Once Katie agrees to stay, in the days that follow I strut my stuff like a fucking peacock. She holds my hand everywhere we go and even lets me take a ton of sappy selfies on the condition that I won’t post them online or share with our families under any circumstances. She doesn’t even protest when I kiss her in public so long as it’s not obscene or there aren’t little kids around. She’s so damn fun to be around, turning what would’ve been dark lonely days into sunshine and fucking rainbows.

Sex with her is out of this world. I can’t decide if it’s because she’s more experienced than the other women I’ve slept with, or because I showed her the path to a whole new level of confidence in herself, but goddamn. The woman gets me off like a pro every time. I fucking adore the strangled noises and dirty words she utters when I’m making her come, like she has no control over herself. Sometimes she’s wild, leaving dark scratches down my back and using a lot of teeth, others she’s so soft and gentle it’s more like we’re making love.

I didn’t imagine I’d ever fall this hard for a woman, but I can’t ever seem to get enough of her. The fact that she’ll be leaving before long makes it impossible to sleep at night. Her extended stay still isn’t enough. I want more.

The few times I’ve tried to start a conversation about how good we are together, she shut me down—one time by getting on her knees and sucking me off. Just as she was in denial that we were going to sleep together, she seems to be in denial that what we have could evolve into something meaningful. No skin off my back—my old man used to always say the things we want most in life are often the hardest to come by, and just require a little extra elbow grease.

Ooh rah, baby. It’s on.

When I’m not otherwise occupied, trying to find new ways to make her squirm and yell my name, I show her around town on either my motorcycle or the pickup, making a point of introducing her to everyone I know. My boss and the guys working under me, Teddy from the convenience store down the street, Liz from my favorite sports bar who’s a hopeless flirt, Kai who sells me surf gear, every last nurse at the hospital, and all the patients I’ve worked with. She’s so damn good with people and knows how to strike up a lively conversation with literally anyone.

The fourth night of her extended stay we’re invited over to Michelle and Hap’s place for dinner. Stoked to finally show her off to my closest friends, I belt out the lyrics to every song on the radio the entire ride over. My life with Katie in it has already been better than I dared to dream, and I know she’s going to get along perfectly with Michelle.

“Don’t let my brother hear you sing like that,” Katie teases as I’m parking in Michelle and Hap’s driveway. “He’ll snag you up and make you go on tour with his band. Seriously, Brae, your voice is hot.”

“I only sound like this because my woman is hot as shit.” I slide closer and hook my arm around her waist, pulling her up against me. Her lips part with a sharp gasp. “Play your cards right, beautiful, and I’ll sing to you at bed-time.”

Sealing my mouth over hers, I squeeze her perfect little ass while brushing my tongue through her mouth. Her sweet tongue tangles with mine as she hooks a leg around to mount my lap, her hands exploring beneath my shirt. I grip her tightly and groan with the heated sensation of her fingertips on my skin.

Regardless of the fact that I fucked her doggy style in front of the mirrors right before we left my place, she seems to be tasting me with a renewed hunger.

Before her, I’d never experienced a woman’s touch that in itself could almost literally make me lose my damn mind. She makes me come so hard and fast that it’s almost fucking embarrassing. In the last few days it’s been occurring more frequently. Hell, she even made me blow my load once simply by pinching my nipples while we made out. Every time I’m fucking her, whether with brute force, reckless abandon, or slow and tender, I shoot hard enough to hit a target from a hundred feet away.

I’d never tell her this because she’s already so damn sensitive about our age difference, but being with an older woman has been an eye-opening experience. The first time she got on her knees and took my cock in her mouth, I came in record time. She sometimes teases me about being a young stud considering how often I can get it up again, but she doesn’t get that it has nothing to do with my age and everything to do with her.

She suddenly pulls back, touching our foreheads together. “Screwing in their driveway won’t make the best first impression on your friends.”

I grunt. “So we’ll drive down the street a little ways to the park and have a quickie.”

“Braden, you don’t do ‘quickies’.” She laughs with a deep, husky sound. “Even if you did, you’d be hard all over again by the time we returned.”

“Can’t help it. I’m always hard when you’re around.” I grab her wrist and set her hand over the stiffy trying to bust out of my shorts. “This is all you.”

