Marie Harte - Enjoying the Show

“I love you,” slipped out before he could stop himself, and he wanted to kick his own ass at the sudden shock and wariness that crept into her gaze.

“Now how about dinner?” he said with a smile, pretending he hadn’t blurted out a potentially fatal truth.

Hailey nodded, saying nothing, and moved into the kitchen. Rolling his eyes at his stupidity and praying he hadn’t ruined a good thing by moving too fast, Gage described his day, ending with a funny story about Dylan and Derrick fighting.

Before long, he had Hailey laughing as she shoved a plate in front of him. And he felt so relieved to have things back to normal that he wanted to stand up and shout his thanks to the heavens. Instead, he gave them to Hailey.

“Oh, baby, you don’t know how nice it is to have a home-cooked meal. I don’t know if you noticed, but the kitchen is not my thing.”

“Unless you’re making sundaes,” she said dryly and joined him at the table.

“Damn. What is this? I love it.”

“Chicken enchiladas, the easy way.” She nodded at a can of sauce on the counter.

“Sorry, but I had such a long day at work I didn’t get time to prepare my famous spaghetti.”

He perked up. “So I’m being shortchanged, eh? I guess we’ll have to save the spaghetti for later this week?”

At his hopeful look, she smiled. “Well, I’m not that busy Thurs—”

“Tomorrow?”

She looked at him, saw him clearing his plate and sighed. “Tomorrow. But dinner’s on you Thursday.”

Outstanding. She planned on seeing him through the end of the week. Dare he push it? “Sounds good. And if you’re not busy this weekend, I know a great little getaway in Atlanta with a fondue place and a piano bar around the corner.”

She bit her lower lip. “You said fondue?”

“I did. And did I mention a large, king-sized bed, an A/C unit that makes you think of Siberia, and a down comforter?”

“You’re making it impossible for me to say no.”

“Then say yes.”

“That’s not taking things slow.”

“Sure it is. I could have asked you to go with me to Atlanta tomorrow. But I’m taking my time.”

She laughed and shook her head. “You must have the lion’s share of charm in your family. Sure, why not? I deserve a little fun, don’t I?”

“You sure do, Hailey. And I’m just the man to give it to you.”

After dinner ended, Gage made sure he did the dishes, hustling Hailey into her living room. After a few moments of silence, Pink Floyd’s “Time” came through the speakers.

“Damn, Hailey. How did you know that Dark Side of the Moon’s my favorite album?” he called to her from the kitchen.

“I didn’t. I happen to like it as well.”

“Favorite group?”

“That’s a toss-up between Pink Floyd and Fleetwood Mac.”

“Ah, a woman after my own heart. One who appreciates Classic Rock.”

He glanced at her to see her sitting on her couch, her head tilted back and her hair falling over the back of the couch like a golden waterfall. Once he finished the dishes, he joined her in the living room.

“Hmm. Sorry. I’m sleepy. It was a long day.”

“I had the same.” Mostly because it dragged on forever before he could see her.

“You know, I never said thank you for what you did for me when I arrived.”

She blinked into his gaze and blushed, like he knew she would. He loved when she turned all prim and proper after acting like a sexual dynamo.

“A real man would return the favor, wouldn’t he?”

She swallowed, and he saw the pulse at the base of her neck throb. “And you’re nothing if not a real man, hmm?”

Gage grinned. He knelt between her thighs and reached slowly for the fastening of her slacks. When she made no move to protest, instead watched him under sleepy eyes, he stripped her pants and panties from her slowly, sensually. His hands slid over her skin, feeling the satiny flesh glide under his palms. Her breathing quickened, as did his, but this time would be purely for her.

“You don’t have to do this, you know.”

“I want to. Tasting you is as good as it gets, baby. You’re so incredibly sweet.”

She flushed again and closed her eyes, and he spread her thighs wide. She’d trimmed her curls, and he smiled, pleased to see more of her. With warm hands, he rubbed her inner thighs gently, bringing his hands closer and closer to her sex without touching her there just yet.

Hailey squirmed and moaned, reaching for him. But he kept her firmly in place and continued to tease her. By the time his mouth reached her clit, she was panting and begging him to touch her. With a swipe of his tongue, he licked her and she cried his name, like heaven to his ears.

“You taste so good, Hailey. So damned good,” he crooned and began eating her in earnest. His cock pushed painfully against his jeans, but he wanted her to explode, to feel her lose control as he loved her with his mouth, with his mind. Never good with words, he showed her how much she meant to him as he brought her to bliss.

She tensed, her clit near to bursting. He stroked, teased, and pressed with his tongue and lips. And when he added his teeth, nipping lightly at the engorged bud, she shuddered and climaxed.

“Oh, God, Gage, oh my God.”

He continued to suck her as she crested, shoving two fingers inside her and sighing with pleasure as she squeezed her walls around him. It was with much regret that he finally let her go.

When she finally calmed enough to breathe normally, she leaned close, cupping the back of his head. “That was the most unselfish thing a man’s ever done for me.”

Her eyes glittered with feeling and he quickly scooped her into his arms, leaning them both back against the couch.

“Hailey, if that’s all it takes to please you,” he said lightly, kissing the top of her head, “we may never leave your living room again.”

She laughed softly, resting her head on his chest. She placed her palm over his heart.

“I can feel your arousal,” she murmured, shifting over his tenting lap.

“I’m always hard around you. You haven’t learned that yet?”

“It’s not too late to fix that.”

