Chapter 15

Jeremy

"So you had a good holiday?" Mayhem pulled at the hose beside me as we worked to wash one of our three firetrucks.

"Yeah. I really did." I tried to focus on the task at hand, but my thoughts kept racing back to Bailey. To the feeling of her quivering beneath me, to her taste, to the fucking sound of her crying out as she came.

I knew it was much more than lust, but the lusty parts were to damn good. They were healing in ways I couldn't explain if someone asked me to.

"Who was the girl?" He popped me in the arm, bringing me back from my reverie.

"She was my best friend's little sister." I shrugged and reached up to work on one of the windows.

"She was damn fine. Are you-"

"Yeah," I barked and glanced down at the big bastard. "I am."

"Well. That's great news, man." He smiled up at me. "We were all hoping that maybe you were dating again."

I chuckled, releasing the stress from my shoulders as I relaxed. I just knew he was going to ask about taking her out or say something about getting into her panties. Neither comment would have been okay.

"I've been dating for about eighteen months." I gave him a look.

"Yeah, but that shit with your mom doesn't count."

"Watch it," I warned him. "You know Mom is just trying to help."

"Yeah. I get it, but it looks like you don't need any help." He moved back. "I'm heading out. This fucker is almost done."

"Enjoy your night." I glanced back and smiled as Bailey stood next to the open door, leaning against the door frame. "Damn. You look good. Real good." I got off the truck and jogged toward her. "Where you been the last few days?"

"Work." She wrapped her arms around my neck, and the world felt right.

I leaned down and kissed her a few times as I drew her deeper into my arms. "Let's go to my office."

"What? No." She pulled back a little, but I didn't let her go too far. Her perky breasts felt too good on my chest to give too much leeway.

"Why not? No one will come in there."

She glanced around and back up at me. "Not right now. Maybe soon."

There was something she wasn't telling me, but we were spending the next evening together at her place. I figured I could push her a little more then.

"Alright. Tell me what you're doing here?" I leaned down and kissed her one more time before the sound of the guy's having fun with it had me moving back. "Fuck off. Get busy or run laps," I barked.

She laughed and pulled at my arm. "Come outside with me for a few minutes."

"Yeah, sure." I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and pulled her to my side as we made our way out in front of the fire station. "You get Rhys back to the airport okay?"

"He's already halfway home I bet." She turned to face me and pressed her hands to my chest. "I need to talk to you about tomorrow night."

"Hey. If you aren’t ready for me to spend the night, no worries. I know this is moving fast." I reached up and touched the side of her face before scowling. "Why is your hair up? It needs to be down so I can touch it."

She gave me a look, growled and pulled it down. "Better?"

"God, yes." I slipped both hands into it and leaned down to consume her mouth. Everything made sense with her pressed against me. All of my worries over Austin or my pain of Laila disappeared for a few minutes. It was more than I ever could have hoped for.

She lifted up, pressing into the kiss until I slid my hands down and cupped her fine ass.

"Jer." She moved back and popped me in the chest softly.

"What? Shit. You're turning me on, woman. I'm about to turn caveman and throw you over my shoulder and take you to the office for a spanking."

"Don't even think about it." Her sweet mouth turned up in a quirky smile.

“Shit. That's all I think about." I reached out and pulled her back against me. "Talk to me. What do you wanna say, Angel? I'm listening."

"I was thinking about your mom." She rubbed her hands over my chest and up to my neck as she studied me. I wanted to flirt some more, but I could tell she was headed somewhere serious.

"What about her?" I reached up and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear before sliding my fingers through her silky locks. "She say something to you?"

"No." She glanced down.

"Liar."

Her laugh was sweet. Soft. More than enough to leave me rock hard and thinking about one thing. Owning her.

"No, really." Bailey glanced up, and the worry in her eyes was more than apparent. "She just wants the best for you, you know?"

"I'm a thirty-two year old man with a son. I'm pretty sure the best for me is what I say it is." I cupped her face and forced her to look at me. "I want to try this thing out with you, baby. I think it can go somewhere really fast and really strong. Don't you?"

"I don't know." She pulled back and took a shaky breath. "What if I'm not the right person to bring into Austin's life?"

"Where is this coming from? We just decided to try each other out on Thursday and it's Sunday. You've talked yourself out of us over a weekend?" Worry flooded me. Damn. Could I stand letting her in only to have her walk away? No. Not a fucking chance.

"I don't know." She turned and gripped her own hair as she let out a soft growl. "I'm just worried that I'm not enough."

"That's bullshit, Bailey." I moved up behind her, wrapping my arms around her and squeezing her breast softly as I leaned down and kissed her ear a few times. "Stop fucking this up. It just started. How long have you wanted me?"

"Forever."

"Right. So why you pushing me away already? Am I not enough for you? Am I not the guy you thought I would be."

She whipped around with anger on her face. "No. Never. Don't even say that."

"Then you stop acting it." I gripped her hips and stepped up, leaning down and kissing the hell out of her. I pressed my tongue deep into her sweet mouth and coaxed hers back into my mouth before sucking and licking at it.

She whimpered and gripped my shirt tightly. The pretty little thing had worked up a situation in her head that didn't exist. I wasn't going to go three or four days without seeing her again. She was young, and so was the relationship. We had to figure out a groove, and she had to gain her confidence in me. She had to see what I saw, feel what I felt.

"Hey," I whispered against her soft, wet lips. "Don't think about this shit again. Promise me. Now."

She nodded. "Okay. I'm just scared."

"Don't be. Whether anything becomes of us, I'm one of the good guys. I'll always be waiting just behind Rhys to catch you. You get that right?"

Tears blurred her eyes. "I think so."

"Good. We'll talk some more tomorrow night. Let's make dinner together and then make love. I want to feel every part of you, baby." I leaned down and kissed her again, stealing her breath from her mouth and leaving her wobbly on her feet. It's the way I always wanted her to feel when she was with me.

"What about Laila?" she blurted out as her face paled.

"What about her?" I reached out and cupped Bailey's face. "She's gone and I have to move on."

"Can you do that?" She wrapped her slender fingers around my wrist.

"I don't know." I glanced up at the sky. My turn to take a shaky breath. I let it out slowly and tilted my chin down until the most beautiful innocent eyes stared up at me. "I think I can, but I'm going to need your help."

"I want to help you in any way I can." Her voice softened as her eyes widened a little.

"Then make love to me tomorrow night. Help me wash away the memories I keep holding onto." I leaned down and brushed my nose by hers as my eyes closed. "I want to fall so deep in love with you that I have to look at pictures to remember the pain."

"I want that too," she whispered against my lips. "Tomorrow night."

I opened my eyes and smiled. "Behave at work and get off early tomorrow. I'll be there no later than four. Good?"

"Very good." She stood there for a few seconds, just watching me. She might have wanted me in her life more than anyone else had, but I needed her in mine. I trusted her with my heart, which was a weird place to be. But history with someone did that shit. It opened people up to possibility.

Even the most jaded lives.

Lives like mine.

Guys like me.