Eyes heavy, she licks her lips and takes the base of my shaft in her hand. She’s motionless when we lock gazes, like she’s contemplating her next move. She’s so fucking sexy, even when simply brushing her teeth or drinking her morning cup of coffee. A mere week with her around could never be enough.

“Damn, woman. Help me out, here. You have no idea how difficult it is to walk with this monster locked and loaded between my legs.”

With a genuine laugh, she swats at my chest. “God, you are such a cocky little shit. We better go. It’s rude to be late. I promise I’ll help you out later.”

I chase her into the backyard, swatting at her ass. She’s exceptionally hot in the jeans and one-shouldered t-shirt she picked out when I took her to the mall. Nothing she bought was anything like the high-end, colorful outfits she usually wears. She even picked out a pair of off-brand sunglasses and flip-flops. I’m optimistic, hoping it’s an indication that she’s considering the laid-back California lifestyle. Either that or she’s just trying to fit in for the few days she has left.

After tonight I’m left with little more than forty-eight hours to convince her that we could have a real future if she’d agree to give me a chance.

When we step into the backyard, Jake’s dark eyes light from where he sits in a chair swinging his legs. “Uncle Braden!” He skips toward us, stopping short to look up at Katie. “Who’re you?”

“Katie. Who’re you?”

“I’m Jake. Are you Uncle Braden’s girl-friend?” His nose crinkles like the idea disgusts him.

Every last bit of me wants to tell him yes, but I know that will only push her too far. Michelle and Hap emerge from the house together just in time.

“Hey, guys!” Michelle calls out. “You must be Katie!”

Katie nods. “And you must be Michelle and Hap! Braden told me you were pregnant, but he didn’t mention you’re one of the adorably pregnant types.” As they exchange polite hugs, it’s surreal to see my two worlds blending together. I fucking want this. Every damn day.

“Aren’t you sweet,” Michelle tells her as they’re parting, flashing me a suspicious glance. I haven’t told her any details about Katie, aside from her name and the fact that I was bringing her by for dinner. I can only imagine how many questions she’ll have once Katie’s gone.

Hap takes Katie’s hand. “Good to meet you, Katie.”

“You too,” Katie replies. “Braden speaks pretty highly of you guys. Sounds like you’re saints for having him over as often as you do.”

“Only because Michelle secretly loves me more than Hap,” I tease, casually hooking my arm around Katie’s neck.

Hap howls with laughter. “Dream on, brother!”

“Anything I can help with in the kitchen?” Katie asks Michelle.

Michelle hooks her arm through Katie’s, pulling her away from me and grinning from ear-to-ear. “As a matter of fact, you can butter the breadsticks while I whip up some instant potatoes.”

“Don’t be telling her any stories,” I warn Michelle.

“Surely they can’t all be bad?” Katie calls over her shoulder, winking.

The two women laugh quietly as they step into the house, already whispering like a couple of middle schoolers. Jake trails behind them with a dazzled look on his face that reminds me of how I felt the first time I met Katie. I laugh to myself. She’s pretty hot, huh, bud?

Spinning around, I catch Hap returning from the outdoor refrigerator with two beers in hand. “Where’d your sorry ass find her?”

We sit across from each other on two of the wicker chairs they got as a wedding present. I crack the top on my beer and grumble, “Not sure you’re ready for this story.”

“If you don’t tell me I’m sure Michelle will the second you’re gone. Those two are already inside gossiping like old hens.” Tipping his head back, he takes a long swig of his beer before looking at me pointedly. “How old is she, anyway?”

“What the fuck does it matter?” I snap.

“It doesn’t—not to me anyway. But apparently it bothers you.” He holds up his free hand. “Shit, man, I was just curious.”

“Sorry. It’s just…I’m not exactly sure. It’s not something we talk about.” Looking down, I run a hand over my hair. “I think she’s thirty-five.”

Hap lets out a low whistle. “Damn! Never would’a guessed. You found yourself a real hot cougar.”

“It’s not like that. She doesn’t act like she’d be over thirty.” Then, remembering how she first insisted on calling me “kid” and scolded me in Vegas, I shake my head. “Well, maybe she does sometimes. She has two sons in college.”

“Wow, Ken Doll. Do you know what you’re getting yourself into with this woman? Do you even have anything in common?”

I answer with a humorless laugh. “You mean other than family? She’s Charlie’s sister.”

“Charlie as in your brother-in-law?” he asks, his voice raising an octave. When I nod, the whites of his eyes widen. “Shit, Braden. That’s some heavy shit. And you’re having sex with this woman?”

