“God, I’ve been waiting all day for this moment. Please let me take you to my bed again,” I whisper with my forehead pressed against hers.

  “Take me to bed or lose me forever,” she says dramatically.

  I pick her up, and she instantly wraps her legs around my waist. “Ah, a Top Gun reference. You really are my kind of girl, aren’t you?”

  She laughs out loud. “Surprised you got that.”

  “Let’s just say, I’ve seen the movie, oh, a thousand times. I might or might not have had a Top Gun patch sewn onto my backpack when I was little.”

  “Did you want to be Maverick back then?”

  I start walking us to my room. “What are you talking about? I am Maverick right now with how I’m about to get my girl.”

  She leans in, kissing me, and, man, how I love the way she feels.

  As we enter my room, I kick off my shoes and lay her down on the bed, wasting no time in lying on top of her, and we continue our exploration of each other.

  I lean back, only to remove her boots, and then kiss my way up her leg, to her stomach, and back to her lips.

  “How is this so fucking good?” I ask, kissing her neck.

  “I don’t know, but please don’t stop,” she pants, rubbing her hands down my back.

  Her words fuel me even more, and I pull back to remove my shirt, then hers. Having her lying in my bed with nothing but a lace bra and cutoff shorts has to be the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.

  “Girl …” I shake my head slightly from side to side. “The things I want to do to you.”

  “What’s all this wanting about? I’m right here.” A coquettish grin covers her face.

  I close my eyes and drop my head back with a laugh. “That you are,” I say as I move in to kiss her bare stomach, making my way down to her shorts, unbuttoning them and sliding them down her legs. I waste no more time in removing her panties as well.

  I’m a man in need of water, and only tasting her will help me survive.

  She yelps in surprise when I slip between her legs and lick up her tempting folds. As I move my tongue around, my breath hitches at the sound of her moan as she runs her fingers through my hair.

  The desire to be inside her is just about to kill me, so I start unbutton my pants while continuing to lap up every part of her.

  I sit up, to remove my pants, and reach for a condom from my drawer. My breath is so erratic, and I try to calm it down while I open the package.

  This girl has me wanting her like I’ve never wanted anything before. My hands are trembling, and my chest is so tight that it’s like I’m drowning in a sea of her, and the only way to get air is to physically be inside her as soon as possible.

  I take a deep breath, trying my hardest to make sure the condom is secure and I don’t accidentally put it on wrong. I look back at her, only to be done in by her smile.

  Lying back on top of her, I move her hair out of her face and take a moment to look at her. “I don’t know what’s happening here, but I know I don’t want it to stop.”

  Her face softens as she places her palm on my cheek while widening her legs to let me in a little closer. “Neither do I.”

  Hearing her say she wants me as bad as I want her lights a fire that burns so hot in my soul that I feel like I’m going to explode. I kiss her with all the passion I can muster as I position myself at her entrance and push in, making both of our bodies ignite.

  Her moan is my lifeline, but she’s not giving me water to put out the flames. No, she’s providing the oxygen to stir it more to life and make it rage even faster.

  I wanted to take my time with her, really explore every part of her, but now that I’m inside her, it’s like this bull is fighting to escape from inside me, and there’s no way to tame it.

  When she grabs my ass, moving a bit faster and pushing herself against me, I know she feels it too. We’re in this race together, and neither of us cares about running the marathon. All we want is the quick sprint to the finish line so we can breathe again.

  Both of our movements pick up to a wild pace as our breathing becomes so labored that it’s like we are breathing as one.

  “Fuck, Kara,” I growl.

  “Uh-huh,” she moans out, pushing against me harder.

  I move faster and feel her body tense.

  “Oh God,” she screams, so I thrust harder.

  Her body goes limp, and I pause, living in the moment as I feel her clench around me in rapid spasms. It’s all I need to completely lose myself and find my own release.

  I’ve never come so fast in my life, but I’ve also never seen a woman have an orgasm this intense.

  Her convulsions around me continue, and when I move, she yelps, “Oh my God.”

  I hide my grin in her neck, absolutely amazed at what I was able to do to her body. I move again, and her entire body twitches out of control.

  This time, I can’t hold back my laugh as I look into her eyes, and thankfully, she laughs too.

  “Wow,” she says breathlessly.

  “Yeah. Wow. You’re mine for sure.” I chuckle with the same amazement she feels.

  She tightens her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck. “For sure.”

  Then, she pulls me toward her, kissing me as we lie still as one, not wanting to let go.

  13

  Kara

  It’s the second time I’ve woken up in his arms, yet it feels like I’ve been here forever. The way his body holds me at night while he’s fast asleep is something I’ve never experienced. I feel so safe in his arms making it easy to sleep through the night.

  Ever since I moved to Tennessee, I’ve had some rough nights. When you’re trying to chase your dreams, especially big dreams in the music industry, a lot of doubts enter your mind. Doubts cause anxiety, and anxiety causes my chest to tighten, which, in turn, either makes it to where I can’t fall asleep or wakes me up way too early.

  Somehow though, when I’m with him, it all goes away.

