STORY EXCERPT

“And if I’m patient and open to learning?”

Her soft inhale tugged at his heart. “Please don’t lead me on,” she whispered. “I’ve been through enough. I’m giving you permission to be a gentleman and let me have my dignity. I’ll let you walk away at the end of the night and tell everyone we had a good time, and then I’ll blame it on me, and say you’re a perfectly sweet guy but not my type.”

“What if I don’t want to walk away?” Fuck, what he wanted to do was bundle her up in bubble wrap, take her home, and keep her talking.

Keep her making those sweet eyes at him, and watching the way she bit her lower lip when she was nervous.

“I just want someone who will love me for who I am, the way I am. I want someone who wants to take care of me as a person and a partner and a woman at home. Someone I can trust enough to turn myself over to and know they won’t harm me. I’m tired of having to be tough all the time. I want a guy who can wrap me in his arms and say, ‘Baby, I’ve got you,’ and mean it. A guy who won’t get tired of me in a month or a year and walk away from me because I’m not a ‘real’ woman to them.”

She blinked back tears. “I want someone who wants to be with me and only me, like Rusty is with Eliza, and Scrye is with June, and still looking at me like that after all those years together.”

He slowly reached out and gently cupped her cheek, his pulse racing when she nuzzled her face against his hand. “Baby,” he gently said, “please give me a chance, and let’s get to know each other. We just met, so I can’t promise you forever right now. I swore I’d never get married again, so it’s too soon for me to think about that right now. But I promise I’ll never lie to you or lead you on or cheat on you. Will that work for now?”

She laid her hand over his and turned to kiss his palm. “Yeah. That’ll work for now.”

* * * *

He had her wait to get out while he walked around the car, opened the door for her, and offered his hand.

When she got out, Mads stared up into his eyes and hoped she wasn’t about to get her heart broken.

He didn’t let go of her hand after closing her door. He held hands with her all the way inside, even though Fen and Joel stood outside and waited for them.

She hadn’t missed that Joel had grabbed Fen when they’d first parked and he’d tried to get out and walk over to Milo’s car.

But she’d been too focused on her conversation with Milo to wave him off.

This was happening at a spooky-fast rate, but even though she’d wanted to tell Fen he was an idiot for falling for Joel so fast…yeah. She got it.

There was a security blanket there, knowing other people had already checked this person out and green-lit them meeting.

And it was a very heady feeling indeed.

Inside, Milo held her chair for her and helped her scoot it in before sitting on her left. She also didn’t miss that, when they went to order, he told the waitress that her dinner was on his ticket.

“Thank you,” she said. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

He shrugged. “Thank you for trusting me and being honest with me today. I know my situation doesn’t come close to yours, but I never had this kind of honesty with her in seven years with her.”

“Wow.”

“That pretty much sums it up, yeah.”

“So what are you doing tomorrow?” she asked.

He shrugged. “Trying to decide what to paint my dang living room. Maybe going out furniture shopping. I’d invite you over to hang out, but I don’t even have a couch. I haven’t had much luck finding what I want.”

“Hmm.”

“What?”

She smiled. “I’m really good at decorating. Especially on a budget. And I have a couple of things I could loan you that I’m not using right now. They’re just sitting in Fen’s garage. Like a couch, and a comfortable chair, and a small dinette set.

“Really?”

“Yeah. Come over and have brunch with us tomorrow and look at it. No pressure. If you like it, we can rent a truck and move it over. And I can help you pick paint.”

On his far side, Fen was grinning, nodding, and giving her a thumbs-up.

“You might regret offering to help me pick paint,” Milo said. “I’m proving very indecisive right now.”

“Then how about you buy me dinner tomorrow night? Or we can order pizza and keep painting.”

“You’re going to help me paint?”

“Absolutely.”

He chuckled. “Now I know you’re a masochist.”

* * * *

As dinner went on, something bit hit Milo squarely between the eyes.

I haven’t had this much fun in years.

And it felt right.

Felt right in a way being with Linda had never felt.

Ever.

