Page 35 of Hello Trouble

HAYES

Della lolled against me in the passenger seat, thoroughly sated. And as I drove, I could smell her arousal on my hand. It kept my cock painfully hard and aching for release. She wanted me to take her right there in the truck, but Della was a romantic who deserved more.

Besides, how could any release compare to feeling her fall apart under my tongue? The way she’d called out my name? Held at my hair and bucked against my face, showing just how much she liked how I made her feel?

I kept my arm wrapped around her shoulders, and she reached up to hold my hand, as if being held in my arms wasn’t even close enough for her.

I’d thought I’d had a heart before. But I’d been wrong.

Now I could feel it—the need it had to hold Della close.

How buoyed it felt at her smile. The fear it held of her walking away.

It all radiated from the fist-sized organ in my chest I used to completely ignore.

Now I knew it had been waiting for this moment. For her.

I was gone for her, no chance of saving me now.

My headlights panned over her house, and a deep sense of loss came over me at the thought of going to my own place.

Of spending the night somewhere different from her.

Nevertheless, I turned off the car and walked her to her front porch.

She reached for the door to lead us inside, but I halted. “Wait,” I managed.

I couldn’t believe I was doing this.

She turned, eyebrows knitting in confusion. “Let’s talk inside.”

But I shook my head, tugging her back to me, holding her in my arms even though I knew it wasn’t enough. “I can’t come in.”

Now her head reared back. “Excuse me?”

Her indignation had me smiling despite myself. “What happened earlier, I didn’t do that to get anything in return.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but I captured her lips in a kiss. One that made my pulse speed and my cock strain against my pants. When we broke apart, breathless, I said, “When you lie down tonight, I don’t want there to be a doubt in your mind. I’m here for you . Not what I can get from you.”

Her lips tipped into a defeated smile. “You’re going to be the death of me.”

“Funny, I was thinking the same thing.” I kissed the tip of her nose. “When can I see you again?”

“Tonight?”

I chuckled.

“Tomorrow?” she suggested. “I don’t have any plans.”

“Good, because I have an idea.” I kissed her again quickly because if I lingered any longer, no amount of my fading self-control could keep me from going inside with her. “I’ll pick you up around seven?”

“At night?” she asked.

I shook my head. “AM.”

She tilted her head to the side, making her hair fall. “You’re one of those people, aren’t you?”

I settled my hands on her waist. “What people?”

She made a sour face. “A morning person.”

That had me chuckling. “That’s not a good thing?”

“The only thing mornings are good for is cuddles and pancakes.”

I smiled. “Then I’ll be here at seven with both.”

What Della wanted, she would get.

She smiled up at me. “See you then.”

I didn’t want to leave, so I walked backward, drinking in my beautiful girl standing under her porch light. Her hair was wild from earlier, and her cheeks still had that post-orgasm glow.

“Hayes Madigan,” she said, a hint of awe in her voice. Like she didn’t know she was the amazing one.

“Della Dwyer,” I called before getting in my truck and driving away.

I smiled to myself as I pulled out of the driveway, feeling like I’d found something I hadn’t even known I was looking for. And judging by Della’s smile, maybe I wasn’t as bad at relationships as I’d initially thought.

Even so, a sinking feeling competed with that sense of rightness the closer I got to home.

I pulled into the driveway, my gray stucco house looking so fucking cold compared to the home I’d just left. My chest tightened, knowing I’d be going inside by myself.

Sighing, I got out of my truck and walked through the front door, looking around. The dark leather couches felt cold. The glass table staunchly sharp.

I walked back to my bedroom.

Too fucking empty.

And then a new worry crossed my mind. If I had a flashback dream after planning a date with Della, what would getting even closer to her do?

The thought kept me away from my bed, taking my time to shower, to get dressed for bed, to plan the following morning and set my alarm to make sure I’d be at her place when I said I would.

But finally, I couldn’t avoid my bed anymore.

I lay down under the covers, heaving a sigh. Of worry, stress, of not wanting to have a bad night of sleep when the day had been so fucking perfect.

But soon my thoughts of Della turned to my mom. Most of my memories of her were so fuzzy. I couldn’t really remember her when she was healthy. But I did remember one thing. A song she used to sing.

Rolling over, I grabbed my phone from the side table and went to my music player, finding the song.

“Red River Valley.”

I put it on repeat and closed my eyes.

When I woke up, a smile touched my lips.

I hadn’t dreamed at all.