Too Goode to be True (Love Hashtagged #2) (13 page)

He stared at his email for several minutes after he hung up, not quite processing anything. It had been a promising call, despite the lack of resolution. So why did his nerves still dance, as if a million tiny bugs wreaked havoc on his system? He shook his head, to clear away the cobwebs, and looked at his computer again. It still didn’t make sense.

Fuck. He grabbed his desk phone and dialed Molly.

“What’s up?” Her chipper voice increased his growing anxiety.

“I need you to do some research for me. This one may be a little difficult. And I want it today.” He’d hired her not only because she was scary efficient on the phones, but she could also track down any digital information. She was the one who figured out Gwen owned 2Gud2BTru.

“You’re speaking my language. Give me details.”

As he explained his request to her, the jitters ebbed, and the tightness in his neck relaxed. This might not work. It might end up being a complete waste of time. But today, he needed a little bit of hope driving him.

Gwen didn’t remember a longer Wednesday in the entirety of her life. She hoped being back at work would distract her from the fact Brad didn’t reply to her message. There weren’t enough customers to keep her mind occupied, though. She’d already finished scheduling for the next month, filled out her quarterly taxes, and planned a new advertising budget for the diner. Jaycie was out of town at some big, important gaming thing, so her showing up was out.

Gwen wiped the counter for the billionth time.

She couldn’t do this. Telling herself she didn’t care. Waiting for Brad to decide if he did. This biding her time and waiting to see what came next wasn’t like her on good days, and right now, it drove her to the brink of screaming
. Fuck it.
Tonight she was calling him. If he didn’t answer, she’d… She didn’t know. Stop by his house. She didn’t intend to go full-on stalker, but she wanted a chance to tell him how she felt. In the short time they knew each other, they always did that. Holding back wasn’t their thing, and they both deserved the truth at least one more time. If he didn’t answer his door or told her to go away, she’d have to. It would be an answer, even if it wasn’t one she wanted.

But this eternal waiting and second-guessing bullshit wasn’t working for her. Plan in place, her mind calmed. Until she realized she wouldn’t be out of here for another two hours. Plenty of time to focus on imaginary what-will-I-say scenarios.

Nothing too defensive. She’d been hurt, and lashed out. At the same time, she wasn’t willing to grovel. If he wanted that from her, he wasn’t the man she knew.
Arg
. The mental shout echoed in her skull.

The door chimed, and twisted her head toward the noise, grateful for the distraction.

When she saw Brad, her plotting and premeditation flew out the window, and a vise squeezed her lungs. He met her gaze and smiled, and layers of tension evaporated, to be replaced with a new height of doubt.

He took the seat in front of her. “I didn’t want to surprise you or back you into a corner.” His tone was even, not hinting at any emotion. “I thought you might not take my call, and I wasn’t sure I could wait until you finished work.”

She tried to force a neutral look to her face, but couldn’t find enough calm inside to pull it off. “It’s fine. It’s great. I hope. We can talk in my office.”

“I’d like that.” He stood and followed her to the small room.

As she walked, intently aware of his presence a few feet back—close enough to distract her, but not enough for her to feel him—she tried to find her earlier snippets of pre-rehearsed speech. He obviously had something to say, but she needed to be prepared. Unless what he had to say was,
Stop calling and lose my number.
His smile and the way he looked at her when he walked in didn’t indicate he thought anything of the sort, but she was a bit of a wreck from the last few days and couldn’t convince herself to discard the idea.

They stepped inside, and she closed the door behind him. “I’m listening.” The words came out terser than she intended. “I mean”—she paused to compose herself—“what did you want to talk about?”

Instead of answering, he closed the distance between then. When he cradled her face in his palms, the shock of his touch spread from her cheeks and pushed desire through her entire body. He crushed his mouth to hers, and a two-ton weight lifted from her chest. She gasped against his lips and leaned into him. Diving into the kiss. Memorizing the his touch. Imprinting his intoxicating scent into her thoughts.

They broke apart, and he searched her face, an unspoken question in his eyes. “I couldn’t help myself. I’d apologize, but I’m not sorry.”

She covered his right with hers and intertwined their fingers. “I’m glad you did it.”

“We have this habit when we’re together… It’s one of the things that first attracted me to you and hasn’t let me go since. You don’t hold back, and I never feel like I have to do the same. We speak our minds. We tell each other how we feel.”

Her racing pulse kicked up another notch at how his words echoed her earlier musings. She didn’t interrupt. Couldn’t find a response. Instead, she nodded.

“I need to do this one more time.” He traced tiny circles over her cheek with his thumb. “I don’t mean it to be some sort of entrapment or emotional blackmail. It’s me being honest, and if you don’t feel the same, I don’t expect you to pretend otherwise. I love you. I’ll understand if it doesn’t go both ways.”

