I got showered and dressed quickly, then called Jace. I didn’t want to ask Blaire about her schedule, but I wanted an excuse to be at the club. I never went up there unless Nan wanted me to meet her for golf or dinner.
“Hello?” Jace said, sounding surprised that I was calling.
“Hey. Are y’all golfing today?” I asked.
“Uh, yeah. We golf every day. You know that.”
“I want in,” I said.
“You’re gonna golf?” he asked, shock in his voice.
I didn’t see what the big deal was. I had golfed with them before. I played with Nan and Grant on occasion. “Yeah, so?” I said.
Jace chuckled. “OK, sure. You haven’t played with us in forever. What gives today? Normally, you have to be dragged out onto the course by Nan or Grant.”
I wasn’t answering that. He didn’t need to get the wrong idea about Blaire. They would need to see me with her. I’d make sure they all knew how off-limits she was. “In the mood for golf,” I replied.
“All right, then. See you at eleven thirty. Woods has to be in a meeting this afternoon with his dad, so we’re playing early.”
I didn’t point out that most people thought an early tee time was six or seven in the morning. Not eleven thirty. “Thanks. See you then.”
I headed downstairs to see if Blaire had left yet. She couldn’t have had time to dress and eat. Not if she took a shower. I opened the door at the bottom of my stairs and looked to the right. Blaire’s door was open. She wasn’t in there. The lights were off.
I headed for the stairs and took them two at a time, hoping to catch her in time for a good-bye kiss. She was standing at the bar, with a bowl of cereal in her hands and a spoon lifted to her mouth. She was eating. Good.
“Don’t let me stop you,” I said, walking over to the coffee pot, not wanting to make her nervous. She seemed so jumpy. “Are you working inside today?” I asked. She shook her head no then swallowed.
“They need me outside today,” she said.
I turned back to the coffee pot before smiling. I would see her, then. I fucking loved golf. I noticed her cell phone lying on the counter and picked it up. She had forgotten it already.
I switched the pot on and watched her walk to the sink with her bowl. I stepped over and blocked her path and took the bowl from her, setting it in the sink behind me.
“Are you . . . is everything OK?” I asked, then slipped my hand down to gently cup the place between her legs, which I worried would bother her today. She had to work outside in the heat, and I didn’t want it to be painful.
She blushed and ducked her head. “I’m fine,” she said in a breathy voice.
“If you were staying here, I’d make it feel better,” I told her.
Her breathing quickened. “I can’t. I have to go to work,” she said, lifting her eyes to meet mine.
I slipped her phone into the pocket of her shorts. I wanted it on her all the time. “I can’t stand the idea of you hurting and me not being able to do anything about it,” I told her, slowly caressing the outside of her shorts.
“I have to hurry. I had to skip the shower, which is terrible, I know, but I couldn’t shower and eat. I didn’t want you . . . I wanted to eat so you would be happy,” she said.
She hadn’t showered. Well, fuck. I buried my head in the curve of her neck and inhaled deeply. “Shit, Blaire. I love that you’re gonna smell like me all damn day,” I admitted. Knowing that she hadn’t washed me off made my inner beast roar. I was getting out of hand.
“I gotta go,” she said, stepping back. With a small wave, she hurried for the door.
It wasn’t until I heard the door close that I realized I hadn’t gotten my kiss. She’d distracted me with the fact that she was still wearing me all over her body. The stupid grin on my face was starting to make my face hurt. I hadn’t smiled this much in a lifetime, yet that girl kept giving me a reason to.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Back on the cart today? As much as I like having you inside, this makes golfing a hell of a lot more fun,” Woods said to Blaire when she’d cart up beside the first hole.
I was going to set that shit straight right fucking now. “Back off, Woods. That’s a little too close,” I warned, as I walked toward them. Blaire spun around with a surprised look on her face. She hadn’t been expecting me. She would soon find out she couldn’t get rid of me.
“So she’s why you suddenly wanted to play with us today?” Woods asked, sounding annoyed.
I wasn’t interested in answering him. My focus was on Blaire. Her hairline was wet from sweat already. It was hot out here today, and she could be suffering. If she was hurting at all, then Woods was going to let her go home. I’d throw her over my shoulder and leave with her if I needed to. I slid my hand around her waist and tugged her against me possessively before lowering my head so I could whisper in her ear. “Are you sore?” I asked her.
“I’m fine,” she replied.
I kissed her ear, but I wasn’t ready to let her go yet. “Do you feel stretched? Can you tell I’ve been inside you?” I asked. As much as I didn’t want her hurting, I wanted her to feel me there. To remember I had been there.
She nodded and melted against me. Little Blaire liked me talking naughty. I would need to remember that.
“Good. I like knowing you can feel where I’ve been,” I said, then leveled my gaze at Woods. I wanted to make sure he understood me.
“I figured this was gonna happen,” Woods said, sounding pissed.
“Nan know it yet?” Jace asked, and Thad, one of Woods and Jace’s close friends, nudged him as if to shut him up.
“This isn’t Nan’s business. Or yours,” I replied, glaring at Jace. He needed to listen to Thad and shut up. I would deal with Nan. They didn’t know shit.
“I came here to golf. Let’s not talk about this out here. Blaire, why don’t you get everyone’s drinks and head on to the next hole?” Woods said.
I didn’t like him bossing her around. He was doing it on purpose. The fucker had better watch himself. His daddy would have me in his office real damn quick. Finlay money kept this place going.
I wouldn’t do this in front of Blaire, because it would upset her, but Woods was going to be set straight.
Blaire stepped out of my arms and went to get everyone’s drinks. She handed me a Corona without asking what I wanted. She handed Woods his beer, and he slipped a fucking hundred-dollar bill into her hands. I could see the way her shoulders tensed as she cut her eyes toward me and quickly stuck it in her pocket. I would not get pissed because he paid her well. He could afford it, and she deserved it for working for his sorry ass. Bastard.
I walked over to her and placed two hundred-dollar bills in her pocket, then pressed a kiss to her lips. I was staking my claim, and they’d all better fucking get that. I winked at her and headed over to the caddy. I wouldn’t look at Woods until Blaire was gone, because one smirk from him, and I would break his goddamn nose.
When I glanced back, I saw Blaire driving away. I pulled out my phone and sent her a text.
I’m sorry about Woods.
He had been an ass, and I was worried that she was upset. He was her boss. She needed to know he wouldn’t do that again.
I’m fine. Woods is my boss. No big deal.
Was she used to him acting like this? Yeah, he and I were gonna talk. Now.
“So, you and Blaire, huh? Didn’t see that coming,” Jace said, grinning like an idiot.
Woods let out a bitter laugh.
I stepped over to stand in front of him. “Do you want to say something to me, Woods? Because if you do, go ahead and say it now, because I sure as shit got something to say to you.”