Aidan Read online

  Lucian shrugs his shoulders as he returns Misty’s wave. “Yeah, she offered the same thing to me. Lia’s actually met her once, and she thought it was hysterical. She said something like, ‘good luck with that,’ and chowed down on her cheeseburger.”

  “She’s been working with Rose every day for months now, so that’s bound to wear off on her soon,” Max points out.

  “It’s damn sure enough to make you keep your dick in your pants, isn’t it?” I smirk. I’ve no doubt Rose could kick all of our asses if she wanted to.

  Misty arrives at our table carrying a tray of beer and our usual burgers. Her tiny shirt is struggling to contain her huge tits, and I swear when she moves I think I see a nipple. And those shorts. How in the hell does she even sit down in them? They’re so tight she must have to lie on the bed to zip them up. She’s rocking the big hair tonight and could easily pass for an ’80s rock slut. I’ve barely processed these thoughts when our tray is on the table and she’s sitting on my lap. “Aidan. Holy shit, you’re back. Sugar, I’ve just missed you so much!” Before I can protest, her mouth is on mine. My hands are flailing as I attempt to move away from her. For such a tiny thing, she’s surprisingly strong. Her arms around my neck are like fucking zip ties.

  “Mis—ty, stop,” I choke out as I desperately try to avoid her tongue. Good Lord, the woman is mouth raping me right here, and my two idiot friends are doing nothing but laughing their asses off. I get to my feet thinking I’ll shake her off my lap, but I can’t believe that she manages to hold on. “Let—go,” I wheeze out and finally see Luc stagger to his feet to help me out. He’s laughing so fucking hard it takes him precious moments to regroup, but finally, he’s prying her hands from around me.

  “Misty, hon, let’s give Aidan a chance to breathe. I’m sure he really appreciates your . . . warm welcome, but he’s going through a shy phase. You might be overwhelming him a bit.”

  “Yeah, he’s found Jesus lately and is doing the whole chastity vow,” Max adds. “In another few months, he’ll be a born-again virgin so don’t derail that process.”

  That seems to get Misty’s attention. She moves away from me as if she’s just been told I have a scorching case of crabs. I swear she stares at my crotch for all of two minutes before shaking her head. “That explains so much, sugar.” In a whisper that is more like a shout, she says, “I thought maybe something was wrong with your equipment. I’ve hugged you several times, and you’ve never been . . . excited.” She stands up straight and thrusts her huge tits in the air. “And believe you me that never happens. Why didn’t you just tell me that you were a virgin?” Fuck, every nearby table is riveted by this conversation. I might as well toss my man card on the floor and set the bastard on fire.

  “I’m not,” I hiss, but she cuts me off before I can finish defending myself.

  She pats my arm as if I’m some damn poodle. “I think it’s sweet, really I do. But I like my men with a little more experience. I’m not up to training someone green behind the ears. Now if you get yourself a woman and get that cherry popped, let me know. Then maybe I can work with that.”

  Luc shakes his head as if to tell me to take what she’s giving me and keep my mouth shut. What choice do I have? If I say Max is lying, she’ll be all over me again. In this bar, the lesser of evils is for Misty to believe that my cock has never seen the light of day before, much less a pussy. So I lower my head and do my best to look embarrassed. Actually, it’s not that hard considering the amount of people who now think I’ve never fucked a woman. “Thanks for understanding,” I mumble. My two dickhead friends look as if they’ll fall on the floor in a fit of laughter at any moment, but Misty thankfully appears blissfully unaware.

  She unloads her tray finally then gives one last shake of her head. I hear her say, “What a waste,” under her breath as she walks away.

  When she’s out of earshot, I cross my arms and glare at Max. “A virgin, really? Where in the hell did that come from?”

  He puts a hand over his mouth, smothering a grin. “Hey man, I panicked, and it’s all I could come up with. It didn’t exactly look like you were in the position to be picky with her sucking your tonsils out of your throat.”

  “I thought it was pretty good,” Luc chokes out. “Did you see how fast she got away from you? I would have thought to someone like Misty that would have been as good as a green light. I’m amazed that she was that . . . repulsed.”

