothing to help him forget how perfect her breasts were. He’d touched them last night, but why the fuck hadn’t he at least sucked on her nipples? Now, he’d never get the chance.
“The door cam and new lock are for your safety,” he said.
“ Locks ,” she said. “Plural. Wallace installed two locks and a deadbolt on my door.”
“Good,” he said. “I told him multiple locks were needed.”
“You’re going overboard,” she said.
“No, I am not. Many people have multiple locks on their doors.”
“I’m not talking about just the locks. Mary from Safety First Security called me to book a time for their technician to install the new security system,” she snapped. “She said, and I quote, ‘Mr. Stark wants it installed as soon as possible.’”
“If you’re not available for the installation, I’ll have Hollis meet the technician at your place for the appointment. Do you have a spare key she can use?”
“One, you are not paying to install a security system at my house, and two, Hollis’s job is not to babysit a technician at my house.”
“Hollis’s job is to do what I ask her to do,” he said, “and yes, I am. This is happening, Ms. Abrams.”
“Oh my God!” Her face turned crimson. “You are the most arrogant, annoying, stubborn son of a bitch I have ever met.”
He grinned. “Thank you.”
“For fuck’s sake… you are not installing a security system at my house, and that’s final.”
She started to push past him, and he slapped his hand against the wall, using his arm to prevent her from leaving. She whirled to face him, her back against the wall and annoyance on her face. “Move, Stark.”
Instead of moving, he placed his other hand on the wall, penning her in as he said, “The security system is not an option.”
“You can’t tell me what to do!” she said.
His gaze dropped to her mouth. Christ, what he wouldn’t give to kiss her again. Just being close to her had him hard as a rock, or maybe it was her sheer outrage with him. He couldn’t deny that riling her up was a huge turn on for him.
He told himself not to, then moved in close anyway, letting his erection brush against her belly. “You didn’t have a problem with me telling you what to do last night, Ms. Abrams.”
She swallowed hard, her pretty brown eyes landing on his mouth. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Fuck, he had to touch her. He had to.
He traced his thumb across her bottom lip, his cock straining at his zipper when her mouth opened, and undeniable desire blazed in her eyes.
Still holding her gaze, he reached for the zipper of her hoodie, pulling it down slowly until he had a view of her perfect breasts. She wore a thin t-shirt beneath the hoodie and no bra, and he traced the hard bud of her nipple through the soft material.
“I told you to come on my cock, and what did you do?” He lightly pinched her nipple before sliding his hand down her flat stomach and slipping it under her leggings.
He traced the waistband of her panties. “Answer me, Ms. Abrams.”
“I came on your cock.” Rayna’s voice was a low moan.
“That’s right, you did.” He slid his fingers under her panties. “Open for me.”
She parted her legs, and he cupped her pussy. “That’s my good girl.”
She moaned and grabbed his arms, staring at him as he made light circles against her pussy. His fingers brushed against the bare spots from the waxing, and she gasped, her hips arching into him.
He bent his head and kissed the curve of her jaw. “Do you want me to touch your clit, baby?”
“Yes,” she whispered, her hands digging into his arms.
“Ask me,” he said.
Instead of asking, she kissed him, her tongue pushing past the barrier of his lips. His lust spiked at her familiar taste, and he pressed his body against hers, returning her kiss hungrily as he rubbed her clit in slow circles.
When they broke apart, they were both panting, his cock was a hot length of steel, and he had two fingers deep in her pussy. She squeezed around his fingers as she stared wide-eyed at him, her mouth swollen and red and her nipples hard against her t-shirt.
He had told himself repeatedly all day that he could never fuck Rayna again, but standing here now with his cock practically begging to be buried in her hot body and the look of need on Rayna’s face made every good intention fly out the window.
He pulled his hand out of Rayna’s pants, ignoring her cry of dismay, and took her hand, tugging her down the hallway toward his bedroom.
“Stark…”
He stopped, measuring the sudden trepidation on her face as she looked past him toward his bedroom door. He turned abruptly and led her to the living room instead, instinctively knowing that taking her to his bedroom was too much for her.
He pulled her to a stop in front of the couch before stripping off her hoodie and then his shirt. She stared greedily at his naked chest, one hand reaching out to touch the light layer of hair on his chest.
He unbuttoned his jeans, pausing when Rayna said, “Stark, what are we…”
He reached for her t-shirt, holding the hem of it as he said, “I’m about to sit on the couch, and you’re going to ride me until you come on my cock. Do you have a problem with that, Ms. Abrams?”
She stared silently at him before raising her arms above her head. With a satisfied grin, he pulled her shirt over her head.