The words swept through her, and made her feel light. Giddy and silly. She pulled his palm to her mouth and kissed along the calloused skin. A month ago, she wasn’t sure she’d ever hear those words said sincerely, and now she didn’t doubt them for a millisecond. “I love you too.”

“I love the way that sounds, coming from your mouth. Then again, I’m pretty fond of most things you say.”

“I’m so sorry about the blog post.” She still needed to say it. To know how it was going to impact whatever happened to them next. “I never would have—”

“I know. It’s done. It’s over. It’s okay.” He squeezed her hand. “I won’t lie and tell you everything’s going to be all right. I’m not sure yet. But you know as well as I do the hearing Monday probably would have played out the same, regardless of anything to do with us.”

He tugged her toward her chair and prompted her to sit. He fumbled for something in his pocket but never dropped her hand. “Once upon a time, a few weeks ago, we did this, and it wasn’t super romantic.”

She searched the past for an indicator of what he meant and came up blank. “Last time we were in my office, I’m pretty sure I ordered at you to get out, and you snapped at me for snapping at Drea.”

“Not that.” When he dropped to one knee, her heart surged into her throat. “If you’ll have dinner with me tonight, I promise champagne and roses and candlelight, but I can’t wait that long to do this.”

“Do what?” Part of her knew the answer, but it refused to surrender the words to the rest of her. Or maybe she just couldn’t believe it.

He held up a small jeweler’s box and popped the lid. Her eyes grew wide at the familiar sight. It was her grandmother’s ring. The one her brother pawned early on. A sob of happy disbelief lodged in her windpipe.

“Gwen Marie Debson, you’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met, and I’ve known some pretty incredible and gorgeous gals. It doesn’t matter; none hold a candle to you, body or mind. The last few days have been miserable, with me thinking we were through, and I don’t want to go through that again, so I’m hoping you’ll do me the honor of spending the rest of your life with me.”

“Yes. God, yes.”

He slid the ring on her finger, then rose and kissed her gently. “I probably shouldn’t admit this—it’s not manly or something—but at least a tiny bit of me was terrified you’d say
no
.”

“It never crossed my mind.” She held up her hand and watched the garish halogen light bounce off the rubies and diamond. “Where did you find this?”

“I’ve got a person who’s good at following digital paper trails. And I may have given her an unlimited budget, to make sure she did this as quickly as possible.”

“I love it.” She stood and pulled him to his feet as well. “The ring. The poetic proposal. All of it. Especially you.”

He grabbed her hips and spun her so her back was to her desk. With a light nudge, he prompted her to sit on top, leaving her feet dangling. The moment still felt surreal. Too good to be true. She almost laughed at the phrase that had become all but meaningless to her up to this point. Now the words had new life. New power behind them. And she was wrong; it wasn’t too good to be true. It was exactly as it should be.

Brad wedged her thighs apart with his knee and slid between them. When he traced his lips up her neck, she gasped and dug her fingers into his arms. “You mentioned poor soundproofing in here.” His mouth vibrated against her skin with each word, sending pleasant tingles to dance through her. “I’m so tempted to make you scream in pleasure.”

The playful touches and light caresses were enough to fill her with a tingle of need. She tilted her head, to give him easier access when he nipped at her ear. “You’re assuming I’d try to hold back.” Laughter lined her words. She enjoyed every aspect of this.

“I stand corrected, and I never assume that about you.” He pressed close enough his semi-hard cock met her mound through denim. He glided his fingers under her shirt and danced a line up her back. “Does that mean I don’t have to stop?”

“I don’t know about you, but I don’t think stopping’s an option for me.” She arched her back, molding her body to his when he trailed along her side, to her chest, and caressed the bottom of her breast. Dampness grew between her legs with each new touch, and his erection teased her.

“How long do we have, until you’re expected back out front?”

“If we get a rush—which isn’t likely—then someone will come looking for me.”

“Hmm. I like those odds.” He unsnapped her bra with a simple flick and twist. In a single swipe, he dragged her clothes up and lowered his head to her breast.

He flicked a tongue over a rigid nub, and she bit the inside of her cheek, to keep from groaning out loud.

“You said no holding back.” He scraped his teeth over her nipple.

The sharp sting felt like a cord running from her chest directly to her already wet pussy, and this time her moan escaped.

“That’s more like it.” Brad wrapped his lips around the peak and alternated between sucking, nibbling, and licking.

She squirmed against him harder with each new pass of attention. She’d heard some women could get off from having their breasts played with, but she assumed she wasn’t among them. Now she wondered, as a wave of euphoria rose inside and stole her thoughts, but she hovered at the edge of pleasure.