  “So this is what being a loser feels like,” I say as I look around the bar. “I bet I couldn’t pick up a single woman in this bar tonight even if I begged.”

  “Oh, I don’t know.” Luc inclines his beer bottle toward a table in the back. “Those cougars look mighty interested in bringing you into manhood. If I were you, I wouldn’t walk that way. If you’ve got to take a piss, do it out front.”

  “Shit.” I laugh, finally seeing the humor in what has just occurred. “I told you we need to stop coming to this place. Next time we have a guys’ night, we’re sticking to somewhere like Hooters. Those girls are professionals. They give you a pretty smile, shake their ass, and wait for the big tip. I’ve never been mauled by anyone from there.”

  Max takes a bite of his burger and then wipes his mouth before saying, “You should have just told us you were saving yourself for Kara Jacks. I thought we were all friends, but neither Luc nor I knew that you were . . . involved with her.”

  My good mood falters as I think of Kara’s arms around me at my mother’s funeral. I’d spent the day with my father, but as if by mutual agreement, we hadn’t discussed my mom. Neither of us was ready for that. Instead, we’d worked in the yard, and then had lunch together at a local steakhouse. I had made sure the hospice care removed all the medical equipment and had a cleaning company clean the house from end to end while we were at the funeral. My father didn’t need to be faced with that. As if sensing where my thoughts have gone, Luc claps a hand on my shoulder and squeezes. I actually want to hug him when he cracks a joke to lighten the mood. “You know if Kara hadn’t dyed her hair, I would find it pretty damn weird that you’re seeing my wife’s twin. Hell, it’s still strange.” He thumps his fist lightly against my arm before adding, “I remember you hitting on Lia before we got married.”

  Both Max and I chuckle at his wry expression. I hold my hands up to protest my innocence. “I’ll admit it’s a little strange, and even Kara commented on it when we met in Charleston. But you gotta admit, they don’t really resemble each other much anymore.”

  Luc looks skeptical. “I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt on this one because I don’t want to dwell on the alternative. So how exactly did you two meet and surpass the acquaintances stage?”

  I shake my head. Women in no way have the market cornered on gossip. Men are every bit as nosy. “She was staying in Lee’s house in Charleston, and I was just down the beach. We met in a bar one night and kind of hit it off. We hung out for a few weeks until I left.”

  “Sounds neat and tidy,” Max interjects.

  I know he wants to say more but doesn’t want to keep referencing my mother’s funeral, and I certainly don’t want that either, so I find myself volunteering additional information. “We had dinner together every night after that. We either cooked or dined at one of the local places. I enjoyed spending time with her; she made me laugh.”

  “You really like—like her, don’t you?” Luc asks in surprise.

  God, is this grade school? “Yeah, I guess I do. I didn’t know if I’d see her again when I left. She seemed to want things to end at that point, but then she was there yesterday . . . and I don’t know. We’ve decided to see where things go.”

  Max’s jaw drops as he says, “You’re saying you’re going to date her? Like a relationship and the whole bit?”

  I pick up one of the stale pretzels from the bowl in the middle of the table and toss it at him. Surely, Max hasn’t thought I’ve been celibate all these years while pining for Cassie? Would he really have no clue what I was up to during
the first twelve months I was away? So not a virgin. “Man, that’s just insulting that you’re so amazed. You do know I’m not actually the virgin you told Misty I was, right? I’ve entertained quite a few women through the years.”

  “Hookers don’t count,” Luc jokes.

  “Fuck you,” I deadpan. “Escorts aren’t hookers, at least in Asheville. Hell, you should know that. I believe you met your lovely wife through one of those very services, didn’t you?”

  Luc grits his teeth. “Touché,” he grumbles.

  I enjoy the direct hit I’ve scored for a moment, before admitting, “I promised my mother I wouldn’t close myself off to finding someone. She was convinced that Cassie wasn’t ‘the one’ and she wanted me to keep an open mind. So when Kara reappeared and the attraction was still there, I decided to give it a go. I’ve come to care about her, and I want her in my life.”

