What Makes Us Stronger (A Well Paired Novel Book 3) Read online

  Lily swallowed, clenching her thighs together. “I’m a go-with-the-flow kind of girl. Slow or fast works for me. But I have to say, you standing there naked is pretty hot.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Your turn, sweetheart.” Instead of the quick haste he’d shown earlier, Ty crawled across the bed to her, hovering over her half-naked body, his gaze never leaving hers as he unzipped her jeans, bit by painfully slow bit. Lily lifted her hips so he could ease them down her legs and sighed when she was free of them.

  “And these.” He slipped his finger under the lace of her panties and stroked her. She closed her eyes, her head falling back on her pillow as she willingly gave herself to Ty.

  They touched, stroked, kissed, and she screamed out his name as he brought her to orgasm with his mouth. “Ty. Condom.”

  He paused and looked at her bedside table. “Do you have any?”

  “Me?” Lily propped herself up on her elbows. She had no need to purchase any. For years she was on the pill, but ever since relocating to Maine she had no need for any type of birth control. “No.”

  Ty rubbed his hands across his face, the tension evident in the tautness of his jaw. “I might.” He rolled out of bed and reached for his jeans, digging out his wallet. When he lifted his gaze to hers, serious and intense, she knew he’d struck gold. “It may be expired.”

  “Is there a date on it?” She crawled across the bed to him and played with his nipples while she waited for him to finish his inspection.

  “I can’t see straight when you touch me.”

  She bit the smile spreading on her lips. “Let me see.” Lily took the condom from him and squinted in the darkened room trying to find the date. “Can you turn on the light?”

  He stepped away from her to click on the lamp by her bed, and she shielded her eyes with her hands when the light hit her.

  “Much better.” Ty’s shadow loomed over her, and he walked a trail with his fingers from her ear down her neck and lower, lower toward her quivering core.

  “Find it?” he whispered in her ear.

  “No, but you’re pretty darn close to finding it.”

  His chuckle warmed her heart. She blinked away the lust and studied the silver wrapper. “Found it! It expires next month.”

  “I’ve had it for a while.”

  The light, the condom, the searching for an expiration date should have put a cold stall to their sexual escapades, but by the sight of Ty, he was still quite ready to get it on. And so was she. Dropping the wallet he still held in his hand to the floor, he took the condom from her, tore the wrapper, and rolled it on.

  Something so simple, so basic was so amazingly erotic. Lily thought she’d have another orgasm just by watching him.

  “Fast or slow, Lily.” Ty moved over her body. “Tell me what you want,” he whispered in her ear.

  “You. Just you,” she panted, meaning every word.

  He controlled the pace, slow and steady until he had them both at the edge of orgasm before pulling out and lowering his forehead against hers. “Not yet.” He kissed her, keeping the lower half of their bodies separate.

  Lily clutched his ass and pulled him to her core. “Ty. Please.” Groaning, he entered her and pulled out again. “You can’t tease me like this.”

  Once again he entered her, this time grabbing on to her thighs and thrusting faster, faster bringing them both to a toe-curling orgasm.

  Their bodies were covered in sweat, and their labored breathing echoed through the room as he fell on top of her, his weight gently crushing her into the mattress.

  Her body was exhausted, hot and limp, and she never felt better.

  “Am I hurting you?” he asked, his voice muffled in her pillow.

  “Not at all. Don’t you dare move.” She kept her ankles wrapped around his thighs, not wanting to end the moment.

  When their breathing slowed he rolled to his side, and she instantly missed his warmth. Not wanting him to leave, she curled into his chest and draped her leg over his thigh. They lay in silence for a while until he broke the spell.

  “It’s late.” He slipped out of bed and reached for his jeans and underwear.

  Lily chuckled so she wouldn’t cry. “Classic line. I’m not going to tie you to my bedpost.” Although... “And I won’t beg you to stay the night. I know what this was.” Yet she hoped it could be something more than a one-night deal.

  “That’s not what I meant.”

