Alpha Heroes

A Me, Myself & I Collection

Fiona Davenport

Elle Christensen

Rochelle Paige

Copyright © 2019 by Fiona Davenport, Elle Christensen, and Rochelle Paige

Cover designed by Elle Christensen

Edited by Editing4Indies

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Created with Vellum

Contents

Alpha Heroes

Locked Up

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Epilogue

Epilogue

Fired Up

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Epilogue

Epilogue

Fixed Up

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Epilogue

Epilogue

About the Author

Alpha Heroes

A Me, Myself & I Collection

This collection is jam packed with alpha hero yumminess. It features three, ALL-NEW stories from the duo behind Fiona Davenport.

Locked Up by Elle Christensen: Hot cops and handcuffs sounded like a sexy combination. Until Kaia was the one being arrested.

Fired Up by Fiona Davenport: Fleeing from a fire in her apartment, Jaelyn stumbled headlong into a sexy fireman’s arms and he swept her right off her feet in more ways than one.

Fixed Up by Rochelle Paige: When she got patched up by a hot paramedic, Mia wished she hadn’t gotten fixed up by a neighbor…until she discovered who her blind date really was.

Locked Up

Elle Christensen

1

Kaia

“We did it!!” I yelled as I twirled around and let my open graduation gown billow behind me. “Hell, yes!”

My sister, Jaelyn, hugged me tight, and I returned the embrace fervently. “We did it, little sister,” I whispered. Graduating from college was a dream we both shared, especially coming from a home with parents who barely had a high school education. They’d loved each other, and us, but life was never easy as jobs came and went. Bills went unpaid and food was often scarce. Finally, when we were just barely teenagers, the strain had apparently been too much and our dad had disappeared. Our mom was never the same and spent most of her time lost in depression. We ended up taking care of her, rather than being taken care of.

However, we could only do so much, and her neglect meant she never saw the cancer coming until it was too late. She died months before I graduated from high school. We both vowed that our lives would follow a different path. We would make sure that we could rely on ourselves.

The only good to come from our mother’s choices was to pass before either of us turned eighteen. I was only a handful of weeks away, but because I hadn’t hit that birthday, we both went into foster care. Which meant we had resources to get us through college.

After I had my birthday, Jaelyn emancipated, and we started working toward our dreams. We found a cracker box apartment, and I worked until Jaelyn was done with high school. We were both accepted to a small university in town, and our home was conveniently located near campus. We kept our expenses as low as possible and had earned our degrees with very little debt.

Jaelyn and I were as close as sisters could be. We’d only had each other to rely on. However, our interests were different. While I majored in international business and French, she’d earned a degree in marketing with a minor in theater. This meant we had vastly different social circles.

I tended to be much more of a loner—though I had a few close friends—but Jaelyn was always surrounded by a group of friends. She’d insisted that she wanted to celebrate with me, but I knew a big part of her also wanted to party with her friends.

And I wanted her to be happy.

“Now, go.” I pushed her away, turned her around by the shoulders, and gently shoved her toward a group of girls waiting on her.

“What? No!” she exclaimed, digging her heels in.

I laughed and kissed her cheek, then shoved again, this time, not so gently. “Don’t worry about me, Jayley. I have plans of my own.”

She looked at me skeptically over her shoulder, and I responded with a bight smile. I was more than happy with my plans to curl up with a good movie and a tub of ice cream.

“Don’t wait up,” she called as she approached her friends. “I’m going to stay with Cass tonight.” I nodded raised my hand in a wave to let her know I heard her.

Eventually, she was swallowed up by her group, and I waved a last time before trotting off to the beat-up old car we shared. I threw my cap and gown in the back, then opened the driver’s side door.

“Kaia, wait!”

I hesitated before dropping into my seat and turned to see who had called my name. My friend Elizabet was running toward me, waving her hands wildly in the air.

She reached me and skidded to a halt, then bent over to catch her breath. “One sec,” she panted. I giggled and she glared as she stood back up. Elizabet hated all forms of physical exertion. Which drove the rest of us crazy because she was small and thin, like a pixie. However, she was a sweet, fun, and genuine person, so it was impossible to dislike her.

“We are going out. You have to come with!”

I shook my head, my rehearsed refusal on the tip of my tongue.

Elizabet held up her hand, shaking her finger in my face and glaring. “I’m not taking no for an answer.” Then she marched around to the other side of my car and climbed inside. “To make sure you don’t bail, you’re driving.”

I sighed in resignation before laughing and joining her in the vehicle. “Where to?” I grumbled as I attempted to get the engine to turn over. It took three tries, but it eventually growled to life. Honestly, it was amazing it had lasted through college, but I was grateful that it had.

I backed out and waited for her direction.

“Gatsby’s.”

Cutting her a sideways glance, I headed toward the parking lot exit. “Seriously?”

Elizabet laughed and lightly punched my arm. “You’re going to party if it kills you!”

“How about I play DD?” I suggested hopefully.

“Nope. You didn’t even drink when you turned twenty-one. No more homework, no more classes, and you don’t start your new job for two weeks. No excuses.”

As usual, Elizabet’s enthusiasm was contagious, and I found myself agreeing with a laugh. “No more than a couple of glasses of wine.”

“Deal!”

* * *

“It’s so hot out here!” I complained loudly as I stumbled out of the pub with my arm linked through Elizabet’s. I’d stuck to my limit of only a glass and a half of wine, but it seemed as though it was causing my blood to boil. I’d ditched my graduation gown in the car, but now I pulled off my cardigan and tossed it somewhere, leaving me in a flowered, spaghetti-strapped sundress. It helped, but I was still so hot!

Elizabet fanned her face and bobbed her head like it was attached by a spring. “So hot. Let’s cool off in that park over there.” Her voice was slightly slurred, and her double fingers pointed at the park across the street.

“Yes! Let’s go!” Allison, Elizabet’s roommate, toppled into us from behind, almost taking us to the ground. She was a lot more adventurous (my nice way of saying a troublemaker) than Elizabet or I were, but it was easier to include her in our plans than deal with her pouting and petty revenge.

We had enough sense to use the crosswalk and ended up safely across the street. Elizabet also tore off her sweater, then ran around with her arms spread wide.

I stood still since the park was already spinning, and I vaguely wondered why it wasn’t causing a breeze. Elizabet was making me feel dizzy, but a minute later, she spun herself right up to the edge of a big fountain. Her knees buckled when she hit it from behind, and she ended up on her ass in the two-feet-deep water.

Allison and I doubled over with laughter, and I almost fell over from the force of it. Elizabet giggled hysterically and tried to get up, but between her laughter and inebriated state, she managed to fall back in twice more, leaving her soaked from head to toe.

“Get your asses over here and rescue me from drowning,” she shouted between guffaws. I staggered over and wiped my eyes of tears before extending my hand for her to grasp. Allison did the same on her other side, and on the count of three, we tried to pull her up from the fountain.

We were unsuccessful, and Elizabet fell backward, making a big splash and dissolving into laughter. Unfortunately, she still had a tight grip on our hands, and the next thing we knew, we were tumbling into the water right next to her. I turned in time to land on my back rather than face first, but I still ended up completely submerged for a few seconds.

I sputtered and spat out water as I sat up, pushing my soaked, dark-blonde hair back from my face. Laughter bubbled up as I imagined what the three of us looked like. I laughed so hard that when I tried to stand, I slipped and fell on my ass.

Alison was still sitting, and she spread her arms out before intentionally falling backward into the shallow pool. When she came back up, she grinned. “Yes! I’m not hot anymore!”

Elizabet and I looked at each other with raised brows and open mouths. Most of the time, I wasn’t a fan of Alison, but at that moment, she was my favorite person. “You’re a genius!” I shouted. Copying her action, I fell back into the water and sighed. The cool liquid mixed with the spring breeze felt amazing on my heated skin.

After floating for a couple of minutes, I managed to get to my feet without falling again. Elizabet was kneeling in the water a foot away, and I narrowed my eyes when I saw her looking at me with a sly smile. Unexpectedly, she cupped her hands, dipped them into the water and flung them toward me.

My jaw dropped in shock, and then I copied her expression as I pulled back my foot and kicked a stream of water at her. She laughed hysterically and retaliated. We began to do our best to get the other, and a couple of splashes later, Alison joined in our epic water fight.

I was holding my stomach, doubled over with laughter when Elizabeth spun around from spraying Alison and—not realizing I was bent down—kicked water at my chest.

I gasped when it hit me in the face, causing me to breathe some of it in, which led to a bout of coughing.

“Kaia! I’m so sorry!” Elizabet cried, and she trudged through the water toward me.

“Ma’am, are you all right?”

A deep, rich, velvety voice washed over me, sending shivers from every nerve ending. Each one of them shot straight to my center, and a pulsing that matched my racing heartbeat started between my legs. It was unlike anything I’d ever felt before.

When my coughing began to subside, I swung my gaze toward the owner of the voice. The most gorgeous man I’d ever seen was standing a few feet away from me, and I could’ve sworn that my ovaries exploded.

He had dark hair that looked as though it would be wavy if he grew it a little longer. The color matched his short, boxed beard that framed full lips under an aquiline nose and deep set royal blue eyes.

He had to be at least six feet tall with a lean body that showed off defined muscles and—as if that wasn’t yummy enough—he was wearing camouflage weather-proof pants, heavy black boots, and a fitted black T-shirt that said SWAT across a very muscular chest. I covertly wiped my mouth in case I was drooling and covered it with a cough for good measure.

When I returned my eyes to his face, I caught him giving me the same once-over, but the concerned expression he’d had was morphing into a deep frown and furrowed brows. After he completed his perusal and met my gaze, his blue orbs had darkened with anger. I was confused by the sudden change in attitude.

I smiled brightly and waved, hoping it would lighten his mood. The wave messed with my tenuous balance, and I stumbled. He lurched forward and grabbed my arm to keep me from falling.

“Out, ladies,” he growled. He spoke as though addressing all three of us, but his eyes were glued to my face as he gently tugged my arm, pulling me toward him. Dropping my head back so I could look up at him, I got distracted by his mouth and really wanted him to kiss me. I briefly wondered if he would let me kiss him but then dismissed the idea, knowing I was too shy to make the first move. Besides, I didn’t want my first kiss to be with such a sourpuss. No matter how smokin’ hot he was.

Yet my eyes were glued to his mouth, and my lips parted slightly as if they had a mind of their own. His blue gaze dropped to my mouth, and I waited with anticipation for his kiss.

2

Ewan

I stared down into innocent, gorgeous, hazel-blue eyes and fought the desire to bend my head the few inches it would take to seal my mouth over hers. My focus shifted lower to stare at her lips, parted in invitation. But before I could give in to the temptation to kiss her, I fixated on her eyes again. They had a glassy tint to them that told me she was likely drunk. A fact that fueled my irrational anger. I had no idea what had come over me.

I’d stopped at Gatsby’s to grab some dinner on my way home. As SWAT Commander for my precinct, I’d spent most of the day buried in paperwork. Then a tough hostage situation in the afternoon had continued until just a couple of hours ago. I was exhausted and ready for some greasy food, a beer, and a couple of episodes of my favorite show before I passed out in bed. I was just setting the to-go order in my SUV when I heard the sound of hysterical female laughter, drawing my attention to the park across the street where I saw three women frolicking in the large fountain. I rolled my eyes and headed over there to tell them to stop and send them on their way.

Once I’d reached the other side, one of the women was splashed in her face and started coughing hard, the force wracking her whole body. I jogged over to ask if she was all right.

She climbed to her feet but then stumbled and was about to fall backward out of the fountain. I got there just in time to catch her. Wrapping my arms around her, I hauled her out, setting her on her feet. I was completely unprepared for my reaction to her. The scent of jasmine and vanilla invaded my senses, and an instant, overwhelming attraction hit me like a Mack truck. My inspection started at the top of her head where dark blonde hair hung in a mixture of drenched, straight strands and wild curls that had begun to dry. Her oval face and high cheekbones emphasized almond-shaped eyes that were surrounded by thick lashes a shade darker than her hair. She had a small, defined nose and pink, oval lips that gave her a natural, seductive pout.

I cursed silently as my cock hardened and lengthened from the images provoked by those lips. The mental cursing intensified as I continued the downward trajectory. She wasn’t very tall and had a small frame, but she had mouthwatering curves. She was made for fucking. Large tits that would spill out of my hands or pillow around my cock as I slid between them. Her soft belly looked like the perfect place to rest my head after we were both spent and satisfied. The swell of her hips was perfect for gripping while I buried myself inside her over and over. They were round and wide—perfect for having babies.

What the hell?

That last thought came out of fucking nowhere, but what truly stunned me was that it made my dick harder than the images of fucking her luscious body.

Possession filled me, and a growing rage as I recognized why I was able to imagine her naked body so clearly. She was clothed in a thin summer dress, and the wet material was plastered to her body. I could see the lines of her thong, and it was obvious she didn’t have a bra on from the lack of outline and the hard nipples poking the flimsy fabric.

All the foreign thoughts and emotions bombarding me should have probably baffled me. Yet somehow through all the chaos, one thing was very clear to me.

This woman. She was mine.

The thought of anyone else seeing her practically naked had my blood boiling. I had to get her covered up before I murdered the first man who happened to walk by.

I needed to get her out of there, but I wasn’t ready to let her go. An inexplicable need inside me demanded I keep her close.

But looking at her dazed and confused state and the fact that we met barely five minutes ago, I wasn’t sure how to convince her to leave with me.

“You’re awfully grumpy, officer,” the woman in my arms said, tilting her head to the side. “We were just cooling off. It was so hot outside.”

There was only the slightest hint of a slur in her words, but I had instantly become attuned to her, so I caught it. “Are you drunk?” I asked in a steely tone. I hated the idea of her being drunk and causing a ruckus out at night without anyone to protect her. “I should arrest you for being drunk and disorderly,” I grumbled. The idea had some merit, but I wasn’t sure how I’d explain it to my captain.

She grinned and shook her head. “I only had a glass and a half of wine. Of course, I’m not drunk.”

My eyes narrowed, trying to decide if she was lying to me. It didn’t make any sense, but deep down, I was confident that she always told the truth.

“Kaia’s always been a lightweight,” one of the other girls announced with a giggle.

Kaia. My girl’s name was almost as beautiful as she was.

Glancing in the direction of the other girls, I saw them both climbing out of the fountain. They were also soaked to the bone, but neither one was wearing anything that showed off their bodies the way Kaia’s outfit did.

She wasn’t decent. Practically fucking naked! She should be— “I’m going to have to take you in,” I stated. The words were out before I even knew I was going to say them.

“What?” she yelped. “You’re arresting me?”

I didn’t answer, letting her draw her own conclusion as I turned her around and cuffed her, making sure they were loose enough that they wouldn’t hurt. Immediately, I realized my mistake and almost sighed. Images of her cuffed to my bed were bound to keep me up at night.

“For being drunk and disorderly?” her dark-haired friend asked incredulously. “Seriously? We were just—”

I cut her a look that sent most men running in another direction, and she snapped her mouth shut.

“I’m going to call you a cab, ladies. Go home and sleep this off,” I commanded sternly.

The same friend took a deep breath and braved my ire to ask, “Why are you only arresting Kaia?”

The blonde hovering behind gasped and poked her friend. “Shut up, Elizabet! If he only wants to arrest Kaia, that’s her problem. I’m getting out of here before he changes his mind.” She tugged on Elizabet’s hand, but the brunette held her ground. After a minute, blondie gave up and took off.

The two argued quietly while I made a quick call to summon a cab.

“Why are you only arresting Kaia?” Elizabet asked again.

“Because she’s the only one who could be charged twice,” I explained, being deliberately vague.

“Charged twice?” Kaia parroted as she attempted to turn around and face me. I let her twist but kept one hand on a cuffed wrist.

Her hazel eyes were blazing with anger, and I met them with my own enraged stare. “Public indecency,” I growled.

She gasped and tried to take a step away, only to jerk to stop when she couldn’t move any farther. I released her wrist and grasped her arm to keep her steady on her feet.

Kaia gasped. “I’m not naked!”

Leaning in close until our mouths were a breath away, I scowled. “You might as well be,” I gritted out through a clenched jaw.

My eyes dropped to the peaks of her round tits, which were on clear display through her dress. Her gaze followed mine, and when she saw what had my attention, her face flushed pink, the pretty hue spreading down to the tops of her breasts.

Despite her embarrassment, she raised her chin and gave me a haughty sniff. “I’m not naked,” she insisted with less conviction.

Kaia struggled, trying to dislodge my hold on her arm by twisting her wrists in the cuffs. I quickly curled my palm around one of her hands and frowned at her. “You’re going to hurt yourself.” She rolled her eyes and started wriggling again. I used my free hand to pinch her chin and force her to still her head. “Don’t make me add resisting arrest, ba—” I stopped to clear my throat, hoping she hadn’t caught my slip.

The lies were piling up, and I spared only a moment to consider how she would react when she realized I was bluffing. Then I shrugged it off. To my way of thinking, the end justified the means.

“I’ll take her and make sure she gets home safe and dressed,” Elizabet piped up hopefully. Her voice still shook slightly, and some of her bravado drained away when I turned to stare at her again.

Kaia sighed. “It’s all right, Elizabet. No sense in us both getting into trouble.”

Her friend shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably, clearly at war with herself.

“Should I call for backup?” I threatened. I gave her my scariest scowl so she would be too afraid to call my bluff.

Elizabet took in a fast, shallow breath, and her shoulders dropped in resignation. “Call me for your phone call, and I’ll come bail you out, okay?”

Kaia glared at me before she met Elizabet’s guilty eyes with a soft expression. “You’ll do no such thing, Elizabet. We both know you can’t afford it.”

“I’ll make sure to get your car home,” Elizabet said on a sigh.

“Thanks.”

Elizabet spied something in the fountain and bent to retrieve what turned out to be a small purse. “Shit. Is your phone in here?” She handed the sopping wet clutch to me since Kaia was cuffed. I took it, secretly pleased to know her phone was likely ruined and she’d be dependent on me for outside communication. Lady Luck was clearly smiling down on me tonight. I’d buy her another one when I was sure she wouldn’t use it to run away from me.

Kaia groaned and nodded. “Can you also let my sister know what’s going on? I don’t want her to worry. Jaelyn won’t be home until tomorrow, though, so don’t bother her before that.”

“Sure,” Elizabet agreed.

I handed Elizabet my card, knowing the shit would hit the fan when she showed up to get Kaia, and she wasn’t at the station.

With a gentle nudge to Kaia’s shoulder, I indicated that she should start moving. “Time to go, baby.” This time, the endearment slipped out before I could quash it. “Hop to it, Kaia.”

“Ms. Whittaker,” Kaia grumbled. Her sorry attempt to scold me was adorable, and since I was walking behind her, I let myself smile.

“Not for long, baby,” I murmured under my breath.

She walked a slightly crooked path, reminding me of her inebriated state, so I kept a closer watch on her to make sure she didn’t lose her balance and topple to the ground. Especially with her hands secured behind her back.

We reached the street, and I looked to make sure it was clear before guiding her across to my plain black SUV.

Her friend was watching us warily as she approached a beat-up old car that looked like it could blow away with a strong wind. The make and model told me it was at least thirty years old. Elizabet opened the door and grabbed a few things before locking it and heading to the cab idling at the curb.

“That’s your car?” I snapped. “And I use that term very loosely.” I could feel myself getting angry all over again, but now it was fueled by fear. That piece of junk was dangerous. Worst-case scenarios raced through my mind. Accidents, breaking down in remote, unsafe places… I whirled around to face Kaia, breathing heavily and ready to lecture her about safety, but she was glaring at me just as fiercely.

“This is your police car?” she asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm, but her expression became skeptical when she asked, “How do I know you’re a real cop? You don’t have a name tag or anything.”

Rolling my eyes, I opened the door to the SUV. I tossed her soggy purse on the floor and grabbed my windbreaker and badge from the center console, where I’d stowed them before running into Gatsby’s earlier. I showed her the badge that clearly said, “Ewan Kelley,” then the patch sewn into my jacket that officially declared me a member of SWAT. I raised my brows and asked, “Satisfied?” Though I hadn’t meant it to be a double entendre, I couldn’t help thinking that I certainly hoped to be very soon.

She bobbed her head, and muttered, “I suppose so.”

“Good.” I tossed the items in the back and transferred the food there as well. Then I gave her a stern look before turning her around and uncuffing her. I massaged her wrists for a few seconds and turned her back around. I dangled the cuffs from my hand and asked, “Will you behave, or do I need to cuff you in front?”

She bit her lip and furrowed her brow, thinking it over. “Fine,” she huffed. “I’ll behave.” She said the word with disdain, her mouth twisting as though she’d eaten something sour.

I suppressed a smile as I turned her around to face the car’s interior. I was about to boost her up when she craned her neck to look inside, then turned her head to stare at me with narrowed, accusing eyes. “Shouldn’t I be sitting in the back? And where are the bars? And where is your cherry?” It required great restraint to stop myself from commenting on her word choice. “Does this car even have a siren?”

Chuckling, I wrapped my big hands around her waist and easily lifted her into the seat. “You’ve watched too many movies. First, I’m not a patrolman, and this isn’t an official unmarked car, so it’s illegal for me to pull someone over for a traffic violation,” I explained. “Second, my strobe lights are mounted on the visors. Third, my siren is right there.” I pointed at a button near the car’s display screen. “Besides”—my eyes swept over her quickly before they focused on her face, not bothering to disguise my amusement—"I’m confident that I’m safe from a little thing like you.”

Kaia blushed again, making me ache to kiss every inch of her pinkened skin. She snorted and eyed me skeptically. “Little is not a word that is used to describe me.”

I raised a brow and closed the distance between us, looming over her to emphasize the differences in our size. “Tiny,” I insisted.

Pleasure lit Kaia’s blue-brown orbs, but she tried to hide it with a superior lift of her chin. “I could be an expert ninja for all you know.” She did a few awkward karate chops and almost fell out of the seat. I quickly righted her and pulled the seat belt across her chest, giving in to impulse and letting my arm graze her tits as I buckled her in. She gasped but didn’t comment on the connection

“See?” she muttered stiffly. “Ninja.”

I laughed heartily as I shut the door and swiftly rounded the vehicle to climb into the driver’s seat. She was so fucking adorable. There was also a feisty side that turned me the hell on.

It wasn’t a far drive to my precinct, and we rode in silence. When I turned into the parking lot, Kaia sighed. I glanced at her as I maneuvered into an empty spot across the lot that faced the building and killed the engine. She looked a little green. “Why didn’t you tell me you get carsick?” I demanded.

“I don’t,” she stated. In a quivering voice, she added, “Usually.”

Shit. It was the alcohol. Getting her home before she lost the contents of her stomach was going to be tricky.

“Are you really going to do this?” Kaia asked tiredly as she rested her head back and closed her eyes.

I twisted my torso so that I was looking directly at her. “That depends.”

3

Kaia

I peeked an eye open and saw Officer Ewan Kelley—good grief, even his name was sexy—cock his head to the side and observe me thoughtfully.

“Depends on what?” I asked warily. My head was still tipped back against the headrest, and I shut my eyes again to avoid staring at him anymore. I wasn’t sure if he’d noticed that I’d been studying him the whole ride. As an added benefit, I was no longer admiring two of him.

“Baby, I spent a shit ton of time on paperwork today before my team was deployed for a particularly hairy hostage situation. I’m tired as hell and charging you would mean even more paperwork.”

I perked up, hoping he was considering just letting me go. I opened my eyes and straightened up in my seat. I moved a little too fast and had to grab the nearest thing to steady myself, which happened to be Ewan’s arm. The hard muscle and corded veins screamed strength. Once I wasn’t so dizzy, I released him but kept my eyes trained on his face. As I examined him, it was the first time I noticed just how exhausted he looked.

“You’re going to let me go?” I asked optimistically, giving him a bright smile.

He scratched his beard before running both hands through his brown hair. “Not exactly.” His arms folded over his chest, almost distracting me with his panty-melting muscles. His expression had taken on a hard quality that helped me stay on track with our conversation.

My eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Then what, exactly?”

“You’re in no condition to take care of yourself”—I started to sputter out an argument, but he raised his volume one notch and spoke over me—"And you said no one is home, so you’d be by yourself.”

“Yes, but—”

“I’m too fucking tired to drive any more than I have to, which means the ten-minute drive to my house. You have no way to get home. Even if you had your car, I still wouldn’t let you drive that piece of shit. So, you’ll just have to come home with me.”

“Your house?” I shrieked in shock. “Go home…what?!”

“Spend the night in jail or in my guest room. Those are your choices.” He regarded me with a stubborn set to his lips and a hard glint in his royal blue eyes.

I glanced at the police station, then back at the gorgeous man sitting across from me. He was definitely the lesser of two evils. Except…he wasn’t really an evil, was he? And that, right there, was the problem.

“Guest room?” I repeated hesitantly. I’d never felt attraction like I did with Ewan. I honestly wasn’t sure if I’d have the strength to stay away from him sober. But…drunk?

“If that’s where you want to sleep,” he answered evenly. His matter-of-fact attitude threw me off.

“Of course, it’s where I want to sleep?” I was asking myself, and it accidentally sounded like a question when I said it out loud.

Ewan chuckled and ran his knuckles softly over my cheekbone. I knew he was touching my blush, and the sweet gesture combined with the hunger in his eyes sent a tingle straight to my pussy.

He studied me intently for a moment, and the corners of his mouth tilted up in a tiny smirk as though he knew exactly what he was doing to me. I felt my blush spreading, and his gaze followed its path down to my breasts. They lingered there, and the tips hardened and poked through the built-in bra of my dress. It was rapidly drying, so at least it was no longer transparent.

A shout in the parking lot startled us both, and Ewan glanced toward the source. There was a group of young guys, probably college age, laughing and walking to the car next to us. A couple of them were clearly inebriated, and their friends were giving them crap about having to bail them out. One of the sober guys glanced in my direction as he climbed into the driver’s seat.

Ewan growled and his blue orbs darkened, flashing with anger as he pressed his lips together into a flat line. He looked as though he might start yelling at any moment, but he wordlessly unbuckled me, then whipped his shirt over his head and dropped it down over mine. I was too shocked to do anything but sit there as he pulled my arms through the sleeve and tugged it down. I was almost completely covered since the shirt was freaking huge.

“That fucking dress is going in the trash as soon as we get home,” he growled before turning back to face the front and starting the car.

I opened my mouth to argue, especially since he was being totally irrational. I was almost positive that dude hadn’t been able to see anything through Ewan’s tinted windows. But then I shut it and mentally shrugged. Pick your battles, Kaia. Anyway, Jaelyn had picked it out, and I’d worn it to make her happy, but it wasn’t really my style, so I didn’t care if I ever wore it again. “Okay,” I said, visibly shrugging this time.

Ewan had been gripping the steering wheel so tight his knuckles had turned white. At my easy agreement, his hands and shoulders relaxed. “Thank you.” He sighed and drove toward the main road. “The thought of another man seeing your body has me contemplating all the ways I could get away with murder.”

I tried not to stare at his bare chest but holy crap. Ewan looked like he’d been chiseled from stone. Who the hell had muscles like that? And why was my mouth filling with saliva at the thought of tracing each one with my tongue?

When we stopped at a red light, his eyes swung over to pierce me with their dark intensity. I glanced away, hoping he hadn’t caught me ogling him, but he gripped my chin and forced me to look into his eyes. “You might as well know now.” His tone was low, loaded with warning and steely determination. “You’re mine, Kaia.”

I swallowed hard and squeaked, “Yours?”

He nodded seriously, then turned back to the front and drove on. “I’m claiming you, baby. From the moment I saw you, I knew you belonged to me.” He explained it as though he were reciting the days of the week. Basically, informing me that this was the way it was, and there was no other option. “And I don’t share. No other man is allowed to see what’s only mine.”

The caveman attitude should probably have offended me, but instead, I found it hot. The heat beginning to spread through me made it clear that my body agreed.

I could blame it on the alcohol, but I knew that excuse would only last for so long. Pretending that my attraction was an effect of being drunk would be blasted to smithereens in the morning when I was forced to be honest with my sober self.

Ewan’s hand covered mine, drawing me out of my jumbled thoughts. After a moment, he flipped it over and threaded our fingers together. It was a sweet gesture that seemed at odds with the tough, alpha cop I’d seen so far. It made me all melty, and the pull I felt toward him strengthened.

I’d been so wrapped up in Ewan that I hadn’t noticed the drive was over until the purr of the engine suddenly ceased. He climbed out of the vehicle and slammed his door shut. I peered out the window and took in the sight of a pretty, ranch-style house. The façade was a mixture of stone and blue-gray shiplap with white accents and an adorable red front door.

My door opened, and since I was pressed up against it, I almost fell out but was saved from hitting the driveway headfirst by a pair of strong arms.

“Still a little tipsy, baby?” Ewan guessed with a chuckle as he scooped me into his arms.

I was actually pretty clearheaded at this point, but I wasn’t sure I wanted him to know that. His bare chest was warm and much cuddlier than his ripped physique would suggest, so I just shrugged, wound my arms around his neck, and rested my head on his shoulder.

His embrace tightened, and from the rustling of my hair, I was pretty sure he’d brushed a kiss on the top of my head.

He easily held me against him with one arm as he closed my door and opened the back one. I was amazed with the way he seemed to lift and carry me so effortlessly. He made me feel small and feminine.

