Bain, page 24
I grab the two bags in the hall, sparing a glance as the elevator doors start to shut but catch the handle of the other bag. They slide back open as planned.
“Sweet.”
I run as fast as I can, dragging the two items of luggage behind me. They bump and jostle, the larger one catching me on my heel and pulling off my tennis shoe.
“Fuck,” I snarl as I reach Bain’s unit, glancing back at the elevator. The doors are now repetitively trying to close on the long handle and with each bang, it’s pushing it back into the car. If it goes fully in, my case and underwear are going somewhere without me.
I drop the luggage at Bain’s door and then immediately trip over it in my haste to get back to the elevator. The larger case tips over onto his door and scrapes down the beautiful dark wood, gouging it.
I curse and then the elevator alarm goes off. I see the suitcase handle is mere inches from being pushed back in. I bolt that way, hobbling with one shoe on and one shoe off. I reach the elevator just as it’s getting ready to close and fling my arm and leg inside the gap. The doors knock into me good but then spring all the way open.
I sag in relief, sliding onto the floor near my suitcase as I try to catch my breath.
“Kiera?”
I turn toward the sound of Bain’s voice as he leans out his door. He glances down at the luggage at his feet and then back to me.
“Hi,” I say with a wave.
It’s easy with his long legs to step over the suitcases and head my way. He stops and grabs my tennis shoe and when he reaches me, drops it in my hand. I look up at him sheepishly.
“What is all this?” he asks.
“Well,” I say as I work my foot back into the Nike. “I’m moving in.”
Bain’s eyebrows shoot sky high, his eyes almost bugging out of his head. I don’t know how to take that reaction, but at least I don’t see fear.
I quickly gather up my unmentionables and tuck them back in the bag before closing it. Bain’s hand takes my upper arm and he helps me stand.
“Let’s get this all inside and I’ll explain.” I stare at him expectantly, daring him to deny me entry.
He looks at me in shock so I push past him, hauling my suitcase along with me. I march right up to his condo door, which is still open, and manage to right all my luggage and push each one inside. I glance back at Bain who watches but doesn’t stop my progress.
I follow the last bag in and can feel Bain right on my heels. I whip around as soon as he crosses his threshold, stopping just inside the doorway.
“I have something to say to you.” I point at the door. “You might want to shut that as this could get heated.”
One of Bain’s eyebrows rises but he reaches back and shuts the door. Crossing his arms over his chest, he says, “Okay… what do you want to say? And I hope it involves an explanation about why you have suitcases with you.”
“Not much to say. Like I said… I’m moving in.”
“And why would you do that?” he asks.
I scrutinize his face, but I can’t tell a damn thing about what he might be feeling. His words are even and calm.
“Because,” I say, but then my words falter. Fuck… I can’t just come out and tell him I love him. I’m a coward, so I chicken out and lift my chin. “Because if we’re going to go back to being fuck buddies and have wild monkey sex all the time, then I think we need to be in closer proximity.”
Bain chokes as his eyes bug out, but it’s the tiny gasp I hear from behind me that causes my face to flame hot. I turn ever so slowly and see Bain’s parents sitting at the kitchen island.
“Oh my God,” I mutter before clapping my hand over my mouth. Bain’s dad is grinning and his mother is staring at me in shock. My head whips back to Bain who still has his arms crossed over his chest, but his head is lowered to hide the smirk I can still see well enough.
I can’t think of a single intelligent thing to say and it’s pure self-preservation that has me rushing past Bain. I manage to dodge my suitcases and whip open the door, flinging myself out into the hallway in a mad sprint for the elevator.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Bain says as I feel his hand latch onto my arm. He brings me to a complete stop and turns me his way. “You are not leaving after saying that to me.”
I don’t even give it a second thought, instead walking right into Bain to press my red face into his chest. “I’m so humiliated. Why didn’t you tell me your parents were here?”
To my surprise, Bain’s arms come around me and I feel his lips on top of my head. “If it makes you feel any better, my parents are super cool and they won’t think badly of you for divulging that we have wild monkey sex.”
I groan and bang my head on his chest. “I’m such a dork.”
Bain chuckles but then leans back, his fingers under my chin so I’m forced to look up at him. “As cute and utterly hilarious as that was, why are you really here? And don’t give me that line about sex. We had sex just fine without living together.”
I’m still so embarrassed, I’m not thinking straight. My fight-or-flight response still has me in defensive mode. “Truly… I just thought it would make things more convenient.”
“Kiera,” Bain says, his voice low and oddly dad-like. It says you better tell me the truth because if I find out some other way, I’m not going to be happy.
“I just…” I glance down the hall, fixated on the elevator. I should leave.
“Kiera,” Bain says again, this time gently. My gaze comes back to him. “You can tell me anything.”
I close my eyes, inhale slowly and then let it out. When I open them again, I give it to him straight. “I love you. And I don’t want to be fuck buddies. I want you to be in love with me too. If you can’t do that, I’ll take fuck buddies but my heart will be broken. So please, maybe be willing to take a risk and jump off the ledge with me into a real relationship where we love each other for eternity. I can’t take a broken heart when it comes to you.”
“Wow,” Bain says… actually, more like wheezes. His expression is one of blindsided incredulity. “You love me?”