He wasn’t much of a believer in love at first sight, but he also wasn’t a dumbass who would deny there was something special about Mads. The way she made him laugh. The way she seemed genuinely interested in what he had to say. The way she spoke her mind and made him think.

Honestly, he would have sat there all night and just talked to her if it wasn’t for the fact that everyone started asking for their bills and he realized what time it was. Nearly two hours had passed in a flash.

And he couldn’t tell anyone what everyone else had been talking about. He’d been focused only on her.

They held hands on the way out to the car, and once they were inside, he sat there for a moment. “Okay, so listen. I’m not going to be an idiot. As we spend more time together, if you decide you want to have sex with me, I’m going to let you set that timetable, okay?”

“There’s only one condition that would happen under,” she said.

“Okay.”

“We need to be exclusive. Either until we do that, or decide no, we’re not going to take this to that level.”

“Agreed. As long as we don’t take, like, five years to get there.”

She laughed. “Oh, nooo.”

“What?”

She turned in her seat and rested her hand on his thigh. “I will know a lot sooner than that.”

He rested his hand over hers. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” She crooked a finger at him to lean in, and when he did, she brushed a kiss across his lips, so fast he almost couldn’t process it.

His gaze held hers and he noted the way her blue eyes now looked darker in the waning light, the green more noticeable now. “Baby,” he softly said, “I promise I’ll take good care of you.”

Her lower lip caught under her teeth again as she stared up into his eyes. “Please don’t make me promises you don’t intend to keep.”

“I intend on showing you I mean to keep that promise.”

ADULT EXCERPT

Mads was flying. Wasn’t the best or even hardest spanking she’d ever received, but emotionally it was the most satisfying scene she’d ever had.

If she was stupid to trust him, then she was the last stupid person in a line of stupid people who’d known Milo for years, in some cases longer than she’d even been alive.

She didn’t want to get up, didn’t want to move.

Didn’t want to be anywhere but there in his arms.

Baby, I’ve got you.

His soft, gentle voice echoed through her soul. She hadn’t realized how literally she’d needed to hear those words from someone until he spoke them to her.

His soul speaking to hers.

When she finally came back to herself, she realized she was staring up into his eyes, and he watched her like he could sit there all night and do it.

“Feel like taking me home now?” It was the way his brow furrowed that told her he’d misinterpreted why. “I mean, to give us time alone. I want to be alone with you.”

He looked like he wanted to kiss her, so she closed the distance and did. Hunger purred just behind his lips, unseen but there, tasting, ready to pounce on her.

She draped her arms around him. “They have a pool. Do you like skinny-dipping?”

He smiled. “I could be persuaded.”

He helped her pull her sundress on and kept an arm around her for the walk back to the other side.

Fen had been watching and waiting, because he sat up where he’d been seated at one of the tables in the social area and tapped Joel on the shoulder.

She led Milo over. “We’re going to head out early,” she said. “You two…keep it late, please? And maybe don’t come out onto the lanai when you get home. Going to enjoy the pool.”

“Ah.” Fen stood and hugged her, then offered Milo a hug.

She was grateful to see Milo didn’t appear to be reluctant to hug him.

But Fen did wag a finger at him. “I wield a mean skillet. Just keep that in mind.”

“I will.”

Eliza walked over. “Annnnd?”

She hugged her, too. “I’m going to steal Milo away early from you all tonight.”

“Excellent. Good luck, you two.” Eliza hugged Milo, too, and whispered something to him Mads couldn’t hear.

After a round of hugs and good-byes with the others, Milo took her hand and led her out to his car.

He was a gentleman and a little bit naughty. It was a combination that worked well for him.

And he was so fucking tall!

She loved that.

After giving him directions, she settled into the seat and rested her hand on his thigh, wondering if he’d let her get playful with him.

“You did say I could set the pace, right?”

“I did.”

“I don’t suppose you have a recent test, do you?”

“At home. Six months ago was my last one. I had several rounds done after I found out she’d been cheating on me.”

“Okay.” That was good.

Not the cheating, the test results.

“I have condoms,” she said.

“Okay.”

“Thoughts?”

“That this is moving fast, and I am horny as hell and not thinking straight right now, and don’t want to tell you no.”

