Rumor Going ‘Round Page 2

  “Yep,” I call out as I clean up my mess in the bathroom.

  “It’s just Joe’s; you don’t have to look perfect,” she replies, referring to the local bar we’re headed out to tonight. We’re meeting a few other friends there for a drink or two. It’s ladies' night, and it has been one hell of a week at work. I’ve been a nurse in the ER going on six years now. I was hired almost immediately upon returning home from college and haven’t looked back since. I love it in the ER. There is never a dull day. We’ve always got patients to keep us busy; you never know what may come through the door. From patients with the stomach flu or a broken bone to major accident victims, we don’t see much downtime.

  “All right, let's go,” I say, grabbing my debit card and driver's license from my big wallet and sliding them into a small little wristlet, along with some cash and my Chapstick.

  “I can’t wait to get out on the dance floor and shake our asses off tonight,” Allison says on the way to the bar. It’s not far from my little two-bedroom house.

  “I know. I need to release some steam, and a drink or two and some time on the dance floor sounds like the perfect way to unwind,” I agree with her.

  “And not having to work tomorrow is the perfect excuse to let loose tonight,” she adds as I pull into the parking lot. Ladies’ night is sometimes more popular of a night than Friday and Saturday nights can be, and by the looks of how full the parking lot is already, tonight is going to be that way. “The one thing better that I can think of to let off some steam would be some good dick, but I don’t think that’s on either of our horizons tonight.”

  “God, what I wouldn’t do with some good dick,” I agree with her. It’s been a while, okay, more like six months, since I’ve slept with anyone and the last person was my asshole ex, who really wasn’t the best when it came to sex. He was all about getting his own but not great with making sure I got mine all the time.

  “I mean, I’m sure you could easily find a man or two that’d gladly take you home for a fun night between the sheets,” Allison says, bouncing her eyebrows up and down as she laughs.

  “Not that desperate,” I tell her, “yet,” I add for good measure.

  “Girl, you need to live a little. A good one-night stand might do you good. There’s just something about some no strings attached sex that will set you up for a few weeks.”

  “Yeah, I’m still just fine for now. I’ve got a few different BOBs to keep me company on lonely nights,” I tell her, referring to my drawer of vibrators that have gotten their share of workouts over the past few months.

  “Girl, tell me about it. Sometimes you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.”

  We make it inside the bar, looking around for the group of friends we’re supposed to meet here tonight. I see a few of them already at a table. Since we live in a small town, it isn’t like I don’t know just about everyone here, and just like high school, everyone is grouped off. Allison and I stop off at the bar; Joe’s working tonight.

  “What can I get you ladies tonight?” he asks, wiping the bar top in front of us off before placing down two cocktail napkins.

  “I’ll take whatever light beer you’ve got on tap,” Allison tells him.

  “I’ll have a raspberry mojito, please.”

  “Coming right up,” he says, reaching for a glass to put under the beer tap to fill Allison’s order. I watch him mix up my drink next, already salivating over how good his mojitos are. “You ladies want a tab tonight?” he asks, setting my glass down in front of me.

  “Yep,” Allison says. “And we’ll be over there.” She points at the table that already has six or so people around it. It’s hard to tell from this angle if they’re all at one table or if some of them are part of the next table and just chatting with our group.

  We reach the table and find our friends Becky, her husband Todd, Rob, David, and his girlfriend, Trisha. At the table next to them are some other guys, Tucker and Lee, who were a year ahead of Allison and me in school, along with a couple other guys I don’t know, but recognize as firefighters that work with Tucker and Lee. Working in the ER, we see the paramedics and firefighters regularly.

  “You made it!” Becky calls out, hopping off the barstool she was perched on to give me a hug.

  “Of course!” I call out over the music already playing. “Wouldn’t miss ladies’ night for anything.” I set my drink down on the table and say my hello’s around the group. Allison moseys her way over to Lee and Tucker’s table. She’s been flirting with Lee for months. The two of them just need to get it over with and hit the sheets. I’m actually surprised that they haven’t already, especially with how pro one-night stands she is.