  She inched to the edge of the bed and sat on her knees, unabashed by her nakedness. “I’m a big girl, Ty. We didn’t make promises to each other. Your sister is my friend. We have the same—”

  “Please don’t mention my sister while we’re naked in your room.”

  “I’m naked. You have your jeans on.”

  Ty paused while buttoning his jeans. “And here I thought you were a shy one.”

  “Me? Shy?” Lily rose up on her knees. Fighting the temptation to touch his naked chest, she kept her hands at her side. “Not shy. Private. I’m a private person.”

  “I can respect that.” Ty’s gaze dropped to her breasts then dipped lower to her nakedness. He rubbed the back of his neck and lifted his gaze back to hers again. “About tonight...”

  “Don’t worry about it. I’m not going to be all weird about it. I get that you’re a private person too. I’m not the kiss and tell type of girl.”

  “That’s not what I was going to say.”

  “Then what were you going to say? Or should I put on a movie to get you to talk more freely?”

  “Funny.” He quirked an eyebrow and reached out to play with her hair. “You’re right about not making promises. I don’t make those anymo—” He paused and cleared his throat. “I don’t make promises, but I also don’t sleep with women on a whim.”

  “And I don’t sleep with men on a whim.”

  “I know.”

  He knew? How? Must be the shy comment. She’d done a good job flying under the radar, not giving people anything to talk about, but it wasn’t because she was shy.

  “I don’t want this to be a one-night thing.”

  “Technically it’s morning.” Nearly two. She hadn’t seen this side of night since she was twenty-one.

  “And I didn’t place you as a wise-ass either. There’s lots to learn about you, Lily Novak.”

  But not too much.

  “You have some mysteries yourself, Ty Parker.”

  “Maybe.” He glided his finger across her collarbone sending tingles of need and want through her body. “If I didn’t have Meatball...”

  The spell was broken, and Lily snorted out a laugh. “That sounds like the cheesiest line ever.”

  “It’s true.” The man was adorable in his ignorant confusion.

  “I know it’s true. But your dog. Seriously. Meatball? It kind of kills the mood here.”

  That lickable grin tugged at his lips again. “And what mood would that be?”

  “The one where I go back on my word and tie you to my bedpost.”

  Ty looked over her shoulder. “You don’t have a bedpost.” He licked his lips and hovered them over hers. “But I do.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  IT DIDN’T MATTER THAT he’d only had five hours of sleep, Ty was running on a satisfying night of sex and a pot of coffee. He tossed a stick a few feet in front of Meatball knowing his lazy mutt wouldn’t chase after it, but today, he didn’t care.

  “Come on, boy. You’re getting fat in your old age. Go get the stick.”

  He didn’t move his body, but he tilted his head around and looked up at Ty. Progress. Squatting so he was in front of Meatball, he scratched behind his dog’s ears and looked him in the eye.

  “Remember that pretty lady who stopped by a few nights ago?” Meatball’s tongue drooped out of his mouth, a river of drool following it. “Yeah, she has the same effect on me. For some reason, she took a liking to you. She thinks she can transform you into a normal dog who likes to go for walks on the beach and chases after balls. What do yo
u say we give it a shot?”

  Meatball wiggled his butt and sat down on his haunches. Apparently standing on all four legs for more than five minutes was exhausting.

  “Promise you won’t do anything stupid if we go out in public. You’re not afraid of water, are you? I’ve never taken you to the beach.” The ocean was only fifteen minutes away, yet he’d never thought of bringing Meatball. If the dog hated walking to the woods to pee, why would he want to walk along a sandy beach?

  It wasn’t like Crystal Cove had a very long stretch anyway. It wasn’t Old Orchard Beach where you could walk for miles before coming across a rocky cove. Up here in central Maine a nice sandy beach was a rare find. Often the tiny beaches would be overcrowded in summer.

  But the patch of sand in Crystal Cove was only accessible to townsfolk, and even then, Ty rarely went down there. The sand wasn’t smooth and soft like most beaches. Instead, it was coarse, and from what he remembered back in his high school days when he frequented it at night for bonfires and illegal beers, the pebbles grew in size as you neared the water.

