Beating Heart: A Small Town, Single Dad Romance (Magnolia Falls Series Book 4)

I rubbed my hands together, suddenly feeling like a pathetic bastard. I was sitting out back on my Adirondack chair, my gaze moving between the water and my neighbor’s house, waiting for a light to turn on or for her to come walking out back. I’d never been like this.

Not when I had my first high school girlfriend.

Or my second or third.

Not when the mother of my child and I were giving it a try.

Not until right now.

Maybe it was the fact that she wasn’t staying, and that made it safe.

This attraction. This pull. It was keeping me up at night.

Every time I kissed Emerson Chadwick, it was like someone set me on fire. Like I was coming alive in a different way for the first time in a very long time.

And we’d made out like horny teens for the last few weeks. I’d always made it a point to please the woman I was with. But pleasing Emerson—it was different.

It did something to me.

I’d held back because I knew she’d only ever been with one dude, and he’d betrayed her in the worst way. I knew she was still healing, and I didn’t want to be the asshole that pushed her.

This had to happen on her terms, and it was fucking killing me.

But I hadn’t seen her today, and Cutler had gotten a last-minute invite to J.T.’s to sleep over, and I’d had dinner over there with them. But since I’d been home, I’d found myself staring at Emerson’s house on and off for the last hour.

I’d checked my phone numerous times, and I hadn’t heard from her.

I needed to shake this off.

We were friends who made out at the end of each day and liked each other, and that was it.

Nothing more.

At least, for her, it was nothing more.

But for me, it felt like everything.

Like it was hard to breathe when she wasn’t around.

What the fuck is happening to me?

I pushed to my feet.

She owed me nothing.

I walked toward my deck just as I heard movement next door, and Winnie came charging toward me.

“Nash?” Emerson’s voice carried from a few feet away. It was dark, and the stars and moon overhead were providing the only light illuminating her.

She wore a skirt and a blouse, and I’d known she’d gone to meet the girls right from work, so she must just be getting home now. Her feet were bare, and as I moved closer, I noticed her cheeks were a little flushed.

“Hey, you’re home.”

“Yeah. You weren’t waiting for me, were you?” Her voice was all tease.

I shoved my hands into my pockets to stop from pulling her closer as she moved right in front of me.

Don’t be so desperate, asshole.

“What? No. I was just sitting out by the water,” I said, the lie slipping from my lips easily to avoid embarrassment.

The embarrassment of admitting that I was crazy about her.

She wasn’t mine. I had no claim.

“Well, I was coming out here in hopes you were having a nightcap.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah.” She nodded, moving closer. “Is Cutler sleeping?”

I shook my head slowly, my gaze locking with hers. “Nope.”

“Nope?”

I leaned down, kissing her neck, craving her in a way I couldn’t wrap my head around. I nipped at her ear before whispering. “He got invited to sleep over at J.T.’s.”

She tipped her head back. “Really? And you weren’t waiting for me, being in that big house all alone?”

My dick sprung to life at her words. “Maybe I was waiting for you, Sunny. Maybe I even texted you twice because I couldn’t wait to see you.”

What the fuck did I have to lose at this point? My pride? I didn’t give a fuck.

“Really?” She rubbed the tip of her nose against mine as she pushed up on her tiptoes. “I didn’t know that. My phone died, and I was going to come knock on your door to tell you something. Something that couldn’t wait until morning.”

“Tell me.” I reached around her waist with one hand, dipping lower to graze her perfectly peach-shaped ass. I fucking loved her body. Hell, I loved her face. Her hair. Her laugh. Her witty banter and her sense of humor. Her goofy obsession with baking.

I was so fucked.

“I want you, Nash Heart. No more holding back. We don’t have to know what it means. I just need to know that you want me the way that I want you. That’s all I need.”

My hand moved to the side of her neck, my thumb tracing her bottom lip. “I fucking want you, Emerson. There’s no question about it.”

“Then do something about it.”

“You sure about this?” I lifted her easily, and her skirt bunched around her waist as her legs wrapped around my middle.

“I’m sure. Stop being such a gentleman and show me what I’ve been missing.”

“My house or yours?”

Her hands were on each side of my face. Those jade -green eyes bored into mine. “Mine.”

Her head fell back in laughter when I started jogging toward her back porch. Winnie was on my heels, and I pushed the door open and moved inside, kicking the door closed behind me. My mouth was on hers, and I dropped to sit on her couch, with her straddling me. My hands were in her hair. I fucking loved kissing this woman. I’d never kissed a woman like this before. We’d been doing this song and dance for weeks, and normally, I’d tire of this quickly.

But Emerson was different.

Everything about her was different.

She pulled back to look at me. Her lips turned up in the corners as she flashed me this sexy smile. “Where should we go?”

I chuckled. She was nervous. It was cute as hell. “Where do you want to go?”

“Well, I’ve only ever done the deed in the bedroom, so…” She shrugged.

“Done the deed? That dude clearly failed you, if that’s what you’re calling it. And if you’ve done it in the bedroom, then I say we go anywhere but the bedroom first.” I paused and then groaned. “Fuck. I don’t have a condom in my wallet. I need to run to my house to grab a few.”

“Grab a few? I’ve never needed more than one.” Her cheeks pinked. “But I’ve got a whole box in my nightstand drawer. I’m a doctor, remember?”