I watched as he retrieved a to-go bag from Gatsby’s. Well crap. He’d obviously been picking up his dinner when he saw me and my friends. He’d said how exhausted he was, and now I’d kept him from eating his food, which was likely ruined now. Icy guilt trickled through my veins, extinguishing my fiery desire. Mostly…

“Ewan, I’m so sorry if I kept you from your dinner. You must be starving,” I lamented.

He chuckled, drawing my eyes up to his face. There was a devilish smile on his handsome face—adding kindling to my simmering need. “I’m definitely starving, baby. But food is not what I’m hungry for.”

4

Ewan

Kaia gasped, and her eyes widened while her pouty lips parted slightly. It was seductive and inviting, but I doubted she was even aware of her effect. The fact that she was so oblivious to her own appeal helped to pacify the possessive beast I hadn’t known lived inside me.

Staring at her mouth, I wanted to kiss her so fucking bad, but once I did, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stop. Which meant I needed to wait until we were inside the house so that I didn’t end up fucking her on my lawn. Besides, I wasn’t sure she was ready for that, and if she wanted to tap the brakes, I would do it. Even if it meant a cold shower and an empty bed. In fact, I was going to let her drive. For the moment.

Keeping her curled up against my chest with one arm, I managed to unlock the front door without putting her down, and carried her inside, kicking it closed behind me. Making a beeline for the kitchen at the back of the house, I tossed the takeout in the fridge and headed in another direction.

“I can walk, Ewan,” Kaia insisted quietly. “You can put me down.” There was no conviction in her tone, and she didn’t make a move to try to escape my embrace. She actually did the opposite, snuggling in even closer. Her head rested on my shoulder, and her warm breath made my skin tingle. And the feel of her soft, pliant body in my arms spread a peaceful contentment through my system.

I shook my head and kept on my path to the guest room that had its own bathroom. My elbow hit the light switch, and Kaia buried her face in my neck to hide from the brightness. “Fuck,” I grunted. “Sorry, baby.” I slid down the dimmer switch until the room was bathed in a soft glow.

Reluctantly, I set her on the counter and let her go. I stepped back and took a minute to admire her wild, dark-blonde curls, pink cheeks and lips, and how fucking amazing she looked wearing my clothes. Maybe we’d forget about retrieving any clothes from her place when she moved in. Then she’d be forced to wear mine all the time, and that thought had my cock pressing hard against my zipper. I hissed in pain when I shifted, and the metal teeth bit into the sensitive skin.

Kaia’s hazel eyes had been roaming over my chest, but they darted up to my face when she heard me. Concern filled her eyes, and she frowned while placing a hand on my bicep. I felt as though the skin under her palm had caught fire and would combust at any moment. “Are you all right? Did you hurt yourself carrying me?”

I rolled my eyes at her ridiculous question. “Baby, you’re about as heavy as feather. I could carry your sexy little body around with me twenty-four seven and never get tired.” Taking hold of her hips, I stepped between her legs and yanked her forward. She gasped when she felt the long, steel length suddenly pressed against her pussy. “I’m in a whole other kind of pain, Kaia,” I growled. My hands crept around to cup her ass, and I dragged her even closer while I rocked into her.

Her mouth was open in a little O of shock, and a little moan escaped when I pushed against her once more. “You do this to me, baby.” I delved one hand into her hair and tugged her head back, exposing the elegant slope of her neck. Bending down, I ran my tongue up the velvet flesh of her throat from her collarbone to her edge of her jaw, just below her ear. “You make me want to tear off these clothes and lick every inch of your body,” I whispered, so close that my lips brushed over the sensitive spot with every movement. “I want to explore all your curves with my hands and my tongue. I want to make you come with my fingers and on my face. Then I want to bury my cock deep in your pussy and fuck you so hard you’ll feel me inside you for days.”

Lifting my head, I was satisfied to see her heaving chest, her flushed cheeks, and her eyes glazed with lust, their color turned to blue with her hungry desire.

“You have no idea the filthy things I want to do to you, Kaia. And while I have no doubt that I’ll do each and every one eventually, I’ll let you set the pace. Even if that means a little zipper burn and a whole lot of icy showers.”

Kaia stared at me with a mix of emotions. The desire was prominent, but she also looked confused and curious. “Why?”

I raised an eyebrow and waited for her to explain her question.

She cleared her throat and looked away, the pink stain on her cheeks deepening. “Why me?”

My heart softened, and I gently palmed her face and lifted it so she was staring into my eyes. “Because I’ve never felt anything so strong in my entire life. I’ve never felt such a deep hunger. You are so fucking sexy, baby, and you make me burn. I want you so much it’s hard to breathe. But more than that, I’ve never felt a connection like this. Somehow, the moment I saw you, I just knew I’d never be the same. You and I were meant to be, and if I had let you go, I would have lived with regret every day of the rest of my life.”

Kaia’s face had a look of wonder, and I couldn’t stop myself from finally covering her mouth with my own. At the first taste of her sweet flavor, a groan rumbled from my chest. It took everything in me to stay in control and not carry her off to my bedroom, especially when she made little mewling sounds of pleasure and locked her arms around my neck. Then she wrapped her legs around my waist. Fucking hell. I was in hell. And heaven.

I didn’t have a fucking clue. I only knew that if I didn’t stop this now, I would break my word to her. It took a feat of Thor-like strength to rip my lips from hers and untangle my body from her limbs. “Fuck,” I panted. I shoved my hands in my hair and yanked hard as I turned around and took several steps. I couldn’t look at her kiss-swollen lips and her big, sexy tits bouncing with every breath, or I was going to lose my shit.

Once I calmed enough that I felt it was safe, I turned back around but stayed several feet away. “I’m going to fix us some food, baby. Take a shower and relax. I’ll leave you some clothes on the sink.”

Kaia nodded but remained silent, unfocused with her fingers lighting touching her lips.

I walked stiffly to the door, every step a painful reminder that my cock was pissed as fuck. Before I crossed the threshold, I stopped and swiveled my head to look at her over my shoulder. “Keep the door open, baby. I want to be able to hear you if you need me.” She seemed as though she was mostly sober now, but I would still be keeping a close eye on her. I was tempted to shower with her to make sure she didn’t pass out or lose her balance, but that would be asking too much of myself. I was trained to be in control, but even I had my limits.

I went to my bedroom and took a fast shower, then dressed in a T-shirt and a pair of sweats. After gathering a similar pair that were a little small for me (but would probably still swim on my girl) and a T-shirt with my name emblazoned on the back (it seemed a little early to be tattooing my name on her body, so this would have to do), I left them in her bathroom, keeping my gaze averted from the glass shower stall.

The food from Gatsby’s was cold, but surprisingly, hadn’t become mushy. I preheated the oven, then split the burger in half and piled the wings, onion rings, and fries on a couple of cooking sheets. While they heated up, I padded down the hall to check on Kaia.

The water was turned off, but I didn’t see her in the bedroom, so I made my way to the bathroom. “Baby?” I knocked lightly. I should have knocked on the doorjamb because that small nudge sent the door swinging farther open.

I froze, unable to look away as my shirt slid down over Kaia’s naked body. It had been fast, but long enough for me to permanently burn the images of her gorgeous body on my brain. Her full breasts and their rosy nipples, hard from the cool air after a hot shower. Her soft stomach with a cute little belly button that my tongue itched to explore. Her round hips that I instantly knew would fit perfectly in my hands. And the neatly trimmed thatch of golden curls nestled at the apex of her thighs.

When all that perfection was covered up, my eyes continued downward, memorizing all the rest. She was petite, but her legs seemed a mile long, ending with cute little feet, tipped with toes painted in sparkly bright blue polish. I chuckled, and it obviously startled her because she gasped and stumbled back a few steps. Quick as a flash, I was at her side, both hands on her waist, holding her steady.

We stood there for a few silent moments, just staring at each other. Finally, I cleared my throat and retreated a few inches. “I have some dinner heating up.” Then I spun around and hurried from the room. She mumbled something about other things heating up, and I couldn’t help laughing as I stalked to the kitchen.

5

Kaia

I rolled down the waist of Ewan’s sweatpants a few times so they would stay perched on my hips. Then I rolled them at the ankles so I wouldn’t trip. Looking at myself in the mirror, I frowned. I certainly wouldn’t be tempting him in this getup.

After rooting around for a while, I found a comb stashed in a drawer and tried to tame my curls. They had a mind of their own, and I didn’t have a hair tie. With a shrug, I accepted the fact that this was as good as it was going to get.

When I left the bedroom, my stomach growled at the delicious smell emanating from the kitchen. I hadn’t had much to eat before we’d gone to the bar, and now, I was starving. Plus, food would help absorb the rest of the alcohol.

Ewan was pulling the food out of the oven as I entered the room. He shot me a sexy smile and winked at me, making my heart flutter and my pussy tingle. I tried to suppress the desire because I would be mortified to return Ewan’s pants to him with the crotch soaked from my arousal. How freaking embarrassing would that be?

“Have a seat.” He gestured to the area across from him. There was a small table with four chairs nestled in a little nook that had a large bay window.

This house wasn’t what I would have expected for a sexy bachelor like Ewan. It was a home built for a family. But he seemed to be surprising me at every turn, and I had to admit, it seriously turned me on. I was excited to start my new job, to be independent and financially secure, but I’d always hoped that the day would come when I’d have the kind of home I’d wanted growing up. I dreamed about being a wife and a mom in a home where there was plenty of love but also stability.

If Ewan’s house was a reflection of his hopes for the future, I was pretty sure I’d tumble headfirst in love with him. I suspected I was already falling.

My bare feet smacked against the wood floor when I walked over to the table and sat down. The table and chairs were thick and sturdy oak—likely hand-made—and a lot more comfortable that they initially looked.

Ewan set plates piled with food on the table and sat across from me. While we ate, he practically interrogated me. However, by the way he hung on my every word, it was obvious he wanted to get to know me.

When he asked about my childhood, I didn’t see any reason to hide my past, so I was open and honest. Relief trickled through me when I saw sympathy and not pity in his eyes.

“Why were you playing around in the fountain?”

I grinned and shrugged. “I was hot.”

“I won’t dispute that, baby.” Ewan laughed, and the rich sound sent shivers straight to my core. I briefly wondered if I could come from the sound of his voice alone. If his laughter had me on the edge, what would it be like to have filthy words fall from that sexy mouth? Was he a dirty-talking kind of guy? I’d never thought about whether that kind of thing would turn me on, but when I pictured Ewan doing it…

“Kaia?”

My startled gaze flew from his lips to his eyes. They were twinkling with amusement, and heat flushed through me, probably turning me strawberry red. I didn’t know how long I’d been daydreaming while he waited for me to answer, but from his smirk, I was pretty sure he had an idea of where my mind had gone.

“Well.” I cleared my throat and tried to focus on his question. “We were celebrating and”—my blush deepened—“I’m not much of a drinker. It doesn’t take much to get me tipsy, but like I said, we were celebrating. When we left the bar, we couldn’t seem to cool off. We decided to go to the park, but we didn’t actually go there to take a dip in the fountain. Elizabet fell in, and when we tried to help her out, we fell in too. That was when it seemed like a great idea to cool off in the water.” I grinned, and Ewan shook his head as though he was exasperated, but the skin around his eyes crinkled as he suppressed a smile.

“Celebrating what?”

“Graduating from college.” This had a proud smile stretching across my face, and it grew even bigger when gave me a similar smile.

“That’s an incredible accomplishment, baby. I’m proud of you.” He was making it really hard not to jump his bones.

You don’t even know him, Kaia, my brain scolded. It didn’t feel like that, though. I’d immediately felt safe with Ewan, and the more time we spent together, the more that feeling increased. It was as if we’d known each other for years. But in an attempt to placate my mind, I turned the tables and began to question him.

He was thirty-one, an only child, and his parents, who’d been married for fifty years, were retired in Florida. He had a degree in Criminal Justice and had been on the pre-law track, even going so far as to take the LSAT. Then decided he’d rather be in law enforcement. When he joined SWAT, he’d received special training for hostage situations.

I was genuinely interested in everything about him, but eventually, a yawn escaped. Ewan stood and rounded the table to scoop me up into his arms. He moved toward the entrance to the hallway, and I glanced back at the mess from dinner.

“I’ll clean it up in the morning, baby.” His voice sounded tired, and when I looked up at his face and saw the exhaustion there, I felt like a complete bitch. Suddenly, I remembered how tired he’d been when we drove to his house.

“Ewan, I’m so sorry,” I lamented. “You didn’t have to stay up and entertain me. We could have gone straight to bed after dinner.”

Ewan chuckled and paused at the door to the guest room. “Baby, if we’d gone right to bed, we wouldn’t have been sleeping.”

My cheeks burned, and I ducked my head to hide it. I wasn’t sure how much of the heat was from embarrassment versus arousal. “I meant in our own beds.”

Ewan was silent so long that I finally raised my eyes to his face. He was watching me with an intensity that I felt down to my very bones. “Did you?” His voice was soft, but there was an underlying firmness that warned me to be honest.

It was what I’d meant…at the time. Until he put other ideas in my head. However, my brain was currently winning the battle with my body, and I nodded. “Yes.” My answer was weak, and for a moment, he looked as though he wanted to argue. Instead, he sighed and carried me to the empty, lonely, queen-sized bed pushed up against the far wall.

He let my legs swing down and slowly lowered me to my feet. The arm that had been supporting my back stayed tight around me, keeping my body pressed to his so that I slid down his hard body, feeling every inch of his long, thick erection. When I was steady on my own, I stepped back and couldn’t stop my gaze from dropping to the tented section of his pants.

He was freaking huge. Would that thing even fit in me?

“Yes.”

I sucked in a breath, and my head whipped up. Had he read my mind, or had I accidentally said that out loud?

Ewan didn’t give me a chance to ask before dipping his head down and sealing his mouth over mine. The kiss was slow and easy, an exploration. But I sensed the tension in him and how hard he was fighting to keep control.

Unlike him, I was quickly swallowed up by the desire, the fierce need, building inside me. I slid my hands up his chest and around his neck to delve into his hair. I wanted him to lose his grip, to chase away my doubts by taking over and making me powerless to stop this.

With his thumb and forefinger, Ewan put gentle pressure on my chin, opening my mouth. His tongue slid in and teased mine until we were tangling together, tasting each other.

I almost screamed in frustration when he ripped his mouth away from mine and backed up until we were several feet away from each other. “Why did you stop?” My voice carried an air of desperation, and he flinched, his resolve wavering.

“Don’t think this means I don’t want you,” he rasped. “I want you so fucking bad, all I can think about is getting you naked and running my hands over your luscious curves. I want to bury my face in your pussy and eat until you are screaming my name. I want to shove my cock so deep inside you that you’ll feel it for days. I’m dying to feel your tight pussy milking all the come from my dick until you are so full it spills out of you.”

My heart was beating so hard it seemed as though it might burst out of my chest. I was drenched between my legs, and my nipples were hard as diamonds, poking through my shirt.

Ewan stared at my breasts and licked his lips. Then he glanced at the ceiling and took a handful of deep breaths. His eyes returned to mine, and when he spoke, it was in an even tone that conveyed his determination and inability to be swayed.

“Make no mistake, Kaia. When we are in bed, anytime we fuck or make love, I’m the one in charge.”

Why was that so fucking hot? My borrowed pants were officially ruined.

“But I’m not going to make the decision for you. You’ll have to make the choice so that you have no regrets. Because when I take you to bed, there will be no going back, baby. You will be mine. Hell, you’re already fucking mine, but you’re going to accept it before I own your body.”

He started to take a step forward but stopped at the last second and stayed where he was at. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides as though he was fighting the instinct to grab me.

“I’ll wait. And when you’re ready, you know where to find me.”

Then he spun on his heel and marched to the door. He paused before leaving and half-turned to look at me. “I won’t take you until you beg me. But don’t think that means I won’t cuff you to the bed and keep you locked up until you do.”

Once he was gone, I let out the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. I flopped back on the bed and stared at the ceiling, my mind racing and my body on fire. What did I want? I wanted all those things that Ewan had described. I wanted to feel him everywhere on my body. Over me, under me, inside me. I covered my eyes with one hand and gripped the comforter with the other.

But I had to think about the rest of it. He’d said I would have to agree to be his. That if I went to him, he would own my body. Was that what I wanted?

I’d never felt this way. Not just the attraction but I’d never felt someone so deep in my soul. The only person I’d ever let in my heart was my sister. It didn’t feel like that anymore. My heart felt fuller.

Was he right? Was I already his?

It was a stupid question, and I knew the answer. I just wasn’t sure if I had the courage to let my heart and body rule my mind. I’d have to let go of logic and rationale. I’d never been impractical or rash because I was too afraid to end up like my parents. And I’d been responsible for Jaelyn. Setting an example for her.

What would happen if I let go? Would I find what I’d been longing for? Or would it destroy me? I’d have to trust that Ewan wouldn’t hurt me because the truth was, he already held that much power over me.

6

Ewan

Walking out of that room without Kaia had been the hardest thing I’d ever done. And considering my profession, that said a fuck of a lot about the hold she already had on my heart.

I was in physical pain over how much I wanted her body, but the connection I’d felt between us when we met wasn’t just about lust. I wanted everything with Kaia. Love, marriage, babies, growing old. Those things made me burn for her as much as the thought of fucking her. She was it for me. I wouldn’t settle for anything less from her.

And I knew in my gut that she felt it too. So, as hard as it would be, and I meant that literally and figuratively, I would wait for Kaia to admit it. However, I’d been completely serious about keeping her locked up with me until then. I had months of vacation banked…

I fervently hoped it wouldn’t take that long. I was afraid the constant blue balls would cause permanent damage.

I flipped on the light in my room and looked longingly at the bed. As dead tired as was, I knew I wouldn’t get any sleep in my current condition. So, I trudged across the carpet to the master bath and took an arctic shower. Then I crawled into bed and drew the comforter up over my naked body.

With my hands propped behind my head, I stared at the door, willing Kaia to walk through it. It took a couple of hours, but finally, sleep claimed me.

* * *

The delicious smell of jasmine and vanilla filled the air as fingertips softly brushed my hair back from my forehead. They trailed down my cheek and across my beard to trace my lips.

“Kaia,” I groaned and turned toward the temptation. My arms captured the warm, curvy body beside me, and I immediately rolled to my back, dragging her on top of me. Her breasts pillowed against my chest, and I widened my legs to settle her between them. My cock was nestled up against her pussy and the wetness there coated my dick and…fuuuuuuuck. There was nothing between us. Kaia was naked. Fuck, yes.

I palmed her round ass and bucked my hips. Her tight nipples rubbed over my chest, and she moaned my name. It felt so fucking real.

“Ewan, please.”

My eyes flew open, and I found myself staring at beautiful hazel-blue eyes, dark with desire. I hadn’t been dreaming. Kaia was draped over me, neither of us wearing a stitch of clothing. She’d come to me. Thank fuck.

I groaned and clenched my teeth, squeezing my eyes shut. “You better be here to tell me what I want to hear, Kaia. A man is only so strong.”

“I—” Whatever she’d been about to say turned into a moan when she shifted. Her juices had made it slick between us, which meant her pussy glided easily on my cock. “Oooooh, Ewan.”

“Fucking hell.” I gripped her hips and rolled us until she was under me. My hands pressed into the mattress on either side of her head and trapped her legs between mine. She looked fucking amazing with her flushed skin and her wild hair spread across my pillow.

“Do you want me, baby?”

Kaia nodded.

“You want my mouth on you?

“Yes,” she whimpered.

“Where?” She hesitated, and I rocked slightly, making her gasp. “Tell me where you want my mouth, Kaia.”

“Um, my nipples.” As a reward for her answer, I bent my head and sucked on one hard peak. Then the other.

“Do you want my mouth on your pussy, baby?”

Another nod and a moan.

“What about my cock? Do you want my big, fat cock deep inside you, baby? Stretching you? Filling you so full of my come that it spills out?” I rocked my hips again. “Do you want me to fuck you so hard and deep that you can’t sit without feeling me inside you?”

“Please, Ewan,” she begged. Her nails dug into my skin where she was gripping my biceps.

I lowered my head until our faces were millimeters apart and stilled. “Then tell me what I want to hear, Kaia,” I growled. “Who owns you?”

“You,” she whispered. Her eyes were filled with need, and at her admission, they flashed with hunger. My dominance turned her on. Could she be any more fucking perfect?

I slid my palm down her chest, over her breast, along her belly, and stopped when I was cupping her center. “Who owns this pussy, baby?” I grunted at the strength it was taking to keep myself under control.

“You, Ewan. I’m yours.”

“Damn straight.”

I crushed my mouth against hers, my hands now cupping her cheeks. My tongue demanded entrance, and when she didn’t resist, a groan ripped through me. I wanted to make this last, to draw it out and take her slow and easy this first time. But I could already feel the tell-tale signs of my approaching orgasm.

“You deserve so much more than a quick, hard fuck our first time,” I rasped as my hips bucked involuntarily. My cock slid along the seam of her drenched pussy and swelled to the point of pain. I needed to be inside her now. “But damn, baby. I can’t hold back. I want you so fucking much, I’m already on the verge of exploding.”

“I don’t want soft, Ewan,” Kaia moaned. “Take me hard. Make me yours.”

The last vestiges of my control dissolved instantly. I took her mouth in a savage kiss and used one knee to wedge her legs open so I could rest between them. “Spread those legs wide, baby,” I commanded. When she complied, I returned my hand to the apex of her thighs and slowly used two fingers to penetrate her heat. “You’re so fucking wet,” I grunted against her lips. The sound of her pussy suctioning my digits was hot as fuck, and I was desperate to feel that pull on my cock. “Fuck, you’re tight.” I used my fingers to try to stretch her, making her as ready for me as I could.

Kaia was writhing beneath me, and as I worked her with my hand, her legs circled my waist. “Are you ready for me, baby? Ready for my cock?”

“Yes! Please, Ewan, now!”

I withdrew my digits and locked my stare with hers as I brought them to my mouth and sucked them clean. “Mmmmm,” I hummed. “As soon as I have some damn control, I’m going to fuck this pussy with my tongue.”

I straightened up onto my knees and grabbed my thick cock with one hand. My eyes were glued to her pussy, and I used the other hand to spread her lips. “Damn, baby. You’re so pink and wet.”

When I looked up to her face, her eyes were burning with lust as she watched my pump my dick. She licked her lips, and I nearly blew right that second. “You want this in your mouth, Kaia?”

She licked her lips again and nodded.

“Soon,” I purred, “I’ll let you wrap those sexy lips around my cock and make me come down your throat. But right now, I’m going to bury these ten inches inside your hot little pussy.”

I put my cockhead at her entrance and began to feed it to her an inch at a time. But as soon as I felt her muscles contract and hug my dick, I plunged in until I was fully seated, and my balls slapped against her ass. “Oh, fuck yeah. Squeeze that pussy around my cock, baby.”

“Yes,” Kaia moaned. “More.”

My breath was coming out in harsh pants as I punched my hips faster, fucking her so hard the bed was slamming into the wall. “That’s so fucking good, baby.” I’d been staring at her beautiful face, but I dropped my gaze to watch my cock disappear inside her, then reappear covered in her cream. Her tits were bouncing with each thrust, and when my eyes traveled up, I could tell that she was close. Her skin was flushed, and her cries of ecstasy were growing louder. “Play with your big, sexy tits, baby,” I demanded. “Pretend it’s me plucking those tight little nipples. Sucking them like our baby will someday.”

Kaia’s eyes flew to mine, wide as saucers. I narrowed my eyes and nodded firmly. I’d heard the longing in her voice when we’d talked about families. And some other things she’d said had hinted that she wanted nothing more than to be a wife and mother. I had every intention of making those wishes come true. “Don’t deny you want that, Kaia. Don’t pretend you don’t want my come filling you up and putting a baby there.”

She swallowed hard but didn’t argue. Her hands cupped her tits, and her hazel-blue orbs probed mine as she began to twist and pluck her nipples like I’d instructed. “Good girl,” I praised with a grunt.

I went back to watching where we were coming together, and damn, my balls drew up tight as a tingling started in my spine.

“Fuck, Kaia. Seeing my dick in your tight, hot little pussy is going to make me come too soon.”

I slid my arms under her thighs and lifted her pelvis so that she was raised to just the right height for me to penetrate even deeper. “Hold yourself open for me, baby,” I directed. “Show me what’s mine.” Kaia pinched her nipples one last time and moaned as she dragged her hands over her heated, damp skin until she reached her southern lips. She parted her folds, exposing her swollen clit, and I licked my lips. I wanted to taste her so fucking bad.

Swiftly, I pulled out and dropped to my stomach where I licked her from bottom to top before wrapping my lips around her bundle of nerves. “You taste so damn good.” I plunged three fingers inside her and rubbed that special spot as I took deep pulls on her clit. It only took a few times before Kaia threw back her head and screamed as she shattered.

Barely a second later, I had resumed my position with my arms under her thighs and speared my dick into her convulsing center. “Oh, fuck, yes! That’s so fucking good, baby. Your pussy is milking me so hard. Fuck! Yes!” I pressed my thumb on her clit and set her off again and roared as I quickly followed her over the edge. Hot jets of come spurted from my cock, and her walls clamped down every time I pulled back to slam in again, drawing out even more. “Mine. Mine. Mine,” I growled with each deep thrust. Finally, the steady stream ebbed, and I ground myself into her, making sure every drop stayed inside.

The shudders that had been wracking her body subsided, and I dropped her legs. I took her hands and raised them above her head as I stretched my body out over hers. Her lips were red and swollen from my kisses, and I couldn’t help gently rubbing our mouths together.

Kaia sighed, and I could see the exhaustion on her face as well as the utter contentment. The latter making me want to beat my chest like a fucking caveman, proud that I’d satisfied my woman. But the weariness had me pulling out and dropping down beside her. She mewled in protest, and I was shocked when the sound made my dick stir. He might be up for another round, but Kaia and I were both tired and needed sleep. Besides, she was already bound to be sore as hell.

I drew her into the circle of my arms, guiding her head to rest on my chest. She threw one leg over me and snuggled in closer. My dick twitched again, but I shouted the fucker down in my head.

After a few minutes, Kaia’s breath evened out, and her steady heartbeat lulled me to sleep as well.

7

Kaia

“Ewan,” Kaia groaned. “You have to let me go.”

He glared at me as he sat on his haunches between my legs—spread wide open from being cuffed to the bottom bedposts. I was desperately trying not to focus on his naked body. His arms were crossed over his chest, the muscles in his arms and pecs rippling, and I knew I was getting wet. Realistically, I knew it was too much to hope that he wouldn’t notice when he glanced at my pussy and smirked. It was clear he could see how turned on I was, which only made him even more smug that I was currently dripping with his come.

I was trying not to think about the fact that I’d let him talk me into letting him fuck me bare all of last night and all of today. I’d lost count of how many times he’d come inside me.

Rattling the restraints on my wrists, I glared right back at him. After our last bout, I’d mentioned heading home tonight and woke up from my catnap tied spread eagle to the bed and Ewan eating me out. Before he would let me come, he’d made me promise not to leave. Then he made me promise again before he’d let me come with his cock in my pussy.

“I have to go. I have shit to do, Ewan.”

“You agreed to stay,” he stated firmly, clearly immovable on the subject.

“It doesn’t count if you drag it out of me with your big, fat dick, jackass!” I snapped. He grinned, and I rolled my eyes. “Seriously?”

He shrugged. “I can’t help it if you’re addicted to my cock, baby. I could certainly live buried in your tight pussy.”

I silently told myself not to let him get to me with his dirty talk. It wasn’t working. My nipples hardened, and the muscles in my core tightened. I cleared my throat and tried to ignore my physical response to Ewan. “Isn’t that like…entrapment or something?”

He threw back his head and laughed so hard a few tears leaked from his eyes. That did not help my arousal situation.

When he had regained control of himself, he grinned, and said, “You’re so fucking adorable.”

I tried going back to the being reasonable tactic. “I have to have a life, Ewan. Just how long do you intend to keep me here?”

Before I could blink, he was stretched out over me, and his mouth covered mine as he slammed his cock inside my pussy. I could still taste myself on his tongue, and for some reason, that just made me burn even hotter. He devoured my mouth, his hands touching me everywhere as he powered in and out of me. I spiraled up fast and knew my orgasm was going to hit me hard.

“I can feel how much you want to come, baby,” he whispered against my lips. “Your pussy is begging for it.”

“Yes,” I admitted with a cry.

“Show me, baby. Show me how much you want me.”

I didn’t even have to think about it, my inner walls clamped down on him of their own volition. “Fuck, yeah baby,” he growled. “Fuck, that’s it. Just like that.”

To my shock, he suddenly pulled out, and I protested with a cry. But I quickly quieted when he went about removing the restraints. Then he grasped my wait and flipped me over, dragging me up onto my hands and knees. “Who do you belong to, Kaia?” he snarled as he smoothed a hand down my back and over one butt cheek.

“You,” I responded breathlessly.

“That’s fucking right,” he snapped, and I gasped when one of his palms came down on my ass with a sharp smack.

“Who owns this pussy?” He plunged two digits inside me before pulling them out and smearing the juices over my clit before rubbing it furiously.

“You, Ewan,” I shouted as my pelvis bucked into his hand.