  Pebble Beach they used to call it. Hurt your bare feet like a son of a bitch if you weren’t wearing water shoes. Ty rubbed Meatball’s head and stood.

  “You can handle it. Come on inside.” Ty made it to the back steps and held the door open, counting to twenty-two before Meatball picked his butt up and waddled inside.

  More progress. He remembered when he’d get to seventy-eight before his dog made a move to come inside.

  It only took four years.

  Once inside he filled the dog dish with water and placed a doggie treat next to it knowing Meatball would come and get it when he was good and ready.

  Ty slid his phone out of his pocket and dialed Lily’s number.

  “Hello?” her voice sexy with sleep coated his brain with lust.

  “Did I wake you?” He heard rustling before she answered.

  “Ty?” More rustling. He stirred inside his jeans. “Hi. I wasn’t expecting... hi.”

  “Sorry to wake you.” He held his phone away from his ear and read the time. Nine o’clock. Late enough on a normal morning, but when he’d left her bed only seven hours ago, he supposed he should’ve given her more time to sleep.

  “No. That’s okay. I normally don’t sleep so late. After you left I... I had a hard time falling asleep. I read for a bit and then...”

  “You don’t have to explain. We had a... late night. You more than earned your sleep.” Ty cringed. “I didn’t mean in that way.” He pictured her still naked from their evening of lovemaking, wrapped in nothing but the pale green sheets on her bed. Her skin red from where he’d devoured her. Her lips plump and wet from his kisses.

  Lily laughed. “Maybe not, but you’re right. I think we both earned our sleep.”

  Ty banged the back of his head against the wall. If she was going to turn this conversation into phone sex he’d hang up and race over to her house, opting for the real thing instead of over a cellular device.

  “So the reason I called. Do you have plans today?”

  “Not really, no.”

  “I was wondering if... well, I thought about taking Meatball down to the beach and didn’t know if you’d want to come with us.”

  “Really?” He could practically hear the smile in her voice.

  “You make it sound more exciting than it really is. Chances are Meatball won’t even step foot on the sand.”

  “Is he scared of the water?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve never brought him.”

  “Really? It’s about time he experiences it then.”

  “Great. We’re on our way.”

  “Can you give me a few minutes to get ready?”

  Ty banged his head again. Eager much? “Sorry. Forgot you were still in bed.” No he hadn’t. He’d been picturing her naked during their entire conversation.

  “I can be ready in half an hour if that works for you both.”

  “I’m not sure about Meatball, but it works for me. See you in a bit.”

  They hung up, and Ty all but danced around like Delaney and her ballet friends in one of her recitals.

  “Dude. You gotta make me look good,” he said to Meatball who’d been curled up in his dog bed since coming inside.

  It took nearly a half hour to get Meatball out of the house again. Ty picked him up and put him in the front cab of his truck. He stayed there behind the wheel, not giving Ty any room.

  “Come on, Meatball. Slide over.” Still nothing. Ty pushed at his butt until he slid over to the middle. “Don’t make me regret this.”

  When he got to Lily’s he cracked the windows and ordered Meatball to stay, not that he was worried.

  The front of the spa was locked so he knocked, but Lily’s apartment was two floors up. She wouldn’t hear. He slid out his cell phone to call her, and she appeared in the door as he hit send.

  “Good timing,” she said as she walked out the door looking fresh and perfect in a pair of running shorts and a purple tank top that showed off her slim waist and dipped just low enough so he could get a glimpse of her cleavage.

  “You look nice.”

  Lily cocked her head to the side. “I didn’t shower; tugged my hair back in a ponytail, I didn’t do my makeup, and am wearing my running clothes.”

  “Like I said.” He wanted to lean in and kiss her, but they were on the sidewalk and he wasn’t sure how she felt about being seen with him in this light in public. He wasn’t sure how he felt about it either.

