Chapter 11
NATE
I’ve come home to an empty house my entire adult life. Now, tiptoeing in as quietly as possible, it's soothing to know Bailey is sleeping in my bed.
I think we’re perfect for each other in the ways that matter – our incredible physical connection. The way we laugh together. The way we’re both so meticulously organized.
But, realistically, Bailey needs to plan things. Will she truly be okay with a partner who gets called away for random emergencies? Will she understand that I won't always have time to explain as I'm running headlong out the door?
Not to mention, she has a new job and apartment lined up.
I feel a deep wave of guilt at the idea of derailing everything simply because I'm falling for her so hard.
Telling a gorgeous young woman that she should flip her entire life and stay with me forever is not something I know how to articulate.
But…
I'm falling in love with her. I want her to be mine. I want to be hers. Deep in my gut, I know we belong together.
Is that going to be enough?
I shut the door quietly on my way into the house, slip off my boots, and hang up my coat.
I wash my face and hands in the kitchen, since it's furthest away from the bedroom, and strip down to my shorts in the living room, tossing my clothes on the chair before tiptoeing upstairs and down the hallway.
Ten feet from the open bedroom door, I hear a rustle of blankets. "Nate?" Her voice sounds frightened in the dark.
"Yes, it's me, baby." I slip in beside her and turn on the bedside lamp. "I'm so sorry to wake you. I was trying to be so quiet."
She looks at me carefully. "You're okay? Please tell me you're okay."
"I'm fine." We lie down and I wrap my arms around her. "They needed help moving one particularly big tree. A bunch of equipment and people to coordinate. Nothing dangerous, just a whole procedure."
She sighs heavily, her head snuggling against my shoulder. "I was asleep for a bit, then had a terrible dream about chainsaws."
"Out here we’re extremely careful with those." I tip her chin up with my finger. "You weren't worried about me, were you, beautiful?"
Her eyes are still tense as she shakes her head. "I didn't think so. But then you were gone for a while.” She sighs. "I'm probably just stressed from the past few days."
Rocking her gently, my hand drifts along her hip and outer thigh, stroking her petal-soft skin. "Now that your test is done, you deserve a treat. How about I take you to lunch tomorrow?"
She blinks in surprise, then props herself up on an elbow. "I… Okay, honesty time. Since I'm younger, and from out of town…I guess I kind of wondered whether this…whatever we are…if you'd want to keep it quiet. You know. In case they judge you, or things don't work out."
My palm cups her cheek. "I can't think of any reason this won't work out."
That's not true. She could change her mind about me and remember she has goals beyond some guy she met on the mountain.
She could realize she has her entire life ahead of her and should be with someone her own age.
Or…and I don't think Bailey is flighty like her mother, but young people can change their minds a lot…
She could decide tomorrow that she wants to take off and work at an apple orchard in Albania.
"I think we just need some more time together, beautiful. And time spent sleeping with you in my arms is definitely time well spent in my books."
There's no mistaking the blaze in her deep blue eyes, even in the dim light. "What are you thinking?" I ask, cuddling her to my chest.
“Nothing." She walks her fingers up my abs, then flattens her palm against my chest.
The way she touches me makes me tingle, and I'm helpless to stop my cock from thickening between us as it stands to attention. "Ignore him," I mutter. "You're the sexiest woman I've ever seen, and he agrees, that’s all."
"You said we need more time together." Bailey flutters her lashes, smiling sweetly. "Does naked time count for double points?"
She must feel the shudder that runs through me. My hands squeeze her body to me, my erection tight in my shorts, rubbing against her belly as she shimmies against me. "I thought we were going to take our time. Is that no longer the case?"
She laughs. "You're the one that keeps mentioning adult relations." Her thumb hooks into the side of my shorts. "Maybe I'm in the mood to do that no pants dance."
My balls tighten, the center of my spine starting to sweat as she pulls my shorts down to my knees. I kick them off under the sheets, then groan when her palm wraps around my pulsing shaft.
She slides her hand up, her thumb brushing over the sensitive tip, then her eyes fly wide. “There's a few drops already?"
"You just turn me on so much, baby. I've been hard as hell off and on since we met.”
From the way her eyes glitter, I think she likes hearing that. She strokes me gently all the way up and down, her small hand making me feel gigantic. There's something excruciatingly hot about knowing I'm her first hand job. The first man to go down on her. That I’ll be the first man to…
"Bailey." My voice is a whisper. "We can do anything you like, or nothing at all. But my cock is asking. Do you want to stroke it until I come?"
Her head shakes, nose crinkling as she stifles a giggle.
"Do you want to suck it?"
She licks her perfect lips. Then she tosses the blankets out of the way.
Bailey doesn't hesitate. She leans in, opening her mouth as I stare in disbelief at the way her lips stretch around the head of my dripping cock.
She moves down slowly, carefully, as far as she can, then all the way back up.
Her hands stroke the other two thirds of my length as my breath catches, chest heaving.
I'm going to remember this image for the rest of my life.
My loud groan echoes through the bedroom as her tongue swirls around the head, then she pulls her mouth off with a slight pop. She continues stroking me and flashes me a wink. "I'm not going to suck you until you come."
"Tell me what you want. I'd love to make you come on my hand again." Her head shakes. "Or eat your soft, sweet pussy." Another shake. My hand dips into her shorts to find her already wet as she squirms against my hand.
"Remember what I said about being on the pill?"
My back teeth grind, and I have to fight to unclench them. "Yes."
"Well… I couldn't think of a better teacher."
She squeals in delight and flips onto her back as I tear off her tank top. Then I draw her shorts down her legs, tossing them aside. I bend her knees, kissing along her inner thighs, anticipation building as my mouth claims her pussy.
My pulse is beating in my ears, as if it's chanting in delight that my tongue is going to be replaced with my cock as soon as I’ve made her come.
"Honestly, you're so big, I don't think it's going to fit," she murmurs, gripping my shoulders as her hips wriggle from side to side.
"That's why I need you soaking wet, baby."
This time I know exactly what she needs, and my rough fingers thrust firmly inside her as my tongue lashes her clit with a soft, quick pace.
Bailey's eyes become half-lidded as she tries to focus on me, the climax coming hard and fast until her back arches, nipples tight and pointing straight up as she quivers from head to toe.
Her tight pussy chokes my fingers as she shakes.
After a few slow breaths, I kiss my way around her hip bones, along her stomach, then take each nipple in turn into my mouth before meeting her lips. She spreads her legs wider, inviting me in as my cock begins to rub along her open, wet pussy.
"Tell me you want me," I rasp.
"I want you."
I want to ask her so many questions. Like if sleeping with a man she just met goes against her life plans.
Or if she really is thinking of staying here with me.
Or if I'm doing the right thing by giving her what she wants instead of being responsible and waiting…
Three weeks? Ten dates? Whatever is supposed to be appropriate, anyway.
But every single thought flies out of my head as Bailey reaches down, guiding my body to hers as she whispers, "I really do want you. Now.”