His hand came down on the other cheek, making me cry out and causing a rush of wetness to drench his hand. “Damn fucking straight.”

I was just about to fall over the edge when he took his hand away. “Ewan,” I cried out. “Please!” I didn’t give a single fuck that I was begging.

“You’re mine,” he growled, right before he grabbed my butt cheeks and spread them wide, then shoved his cock ten inches deep, filling me, stretching me to the brim.

He set a feverish pace, and I shoved my hips back to meet each thrust. “That’s right, baby. Fuck yourself on my cock.” He slapped each butt cheek twice, sending shockwaves of pleasure straight to my pussy, and the muscles clenched. “So tight,” he groaned. “I love that you take everything I give you. Fuck, yeah.”

Cries of ecstasy started falling from my mouth in a keening chant. “Yes! Yes! Harder, Ewan! Oh! Oh! Yes!”

“Let go, Kaia. Come so your juicy pussy will cream all over my cock.”

I immediately shattered. My orgasm roared through me like a freight train.

Ewan seemed to double his efforts and slammed wildly in and out. “You want me to come in your pussy, baby?” he panted in a low, sexy growl. “Want my come warming you from the inside out? Tell me, Kaia. Tell me where you want my come.”

I could barely think straight, but I knew, without a doubt, that I wanted him to lose it deep inside me. “In me,” I breathed.

“In where?”

“In-in my…pussy.”

“In who’s pussy?” he barked with a slap to my ass.

“Yours! Your pussy!”

“Fuck yes.” Ewan came violently with a shout that rang off the walls. The feeling of his come splashing inside me set me off on a second orgasm.

Ewan collapsed on top of me but quickly flipped us over so he was on his back, and I was in the same position but sprawled on top of him. He scooted up against the headboard and bent his knees, spreading my legs wide on either side of him and keeping his cock gloved in my throbbing pussy. I could feel the aftershocks making his dick pulse, and it sent little shivers through me.

His arms came around me, his hands cupping my breasts as he placed tiny kisses along my shoulder. “These tits are going to be so fucking delicious when they are full and dripping with milk. I can’t wait to taste it.” Then one hand journeyed down to rest over my flat stomach. “I can imagine how gorgeous you’ll look with a big, swollen belly. I already can’t keep my fucking hands off you. I’m guessing it’s only going to get worse when you’re sporting obvious proof that you’re taken. And knowing it’s my baby in there…fuck. It’s turning me the fuck on right now.” He wasn’t lying. His semi-softened cock was hardening and lengthening inside me. “You asked me how long I intend to keep you here,” he reminded me in a low, gravelly voice that sped up my heart rate.

“I…um, yes,” I agreed, still dazed from the hard fucking and knocked off-kilter by his comments.

“Until I know for sure I’ve knocked you the fuck up, baby.”

He didn’t give me a chance to respond before he palmed both of my breasts and massaged them while his hips began to rock into me. His nimble fingers started twisting and plucking at my nipples and I moaned, my body roaring back to life.

“Ride me, baby,” he rumbled. “Ride my cock while I play with these perfect tits.”

I couldn’t help from doing what he asked. He was in charge when we were fucking, and even if my mind wanted to protest, my body refused to listen and took over, giving him whatever he wanted.

* * *

Ewan stirred when an incessant ringing penetrated the quiet surrounding us. I still hadn’t managed to escape the bedroom. Every time I brought it up, he gave me multiple orgasms, which left me soft and compliant. He’d even fed me in bed, or in the tub, or on the floor…anywhere we collapsed and needed food to give us the strength to move.

“What the fuck?” Ewan muttered a few more curses and threw back the covers. He tucked them around me again before climbing out of bed.

I glanced at the clock and frowned. It was almost ten at night. Crap. My phone was dead, and I hadn’t borrowed Ewan’s to call or text my sister. He was constantly distracting me, and she must have been so worried. I was basically the worst sister ever.

“Are you expecting someone?” I asked with a yawn as I stretched my aching body. I felt sore and used in the best way. I was trying to be nonchalant because after he left the room, I was determined to find his phone.

“No.” His eyes darkened with hunger as he watched me, his expression growing deadly when the sheet slipped low, exposing my breasts. “But whoever it is better have a fucking good reason for being here, or I’m going to beat the shit out of them.”

He pulled on a pair of sweats and pulled a shirt over his head as he stomped to the door. Once he was gone, I grabbed the shirt I’d borrowed and slid it over my head. It fell to just above my knees, so I didn’t bother with the too-big pants. I was going to search for the phone, but the visitor was still ringing the doorbell nonstop and banging on the door. Curiosity won out, and I decided to find out who it was.

I padded across the room and down the hall in time to see Ewan yanking open the door. Before he could say a word, a small hand poked him in the chest multiple times as an outraged female voice yelled, “Where is my sister? What the hell is going on? I’m going to call the police if I don’t see her in the next—”

“Jaelyn! It’s okay!” I exclaimed and raced the rest of the way to the foyer. The second Ewan spotted me, his eyes swept over my outfit, and his brow furrowed. He immediately stepped in front of me, blocking my view of my sister. “Ewan, it’s just my sister, for Pete’s sake!”

“Hey, you big jerk!” Jaelyn yelled. “I’ve been worried sick. You better let me see my sister and make sure you haven’t hurt her!”

“Go put on some pants, Kaia,” he growled over his shoulder, ignoring my sister.

I rolled my eyes and tried to shove him out of the way, but he was as immoveable as a tree. With a shriek of frustration, I spun around. “I’ll be right back, Jaelyn. Don’t freak out,” I called as I marched back to the bedroom where I hastily donned the pants and then beat a path back to the front of the house. Ewan had let Jaelyn in and shut the front door. She was glaring at him with a murderous expression and her hands planted angrily on her hips. It was actually a quite comical scene. My small but feisty sister facing off with my tall, muscular hot cop.

I headed straight for my sister but instantly found myself hauled up against a rock hard yet very comfy chest. My head twisted and dropped back so I could scowl up at him. He raised an eyebrow and stared at me unrepentantly. I huffed and turned back to my sister.

“I’m so sorry, Jaelyn. I ruined my phone and—”

“Is this big brute holding you hostage?” she interrupted. Her tone was more curious than outraged now. It was clear she wasn’t sure what to think about my attire and Ewan’s possessive attitude.

“Um…” I glowered up at Ewan again. “Sort of.”

It was his turn to roll his eyes. “Really?” His tone was dry, and I squirmed under his steady gaze.

“Okay, no.” I sighed.

Jaelyn balled her hands into fists and cried out, “This morning when I got home, Elizabet said you’d been arrested last night. So I went to the police station, and they said they’d never heard of you! I was terrified you’d been kidnapped or something, but then Elizabet finally remembered she had the cop’s card. But it didn’t have his address, and it was his work number, and no one at the precinct would give it to me, and I didn’t know how I was going to find you, but then some young rookie-type cop-guy who clearly had a thing for Elizabet gave her your address when I explained what I’d heard, and now I’m here, and you’re dressed like that, and he’s…what the hell is going on?”

“Well, you see, your sister was breaking the law…oof!” Ewan started but stopped when I elbowed him in the ribs. I was positive I hadn’t actually hurt him; his reaction was just for my benefit.

“I’m so sorry, Jayley. I’m the worst sister. I can’t believe I let you worry like that. My phone was ruined from the fountain, and I meant to call you, but—um—Ewan kept distracting me and—um—”

Jaelyn glowered at me, but her lips twitched as though she was suppressing a smile. “Distracting, huh? Care to elaborate exactly how this dude could make you forget about your very worried sister?”

“Well, I tied her to the bed and was fu—Ow! Son of a bitch!”

This time, I’d slammed my fist into his thigh, right where I knew it would give him a hell of a Charley horse.

Jaelyn’s eyes were wide, and she blinked owlishly a few times, her mouth hanging open. “You had sex?!” she yelled.

“Um…”

“Finally!”

Okay, I was super confused. “What?”

Jaelyn hustled over and pulled me into a hug. Surprisingly, Ewan let me go so I could wrap her in my arms. “You’ve been caring for me all my life, Kaia. I’ve always felt guilty that you basically had no life. I kept encouraging you to step out of this shell you put around yourself and—”

“Hey,” I protested. “Just because I’m not a social butterfly like you doesn’t mean I was withering away in an isolated shell.” My sister narrowed her eyes, her probing stare making me uncomfortable. “Okay, so maybe I kept to myself a little too much.”

Jaelyn let me go and faced Ewan. “You. I’m inclined to like you simply because you’ve gotten past Kaia’s walls. But you’re going to have to convince me why I shouldn’t go to your boss and tell him you basically kidnapped my sister.”

“Jaelyn!” I gasped. My cheeks heated, and I looked everywhere but at Ewan.

A second later, I was being tugged back into his warm and embrace, and I sighed when he brushed a soft kiss over the crown of my head.

“I love her.” I gasped, and he gave me a little squeeze in a silent request for me to let him finish. ”I intend to knock her up and marry her.”

Jaelyn continued to frown. “So you just expect her to stay at home and raise your gaggle of babies?”

Ewan chuckled. “Gaggle? Who said anything about that?”

“Just a guess.” She shrugged.

“First, I do want a big family, but it will be up to Kaia to decide how many kids we have. Second, Kaia can do whatever the fuck she wants as long as it isn’t dangerous, doesn’t require her to interact with other men, and she comes home to me at the end of every day.”

“Can’t interact with—” I was about to call him out on his ridiculous requirement, but he gave me another squeeze, and for some reason that I had no comprehension of, I obeyed.

Jaelyn studied him in silence, then nodded firmly and stuck out her hand. “I accept the terms. I give you my blessing.”

“For crying out loud,” I groaned.

Ewan shook with her, then tugged her into his other side and hugged us both. “I didn’t expect to get a sister out of this deal. I’m gonna be an awesome big brother.”

My heart melted on the spot, and I knew I had officially fallen head over heels for this man. Then I saw the way Jaelyn lit up when she realized that Ewan accepted her as part of our life and was even happy about it. If I hadn’t already fallen, this would have pushed me over the cliff.

Jaelyn smiled brightly and kissed my cheek before taking a few steps away so she could face us. “I’ll take off and let you two”—she smiled slyly and winked at me—“get back to baby-making and other fun things.”

I didn’t have a mirror, but I had a hard time believing I’d ever blushed so hard. “What do you know about baby-making?” I asked suspiciously.

“Well, you see, Kaia. When a man and a woman—”

“Shut it, Jaelyn,” I snipped. She’d been mimicking Ewan, but she was too far away for me to kick.

Ewan was silently shaking behind me, and I tempered the instinct to give him another muscle spasm.

“Relax, big sister. I’m as innocent as you are—or were, I guess.” Her smile was even more wicked. Then she laughed and opened the door to bounce out into the night.

“Hey, sis. Wait,” Ewan called.

Jaelyn flipped around and smiled so big, it took up her entire face. He jogged into another room and was back a few second later with a small white business card. He took it out to her, and they spoke in low voices for a minute before he ruffled her hair and started back toward me.

Behind his back, Jaelyn gave me a thumbs-up and mouthed, “Hot!” Then she skipped over to the new car she’d bought a few days before graduation. I snickered and shook my head.

“What’s so funny, baby?” Ewan asked as he stepped inside.

“Nothing.”

“We need to get you some new wheels,” he mused as we watched her drive away.

“What? My car runs just fine,” I retorted stubbornly.

Ewan scoffed and shut the door, then scooped me up into his arms and started walking toward the bedroom. “Your car is a death trap, and if you were driving it around, I’d be constantly worrying and never have a moment of peace. I can’t afford that kind of distraction at work.”

Damn. I couldn’t argue with that. “I concede this time.” I pointed my finger at him. “But don’t think that excuse is going to fly with everything.”

Ewan just smiled and kissed my forehead. I wasn’t sure who’d won that argument, but I had more important things on my mind.

He took me to the bed and set me on my feet, but I stilled his hands when he went to pull my shirt off.

“Did you mean it when you said kids and work were my decision?”

He frowned and sat on the side of the bed and pulled me down into his lap. “Of course. I know you need to feel independently stable. I would never hold you back or risk resentment because you live in fear.”

Tears welled in my eyes, and I put my arms around him, not able to form any words without crying.

“However, I take care of my family. Our everyday expenses, bills, family activities, etc. We’ll open an account just for you to put your paychecks in if you decide to work. It will be your nest egg. For emergencies or whatever you want to do with it.”

“I don’t know what to say,” I said with a sniff and a watery smile.

“Tell me you love me.” There was a vulnerable note in his voice that warmed my heart.

“I’m sorry, Ewan, that should have been the first thing I said,” I admitted. “I know it’s fast, and it makes no sense, but I do. I love you so much, Ewan Kelley.”

“I love you too, Kaia Kelley.”

I laughed and shook my head. “I’m not a Kelley, yet.”

“You are to me”—cue heart melting—“and we’ll rectify that in the eyes of the law very fucking soon. You’ll have my ring on your finger and my last name before you give birth to our first child.” His expression was firm, making it clear he wasn’t going to budge on that issue.

“Okay.”

Ewan smiled and kissed me. When he pulled back, I was somehow flat on my back with my very own swoon-worthy hot cop hovering over me. “Now,” he murmured as he placed warm, soft kisses down my neck. “Let’s get back to work on those babies.”

Epilogue

Ewan

Two months later.

Kaia was in the kitchen cooking something that smelled amazing when I walked in the door. I stowed my gear in the closet and tiptoed up behind her.

“Nice try, Mr. Kelley.” I slid my arms around her, resting my palms on her belly and burying my face in her hair. I didn’t know what gave me away, but I couldn’t ever surprise my girl. It was probably the same way I always knew when she was near.

“I’m starting to wonder how you can be such a big, bad, member of a SWAT team without being able to sneak up on someone,” she teased.

I laughed and pushed her hair to the side and over her shoulder. My lips glided over her soft skin and one of my hands traveled down to cup her pussy over her jeans. “Nobody else’s body gets wet and tingly when I’m anywhere near them.”

Kaia snorted. “Yeah, right. I don’t want to think about the other women…and probably plenty of men, who have that reaction to you.”

“Except I don’t give a fuck about any of them.”

She leaned back into me and hummed in contentment. “That’s the only reason I haven’t scratched anyone’s eye out yet.”

I stifled a laugh at her use of “yet.” My girl was soft and sweet, generous and loving, but if you messed with someone she loved, she could be a little firecracker. And her possessive attitude over me was hot as fuck. “How about you come take a shower with me, and I’ll show you that I only have eyes for you?” I turned the knob to shut off the stove and swung her up into my arms.

“But dinner!” she protested as I carried her down the hall.

“I’ll be plenty full from eating my favorite meal when I’m done with you, baby.” We entered the bedroom, and I made a beeline for the bathroom. “Then I’m going to feed my cock to that sexy mouth of yours.”

I set her down on the counter, then walked over to the shower and turned it on. Retreating back to her, I licked my lips as I stared at her and began removing her clothes.

“I made an appointment at the courthouse,” she blurted out. My fingers halted, and my gaze flew up to hers. I’d been asking her to set a date since the day after she agreed to marry me.

“Really?” I didn’t bother to hide the breathless hope in my voice.

Kaia nodded, and her face transformed with a bright, beautiful smile. “Saturday at noon.”

Three days. Kaia was going to be my wife in three fucking days. I wanted to shout and beat my chest like a caveman, but instead, I cupped her cheeks and kissed her passionately. When I broke the kiss, I rested my forehead against hers.

“Don’t you want to know why?” she asked gently.

Lifting my head, I raised an eyebrow and smirked. “It’s not because you love me and can’t go another day without being tied to me in every way?”

Kaia giggled and gave me an adorably crooked smile. “That too,” she agreed. “But also…” Her cheeks turned pink, and she lowered her gaze to my chest before peeking up at me through her thick lashes.

I couldn’t imagine what would have her blushing about this conversation and waited for her to explain.

She cleared her throat and stretched her torso to the side so she could open the medicine cabinet and retrieve something. “I know you want to be married before we have a baby, so I thought we’d check that off the list first.” She held up a small white stick with a blue cap and a little window that said, “Pregnant.”

I felt my eyes widen even as my face split with a huge smile. “You’re pregnant? We’re having a baby?”

Kaia nodded and returned my grin. This time, I gave in to the impulse and grabbed her off the counter to swing her around as I whooped with joy. She laughed and smacked me lightly on the shoulder. “Put me down, crazy man!”

I did as she asked, setting her on her feet, then quickly finished stripping her and discarding my own clothes. Holding her hand in mine, I guided her into the glass enclosure and under the steamy spray. When she was wet and warm, I pushed her back until she was flush against the wall and dropped to my knees in front of her. Tenderly, I kissed her flat stomach. “Hey kid. It’s Daddy. I can’t wait to meet you. Do me a favor and be a boy, okay? I’m going to need you to be an older brother in case we have any girls.” Kaia snickered, and I pinched her ass, making her gasp. “Be good in there, okay?” I kissed her belly one more time, and my attention became distracted by the round swell of Kaia’s hips and the neat patch of honey-colored curls between her legs.

I dropped my head back and looked up into the twinkling hazel-blue eyes of my love. “Do you know how fucking hot it makes me to know you’ve got my baby growing in your belly?” The twinkle was quickly replaced with heat, and she shook her head.

“Maybe you should show me.” Pink dusted her cheeks and nose as she taunted me playfully.

“With pleasure, baby,” I murmured.

True to my word, by the time the shower ran cold, I’d eaten her until I was full. Then she’d wrapped her red, kiss-swollen lips around my cock and swallowed it before taking every drop of my come. Of course, I couldn’t stop there and flipped her around, placing her hands on the wall. I grabbed hold of her generous hips and fucked her from behind until we were both shouting with release.

Content and sated, we collapsed in bed. I laid my head on her soft belly and imagined I could hear our little one’s heartbeat. Eventually, I laughed when her stomach rumbled beneath my ear. “I guess I should feed my babies.”

* * *

Kaia stood next to me in a pretty, lacy, summer dress that hugged her torso and flared out at her waist. A pink flower held her hair back on one side, and her ears and throat were adorned with small pink pearls. She looked absolutely gorgeous.

The judge walked into the room, giving us a smile as he came to a stop in front of us. Kaia gave her bouquet of baby roses to Jaelyn and put both her hands in mine.

Her rosy lips were curved in a sweet, happy smile but something had been bothering me all day. “Can you give us a minute?” I asked the judge.

He nodded. Kaia frowned at me, her eyes filling with worry. I kept her hands in mine and led her over to the side of the room to gain a smidgen of privacy. “I love you, baby,” I assured her. “Stop looking at me like you’re worried I’m going to take off any minute.” I gave her a wry look. “If anyone needs to be locked up, it’s you.” Kaia glared at me, but her lips twitched.

“I want to make sure you’re really okay with this. If you want to plan a real wedding, I’ll wait. As long as you’re mine someday, I’ll wait as long as it takes.”

Kaia’s eyes filled with tears, and I immediately began to panic. She giggled and wrapped her arms around my neck before planting a big kiss on my lips. “This is everything that I want, Ewan. The man I love, who loves me, and my sister.”

“You don’t want the white wedding every little girl dreams about?” I asked skeptically.

“I never dreamed about the wedding, Ewan,” she said with a shake of her head. “My dreams were all about what came next. I was always more interested in the happily ever after.”

“You’re fucking perfect, you know that?” I asked gruffly, my throat thick with emotion.

Kaia’s melodious laughter sent tingles to my nerve endings. “For you, maybe, but that’s all that matters to me anyway.” She stepped back and tugged on my hand. “Come on, baby-daddy, let’s get hitched.”

I barked with laughter and let her pull me back over to stand in front of the officiant. Ten minutes later, Kaia was my wife, and we began our happily ever after.

Epilogue

Kaia

Two years later.

“Ewan!” I cried out my husband’s name as wave after wave of ecstasy crashed over me. “Shhhhh, Kaia.” He growled against my pussy, and the vibrations only intensified my orgasm.

His stiff tongue speared inside me as he manipulated my clit with his fingers. “That’s it, baby. Fuck my tongue. I want you slick and juicy when I stuff my big cock into this tight pussy.” I started to cry out again, and he lifted my hips to slap an ass cheek. “You’ve got to keep quiet, baby, or you’re going to wake Carson.” I bit my lip so hard I nearly drew blood.

He finally let up after making me come one more time. Then he slid his sweaty body up over mine until his mouth hovered over my breasts. “You have the sexist fucking tits, baby. But damn if they don’t make me even hotter when they are full and swollen from nursing our baby.” He licked each taut nipple, and I moaned, writhing with building need. “So sensitive. I wonder if I could make you come just from playing with your breasts.”

“Please, Ewan,” I begged, my voice breathless as I panted. My hormones were insane when I was pregnant, and it hadn’t lessened while I was nursing. Luckily, my husband had no problem keeping up. But I was such a quick trigger that teasing me during sex nearly drove me out of my mind.

“I have to try it one of these days, baby,” he mumbled as he rubbed his nose up the valley between my breasts. “But I can never keep from giving you whatever you want.”

He surged up and impaled me in one swift thrust. That was all it took to set me off again. “Fuck, yeah!” he shouted. I slapped a hand over his mouth, and my body shook from my stifled giggles along with the orgasm.

“I can’t help it,” he groaned, keeping his voice low. “You’re so fucking hot and tight. Your pussy squeezes the shit out of me when you come.” He panted and pumped his hips faster. I threw my head back and bit my lip again when he shifted angles and his cock hit my clit with every thrust. “One more, baby,” he commanded. “Give me one more so your pussy milks the come from my dick. Take every drop. I’m gonna fuck another baby into you tonight.”

As usual, the filthier he talked, the harder I came. He kissed me hard, swallowing my screams as I shattered apart.

Two more thrusts and Ewan exploded inside me, filling me with so much come it spilled out. He kept rocking as tremors shook his body.

“Mommy!”

“Shit!” I shrieked quietly when the doorknob began to turn.

“Relax, baby,” Ewan wheezed. “I locked it.”

I breathed a heavy sigh of relief. “Carson’s too young to see how babies are made.”

“Just a minute, sweetie,” I called out and tried to shove my husband off me.

“Hey,” he grumbled, even as he easily fell to his side.

I hopped out of bed and snatched up my nightgown. I stumbled and hopped around from trying to pull on my underwear while hurrying to the door.

“Mommmmmmmmy…”

I glanced back at Ewan to make sure he was decent and saw him sitting on the side of the bed, pulling on a pair of pajama pants. Throwing open the door, I scooped our one-and-a-half-year-old son up into my arms. “What’s wrong, baby?”

He’d stuck his thumb in his mouth and popped it out to answer my question. “Wan Daddy.”

Ewan walked up, and Carson immediately reached for him. “Everything okay, little man?” My ovaries just about exploded when Ewan brushed Carson’s wispy hair back from his forehead and gave him a soft kiss.

“Wan Mommy.” He reached for me, and I gave Ewan a smug look. Carson had been clingy with his daddy lately, making me feel a little bit like chopped liver. But a minute after I cuddled him into my embrace, he popped that thumb out again. “Wan Daddy.”

I passed him over and stared suspiciously at my precious little boy. He gave me a toothy grin, and I sighed, figuring out his game. “We’re not playing parent pong, Carson,” I admonished gently. “Time to go night, night.” He frowned, and his eyes welled up with tears.

Ewan looked at me frantically, and I glared. No way was he making me the bad guy here. Big, fat crocodile tears slipped down Carson’s chubby cheeks, and Ewan’s eyes became pleading. He had a hard time handling tears from me or his son.

I shook my head, gave Carson a kiss, and whispered that I loved him. Then I sauntered back to the bed and slid under the covers. I removed my panties and dropped them to the floor next to me, giving Ewan a naughty smile. His eyes went wide, and when the nightgown joined the panties, he spun around and stalked out of our room and into Carson’s right next door. The monitor was on, and I giggled as Ewan spoke to his son. “You’ll understand when you are much, much older, son. But I need you to go to sleep so Daddy can have some alone time to make you a little brother or sister.”

Carson continued to whimper for a minute, then he slowly quieted, and I could just picture my sexy husband cuddling our son and rocking him to sleep.

A few minutes later, he prowled back into our room and shut and locked the door. He looked predatory as he approached the bed, and it sent a shiver down my spine.

“That was very naughty, wife,” he growled. He put a knee on the bed and leaned over me, putting a hand on the mattress on either side of my head. “Are you trying to get spanked?”

I winked and ran my fingers down his naked chest and into his pants to wrap around his cock. He groaned and glared at me. “I can’t punish you like I want tonight, so I’m just going to fuck you so hard you won’t be able to move without feeling me tomorrow. But Carson’s with Jaelyn tomorrow night, and you, my wicked little wife, are going to find yourself locked up with a red ass before you suck my cock to make this up to me.”

I licked my lips and tried to look as though everything he said wasn’t making me drenched between my legs.

After following through with all his promises that night and the next, he pulled me into his arms and feathered kisses over my shoulder. “Is it everything you dreamed of?” he asked quietly.

“What?”

He leaned up on his elbow and stared down at me with a loving smile. I was surprised to see the hint of nervousness lurking in his eyes. “Your happily ever after. Is it what you dreamed it would be?”

I grabbed his head and pulled him down for a deep kiss, then smiled with all my love for him shining through. “It’s beyond my wildest dreams. And every day, I’m amazed at how I keep getting even happier.”

Fired Up

Fiona Davenport

1

Rand

I grinned at my friend Ewan as he stepped up to the plate. He smirked back at me and took his batting stance. My team was up two runs, and I was confident we’d keep our lead even with Ewan, their best hitter, up to bat.

My fire station, Ladder Co. 45, was leading the softball league, and if we beat the 99th Precinct, we’d go on to the playoffs. On top of that, I bet Ewan two hundred bucks that we’d kick his team’s ass.

I lifted my arms in the air and slowly brought them down into position as I shifted onto my back foot. The ball sailed right by Ewan, and I pumped my fist when the ump called a strike.

We got ready for the next pitch, and I focused on the strike zone. Normally, nothing could break my concentration, but to my shock, I felt a strong pull, as though being attracted to a magnet. My eyes darted behind the ump to the seats right behind home. Since I was already wound up, I couldn’t stop the momentum, and I let the ball fly right as my gaze landed on the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen in my life.

There was silence around me, and I barely noticed as I looked the goddess up and down. She was average height with wavy hair that shimmered in different shades of brown and hung to just below her shoulder blades. I couldn’t see her eyes, but her face was oval with a cute nose and plump lips meant for kissing. Her body was lean, but she still had mouthwatering curves. Large tits, a sweet swell at her hips, and when she turned around, I had to swallow hard at the sight of her perfect, round ass.

“Eyes on the prize, Rand!” someone shouted. I wanted to respond that they already were, but I was jostled from my perusal when a ball hit me in the arm.

I shook my head to clear the fog and bent to pick up the softball. When I straightened, Ewan was staring at me with an expression that seemed to say, “What the fuck is going on with you?” I just shrugged in response.

A quick peek at the scoreboard told me that my last pitch had been called as a ball. My beauty was sitting on a seat next to Kaia, Ewan’s wife. It occurred to me that if I threw two more strikes, the game would be over, and I could catch this mystery woman and find out who she was.

A movement in the corner of my eyes drew my attention, and I noticed Ewan twisting around to see what I was looking at. When he faced me again, his eyes were narrowed, and his brow was furrowed. I assumed he was pissed that I’d been distracted by a woman.

Determined to get this over with, I once again, focused on the strike zone. My next pitch went right down the middle, and Ewan swung hard but wasn’t able to make contact.

“Strike!” the ump shouted.

One more. I moved into position and threw, but this time, Ewan managed to catch it on the end of his bat, and it went sailing into foul territory. The delay pissed me off, and I must have channeled that anger into precision because my next throw whizzed right by Ewan as he executed a powerful swing.

“Out!”

That was the game. I jogged over to the dugout, or what we called a dugout but was really a set of bleachers behind a tall fence. My gaze darted over to the seats where I’d seen her, but no one was sitting there anymore. She was probably headed to the other team with Kaia. Clearly, they were friends since they’d been sitting together. I threw my gear down by my duffle bag and hurried out and around the fence, heading to the other side of the field. I looked around frantically, trying to spot her but didn’t see her anywhere. I slowed to a walk as I approached. I finally spotted Kaia, who was being thoroughly kissed by her husband, but my beauty wasn’t with them.

Ewan came up for air and saw me standing a few feet away. His expression morphed into the same one I’d seen on the field.

I shook my head as I closed the distance between us. “Don’t be a sore loser, E.”

“She’s not here.”

Confused, I tilted my head and scratched my beard. “What?”

“The girl you were ogling,” he clarified in a steely tone. “She’s not here anymore, and you’re going to forget all about her. Got it?”

“You know who she is?” I asked with a clenched jaw as I took a menacing step forward.

Ewan glared at me silently.

I looked at Kaia for help. She smirked and looked like she wanted to say something but decided to stay quiet and watch instead.

Clenching my fists, I gave Ewan a blistering look and snarled, “What the fuck, Ewan? Are you seriously going to keep this woman’s identity from me?”

“She’s like a sister to me,” he growled right back. “Besides, she’s too fucking young for you, so just forget about her. Find one of your adoring posse to fuck.”

Kaia gasped and smacked Ewan on the arm, glaring up at him until his face morphed into a sheepish expression.