  It wasn’t like he was ashamed to be with Lily. Hell, she was the kind of woman you showed off to anyone and everyone. He wasn’t ready for the prodding, the questions from his family. Primarily Mia. Their relationship—whatever it was—would stay between the two of them.

  Like she’d said last night, she was a private person and so was he.

  “Thanks, I guess.”

  “I don’t know how long I can contain Meatball’s excitement. We’d better go.” He placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her around the hood of his truck to the passenger side door. Opening it, he pretended to scold Meatball. “Calm yourself down or you’ll scare Lily away. No pawing or drooling. Understood?”

  The warning should have been directed at himself instead of the dog. It roused a giggle out of Lily, which was what he was aiming for. He’d be lying if he said her comment about him and Meatball being a good match didn’t bother him. It had.

  Ty wasn’t a grump. He liked to think he had a sense of humor and was easy to be around. It wasn’t shyness that kept him quiet and fairly aloof. Just because he didn’t aim to be the center of attention like his sister, or was a social butterfly like Hope didn’t mean he was miserable.

  There simply hadn’t been many moments in his life since his return from overseas that required him to be overly social. He left Crystal Cove and joined the military a confident teenager and returned as an emotionally shattered recluse, according to his sister.

  The friends he had in high school were casual; guys he played sports with, hung out with at parties. He’d never been too close with the guys or with any girlfriends. It was easy to enlist and be wowed by the excitement of the military.

  Once he flew through basic training and was called to active duty, the euphoria had worn off. It turned into a job. Not something he wanted to do for the rest of his life either. He had his platoon buddies that he kept in touch with, but again, no real connections. Except with Kristi.

  “Hey, cutie.” Lily patted her thighs, and Meatball’s head lifted. “Are you excited to go play in the water?” She rubbed behind his ears and kissed the top of his head.

  Envying his dog too much, Ty closed the door and rubbed his hand across his face as he made his way to the other side of the truck and climbed behind the wheel. Meatball’s head rested in Lily’s lap while Ty got his back end. Figured.

  “How old is he?” Lily continued massaging Meatball, her long, slender fingers glided up and down his back, and Ty shifted at t
he stirring in his pants.

  “Uh, somewhere between seven and a hundred.”

  “He is pretty cute. In a grumpy, sourpuss kind of way.”

  Is that what she thought of him as well? Although the way she screamed out his name when he was buried to the hilt inside of her, and the smile on her face afterward told him otherwise.

  He parked behind the hardware store, which hid the access path to the beach, and cracked his windows.

  “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. This excursion may be over before it begins.”

  “I’m up for the adventure.”

  “Or lack thereof.” He slid out of the truck and didn’t bother turning to see if Meatball wanted out his door. When he got to Lily’s side she already had her door open and the dog’s sleepy head still on her lap.

  “Maybe he’ll wake up when I move.”

  Ty snorted. “We’ll see.”

  Lily picked up Meatball’s head and swung her long, toned legs that had been wrapped around his neck the night before out of the truck.

  “Hey, buddy. Want to go play?” She ruffled the rolls on the back of his neck and got nothing in response.

  “The truck’s too high for him to hop down. I usually have to carry him in and out.” Ty brushed his shoulder against Lily, gently nudging her out of the way as he scooped up his fifty-pound mutt.

  Setting him on the ground, he whispered in his ear, “Can you try to show off just a little?”

  Lily giggled behind him as she hopped out. Apparently, he hadn’t whispered quietly enough. Rising to his feet, he shut the truck’s door and clicked his tongue.

  “Alright, Meatball. Let’s show the lady what you’re made of.” The dog didn’t budge. Maybe Ty should have brought the leash. He could’ve at least tugged on it in hopes of getting him to move.

  Instead, Meatball sat on his back paws and drooled. Lily jogged in front of them a good ten yards and crouched on her haunches as well. “Come here, boy.” She patted her bare knees and gave Meatball a smile that would have any man in a twenty-mile radius running to her. His dog was stupid.

  Leaving Meatball’s side, he stood next to Lily and sighed. “Maybe this wasn’t a good idea.”