  “I think that’s great,” Max says sincerely. “I certainly wasn’t looking for a relationship when Rose came along. Hell, I fought it, but it happened anyway, and I’m damned glad. She may scare the hell out of me some days, but it’s never boring.” He grins.

  Luc raises his beer bottle and motions for me to do the same. “I’m happy for you, brother. From what I know of Kara, she’s the real deal. Have you met her parents yet?”

  Luc looks vastly amused when I say, “No, I haven’t. I was going to walk her in when I dropped her at home, but she didn’t want me to.”

  “That should be an interesting family dinner. Think you can get us an invitation?” Max asks. “I bet Rose would fit right in with the Jacks family.”

  “All the stuff they say about them isn’t true, right?” I ask warily. I look over at Luc. “You’ve spent time with Lia’s father. Is his reputation blown out of proportion or do you think he’s as dangerous as he’s rumored to be?”

  Luc takes his time before he answers. “The only thing I know for certain is that he loves his daughter, his granddaughter, and he tolerates me. He and his brother had an interesting childhood and did what was necessary to survive. The same as any of us would do. Unless there is a threat to my family, I don’t want to know any more than that. Peter’s supposed to be the nice one, so I wouldn’t worry about him killing you over the pot roast. At least not right away,” he adds and laughs when I flip him off.

  As much as I’m enjoying my evening with my friends, I find myself checking my watch. I’ve missed Kara, and I’m ready to see her. I stick it out a bit longer, though, not wanting to be called a pussy for leaving so soon. Plus, there’s no way I’m walking by Misty alone. She might have rethought her virgin aversion by now. I pull my phone out and text Kara while Max and Luc are arguing over baseball.

  Home in an hour, princess. Have a dress on with no bra or panties. You’re getting fucked as soon as you walk in the door.

  Her reply comes just moments later and has my dick throbbing.

  I’m sucking your cock first. Deal with it.

  Absolutely perfect.

  I wonder for a moment if my mother had any idea that I’d already met the one who would be important to me before our talk. Considering I had been reeling from her revelation about Cassie never owning my heart, I hadn’t thought to mention Kara. But I think I felt it then. I wish I had told her about Kara. I wish I’d told her about numerous things, and now that chance was gone. And that stings. Thinking about her words spoken about a week ago now, I suck in a quick breath. When you love someone, there should still be times you’re together in simple ways that you treasure. Laughing over a joke. Remembering a smile over something silly. Countless moments captured in time that you play in your head like a movie when you’re alone. That’s what it is like with Kara. We might not end up married with kids, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a good relationship, one where we both benefit physically and emotionally. I’d like to think our relationship would give my mom a measure of peace. For now, she gives me exactly what I need: a new beginning. A new chapter.

  Where the story goes, only time will tell.

  kara

  I squeal as the door to Aidan’s home swings open, and I’m jerked inside. He pushes me against the wall and runs a hand under the short dress I’m wearing. When he finds the bare skin of my ass, he groans his approval. “Good girl. You take direction well. Now, where shall I fuck you?” he asks almost idly. In another minute, he has me bent over a barstool, holding on to the cool metal. He flips the hem of my dress up and runs a palm across my cheeks before delivering a stinging slap. I draw in a harsh breath but don’t object. He repeats this process another five times according to the running count in my head. Then he nudges his fingers between my legs and groans as he finds the wetness there. “You are so fucking perfect,” he says as he strokes my slippery clit from behind.

  “I believe I was supposed to suck your dick first,” I choke out as I rock against his hand.

  “You’ll get my cock when I say you can have it,” he says. “Right now, I want to bury it inside your wet pussy. Is that a problem for you, princess?”

  He pushes what feels like two fingers deep, and I whimper. “No . . . God, no!” I cry out. “Now—”

  I barely have time to finish my demand because he’s there. His dick feels huge in this position, and I grit my teeth as my body protests his invasion. There’s a twinge of pain, but on its heels is blinding pleasure. I’ve never been this full before. I don’t know where he ends and I begin. I’m a mass of nerve endings alight with sensory overload. I attempt to thrust backward and create more friction, but he holds my hips, tightly controlling my movements. “You’ll take what I give you, when I want you to have it,” he growls as he drives me mad with shallow thrusts.