  “Are you ready to shake your asses?” Allison asks Becky and me a few minutes later when the opening chords of “Champagne Night” by Lady A comes on.

  “Let’s go!” Becky yells as she tugs on our arms. I laugh at my friends’ excitement and follow both out onto the dance floor. We sing along to the songs as we shake our asses and sway to the music. This was precisely what I needed after three long days in the ER.

  The DJ changes things up and slows things down. Before I can escape the dance floor, I feel a set of hands slide along my hips, sending tingles straight to my core. “Dance with me?” A voice I’d know in my sleep fills my ears. Tucker.

  I turn in his arms, sliding my own around his neck as I rest my head on his chest and we start to sway around the floor to the song. I don’t even really hear the sound of the music with my ear pressed against his chest; all I hear is the pounding of his heart.

  “How have you been?” he asks after a minute or so of swaying.

  “Good, just busy with work and everything,” I tell him, looking up at him and into his chocolate brown eyes. “How’s Paisley?” I inquire about his daughter. She’s so damn cute.

  “A spitfire, like always. Hounding me like crazy to get her a puppy for her birthday next week.”

  “Every girl needs a puppy,” I tell him, trying to help his daughter out.

  “Not you, too,” he groans. His hands shift slightly, one practically covering my entire lower back as he holds me close.

  Much like my relationship with Allison, I’ve known Tucker for practically my entire life. He’s a year older than me, but in a small town, you play with everyone around you. We hung out with the same group of people, for the most part, so we have always been friendly. If I’m honest, I’ve always crushed on him but never got the same vibes in return. I’ve never been the outgoing and bold type that would ask a guy out, so those feelings and the attraction won’t go anywhere unless it comes from him.

  “How’s work? I haven’t seen you in the ER lately.”

  “Same shit, different day.” He chuckles. “Now that we’re back to full staff on the paramedic side, they don’t need our help as much with riding along in their rig.”

  “That makes sense,” I say, shifting my hands after I realize I’m playing with the longer strands of his hair at the base of his neck. “Paisley will be, what, five next week?” I ask, turning the conversation back to his daughter.

  “Five going on fifteen, but in about two weeks,” he grumbles, but I can feel the love that he has for her in that grumble. “She’s going to either give me gray hair or make me go bald before she’s ten,” he muses.

  “I’m sure she isn’t that bad.” I laugh at his demeanor.

  “She isn’t. Just the level of sass that comes out of her is amazing. I have to remind myself that she’s only four. Lilly and Mike having a baby a few weeks back has been a big adjustment for her. I think she’s taken it a lot harder than anyone expected her to. Most kids are super excited for a new sibling, but she’s been the complete opposite.”

  “That has to be a hard adjustment,” I sympathize with her. “She’s so used to being the center of everyone’s attention, and now she’s playing second fiddle to a new baby.”

  “Yeah, she begs to come to my house when I’m not working. Tonight was the first nig
ht that she didn’t ask to come over before our normal time,” he tells me.

  “Ah, well, at least she knows that she’s got a safe place with you that she can get away from being around him, when needed.”

  “Yeah, I’m just trying to make sure I don’t enable the behavior. We don’t need her learning at five how to manipulate Lilly and me when she’s not getting her way at one of our houses. That’s one of the reasons I’m struggling with getting her the dog or not. Lilly already told her no at their house right now. I know that deciding to get one for my house is a little different than, say, buying her a car down the road, because the dog wouldn’t just be hers, but mine, as well. But I also don’t want to do anything that would make Lilly’s life more stressful because it's affecting Paisley’s attitude when she’s with her and not with me.”

  “Can I just tell you how amazing it is to hear of two parents that actually work together for the better of their kid rather than constantly backstabbing one another. I hear all about it at work, and I always just feel sorry for the kids caught in the middle.”