“Sorry,” he mumbled.

Ewan’s refusal stunned me. We’d been friends for over a decade, and he knew me. He knew how much the fire bunnies annoyed me. What’s more, he was well aware that I’d barely even had a date since we’d met, much less taken a woman to bed. I’d given him shit about being in the same circumstances until he arrested Kaia, and then he’d dished it right back.

Taking at least some pity on me, Kaia gave me a sympathetic smile. “Like a sister to him,” she said, emphasizing the word sister.

Ewan slanted her a look that suggested she would pay for her little hint later, but she just smiled up at him with a serene expression, then winked suggestively. If I hadn’t been so on edge and worked up, I might have found it amusing.

Giving Kaia a lift of my chin, I shot another glare at Ewan and then walked back to my gear. Once I was packed up, I threw it all in the trunk of my car and headed home. I had just enough time to grab a shower and some food before I started a forty-eight-hour shift.

* * *

I flopped over on the bed in my private, dorm-style room at the fire station. My years of service had earned me the position of captain, and with that came a perk of a private room and shower. More than once, I was thankful that they’d added private rooms when they built the new station. Every time I tried to get some rest, I was plagued with dreams about my mystery girl. I’d woken up multiple times drenched in sweat and on the verge of coming. So while we’d only had one call over the past two days, I was exhausted. It was a good thing my shift was ending in a few hours.

After obsessing over Kaia’s words, I came to the conclusion that the brunette was her sister. Eventually, I remembered her last name was Whittaker and sat down at a computer to search for my girl. Unfortunately, there were over one hundred Whittakers in the city. I’d have to do a little more digging after my shift ended, and I had four days off.

Groaning in resignation, I rolled off the bed, getting to my feet. If I didn’t find her soon (and finding her was the only option because I knew I would never be able to forget about her), I’d be able to join the cast of The Walking Dead.

I used the bathroom and grabbed a shower before wandering into the kitchen to fix myself a bowl of cereal and brood over my situation.

“Dude, you look like shit.” Tyler, one of the paramedics that drove a Ladder 45 department ambulance, smirked as he sauntered into the room. “Too much paperwork weighing you down, Cap?” It was a running joke that I’d gone soft now that I’d been promoted to captain even though I was usually first and always last on scene.

Glowering darkly, I flipped him the bird. He just laughed and made a beeline for the fridge to rummage around for some food.

He also knew my situation with my mystery girl since I’d been stupid enough to tell him. We’d been friends since kindergarten and were both close with Ewan.

Then it hit me. “Do you know Ewan’s sister-in-law?”

Tyler popped his head over the refrigerator door and looked at me with curiosity. “I’ve met her a time or two.”

I felt like the clouds were opening to let the sunshine through. “What’s her name?”

He thought for a second then said, “Jaelyn, I think.”

Jaelyn. It was as gorgeous as she was.

Tyler ducked back down and grabbed something from inside before standing and shutting the door. “Ewan is kind of a pain in the ass about her,” he mused nonchalantly as he twisted the cap off a smoothie and took a swig.

Possession and jealousy slammed into me like a truck. I was about to tell him to stay the fuck away from her when he spoke again and cooled some of my ire.

“We were all at a barbecue, and while she’s a great girl, I wasn’t the least bit interested in her, but he still warned me off at least three times.” Tyler snorted with laughter. “I thought Kaia was going stab him with her fork. Jaelyn seemed to be oblivious to it all.”

“Do you—” The rest of my question was cut off when the alarm sounded, and we sprang into action. I reminded myself that now I had her name and could find her, but for the moment, I needed to concentrate on my job.

2

Jaelyn

For the past two nights, I’d looked forward to bedtime because my dreams had been filled with the hot as heck fireman who’d pitched the softball game against my new brother-in-law. My eyes had been drawn to him each time he took the mound but for a different reason than why everyone else’s attention was aimed in the same direction. The way his muscles flexed on his six-foot-two muscular body when he wound up to pitch was even better to watch than how he threw the ball. I’d wanted to run my fingers through his thick, dark hair when he tugged his hat off to wipe the sweat from his forehead. His full, closely cropped beard made him even more appealing.

His beard featured in many of my dreams. How it would scrape between my legs as he made his way to my pussy, making the skin of my inner thighs even more sensitive. In the slim space of time between sleep and waking up, the sensation seemed so real. As I rolled over, my legs slid together and sent a jolt of desire to my core. I let out a low moan, unwilling to let go of the vision of my smoking hot firefighter. I wanted more of the pleasure he would give me, even if he wasn’t here in the flesh.

My brain was foggy from the lack of sleep, and it took me longer than it should have to realize the scent of smoke wasn’t from the uniform my hunky fireman had stripped out of in my dream. When I finally recognized the smell was real, my eyes popped open. Glancing up at the ceiling, I saw smoke pouring out of the vents and squeaked, “Holy crap!”

I scrambled off the mattress and chanted, “Holy crap!” a few more times as I grabbed my cell off the bedside table. Then I shoved my feet into the flip-flops on the floor next to my bed and ran out of my bedroom. The smoke grew thicker as I moved through my apartment, making me cough.

The fire must’ve been burning long enough for one of my neighbors to call it in. By the time I made it into the kitchen, I heard a fire truck’s siren and saw the flash of red lights through my living room window. “Oh, thank goodness,” I sighed, feeling a huge surge of relief at knowing help was already here.

As quickly as I could, I grabbed my purse off the kitchen counter and crammed my laptop inside before heading through the living room to the door. Yanking it open, I hurried down the hallway. I must’ve been the last to notice the fire because several of my neighbors’ doors were wide open. Feeling a renewed sense of urgency, I sped up. As I neared the stairs, I tripped over my left flip-flop and stumbled. Strong arms caught me as I fell, saving me from crashing down the stairs.

“Thanks,” I gasped, tilting my head back and locking gazes with my rescuer. Although I hadn’t been close enough to see the color of the hot fireman’s eyes during the softball game, as soon as I spotted the green orbs through his mask, I knew it was him.

“I have you.” He lifted me higher and slipped his arm under my knees, cradling me against his broad chest. I twined my arms around his neck and held on as he swiftly carried me down two flights of stairs. When we made it out to the sidewalk in front, most of my neighbors were standing on the lawn. Instead of setting me down near them, he stalked over to the back of the ambulance parked behind the fire truck. A few firefighters called out to him, but he completely ignored them.

Both of the paramedics were helping my neighbors, so the hunky firefighter and I were alone as he gently lowered me onto the back bumper, then ripped his helmet and mask off. His green eyes burned with fierce concern as he kneeled down in front of me. “Do you have any shortness of breath or a headache?”

“I—”

I’d been about to assure him I was completely fine, but my breath caught in my throat and made me cough.

“Shit! You’re not okay.” He dropped his helmet and mask onto the ground before gently cupping my cheeks and tilting my head back to search my face. “Your eyes are a little red. It might be irritation from the smoke.”

“Your job is putting out the fire, Rand,” a masculine voice chided from behind my sexy firefighter. “Mine is treating the patient.”

I glanced up and offered Tyler, a paramedic friend of Ewan’s, a weak smile. Rand jumped up and stood between us, blocking Tyler’s view of me. “She needs a blanket before you can treat her.”

It was a little after eight in the morning, but the sun was already shining. There was only a light breeze in the air, and I was pretty sure it was in the sixties. “A blanket isn’t necessary. I’m not cold.”

Rand turned toward me, his green eyes raking over the pale blue cami and short set I was wearing. His gaze lingered on my nipples, which puckered at the attention. “Trust me. It’s more than necessary.”

When I followed his eyes and saw how much was on display through the thin material, I couldn’t help but agree. Besides, I wasn’t about to argue when he was staring at me like he was ready to devour me. “Okie dokie.”

Rand shifted closer as Tyler climbed into the ambulance and grabbed a gray polyester blanket. When he went to drop it around my shoulders, Rand took it from him and wrapped it around me instead. “There you go, baby. Now Tyler can look you over and make sure you’re okay.”

Rand stuck close as Tyler did his examination. He paid particular attention to my lungs, and I coughed a few times when he had me breathe deep. Once he was done, he flung his stethoscope around his neck and said, “I don’t think the smoke had the chance to do much damage before Rand got you out of the building.”

“I feel pretty good, considering how my morning has gone so far.” I smiled at both men to reassure them, but it didn’t do much to erase the concern in Rand’s eyes.

“Can you do me a solid and take Jaelyn to the hospital? I’d feel better if a doctor looked her over.”

I shook my head. “But I don’t need to go to the hospital. Tyler just said I’m okay.”

“When it comes to you, any amount of damage is too much as far as I’m concerned.” Rand looked over his shoulder at my apartment building and swore under his breath as he turned his attention back to Tyler. “I’d take her myself—”

“Captain!”

Rand held up a hand in acknowledgment when a female firefighter jogged up but didn’t pause as he continued to speak to Tyler. “But I’m going to be here for a while.”

“Whatever you want, man,” Tyler agreed.

“Don’t I have any say in this?” I grumbled.

“Of course, you do.” Rand traced his thumb along my bottom lip, which had turned down in a small pout. “But don’t you agree it’s for the best? It’s just a quick trip to the hospital so a doctor can confirm the smoke didn’t do any lasting damage. And it’s not like you can do anything here. The building won’t be cleared for re-entry anytime soon.”

“I guess you’re right,” I conceded softly, cringing at the thought of what my apartment was going to look like by the time I was allowed back inside.

Rand flashed me a sexy grin before brushing his lips over my forehead. “Good girl.”

I shivered at the compliment and stared at his ass after he said something quietly to Tyler, then picked up his stuff and walked away. I shook my sexy fireman-induced stupor off as Tyler helped me into the ambulance. As it pulled away with me safely tucked inside, the way Rand worded his request for Tyler to take me to the hospital hit me. “How does he know my name?”

I hadn’t expected anyone to answer my whispered question, but Tyler surprised me when he said, “Because he grilled me about you this morning, right before the call about the fire in your building came in.”

“He grilled you about me?” I echoed softly.

“Yeah,” Tyler confirmed with a grin. “And he looked like he was about to blow a gasket when I told him Ewan warned me off you. If I’d had more time, I would’ve yanked his chain over his caveman reaction.”

I grinned at the thought of Rand feeling all alpha over me after seeing me across the softball field. And there might’ve been a bit of a wicked gleam in my eyes as I thought of the chain yanking I was going to do to my new brother-in-law now that I knew he was warning guys off me. Especially if I found out Rand was one of them.

3

Rand

The damage to Jaelyn’s building was mostly from smoke, leaving the structure intact. It would be habitable again in a few weeks. But it didn’t matter since Jaelyn would be living with me by then.

Once we were sure the building was empty and secured against anyone who might try to get in, I rushed back to the firehouse. I stripped out of my gear and tossed it at a rookie. “Get this to the laundry,” I requested over my shoulder as I hurried by.

After peeling off my sweaty, grimy clothes, I hit the private bathroom attached to my room. I showered quickly, then dressed in jeans, a T-shirt, and a sweater before booking it to my office. My eyes dropped to my watch, and it made me move even faster. I’d told Tyler to keep Jaelyn at the hospital until I could get there, but he would only be able to stall for so long.

“Mick!” I shouted to one of my lieutenants. He entered my office a minute later, and I beckoned him forward. “I have to get going. I’m off for the next four days, but I’ll still work from home. Send me your report on the fire today, and let me know when they expect to declare the building habitable again as soon as possible.” He nodded, and I gestured for him to take a seat at my desk. Before moving out of his way, I locked my drawers and logged out of the programs on my computer. He had his own passwords to the system, and I always left my office open for my lieutenants to use when I wasn’t there.

“It’s Tyler’s rotation to teach the public safety training this afternoon, but he’ll need someone to cover for him. I have him on a special assignment.”

Confident that Mick had everything under control, I jogged out back to my silver extended cab truck. I’d bought it so I had the ability to haul a lot, especially since I was remodeling a house on the outskirts of town. However, I also made sure it would fit and be safe for car seats.

Until I saw Jaelyn, I’d often wondered what had possessed me to even consider that since I’d barely looked at a woman for longer than I cared to admit. Now, I was patting myself on the back for the decision.

It was a short drive to the hospital, and I pulled into a reserved spot near the entrance to the emergency room. The Ladder Co. 45 sticker would keep my truck from being towed. I hopped out and hit the lock button as I sprinted up across the drive and through the sliding, glass double doors.

Tyler was at the check-in desk, deep in discussion with a young male nurse, but he cut off the conversation abruptly when he saw me enter. “Finally.” I raised my brow, and he nodded, answering my silent question before confirming out loud. “She’s fine. No lasting damage.” Then he shook his head, his expression showing clear exasperation. “But damn, man, we were running out of excuses to keep her here.”

The “we” caught my attention, and I scowled at the thought of the young punk laying even a finger on my girl. Tyler caught my expression and said something to the kid in a low voice which caused him to scurry off before I reached them.

Tyler pointed at a single wood door with a square window and the word Emergency painted on the front. “Bay six.” As I swiftly walked in the direction he’d indicated, he drawled, “You owe me fucking big time, Cap.”

I waved to let him know I heard him, then put him out of my mind as I pushed through the door. “Big time!” I heard him yell before the door swung shut behind me.

One woman in pink scrubs sat at the nurses’ station, and she lifted her head when I stalked into the room. She slowly smiled and patted her hair as she stood. Her smile was more seductive than welcoming, which pissed me off. “Can I—hey!”

Ignoring her, I kept on my path until I reached bay six and drew back the curtain. I exhaled slowly, and my muscles began to relax. I realized I’d basically been holding my breath until I saw her again.

“Sir! You can’t just come—” complained the nurse who had obviously followed me.

I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Jaelyn, who was staring back at me with a myriad of emotions displayed on her beautiful face. Surprise, curiosity, and happiness. I briefly wondered if she was as transparent to everyone else as she seemed to be to me. I hoped not. I liked the idea that it was for me only. That she was mine completely.

I couldn’t wait to watch her when we made love. To see the expressions that would dance over her face as she came, screaming my name. The images in my head caused a tightening in my jeans, and I focused on the aggravating nurse in order to keep my cock from stiffening even further.

“Where are her discharge papers?” I interjected, cutting off the woman’s annoying protests. The nurse ceased all noise when I turned to her with deep scowl. She mumbled something about finding a doctor and beat it out of there.

Jaelyn’s beautiful eyes, which I’d discovered were a captivating velvety brown, were trained on me as I approached her bedside. “Um, hi…Rand?” she murmured, cocking her head in question.

I nodded and grinned and took a seat next to her. “Hi, baby.” With a mind of its own, my hand lifted to brush her hair back from her face and tuck it behind her ear. “How are you feeling?”

Her lips tipped down at the corners, but she only looked a tad put out rather than angry. “I feel fine. Which is why I don’t understand what I’m doing here in the first place, much less being kept here for over two hours.”

The curtain slid all the way open at that moment, saving me from having to answer, although I knew it was only a temporary reprieve.

A tall blonde in a white lab coat walked in and looked up from the clipboard in her hand with a smile. A modicum of relief trickled through my veins knowing that my girl hadn’t been treated by a man in her current state of dress…or more appropriately, undress.

“Thanks for being patient, Ms. Whittaker.” The doctor signed the top paper, then pulled it off and handed it to Jaelyn. “We just wanted to cover all our bases and there was a backup in the lab.”

I couldn’t believe my luck until I glanced at the doctor’s name tag. Dr. Vi Jennings. Tyler’s comment about owing him became clear. Vi was his cousin. While Jaelyn studied her paperwork, Dr. Jennings smirked at me, and mouthed, “Big time.” Then she turned back to my girl and chirped, “You’re good to go!” Spinning around, she strode to the next bay and disappeared behind the curtain.

I couldn’t help smiling, even as I admitted to myself that I was definitely indebted to my friend. A glance at Jaelyn’s beautiful face gave me an idea. I needed to find him a woman. But it would have to wait until I had my own female situation settled.

Standing from the bed, I offered my hand to help Jaelyn climb down from the gurney. She smiled sweetly in gratitude as she accepted my assistance. Warmth bloomed in my chest, confirming my suspicions that love at first sight was real.

I held her waist while she found her balance but didn’t let go even when she was solid on her feet. When she tilted her head back to look up at my face, her eyelids drooped a little so that she was gazing at me through her long, thick lashes. “Thank you for coming to check on me, but you don’t have to stay. I’ll call my sister to come and get me.”

I answered her by bending over to press my lips to hers. “I’ll take you home, baby,” I murmured before running my tongue along the seam of her lips, requesting entry. She shuffled closer, and her lips parted in invitation. The first sweep of my tongue pulled a tortured groan from my chest as I savored her taste. I was instantly on the edge, my cock dangerously hard and my self-control hanging by a thread. It didn’t help that there was a bed only inches away from us.

My hands fisted at her sides, pulling on the thin material of her top. The fear that I’d accidentally rip it, causing even the remotest possibility of someone seeing what was mine, broke through the lustful fog swallowing me.

Jaelyn mewled in objection when I forced myself to release her lips. It almost did me in, but I swallowed hard and told myself that I’d soon have her all to myself. I touched our foreheads together and attempted to regulate my ragged breathing. My body was overheating from need, but it reminded me about my layers. It was in the high sixties outside, making my sweater unnecessary, but I hadn’t donned it for warmth.

Reluctantly, I let Jaelyn go and grabbed the back of my sweater, pulling it off in one swift move. Then I lowered it over her head and helped her put her arms through the sleeves. It was so big that it almost swallowed her whole. But fuck, I was burning with desire at seeing her wrapped in my clothes.

She held up her arms and laughed at the sight of the sleeves hanging over her hands. “I don’t think this is really my size, Rand.” I chuckled and suppressed the shiver that tried to race through my body at the sound of my name in her husky voice. I rolled up the sleeves and then stepped back to survey my handiwork. A frown creeped onto my face when I saw her bare legs. The shirt hung down to her knees, but it was the way it made her appear as though she didn’t have on pants that bothered me.

I glanced around and that’s when I spied the folded clothing on the end of the bed. Lifting the fabric, I was glad to see that someone had thought to leave Jaelyn a pair of clean scrubs. I left the top, preferring to have her in my clothes, wearing my scent, and bent to help her step into the pants.

Fucking hell. She had the most gorgeous legs. By the time I stood, the image of those stems wrapped around my waist had my dick leaking precome. And the thought of them wrapped around my head had my mouth watering.

“Let’s go, baby,” I urged as I slipped an arm around her waist and led her toward the exit. It was time to take her home.

4

Jaelyn

When we passed through the emergency room doors, I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I’d only been inside the hospital for a little more than two hours, but it’d felt a lot longer. On the plus side, enough time had gone by for the shakiness I’d felt after the fire to have passed. I didn’t need help, but I liked the feel of Rand’s arm over my shoulders too much to let him know. Especially not the short distance we walked to get to the huge silver truck parked near the entrance.

Glancing at the reserved sign, I grinned up at Rand as he opened the passenger door for me. “I’m pretty sure this spot is supposed to be used for official business only.”

“True,” he conceded with a sexy smirk, humor gleaming in his green eyes. “But it’s not like any of my guys were going to rat their captain out for snagging a primo spot in the ten minutes it took me to get you.”

Everything had been so hectic after he’d carried me out of my building that I’d forgotten someone had referred to him as Captain until he reminded me just now. “Do you take advantage of the perks of being the boss often?”

“Nah, I’m usually a stickler for the rules. It’s part of why they promoted me to captain in the first place.” I let out a surprised squeak when he wrapped his large hands around my waist and lifted me onto the passenger seat. “But I had a damn good reason for breaking the rules this time.”

My brow wrinkled in confusion since it seemed he’d only come to the hospital to pick me up. “You did?”

“Of course, I did, baby. You were waiting for me.” He brushed his thumb across my cheekbone, and I would’ve sworn he was about to kiss me before he pulled away and slammed the truck door shut.

“Whoa,” I breathed, slumping against my seat. If they hadn’t checked my temperature while I was being examined, I would’ve thought I had a fever—that’s how hot and bothered Rand was able to get me with just a look and light touch of his hand on my face. The man should come with a warning label.

“Do you need help buckling up?”

“Huh?” I turned toward him as he pulled his seat belt on and realized I hadn’t put mine on yet. Yanking on it, I shook my head. “Nope, I have it.”

“I’m a good driver, and my truck is one of the safest on the road”—he squeezed my thigh before starting the engine and pulling out of the parking lot—“but no way in hell would I ever do anything that puts you at risk.”

Up until Kaia met Ewan, I’d thought guys like him—strong alphas with a heart of gold—were a thing of the past. But I was starting to think that maybe I’d stumbled onto one of my own—quite literally—considering how he’d saved me from falling down the stairs. It was a meet cute straight out of a romantic comedy on the big screen.

When Rand turned onto the highway, I pointed toward the back of the truck. “You took the wrong entrance. I live that way.”

“I know.” He reached out to thread his fingers through mine. “But you can’t go back to your place yet.”

My brow wrinkled in confusion. “But I could swear you said you were taking me home?”

“To my home, baby. Your building hasn’t been cleared for residents to go back in yet,” he explained.

I slumped in my seat, holding his hand as though it was a lifeline. Between being poked and prodded and getting frustrated by how long it had taken to be discharged from the hospital, I hadn’t stopped to think about how bad the damage to my apartment might have been. “You guys got there so fast, I was hoping I’d just need to open my windows and get some special fans or something to take care of the water used to put out the fire and to help with the smoke smell.”

He gave my hand a comforting squeeze. “I’m sorry to be the one to break the news, but it’s not going to be that simple. The structure’s intact, but the smoke damage is extensive enough that your landlord is going to need to hire a restoration company to handle the bulk of the clean-up efforts.”

“Crap,” I muttered, turning to look out the passenger window when I felt tears well in my eyes. “I better call my sister.”

“You can call from my place,” Rand offered. “We’re almost there.”

I wasn’t looking forward to how that conversation would go. Kaia was going to be pissed that I didn’t tell her about the fire right away. Ewan wouldn’t be happy, either. He took his role as my brother-in-law pretty seriously, which made me remember what Tyler had said in the ambulance. “We almost met a couple of days ago when you pitched a softball game against Ewan Kelley’s team. He just got married to my sister last month.”

“Yeah, I know. Ever since I spotted you in the stands with your sister, I’ve been kicking my ass for not switching up the schedule, so I could’ve made the wedding,” he admitted. “I’m sure I would’ve enjoyed seeing you all dressed up.”

“If it wasn’t destroyed, maybe you’ll get the chance to see me in what I wore. Since I was the only person in her bridal party, Kaia let me pick out what I wanted so it’s not your typical bridesmaid dress. I actually looked pretty good in it.” My tears were forgotten as my lips curved up in a small grin.

“I’m sure you looked fan-fucking-tastic.” His thumb brushed back and forth across my palm. “No matter what you were wearing.”

Shifting in my seat, I turned in his direction again. “This is probably going to sound crazy, but Ewan didn’t warn you off me or anything like that, did he?”

“Damn straight he did,” Rand chuckled as he exited the highway. “You disappeared after the game, and the bastard wouldn’t tell me a damn thing about you except that you’re too young for me, and I needed to forget all about you.”

“Too young?” I snorted, shaking my head. “It’s not like I’m fresh out of high school or anything. I’m a twenty-two-year-old college grad. And Ewan is one to talk when he’s eight years older than my sister.”

Rand shrugged his broad shoulders. “I don’t think he cared what excuses he threw my way as long as they worked.”

“And did they?” Tilting my head, I peeked up at him. “Work, that is?”

“Not a chance in hell.” He lifted my hand and pressed a kiss to my palm. “Your sister dropped enough hints for me to figure out who you were, and Tyler told me your name this morning before the call came in for the fire at your building. If I hadn’t already found you, I would’ve gone looking after my shift was over today.”

“Well, okay then. I guess the fire wasn’t entirely the disaster I thought it was if it brought you straight to my door.” I sighed, thinking about all the stuff I was going to need to deal with in the near future. “And at least I have renter’s insurance. It’ll cover anything I need to replace, and I think the relocation coverage even includes hotel stays so at least I won’t be forced to stay with Kaia and Ewan.”

I loved my sister and her husband, but having me under their roof would definitively put a damper on the newlyweds’ sex life. Just thinking about what I might end up hearing made me gag a little.

“It doesn’t matter if your insurance covers a hotel room or not, you won’t need one,” Rand announced as he pulled into the driveaway of a two-story brick house.

“Why not?”

He waited until he’d parked the truck in the garage and killed the engine to turn to me and answer. “Because you’ll be staying here with me.”

5

Rand

“I am?” Jaelyn’s voice contained an array of emotions, but the one I latched onto was the sliver of hope.

I squeezed her hand lightly and pulled her in close until we were barely a hairsbreadth apart. “You are,” I confirmed before I completely closed the gap and covered her mouth with my own.

My eyes slid shut, and I groaned as I savored her sweet taste. It was like peaches and sunshine mixed with something that I instinctively knew was all her own. I was lost. I knew I would crave more and more and probably never get enough. My free hand delved into her thick hair, and I gently grasped it in my fist, using the leverage to tilt her head and give me better access.

Jaelyn sighed and melted into me, opening immediately when I ran my tongue along the seam of her lips, asking for entry. I plunged my tongue inside her mouth and slid it along hers. When she tentatively responded in kind, lust slammed into me so hard it almost knocked the wind out of me.

My cock was pulsing in unison with my pounding heart beats and painfully fighting my zipper for freedom. Jaelyn started to kiss me back with wild abandon, holding nothing back. It was the most refreshing and alluring thing I’d ever experienced.

If I didn’t stop now, I was going to fuck her right there in the front seat of my truck. Only the sure knowledge that Jaelyn was special, that she meant more to me than anyone ever had, gave me the strength to tear myself away from her.

Her lips were swollen and slightly reddened from my whiskers. She looked like she belonged to somebody, and since that somebody was me, it certainly didn’t aid my attempt to cool the raging fire inside me.

She whimpered and pressed herself against me. Her arms had wound around my neck, and she tried to urge my head back down for another kiss.

I gave her a quick peck, and when I pulled back, she had a cute pout on her lips. To my surprise, not a minute later, she began to look worried. “Did I do something wrong?”

Releasing her hand and hair, I cupped her face and stared into her warm brown eyes so she would have no doubt of my sincerity. “Absolutely not, baby. You were perfect.”

Twin spots of pink bloomed on her cheeks, and she looked away shyly. “Then…um…why did you stop?”

I couldn’t help grinning at the wild cat who’d suddenly become a docile little kitten. “Because I want to get you settled, and we both need food. Something to give us strength and stamina.” I winked and grinned at the return of her blush.

“Wait here,” I told her before placing a quick kiss on the tip of her nose and then exiting the truck. I walked around to her side and opened the door. She’d already unbuckled, so I slid an arm around her waist and lifted her out. I held her pressed against me for a few moments, then slowly lowered her feet to the ground, keeping our bodies in contact the entire way.

Jaelyn gasped when she realized what the hard ridge pushing against her was, and I gazed down at her with hooded eyes. “That’s what you do to me, baby.”

I loved the way she displayed her every emotion on her face. At first, she looked shy, then intrigued, but the third one was what put a smirk on my lips. She seemed to grow more confident right before my eyes, and her smile turned a little wicked. Fucking hell…I didn’t think she could get any sexier.

Taking a deep breath, I told myself to calm down as I threw an arm over her shoulders and guided her toward the front door. Once it swung open and Jaelyn stepped inside, she stopped and looked around with wonder. I watched her carefully, gauging her true reaction to my home. I loved my house and hoped it would be our home, but if she didn’t like it, I’d call a realtor in the morning. However, her eyes were dancing with delight, and she wore a beautiful smile.

It was a modest house but still spacious and roomy with a big backyard. Perfect for a family. I’d bought it as an investment opportunity. I didn’t much care where I lived, but it was smarter to own than rent. Once I moved in, though, I fell in love with the place, and it made me even more confident that Jaelyn was the one for me when I watched her instantly fall in love with it as well.

“I love this house,” she gushed as she walked into the living room that opened up to the rest of the house. “It’s so warm and homey.”

I walked up behind her and slipped my arms around her middle, cuddling her close and resting my chin on the top of her head. “It needs a woman’s touch,” I murmured.

My hands splayed across her belly, and I bent my head, angling it so I could reach her ear before whispering, “It would look even better with a toy chest by that window.” I pointed at the spot, then returned my hand to her stomach. “And maybe a cradle in that corner.” I buried my face in her hair and exhaled harshly. Just the thought of getting her pregnant had me ready to explode.

Jaelyn’s breathing had sped up, but when I fisted my hands in her shirt and rocked my pelvis forward, pushing my huge erection into her lush ass, she stopped breathing altogether. I knew I was coming on strong, but it was almost impossible for me to go slow now that I’d found Jaelyn. Still, I decided to give her some time before throwing any more at her.

Turning us around, I let her go, giving her a swat on her ass to get her moving in the direction of the kitchen. “What would you like to eat, baby?”

She slowly rotated her head until she was looking back at me over her shoulder. Her expression was dry, and she had one eyebrow arched as if to say, “Seriously? What do you think I want to eat?”