“No.” He kissed her again and moved her off of him. Uncomfortable but still in control enough to leave her be, he walked to the door. “That, Hailey, was just for you. I’ll see you tomorrow, babe.”

“Good night,” she said quietly, her eyes soft as she watched him leave.

Hailey watched him leave with stars in her eyes. Her limbs felt like jelly, and she didn’t think she had enough energy to move from the couch to her bedroom. Good lord, Gage had completely worn her out.

Doing her dishes, giving her the best oral sex she’d ever received in her life, for no reason other than to express his gratitude? His love, her memory urged. She stilled as she remembered what he’d said earlier. At the time she’d thought it a fervent declaration after a great blow job. But now, she wasn’t so sure.

They’d only been together a few days, but she’d fantasized about him for much longer. And, according to Gage, he’d been wanting to ask her out for as long. Could he have more feelings for her than she thought? Could he, in fact, be feeling much like she did?

Instead of feeling glad, she worried. What if Gage was caught, not in an emotional bond, but in a sexual one? If he’d indeed had a dry spell—and he had from the few months she’d witnessed—he might be mistaking his sexual release for something more and not even know it.

Damn it. She sucked in a breath and stumbled to her feet. Half-naked, she threw off the rest of her clothes and took a long, warm shower, unable to rinse the dread from her mind.

Hadn’t Sydney warned her to go slowly? But not Hailey. Oh no. Instead, she’d admitted to thinking about Gage constantly, and then had another round of mind-blowing sex with the man. Hell, their relationship seemed based on sex. From watching him naked, to watching him perform.

She flushed, feeling aroused at the memory. Could she help liking the way he looked? He was hot, no doubt about it. And he had moves to back up his killer looks and body. The only other times Hailey had experienced intense orgasms had been with a vibrator. None of her other boyfriends had cared enough to turn her on, or to make sure she came when they didn’t.

She and Gage definitely shared some natural chemistry. Perhaps that’s what soothed a lot of her awkwardness, an inherent need to cling to someone who turned her on? But he’d been so generous. She could almost imagine a lifetime of great sex, of coming home to a man who would do the dishes and give her bliss without asking for anything in return. But what would happen when the sex faded?

She stopped the shower and stood, dripping wet, afraid of the answer.

Gage stared arrogantly at his brothers sitting around their mother’s kitchen island wearing shit-eating grins. “That’s two weeks now, my friends. Pay up.”

Derrick groaned and handed over a twenty, while Dylan merely shook his head.

“Betting on your relationship? That’s both immature and beneath you.”

When Gage merely raised an eyebrow in Dylan’s direction, his brother cursed under his breath.

“Here,” Dylan barked, handing over his money. “But I still think you should let us be the judge of her. You say it’s been two weeks, but what have you done with her besides,” he paused, looking over his shoulder, “screwing?”

Gage frowned. “We’ve been to the movies, hung out at the bookstore, rented videos.

I don’t know. We do other things besides fuck.” He too quieted as he looked around the kitchen. “Where’s Mom?”

“She had to run out to the grocery store. Said we’re eating her out of house and home again.”

Gage glanced at his money and sighed, placing the twenties under the island centerpiece.

“Good boy,” Derrick said with approval. “Now tell us again how staying in every night doesn’t imply fucking.”

“We went to Atlanta last weekend.”

Dylan rolled his eyes. “And stayed in a hotel most of the time…doing what, pray tell?”

“Oh, shut up,” Gage muttered, tired of feeling the need to defend himself. “You don’t understand.”

“Sure I do.” Dylan slapped him on the back, the glint of his Rolex nearly blinding in the early morning light. “You have a hard time communicating outside the bedroom. So instead of confessing how you feel, or perhaps telling Hailey how much you admire and love her, you’re screwing her into a tired, contented state, hoping she won’t get wise and cut you off at the balls one day.”

“Honestly, Dylan. How you manage a thriving practice with that mouth is beyond me.” Their mother stood in the kitchen hallway with a large scowl on her face.

Derrick and Gage burst out laughing.

“You two might have warned me,” Dylan mumbled with a red face.

“But I have to admit, you have a point,” Barbara said, shoving one sack at Dylan and the other at Derrick. “Gage, you can’t solve your relationship problems with sex.”

He cringed, as did Derrick, when she started on the topic. Dylan nodded in agreement. Stupid therapist.

“You need to tell her how you feel, honey.”

“I did,” he gritted, wishing they’d all stay out of what they didn’t understand. He and Hailey were happy, and if she was a little quiet lately, she probably had a lot to worry about at work, what with that possible promotion coming her way.

“You did? What did you say?”

“I told her I loved her.”

His family stared at him like he’d grown a third eye.

“What? You said to be honest. I’m honest.”

“When did you tell her this?” his mother asked quietly.

“Ah, two weeks ago.”

“And what did she say?”

He shrugged, wishing he’d kept his mouth shut. He’d forced that awkward moment from his mind, and now they’d brought it to the surface again. He couldn’t help feeling simultaneous rejection and relief that Hailey seemed to have disregarded his big I love you moment. Had she maybe not heard him, or misunderstood him? He sure as hell hoped so.

“What did she say, Gage Andrew Warren?”

Both his brothers, and he, winced at his mother’s tone.

“Nothing. She said nothing.” But she’d just given me one hell of a blow job, so maybe she took what I said as in the heat of the moment? The notion hadn’t occurred to him before, and as his mother tried to soften the blow of Hailey’s rejection, he felt lighter, somehow. Maybe Hailey had attributed his declaration to one of those Oh God flashes.