I barked out a laugh as I stroked her long waves away from her face. “You’re a pediatrician.”

“A pediatrician with a super-hot neighbor living next door. It’s been a while for me, so I guess I’ve been thinking about this, about you.” She shrugged again.

“I’ve been thinking about you, too, beautiful. Every fucking day since you moved next door.”

She sucked in a breath, and her eyes were wet with emotion.

“I don’t know what this is,” she whispered.

“Maybe you’re not supposed to.” I leaned forward and kissed her. “Maybe you’re just supposed to enjoy this for now.”

She nodded, pushing to her feet. “I’ll be right back.”

She hurried down the hallway toward her bedroom before coming back with the box of condoms, and she tossed it to me. I stared at the box and smiled. “Magnum large-size condoms, huh?”

“In my medical opinion, these were necessary.”

“I think it was a wise choice, Dr. Chadwick.” I tossed the box beside me and tugged her down onto my lap again, her legs falling on each side of me as her skirt gathered around her waist. My lips were on hers, and my hand moved between her lean, toned thighs. I groaned into her mouth as my fingers dipped beneath the lacy fabric and found her soaked. “Goddamn, woman. I need to be inside you right fucking now.”

She nodded and pushed up to stand, unzipping her skirt and letting it fall to the floor. I tugged at the hem of her top, and she raised her arms so I could pull it over her head, my fingers tracing over the peach lace that covered her gorgeous tits.

“Do you know how many times I’ve thought about seeing you this way?” I reached behind her, unclasping her bra and staring in awe as it fell to the floor. “How are you so fucking perfect?”

She sighed, teeth pinning that bottom lip beneath them, as if my words overwhelmed her. I ran my fingers over her pink, perky nipples, my mouth watering at the sight. I leaned forward, flicking her hard peaks with my tongue, and then I covered her breasts with my mouth one at a time, teasing her with my tongue as her head fell back and her breaths came fast. My fingers moved to the edge of her matching panties, and I slowly slid them down her thighs. She lifted one leg at a time as she stepped out of them.

Her hands moved to my shoulders, and she pushed back, forcing me to look up at her. “Clothes off. I want to see you.”

Hell, being naked never bothered me. I only put clothes on at home because I had Cutler there. I reached over my shoulder and yanked my tee over my head before lifting us both to stand. She unbuttoned my shorts while I kicked off my flip-flops, and she tugged my briefs down my legs, tossing them into a pile on the floor.

I chuckled as I dropped back down and reached for the condoms. She quickly snatched them from me, pulling out the foil packet, tearing off the top, and waggling her brows as she leaned down. “I want to do it. But wow. You and I both know there is no way that’s going to fit.”

I leaned back against the couch, watching as she rolled the latex over my throbbing erection before I pulled her down to me. Her knees were on each side of me as my dick teased her entrance. “Trust me. You can take it, beautiful. You’re on top, so you set the pace.”

Her tongue slid along her bottom lip as she reached down and gripped my cock in her hand, positioning me right where she wanted me.

So fucking sexy, I had to force myself not to come right there.

Just looking at her was difficult.

She moved the slightest bit and gasped at the intrusion and then slid down about an inch, pausing to catch her breath.

I reached up and wrapped my hand in all that beautiful hair before tugging her down until my mouth crashed into hers. And I kissed her for the longest time, fighting every urge to thrust forward.

She pulled back, lips swollen and parted, as her gaze locked with mine, and she slid down a little further. Slowly at first, then she’d pause and let her body adjust before she’d move again.

It was so hot. So sexy.

“I love watching the way you take me. Like that fucking pussy was made for me.”

Her hands found mine, our fingers intertwining, as she closed her eyes and moved again.

And again.

And I watched as she took me. Inch by inch.

I could barely breathe at the feel of her.

Tight and wet and perfect.

“Fuck, Emerson,” I hissed. “You feel so fucking good.”

“Mmmm,” she said, as she started to slide up and down my shaft, finding her rhythm.

Her tits bounced just a bit as she moved, and her hands broke free from mine as she arched back, resting her palms on the backs of my thighs for leverage.

She rode me, slowly at first. I sat forward, my lips covering her breasts and licking and sucking like my life depended on it.

My hands wrapped around her tiny waist as I helped to guide her.

Up and down.

Faster and faster.

Our breaths the only audible sound in the room.

“Nash.” My name left her lips in a desperate whisper. “I’m so close.”

My thumb moved to her clit, knowing exactly what she needed. I leaned back, just watching as my cock drove in and out of her. Her eyes fell closed, head tipped back, lips parted, as she arched her beautiful body, and her long hair tickled the tops of my thighs.

I’d never seen anything or anyone more beautiful.

And I just watched as she came apart above me.

Like a fucking angel.

Her body flushed and shaking as she exploded around me. I couldn’t hold back any longer. I drove into her.

Once.

Twice.

And a guttural sound left my throat as I followed her into oblivion. Both of us were heaving for air as we rode out every last bit of pleasure.

Her body fell limp against mine. I could feel her heart racing against my chest.

I wrapped my arms around her and held her there.

Relaxed and sated.

And I wanted to keep her right there for as long as I could.

Wanting things I shouldn’t.

Needing things I shouldn’t.

But for tonight, I’d let myself go there.

Just for tonight.