Page 34 of Bleeding Hearts

He’s not doing a damn thing wrong. The man has been a saint since the day he moved in. He has never brought a woman home before. And Lord knows his next-door neighbor Cindy has done all she can to catch his eye. All but strutted right up to his front door, stark naked, and jumped him. Which actually shocks me, because Cindy snuck over to my house during a party and hit on three guys, practically dry humped them and was aiming for number four when Jodi kicked her out. We didn’t invite her because her standards are different from ours. The parties aren’t about hooking up, they’re about having fun with the people we like and if it leads to more then that’s between the people involved, no one else.

As he opens the backdoor, I can’t help but let my eyes fall on him, my gaze lingering. He cleaned up for tonight. He put on a crisp, light blue cotton button-down shirt, sleeves rolled up to the elbows, and a pair of dark wash jeans, a step up from his usual work-around-the-house attire. His face isn’t clean shaven, but it’s trimmed. The only time he shaves is when he has a shift. The rest of the time, he lets it grow.

I’m not sure what I prefer. Clean shaven, he looks younger, but he doesn’t have a baby face like some men do. That light stubble makes him look more sophisticated, distinguished, and mature. It’s possible I like it because it helps bridge the gap between us, considering I’m ten years older. Not that I care about our ages, I don’t. Either way, he looks like Nolan, handsome as all fuck and a man I can’t wait to get under.

Riding him hard will have to wait until I heal more, but I’m okay with him being in control in the meantime. When it comes to the bedroom, I usually prefer to be the one in control. My life is all about control, and my sex life is no different; it’s always been my way. It might be fun to see what Nolan can teach me; his skills could unlock something new and exciting. Later, I’ll show him a few things about what it’s like to be with a woman who takes control. I bet he’s never been with one before. Most men haven’t.

He hops in the truck, starts it up, and then looks at me. “What?”

“Would it bother her more if we didn’t go out?” I gesture toward my house. “Because if so, I’m fine with that.”

“And what would we do if we stayed home?”

A simple eyebrow raise gets my point across. The way he reaches down and adjusts his growing problem proves he understands.

“I should feed you before. You’ll need your energy.”

“What if we grab our food to go? Or even DoorDash it? Then we’d have more time to just do whatever we wanted to do. Even if that simply means enjoying my backyard fire pit. She won’t know. But I bet it’ll bug the hell out of her.” As I lean closer, my fingertips graze his cheek, feeling the warmth of his skin. “You look as stressed as I feel, and when I get like this, there’s only one surefire way to work it off.”

As Nolan switches off his truck’s engine and exits, his eyes grow dark. He’s around my side in five strides before he has my door thrown open. “I sure hope that’s not some innuendo for something other than sex. Because I would love to strip you down and have my way with you.”

“Good, because that’s exactly what I was talking about.” I lean forward, grab his face, and kiss him until I’m breathless and there’s a throbbing ache between my legs. “Fuck me, Nolan.After we’ve worked up an appetite, we can decide what we want for dinner.”

Chapter 17

Nolan

Idon’t need to be told twice. Fighting this attraction isn’t doing either of us any good. I need to get inside her because my hand isn’t cutting it. No matter how many times I try to relieve myself in the shower, it never satisfies the desire she has aroused.

Encouraging her to slide forward with my hands on her perfect ass, I hesitate only for a second. “You sure this is what you want? Something you’ve wanted since I gave you that orgasm weeks ago? No other reason?”

“This is what I want, what I’ve wanted since that afternoon, yes. Probably longer, if I’m being completely honest.” Bethany runs her nails along my jawline, letting her brown eyes express she’s not lying. “Please, Nolan. Don’t make me ask you again. Andyoushould only do this if it’s also somethingyouwant.”

Dropping my forehead to touch hers, I groan as the need burns through me. “I want you so bad it hurts. Now, wrap your legs around me. Is that okay, or should I carry you like I did earlier?”

When Bethany’s legs wrap around the back of my thighs, a surge of desire courses through me. “We’ll call it PT. A little pain now will be easily forgotten once we cross the finish line. It’s agood thing I have a tall bed frame to keep me from needing to be bendy. You may have to help me.” With a grin, she lowers her lips to my ear. “My muscles are a little tight, haven’t been stretched like that for several months. Nearing forty, I find I require a warm-up before certain activities. You can help me with that, right?”

“Damn straight.” As I pick her up, her skirt bunches between us and I moan. Spinning us around so we can head inside, I close her door with my backside. I’ll come back later to grab her walker. She won’t need it until after I leave.

“When will the boys be home?”

I don’t want to scar them or have to stop while in the middle of fucking her brains out.

Bethany’s lips curve into a smirk. “Finn won’t be home until after nine. Felix sent me a text and said he’s going to his friends to study and will be home closer to ten. We’ve got a few hours before needing to worry about them. We won’t get caught.”

When we get to her front door, I use the wall next to it to help support her while I dig out my keys and open the door. “I’m not hiding us from anyone, clearly. We’re likely to be tomorrow’s neighborhood gossip after this little show, but I also don’t want the boys to hear you screaming my name if I can help it. At least not yet, not until they understand we’re…” I don’t want to overstep, but I want to give this some label.

“Involved.” She finishes for me and then adds, “I think they may already suspect that if we aren’t yet, we soon will be. So, they shouldn’t act weird around you.”

I’m not a fan of theinvolvedlabel, but for now I’ll take it. Baby steps. That’s what she’ll need as this thing develops between us. A topic for another day.

Once we’re inside and the door is closed, I carry Bethany to her bedroom and put her gently on the bed. She’s right abouther high bed frame. It’s the perfect height for this. This could actually work in our favor.

“Don’t move,” I tell her as I take a step back.

My eyes scan over her, lingering on the curve of her smile and the way it lights up her face. She’s still wearing the same long dress she had on earlier. I’ve noticed Bethany loves long dresses, or maybe it’s a skirt. I don’t care what you call them. All I know is that I love them.

I reach for the top button of my shirt and undo it. “Are you wearing panties?”

---