Merry with a Brewmaster (The Love Beach Holiday Collection)

13. Vienna

13

VIENNA

W ells is vibrating with nerves as he enters the house, like he’s about to fall apart at the seams. And maybe he is—it’s been pretty much smooth sailing with Haven until today.

“How’s Haven?” he says, dropping his keys and water bottle on the counter, already moving toward the stairs.

“She’s sleeping. She should be good overnight, but I was going to check her temperature again in a couple of hours.”

Nodding, he climbs the stairs and disappears from view, and I slump against the counter, the weight of the day finally settling in now that he’s home.

I’m just about to make myself a bowl of cereal when Wells makes his way into the kitchen, lingering at the corner of the island.

“She’s passed out. Temperature is still normal.”

“That’s great.”

“I can’t thank you enough for today,” he says somberly.

“It’s what anyone would have done,” I say with a shrug.

“It’s just”—he blows out a breath—“it’s hard when they’re sick, but when you’re not there to take care of them, it’s worse.” His eyes meet mine, the big green pools tempting me to get lost in them as he says, “So thank you for being someone I could trust to take care of my daughter. You don’t know what it means to be confident your child is in capable, loving hands.”

“Wells…” I warn as he stalks toward me, stopping only a breath from where I stand. His gaze drops to my lips and then back up to meet my eyes. We shouldn’t do this.

We promised we wouldn’t.

But hell, I need it too.

So when his eyes travel the same path, his body strung tight, all I can do is nod, then his hands move to cup the sides of my face as his mouth crashes over mine. It’s hot and possessive as he slides his tongue along mine and I moan, gripping his forearms as he walks us into the living room.

“Wells, we?—”

“Just kiss me, Vienna,” he begs, dropping onto the couch and pulling me down to straddle his lap. He’s hard, so damn hard I want to scream and ride him and not necessarily in that order.

“You feel so good.” My hips rock against his length, my core aching for anything that will get me off.

He groans into my mouth, and I take that as an invitation to do it again. Hands dropping to my waist, Wells trails kisses down my neck and across my shoulder before moving up to claim my mouth.

“You gotta stop, Siren,” he murmurs, the words sounding more like a plea. “I haven’t?—”

“I’m so close,” I whine, so close to the sweet relief I know is coming.

“Vienna— fuck fuck fuck— I’m,” Wells growls into the crook of my neck as he jerks beneath me, my own orgasm forcing me to rock harder and faster before collapsing against his chest, barely sated and still so damn hungry.

And then it hits me.

Pulling back, I blink a couple of times, trying to fight through the post orgasmic haze. “Did you just…” Did you just come in your pants doesn’t make it past my lips as Wells presses his into a firm line.

“It’s not a big deal.”

Oh shit.

Easing off his lap, I do my best not to panic because this is a level of things that I am not prepared for.

“I haven’t been with anyone since you.”

“Mm-hmm. Makes sense.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“What? Nothing. Just…nothing.”

“Vienna…”

“I’m just gonna go get cleaned up—head to bed and I’ll check on Haven,” I say, pointing my thumb over my shoulder.

He grimaces as he stands, a wet spot on the denim covering his cock—the magnificent one I rode to orgasm, but…

“It’s just been a while; don’t make it something it’s not. It would have happened with anyone. Today was stressful and we needed the release.”

“Totally,” I agree, both of us lying because there’s no way he would have that reaction with anyone else. He’s a thirty-five-year-old man who came in his pants just from me riding him.

“Vienna.”

“It’s been a long day. I just need to…” I look to the stairs again as he drags his palms over his face before dropping them, not meeting my gaze.

“I’ll check on Haven and we’ll, uh, see you in the morning.”

The dismissal hurts but we both need it, even if it feels like I’m wading through quicksand trying to get to my room. Wells, the single guy I met in Magnolia Point, was a guy I could mess around with, tease and flirt and fuck and then say goodbye to at the end of the weekend.

But Wells, the single dad who looks at me like I’m a piece of their world, who makes me feel like I belong, who came in his pants just from me grinding on him a couple of times—isn’t.

His life is complicated, and honestly, mine is too. I don’t have the time or energy to give him, or Haven, what they deserve.

So even though it hurt, I made the right choice tonight.

I just hope I feel the same way in the morning.