  “Damn you!” I shriek. “Stop teasing and fuck me, Spencer!” I earn another smack on the ass for my tantrum, which just pushes me closer to the edge. A man has never spanked me before, and I love it when Aidan does. He’s not hitting me hard enough to really hurt. It’s the erotic nature of the act more than anything that turns me on. I want him to dominate me in this way. I crave it.

  He pulls my ass cheeks farther apart, which allows him to go deeper when he thrusts hard. When his finger rims my ass, I’m done for. He barely has the tip inside before I’m coming and coming. “Goddamn, Kara,” he shouts as he bottoms out in a series of deep plunges before I feel him release inside me. I lie there on the stool panting with his weight against my back and his cock still buried inside me. Even after coming, he’s still hard. The man truly is a robot. He could probably go again, but I’m done for. I want to do something insanely mushy right now like curl up and watch a movie together.

  “One of us needs to move,” I wheeze as his weight begins to limit my air supply.

  He shifts away immediately, rubbing my back in apology. His dick slides out of me, and I feel wetness trickling down my legs. “Sorry, baby.”

  The sound of a phone ringing has me struggling to pull my dress down which is absurd since the caller can’t see me. The sound doesn’t appear to be coming from my nearby purse, though. “I think that’s yours,” I point out as he makes no move to locate his phone.

  He scowls as it stops ringing, and then begins again almost immediately. He fumbles through his pants pockets until he comes up with it. I pity the person on the other line as he answers it with a curt, “Spencer.” Then he stills and his eyes fly to mine. “Yes . . . this is Aidan. Um—no, sir, I’m not busy. What can I do for you?” He nods, still looking at me. “Yes, of course. That sounds great. Seven should work. I’ll let her know. See you then.”

  He ends the call still staring at me; only now, he’s scratching his head as if lost in thought. Exasperated, I ask, “Who was that, the president?” Why is he acting so strange?

  “Worse.” He grimaces. “It was your father inviting us for dinner tomorrow night. I don’t suppose you know anything about that?”

  My jaw drops and my lips move, but nothing comes out. And then I snort thinking how funny it is that the first time Aidan talks to my
dad, his pants are around his ankles, and his magnificent cock is hanging out ready for more. Of me. And then I almost cry. I can’t believe my parents are doing this. “I—no. I can assure you that I had no idea.” I run a hand through my hair, trying to push the disheveled mess out of my face. “I’ll call them back later and make some excuse. I know you don’t want to meet them this soon.” Realizing how that sounds, I quickly add, “Or ever. I mean there may be no reason to meet them since we’re just hanging out and that’s a lot of pressure. Who says you have to ever see them at all, right? That’s such an outdated thing. I bet people get married every day yet don’t formally meet their girlfriend’s family.” Oh God, why can’t I stop? “Not that I’m your girlfriend or expect that we’ll ever get married. I was simply using that as an example. I don’t want you to feel all pressured that I’m going to buy a scrapbook and start collecting wedding dress pictures and such.” I laugh and even to my own ears, it sounds insane. Kara, stop! I say to myself, but I can’t. “I’m not one of those women that try to Photoshop pictures of us together to see what our kids would look like. Oh! And subscribe to all of those destination wedding sites. Good Lord, I bet there are a million of those. I can’t imagine anywhere being better than Charleston anyway. Plus, it would be the sentimental choice since we kind of got together there.” Yet another crazy laugh flies from my lips as I quickly add, “But that’s just on the tiny chance that we end up together, which I’m sure we won’t. That—”

  He’s now leaning against the bar, sipping a beer, and I wonder where it came from. Did he actually go to the refrigerator and come back while I was rattling on and I didn’t even notice? The smirk on his face says that he did. “You about done, princess?” he asks as his mouth twitches. “If you’re gonna be a while, I’ll grab some chips and salsa on the next trip. It would be nice, though, if you’d pause some so I don’t miss anything while I’m gone.”