Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
Delaney
The bell rings, and the classroom turns into pure chaos, making me laugh despite how tired I feel. Kids rush to grab their bags off the hooks and line up next to the door.
“No pushing!” I remind the kids.
They all settle and wait patiently for a minute. Natasha, one of the school aides, comes and grabs the kids who ride the bus and takes them outside while the other kids wait for their parents and guardians.
Instead of letting all the kids rush out and finding their people outside, the person has to come up to the door and alert the staff that’s on duty that day.
That person will go to the classroom and grab the child.
It’s our way of making sure everyone who picks up a kid is supposed to.
It’s tedious and honestly exhausting when the duty comes around, but it’s worth it.
I begin to pick up things that were left out. One by one, the classroom empties until one student is left.
“Miss Harris, Bobby’s mom would like a minute with you if you have time,” Natasha says, making me internally groan.
I love Bobby and his mom. She’s absolutely fantastic, but today I don’t have the energy to deal with parents when I don’t have to. Still, I paste on a smile and turn and find Monica standing at the door with Bobby pressed against her leg.
“Sorry to bother you.” She winces.
“You’re not bothering me. What’s up? Is everything okay?”
“I just got word that my grandma passed away,” she says quietly.
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Thank you. I don’t know if you remember, but we’re a military family, so we will have to travel back to Washington for the funeral.”
“Of course. I’ll get the schoolwork gathered up for Bobby. Just let me know the dates, and I’ll get everything lined up before you go.”
Her shoulders drop, and she smiles. “You are seriously the best. Thank you.”
“It’s all part of the job. Just send me an email when you know for sure, and we can work it out.”
“Thank you. Have a good night.” Monica smiles, taking her son’s hand.
“Bye, Miss Harris,” Bobby calls out, making me smile.
“Bye.”
As soon as they are out of view, I tip my head back and sigh. Gathering homework for Bobby isn’t a big deal, but it’s just another thing to add to my list of things to do.
I’m tired. So damn tired.
It’s not that I was out late or because I had a drink, but because when I crawled into bed, all I could think about was the fact a man made me come. Not the normal way, but because he made me use him like he was a toy.
One thought kept circling through my mind on repeat.
Am I broken? Is that why I only came when I pretended like I was alone? That he was an object?
He didn’t seem to mind, though. In fact, he seemed to like it.
Shaking my head, I try to push thoughts of last night out of my mind.
I glance around the classroom and decide it’s good enough. Nothing is on the floor, so the custodians won’t have any issues when they come in to vacuum later. Walking over to my desk, I gather my things along with the papers I need to grade this evening and head for the door.
When I step outside, I can’t help smiling when the hot air hits me. As I walk to the parking lot, I grab my keys from my purse. When I look up, I pause.
Tank.
He’s here. Almost as if he knew that I was thinking about him.
He’s got his arms and ankles crossed as he leans against his motorcycle that’s parked right next to my car.
“What are you doing here?” I ask when I find my voice and start walking toward him.
“Why did you give me the wrong number?” he asks, making me wince.
“Self-preservation?”
When he asked for my number last night, I almost gave it to him but then changed my mind.
I have no business being with someone like Tank.
Not because of who he is, but because I don’t want to be someone’s project.
After I left, though, I second-guessed myself and couldn’t help but wonder if I should have actually given it to him.
That didn’t seem to stop him from finding me, though.
“Why?” he presses.
I hit the automatic start on my car before I turn to face him.
“Because I’m broken, and it’s not your responsibility to fix me,” I tell him quietly.
Tank studies me for a moment before he speaks. “You aren’t broken, Delaney. Pretty sure we figured that out last night.”
I shift from one foot to the other. “You know what I mean.”
“I do, but like I said, you aren’t broken.”
“Why are you here, Tank?”
“Because I want to help you. Not because I think you need it, but because I want to. I have an idea to help you with your issue. All you have to do is say yes,” he says, making my heart rate kick up.
Do I want to? Yes. I want to be able to come with a partner. I want to enjoy sex without getting caught up in my head. I want to be able to stay present when it matters, but can he really show me how? Can he teach me?
“Say yes, Delaney,” he pleads.
“I don’t know,” I say quietly.
“What do I need to do to convince you?”
I look around the parking lot and see that people are starting to exit the building. I watch as heads turn toward us. I really don’t feel like dealing with their judgment right now, especially when I don’t know what this is.
Sighing, I turn back toward him. “Not here. We can have this conversation, just not here.”
He nods slowly, understanding my predicament. “Okay, follow me.”
I nod and step to my car, opening the door.
“And Delaney,” he says, making me look over at him. He’s already straddling his bike. “If you don’t follow, I’ll just go to your house.”
“How do you know where I live?” I ask when his comment registers.
He raises a brow. “I just do. Now are you going to follow?”
I feel my cheeks heat and nod.
How is it that this man, whom I just met, already knows me so well? It doesn’t make sense.