  “We’ve always done our best since she was born. She didn’t ask to be born to two parents that weren’t together and never would be.”

  “Y’all are seriously the best,” I tell him as I squeeze his biceps before stepping back from his embrace. The song we were dancing to has long since ended, but we just stood there talking. “She’s lucky to have the two of you as parents.”

  Tucker follows me back to the two tables that our friends are corralled around. I notice some questioning eyes from a few of the guys, probably wondering what is up between us, but try not to read into it much. I sneak a glance at Tucker, and it doesn’t appear he notices the looks we're getting, so I go back to my friends, who have also come back to the table for a drink.

  The evening passes by, filled with so much laughter and dancing, and was just what I needed to let loose and enjoy myself. I don’t get out nearly enough, so I’m glad that Allison convinced me to come tonight.

  “I’m ready to call it a night; how about you?” I ask Allison a little before midnight.

  “I think I’m going to go home with Lee. Are you good to get yourself home?” she asks, chewing on her bottom lip as she hangs onto Lee’s side. His arm is around her waist, possessively. It appears that they’re finally going to give in to whatever push and pull has been going on between them for a long time.

  “I’m good, be safe, and call me if you need anything.”

  “I’m good,” she assures me. “Text me to let me know when you make it home.”

  “Yes, Mom.” I roll my eyes at her, laughing as I do.

  “Don’t give me no sass, young lady,” she retorts back. “Are you good to drive?” she asks, all joking aside.

  “I can give you a ride if you need one,” Tucker slides into our conversation. “I only had one beer, and that was hours ago.”

  “I’m good. I only had two drinks all night and a few glasses of water. I can get myself home, but thanks for the offer.” I smile up at him.

  “Okay.” He smiles down at me.

  “Be safe, y’all. And don’t do anything stupid,” I remind Allison and Lee.

  “Yeah, wrap that shit up,” Tucker tells his best friend, slapping him on the back as Lee and Allison head for the door. “I can’t believe he finally convinced her to go home with him,” Tucker says, shaking his head in disbelief.

  “About damn time. They’ve been skirting around it for a long-ass time.”

  “Yeah, they have,” he says, running a hand through his hair. I watch as his fingers slide through his locks and have never wanted to feel a man’s hair in my fingers like I do at this moment.

  I pull my keys out of my front pocket, patting my back one to make sure my wristlet is still there. Feeling it, I drain the remainder of my water and am ready to head home. “You leaving?” Tucker asks.

  “Yeah,” I say as I yawn, covering my mouth with my hand. “I need to get home and to bed. It’s been a long week, but I have the next few days off and I’m looking forward to relaxing. First thing on my agenda tomorrow is sleeping in. No alarms, no appointment, or commitments; it will be glorious,” I tell him.

  “Let me walk you out; I was ready to go myself.”

  “Thanks,” I tell him, just as his hand lands on my lower back. The feeling of his hand against me, even if we do have the layer of material between us, is like a brand on my skin. I don’t think he can tell the effect he has on my body, or at least I hope he can’t right now. My body is humming just from his simple touch. I’d probably be crazy enough to tell him yes if he asked me back to his house tonight.

  We make it out into the parking lot, and it has cleared out a lot since I arrived with Allison earlier. As we approach my car, I hit the button on my remote and unlock all the doors. Tucker takes a few large steps to get in front of me, reaching my car before I do. He opens my door, holding it for me as I pass by him. “Drive safe,” he says gruffly once I’m seated and have secured my seat belt.

  “Always,” I tell him, flashing him a sweet smile.

  “Give me a minute to jump into my car, and I’ll follow you home to make sure you make it okay,” he says, catching me off guard a little.

  “I’ll be fine, Tucker. It's only a few blocks away.”

  “And I have to go right past your place to get to mine, so I’ll follow you anyway; just give me a second to get behind you,” he insists. I just roll my eyes at him but can tell that he’d be pissed if I didn’t wait for him.