She wedged a hand between them and traced his bulge through his jeans. Before she could stroke him, he grabbed her wrist and pinned it to the desk. “Not yet.” His grip was tight enough to sting, and his voice held a sharp edge. She was surprised at the new spike of arousal the combination speared her with. “I want you panting and writhing in pleasure first.”

“That’s a big promise. I’m curious to see what you’ve got.” She kept her tone light and playful.

He ground his cock against her. “You’ve already seen
what I’ve got.
You still have to wait.” He switched his attentions to her other nipple, while he twisted the first between his fingers.

She thrust her hips in time to the flicking of his tongue, driving pressure to the center of her need but not offering relief. Did she want to beg for release, or see how long she could hold out, floating in the attention? As she considered pleading, he dropped his hand to her waist. He fumbled with the button on her jeans longer than he had with the hooks on her bra, but seconds later, he undid it and dragged the zipper down. He dipped his fingers under her panties and between her folds, his moan mingling with her sigh. “Fuck. You’re soaked.” His voice dropped an octave.

She was grateful he didn’t draw the teasing out further. He brushed her clit, and she thrust against his hand, almost coming from the light contact. When he dragged a fingertip back and forth over the swollen nub, orgasm spilled through her. She wasn’t sure if she managed to keep her voice down or not. All she knew was the force of pleasure flooding her.

Brad eased up as her short pants for breath became shudders from overstimulation. He kissed her hard, then rested his forehead against hers. Mischief danced in his eyes. “You really didn’t hold back. Aren’t you worried your employees will know what you’re up to?”

“They’re adults, I’m almost certain they know.” Her confidence wavered, and her words faltered. Heat flooded her cheeks. “I didn’t really get too loud. Did I?”

“No.” Honesty shone on his face. “And I promise to wait until I get you home, to break that last thread of restraint.”

“I appreciate that.”

“But”—he tugged on the waistband of her jeans—“I’m hoping you won’t make me wait that long to be inside you.”

Brad might have struggled to believe this was actually happening, but the gorgeous woman grinding against his cock and squirming in his arms added both a very real and sublimely ethereal sensation to his afternoon. He reached for his wallet and the condom tucked inside.

Gwen rested a hand on his arm. “Wait.”

“I’m not sure I can hold out much longer.” He nudged her with his erection, to prove his point. She was soaked, and his dick remembered what it was like to slide inside her. He needed to feel her clench around him. Lose himself in the moment.

She used her frame to push him back, then she slid from the desk. “I’m not asking you to.” She pushed her jeans and panties to the floor and kicked them aside, leaving her gorgeous pussy on display. “I’m on the pill. You’re clean, right?”

Fuck. He didn’t think it was possible for him to get harder. “Yes.”

“I want just you inside me. No protection. Skin on skin.” As she spoke, she unbuckled his belt and undid his pants. When she wrapped her fingers around his shaft, a low growl tore from his throat.

He couldn’t find a response, so he grabbed her hips, lifted her back onto the desk, and shoved between her legs again. Her hand still on his dick, she guided him forward. Instead of positioning him at her opening, she slid the head along her slick lower lips, teasing. Coating both his dick and her hand.

“That feels amazing”—forming words took more focus than he wanted to exert—“but it’s not what I want.” He pushed her hand down, and as soon as he felt the landscape change, drove inside her with a single thrust.

She tilted back her head, mouth open in a silent cry. He pulled out to the tip, then slammed back into her again, marveling at the sensation of penetration. Each stroke grew shorter, until he pounded against her in punctuated bursts. “You feel incredible,” he managed.

“I could say the same.” She wrapped her legs around his hips, holding him inside, and trailed her nails up her back. Using him to support her weight. Each time he plunged deep, he struck something, and she let out a soft grunt. Her face twisted into the gorgeous pleasure he’d learned to recognize, and he knew she was close. Which was good, because he wasn’t going to last long. He increased his pace to meet her sighs, and her pussy clenched around him.

“God, Brad. Oh, fuck. You feel so good.” Her words, breathless and impulsive, pushed him to the edge. “Oh, God.” She bit her bottom lip as she came. Her walls tightened on his cock, squeezing and coaxing. Knocking him into orgasm. He dug his fingers into her hips as he came, and he pounded hard and fast, until her gasps of pleasure slowed and eased off.

His head swam, and his legs threatened to buckle, but he wasn’t willing to let go of her. Slowly, she released her grip and settled her cheek against his chest. “Your heart is hammering.” Her voice was soft and serene.

“Go figure.” He let out a light laugh. “And Gwen, love, I need to sit.”

“Of course.”

He dropped into her chair and tugged her to sit on his lap. She curled up against his chest again, tracing tiny lines through his shirt. “When do we get to test drive
your
office?” she asked.

“My office has huge windows that overlook the parking lot.”

“So we’ll draw the blinds.” She followed the curve of his arm and rested her hand at the base of his neck.