I fucking lost it. I roared with laughter until I actually felt tears leak from the corners of my eyes. Jaelyn giggled right along with me, and when I could finally catch my breath, I tugged on her top and yanked her into my arms. “You are so fucking perfect, baby,” I told her with a giant smile. She beamed at me, and I couldn’t help stealing another kiss. “I’m warning you right now, Jaelyn,” I murmured against her lips. “I’m keeping you.” One more kiss. “You are mine.”

She looked a little dazed, and before she had a chance to react, I scooped her into my arms and walked the rest of the distance to the kitchen where I set her down on a stool at the center island. “How about Chinese, baby?”

“What?” she asked absently, making me chuckle.

“Chinese?”

“Oh! Yes, sure. I love Chinese.”

I opened a drawer, took out a menu, and handed it to her. She picked a few things, and I called to put in the order.

We had about thirty minutes before the food would arrive, and I figured Jaelyn would probably like a chance to shower and put on some clean clothes. I came to stand in front of her and wedged myself between her legs. My hands delved into her hair and massaged her scalp. She closed her eyes with a blissful expression. I could easily imagine seeing that look on her face when I made her come.

“Would you like to take a shower, baby?” I offered softly. A slow smile spread across Jaelyn’s face, and she winked at me, making me chuckle again. “Patience, Jaelyn.” I honestly couldn’t believe I was saying this to her, but I wasn’t going to be rushed. I slid my hands up her thighs to encircle her waist. “Once I get you naked, I’m going to want to take my time and worship every inch of your gorgeous body.”

Jaelyn shivered, and I swallowed hard, lecturing my cock and telling him to calm the fuck down. “Now, I’m going to show you where everything is, and then I’ll handle dinner.” I raised her up from the stool, brushed my lips across hers and set her on her feet. Lacing our fingers together, I gave her hand a small squeeze as I led her down a hallway to the master suite.

When we reached the bathroom, I left her by the door to start the shower. I turned on the towel warmer and then walked over to her. I kissed the top of her head as I slid by her and out into the bedroom. “I’ll leave something for you to wear on the bed, baby. Meet me back in the kitchen when you’re done.”

“Thanks, Rand,” Jaelyn said softly, giving me a beautiful smile.

“Anything for you, baby.”

I was setting out two plates and silverware when the doorbell rang. Grabbing my wallet, I jogged to the front door and swung it open. A teenage boy with an insolent expression stood there holding out a bag. I took it and handed him some cash. He reached for it but stopped suddenly and craned his neck to stare at something over my shoulder. His eyes grew wide, and his jaw dropped. I turned to follow his line of sight and sucked in a deep breath. Jaelyn was standing at the island in the kitchen. Her face was scrubbed clean, her hair was damp and drying into wild curls. She was wearing one of my T-shirts, and it was so big it slipped off one shoulder. She’d twisted and knotted it at her stomach. A pair of my boxers were rolled at the waist to hold them up on her slim hips, and it made her legs look a mile long. Even her bare feet looked fucking sexy.

My body lit up like the Fourth of July, and my cock jumped to attention. Everything but my girl faded away until I heard a slow whistle. Passion turned to possession in an instant. I spun around to face the little shit, and something in my expression must have made it very clear that his life was in imminent danger. He mumbled an apology and stumbled over his own feet as he ran away without taking the money.

I watched him go, silently fuming and talking myself out of going after him to make sure the kid never ogled what didn’t belong to him ever again.

Finally, I felt in control enough to step back into the house and slam the door shut. I prowled toward Jaelyn, my eyes raking over her body once again. When I reached the kitchen, I tossed the bag of food in the fridge, then altered my path so I ended up standing toe to toe with her.

“Baby,” I growled, “if you ever let another man see what’s for my eyes only, you won’t be able to sit down for a week. You are mine, and I don’t share.”

6

Jaelyn

“I—You—What?” I stammered, unsure exactly how I wanted to respond. I should’ve been appalled at the idea of Rand threatening to spank me, let alone hard enough that I wouldn’t be able to sit down for a week, but a part of me was thrilled that he was so possessive of me that he couldn’t stand the way the delivery boy had been eyeing me.

“You heard me,” he growled, setting his large hands on my hips and pulling me closer. “You’re too sexy for your own good.”

“I think you mean for your own good since I’m quite comfortable with what I’m wearing.” I tugged the material of his shirt up over my bare shoulder and sighed when it fell right back down. “Besides, you’re the one who picked it out.”

“I severely underestimated how fucking good you’d look in it.” His fingertips brushed against my belly, between the knotted shirt and rolled-up boxers.

I shivered and leaned into his touch. “It’s not my fault you’re a freaking giant compared to me.”

“I’ve never been more thankful for my size than I am right now because it means I can do this so easily.” He lifted me, and I instinctively circled my legs around his waist so that they didn’t dangle off the floor. Wrapping one arm under my butt and another around my back, he stared into my eyes as he carried me through the kitchen, down the hallway, and into the master bedroom.

I kept my legs wrapped around his waist as he lowered me onto the mattress, his body hovering over mine. Anything I might’ve said was swallowed by his mouth when his head lowered, and his lips crashed down over mine. This kiss topped the ones from earlier, full of all the passion we were both feeling. Not wanting it to end like last time, I plunged my hands into his hair and pressed closer.

When I started to writhe against Rand, he tore his mouth from mine and kissed his way down my jaw and throat. “I can feel how hot your pussy is through those boxers.” He took a deep breath, his nostrils flaring. “You’re so fucking wet; I can smell it.”

His fingers tugged at the knot in the shirt I was wearing, loosening it so he could lift the material over my head. I’d never shown my breasts to a guy before, but I didn’t feel any hint of embarrassment. I was too busy soaking up the masculine appreciation in his green eyes. “You’re even more perfect than I imagined,” he breathed.

He slid his hands up to my tits, his thumbs circling my nipples. I felt his touch all the way to my core, and the sensation intensified when he lowered his head and took one of them in his mouth. His tongue circled around the pebbled tip before he sucked it into his mouth.

I gasped and my back arched off the mattress, pushing my tit closer to his mouth. When he let go of it with a pop, I whimpered softly. “Don’t worry, baby. I’m nowhere close to done.”

He switched to the other side and gave it the same attention until I was writhing in need. “Please, Rand. I need—”

I wasn’t certain exactly what I needed; just that Rand was the only one who could give it to me. He rose on his knees and ripped the boxers down my legs. Then he nudged my thighs apart to bury his head between them. His breath was hot against me as he parted my pussy lips with his thumbs and lapped at me. “Oh, wow,” I gasped, my nails digging into his shoulders. The words dried up in my throat when he plunged his tongue inside me. My hips jerked up in time with his thrusts as the pleasure grew inside me with every scrape of his beard on my inner thighs. My body tightened, and I felt like I was about to burst.

“C’mon, baby. Fly apart for me,” Rand urged. He sank a finger inside me up to the knuckle while his tongue flicked over my clit, and I exploded.

“Oh! Yes! So good!” I cried, my head thrashing back and forth against a pillow. He licked me through my climax, the first one I’d ever had that I hadn’t given myself. It was about eleventy billion times better than anything I’d ever felt before.

I was panting for breath when he came back down on top of me. I wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but it had taken me longer to recover than I’d realized because he’d stripped out of his clothes and was completely naked. I felt his hard length nudge against my entrance. His tip felt huge, and I propped myself up on my elbows to stare down between our bodies. His dick was even larger than I expected. “Holy crap! You really are giant sized!”

“I’m perfectly proportional for a guy my size,” he said with a chuckle. Wrapping his hand around his shaft, he lowered his head to brush his lips across mine. “And I have no doubt your pussy will be a perfect fit for my cock because you were made for me, baby.”

That was so freaking sweet, I could barely handle it. “You do realize you don’t need to sweet-talk me out of my panties since I wasn’t wearing any to begin with, right?”

“Get used to hearing stuff like that from now on, Jaelyn. Because it’s the truth, and that’s all you’ll ever get from me.” He swiped a finger through my wetness. “You’re ready to take me, aren’t you, baby?”

I’d never done this before, but I couldn’t imagine wanting him inside me more than I did right then. I nodded, and said, “Uh-huh.”

He rubbed the tip of his cock up and down between my pussy lips before lining it up against my entrance. My nails bit into his shoulders when he slowly began to push inside. He didn’t get very far at first, rocking back and forth until I stretched to accommodate his hard length. I already felt like he was going to split me in two when he bumped against the proof of my innocence. “Fuck, baby.” He was panting, clearly fighting to keep his control and be gentle. “Did you save this sweet little pussy for me? Are you a virgin?”

I squeezed my eyes shut and nodded, whispering, “Yeah.”

“Don’t hide away from me, Jaelyn. Let me see those beautiful brown eyes of yours.” I blinked up at him, feeling shy about still being a virgin at twenty-two. But any doubts I might’ve had about how he’d react to the information were wiped away by the adoration and male triumph gleaming down at me. “I fucking love that I’m going to be the only man to ever get to see you like this.” He pulled his hips backward until tip of his dick was notched at my entrance again. “And the only one who’ll ever get to feel your sweet pussy wrapped around their cock.”

It was all the warning I got before he drove forward and buried his cock in my pussy. I cried out in pain, and tears leaked from my eyes. He kissed them away, whispering, “I’m so sorry, baby. I hate that I had to hurt you. But I promise to give you so much pleasure it’ll make up for the pain.”

“You already satisfied me,” I reminded him softly, my body starting to relax beneath his as the pain began to ebb.

“And I’ll do it again before I’m done,” he promised, pulling out a tiny bit and pressing back inside.

“Holy crap, that feels good,” I moaned.

He kept thrusting, slow and steady, until I didn’t know where my body ended and his began. Eventually, he picked up the tempo, lifting one of my legs and wedging his bicep underneath it to get even deeper. My walls clenched around him with every thrust, and it wasn’t long before I was seeing stars behind my eyes as a huge orgasm built within me.

“That’s right, baby. Your pussy is squeezing me so tight. Fuck. Yes!”

It felt like his dick was growing bigger inside me, dragging against a super-sensitive spot with each thrust of his hips. When he reached between us to put pressure on my clit, my entire world splintered. I screamed out his name until my throat was hoarse, and he anchored himself deep inside me and roared out his completion.

I was sweaty and completely satisfied when he fell over onto his back, taking me with him. He cradled me against his chest, his fingers combing through my tangled hair.

If I’d known I’d end up in Rand’s bed, thoroughly satisfied, I might’ve done something stupid like setting my own apartment on fire. I let out a little giggle at the inappropriate thought, and Rand gently squeezed me. “What’s so funny, baby?”

No way was I going to tell him what I’d been thinking, so I went with something else that was just as true. “It’s crazy, considering how my morning started off, but I’m just really happy.”

“Get used to that feeling because my new goal in life is to make sure you stay that way.”

7

Rand

I knew Jaelyn would look gorgeous lying in our bed naked and satisfied, but my imagination couldn’t have prepared me for the real thing. Nor could it truly capture the bliss of holding my woman in my arms after making her scream my name.

Then there was the fact that she’d been a virgin. I would want Jaelyn no matter her past, but I was arrogant enough to admit that knowing I was her first, only, and last made me want to beat my chest like a fucking caveman and announce to the world that this woman belonged to me and only me. It also turned me the fuck on, and despite having emptied myself inside her minutes ago, the hunger was building again.

Jaelyn sighed, and her breath ruffled my thin layer of chest hair. I glanced down at her gorgeous face to see her eyes were closed and a small smile graced her perfect lips. She had to be exhausted after her stressful day, and I knew I should let her pussy recover before taking her again. I shifted my eyes to the ceiling and started counting back from one thousand.

Her fingers began to play with my chest hair, and my cock jumped, hoping her hands were headed his way. A groan ripped from my throat when he got his wish, and Jaelyn wrapped her small hand around as much of my rock-hard shaft as she could. She pumped twice before I snatched her hand and brought it to my mouth, kissing the palm before laying it flat on my chest over my heart.

Jaelyn lifted up and bent her head to one side, wearing a cute little pout on her puffy, kiss swollen lips. There was a little extra redness from whisker burn surrounding them. I’d left similar marks on her inner thighs and seeing proof of my mark on her, knowing she wore the evidence of my possession, was hot as fuck. I needed to get up before my control snapped, and I took her again.

“I need to feed you,” I insisted before kissing the pout off her face. After gently moving her to the side, I hopped out of bed and turned to look at her. She was sprawled on her back, the sheet low around her hips, and her tits exposed. Her hands were behind her head, and she was giving me a very obvious, very thorough once-over. I chuckled and pointed a finger at her. “Stay right where you are, baby,” I instructed. I didn’t wait for her agreement before padding across the carpet to the bathroom.

“Damn, that’s a fine ass.” I heard murmured behind me, making me burst into laughter again.

Quickly, I found a washcloth and ran it under warm water. Then returned to find she’d obeyed, which earned her a deep kiss. Before it could escalate, I reluctantly peeled my mouth from hers. I threw the sheet off her, and she immediately attempted to close her legs, but I caught one and climbed onto the bed to kneel between them.

Her thighs were coated with sticky come, and it was still leaking from her pussy. I growled and ran my finger up her seam, collecting some of my seed and pushing it back up inside her. “You look so fucking amazing with my come dripping from your ripe little pussy.” I glanced at the cloth in my other hand and frowned. “I should clean you up”—I shook my head—“but the possessive asshole inside me loves the thought of you feeling the evidence of who you belong to coating your pussy and dripping down your legs.”

Jaelyn kept her brown eyes trained on my face while she slipped both her hands between her legs, gathered some of my seed on her fingers and rubbed it into the soft skin of her thighs.

“Fuck,” I grunted. My mind emptied of everything but my need for her, and I tossed the rag somewhere and crawled over Jaelyn. My head bent to capture her lips as I lowered my body over hers. The tip of my cock teased her opening, already leaking steadily at the thought of being buried in her heaven again.

Jaelyn spread her legs wide and raised her knees, offering herself up to me. Tearing my mouth away, I shoved my face into the crook of her neck and breathed deep as I plunged into her slick heat. I only got about halfway in, and at Jaelyn’s gasp, I immediately started to withdraw. But she closed her legs, pressing her knees into my side and digging her nails into my back. “I’m okay, Rand. Please don’t stop.”

Her inner muscles clenched, and I lost my fucking mind again. I pushed in, and this time, I bottomed out and shouted at the ecstasy coursing through me as she gloved my entire cock in her vise-like hold. “You’re gripping me like a fucking fist, baby,” I moaned. “I’m not going to last with your pussy squeezing me so tight.”

“Don’t,” she panted, “don’t hold back.”

A little bit of logic trickled into my brain, worrying about her. I started to bring up how sore she would be, but she scattered my ability to reason when she whispered in my ear, “Come inside me, Rand. I loved feeling your warmth fill me. It was so hot.”

Her words about my come filling her and the image of seeing it seeping from her pussy conjured up another desire that had me doing just as she asked. I began to thrust in and out in smooth, fast strokes, a new purpose driving me. If she wanted my bare cock to explode inside her, I would give her what she asked for. Hopefully, it would result in something we both wanted. Just the idea of Jaelyn round with our child pushed me higher, and I let my orgasm rush to the surface. “You want my come inside you, baby?” I crooned when the telltale tingle began in my lower back. She nodded frantically, and her pussy walls rippled, indicating that she was close. “I have my bare cock inside you, baby. If feels so fucking good. I’ll never put something between us,” I groaned.

“You want to feel my come filling you?” She whimpered and nodded her head. Her legs wrapped around my waist, and I shifted my pelvis to make sure I was dragging along her G-spot with each thrust. “You want to feel the hot sensation of my seed as it coats your womb?”

“Oh, yes,” she cried. “Harder, Rand! Yes! Yes!” I slipped a hand between her legs and pinched her clit. Jaelyn’s back arched, and she screamed my name as she shattered around me.

Her cries gave my orgasm the final push it needed, and I roared her name as I detonated, coming so violently that shudders wracked my body. Hot jets of come burst from my cock, and I drove deep one last time, grabbing her ass and holding her up, sealing us together so that nothing could get out. I was shocked by the length of my orgasm as I continued to fill her over and over. It was like my body knew I was trying to knock my woman up.

Finally, after Jaelyn was stuffed to the brim with my come, I stopped spurting and started to soften. “Holy shit,” I gasped. “I’ve never felt anything like that.”

Jaelyn grunted her agreement, and I glanced down to see her limp and winded. Her eyes were closed, and she looked as though she might fall asleep at any minute now. I brushed a kiss over her swollen lips and reluctantly pulled out.

Carefully, so I didn’t jostle her too much, I got up from the bed. I returned to the bathroom to clean myself up, then wet another cloth with warm water and went back to Jaelyn. I gently wiped the area between her legs, avoiding the spots where she’d rubbed my come into her skin. I frowned at how red she was, annoyed at myself for losing control. She was going to be even more sore because I was a horny bastard, and she was too fucking sexy.

My stomach growled, and I had a feeling Jaelyn would wake up hungry, so I tugged on my boxers and made my way back to the kitchen. I retrieved the Chinese food and started to heat each dish in the microwave. I grabbed a couple of plates from the cupboard above the sink, then opened the drawer to the left and gathered our silverware.

I put everything on a tray, including a couple of beers, and then added the food once it was all ready to go. When I walked back into the bedroom, Jaelyn was sitting up on the bed, wrapped in the bedsheet and looking adorably mussed.

Her eyes landed on the spread I was carrying, and they lit up just as her stomach rumbled loudly. Pink bloomed on her cheeks—it was becoming one of my favorite sights—and I chuckled.

Jaelyn’s brown eyes narrowed, and she huffed playfully. “Well, don’t just stand there and let your woman go hungry.”

A wide grin spilt my face at her reference as my woman. I’d certainly made it clear multiple times, but I was happy to hear her admit it. “My apologies,” I teased with a wink. I brought the food to the bed, and we got settled against the headboard with our feast laid out in front of us.

We filled our plates and as we ate, we talked and asked questions, getting to know each other. As I spent more time with her, it only became clearer that my instincts had been correct. Jaelyn was as smart and sweet as she was beautiful. Despite her habit of blushing, she wasn’t a shy person. She also talked about her childhood and her sister—who I remembered was married to Ewan. That also reminded me—that situation was going to have to be dealt with eventually.

After I’d made sure she’d eaten her fill, I finished off the last of the food before gathering everything back onto the tray and taking it to the kitchen. I quickly cleaned up, then hurried back to my girl.

I stopped in the doorway and simply watched her for a few minutes. Jaelyn had snuggled down under the covers, and with her head on my pillow, she let out a contented sigh. The same feeling had taken root in me. Seeing her in our house, in our bed, it was like I’d been living a half-life and hadn’t realized it. Jaelyn was my other half. She…I mentally punched myself for the cliché thoughts in my head—she completed me.

“I’m getting cold over here.”

Jaelyn’s husky voice washed over me, and I grinned. She was so fucking adorable. I swiftly walked to the bed, ditched my boxers, and slid under the covers. I reached for Jaelyn, but she was already scooting over and curling up against my side. Her round little ass bumped into my groin, and she wiggled around, getting comfortable. Grabbing her hips, I held her still and growled, “You are too sore for me to fuck again, baby. So, if you don’t stop rubbing that juicy little ass on my cock, you’re going to get a spanking.”

Jaelyn sucked in a breath and froze for a couple of beats. Then she shifted experimentally, and I dropped my head back with a groan, shutting my eyes tight. “Of course, that turns you on,” I sighed. “You’re fucking perfect.” Jaelyn snorted, and I cut her off before she could speak. “Perfect for me.” This time, she sighed and melted back into me. “Go to sleep, baby.” I wrapped myself around her and buried my face in her hair, inhaling her sweet scent.

Her breathing evened out, and I assumed she’d done as she was told. But just as I was drifting off, I heard her whisper, “You’re perfect for me, too.” I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

* * *

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Jaelyn bolted up in bed and looked around in confusion. I cursed whoever was pounding on my front door at—I glanced at the clock—eight fucking a.m. for waking her up.

I sat up and gently tugged on her shoulder, urging her to lie back down.

The thumping started again, but I ignored it when I saw Jaelyn wince. I sighed, frustrated with my lack of control, knowing she wouldn’t be hurting so much if I hadn’t taken her a second time.

I wanted to ask her about her level of pain and check over her pussy myself, but another round of knocking elicited a blue streak of swearing. I leaned over her and kissed her forehead, then lips, and murmured, “Stay here and relax, baby. I’m going to kick someone’s ass, then I’ll come back with some breakfast, and we can take a warm bath. It will help with the soreness.” Jaelyn blushed and nodded with a shy smile. That fucking blush…it made my dick stand at attention every time.

Throwing back the covers, I hopped out of bed, donned my boxers, and strolled to the door. Before I could step into the hall, Jaelyn’s voice stopped me.

“Ahem. I think you’re forgetting something.”

I glanced back, puzzled as to her meaning. She was sitting up, clutching the sheet to her chest and wearing a disgruntled expression that had me suppressing a smile because it just made her look even cuter.

She frowned even more, hinting that I hadn’t done a very thorough job of hiding my amusement. “Don’t you think you should put on a shirt before answering the door?” she snapped. “I don’t share either.” A grin burst to the surface before I could tamp it down. She huffed adorably and flopped back down onto the mattress.

If there wasn’t some asshole practically breaking down my door, I would have kissed the hell out of her. I loved that she was feeling as possessive of me as I was of her. With the smile affixed to my face, I hurried to my dresser and took a T-shirt from the top drawer, then pulled it on as I left the bedroom.

“Hold your fucking horses,” I barked as I neared the door and the pounding that had now become a steady beat with no pauses. Anger began to build as I turned the lock and wrenched open the door.

“Where the fuck is my sister, Caldwell?”

8

Jaelyn

At the sound of Ewan’s voice, I scrambled off the mattress and went hunting for a T-shirt and boxers in Rand’s dresser. Grabbing the first ones I found, I threw them on before searching for my cell phone. After firing off a quick text, I hurried out of the room. I didn’t know what my brother-in-law was doing here and why he was yelling at Rand, but I was going to find out.

When I made it into the living room, I found the two men squared off against each other in the doorway. Ewan noticed me right away, and his eyes shot daggers at Rand when he saw what I was wearing. I had to bite back the inappropriate giggle that bubbled up as I thought about how lucky we all were that I hadn't stumbled out of the bedroom wearing nothing at all.

“Come on, Jaelyn.” Ewan shoved against Rand’s shoulder, but it didn’t do any good. He didn’t seem to care that Rand didn’t budge an inch as he demanded, “You're coming with me.”

“Oh, hell no! You're not taking my woman anywhere,” Rand roared, stepping closer to my brother-in-law.

“She’s not your woman. You didn't even know each other before yesterday,” Ewan scoffed, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “And there’s also the fact that I told you to stay away from her.”

If I hadn’t been reminded of how Ewan had been warning guys away from me, I might've been able to stay calm. Instead, I stalked over to the two men and wedged my way between them to poke my brother-in-law's chest. “Just because you married my sister doesn't mean you get a say in my love life.”

“That’s exactly what it means,” Ewan disagreed with a shake of his head. “My wife is your big sister, which makes me your big brother. I have a duty to protect you from guys who want nothing more than to get in your panties.”

“First of all, she’s only a year older than me.” I poked him in the chest for emphasis. “And secondly, Kaia has been urging me to get out and date ever since you two met. If I had to guess, she’d be thrilled to find out I hooked up with Rand.”

“This is more than a damn hookup,” Rand grumbled from behind me, slipping his hand into the band of the boxers and pulling me close until my back bumped against his chest.

“For fuck’s sake,” Ewan growled. “I don’t want to hear the details of what you two did last night. I just need you to put on some real clothes and come with me.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” I insisted, leaning against Rand’s chest. “Kaia might be fine with you bossing her around, but that doesn't mean that I am. You can't keep warning guys to stay away from me. I won't stand for it.”

“As far as I’m concerned, you should keep on warning off anyone who looks twice at Jaelyn,” Rand piped up with an almost cheerful tone. “Or even just once.” He wrapped his arms around my body, splaying his hands over my belly in a possessive gesture. “You’ll save them from a world of hurt, and then you won’t need to arrest me for bodily harm.”

“Seriously?” I turned in Rand’s arms to glare up at him. “Now I have to deal with two cavemen in my life?”

“You’d only have to deal with one if you’d get moving so we can get out of here,” Ewan grouched. “You’re being totally unreasonable. It’s not like you’re going to stay here until you can get back into your apartment anyway. You don’t even know Rand.”

“I know him just fine.” My cheeks filled with heat as I thought about all the things we’d done together last night. Refusing to let my embarrassment stop me, I narrowed my eyes at Ewan. “You don't have any room to talk. Not when you took my sister home with you the night you met as well.”

“Yeah, but that was a totally different situation because I did it for her own good,” he argued. “She was too drunk to take care of herself.”

“Sure, keep telling yourself that,” my sister chirped as she sauntered up the front step toward us. When she sidled up to Ewan, she hooked her arm through his. “But we both know if I hadn't been drinking, you would have still found another reason to take me home. And I wasn't drunk the next morning when—”

Ewan slipped his hand over my sister’s mouth and growled, “Okay, you made your point.”

Kaia’s eyes twinkled as her jaw moved beneath Ewan’s hand. I figured she’d licked his palm when he yanked it away. “Don’t mind him. He’s just cranky because he had to hold me hostage until I agreed to stay longer than one night.”

“You had to put your handcuffs to good use, huh?” Rand chuckled, most of the tension easing from his muscular frame as he stepped next to me and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. “At least I didn’t have to force my girl to stay with me.”

“Neither did I, you bastard,” Ewan hissed. “It just took her a little time to admit to what she really wanted all along. Me.”

“Okay, boys,” Kaia interjected, running her hand down Ewan’s back in a soothing gesture. “Stop pushing each other’s buttons and remember that you’re friends.”

“You two are friends?” I shook my head in disbelief. “Geesh, guys. Try to act like it, why don’t you?”

“Speaking of…” Kaia’s attention shifted to me. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about the fire. I had to hear about it from someone else and have Ewan track you down. Then all I got was an SOS message from you because he showed up on Rand’s doorstep. That wasn’t very sisterly of you.”

“I’m so sorry,” I apologized, giving her a weak smile. “I meant to call you when we got here, but then I got…um…distracted and forgot.” I pressed my hands over my heated cheeks, hoping to hide my blush.

Kaia knew me better than that. She giggled and winked at me. “I’m not going to hold it against you since it looks like you’ve been a very busy girl.”

“For fuck’s sake,” Ewan grumbled with a frown. “It’s like you’re congratulating her for falling into this asshole’s bed right after they met.”

“Oh, please,” I snorted. “It's not like you don't believe in love at first sight, considering how things went down with the two of you.”

“Love at first sight?” Ewan echoed, throwing his hands up in the air. “Are you trying to tell me you already fell for this big lug?”

“Umm,” I began to stutter before Rand took a page from Ewan’s playbook and slipped his hand over my mouth.

“Our relationship is between the two of us,” he barked. “When we get to the point where Jaelyn is ready to say she loves me, it’ll be without an audience.” Rand’s expression darkened into a scowl of warning. “And without being backed into a corner about it.”

“I think that’s our cue to leave,” Kaia said, tugging on Ewan’s arm until he begrudgingly followed her down the steps.

As soon as they reached the sidewalk, Rand practically dragged me back into his house and slammed the door shut. Then he pressed me against the hard surface and captured my lips in a passionate kiss. Our tongues tangled together, his large palms cupping my cheeks to tilt my head farther back as he devoured my mouth. By the time he lifted his head, mine was spinning.

“I want you here with me.” His green eyes were filled with heat as he stared down at me. One of his hands slipped down my back to pull me flush against his body. His hard length pressed against my stomach, turning me on even more than the kiss already had. “For more than just incredible sex.”

My cheeks burned, pleased that he thought it had been incredible too. They were also pink because things were about to get awkward. “What I said, about love at first sight. I didn’t…I mean…um…” I stammered, unsure about what I wanted to say. If he felt the need to reassure me, then it probably needed to be addressed.

“Don’t worry, baby. I’m in no rush now that I have you here.” He brushed his lips over mine. “You need a place to stay for the next few weeks, and I want it to be with me.”

“I’d like that, too.” Most people would think I was crazy, but I’d seen how an unconventional start to a relationship could work out with Kaia and Ewan. If I had the chance for the same kind of happiness with Rand, I was going to grab onto the opportunity with both hands.

“Good, then we’ve got plenty of time to figure all the rest out.” Bending low to slide his arm under my knees, he lifted me and started walking toward the bedroom. “And we’ll make the most of it while you’re here.”

Three weeks filled with the kind of orgasms he’d given me last night gave me a lot to look forward to. Twining my arms around his neck, I smiled up at him. “Sounds like the perfect plan to me.”

9

Rand

I’d been itching for this day to arrive. I got a call that Jaelyn’s building was finally inhabitable again, and it was perfect timing since it was a Saturday. I’d made a few phone calls in preparation, then went into the kitchen to start breakfast.

Standing at the stove, I was plating our food when Jaelyn’s arms came around my waist, and she leaned into my back. “Good morning, handsome.”

I savored the feel of her and the contentment of the moment. Knowing I’d spend the rest of my life with mornings like these made me feel like I’d won the fucking lottery. Except, even better than that.

Pivoting in her embrace, I looped my arms around the outside of hers. “Morning, baby.” She lifted her face for a kiss, and I was more than happy to oblige. Then I walked her to the kitchen island and sat her on one of the stools. I set her dish in front of her, stabbed some eggs with a fork, and brought it to her mouth. When her lips closed around the utensil, I groaned, remembering her lips around other things.

