The second I saw her, I knew I was in trouble.

Then I heard her say her name in a tone as sweet and slow as molasses.

Kara.

When my nephew, Nathan leaned into her arms, I was sure she had to be different.

But when he pulled us into that group hug, drawing me close enough to touch her, to smell the citrusy sweetness of her shampoo, to feel her skin brush against mine, to hear her breath hitch, I was done for.

He hasn’t let anyone outside our family get close enough to touch him, let alone carry him. Not since my sister Tanya died suddenly. She took a piece of each of us when she passed away. Her husband, Sam is a wreck. Her kids are still coming to terms, still working their way to accepting the loss. As for me, I’m numb. It’s only been six weeks.

The only reason I’ve kept it together is for her kids, and to pick up the slack until my brother-in-law is more himself. There’s no indication on how long that’ll be, but I can only hope it’ll be soon. Next month, we’ll both be back in the classroom teaching History to our mostly disinterested high school seniors. Sam and I went to teacher’s college at the same time. He and my sister had been dating since high school, and got married shortly after graduation. Tania had Sofia right after Sam landed his first job here in our hometown. I was working in a contract teaching position two counties over until the end of last semester. Come next month, I’ll start teaching at a high school nearby. The small bungalow house I bought a few blocks away will be ready to move in by then too. I can look in on Sam and the kids a few times a week. Tanya would’ve wanted that.

And now, meeting Kara is a bonus.

She is exquisite. Beautiful, young, and perky, with kindness in her eyes that can’t be faked. I drink her in again, admiring her pale, porcelain skin, hair so dark and silky it shines under any shade of light, and riveting deep blue eyes. From her face, my eyes travel down to the undone button of her polo shirt. It’s not hard to picture what’s underneath. The rise of her full breasts. The imprint of her nipples that makes my cock hard in no time. The way her sides taper into her tiny waist, then flares out to perfectly wide hips. And those legs. It’s like she was made for me to hold onto, built for fucking, her body begging to be claimed.

She’s standing a few feet away from me, so close to my motel room, so close to my bed. My dick twitches in my pants, signaling its agreement.

I want her.

As I lean against the cool side of the ice machine, I want to drag her into my room and watch her slowly undress just for me. I want to shove her onto my bed, and get between those long, shapely legs. My fingertips are tingling already, eager to grip her little waist as I sink balls deep into her. I just met this sweet girl, and I’m craving her like my next meal. She’s ripe for devouring. Perfect for me. It’s been a while since I let myself indulge in such thoughts. Even longer since I’ve been with a woman. Although, Kara is young. At eighteen, she’s around the age of the students I teach. I’m not much older, but the age difference holds some significance for me. But Kara seems different. She has this air of maturity about her. I should stay the hell away from this girl, but it’s already too late. It was too late when Nathan pulled this girl into my atmosphere. It was hopelessly inevitable the second after our eyes landed on each other. I didn’t just like what I saw, I craved her. And in her eyes, I saw the same thing reflected. She’s attracted to me. It’s crystal clear. Undeniable.

“What do you prefer?” I ask her again. She’s already agreed to dinner because just as she explained, going out for drinks might not be possible at her age. Though, drinks don’t have to be entirely off the table. There’s always the minifridge in my room. I made a point of stocking it with beer, wine, and whiskey to take the edge off.

Kara’s head tilts to one side, and her eyes flash up at mine. “Drinks, dinner…I’m fine with either.”

“Can we be honest with each other?” I ask, lifting a brow.

“I haven’t lied to you about anything. What do you mean?”

I step closer. “I don’t believe either of us would survive sitting across from each other for as long as it takes for a decent chef to whip up our meals. Do you?”

She bites down on her bottom lip, a faint smile lifting her cheeks. “I don’t know. We could try, right?”

“Only if you’re willing to risk it. I mean, don’t take this the wrong way, but there’s a chance I’ll end up spreading you out on the dining table and running my tongue all over you, long before they can bring us our drinks.”

Pink stains her cheeks and her tongue slides across her lips. “I’m… I don’t… You… I think this is way out of my league,” she breathes out in a whisper.