“We’ve got a room that’s much better for blocking out the sound of screams. It could use a new memory.”

“That’s not a challenge. But I guess I could be convinced to give it a try. Maybe.”

“Don’t sound so excited.” He danced his fingers over her bare hip.

She squirmed under his touch. “That tickles.”

“That’s the point. And we’ve got lots of time. If you kiss me right, I’ll probably fuck you anywhere you want.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” She snuggled closer. “And I like the sound of
lots of time.
”

He did too. This was more perfect than anything he could have imagined. They both still had things to deal with, but it would be easier with her by his side, and for the first time in ages, tomorrow felt like it might be brighter than today.

****

One Month Later

“I think if we bring the header up maybe 100 pixels, we can fit more in above the fold.” As Jaycie spoke, she flicked the touchpad on her laptop.

Gwen couldn’t see Jaycie’s screen but knew she was looking at the reworked 2Gud2BTru site. Jaycie had been helping her tweak the design since Gwen mocked up a new layout, a week or so ago. The new look and feel would roll out next weekend, and Gwen was giddy with anticipation. She’d leave the old content up in archives, but it felt right transitioning new posts to stories with happier endings.

“As long as you can make the logo fit in the new space, go for it.” The plan also involved a more direct tie-in to Brad’s site. Which she knew would lead some of her readers to accuse her of selling out. Others would leave in a huff of silence. But most would stay, and others would happen along. Gwen knew what she was doing, and she wasn’t worried about keeping the numbers up. Besides, the blog was for fun first, and money was a nice bonus, so there was no reason to cave to peer pressure if she wanted to take things in a new direction.

“You know I can.” Jaycie ducked her head, focused on the screen in front of her. The door chimed, but she stayed engrossed in her work.

“
Gwen.
” Drea’s voice carried through the shop. The girl skipped up to the stool next to Jaycie and took her place. “I want a milkshake. Dad said I could.” She turned to Jaycie. “And hello.”

“Yeah, hey. Hi.” Jaycie didn’t look up, but a smile flickered on her face.

“Are you sure that’s what he said?” Gwen asked.

“I did.” Brad crossed the room and gave Gwen a quick kiss over the counter.

“God. Get a room, you two.” Teasing laced Jaycie’s taunt.

“Nice.” Drea held up her hand, and without looking, Jaycie gave her a high five.

Gwen shook her head and laughed. She turned to the kitchen and called for a milkshake, then looked back at Brad. “How’d it go?” As if his broad grin wasn’t a fair indicator.

“He promised me a new bed. Bigger. With geometric shapes on the sheets.”

“You bribed her, to come live with you?” Gwen raised her brows but couldn’t force a stern expression.

“It’s a celebratory gift, and easier than moving her other one in. She’ll be staying with me weekdays. All of them.”

Gwen had been doing a bit of that herself, though their time was equally split between both their places right now. She had a feeling that wouldn’t be the case much longer, but it was a discussion for a later time, and she wasn’t worried about the outcome. Either way, they’d make it work.

“We’re buying you dinner tonight, too.” Drea only looked up from whatever she was reading on her tablet for a second.

“If you’re free,” Brad added.

Gwen still wasn’t sure how much teasing she could do in front of Drea, especially when it came to the more adult jokes, so she swallowed a playful,
I guess my other boyfriends will be okay without me for one night
, and said, “I think I can squeeze you in.”

He raised his brows, and she could almost hear the innuendo rolling through his thoughts. He pulled a card from his wallet and handed it over. “Tori says she’s free Sunday afternoon. Call her and bring any ideas you have for what kind of dress you want.”

“How complicated can I get?”

“She says make it extravagant if you want. She’s always wanted to design a wedding dress.”

Gwen tucked the phone number into her back pocket, and happiness flowed through her. The same sensation that had persisted more often than not, since Brad proposed. They’d set the wedding date almost a year out, wanting to take the time to get to know each other. She wasn’t worried about either of them changing their minds, though. There would be bumps and ditches and hiccups—all good relationships had them—but she was looking forward to working through them with him. She glanced at Drea. With both of them.

Life was good, and it was only going to get better. But she wasn’t going to call it too good to be true, because she was living it, and it was as real as anything she’d ever experienced.

THE END

~*~

If you’d like to meet Brad’s sister, Tori, and dive headfirst into the delicious geeky world of comic book stores and cosplay, check out
Graphically Novel (Love Hashtagged Book 3)

Keep reading for a sneak peek of
Graphically Novel

~*~

If you’re looking for more cubicle dwellers and geek love to warm your heart and scorch the pages of your e-reader, check out the Love Hack series, starting with
Breaching His Defenses
.
Jared doesn’t expect to see the sexy siren who rescued him from singing a duet alone in a karaoke again. He definitely didn’t think she was behind the network security concerns plaguing his IT company.

~*~

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