“What do you want to do today?” she asked after she swallowed.

“I got a call this morning.” I continued to feed her as I conveyed my plan. “Your apartment is livable again, so how about we go get your things. We can drop everything at the cleaners.”

Jaelyn pulled her head back from the bite I was about to feed her. Her expression had fallen, and the sparkle that had been in her eyes had dimmed. “You want to take me back to my apartment?” Her tone was hesitant.

Confused at her reaction, I set down the fork and rounded the island to stand in front of her, resting my hands on her hips. “What’s on your mind, baby?”

She shrugged and stared at my chest. “I just thought—never mind. I shouldn’t have assumed—forget it. I was being silly.”

Letting go of her hips, I cupped her face and raised her chin so I could look directly down into her face. “Try again, Jaelyn.”

“I guess I assumed I wouldn’t be going back home,” she whispered.

“Jaelyn, listen to me.” My voice was firm, making it clear that what I was about to say wasn’t up for debate. “You are home. When I mentioned picking up your stuff, I meant permanently. I have movers meeting us there this afternoon.” Tears filled Jaelyn’s eyes, but the sparkle had returned. “There is no way in hell that I’m going to let you live anywhere but with me. You are mine. And home is wherever we are together.”

She beamed at me, and I couldn’t help from taking her lips in another deep kiss. I poured my soul into it, wanting her to feel what was in my heart. When I finally released her mouth, I searched her face, looking for—hoping for a sign that what I was about to tell her would be reciprocated.

“Baby, there is nothing in this world that means more to me than you. I love you. Soon, I’m going to make you mine, officially. Then we are going to keep working on creating a new little piece of you and me that I’ll love with my whole heart too.”

Jaelyn burst into tears, and I stood, frozen in shock, unsure what the hell to do. She loved me, I knew she did, so why was she so upset by my declaration?

“Jaelyn? Baby? What’s wrong?”

She shook her head and tried to calm her breathing, but when she spoke, it was choppy and occasionally punctuated with a hiccup. “I-I-I lo-ove you t-too.”

“I know you do, baby,” I assured her as I used my thumbs to wipe away some of her tears. “Why are you crying?”

“B-because I’m so ha-ha-ppy.”

“You’re crying because you’re happy?” I questioned, baffled by her response.

“Yes.” I let her face go and handed her a napkin so she could mop up her face. “And because I’m hormonal.”

Now I was even more confused. “Hormonal?” I echoed.

Jaelyn nodded and smiled almost shyly at me. “You can cross the second thing off that to-do list, by the way.” Her lips turned down as she thought for a minute, then she added, “We should still practice, though. A lot.”

Practice? Number three…what the hell—was she saying that—“You’re pregnant?” I yelled. She nodded, and I let out a whoop of joy as I grabbed her waist and lifted her before spinning. She laughed in delight, but a moment later, she began to turn a little green. I immediately set her down and held her steady as she took several deep breaths. When a little color had returned to her face, I hurried to make her a glass of water.

“A baby.” Awe colored my tone as I pondered the news. Grasping her face again, I planted a hard, fast kiss on her lips. “I guess I better get started on that ‘making you mine officially’ plan.”

Jaelyn chuckled and shook her head in mock exasperation. “One thing at a time, babe. How about we work on getting me moved in first?”

* * *

“Fuck. I didn’t think your pussy could taste any sweeter,” I growled as I lapped at Jaelyn’s juices. She moaned and bucked her hips up, pressing herself closer to my mouth, searching for release.

There was a loud crack from the sound of my palm meeting her bare ass cheek. “I decide when you come, baby.” She whimpered, and the sound very nearly made me come right there on the bed as I knelt between her legs. “As soon as I’m finished eating,” I crooned before refocusing on licking up every drop of her arousal.

By the time I was satisfied—for the moment—Jaelyn was screaming for release. “Come, baby,” I demanded before latching onto her swollen clit and driving two fingers into her pussy. She shattered into a million pieces, and I greedily drank down the flood of cream gushing into my mouth.

As she was spiraling down, I slid up her body and suckled each tit before covering her mouth with mine and swallowing her cry as I plunge my cock into her tight, wet pussy.

Jaelyn threw back her head, breaking our connection and shouting, “YES! Oh, Rand! Yes!” She started chanting in rhythm with my thrusts.

I sped up, going faster and harder until we both did a swan dive off the cliff and fell into oblivion together.

Later, when we were lying replete and exhausted, I sighed. “If you weren’t already knocked up, that time would have done it, I’m sure.”

Jaelyn giggled and lifted her head from where it had been resting and grinned at me. “Maybe. But I think we should practice as much as possible to make sure we definitely get it right.”

“Baby, we can practice anytime you want.”

I hugged her close before rolling onto my back and on to my other side. I opened the drawer of the side table and grabbed the little black velvet box. Then I reversed my position.

Jaelyn’s eyes were closed, so I took the ring out of the box and quickly slid it on her finger. Her eyes suddenly popped open, and she stared down at the glittery piece of jewelry. “Yes!” she shrieked and attacked my face with kisses.

“It’s cute that you think I was giving you a choice,” I teased. Then I kissed the fuck out of her before gathering her into my arms and kissing the top of her head. I was utterly exhausted.

It had been a long day, from our emotional morning to working with the crew so that whatever Jaelyn had that didn’t have to go to the cleaners was brought to our home and put away.

“Welcome home, baby,” I whispered. “Welcome home.”

Epilogue

Jaelyn

When I pulled up at the softball field, Rand was waiting for me in the parking lot. He had our four-month-old son strapped to his chest, which seriously added to his hotness factor. Not that he needed any help in that area since he was already sexy as hell. But seeing him with our baby boy always melted my heart and made my ovaries explode.

He was a great dad, and I couldn’t wait to give him more children—which I expected to happen sometime soon since Rand wasn’t a fan of ever having anything between us when we had sex. Something I’d never complain about since I loved how it felt when he filled me up with his hot come. Crap, now I was going to have to sit through the entire game with damp panties.

“Hey, baby,” Rand greeted after he opened my car door for me. When I stepped out, he wrapped his hand around mine to tug me near and claim my lips in a deep kiss. He was careful not to get too close so that we didn’t squash Nolan, but our baby boy still let out a disgruntled squeal and kicked his legs. “Okay, little cock-blocker. No need to put up a fuss. I was just getting a kiss before I handed you off to Mommy.”

“If you keep calling him that, he’s going to think it’s his name,” I warned, reaching to pull Nolan out of the black harness. Staring at the outfit Rand had dressed him in, I rolled my eyes. I should’ve known he was up to something when I’d called to make sure he didn’t need me to stop at home and help get the baby ready before the softball game.

My husband normally didn’t pass up an opportunity to make sure we rode together when we were going somewhere—especially if there was going to be a bunch of other guys there. Getting married and having his baby hadn’t dimmed his possessiveness in the tiniest bit. Not that I was complaining since it usually resulted in me getting plenty of orgasms. Plus, I was equally as territorial when it came to my sexy husband.

But that didn’t mean I didn’t bust his balls from time to time. It was good to keep him on his toes, after all. “So now the babies are part of the pissing contest you and Ewan have going on?” I turned Nolan in my arms and pointed at the custom printed onesie.

Future Champion

Big Hoses Are Better Than Big Guns

“Where did you even get this?”

“Ordered it online last week.” He grinned at me. “The package arrived this morning, just in time for the big game.”

Shaking my head, I sighed. “I don’t think I’ll ever understand how guy friendships work.”

“It’s not my fault there’s a long-standing cops versus firefighters rivalry.” Rand winked and flashed me a sexy smirk. “But you can be damn sure I’ll do my part to make sure my side wins whenever I can.”

“Well, then I guess you’d better get out there and warm up before the game starts.” I squeezed his bicep. “It’s a good thing you had such a hearty breakfast this morning. You’re going to need that energy if you want to win the championship.”

His grin widened, and the gleam in his eyes turned mischievous. “I liked what I ate in bed before breakfast a fuck of a lot more than the omelet I made.”

My cheeks heated as I remembered how he’d woken me up early so he could devour my pussy before fucking me long and hard. His sense of timing had been perfect. We’d still been panting after our simultaneous orgasms when Nolan had woken up crying. It’d been the perfect way to start the morning. It was also the perfect way to end the day. “Go kick some cop butt, big guy. If you win, I’ll come up with a fun way to help you celebrate tonight after Nolan goes down.” I trailed my fingers down his chest and traced the top of his pants above his hard-on. “And if you pitch a no-hitter, you can name your reward.”

“It’s a deal.” He claimed my lips in another kiss before whispering, “Even though we both know you’d give me whatever I want even if we lose.”

Of course, I would. But that didn’t stop him from pitching his best game ever and claiming his reward that night—along with knocking me up again.

Epilogue

Rand

“Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!”

Nolan ran up the sidewalk in front of our house at full speed. I bent down and caught him, sweeping him up in my arms before the five-year-old head-butted me in the jewels. “What’s up, buddy?”

He clapped his hands excitedly. “I know what I wanna be when I grows up!”

“You do? Well, let’s hear it, little man.”

“A pleece ocifer!”

My jaw dropped as I stared at my son. What the hell?

Footsteps behind him snagged my attention, and I peered around Nolan to see my sister and brother-in-law approaching with their kids and my four-year-old daughter, Kacie, in tow. The kids had been at a birthday party for Tyler’s oldest. Since it was only a few blocks up the street, Ewan and Kaia had volunteered to walk them back to our house.

Ewan was grinning from ear to ear, and Kaia had an apologetic grimace on her face. She had their three-month-old son in her arms and swiftly transferred him to his daddy. Almost like she thought I might take a swing at Ewan if he weren’t holding an infant. She might have been right.

I shot daggers out of my eyes at Ewan but smiled when I looked back at my son. “Is that so?”

He nodded vigorously.

“Awesome.” I almost choked on the word, but I would never make my son feel bad about his choices. That wasn’t to say I was going to stop trying to convince him to come back over from the dark side. “You don’t want to put out fires like Daddy, huh?”

He tilted his head to the side and thought for a moment, then shook his head. “No. Cause I want to eat doughnuts all day.”

I mashed my lips together so that I wouldn’t burst out laughing, especially when I clocked Ewan’s shocked expression. “We also catch bad guys,” he grumbled.

Nolan shrugged. “I’d rather eat doughnuts.”

When I had my amusement under control, I cleared my throat. “Firefighters get to ride the big, red truck, though.” He scrunched up his face and thought really hard.

“But I wanna eat doughnuts all the time, and Mommy only lets me have one.” He sounded unsure, and I went in for the kill.

“Firefighters can eat doughnuts, too.”

Nolan’s brown eyes widened, and he gasped, “They can?” I nodded. “Can I eat them on the twuck?”

I nodded again and winked. “Yup.”

“When can I be a fireman?” he asked with a hopeful expression.

I laughed. “You helped Daddy wash the truck last weekend, so you’re already a firefighter in training.”

“I gotta tell Mommy!” he shouted and wiggled to get down.

“Tell her what?” I asked as I set him on his feet.

“I’m a fireman, so I can have as many doughnuts as I want!” Then he streaked past me into the house.

Oops. I was going to catch hell for that with Jaelyn. We always had doughnuts on Saturday mornings, but as Nolan said, the kids were only allowed one.

Still, I set that aside and smiled triumphantly at Ewan, outright laughing when he groused about stereotypes and doughnut bribes.

Kaia giggled as she walked up to me and gave me a hug. After she went inside, I high-fived their son, Carson, as he passed me and did the same with their daughter, Dillian.

Before they disappeared, I called after them, “Hey, do you guys want to be firefighters too?”

“Yeah!!” they shouted with glee and jumped up and down. Then they ran off toward the kitchen.

“You haven’t won this one, Rand,” Ewan growled as he followed me into the house.

We joined everyone in the kitchen where Kaia and Jaelyn were handing out doughnuts. Both women threw us disapproving looks. “Firefighters in training can have half of another doughnut,” Jaelyn conceded with a sigh.

“Awwww,” the boys all moaned dejectedly.

“They can also have no doughnuts at all,” I interjected. I’d been the one to create the chaos and didn’t want Jaelyn to end up as the bad guy.

The kids quieted down and politely thanked their moms before taking their one and a half doughnuts to the table to eat.

The girls, who’d been patiently waiting behind the gaggle of boys, each put out a plate, and Kaia served them each two full doughnuts. Then she winked and motioned with her head for them to go eat in the den. They threw smug looks in the direction of their brothers and cousins, then bent their heads together and giggled all the way out of the kitchen.

I walked over to stand behind my wife and slipped an arm around her waist to rest on her swollen belly. When I reached into the box to grab a vanilla crème, she swatted my hand. “Naughty firefighters don’t get any,” she snipped loud enough to make sure all the kids heard her.

I chuckled and lightly bit her earlobe. “If I’m an extra good firefighter from now on, do I get to eat my doughnut off my wife?” Jaelyn shivered and leaned her back into my chest. I scooped a finger into the filling that was swirled on top of the powdered treat and stuck it in my mouth. I sucked it off and removed it with an audible pop. “The only thing that could make that tastier would be eating it off your pussy.” Jaelyn inhaled sharply and gripped the counter with white knuckles.

“Unless you want me to come right here in front of everyone,” she whispered, “I suggest you hose down the fire, Chief.”

I chuckled and buried my face in the crook of her neck. “I fucking love how fast you get hot when you’re pregnant.” I kissed the sensitive skin and growled, “But you know I’d never let anyone else see what’s for my eyes only.”

She hummed her agreement and busied herself putting the rest of the doughnuts in a container.

It did not escape my notice that the two vanilla crèmes were separated from the others.

“Don’t you want doughnuts, Daddy?” Nolan piped up. He looked confused because he couldn’t fathom in his young mind that anyone would turn one down.

“Daddy’s going to have his with dessert.” My tone was ripe with innuendo that I knew would go right over his head but would make Jaelyn squirm.

Kaia made a tiny gagging sound, and I laughed when I saw her face scrunched up as though she’d smelled something bad. “Thanks for the images that will now have to be burned out of my brain, bro,” she griped.

Ewan sidled up next to her and leaned in to whisper in her ear. Her face flushed, and she quickly snatched a couple of Bavarian creams from the container before Jaelyn sealed the lid.

“Mommy?” Kacie came running into the room with Dillian hot on her heels.

“What, baby?”

“Can we have a sweepover?”

I perked up at her question. A night alone in the house with Jaelyn? She’d be able to scream as loud as she wanted while I licked up all her sugary sweetness.

A glance in the other couple’s direction revealed that they were having a similar thought.

In the next second, all four of us shouted, “Not it!”

Fixed Up

Rochelle Paige

1

Tyler

As I walked through the day room in the fire station I worked out of as a paramedic, one of the firefighters playing poker at the table looked up. “Want to sit in on the next hand?”

I went off duty five minutes ago and didn’t have any plans tonight. I had twelve hours to catch up on sleep and run errands before I needed to be back at the station again. That was more than enough time for what I had to get done, but I still shook my head. “I might join you guys for a few hands later, but I have something I need to talk to the captain about first.”

“C’mon, man,” he prodded. “All work and no play makes Tyler a dull boy.”

I rolled my eyes and scoffed, “Look who’s talking, jackass. If I’m dull, you’re dead.”

“Quit yanking Jennings’ chain. We all know the only reason you want him to join in is that you’re hoping his luck will be worse than yours,” one of the other guys taunted.

Thinking about what I was getting ready to ask Rand, I grinned at the guys. “You may regret the offer to play since I’m feeling lucky tonight.”

“Aw, shit.” He fiddled with his small stack of chips. “Never mind. The last thing I need is another player on a hot streak.”

I chuckled as I walked away, listening to the back and forth of their trash talk as I made my way to our captain’s office. The paramedics and firefighters worked different shifts, but we were still like one big family, which included the sibling rivalry even though we were all grown-ass men.

After rapping my knuckles against Rand’s door, I heard the low murmur of his voice under the muted roar of the guys as they hooted and hollered. Assuming he’d said that it was okay to go in, I opened the door and took a few steps into the room. I quickly recognized my mistake when I spotted him on his cell phone. Then I caught the soft look in his eyes that he reserved for his girlfriend, Jaelyn. I started to back up until he said, “Baby, Tyler is here, and it looks like he needs to talk to me about something important.”

I took that as an invitation to sit down and dropped onto the chair across from him. They hadn't been dating that long, but all the guys already knew that his calls with Jaelyn never ended quickly. After setting the paperwork I was carrying on the edge of his desk, I stretched my legs out and leaned back in my seat.

“It was a good thing I got comfortable,” I chuckled five minutes later when Rand finally hung up.

“When you find the right woman, you won't be in a rush to get off the phone with her either,” he grumbled.

“If,” I corrected.

His brow wrinkled in confusion. “If?”

“You said when I find the right woman, but that presumes I'm even looking for one. Some of us aren't in a rush to get pussy whipped like you.”

Rand flashed me a smug grin, looking like the cat that ate the canary. “Don't knock it until you try it.”

Considering how desperate Rand had seemed when he’d been trying to find out who Jaelyn was, I wasn’t in a rush to follow him down the same path. “The odds of me spotting the woman who’s meant to be mine at a softball game and then having her literally fall into my arms a few days later are slim to none.”

He flashed me a mischievous grin that I didn’t trust. Shifting in my seat, I grabbed my paperwork off the desk and handed it to him. He barely glanced at it before dropping the forms onto his keyboard. “I seem to recall you telling me that I owe you.”

“Yeah,” I confirmed, relaxing a little now that he’d reminded me of how I'd helped him when his relationship was first starting out. “Big time.”

“I think it's about time for me to pay up.”

Grinning, I figured the favor he owed me meant good things for my request. “How are you planning to do that?”

“I’m going to solve your social life problem.”

“Social life problem?” I echoed, shaking my head since that wasn’t what I was expecting him to say.

“Yeah, your lack of one.” While I sat there in shock, he added, “Don't think it hasn't escaped my notice that you’re the one who always volunteers for extra shifts whenever one of the other paramedics needs coverage.”

“And as our boss, you should be thanking me for it.” I narrowed my eyes. “Not holding my willingness to be a team player against me.”

“As thankful as I am for all the times you’ve pitched in to help one of the guys, I’m still worried about your ‘all work, no play’ mentality.” He tapped his finger against the paperwork on his keyboard. “This is what? Your third request for additional training this year alone?”

I folded my arms over my chest. “Ladder Company 45 only has two paramedics with hazardous material certification. One of them has a wife who has been talking about wanting to move to Florida to be closer to her family now that they’re planning on having kids. I figured you’d want to have someone else lined up with the training in case he leaves.”

“I would,” he agreed with a gleam in his eye that made me worry. “Which is why I’m going to give you a twofer for that favor I owe you.”

“A twofer?” With his talk about my social life, I had a bad feeling about what the second thing was going to be.

“Yup. I’m going to let you do the Hazmat training next month even though I’ll probably take some shit from the other guys. I’m sure I’ll hear about how you’re getting more than your fair share of the training budget, but none of them has taken the initiative to search out training opportunities beyond their required continuing education, so I’m not worried about whatever bullshit they want to spout.” He grinned at me and rubbed his hands together. “But I’m also not going to take any of yours about the second part of what I’m going to do for you.”

“Fuck,” I groaned, dropping my head to stare down at the floor as I rubbed my hands over my face. “Why do I have the feeling I don’t want to know what the other half of the twofer is?”

“Probably because you’re going to be stubborn and refuse to see the brilliance in my plan.” He grinned at me as he picked up his phone and tapped out a text message. “I’m setting you up on a blind date with one of Jaelyn’s friends.”

“You really think fixing me up on a blind date is going to make us even?” I shook my head and chuckled. “If I didn’t know better, I would think you missed the part where I said you owed me big time. Where I come from, blind dates are not favors. Setting me up on one would actually mean you owe me even more. How about we skip that part of your repayment and call us even with the Hazmat class instead? Or you could throw in an early raise instead.”

His grin widened. “Too late. I already told Jaelyn to set it up.”

Shit. The text he’d just sent must have been to her. Saying no to my boss was hard enough, but Rand would have my head if I disappointed his girlfriend. It looked like he’d backed me into a corner, and I had a blind date to look forward to.

2

Mia

“We've got it from here.” I finished taping up the last box of kitchen stuff in Jaelyn’s apartment before I glanced up at my friend’s new boyfriend, Rand.

“With the muscle you hired, I'm sure you do.” I stood and set the tape dispenser on the counter. “But I was planning on counting them as my workout for the day, so do me a solid and let me carry a few things down to the truck. Otherwise, it’ll be the lamest workout in the history of exercising.”

The sexy fireman’s biceps bulged as he crossed his arms over his chest and grumbled, “I don't think—”

Jaelyn sidled up next to him and gently elbowed him in the side. “No bossing my friends around, remember?”

Rand’s entire demeanor changed as he looked down at Jaelyn, his eyes softening and a grin tugging his lips upward. What I wouldn't give for a guy to look at me the same way, even if my schedule was too jam-packed for me to spend any time searching for one. Which reminded me…

“I need to cancel that blind date you set up for me tonight.”

Jaelyn dragged her gaze away from Rand to narrow her eyes at me. “Why?”

“I have study group this evening,” I answered as I pasted my most innocent expression on my face.

“Nice try,” Jaelyn sighed, shaking her head. “Your study group won’t last until eight o’clock.”

“It could,” I argued. “We have a big test coming up next week.”

She tilted her head to the side as she searched my face for any sign that I was trying to pull a fast one over on her just to get out of the date. Her suspicion was fair, considering that was exactly what I was trying to do. “What time are you supposed to meet up with your study group?”

Crap. It looked like I’d been busted. “Five.”

“I’m sorry.” Unfortunately for me, she didn’t sound the least bit apologetic. “Could you repeat that? Because I must’ve heard you wrong.”

“I’m meeting them at the library on campus at five o’clock,” I grumbled, knowing darn well there was no getting out of the blind date since I didn’t have an excuse Jaelyn would accept.

“Pull up your big girl panties”—her eyes twinkled as she wagged her brows—“and make sure they’re pretty because you’re definitely going on the date.”

“Just because I show up to meet this guy—”

“Aha!” Jaelyn interrupted with a grin. “We’re making progress now since even you are admitting that you’ll be there tonight.”

“Doesn’t mean he’s going to ever see my panties,” I continued as though she hadn’t said anything.

“Never say never.” Rand chuckled and pulled Jaelyn closer as she added, “When you meet the right guy, you find yourself doing all sorts of things you never expected. Like moving in with him after less than a month.”

“Whoa! Slow down there.” I held up my hands, palms facing her. “How did we jump from a blind date to moving in together?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “I’m just saying; if it happened to me, it could happen to you, too.”

“Nope. No way.” I shook my head.

“Well, yeah,” she agreed with a sigh. “Not if you remain so closed to the possibilities out there.”

“Hey! You’re supposed to be my friend. Cut me some slack.”

“Yeah, I’m horrible.” Sarcasm was thick in her voice. “Doing things like giving you my living room furniture so you’re not stuck sitting on those folding lawn chairs anymore.”

One of the first things the movers had done was haul her couch, loveseat, and end tables up to my apartment. “You know how much I appreciate that.”

“And I’m willing to bet you’ll appreciate me setting you up on a blind date just as much once you meet Rand’s friend,” she countered with a smug grin.

“Whatever,” I huffed. “Can we quit the interrogation and help get the rest of your stuff down to the truck?”

“As long as whatever you carry down weighs less than ten pounds, that works for me,” Rand conceded. “And you keep an eye on Jaelyn to make sure she doesn’t try to lift anything.”

“My purse weighs more than that,” Jaelyn muttered with a roll of her eyes as Rand padded across the room to talk to the movers before they carried her bookshelf downstairs.

“Tell me about it. With all the books in my backpack, it’s more like twenty pounds. It’s like carrying around a stack of bricks all day,” I complained.

She glanced over at Rand. “It doesn’t matter. He wasn’t kidding when he said he didn’t want me carrying anything. He’ll go all caveman over me if I try.”

“Judging by the gooey look on your face, you don’t mind his alpha male ways even the tiniest bit,” I teased as I picked up a lamp.

“That’s because I don’t.” Her lips curved up in a smile of pure feminine satisfaction. “I really, really don’t. Especially since I shared some happy news with him this morning.”

“Happier news than that you’d officially move in with him?” She cradled her belly with one of her hands, and my eyes widened in surprise. “Oh, my gosh! Are you pregnant?”

“Shh,” she hushed me. “I’m not sure if we’re ready to tell anyone yet. It’s all so new.”

“I’m so happy for you,” I whispered back at her with a grin.

“If you give your blind date a real chance, maybe you’ll find the same kind of happiness I did.”

“You’re like a dog with a bone,” I sighed, following her when she headed for the stairs.

By the second trip down, she finally dropped the blind date topic and told me about Rand’s house on the outskirts of town and all his remodeling plans. It sounded like a great place to live, but that wasn’t too difficult compared to our apartments. Our building wasn’t awful, but it also wasn’t a place to write home about. Not that I could complain after having surfed couches at friends’ places for the past three weeks while the building had been cleaned after a small fire had done a ton of smoke damage.

We carried the last few things on our fourth trip down. When we reached the sidewalk, I looked over my shoulder to say something to Jaelyn and didn’t realize I’d stepped into the path of a messenger zooming our way on his bicycle. “Watch out,” he yelled.

My head whipped back in his direction, but I couldn’t move fast enough to get out of his way. And with some of Jaelyn’s stuff stacked up on the sidewalk next to where the moving truck was parked, there wasn’t anywhere for him to go but smack dab into me. The box of bedding I’d been carrying protected my upper body when I fell, but my legs didn’t fare as well. I felt a sharp sting of pain in my right calf and saw blood oozing from a deep cut that looked to be at least a couple of inches long.

“Shit! Sorry! You okay?” the messenger asked, barely pausing to see my distracted nod before he pedaled off.

“Oh. My gosh! I can’t believe that just happened,” Jaelyn cried, kneeling on the sidewalk next to me. “Are you okay? What am I saying? Of course, you’re not okay. You’re bleeding everywhere.”

“It isn’t as bad as it looks,” I reassured her in a weak voice.

“I shouldn’t have agreed to let you help. You guys would’ve been safer in the apartment.” Rand handed a box off to one of the movers and dropped down next to Jaelyn. “The cut is bad enough that you’re probably going to need stitches.”

“I don’t have time for a trip to the emergency room or even an urgent care.” Between the pain and frustration, I barely held back the tears welling in my eyes. “Even if I did, it’s not like I can pay for it anyway. My insurance sucks. The deductible is crazy high, so I’d be stuck paying for the whole visit.”

“There’s no way in hell you’re paying. Not when you got hurt helping us move Jaelyn’s stuff,” he growled.

“That’s very generous, but you covering the copay doesn’t help with getting it done in time for me to make it to my clinicals without being late,” I pointed out with a wince when I shifted positions and pain shot up to my leg.

Rand pulled his cell phone from his pocket and punched in a number. “I need you to come to Jaelyn’s old apartment building and stitch up a friend of hers who got hurt helping her move.” There was a brief pause while whoever answered must’ve said something. “Quit busting my balls and get your ass over here. The movers are just about done loading up, so if we’re not still here, then you’ll find her in”—I mouthed my apartment number when he looked at me—“unit 306.”

3

Tyler

When I pulled up in front of Jaelyn’s apartment building—or at least where she used to live since Rand had apparently lost his mind along with his heart and was moving her in with him permanently already—there wasn’t any sign of my boss or the movers he’d mentioned. After swinging my truck into a spot in the parking lot, I grabbed my first-aid kit and headed inside. Jogging up the steps to the third floor, I quickly found the apartment number Rand had given me when he’d called and knocked on the door.

My frustration at having my day off interrupted disappeared at the sight of the pocket Venus standing in front of me. She barely came up to my shoulder and had curves my hands ached to touch. Her long, dark hair was loose and went almost all the way to her waist. Her bright green eyes widened as they swept down my body, and I cursed myself for not changing out of my gray sweatpants. I moved my first-aid kit in front of my body, but there was no way in hell I was going to be able to hide my hard-on while I was taking care of her leg.

“You must be Rand’s paramedic friend, right?”

I heartily approved of the fact that she didn’t open the door any wider as she waited for me to answer. “Yeah, he asked me to come over and check out your leg because he thought it might need to be stitched up.”

“More like ordered, like he seems to do with everyone,” she muttered before flashing me an apologetic smile. “I hate to be a pest, but is there any chance you have proof of who you are?”

“You’re not being a pest at all. It’s smart for a beautiful woman like you to be cautious with who she lets into her home.” I grinned at the faint blush on her cheeks before opening my kit to pull out my EMS badge. I’d gotten in the habit of keeping it in there when I was off duty in case I needed to provide assistance in an emergency. “I’m Tyler Jennings, one of the paramedics who work out of Rand’s station.”

“Thanks for coming over, Tyler.” She swung the door open farther and stepped to the side to let me in her apartment. “I’m Mia Bell, by the way. Since Rand neglected to give you my name over the phone like he forgot to give me yours before he and Jaelyn left with the movers.”