“Can you blame me?”

“No, I suppose not.” Chuckling quietly, he glances toward the house. “Does your sister know?”

“Katie came out on business earlier this week and it just kind of happened, so we haven’t told anyone. And anyways Katie thinks it’s just a short-lived fling that’s over once she flies back to Brooklyn in a few days.”

“But you don’t?”

Taking a pull of my beer, I shrug. “I don’t want it to be over. I’ve had a thing for her for a couple of years now. Started out as a crush but it’s definitely changed into something more serious.”

Hap grunts. “You planning on movin’ out there?”

“Not if I can avoid it.”

“So you’re counting on her to drop everything and move clear across country for you?”

“No…I mean I’m hopeful she’d consider it. We’d have to see how our family took the news first. I figure if what we’ve started is solid enough, everything else will fall into place.”

Hap rubs at his forehead. “Shit. You’ve gone all these years without a serious girl and you choose this one out of the mix? I can’t be talking to the same brother that earned the nickname Ken Doll?”

“Fuck you,” I say, smirking behind my bottle. “Breathe a word of that to Katie and I’ll tell Shel about that time the tower guard found you wandering outside base, hammered out of your mind wearing only your Jockeys.”

Hap’s eyes narrow. “That’s cold, brother.”

“I can keep a secret if you can.”

“Fine, you cocky bastard. But for real, you better think hard about what you’re doing with this woman. If you choose to give up some of the best years of your life to play grandfather once her boys start having babies, then you have my blessing. But I don’t want you waking up one night wondering why I didn’t talk you out of it, so I’m going to do my best to point out all the reasons why this is your worst idea yet. She.”

“Don’t say it,” I growl.

“Is too.”

“I’m warning you, Hap.”

“Damn…old for you!”

“You really want me kicking your ass when your wife and kid are inside the house?”

“Someone has to be the voice of reason here. You’re obviously too pussy-whipped to see the problem. You remember how Sarge was saying his wife became a totally different person when she turned forty—started going through menopause, had sudden weight gain, needed bifocals, lost interest in sex? I heard she filed for a divorce and ran off with some old rich fucker who owns a hotel chain in the Florida Keys. You really want to go through that shit in a few years? I doubt someone with adult children is going to want to start a second family. You ready to give up kids just so you can get your dick wet with an old crush? Let this one go, brother. There are plenty of other fish in the sea. We both know you can have your choice of any one you want.”

Half enraged by his unsolicited advice and half scared as shit he’s right, I’m unable to breath by the time the women return with plates and trays. Hap hurries over to help his pregnant wife, but I just stare at Katie, wonder how much of what he said could be true. What if we only got a few good years together before she changed like Sarge’s wife? Could I deal with it?

And the kid thing…that could be a deal breaker. I don’t even know if she’s still able to have children. What if she had her tubes tied after Allen was born?

Katie’s head snaps in my direction like she feels me staring, and her cheery smile falls with my hardened expression. Excusing herself to Michelle, she comes over to squat at my side. “Hey. What’s going on? Everything okay?”

I lean in, pressing my face against the side of her head. “Just struck by your beauty. Can’t fucking wait to spend time alone with you later.”

Realizing for the first time since I asked her to stay that I might actually have to let her go, I have a hard time looking her way as we dig in for supper.

* * *

Since I don’t say much on the ride home, I’m not surprised when Katie seems to know I’m upset. She takes my hand and leads me back to the patio where she shows Jazz a little affection before she drags me over to the bench I built shortly after moving in.

Holding my hand in her lap, she gives me a stern look. “I get that you didn’t want to talk about it in front of Hap and Michelle, but don’t lie to me now, Brae. Did Hap say something upsetting about us? About me? Whatever it is, I can handle it.”

I stare back at her, considering all the ways this can play out. When she agreed to stay, she wanted me to promise I’d move on after she left. But I can’t do that. Telling her now would ruin what time we have left. Best to keep that shit to myself until she’s on her way out.

“It had nothing to do with you,” I lie. “He told me some heavy shit about one of the guys from our unit.” Then I pull her in my lap and slip my hands underneath her shirt, seeking out her pebbled nipples. Her lips part with a sharp gasp when I pinch them inside her bra. “Let’s get you naked, beautiful. We’re going for a midnight swim.”