  “Fine,” I huff in mock annoyance, “but I promise I’ll be just fine, Tucker.” He grumbles some more as he shuts my door, then takes off in a jog across the parking lot to his truck. I watch as his lights flash, then the interior light comes on when he opens the door. He fires it up just as soon as he slides in, and pulls out of his spot, coming across the lot until he’s near me. I pull out of my own spot and into the road. Just as I said I would, I make it the few blocks to my house and pull into the driveway. I tap my brakes a few times, letting him know that I’m all good, and he flashes his brights at me as he continues on down the road.

  One of the perks and drawbacks of small-town living is that everyone is in each other’s business and ensures everyone is safe. While I appreciate what he did, it was also wholly unnecessary, but alas, it’s over, and I’m home.

  3

  Tucker

  I make it home after following Lindsay from the bar. Having her in my arms tonight was a double-edged sword. On one side, it was the best feeling. Her curves are what wet dreams are made of. On the other, it was a painful night of having to continually adjust my dick as discreetly as possible. Each time I’d watch her shake her ass out on the dance floor, my cock would swell in my jeans. The few moments I held her against my body, I don’t know how she missed it. She was flush against me the entire song and then some.

  I grab a beer from the fridge, popping the top before I chug half of it down as I lean against the wall. The night out was just what I needed to blow off some steam and hang out with the guys. I take my beer and head for my bathroom for a hot shower before crawling into bed. Unlike Lindsay, I have commitments tomorrow. I’m supposed to pick Paisley up mid-morning, and before I do that, I wanted to go grab some groceries, as my fridge and pantry are looking pretty bare at the moment.

  I step under the hot spray of water, setting my beer on the ledge. Nothing better than beer to enjoy while the water works my tight muscles. I grab my body wash, squirting a fair amount into the palm of my hand, then working it over my chest. My hand slides down my abs and around my hard cock. I can still feel Lindsay as if she was pressed against me here in the shower. The smell of her shampoo or perfume still fills my nostrils, and I can’t help but stroke my shaft at the memory of her tonight. I brace one hand on the wall and give in to my primal desires, thinking of no one but the sexy woman who has filled my dreams since I was a teenager waking up to wet dreams.

  My head falls forward as my eyes close. I let my i
magination take over, picturing what she looks like naked. I’ve seen her a handful of times in a bikini, so I’ve got some ideas on what she’d look like out of it. I think of her perfect tits and how I want to get my mouth on them, teasing her hardened nipples until she’s arching beneath me, begging for more. I’d slide down her body, dropping kisses along her skin as I make my way to her pussy. I stroke my cock a little faster at the thought. Just the idea of tasting her, making her come on my tongue, has my balls tingling and ready to blow my load. I slow my strokes, squeezing my shaft to prolong my release.

  My mind wanders back to being between Lindsay’s legs. My tongue on her clit as my fingers slide in and out of her tight channel. My fist tightens and speeds up as I stroke my cock, no longer holding back on my orgasm. “Fuuuuck!” I yell as my orgasm barrels out of me, my cum coating the wall of my shower. I lean into the hand braced against the wall as I enjoy the endorphins rushing through my body after that powerful release.

  Once I’ve regained my head, I spray off the wall, not wanting to leave a mess to clean up later—that’s never a pleasant time.

  Once out of the shower, I towel off, wrap it around my waist, and stand at the sink to brush my teeth and trim my beard down. I can’t let it get too long, as it can interfere with how tightly my mask fits at work. Once done at the sink, I grab my dirty clothes, fishing my cell out of my jeans pocket before dropping the clothes in the basket. I snag a clean pair of boxers from my drawer and step into them on my way to my beside.

  I pull back the blanket and top sheet, then drop on the bed, sliding between the cold sheets. They feel good against my hot skin. I place my phone on the cradle, making sure that it's charging before I roll over and let sleep claim me for the night.

  * * *

  Tuck: Hey, man, you up?

  Lee: Yeah, but I just got out of bed. Had a good night, if you know what I mean.