  Last night was mind-blowing, and now that I feel his body pressed against me, it’s all I can think about. I’m seconds from initiating another round when his alarm goes off. It doesn’t jolt him awake though. No, he instead holds me tighter as the song “The Fireman” by George Strait plays in his room.

  I giggle to myself at his song choice to wake up to.

  “Are you laughing at me?” he asks in a sleepy voice.

  “Yes, I am. How did you get this to be your alarm?”

  He doesn’t move one bit, just holds me tighter as he says, “You can set it through GarageBand on your phone.”

  I laugh a little more as I listen to the old country song from the ’80s, talking about cooling off women all over town and putting out old flames. The song has nothing to do with being an actual fireman; it keeps repeating that he’s the fireman and that’s his name.

  He jumps up to flip me over onto my back and crawls on top of me, only to eye me playfully. “I am the fireman, but I’m going to let this one burn. Ain’t no way I’m putting out this flame.” He uses the words from the song, but changes them to apply to us.

  He leans down, gives me a quick kiss, then crawls to a sitting position with his feet on the ground while he reaches to turn it off. “It’s only my alarm when I have to work. With my schedule being twenty-four on and forty-eight off, my days get all mixed up, so this way, I know what’s going on for what day just by my alarm.”

  I move to wrap my legs around him and lay my head on his back. “It’s cute.”

  He turns to kiss me. “You’re cute.” He kisses me one more time before standing up and heading to the bathroom. “Make yourself at home. I’m going to hop in the shower real quick.”

  I lie back down on his very comfortable bed and take in the last few days. Everything feels like such a whirlwind of emotions and life-changing events.

  After lying there for a few minutes, I decide to get up and make us both a cup of coffee. His is just finishing up when he enters the kitchen.

  “Is that one for me?” He points to the machine.

  “Sure is,” I respond with a grin over my own cup, which displays the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

  He leans in to kiss my forehead. “Thank you.”

  I show him my mug. “Have you been?”

  “Yep. I went last year. It was not the city everyone talks about. I guess not anymore, I mean. Homeless and drug use everywhere. I’ll never go back. The Golden Gate Bridge was the only cool thing—that’s why I bought that mug.”

  “So, that’s your thing when you travel? You buy mugs?”

  He shrugs. “Yeah. I like collecting mementos, I guess, but most of the stuff would just sit around, being useless, and I’m not going to wear clothes that have the Golden Gate Bridge on them,” he says with a laugh.

  “Really? I could totally see you in an I Heart NYC shirt,” I tease.

  “Um, that’s a big fat no. That’s why I like the mugs. It’s something useful, and it reminds me of the trips I’ve taken.”

  “Do you like to travel?”

  He nods while he takes a sip. “I do. I want to travel someday. See all this world has to offer.” He pauses and looks at me. “Do you not like to travel?”

  Now, it’s my turn to shrug. “I’ve never really been anywhere besides Ohio and here.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. My family only took vacations to local lakes or places we could drive to.”

  “Hmm … I might have to change that. What would you say if I planned a trip for us?”

  I laugh out loud. “Where?”

  “I don’t know. I’d have to think about it. Could you get some days off?”

  “Could you plan it around a weekend so I have to ask for less days off?”

  He pulls out a card from his wallet, which is a color-coded calendar. “Yeah, I have two days off that spread over a weekend coming up. I’m sure I can get someone to cover the Monday shift.” He looks me in my eye. “I’m serious. Will you go away with me if I plan something?”

  Nerves of excitement race through me at the idea of getting to spend that much time with Silas. “Text me which days, and I’ll ask Heather, the mom I work for, today.”

  A grin covers his face. “This is going to be fun.” He checks his watch, then sets his coffee down and pulls me close to him. “Though I love seeing you in my shirt, I’ve got to get on the road.” He kisses me softly.

  “Okay, I’ll go get dressed.” I kiss him again, then head off to change my clothes. Once I’m dressed, I meet him back in the kitchen, where he has his eyes locked on his phone. “What are you looking at?”

  He closes it quickly. “I’m planning that trip. It’s a surprise though. I already got someone to cover my Monday shift, and I’ll text you the dates. As soon as you let me know you can get that Monday off, I’m booking it.”

  I can’t hold in my glee as I wrap my arms around him. “Can’t wait!”

  We walk out the door together, and he walks me to my car.

  “I work twenty-four hours, and then I’m off. I never know what my night is like, so if I don’t text right away, I probably crashed, but I’ll call you as soon as I’m awake.”

  “Sounds good.” I rise onto my tiptoes and kiss him goodbye. “Go be a hero.”

  He laughs at my comment. “Go make some amazing music,” he volleys back.

  I climb into my car and start the engine, pulling away before I allow myself to jump back into his arms. Thank God he has to work today, or I don’t know if I ever would have willingly left his house.

  Silas

  I pull up to work and walk in with a smile on my face. “Good morning!” I say as I enter.

  “Someone’s in a good mood,” Hayes says.

  Hollywood eyes me. “She woke up in your bed again, didn’t she?”

  “Yep,” I say with pride. “And we’re going away next weekend when we’re off.”

  “Didn’t you just meet this chick?” Atta asks.

