Joshua

I’ve had my share of fabulous fucks in my forty-five years, but Teagan Flowers puts them all to shame. Her body responded to mine in ways I don’t know how to name and my body responded to hers in ways that will now render all my old fantasies useless. From this point forward, she’s the only fantasy for me. And the thought that I was her first? That shit right there is a thing of beauty. Knowing that she gave me something she can never give another man? That’s gold.

I curl up beside her in my bed, wrap an arm around her waist, and draw her close. “Are you okay, Teagan?”

She nods, her body stiff. “I’m fine.”

“There’s one thing I’ve learned in my life and that’s when a woman says she’s fine, she is anything but fine. What’s wrong? I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

Teagan shakes her head but won’t look at me. “No, you didn’t hurt me.”

“Then why won’t you look at me?”

“Because…” She rolls over, her eyes brimming with tears. “I’m crying and I don’t know why.”

“I did hurt you.” I wanted to be gentle, but she was too much for me and I lost control there at the end. Was I too rough? Shit. If I ended up making her first experience a terrible one, I’ll never forgive myself.

She props herself up on her elbow. “No, you didn’t. I promise. I just… I don’t know. It was really beautiful and I really enjoyed it and for some reason that makes me cry.” She gives me a watery smile.

“It was really beautiful and I really enjoyed it, too.” I prop myself up on my elbow. Our faces are nearly touching. “You’re something special, Miss Flowers.”

Teagan starts to say something and then a look of utter horror crosses her face. “Oh my God. I’m not supposed to have anyone in the house and I just…” She sits up. “I just had sex in my dad’s boss’ bed!”

Shit. I probably need to come clean about who I really am. “Teagan…”

She’s up and out of bed, pulling on clothes and throwing mine my way. “I’ll wash the sheets. And maybe, I don’t know, leave him a tip? An apology note?” She shakes her head, her eyes wide. “I don’t know what the appropriate gesture is for I had sex with a stranger in your bed.”

“Teagan…”

“I’m sorry, Joshua, but you have to go…”

I stand and take her by the shoulders. “Teagan.” I wait for her eyes to focus on mine. “I need you to listen to me.”

She starts to speak again, but I put a finger to her lips.

“My name is Joshua Kincaid. This is my home.”

Her jaw goes slack and her eyes go wide. “You’re…” She trails off, then blinks and shakes her head. “Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you pretend to be a carpenter? Oh my God. You did all this just to get me to have sex with you! You … creeper!”

I do everything I can not to laugh at her horror-stricken face. “I most certainly did not do any of this just to have sex with you. Your dad said you were a good girl, but I needed to see it for myself. Most twenty-year-olds are more like your friend, Lora.”

“Lola.”

“Right. Lola.” I cup her cheek with my palm. “I promise I am not a creeper and I had no intention of sleeping with you. I trusted your dad, but I needed to verify that you weren’t going to invite all your friends over to my quadrillionaire ranch and drink all my expensive scotch.”

The corners of her lips pull up in a crooked smile. “You heard that, did you?”

“I did. And I was very proud of you for telling your persistent little friend no.”

Teagan beams.

“I didn’t pretend to be a carpenter just to have sex with you. In fact, I never said I was a carpenter at all.” I shrug. “Not entirely honest, I know, but not entirely dishonest either.”

“Your morality is hanging on a technicality, Mr. Kincaid.”

“Please. Call me Joshua. Mr. Kincaid is…”

“My dad’s boss?”

I cringe. Then nod. Then sigh. “That’s a truth that might be uncomfortable for a while.”

Teagan smiles. “Or not. Not if we follow Lola’s example and listen more to our hearts and souls than we do to what society deems right and proper.”

“Or that.” I shake out my boxer briefs and step into them. “Have a drink with me?”

“I thought the expensive scotch was off limits.”

“Not for you,” I say and realize that I can’t think of much in this world that would be off-limits for the glorious Teagan Flowers.

We get dressed and I lead her through my house to the living room. She drops onto my leather sofa with a sigh. “The view…” She trails off, her gaze locked on the wall of floor to ceiling windows looking out towards the mountains. “How do you manage not to get lost in it?”

“I don’t.” I watch as she tucks her legs up under her, her hair cascading over her shoulder. “Up until this moment, I thought that view was the most beautiful thing I would ever see in this world.”

Teagan turns. “Oh yeah? What changed?”

“You.” I smile and then turn towards the wet bar to pour our drinks. “How do you take your scotch?”

Teagan laughs. “I have no idea. This will be another first for me. I’ll take it the way you take it?” She speaks the statement like a question and I glance over my shoulder to find her beautiful face marred with doubt.

“You don’t have to take it at all, not if you don’t want to. Is there something else you’d prefer?”

She shakes her head. “Actually, I’d love to try it. I’m all about trying new things and finding new experiences.”

I pour two glasses, two fingers for me, and just one for her. Scotch is overtly potent and she might not be prepared for that. “How in the world do you manage to try new things and find new experiences without listening to your heart and soul?” I hand her the drink.

“That is a bit of a struggle.” Teagan takes a whiff and then a tentative sip. “Oh. That’s good.” She grins.

“Really?”

“You seem surprised,” she says as I settle down beside her.

“I am. When I think of twenty-one-year-old girls drinking, the last thing I imagine in their hands is scotch.”

“I hope I continue to surprise you.” She raises her glass and takes another drink.

“I’m sure you will.” I drink. “Now, about this search for heartless and soulless new experiences. How does that work, exactly?”

Teagan laughs. There’s a bit of gravel in her voice and I fucking love it.

“My whole life has been designed to set me up on the best possible track.” She sits taller as she speaks, mimicking the voice of a well-meaning parent. “It’s hard to search for new experiences that don’t also involve somehow stepping off that track.” She frowns. “But just because I’m a good girl who does what she’s told doesn’t mean that I don’t appreciate the power of growth and change. Life needs to expand or it becomes stagnant, you know? And while I don’t want to go flitting from one crappy job to the next like Lola, I do want to challenge myself by seeing and trying and tasting and hearing as many new things as I can while I’m able.”

“Did your dad tell you that?”

She pauses with her drink halfway to her face and frowns. “Tell me what?”

“That life needs to expand or it becomes stagnant. That the world challenges us to experience everything it has to offer while we have the chance.”

She lowers her glass. “No. That’s just how I feel. Joshua? What’s wrong?”

I study her face, searching for a lie, and see none. “That’s almost what I said, like verbatim, when I scheduled my trip this summer. It’s a business trip first and foremost, but I intend to see as much of the world as I can while I’m out here.”

A grin warms her face. “I knew I was drawn to you for more than just those rock-hard abs.” She takes a long drink, her eyes on mine and something inside me shifts to make room for Teagan Flowers.

“Oh yeah? And what’s that?” I take a drink. “The ranch? The money? The ravishing good looks?” I rake a hand through my hair and wink before lowering my voice. “The magic I can work with my tongue?”

“All of those are definite points in your favor. And let’s not forget the magic you work with that dick.” She blushes and tries to hide it by taking another drink. “But I think I really just like you. I think you’re just my kind of person.”