“Then don’t tell me no. We’re adults. I don’t need you being a guardian of my virtue.” She eased her fingers toward his inseam.

“To be clear…”

When he didn’t finish that, she finally let him off the hook. “I’m saying I want to at least play around tonight. Maybe not full-on intercourse, but I think a round of mutual orgasms is in order for a very fun afternoon and scene.”

He nodded. “Okay, then.” He reached down and pulled her hand onto his crotch, where his thick cock lay pressing against the zipper. “Just wanted to make sure.”

Thank you gay baby Jesus! The man was definitely hung.

After disarming the alarm, she led him inside. “Oh! Hold on, let’s handle this first.” She led him by the hand to the garage and flipped the light on. “Voila.”

The furniture lay under plastic drop cloths to protect everything from dust. Her sectional sofa was comfy and versatile, one of the reasons she’d loved it so much. She could rearrange it as needed to fit a room.

His eyes widened. “Oh, wow! That’s perfect. I might ask to buy it from you.”

“Nope.” She draped her arms around his neck. “But I might be talked into taking it in trade.” She wiggled her hips against him, making him laugh.

“I’ve never fucked for furniture before, but I think I could be persuaded.” She loved the way his hands cupped her ass perfectly.

After turning off the lights, she led him out the pool bath to the lanai. “Let me grab us towels and supplies.”

“Okay.”

* * * *

He kicked off his shoes and yanked off his socks while waiting for her to return.

Holy shit!

Milo was beyond questioning this, beyond doubting, beyond slowing his roll and cooling things off.

He’d told her she could have control of this timetable, and like hell would he deny her if she wanted it.

When she returned with the towels, he saw she’d pulled her hair up into a messy bun on the top of her head, and she looked a little shy now. When she set everything down on the pool deck, near the steps, he understood why. She’d included lube and a couple of condom pouches, and a…toy?

She rejoined him, and he realized she’d kicked her shoes off, too.

“How do you want me, Sir?” she asked.

He kissed her, taking control of it and forcing himself to slow it the hell down, drop a gear or push the clutch in and coast—anything.

Because he felt like he was on a downhill switchback with an out-of-control truck full of dynamite.

“Lady’s choice,” he finally managed.

She stepped away from him and pulled the dress off, dropping it to the lanai and leaving her there in only her panties.

He unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt and pulled it off, dropping it to the ground.

She walked around to the stairs and turned away from him, sliding her panties down and off before stepping down into the water and quickly sinking up to her neck before turning.

He fumbled his belt, finally got his slacks and briefs down and off, and did a cannonball into the deep end, making her laughter echo off the water and sliding glass doors and concrete of the lanai deck.

She swam out to him and he opened his arms to her, reaching for her, pulling her in for a long, deep kiss. If someone had told him this was how his evening would end tonight, he would have laughed in their faces.

Insta-love wasn’t a thing. It was bullshit and romance books and wishful damn thinking.

Between them, Milo’s cock rubbed against her stomach and he groaned with need when she wrapped her legs around his waist.

Her fingers curled around his cock, gently squeezing and pulling a deep, needy moan from him. He slanted his lips over hers again, kissing her, swallowing her, wanting to be part of her soul he ached so badly. All over. Inside and out.

Desperate loneliness finally recognized and keening for someone to soothe him.

He eased them into shallower water so his feet touched bottom as she slowly stroked his cock. Velvet heat gently stroked his dick as he kissed her, falling, helpless to say no, helpless to stop the landslide rushing at him and threatening to carry him away.

He had never been in love before, ever. Not if this was a hint of what it felt like. How sad that he’d thought he’d had love, had romance, and in a few short hours this beautiful woman had swept aside everything he’d known about the flat land of love and showed him it was round.

Infinite.

He cupped one hand behind her neck to hold her in place and keep kissing her, the other kneaded her ass, holding her hips tight against his as she quickly stroked his cock toward explosion. This would be the Krakatoa of Cum.

Maybe it was a damn good thing they were in the pool.

He pressed his forehead against hers, eyes unable to stay open now. “Please, please, please,” and it was from his lips as she whispered back to him.

“Come for me, Sir.”