The Fix (The Carolina Connections, #1)(49)

I pulled her hands from me. “Turn over and scoot up the bed.” I tore the condom wrapper with my teeth and tossed it over my shoulder. I then rolled the condom on and settled between her thighs, covering her lips with mine. I knew her taste was still on my lips and the idea that she could taste herself made me that much harder. “Is this okay?” I wanted to make sure since the last time we’d been here she had backed off.

“Yes,” she whispered, and I began to press slowly into her wetness. “Nate,” she murmured, her eyes closing. “You won’t hurt me. You don’t need to be careful.”

That was all I needed to hear before instinct took over and I thrust all the way inside her. She was hot, wet, and fucking tight. I groaned as I pulled almost all the way out and thrust back in. Her returning groan told me she was feeling the same ecstasy I was. She started moaning and meeting my thrusts, and then her legs wrapped around my waist and I was done for. I thrust away like my life depended on it, our skin slapping together and our sweat mingling on our bodies. I brought my mouth back to hers in a frantic kiss.

She cried out her release against my mouth and I followed her a moment later. I couldn’t comprehend this experience—it was like no other I’d ever had. I wanted to hold her and fuck her and keep her in my bed for an eternity. In essence, I was screwed.



“So, is Laney short for something or is that your real name?” I asked her a little while later. We were lounging on my bed, wrapped up in the sheets.

“Oh God,” she replied. “I’ll tell you but only if you promise not to ever use it.”

I crossed my heart.

She flopped onto her back, her head resting on my pillow and her nipples almost revealed by the shifting sheet. “It’s short for Elaine. I think my parents were obsessed with Seinfeld. There were even some hints dropped that I may have been conceived during an episode, but my brain refuses to go there. Anyway, it’s just always been ‘Laney’ and I am more than fine with that.”

“I think ‘Elaine’ is pretty.”

She rose back up onto an elbow and gave me a skeptical look.

“But you’re definitely a ‘Laney,’” I reassured, not being a complete rookie.

That seemed to satisfy her. “What about you? I know your full name and I’ve met your family, but tell me more.”

“Well, let’s see. You know I’ve always been into building things—and you know I can’t wait to get back to it, of course. Oh, speaking of which, did I tell you my dad started visiting the office for a few hours this week?”

“No. That’s great!”

“Yeah, my mom is not too keen on the idea, but she knows he needs to get out a bit or he’ll suffocate. Oh, and she wanted me to tell you he’s been fiddling around with the fishing gear you brought by. And he may ask to take Rocco fishing sometime soon.”

Laney looked like I’d just presented her with a litter of newborn kittens. “Oh my God—that is so sweet. I’ll have to run it by him first—he can be shy and a little hard to read, but they seemed to get along great at your parents’ house so I bet he’ll be excited. We may have to go along, though, just to warn you.”

“I wouldn’t mind that at all. I’ll get you into a swimsuit and we can go off on our own and stir up a little trouble.”

That got me a shove.

“You hungry? We never had dinner.” I had to feed my woman.

“Starved. Do you have some clothes I can throw on? I’m not sure where mine ended up.”

I got out of bed and put my boxer briefs back on—looked like they weren’t ripped after all. “I prefer you naked, but I guess I can find something for you.” I rummaged in a drawer and pulled out a t-shirt and a pair of athletic shorts.

“You’re a prince among men, Nate.”

“What are you in the mood for? Chinese? Pizza? Thai?” I asked as I walked toward the kitchen. I got no response. “Laney?”

“Oh, hell no!” was all I heard from the bedroom. I went back to investigate and found her wearing my t-shirt and throwing the shorts on the bed like they’d done something to offend her.

“What?”

“How is it fair that your shorts are too tight on my ass? I could hardly pull them up!”

Having been a guy for thirty-one years, I knew there was no right answer to that question. Silence, however, did not seem to be one of my options. “I love your ass. It’s perfect.” She still looked unsettled. “If you recall, I actually tried to take a bite out of it I loved it so much.”

She still pouted and it was fucking cute. “Whatever … let’s order Chinese.”

Phew. I might actually be good at this relationship stuff.

We ate delivery Chinese in bed, managing not to make a huge mess, and we talked about everything and nothing. I told her more about my dad and how we were all struggling with the changes that had to be made. We also talked about Austin and my life back there—a life I wasn’t missing at all anymore. She told me more about Rocco’s dad and about Gavin and some of the struggles her family had been having. After dinner and some more conversation, I finally ended up taking that shower, but it was considerably more fun with Laney. Maneuvering in the tiny stall was a challenge, but we managed. And the next morning I felt quite proud when we walked into Laney’s kitchen and, upon examining Laney’s face, Fiona gave us a golf clap.