I followed her over to the couch, enjoying the sway of her lush ass as she walked in front of me. “The captain doesn’t usually skim over details like that. He must’ve been in a rush.” More like he couldn’t wait to get Jaelyn back to his house since she’d agreed to live with him for real. I hadn’t been exaggerating when I’d ribbed him about being pussy whipped the other day, but my reaction to Mia was eerily similar to how Rand had acted the day he’d spotted Jaelyn at that softball game. I was starting to wonder if maybe the tables had turned, and I was going to end up eating my words.

“Yeah, he, uh, really wanted to get Jaelyn home.”

I wasn’t sure what was causing her blush to get deeper and her to stumble over her words. Knowing how hard Rand had fallen for Jaelyn, I figured maybe he hadn’t held back on the PDA around Mia or something. Deciding to let her off the hook, I suggested, “How about you sit down and let me take a look at your cut?”

“Oh! Yes, good idea.” She perched on the edge of one of the couch cushions and stretched her leg out.

Kneeling in front of her, I set my first-aid kit on the floor. After I put on a pair of exam gloves, I pulled the bandage off to take a closer look at her injury. The cut was a little more than three inches long, and blood was still oozing from it. “You did a good job taking care of this while you were waiting for me, but I'm still going to clean it again before I do the stitches. It’ll take about a dozen.”

“Thanks, I probably would have tried to do the stitches on my own except I knew my hand wouldn't stay steady because of the pain.”

My head jerked up at her confession. “I'm glad you didn't try. Stitching yourself up is hard-core.” Trailing my fingers over the sun-kissed, smooth skin next to her wound, I added, “It's bad enough that I'll probably leave behind a little scar on your perfect skin. Are you sure you don’t want me to take you over to the hospital to have a plastic surgeon do it instead?”

Her blush came back full force, and it just made her even sexier. “I don’t care about a scar, so there’s no need for a plastic surgeon to do the stitches. Thanks for fixing me up since I’m sure the nurse who oversees my clinical hours at the hospital would have something to say about the stupidity of me doing it myself.”

Pulling supplies out of my kit, I asked, “Are you going for your nursing degree?”

“Yup. After this one, I only have three more semesters to go.”

I grinned at her. “Maybe by then you'll be ready to stitch yourself up.”

“No.” She giggled, her hair sliding over her shoulders to cover her round tits when she shook her head. “I don't think I'll ever be ready for that. I’m not that great with pain. My threshold is pretty low.”

I grabbed the local anesthetic from my kit and asked, “Will you be okay with me administering this?”

“Yes, please.” Her chest rose and fell on a relieved sigh. “I wasn't looking forward to toughing it out while you stitched me up. That'll help a lot.”

I asked her some basic medical history questions to make sure she could tolerate the anesthesia before numbing the area around her wound. Then I waited until she relaxed against the couch cushions before I began stitching her up. I talked her through the whole process, very aware of her green gaze on me as I worked.

When it was done, I slathered some antibacterial ointment over the area and applied a bandage. “You probably already know all this, but you’ll need to keep the wound bandaged and dry today. Tomorrow, you can wash around it with water before covering it again with a thin layer of petroleum jelly and a nonstick bandage, replacing it as needed. The stitches can come out in five to ten days, depending on how quickly the wound heals. If you’d like, I could come over on one of my days off and take them out for you.”

“It’s so nice of you to offer.” Her smile was shy. “But I should be able to handle that part.”

I pulled a notepad and pen out of my kit to jot down my number. Tearing the sheet of paper out, I handed it to her. “Feel free to call me if you change your mind.”

“Is that the time?” she asked, pulling my arm closer so she could see the face of my watch more clearly. “Crap! I have to run or else I’ll be late for my clinical.”

I hated the idea of leaving her, but I quickly stowed my supplies back in my kit because I didn’t want to fuck up her day. When she walked over to the door and opened it for me, I paused before walking through it. “I meant what I said. Call me if you want help taking out the stitches. Or for no reason at all.”

Her cheeks filled with heat once again, and I couldn’t help but wonder how far it went down as she expressed her gratitude. “I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks for fixing me up!”

As soon as the door shut, I yanked my phone out of my pocket and called Rand. When he didn’t pick up, I fired off a quick text to him. He hadn’t called back or replied to my message when I made it down to my truck, so I tried again. And again. And again.

An hour later, I was certain that Rand was trying to avoid me because he knew I wanted to bail on the blind date he and Jaelyn had set up for me. He probably thought it was because I had cold feet when I actually had a damn good reason. I’d already met the only woman I was interested in spending time with. “Fuck.”

4

Mia

Between helping Jaelyn move, my clinicals, and study group, my Saturday had been even more hectic than usual. That hadn't stopped me from daydreaming about Tyler, though. Which just made me even more irritated about this blind date than I already had been.

I tried to get a hold of Jaelyn a couple of times throughout the day, but she hadn't called me back yet. As I pulled up in front of the restaurant where I was supposed to meet my blind date, I tried one last time. Once again, it rang several times before going through to her voicemail. “I can’t believe you’re avoiding me tonight of all nights! I don’t even know why I let you talk me into this in the first place. It’s not like I have time to date anyway. But just so you know, I met someone today, and this stupid blind date is the only thing preventing me from using the phone number he gave me.”

I wanted nothing more than to go back to my apartment, change into comfy pajamas, and stare at my phone while I worked up the courage to call Tyler. Instead, I was forced to come here. I didn't want the guy to think that I just stood him up if I didn't show up, but I also had zero interest in having a drink with him, let alone dinner. My plan was to go in there, find the guy at the bar who was wearing a blue button-down shirt, and let him down quick and easy. Best-case scenario, I figured I could be in and out of there in like five minutes.

“If she’d just given me his phone number, I could've texted him or something,” I muttered to myself as I walked into the restaurant.

Although I was right on time, I wasn't in a rush to find my blind date. Instead of turning left to head into the bar, I went right so I could hit up the ladies’ room first. Looking cute didn't matter when you had no intention of sticking around and didn’t care about impressing a guy, but that didn't stop me from heading over to the sinks to fix my hair and swipe on some lip gloss. My intention had been to delay the inevitable, but it turned out to be a really good decision because the first person I spotted when I walked into the bar was Tyler.

With his tall, muscular build and broad shoulders, the paramedic was impossible to miss. His thick, dark hair was tousled as though he hadn't bothered to run a comb through it since I saw him this morning. He was talking to the bartender, so I only had a side view of his profile. I was dying to know if his deep blue eyes were as gorgeous as I remembered, but I was hesitant to find out because this was the last place I wanted to see him again.

I was going to have to explain about the dumb blind date that Jaelyn had set me up on and hope that he'd understand I wasn't interested in some other guy. I would’ve much preferred to have been going out on a date with Tyler tonight, and my hope was he’d understand the situation. It’d be super difficult to refrain from strangling Jaelyn if a blind date I hadn’t wanted to go on in the first place ruined my chances with Tyler.

I was pondering the possibility of talking him into getting out of here before my blind date showed up as I moved closer. I didn’t notice what he was wearing until I came up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. A button-down shirt the same shade as his eyes. Feeling immensely relieved, I asked, “Hey, stranger. Any chance you’re the blind date I’m supposed to meet tonight?”

“That’s a loaded question if I ever heard one.” His blue eyes flared with heat as his gaze drifted down my body. “If I wasn’t the guy Rand had picked to go out with you, I’d be forced to lie my ass off right about now. There’s no way in hell I’d be able to sit by and watch some lucky bastard sit down to dinner with you.”

His flash of jealousy was more than flattering, but it was also a touch ironic, considering he was here to meet a blind date just like I was. “No worries there. Since I couldn’t call to cancel, and Jaelyn has been ignoring my calls, I showed up to let the guy down easy before heading home.”

“My plan was to let whoever they’d set me up with know that the situation had changed, and I was now a taken man.” He tapped the menu sitting on the bar in front of him. “Then I was going to place a carryout order and bring dinner over to your place.”

“I was going to call you once I got there,” I admitted with a smile, happy to know he didn’t want to be set up on a date with someone else any more than I did.

He grinned back at me with a gleam in his blue eyes. “I would’ve done the same before showing up at your door unexpectedly, but you haven’t given me your number yet.”

I’d been in such a rush to make it to the hospital for my clinicals after he’d stitched me up that it hadn’t even occurred to me. Pulling my phone out of my purse, I found his contact information—I’d added his information before I’d left my apartment since I’d been nervous about losing it—and typed out a quick text to him. His grin widened when his phone beeped with my message. “Problem solved.”

“I’m good like that,” I bragged just as my stomach let out a loud growl.

“So am I.” He stood and held his hand out to me. “The least we can do is stay for dinner since Rand and Jaelyn went to the trouble of setting us up on a date. Unless you’d prefer to go with my original plan and grab a to-go order to eat at your place?”

Sliding my palm against his, I considered both options. I still looked forward to the moment that I could slip into my pajamas, but the lure of a real date with Tyler was too strong to resist. “I’d love to stay for dinner.”

5

Tyler

The relief I’d felt when I realized I was the guy Mia had been here to meet was huge. Rand must’ve been more off his game than I realized to have not mentioned that vital piece of information when he’d asked me to stitch up Mia’s leg. Or maybe he just liked fucking with me even more than I knew. Either way, I’d gotten exactly what I’d wanted ever since I first saw her—a date with Mia.

With my hand at the small of Mia’s back as I guided her to our table, I felt like the luckiest bastard in the place. Spending time with Mia was well worth the shit Rand was going to shovel my way about how badly I tried to get out of this blind date.

Mia must've been thinking something along the same lines because as soon as we were seated, she laughed and said, “Jaelyn is going to give me heck for the message I left her when I first got here.”

“You won't be alone in that,” I reassured her. “I was kind of a dick to Rand about the whole thing, too.”

After scanning the menu to choose her meal and giving the hovering waitress her order along with the drinks, Mia added, “In Jaelyn’s defense, I get why she avoided my calls all day. Not only does she have a lot going on right now, but she knows my stance on dating.”

Reaching across the table to take her hand in mine, I asked, “And what's that?”

“As horrible as this is going to sound”—her wince was fucking adorable—“I just don't have time for it.”

“That doesn't sound horrible to me, not when I’m the lucky guy sitting across from you.” Her lips curved up in a smile, and I decided right then and there to put it on her face as often as possible. “Then again, I’m the guy at the station who my co-workers like to razz about needing to get a life.”

She tilted her head to the side, her green eyes narrowing as she studied my face. “I find that hard to believe.”

“How come?” I asked, giving her hand a little squeeze.

Her cheeks filled with heat again, and I had a feeling I was going to like her answer. “Because you’re…well, you.” She waved her free hand up and down, gesturing in my direction. “In my experience, hot guys like you don't spend many nights home alone.”

I grinned at her admission that she thought I was hot and leaned forward to murmur, “I could say the same thing since it's rare to find a gorgeous, smart, and kind woman who isn't already taken.”

“There’s just no way for me to comment on the first two parts of your compliment. It'll sound as though I'm fishing for more if I say anything about my looks, and I'm not about to say that I’m dumb. Not when I'm busting my butt to earn my nursing degree.” She beamed a smile my way. “I think I'll just go with…how do you know I'm kind?”

That was an easy one. “Even though you had a busy day and moving is one of the worst things to help a friend do, you still found the time to help Jaelyn.”

“You're one to talk.” She glanced down at the bandage on her calf. “You came over on your day off to help a stranger.”

“True,” I conceded. “But my boss was the one who asked me to do it.”

Mia waited until after the waitress dropped off our drinks before she pointed out, “I see what you’re saying, but you also offered to come back and take the stitches out without Rand asking you to do it.”

“I wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity to have an excuse to see you again.” With all that Mia was, my offer was more of a favor to myself than her.

“Little did we know that we would’ve met each other tonight anyway. By the time Jaelyn wore me down, I didn’t bother asking her for any additional details beyond where, when, and how I was going to find you.” She laughed and shook her head. “I guess I learned my lesson for next time.”

The thought of Mia going out on a date with another guy had a growl rumbling up my chest. The possessiveness I was feeling after meeting her this morning was a fair price to pay for all the shit I’d given Rand over falling for Jaelyn so quickly. Fate had turned the tables on me, but I wasn’t about to complain about it. But she sure as hell wasn’t going to be on dates with anyone else but me from now on. “If I have any say in it—and I’m going to do my best to make sure I do—there won’t be a next time, sweetheart.”

“I’m sorry. I worded that really badly.” She flipped her hand so it was palm up and laced her fingers through mine. “What I meant was that I learned how important it is to ask for details when someone else makes plans for me because I would’ve saved myself a lot of worrying if I’d known you were my blind date. Not that I needed to ask for a name next time around. I had already promised myself never to cave to a friend’s request to set me up before I met you this morning.”

I liked how she apologized and explained her thought process without any hesitation. She just kept getting better the more time I spent with her. “Good.”

I released her hand as the waitress delivered our meals, and we got to know each other more as we enjoyed our food. She wasn’t afraid to eat in front of me and even asked for a taste of what I ordered.

“I guess I’d better head home.” She sounded as reluctant as I was for our date to end after we finished dessert. “Saturday nights are when I typically catch up on all the sleep I missed during the week.”

“Thanks for sacrificing your rest to have dinner with me.” Since I’d already paid the check, there wasn’t any reason we couldn’t leave. As we stood, I caught the wince she tried to hide. Hurrying around the table, I wrapped my arm around Mia’s waist, taking some of her weight off her leg. “How badly does it hurt?”

“I’d only put it at about a three or four, except I’m so tired that it feels like worse,” she explained as we walked through the restaurant.

“It’s your right leg.”

I felt her shoulders shake as she stifled a giggle. “Yes, Mr. Obvious, it is.”

“I actually had a point,” I chuckled. “Are you going to be okay driving home?”

“Yeah.” She tilted her head back to smile up at me. “I’ve driven all around town today and survived.”

Surviving implied that she’d been uncomfortable behind the wheel, and I didn’t like that at all. A trio of guys left the restaurant, and I cupped her elbow to lead her off to the side. One of them paused to check her out, and when his lips parted, I knew he was about to say something either to or about her. Either option was unacceptable. Pulling Mia closer, I glared at him over her shoulder. One of his friends nudged him forward, but I didn’t look away until they were out of sight. Shifting my attention back to Mia, I gentled my expression and asked, “What about the stairs to get up to your apartment? Or was there an elevator somewhere that I didn’t see?”

“Ugh,” she groaned. “They’re a pain in my butt after a tough workout. I’m sure they’ll be even worse tonight. I’ve never wished for an elevator more than right now.”

“I can’t give you an elevator, but I do have a solution to your problem.” Taking her hand in mine, I brushed my thumb over her palm. “Come home with me tonight.”

6

Mia

Normally, when a guy invited you back to his place after your first date, it threw up major red flags. But not so much with Tyler’s invitation. My gut instinct was to accept it, and not just because I thought he had extended it out of concern for my injury.

I couldn’t remember a time when I’d had this much fun with a guy. That didn’t mean I wasn’t going to yank his chain a little, though. My mom had always said it was best to keep a guy on his toes, after all. “Back to your place, huh?”

His lips curved up in a small grin. “That sounded bad, didn’t it?”

I squeezed my forefinger and thumb together before lifting my finger to allow the barest amount of space between them. “Yeah, a little bit.”

“If you’re not comfortable with coming back to my place, I can drive you back and carry you up to your apartment.”

My stomach swooshed again, a feeling that only happened around Tyler. “While it’s awesome of you to offer, we probably shouldn’t run the risk of you hurting yourself when I’m already injured.”

He placed his hand at the small of my back to guide me to the parking lot. “I’m tempted to say something about how I’m strong enough to carry you up thirty flights of stairs, but I’m not willing to run the risk of changing your mind.”

“But is your masculinity up to letting the insult go?” I teased.

“I’m more than man enough for it,” he promised.

Considering how big his dick looked in the gray sweatpants he’d been wearing when we met, I had no doubt he was right. I was more than a little flustered by my thoughts of what he was packing in his pants—and willing to give my leg a break—when he suggested it was best for him to drive. As soon as we got in his truck, he gave me some ibuprofen. By the time we made it to his house, the stitches were already feeling a little better.

“Your place is so nice.” That description for the ranch-style brick house Tyler lived in was actually a major understatement. It had an open floor plan with the entryway, kitchen, and living room flowing into each other. There were high ceilings, gleaming wood floors, and a fireplace. The furniture was dark leather and looked super comfortable.

“Thanks. I bought the place a couple of years ago, and my sister helped me decorate.” He shook his head and chuckled. “She’s an interior designer, so there was no getting out of it.”

“She did a great job.”

“Thanks.” He padded over to the kitchen and looked over his shoulder to ask, “Do you want anything to drink?”

I nodded. “I’d love a bottle of water if you’re cool with me taking it to bed.”

“Of course.” He grabbed two bottles and led me over to the bedroom. I stood near the doorway and watched while he pulled a pair of boxers and a T-shirt out of his dresser. “C’mon, I’ll get you a toothbrush, too.”

I followed him into the en suite bathroom and frowned when he pulled out a toothbrush still in the packaging and handed it to me. “Do you have so many women over that you need to keep these in stock?”

“Nope.” He grinned before gently brushing his lips over mine. “I just had a dental cleaning on Tuesday afternoon and hadn’t switched this one out with my old toothbrush yet.”

“Oh.” I felt embarrassed for letting my imagination get away with me, but I didn’t regret what I’d said too much since it’d earned me a kiss.

“It’s been a long damn time since I’ve been interested in anyone.” He kissed the corner of my mouth before adding, “And no other women except for my mom and sister have ever been in my house before you.”

“Wow.” I was stunned by his admission as he left me alone to get ready.

My head was still reeling when I left the bathroom, and he went in to get ready for bed. When he grabbed the folded blanket off the bottom of the mattress and went for a pillow, I realized that he intended to sleep somewhere else. After considering the size of the California king bed I was sitting in the middle of, I offered, “You can stay in here, too.”

His blue eyes widened in surprise as his hand hovered over a pillow. “Are you sure?”

I thought about it for a moment longer before answering, “As long as you promise to be a gentleman, yeah.”

His voice is gruff as he admitted, “As much as I want you, I didn’t suggest for you to stay here tonight so I could fuck you.”

“That's good.” I blurted out the next part without thinking it over first. “Between the wine and the day I had, I’m in no shape to give up my V-card tonight.”

“Fuck,” he groaned, dropping the blanket to the floor and crashing down on the mattress. “You’re a virgin?”

I wasn’t certain what his strangled tone meant, but I was fairly sure it wasn’t bad. I still felt compelled to ask, “Is that a problem?”

“Not for me.” Tyler reached out to lace his fingers through mine. “I find it sexy as hell to know no other man has been inside you.”

“It’s not like I’ve been keeping it all these years because of a chastity pledge or anything like that,” I explained, feeling my cheeks heat with embarrassment as I stretched out on the mattress next to him. “There just hasn’t been much time, and I hadn’t met anyone who made me want to figure out a way to make them fit in my life.”

His hold on my hand tightened. “Is it safe for me to assume that you want to figure that out with me since you’re here right now?”

My voice was whisper soft as I answered, “Yeah.”

He rolled to his side to face me. “Is this conversation turning you on as much as it is me?”

“Maybe more.” The ache deep in my core made me want to rub my legs together, but I knew it would hurt. “It’s as though meeting you woke up my sleeping libido.”

He leaned close, gliding his lips up my jaw to whisper in my ear. “I can do something about that for you.”

“Yes, please,” I whimpered as my hips instinctively lifted off the mattress.

He gently cradled my calf between two pillows. “You're going to keep this gorgeous leg right here while I eat your pretty little pussy. If you move it, I'll stop.”

“I know better. I'm a little more than halfway done with my bachelor’s degree in nursing, after all.”

“You know what they say,” he teased. “Nurses make the worst patients.”

I rolled my eyes and giggled. “No, the saying is doctors, not nurses.”

He shrugged his broad shoulders. “I'm pretty sure it's true for all medical professionals.”

“Even you?”

“Yeah.” He grinned at me. “But now that I have you to help take care of me when I'm sick, I promise to do better.”

There went the butterflies in my belly again, but the sensation paled in comparison to what I felt when Tyler kneeled between my legs and slid the boxers down my hips. “I can’t wait to taste this pretty pussy.”

I couldn’t wait, either, but I still blurted out, “Don’t you think you should maybe kiss me first?”

“You’re right, sweetheart. I abso-fucking-lutely should kiss you first,” he agreed before he proceeded to kiss the heck out of me. When my lips parted beneath his, our tongues tangled together. When he finally ended the kiss, my brain was clouded with passion and I could barely think straight. But Tyler hadn’t forgotten his plans for me.

His fingertips drifted up my inner thighs as he positioned himself between my legs. Lowering his head, he brushed his lips over the mound of my pussy. I felt a surge of need so strong, I almost forgot to keep my injured leg still. When he flicked his tongue over my pussy lips, I fisted my hands in his hair. “Oh, my God. That feels so good.”

“Patience, sweetheart. I’m about to make you feel a fuck of a lot better.” He spread me open with his fingers and flicked his tongue over my clit. It was unlike anything I’d ever felt before, and my core clenched in need. His tongue circled around the sensitive nub, and my hips jerked as I tried to get him to hit the same spot again.

His hand pressed down against my thigh to hold me in place, and he straight up devoured my pussy by flicking my clit, slipping between my wet folds, and dipping inside me. “So fucking wet for me,” he growled.

“Please,” I panted, drawing his gaze back to my face.

He kept his blue eyes locked on mine as he tugged my clit into his mouth, giving it a quick, little suck. I detonated, screaming out his name as I experienced my first orgasm from someone else. It was stronger than anything I’d ever felt before. When I came back down from it, I felt utterly sated and incredibly sleepy. I could barely keep my eyes open as Tyler stretched out on the mattress next to me, and I cuddled against him as I drifted off to sleep.

7

Tyler

I woke up to the smell of bacon wafting into my bedroom from the kitchen, and it took me a moment to get my bearings. Rolling off the mattress, I padded out of my room and went in search of Mia.

I quickly spotted her standing near my stove. She was wearing the shirt and boxers I had given her last night and looked sexy as hell. “I thought you said you like to catch up on sleep on Sunday mornings.”

She jumped a little before looking over her shoulder. “For a big guy, you sure are quiet on your feet.”

“Sorry for startling you, sweetheart.” I moved behind her to peer over her shoulder. “You didn’t have to wake up early and make me breakfast.”

“I know, but I had a ton of energy when I woke up and was hungry.” She smiled up at me. “I hope you don’t mind that I raided your kitchen.”

“Feel free to treat my kitchen as your kitchen as often as you’d like,” I reassured her before snagging a piece of bacon off the paper towel-lined plate next to the stove and popping it into my mouth. It was cooked perfectly, but I couldn’t care less. Even if she was the world’s worst cook and couldn’t boil water, she was still welcome in my kitchen whenever she wanted to be there.

“You have perfect timing because the breakfast casserole will be ready in another minute.”

I’d never been a fan of breakfast casseroles, but I was determined to eat whatever she served me. “I’ll set the table.”

After I put out the plates and silverware, I made some coffee. Mia dished us each up a healthy portion of the casserole, and I added several pieces of bacon to my plate. With my first bite, I discovered my concerns were unwarranted. The mixture of hash browns, eggs, cheese, and sausage gravy was delicious. “Wow, this is incredible,” I mumbled after polishing off half of the serving she had given me.

“I’m glad you like it.” She beamed a smile my way over her mug of coffee. “When I went scrounging in your fridge and freezer, I discovered you had all the ingredients. It made me feel nostalgic for one of my all-time favorite breakfasts, so I decided to make it.”

Her green eyes held a hint of pain and sadness, and I set my fork down to focus on her as I asked, “Nostalgic?”

“Yeah, my mom used to make this casserole at least once a month, but I haven’t had it in more than three years.” She blinked away tears. “My parents died in a boating accident during my senior year of high school, and I haven't wanted to make it again until now.”

I was honored that she had chosen to cook something so important to her for me, but I was also sad to know she had gone through something so traumatic at a vulnerable age. “I'm so sorry for your loss. I can't even begin to imagine how it felt to lose them both at the same time. It was hard enough for my sister and me when our dad passed away last year, and we're both already adults.”

“Thanks.” She flashed me a watery grin. “I don't think there's ever a time when we're ready to say goodbye to our parents. Maybe it would’ve helped a little to have someone to share in the grief with me.”

“You don't have any siblings?” I hadn't noticed until now that she'd avoided any mention of her family at dinner last night.

“Nope, no brothers or sisters for me. My parents were only children, too.” She looked down at her plate and pushed the food around with her fork.

As much as I wanted to know everything about her, Mia’s feelings took precedence over mine. “We don't have to talk about this if you aren’t ready. I don't want to ruin the breakfast casserole for you when it’s been so long since you’ve had it.”

“You aren't ruining anything,” she reassured me. “It’s just hard to talk about them, but that's not fair to them because they deserve to be remembered.”

Following her lead, I asked, “Other than teaching you how to cook kick-ass food, what's your favorite memory of your parents?”

She took a small bite of the breakfast casserole as she thought about her answer. “I think it's the way they were unabashedly in love. It was as though they were magnetically drawn to each other anytime they were near. Anyone who met them could see it.”

Her answer made me think about how my parents had always acted around each other. I couldn't help but wonder if our children would have these same kinds of memories about us in twenty years, and it blew me away. I'd gone from giving Rand shit about being pussy whipped at first sight, and here I was, thinking about growing old with Mia one day after we met. It should have made me want to run in the opposite direction as fast as I could. Instead, all I could think about was talking her into spending the rest of the day with me.

We continued to eat while she shared more memories of her parents with me. By the time breakfast was done, I felt like we had known each other almost forever, as corny as that sounded.

As we packed up the leftovers, her mouth turned down at the corners. Tugging her close, I brushed my thumb over her bottom lip and asked, “What's wrong, sweetheart?”

“As much as I'd love to spend the rest of the day with you, reality is waiting for me back at my apartment. I have a week’s worth of laundry to do as well as some studying for tests this week.”

Little did she know that she’d just presented me with the perfect opportunity to keep her with me longer. “Do you have a washer and dryer in your apartment?”

“No,” she sighed. “Which is going to make today suck even more because I have to bring everything downstairs to the basement and hope nobody is hogging the machines when I get there.”

“I have a better solution.” I grinned at her, a plan taking shape in my head. “How's your leg? Good enough to drive?”

“Yeah, it's definitely feeling better.” A deep blush pinkened her cheeks. “I slept better than I have in ages, and I think it helped a lot.”

It felt damn good knowing the orgasm I had given her helped in more ways than one. “Here's what we're going to do. I'll drive you over to the restaurant to pick up your car and then follow you back to your building. I’ll run upstairs and grab your laundry basket while you wait for me in my truck. Then we can bring everything back here so you can be comfortable while you use my washer and dryer to get your laundry done.”

“I don’t know.” She tilted her head to the side. “That seems like an awful lot of work for you. I wouldn't want to put you out on your day off.”

I brushed my lips over hers and whispered, “Put me out as much as you want. Helping you makes me happy.”

“Well, in that case, you can also remind me to grab my backpack out of my car so I can study while you do my laundry.” She giggled and shook her head when I didn't react. “Oh, man. You knew I was joking, didn't you?”

“No, but I’m cool with doing your laundry if it means I get to go through your panties.”

The blush in her cheeks deepened. It crept down her neck and across the top of her chest. “That seems fair to me since you let me wear your boxers last night.”

Fuck, she was an intriguing mixture of cute and sexy. This was going to be the best day off I’d had in a long damn time.

8

Mia

After spending all my free time over the weekend with Tyler, it felt like I was going through withdrawals when I didn't see him the next two days. I used the time wisely, though.

I didn't want to feel guilty about skipping study group to go out on a date with Tyler Wednesday night, so I stayed up late studying on Monday and Tuesday. I only slept about six hours total, and I was majorly feeling it. The upside was that I felt like I was fairly prepared for the big test. The downside was that I wasn't sure how I was going to keep my eyes open during our date.

“I'm so sorry,” I apologized after yawning. “I promise it's not you. It's me. Between classes, my teacher’s assistant hours, and my clinical shift at the hospital yesterday, I haven't gotten much sleep this week.”

“I'm glad to know I'm not boring you,” he chuckled. “But I don't like seeing how tired you are. It's not good for you to burn the candle at both ends like this. Is there anything I can do to help?”

Although we haven't known each other long, his offer of help didn't surprise me. I’d already learned what a nice guy he was. At least out of bed. Once he had me under him, he had that whole dirty-talking, bossy side that really turned me on.

He’d taken such great care of me on Saturday and Sunday…and not just by giving me a mind-blowing orgasm. In addition to letting me use his washer and dryer, he’d also chauffeured me around town to finish a couple of errands, replaced my bandage, and fed me lunch and dinner. It’d been such a long time since anyone had looked after me like that. “Unless you can figure out a way to add a few extra hours into each day, there's not much you can do to help.”

“For you, I’d give it my best shot, sweetheart.” He signaled for the waiter, who had just taken our drink order but hadn't brought them to us yet. Tossing some cash onto the table, he stood and reached for my hand. “Let's take this date back to my place, where you can at least get comfortable while we eat.”

I slid my palm against his as I stood. “That sounds like a great idea to me.”

“How do you feel about pizza?” he asked as we walked to his truck.