“I don’t disagree,” I tell her, and don’t hold anything back as I rest my hand on her cheek. Closing in on the side of her face, I brush my lips along the tender skin of her slender neck. Her breath catches again, and her hips arch toward me as I suck her earlobe between my teeth. “This thing… it’s bigger than the both of us. You felt it too, I can tell. But if I’m wrong, let me know and I’ll walk away.”

I have her answer when her hands reach up to my forearms and she leans into me, her breasts grazing against my upper abs. Then she makes her message loud and clear. “This has never happened to me before,” she admits. “But you’re right. It’s too big… too strong to walk away from. Take me to your room.”

“Now?” I ask in a groan as my cock stiffens that much more from her request.

“Yes,” she moans. “Now. Before I lose my nerve or talk myself out of it.”

That’s something I can sink my teeth into. She’s so tempting I can eat her up, and now that she’s asked for it, I suddenly have an appetite. But I can tell that I’m better off taking her slow. It’s the only way, and to be honest, I’m not sure I want it to be over too fast. Not with her. Taking her hand, I lead her to my room. I unlock the door with the key card and show her in, wondering if I should’ve taken her somewhere else. If I’d met her a few weeks from now, I could take her to the house I bought. Timing is everything, though. And she’s already asked me to fuck her now, not later. Here, not at my house or at a place that’s more her style. Even from this distance, I can tell from that large mansion she pointed at that her family is well off. Its shows on her too. And I would know the look, as my mother came from money and my father ran a large brokerage firm for over thirty years before he retired. But just as it is for me, money means very little to her.

“Care for a drink?” I offer her.

“Water’s fine,” she answers, standing in the middle of the room, looking uncomfortable. “Or beer. I’m not a big drinker.”

“Beer it is. The room isn’t much, but it’s clean. Make yourself at home.”

“That’d make for a nice slogan,” she says under her breath.

I carry the beer bottle to her, opening it in front of her. A woman can’t be too careful these days. I want her to see that I didn’t tamper with the drink. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.”

“And for a motel, probably,” I agree.

“Sorry, what about the motel?” she asks, seeming flustered.

“The slogan you mentioned.”

“Oh, I didn’t think you heard me. And I really didn’t mean it the way it sounded,” she says quickly, nervously taking a seat on one side of the bed. “My parents own a few of these setups. You know, midways and lodgings. Anyway, ignore me.”

I gently rest a hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay. Just relax. You’re safe with me.”

“I know that.” She lifts the beer to her lips and takes a sip, then her eyes land on me again.

Sitting beside her, I put down our bottles, lift her chin and take that pouty, sweet-looking mouth. She tilts her head back, letting me kiss her more freely. As she moans at my lips, I run my fingers through her hair and part her lips with my tongue, tasting more of her and the slight tang of the beer she just sipped. I could kiss that mouth all fucking night.

I feel her arms grip my biceps. In one move, I lift her legs from the backs of her knees and rest them on top of one of mine. Reaching a forearm around her small waist, I drag her closer. She’s tight against my side as we continue to kiss, breathing heavily, all curves and leanness against my bulky muscles. Just then, she adjusts herself on me, moving one leg, then the other to sit facing me in my lap. At this point, her nipples rub against my pecs, and the heat between her thighs are brushing up against my cock through my pants. My dick jumps. It’s so fucking hard and we haven’t done anything yet.

That’s how I know her body’s perfect for me.

I let my hands run up and down her hips, pulling her tighter against me each time, allowing her to get a preview of what’s behind my zipper, and how I’ll use it once it’s free from all these clothes.

Kara starts to tug her polo shirt out of her work pants, but I stop her and pull from the kiss. “I’ll do that,” I tell her.

I want to be the one to unwrap her like the gift she really is. I press a palm on her lower back and flip her onto the bed. She gasps and color stains her cheeks at the sudden movement, or maybe it’s our position. I’m on top of her, my massive arms bracketing her, my imposing frame looming over her tiny body, my cock at her folds, and she has her legs around my waist. The only thing separating us are the clothes on our backs. And very soon, those will be on the floor.