I nod. “But if it’s too much or too weird, I’ll gladly—”
Bain’s mouth descends onto mine, one hand cupping my head and his other arm around my back. It’s hot and ravenous and I’m immediately consumed by his touch again.
Fingers slipping into my hair, gripping hard, he pulls me back so he can stare down at me. “In case you didn’t figure it out by that kiss, I love you too.”
My heart thumps like a puppy’s tail. “You do?”
“God, yes. I’ve been miserable this last week, holding that in… afraid to say it to you. I wanted to say it at your house, but I became really unsure of myself and then somehow we’d committed to go backward rather than forward.”
“Right?” I exclaim. “That talk did not go how I wanted it to.”
“I’m guessing we were both too nervous. We’re taking a big step.”
“The biggest… two reformed fuck buddies.”
Bain shakes his head. “No, we’re still going to be fuck buddies. And we’re going to have wild monkey sex all the time since you’re moving in with me. But we’re going to do it with a whole lot of love.”
And… I melt. “Will you kiss me again?”
I get a playful smirk. “If you say you love me again.”
“I love you, Bain Hillridge.”
“I love you, Kiera McGinn.”
He dips his head toward mine, but I jerk back slightly. “After we kiss can we go back in and immediately tell your parents we’re in love so we can smooth over my jackassery?”
“It’s old news to my parents that I love you. They knew that already, but I’m sure it will set things straight if you tell them you love me too.”
“Phew,” I exclaim. “I want to start this off on the right foot.”
Bain laughs and takes my hand, pulling me toward the door.
“Where are we going?” I ask, putting on the brakes.
He looks back at me. “We can’t stand in the hallway all day.”
I try to tug free of his hold, managing a sheepish smile. “It’s preferable to confronting your parents after my obnoxious commentary.”
Bain reels me in and wraps his arms around my body to pull me in tight. The familiar flare of lust hits me, and God, how I’ve missed having this man in my bed, in my body. He tips his head, feathers his lips over my cheek and to my ear where he whispers, “If you’d just told me how you felt this morning when I came to your house, this could’ve all been avoided. So now this is your penance.”
I jerk back from him, but he doesn’t loosen his hold. I can only tip my head to glare up at him. “You could have told me how you really felt,” I accuse hotly.
Bain grins. “That is absolutely true, and it’s my penance too. The only difference is I’m not embarrassed about the wild monkey sex comment and you are.”
A tiny growl emits from my throat. He’s throwing down a challenge. “We’ll see about that.” I push out of his embrace and march back to his door.
I open up and step inside, my eyes first going to Bain’s dad, then to his mother. They both look at me with hesitant smiles but hope in their eyes. They want this to work out for their son.
No better way to get this over with, so I just rip off the Band-Aid. I hear Bain come in, shut the door behind him.
I move to his parents, clasping my hands before me. “Sheila… Dave… I am so sorry you had to witness that overly emotional display. It’s true, your son and I do have wild monkey sex, but I don’t want to be his fuck buddy.” I hear Bain snicker behind me. “And I’m also sorry for the crude language. Hanging out with hockey players has stripped away some of my gentility, but it is with the utmost respect that I implore you to forget that exchange. What I meant to say to your son”—I glance back at Bain to see he’s trying hard not to laugh—“is that I love him very much.” I return my attention to his parents. “I will work hard to make him happy and you can rest assured that I’ll have his back in all things. Furthermore, I—”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Bain groans, stepping into my backside and wrapping his arms around me. His chin rests on my head and I can tell by the expression on his parents’ faces that he’s grinning at them. They’re clearly beyond amused and are grinning right back at him. “What Kiera is trying to say is that we’ve made amends, admitted our undying love for each other and are now, officially, a couple once more.”
Sheila claps and yells, “Bravo!”
Dave nudges his wife with his elbow but addresses me. “If it makes you feel better, having wild monkey sex is the key to a long-lasting and happy relationship.”
“Dave,” his wife exclaims in horror.
He squeezes her knee. “You know it’s true.”
They start arguing about the appropriateness of such a statement and while they do that, Bain and I cart my luggage into his room. He shuts the door behind him and immediately pulls me in for a deep kiss.
When he lets me up for air, he says, “That went well.”
“Wild monkey sex aside,” I say with a laugh.
Bain kisses me again and when my tongue swipes against his, he groans. Lifting his mouth from mine, he grumbles, “It’s unbearable not being able to have sex.”
I press into him tighter, feel his hard length against my tummy. “I can’t have sex,” I purr, bringing my hand down to stroke him. “But I can make you feel good.”
Bain smiles but gently removes my hand from his cock. “No way. If you have to abstain, I’m abstaining. And I’m going with you to see Dr. Segal on Monday and don’t even try to tell me you don’t need me there.”
“Actually,” I say softly, bringing my hand to his face, “I do need you there. I need you always.”
Eyes melting into soft pools of love, Bain runs his cheek against my temple and wraps his arms around me tight. “This is it. The beginning of the rest of our lives.”
I smile as I squeeze him back. “No one I’d rather do it with than you.”
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New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Sawyer Bennett uses real life experience to create relatable stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From contemporary romance, fantasy romance, and both women’s and general fiction, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.
A former trial lawyer from North Carolina, when she is not bringing fiction to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to her very adorable daughter, as well as full-time servant to her wonderfully naughty dogs.
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Sawyer Bennett, Bain