I wrinkled my nose, and I let him think that was my reaction to his suggestion until I couldn't keep a straight face anymore and burst into laughter. “I love pizza. It's one of my favorite foods. Just so long as you get it with anchovies and pineapple.”

He took my request in stride. “Pineapple and anchovies for you, meat lovers for me.”

“Eww! Please, no! I'm just kidding.” I shuddered at the thought.

He squeezed my hand. “Beauty, brains, kindness, and jokes. You really do have it all.”

Blushing a little, I added, “And I even like a good meat lovers, too.”

“So what you’re telling me is you can handle a lot of meat?” He chuckled as he helped me into the car.

I immediately thought of the hard-on he pretty much always sported when we were together and blushed. “I sure can.”

An hour later, I had proven my love for pizza by polishing off three pieces to Tyler's five as we sat side by side at his kitchen counter. “I really appreciate how cool you were about changing our plans.”

“Any time you want to just hang out, you won't hear any complaints from me. I have exactly what I want. Time with you. It doesn't matter where we are or what we're doing.” He brushed a kiss against my cheek before getting up to toss our paper plates into the trash and put away the last two pieces of pizza.

Grabbing a blanket to toss over our laps, we got comfortable on his big leather couch. “Do you want to study while I watch a game or something?” he asked.

“No.” I shook my head. “My brain is too fried. Nothing would sink in anyway.”

“Rough day?”

“Yeah, I had a rough shift at the hospital while I was doing my clinicals.” I glanced out his window to the moonlight streaming through. “The charge nurse said something about how there's a full moon this week, and things tend to get crazy around this time.”

He nodded. “I believe that. My cousin, Vi, has told me some hard to believe stories from the emergency room.”

“Your cousin works at the hospital?” I tried to think of anyone I’d met with the same last name as Tyler, but I drew a blank.

“Yeah, Vi is a doctor in the emergency room, which has come in handy more times than I care to admit.”

Tilting my head back to smile up at him, I urged, “C’mon, tell me the best one.”

I was expecting him to tell me an embarrassing story about when he needed medical help, so I was surprised when he answered, “When Rand saved Jaelyn during the fire in your building, he didn’t want to lose track of her. He’d been trying to figure out who she was for days after seeing her at a softball game. But he was with a team out at a fire, so he asked me to take her to the hospital even though I probably could’ve treated and released her on-site.”

Jaelyn had told me about how they met. “Yeah, she mentioned that he overreacted and made her go to the hospital.”

“That’s not all,” he muttered.

I was dying to find out how Tyler’s cousin factored into the story. “You can’t just leave me hanging like this!”

“I knew Rand wanted to be the one to pick Jaelyn up from the hospital, so I asked Vi to stall until he got there,” he admitted.

“Oh, my gosh! Jaelyn complained about how long she was there,” I laughed. “I don’t think she knows it was on purpose.”

Tyler chuckled and shook his head. “Rand definitely knows because he owed me big time for it and just paid me back.”

“What does a favor like that cost nowadays?” It sounded like another story I wanted to hear.

Tyler pulled me closer. “He more than paid me back when he set me up on a blind date with you.”

“Best answer ever,” I whispered, cuddling into his side.

“And one hundred percent true,” he rasped, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. “I need to let Vi know that it turned out that I owe her big time now, too.”

“I haven't rotated through the emergency room yet, so I don't know her. I think I’m there in a couple of weeks, though.” And I was looking forward to it more than ever because I was willing to bet Tyler’s cousin had all sorts of great stories about him.

“If you need anything, just let Vi know. She'll make sure you're covered.”

“Um, nope. That's not how it works.” I shook my head. “She's the doctor, and I’m the nursing student.”

“True,” he conceded, “but you're also my girlfriend, and she's my cousin. Family trumps hospital politics every time.”

“Girlfriend?” I echoed softly.

“Fuck, yeah,” he quickly replied. “What did you think was going on between us?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “I didn't want to assume.”

“Then let me make this crystal clear.” He tilted my head back and claimed my mouth in a deep, passionate kiss. When he lifted his head again, I could barely see straight. “I've claimed you as mine, Mia.”

The best response my tired brain could come up with to his decree was to kiss him before cuddling back into his side.

9

Tyler

Mia fell asleep about ten minutes into the movie we picked. She was so damn tired that I didn’t want to run the risk of interrupting her sleep by moving her. But two movies later, I decided she’d be better off in my bed. I was careful as I gently lifted her off the couch, but she stirred when I placed her on my mattress.

“Oh, no! Did I fall asleep on you?”

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” I reassured her. “You needed the sleep more than you needed to see the movie. We can always watch it later.”

“How long was I out?” She stretched her arms over her head and arched her back. Her tits lifted up, and I could see her pebbled nipples through her bra.

“Almost four hours.” And my dick had been hard even longer.

“Dang, that was one heck of a nap.” She pulled a pillow under her neck before dropping her arms at her sides. “No wonder I feel so much better now.”

The dark smudges that had been under her eyes earlier were gone. “Do you want to watch the movie now?”

Her gaze swept down my body, and her lids came halfway down over her eyes. “I think we can come up with something more fun than watching a movie you just saw, don’t you?”

“Fuck, yeah.” I crawled onto the mattress, smoothing my hands up her thighs. “Spread ’em and show me that pretty pussy that you’re going to give me tonight, sweetheart.”

It’d been four and a half days since I put the stitches in her calf, and there wasn’t any hint of pain in her eyes when her knees fell open. “Is that a yes, Mia? Are you ready for me to pop your cherry?”

“More than ready,” she breathed with a nod.

When her hands went to the bottom of her shirt to lift it over her head, I wrapped my fingers around her wrist to stop her. “Let me do it.”

I quickly stripped out of my clothes, only leaving my boxers on. Then I climbed over her body, pressing my hands into the mattress on either side of her head. Determined to make this as good as possible for her, I took my time kissing her first, exploring her mouth with my tongue.

My hands explored her body over her clothes until my patience was stretched thin. I lifted her shirt over her head, and her back arched off the mattress so I could undo the clasp of her bra before pulling it off her body. Then I went to work on her pants and panties, dragging them down her legs at the same time.

“I’m so turned on right now, I can barely stand it,” she admitted softly. Her pretty pink blush swept all the way down from her cheeks to the tips of her breasts, and it was sexy as hell. I reached for her hand and pressed it against my cock. “Um…yeah…you’re definitely turned on, too.”

“I have been since I first saw you,” I rasped against her skin as I kissed my way down her neck, pausing to nibble at her pulse point before moving to her collarbone. Shifting my weight onto one arm, I cupped her tit and lifted it closer to my mouth. My tongue flicked over her nipple before I sucked it into my mouth.

“Tyler, please,” she sighed, her fingers digging into my scalp.

I let go of her nipple to ask, “Please what, sweetheart?”

“I need you.”

“I’m going to give you every inch of my cock,” I promised, moving lower. “But I need to get you ready to take me first.”

I nipped at her belly and circled my tongue around her belly button before making my way to her bare pussy. Spreading her legs wide, I trailed my tongue up one side of her pussy and down the other. Round and round I went, pausing to flick her clit from time to time. With her body writhing beneath me, I finally stiffened my tongue and plunged it into her virgin hole.

“Oh, my gosh,” she cried, her nails digging into my shoulders.

I fucked her with my tongue, mimicking what I was about to do with my cock while her orgasm built. When she was right at the edge, I pinched her clit between my fingers and tugged, making her fly apart.

When her quakes subsided, I rose on my knees and tugged my boxers down my thighs. My cock sprang free, long and hard. Precome dripped from the tip, and I spread the fluid around with my thumb as I stared down at her. “I want to take you bare, sweetheart. With nothing between us.”

“Me, too,” she whispered, her pretty green eyes widening as she stared at my dick.

“Don’t worry.” I swept a finger through her wetness. “You’re ready for me now.”

I rubbed the tip of my cock up and down between her pussy lips before lining it up against her entrance. Locking my eyes with hers, I slowly began to push inside. Her pussy fought me every step of the way, clenching tightly around my dick. Lifting her left leg to get a better angle, I slowly inched my way in until I bumped up against the proof that her pussy would only ever be mine. With a quick snap of my hips, I pulled back and thrust forward, tearing through it.

Mia cried out, and a few tears slipped down her cheeks. I kissed them away and whispered, “I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”

“It’s okay. It had to be done,” she reassured me with a watery smile.

I was beyond thrilled that I was the man she’d chosen to do it—and I was determined to make her first time good for her. As difficult as it was to hold still when she felt like heaven wrapped around me, I waited until she started to wiggle before I moved. “Damn, you feel incredible. It’s going to be damn hard to keep my control.”

“Then maybe you shouldn’t,” she suggested, running her hands up and down my back.

“You’re playing with fire, sweetheart,” I warned.

“Of course, I am,” she purred. “I already feel as though my need for you is burning me up from the inside out.”

Her admission made my control snap. Wrapping her legs around my waist, I pulled out of her wet heat and drove back in again. I started with a slow and steady rhythm, building up until I was hammering in and out of her pussy. The telltale tingle of my impending climax started at the base of my spine, but I pushed it down and focused on Mia’s pleasure.

Sliding my hand between our sweat-slickened bodies, I circled her clit with my thumb. “Are you going to come for me, sweetheart? I want to feel your pussy milking my cock until I can’t hold back any longer.”

“Yes,” she panted, her walls clamping down around me.

“That’s right. Give it to me. Now, Mia,” I commanded, punching my hips forward.

Watching her fly apart while my cock was deep inside her was the most beautiful and sexy thing I’d ever seen in my life. The sight of Mia’s passion-filled green eyes, parted lips, and pink-tinged cheeks helped send me over the edge right along with her. Come spurt from my cock, filling up her pussy to overflowing. I stayed anchored inside her body until her spasms ended, and then I reluctantly pulled out and rolled to the side.

“Wow,” she whispered.

“Yeah,” I rasped, hauling her against my chest and cradling her close until we both caught our breath. Then I kissed her forehead before crawling off the mattress to head into the bathroom and get a damp washcloth. I would’ve run her a bath, but she couldn’t soak in one until her stitches came out.

She must not have been as rested as she thought because she was already back asleep when I walked back over to the bed. I carefully cleaned her up, pressing a kiss to her belly and whispering, “Soon.”

10

Mia

Staring at the “C” I had gotten on the test I took on Friday, I was still stunned even though five hours had passed since the professor had handed it back to me in class today. I’d thought I had done a good job of balancing my time between my school responsibilities and the new relationship I was building with Tyler, but this test proved me wrong.

The last time I had received a test score in the low seventies was during my senior year of high school after my parents died. I had been struggling with my grief, so it had been understandable back then. Now, not so much. There was too much at stake for me to mess up my grades.

“What's wrong, sweetheart? You've been staring at that piece of paper as though it holds the secret of life for the past five minutes.”

Looking up, I noticed that Tyler must have finished putting together our dinner and popped it into the oven since the pan wasn’t on the counter anymore. “Sorry, it's just that I bombed a test last week, and I’m not sure what to do.”

Gently pulling the test from my hands, Tyler flipped it over to look at my grade. “Your definition of bombing and mine must be different since a C is passing.”

“I can’t let my grades drop too low or else my scholarship will be at risk. Anything below a three point five, and I’ll only have a semester to pull them back up,” I explained.

“And if you didn’t, you’d be stuck paying for your last year?” he asked.

“Yeah,” I sighed, propping my chin up with my hand as I scooted forward on the stool to lean my elbow on the counter. “But there isn’t enough money left from my parents’ life insurance policy to cover the difference. The only way I could do it was if I got a job on top of my TA position to help pay my rent.”

Tyler shook his head and growled, “Another job isn’t the solution. You already work hard enough as it is.”

“I don’t know what to do,” I admitted, willing myself not to cry. It had only been a little more than a week, but I already couldn’t picture my life without Tyler in it. “My TA position is part of my federal aid, and my clinicals are a required part of the curriculum. I can’t cut either of them out of my schedule to make more time for studying so I can keep my grades up.”

“The craziness of my shift rotation at the station doesn’t help, does it?” he groaned.

“Not really,” I admitted softly as I reached for his hand to give it a squeeze. “But I’m not willing to give up my time with you, either. I’ll just have to figure out a way to make it work.”

Tyler rounded the counter, a determined gleam in his blue eyes. Stopping in front of me, he swiveled my stool to stand between my legs. “Move in with me.”

“Move in with you?” I echoed softly, positive I’d heard him wrong since we hadn’t known each other that long.

He nodded. “Yup, it’s the perfect solution.”

“How so?” I asked, still not seeing it even though I was sorely tempted to just throw caution to the wind and agree.

“I’m not convinced that one C means the possible end of your scholarship, not with how damn smart you are.” His eyes were full of confidence as he grinned at me. “But I’m all for taking some of the pressure off you. Moving in with me means that you don’t need to worry as much about maintaining your scholarship. If you lost it, rent wouldn’t be an issue. It would also be easier to find time to spend with each other with us going to bed together each night. And you could just invite your study group over here, so you wouldn’t need to sacrifice any sessions with them. I’d also be around to help you study. I’m sure there’s some overlap between my degree in paramedic science and yours for nursing.”

As out of left field as his suggestion had originally sounded, it started to seem logical as he rattled off his rationale. Except for one thing. “That all sounds great for me, but what about you?”

His grin turned a little wicked. “Did you miss the part where I mentioned having you in my bed each night?”

I needed more than that. “You really want me here?”

“I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t.” He brushed his lips over mine and added, “If anything, it’s more a case of me taking advantage of your situation to get you under my roof sooner rather than later. Not the other way around.”

“I do love how you take advantage of me,” I teased with a smile.

“Then move in with me, sweetheart,” he urged.

I nodded. “Okay, I’ll do it.”

“Fan-fucking-tastic.” He claimed my mouth in a deep kiss to seal the deal. “I’ll arrange for the movers to meet us at your apartment on Saturday.”

* * *

Two weeks to the day after I met Tyler, I was once again carrying stuff down the stairs of my building to a moving truck parked in front. Only this time, they were my belongings instead of Jaelyn’s. And I had a bossy caveman of my own since Tyler was being as much of a pain in my butt over what I could carry as Rand had been with her.

Jaelyn had been hit hard by morning sickness, so I didn’t even have her to commiserate with about how ridiculous Tyler was being. She stayed home since Rand insisted she was in no shape to be out and about. Tyler tried to tell him that he didn’t need to come help, but Rand had apparently been looking forward to the opportunity to razz his friend too much to stay home. After he’d made sure Jaelyn’s stomach was settled and she had everything she needed for a few hours, he’d shown up on my doorstep.

Hefting boxes down to the truck hadn’t stopped him from talking smack—much to my enjoyment since it served as my entertainment for the morning. Rand’s banter helped ease any tension between Tyler and me as we decided what all to pack up while the movers brought the bigger pieces down to load them on the truck.

“Nope.” I snatched two throw pillows from the discard pile and tossed them into the box I was packing. “These aren’t going to Goodwill. They’re coming with me.”

Tyler stared down at the box. “But they’re pink.”

I giggled at his horrified tone. “There’s hardly any pink on them. They’re mostly cream, and they’ll look great with your brown leather couch.”

“Yeah, Tyler. You can barely see the pink at all,” Rand agreed before walking off, laughing and shaking his head.

“If you really want the pillows, then I guess they’re coming with us,” Tyler muttered, ignoring his friend.

I rose on my toes to give him a quick kiss. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, sweetheart,” he whispered against my lips before deepening the kiss.

“How does it feel to join the ranks of the pussy whipped?” Rand asked as he walked past, carrying another box.

A deep growl rumbled up Tyler’s chest, making me giggle as I pulled back to ask, “Did you really call him pussy whipped?”

“Yeah,” he sighed as he ran one of his hands through his thick, dark hair. “I’m quickly learning how much of a mistake that was. He doesn’t let a day go by without reminding me of how dumb it had been for me to say it.”

Tilting my head to the side, I grinned. “I don’t know. It’s almost as though you tempted fate by teasing Rand like that, and look where you are now.”

“Damn. Now that you put it that way, it was smart as fuck of me to tease Rand about being pussy whipped if it brought you to me.” A wicked gleam filled his eyes. “Maybe I need to give him shit about knocking Jaelyn up so quickly next.”

I pressed my fingers against his lips before he tempted fate and I wound up pregnant. Then again, considering how often we had unprotected sex, it was bound to happen sooner or later. “We met two weeks ago, and I’m already moving in with you. Let that be enough, at least for a little while.”

“I guess I can stick with teasing him about taking a whole week longer to talk Jaelyn into moving in with him than I did with you. At least for now.”

My brain was still trying to wrap around the ease with which he’d talked about us having babies together to point out that they’d basically already been living together since day one. Not that I needed to since I was sure Rand would be quick to hold that little tidbit over Tyler’s head. Men would be men, after all. Including their strange rivalries.

11

Tyler

“Time to christen our bed,” I rasped as I swung Mia in my arms and stalked into the bedroom. All her stuff was under my roof, and it was past time to celebrate now that she’d unpacked the necessities. Everything else could wait until I’d had my fill of my woman.

“It sounds like a great idea to me, but we already christened this bed,” she pointed out with a laugh after I dropped her on the mattress.

“But it was mine then,” I pointed out as I began to strip out of my clothes. “And now it’s ours.”

“Ours,” she echoed softly. “I love the sound of that.”

After kicking my pants and boxers onto the floor, I climbed onto the bed and went to work on tugging the clothes off Mia’s curvy body. With all her silky, sun-kissed skin exposed, I leaned down and captured her mouth. Her body rocked against mine as our tongues tangled together, and the kiss quickly spiraled out of control.

I was desperate to sink my cock inside her, but I needed to prepare her first. Trailing my hand down her chest, I swiped my thumb over her nipple and groaned when it pebbled beneath my touch as she pressed against my hand and whimpered. “That’s the sound I love. The needy little noises you make when I’m touching you.” Gliding my hand farther down, I thrust a finger inside her pussy and reveled in how her hips lifted up to meet me as she gasped. “I’ll never get enough of them.”

Lowering my head, I latched onto one of her nipples. Her breasts were sensitive and playing with them was a surefire way to get her revved up. Her skin was so fucking soft, it felt as though I was caressing silk as my hand cupped her tit to hold it up to her mouth as I worked another finger into her tight, wet heat with the other. “You’re almost ready for me, aren’t you?”

“I’m already there,” she panted as she slid her hand between our bodies to wrap her fingers around my cock. “I need you inside me now.”

“Not until you come for me, sweetheart.” I lifted one of her legs over my shoulder and gave her pussy a long lick. Groaning when her flavor hit my tongue, I grasped her ass cheek to boost her up higher. Devouring her pussy, I kept at her with my lips, tongue, and teeth until her cries were ringing out all around me. “Tyler! Oh my gosh! Yes!”

“That’s it, Mia. Give me what I want.” I licked her through her orgasm, moving to kneel between her legs when the shaking subsided.

Her legs parted, and I slowly worked my way into her hot, tight pussy. “Fuck,” I grunted. “I’d stay right here forever if I could.”

Her pussy fluttered around me as an aftershock hit her. The clench and release of her tight walls pushed me closer to the edge, but I wasn’t ready to go yet. When I pulled out of Mia, a small cry escaped her lips. “No.”

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ll be right back in your sweet pussy in just a second,” I reassured her as I flipped her over onto her stomach. Gripping her hips, I tilted them up to drive into her from behind. Thrusting hard, I buried myself balls deep with one powerful glide.

Her head dropped back, her long hair sliding across her back. I wrapped it around my fist, and she moaned, “Yes.”

I set a quick pace, plunging in and out of her wet heat like a wild man. Mia cried out each time I drove inside, her walls tightening more and more around my cock. She wiggled her ass, moving back so I’d hit her sweet spot with each thrust. “Come on my cock, baby. I want to feel you fly apart while your pussy is wrapped around me.”

She dropped her head into the pillow, her tits pressing against the mattress and angling her pussy toward me. The new angle had me going deeper than before, and I bumped against her cervix with my next drive. Mia threw her head back and screamed my name as she came, but I still wasn’t done with her. “C’mon, sweetheart. You’ve got more for me. I know you do.”

“I don’t think—Oh, God! Yes!” she cried as I continued to hammer into her.

“That’s my girl,” I growled against her neck before I gently bit her shoulder. I was driven by the need to see my mark on her skin, warning away any other guy who might see what was mine and be tempted to try to steal her away. Having her move in with me had amped up my possessiveness instead of toning it down.

Mia’s arms stretched out, and her hands gripped the sheets, holding on as I continued to power into her. Tightening my hold on her hair, I ran my other hand down her back to glide over her round ass. I wasn’t going to be able to hold out much longer, so I slowed down until my cock dragged against her walls at a painstakingly slow pace. It about killed me, but I was quickly rewarded with the feel of her pussy clamping down around my cock.

“So good,” she cried out as I inched all the way back in, circling my hips to grind against her.

“Like you were made for me,” I agreed, pulling back again. “Because you were.”

She flew apart when I drove back in hard, shuddering beneath me. I rode her through her orgasm, powering in and out as I gripped her hips to yank them back with each thrust of my hips. It only took six more strokes before I roared my release, anchoring my cock deep inside her as I poured myself into her.

After her shudders ended, I rolled to my side and pulled her body close to mine. “I love you so fucking much, sweetheart.”

“You do?” she gasped, tilting her head back to stare up at me.

My love for her was so damn obvious to me that it took me a moment to realize why she was so shocked. “Shit, I can’t believe you moved in with me when I left out that as one of the reasons I wanted you here with me.”

“I guess I loved you so much that I didn’t need to hear the words to know I belonged with you.”

“Your faith means everything to me”—I stretched an arm out to grab the jewelry box I’d stowed in the bedside table a few days ago to slip the engagement ring on Mia’s finger—“but be prepared to hear how much I love you every single day for the rest of your life.”

“That was so beautiful.” Tears spilled down her cheeks. “But I think you forgot the question part of the proposal.”

“You’re already mine, sweetheart.” Even before she gave me her virginity, she had been. “I’m just making it official.”

“I’ll answer you anyway.” The smile she beamed at me was more brilliant than any other she’d given me. “Yes! A million times, yes!”

Epilogue

Mia

As I walked across the stage during graduation, I heard my husband and our friends cheering me on. After I shook the dean's hand, I lifted my diploma up high and beamed a smile in Tyler's direction. One of his hands was in the air as he celebrated my success, but the other was pressed against our baby girl’s back. Bridget was strapped to his chest, her tiny fists waving around.

As happy as I was when I found out I was pregnant, I’d also been more than a little freaked out. I still had two semesters of college to finish, and I hadn’t been sure if I was ready to be a mom yet. But Tyler had been my rock, soothing my fears and helping me come up with a plan.

It had been easier than I expected to push back one of my semesters. The timing had actually turned out to be kind of ideal because I gave birth to Bridget toward the end of the summer. I was able to spend several months at home with her before I started back at school for the spring semester, and then I had another three months off before I finished my degree. Even better, Jaelyn opted to stay home with the kids after she had Kacie, so we had someone to care for Bridget on the days when I had class or clinicals and Tyler was at the station.

Bridget was my only blood relative in the audience, but I didn’t feel the lack when I joined my friends and family after the ceremony. I’d found where I belonged when I met Tyler.

His cousin, Vi, was there, along with his sister and mom. I’d gotten to know them well over the past two years and was as close with them as I was Jaelyn and Kaia, who were there with their husbands and kids.

“Congratulations!” the women cried, surging forward to give me a big group hug.

Tyler broke the embrace up about thirty seconds later, twirling me around and pulling me close. Bridget was sandwiched between us, which was exactly where she wanted to be. Our little girl loved her mommy and daddy, and she was as territorial with our time as Tyler had always been with me.

“I'm so proud of you, sweetheart,” Tyler said as he leaned close to kiss my cheek.

“Mama,” Bridget squealed, smacking her lips for a kiss of her own. I bent down and trailed kisses over her chubby cheeks, making her laugh. She puckered her lips and gave me kisses back when I pressed my cheek against her mouth.

“Thank you, baby girl.”

“Mama,” she squealed again, reaching for me.

I gently pulled her from the baby carrier and snuggled her into my side. Her fist went straight for the top of my gown, reaching down to burrow into my cleavage. “I swear, she loves my boobs even more than you do.”

“Impossible. I live and breathe for your tits, right along with every other part of your delectable body.”

“Tyler Jennings! Your baby girl is listening,” his mom chided with a grin. When she took Bridget from my arms and walked away, I knew she was just using our conversation as an excuse to hold her granddaughter.

I laughed and shook my head, turning back to Tyler. “It’s official. I’m a nurse!”

He wagged his brows at me. “Does that mean we can’t play doctor anymore?”

“That depends.” I shifted closer and lowered my voice as I added, “Do you want to be the doctor, and I’ll be your naughty nurse?”

“Fuck, yeah,” he groaned, tugging me close enough that I could feel his hard-on press against my belly. “It’s a good thing my mom volunteered to watch Bridget tonight so we could go out and celebrate your graduation.”

“Why don’t we skip the going out part and celebrate at home, just the two of us?” I suggested.

“I love the way you think, Mrs. Jennings.”

It also turned out that he loved how we celebrated my graduation so much that we made a pact to always set aside time for just the two of us to celebrate each of life’s successes together in bed. Repeatedly. We had to make the most of our alone time, after all.

Epilogue

Tyler

“Mommy, can I listen to your hawtbeat?” Bridget, who’d turned four a few months ago, asked as she toddled over to the couch. Mia was curled up in the corner, watching her play.

“Sure, baby girl.” Leaning over to lift the toy stethoscope off Bridget's neck, Mia showed her how to use it. “You pop these into your ears, and then you take this end and put it right here over Mommy's heart.”

Our daughter listened intently to my wife, just as she always did. She was a miniature version of Mia but with my blue eyes. She’d wrapped me around her finger the moment she was born, just like I expected her baby brother to do in about a month.

Noticing that Mia’s bottle of water was empty, I grabbed another one from the fridge and poured a sippy cup of juice for Bridget. Then I carried them over to my girls and dropped onto the couch next to my beautiful wife. “Do you want to listen to Daddy's heartbeat, too?”

“Yes!” Bridget scrambled onto my lap and pressed the stethoscope to the middle of my chest.

“Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump,” I mimicked the sound of my heart beating.

Mia giggled when Bridget pressed her tiny hand against my mouth and shushed me. “Quiet, Daddy. I can’t hear your hawt when you make all dat noise.”

I licked her hand, making her squeal and yank it away. “Sorry, sweetie. Daddy will try to do better.”

Mia shook her head sadly and reached over to tickle Bridget’s side, making her giggle. “Silly Daddy. He doesn't understand how your toy works.”

“Hey!” I complained. “I use the stethoscope at work every day.”

Bridget shook her head. “No, Daddy. You drive the ambuwance, and Mommy uses the sketcherskype.”

“I do a whole lot more than drive the ambulance, sweetie,” I corrected my baby girl.

“Daddy knows how to use a real stethoscope, but he wasn’t home when we got your special one. He didn’t get the chance to read the instructions, so he doesn’t know how it works yet,” Mia explained.

“Okay.” Bridget beamed a smile at us before dropping her stethoscope on the couch. Then she climbed down from my lap to run over to her pink princess tent in the corner of the room.

I chuckled, remembering how I’d complained about those pink pillows when Mia moved in with me. Times had definitely changed. Bridget’s bedroom was painted pale pink, and there were pink and purple toys and clothes scattered throughout the house.

Mia picked up Bridget’s toy and handed it to me. “Go ahead. Give it a try.”

I popped the eartips into my ears and bent low to press the bell end against Mia’s chest, but she stopped me. “It isn’t strong enough to hear my heart through these”—she pointed at her tits, which had gone up another cup size during her pregnancy—“but it’ll probably work on you. I was surprised when I was able to hear Bridget’s heartbeat with it.”

I placed the diaphragm over my heart and listened for a moment. “Wow. You’re right. It really does work.”

“Toys today are so different than when we were kids,” she sighed, rubbing her hand over her rounded belly. “There are only a little more than four years separating these two, and so many things have already changed. Just the other day, Vi was telling me about this new formula milk maker that’s even better than the one we used with Bridget. You’ll be able to make a bottle in seconds in the middle of the night, without having to worry about the formula clumping up in the machine.”

That explained the mystery of the blue-wrapped present my cousin dropped off at the station today. When I’d asked what was inside, she told me to wait and open it with Mia because she’d be excited. That was all I needed to curb my curiosity until I got home. Anything that made my wife happy was a priority for me. “It sounds like you’d like to get a new one.”

“Yeah,” she sighed after taking a sip of her water. “You know how often I got frustrated with the clump of formula where the water dispensed with the machine we used for Bridget.”

I laid my hand over her belly, waiting for my baby boy to kick it. “Remind me to grab the present out of my truck later because I’m pretty sure Vi already got us one.”

“Yay!” Mia clapped her hands together. “I’m such a lucky woman.”

“I know what you mean, sweetheart.” I brushed my lips over hers. “The best thing anyone has ever done for me was to fix me up with you.”

Have you read our other Me, Myself & I Collection? It’s Baby Daddy themed!

About the Author

The writing duo of Elle Christensen and Rochelle Paige team up under the Fiona Davenport pen name to bring you sexy, insta-love stories filled with alpha males. If you want a quick & dirty read with a guaranteed happily ever after, then give Fiona Davenport a try!

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