  “Sure did. What’s it to you?”

  Atta laughs out loud, shaking his head. “Oh boy … here we go again.”

  I smack his arm, knowing he’s talking about Cooper, who is so whipped over his new girl that it’s not even funny. He fell fast and hard for Haley, and there was no looking back once they got together.

  Cooper just raises his hand and gives me knucks, which I give right back, not ashamed of how I feel about Kara, no matter how many days I’ve known her.

  I pour myself another cup of coffee and sit down at the counter, pulling my phone back up to research our trip more.

  “Are you really looking up Disneyland?” Hollywood asks with a chuckle.

  “She said she’s never been anywhere but Ohio and here.”

  “And you’re thinking Disneyland?” he deadpans.

  “What? It’s the happiest place on earth. Why wouldn’t we go there?”

  “It’s not very romantic.”

  My lips tilt up to one side. “I don’t need to romance this girl like that. We’ve already got that in strides. I want to take her somewhere to see the world, not just the inside of our hotel room.”

  “So, I ask again … Disneyland?” He laughs.

  I push him away. “Stop talking shit about my idea. You don’t know her. I think she’ll love it.”

  He stands to pour his own cup of coffee. “Whatever you say.”

  I flip him off without looking up from my phone when a text message comes from Kara.

  Heather said I can have Monday off, so I’m free to go!

  Hell yeah! I’m booking it now.

  She texts back a heart emoji, and I send her a kissy-face one back.

  “Oh God. He’s sending kissy-face emojis now. We’re doomed,” Atta says, looking over my shoulder.

  I turn to smack him just as our tones sound above us for the first call of the day. Sliding my phone back into my pocket, I jump off my chair and get to work.

  14

  Kara

  Silas texted me when he got off, just to say he had a long night and he was going home to crash. Now, I’m on my way to pick up Lana and Katy from school, and my phone rings with him calling.

  “Silas awake,” I state as my hello.

  He laughs in question. “What?”

  I giggle as I say, “That’s what Katy used to yell from her room when she woke up from her nap as her way of asking us to get her out of her crib.”

  “Well then, yes. Silas awake. Now, come back to my crib.” He chuckles.

  I laugh even louder. “Cute, but I can’t. I’m on my way to pick up the girls.”

  “When are you off?”

  “Not until seven.”

  “Then, you’ll come over?”

  I smile even though I know he can’t see me. “Yes, then I’ll come over.”

  “Great. Bring your guitar too. I want to hear you play.”

  Now, a tear comes to my eye. I never thought I’d find a guy who would support my music career as much as he does.

  “Okay. See you then.”

  “Bye,” he says in a sexy voice that makes my chest tight.

  I pull up to the girls’ school, find a place to park, and walk to Katy’s class because she gets out first.

  “Hi, Kara!” she says, jumping into my arms.

  “Hello, sweet girl.” I hug her tight.

  I knew I always wanted to be a mom, but after being a nanny for these two girls, it’s absolutely solidified that it is one of my top goals in life. The happiness they bring to my life is unlike anything else, and I can’t even imagine what it would feel like, knowing they are actually your kids.

  We get Lana from her class, and after they’re both buckled in, we head to their place.

  “How was your day?” I ask. “Give me a high and a low.”

  Lana always answers first, and it’s funny how Katy looks at her, waiting patiently for her to talk so she can share her stories of the day.

  “I got to show the entire class my drawing today!” she states proudly.

  “That’s awesome! Did you leave it at school, or do I get to see it too?”

  “It’s in my bag, so we can hang it on the fridge when we get home.”

  “Absolutely!”

  I don’t ask about the low as I wait to see if they have anything to share. We pull up to a stoplight, and I look in the mirror to see her sitting in the back seat with her finger on her chin, like she’s thinking.

  “That’s it today. No lows for me.”

  “Then, it sounds like it was a great day! What about you, Katy?”

  “I finished my cutting project first, and Ms. Steck held it up to show the class how good I did.”

  “That’s amazing!” I say exaggeratedly, loving how excited they both are about their day.

  “I did have a low today too.” Her sad voice makes me pause to look at her before I make my turn at the Stop sign.

  “What happened?”

  “I fell on the playground. Look.” She holds up her knee to show me a tiny scrape.

  “I’m sorry, sweetie. You’re okay now though, right?”

  She sighs. “Yeah. It hurt when it happened, but when I saw there wasn’t any blood, I went right back to playing.”

  “I’m glad to hear it didn’t ruin your recess.”

  “Nope! Laura and I still did some jump rope.”

  We pull up to their house, and I help them get out of the car and into the house. They both put down their bags, go to wash their hands, then pull out whatever homework they have for the day.

  I hang Lana’s art on the fridge after praising her on the job well done, then open the fridge and look inside. “Do you guys want a snack?”

  “Yes, please,” they say in unison.

  I cut some apples and set out some crackers as they get to work. Watching the way their little hands hold pencils as they diligently do their work always puts a smile on my face. These two little girls are so special, and I pray, one day, my children are as good as they are.

  When Heather gets home, we talk for a few minutes, and then I leave and go to my house to grab my guitar before I head to Silas’s.

 

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