“I’ll follow you,” I tell him, meaning every word.
Tank
Ever since we parted ways last night, she’s been on my mind.
As soon as I got back to my room at the clubhouse, I texted her.
To say I was disappointed when a spam text message came up instead of her would be an understatement, but I wasn’t surprised.
A good girl like her has no business keeping a guy like me company.
I knew I should have let it go, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t help but replay the entire interaction through my mind over and over again. I swear I could taste her hours later on my tongue, and my fucking cock was worn red from my palm from making myself come from the memory.
I have to have her again or at least try to.
So I sought her out. I thought about asking Fox, our club IT guy, for help, but thankfully I was able to find her on my own.
I found out what time school got out and headed out.
I waited until the place cleared of parents before I found her car, thankful that I was insistent that she park right up front at the hotel last night.
Then I waited.
I expected her to turn me away, but she didn’t. Delaney surprised me once again and said she would hear me out.
I can’t fuck this up.
I’ve heard people talk about their biggest fuck-ups and regrets in life, and for some fucked-up reason, I have a feeling losing Delaney would be mine, and I refuse to let that happen.
She’s worth the risk.
I don’t know how I know it, but I do.
The entire way to the beach, I keep my eye on the side mirror, making sure she doesn’t dip out. I wasn’t lying when I said I would just go to her house. We need to have this conversation sooner rather than later.
Well, “need” might be a strong word, but it works nonetheless.
Much to my surprise, though, Delaney doesn’t try to head home. She stays right on my ass, not letting anyone in between us.
Good girl.
When we arrive at the beach, she parks right next to me.
“You should really wear a helmet,” she says as she gets out of her car, slamming the door behind her.
“I’ll wear one when I’m dead,” I tell her as I get off my bike.
“You mean you’ll die because you refuse to wear one to keep you alive,” she points out.
“Sweetheart, if it’s my time, it’s my time. No helmet or gear will save me.”
She huffs and crosses her arms.
“Let’s sit,” I say, pointing toward a bench.
Silently she walks over to it and sits down. I sit but leave space between us. I don’t want her to feel pressured with what I’m about to bring up.
“How did you find me?” she asks, cutting to the chase.
“As hard as it is to believe, there aren’t that many elementary school teachers in Pensacola with the name Delaney. You were pretty easy to find, and as to why we are here now is because we need to talk about last night.”
“I’m sorry I made last night difficult,” she murmurs.
“You didn’t.”
“So what do you want to talk about?” she sighs.
“I have a proposition for you. A no-strings fling. I’ll help you figure out how to break that mental wall. How to come with someone other than yourself.”
Her cheeks flush, and it’s not from the heat.
Delaney looks toward the gulf. “And why would you do that? What would you get out of it?”
This is it. This is where I admit what I’m into, and the woman turns up her nose and walks away in disgust. I have a feeling she won’t, though.
“I need to confess something, but I hope it won’t change your opinion on this.”
Hesitantly she nods, so I continue.
“I’m a submissive. I get off on being told what to do, being dominated by my partner.”
Confusion fills her pretty little face. “I have no idea what that means.”
I put my arm behind her and turn my body toward hers. “I’ll teach you, but to cut to the chase, I fucking loved it last night when you used me, when you told me specifically what you wanted. That’s what gets me off. In the bedroom, the woman is in charge, calling the shots, not me.”
“Oh,” she murmurs, cheeks bright red.
If I had to guess, she’s remembering what happened last night. Replaying it in her mind.
“I think your ‘problem’.” I air quote. “Which, for the record, isn’t actually a problem, is that you don’t like sex when you aren’t in control.
I think you like leading what’s happening, demanding what you want.
If you aren’t in control, you can’t relax, which means your body doesn’t respond the way you think it should. ”
She shakes her head. “Honestly, I had never thought of it like that, but the theory has merit.”
“So you’re in? We figure this out together?” I ask, heart racing.
Say yes. Please fucking say yes.
“It would be a no-strings-attached fling?”
“If that’s what you want.”
She bites her bottom lip but turns toward me. “You can’t sleep with anyone else if we do this.”
“Done,” I say with no hesitation.
“I need to think about this.”
“Take your time,” I say as she gets up.
I watch as she pulls on the sides of her shirt, smoothing it down.
She’s so fucking pretty I can hardly stand it.
Standing, I reach into my pocket and hand her a piece of paper with my number on it. “Call me when you decide.”
She takes the slip of paper and shoots me a smile before walking away.
Halfway to her car, she turns back and says, “Wear a helmet.”
It’s not a request. It’s a demand. One I know I will obey.
I nod to her, and she turns back toward her car and continues walking.
I sit back down on the bench and watch her drive away.
Now we wait. Something I’ve never been good at, but things like this you can’t rush.
Delaney has to decide for herself if she wants to try this or not.
I just hope she decides to do it with me.