CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

HAYDEN

Lydia is like fucking Pandora’s box sometimes. I can’t figure her out. Just when I thought we were in a good place she runs. Not only runs, ends us. What the fuck. Thinking about that night nearly gives me a heart attack.

Shit, I get it isn’t normal to fall in love with a woman you just met, but Lydia Carmichael isn’t just any woman. She is an intelligent, determined woman. One who takes care of her family. I love that about her. However, I hate she has to strip to make a living.

Is it normal that I watch my woman strip almost every day? I imagine she is stripping for me not for some stranger. When our lips intertwine, there’s this electric shock that jolts us into wild untainted passion. Being romantic with Lydia is what fuels my fire.

Lydia stood before me Saturday night in the strip club, dancing. She treated me like a customer rather than her man. I could sense something was wrong. I couldn’t decipher what though. She wouldn’t go to a private room with me. Lydia was trying to hold back the tears. After she ran into the dressing room, I left. I went home and returned at closing. One of the bouncers said she left an hour ago. After talking to Bryce, I felt a little better. I knew Lydia was ok, but I needed to hear her voice. The text message she sent me ticked me off. Ending us by text message, what the fuck?

Finally, she answered the phone. Lydia was crying. She wouldn’t tell me what was wrong, just that she couldn’t be with me. I decided to let her get some sleep. I paced the floor in the wee hours of the morning. I remember lying in bed, fully dressed replaying our entire day. It was perfect, then it turned to shit. I awoke around ten. I texted my cousin Sebastian. I needed him to get Lydia’s fathers phone number and address for me.

Sitting on the couch, appearance disheveled, I stared at the information Sebastian sent to me. I knew once I made that call there was no turning back. I was sinking into a hole without Lydia. I was just getting to know her. I couldn’t let that stop me. My gut tells me she is the one. The way her body reacts to my touch, the way she cares for me when she senses something is wrong, the way she fights our love, the passion in our kiss is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. She’s the future Mrs. Gaster.

Taking a deep breath, I made the call. After speaking with Mr. Carmichael, I smiled. Our call went well. He knows my father. I look forward to speaking to my father about Mr. Carmichael. They both are nerds, so I’m sure they weren’t doing Keggers. I laughed out loud.

Driving down the street, I saw Lydia sitting on the porch wearing a look of frustration on her face. That expression turned to surprise when I exited the Suburban truck. My heart beat increased the closer I got to her. I thought my heart was going to burst. Her blonde hair was in a high ponytail. The shit made my dick twitch. The most beautiful woman stood before me. No, I can’t give her up.

Her tight white t-shirt hugged her perky breasts and the red jogging pants swallowed her fat ass. Shit, I can’t walk into the house to meet her father with a hard on for his daughter.

My thumb against her soft cheek felt good. I didn’t know one touch would make her cry. “I missed you baby.” I pulled her close.

Her body trembled in my arms. What the fuck have I done to this woman already? Lydia spends most of her time fighting us. Fuck another man. I don’t give a shit about her wanting to marry some poor schmuck once she is older who doesn’t know her, the real her. No, I’m her first and only true love. She will see once she lets her guard down.

Nervously, Lydia sat next to me listening to her father and me talk about her. She hated to hear me tell her father the truth. Almost, like she wanted me to be some full of shit guy. A shallow motherfucker who wanted to fuck and leave her. She needed to hear my words, hear my intentions so she knows I ain’t going no fucking where and I ain’t no shallow motherfucker. If all I wanted was her virginity, I would have taken it that night in my car. If I didn’t want her, I wouldn’t show up at her job every night, I wouldn’t have her sleeping in my bed. I wouldn’t have been there talking to her father. That’s for damn sure. Women think all men want is their virginity, not true. Yeah, I get it. Virgins fall in my lap a little easier than most, but I promise it’s different with Lydia. Virgin or not, I wanted her to be mine.

Lydia and I stood outside her father’s house. I was slowly breaking down her titanium wall. I needed her to see what she does to me. Placing her hand over my heart, showing her what she does to me, her eyes widened. She was visibly shook. Two people who have never been in love before is a dangerous combination. When Lydia is in my arms she can’t hide how she feels about me. It’s funny, but damn cute. I considered walking away without kissing her, but there was no way I could do that. I needed to taste her lips. The passion between us is undeniable. Our kiss was intense, especially being outside for all to see. At that moment, it didn’t matter. What mattered was making her see she couldn’t walk away from me as easily as she thought.

Lydia stood outside her father’s house deep in thought as I drove away. I had her fucked up. Good I needed her to see it was just us no one else. Fuck the women at the club and their fucking judgement. A part of her knows I’m different, knows I’m not going anywhere without her.

The remainder of the day, I slept. I was beyond exhausted. Taking a step back was needed. I didn’t expect Lydia to climb into my bed in the middle of the night. I’ll be honest, it’s frustrating how she moves toward us once I’ve backed down. If that’s the game she wants to play, so be it.

I felt better in the morning. Not just because Lydia was in my bed again, but because I was well rested. I stood watching her sleep as I dressed for the office. Lydia flew into my arms when she woke. I was apprehensive about touching her. Maybe she gets off on making me angry. Coyly, she smiled as she listened to me talk about breaking motherfucker’s hands for touching her. She didn’t react when I mentioned her stripper career coming to an end. On another note, it was refreshing to learn her father liked me.

My plan was to kiss her before I left for the office. I took it too far again. This time, I didn’t give a shit. Tasting her pussy before leaving the house this morning was what I needed. She wants me to fuck her badly. I’m inclined to do it before I planned if she doesn’t stop moaning the way she does when she cums. Her moans fuel my hunger. I wanted to drop to my knees and eat her pussy. Lydia is killing me slow. I had to get out of the house.

∞

My sister was sitting on my desk when I walked into my office. “Late again Hayden?”

“Good morning, Victoria.” I ignored her. She’s trying to push my buttons.

“Wow, Hayden Gaster is still in the presence of one woman. Can I notify the media you are officially off the market?”

Unbuttoning my suit jacket, I sat at my desk checking my schedule, listening to my sister taunt me. My eyebrow raised. “Vicky, do what you need to.”

She laughed. “I will brother.”

There was a knock on the open office door. “Hayden, Victoria!”

“Sebastian,” I smiled.

Victoria ran into his arms giving him a warm hug. “I thought I would have to move to California like Hayden to see you again,” she teased.

“No Vicky, I will come home from time to time. We still have a home here and a company.”

“We. It’s hard getting used to you being a married man. However, I think it’s lovely. How is Sydney and the baby?”

Sebastian and Vicky sat on the black sofa. I sat in a black leather chair across from them.

“They are doing well.”

“Sebastian, how are you?” she asked.

He ran his hand over the back of his neck. “I’m doing ok. It’s hard to accept where Sydney and I are right now, due to Stephanie tearing us apart last year. I was in a very dark place.”

Victoria rubbed his shoulder. “I’m so happy for you Sebastian.”

“I am too Sebastian. You and Sydney have gone through a world of hurt.”

“Thanks, Hayden.”

“Vicky, I need to talk to Sebastian for a moment.”

“Oh, ok.”

She kissed Sebastian on the cheek. “Good to see you cousin.”

“Good to see you too Vicky.”

I closed the door behind her.