Dirty at 30 (Love Without Batteries Book 1) Read online

  I shrugged. “No worries. The deserted cabin will always be there. How about if we go with my reserve plan?”

  “Abandoned amusement park?” she asked. “Wait! I’ll bet you’re taking me to a remote campground.”

  “Damn!” I feigned annoyance. “Now you’ve ruined my original plan and both alternate plans. I guess we’ll have to settle for boring dinner and a movie.”

  Brook flashed a sweet smile. “Something tells me an evening with you could never be boring.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Brook

  I hadn’t been sure what to expect for my first date with Ty, but it certainly hadn’t been dinner at South of the Border. Sitting in the parking lot outside the taqueria, I looked over at Ty, who seemed quite pleased with himself.

  “I’m not really sure how to react to you taking me to a naughty taqueria,” I remarked.

  “Someone who loves porn as much as you should appreciate this restaurant,” he said with an amused smirk.

  “I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to being curious about the food they serve at a naughty taqueria,” I admitted. “Let’s give it a try.”

  Ty grinned and hurried around to my side of the car to open the door for me. When he put his hand out to me, I took it, and he led me into the restaurant. It was slightly more upscale than your typical no frills taqueria, with festive plastic table coverings that featured cactuses and sombreros. Each table had matching menus in the middle.

  “Go ahead and sit wherever you like,” the man at the counter told us.

  Ty led me to a table near the back, away from the family with kids throwing napkins at each other. I’d like to say it was just the kids, but the dad was in on the action, despite the mom’s scolding. While I’m sure many would find it annoying, it was endearing in many ways. Having grown up in a home filled with anger and judgment, there had been little in the way of fun.

  Following my line of sight, Ty shook his head and grinned when he saw the family. “My dad used to get in trouble for encouraging us to act like that at the dinner table. My mom would have skinned him if he’d pulled something like this in a restaurant, but at home, she didn’t mind us acting like fools sometimes.”

  “That must have been fun,” I remarked. “From everything you and Chelsea have told me, you have awesome parents.”

  “They are pretty awesome,” he agreed. “What are you in the mood for tonight?”

  “They have taquitos,” I stated. “I used to get the best taquitos from this little hole in the wall place on Broadway that specialized in finger foods, but they closed.”

  “Nate’s?” he asked.

  “Yes,” I replied. “I miss Nate’s.”

  “Me too,” Ty agreed. “I used to head down there for lunch once a week. I was addicted to his hot wings. I didn’t even know he made taquitos.”

  “They weren’t on the menu,” I explained. “Someone else ordered them when I was in there. When I asked him about it, he told me the printers messed up on his menus, but he hadn’t noticed until months later.”

  Ty chuckled. “I’ll bet they were on his menu board.”

  “I’m sure they were, but he wrote that himself, so no one could read it. I still remember one customer asking him what a hat wig was,” I said with a laugh.

  “Yep, Nate’s writing was a challenge. Wanna share an order of taquitos and see how they compare to Nate’s?”

  “Sounds good,” I agreed. “Lucky for you, I prefer chicken taquitos.”

  “Can I get you some drinks?” a waiter asked. “Our house margaritas are three dollars on Sunday.”

  “I’ll have an iced tea,” I told him.

  “Dos Equis Ambar,” Ty said after looking at the drink menu. “We’ll also have an order of the chicken taquitos.”

  “I’ll get that out to you right away,” the waiter assured us.

  “No margarita?” Ty asked. “From hearing Chelsea talk, I thought you loved a good margarita.”

  “Only a couple times a month,” I explained. “I also never drink margaritas at a taqueria, even a naughty taqueria.”

  “Why the aversion to margaritas from taquerias?” he asked.

  “You can blame your sister for that,” I replied.

  “How is this Chelsea’s fault?”

  “She dragged me to this scary family owned taqueria one time,” I began. “It looked like the entire building should be condemned.”

  “Why’d you stay?” He looked confused, which I completely understood.

  “Chelsea had done baby photos for the daughter of the owner, and they’d invited her to a celebration, telling her she could bring guests,” I explained. “It was fun, and the food was great, but the margaritas were terrible. I only had two, but they made me sick the next day.”

  “It could have been food poisoning,” he added.

  “You’re right, and we haven’t gone back there for the food either,” I assured him. “While the experience didn’t turn me off margaritas, it did turn me off ones from taquerias.”

  “I figured you’d tell me they use cheap tequila,” he remarked.

  “They might, but I have a confession to make.” I leaned forward and lowered my voice. “I’m not sure I’d notice the difference.”

  “Why are you whispering?” he asked with a laugh.

  “Delaney still can’t forgive me for my lack of refinement when it comes to drinking. I keep telling her, it’s from growing up in a white trash community.”

  “I’d never have guessed you came from a white trash community,” he remarked.

  “I moved away from home when I was sixteen, hoping to never have to think about that part of my life again,” I told Ty, and then I fell silent, not sure what more to tell him.

  Without saying a word, Ty reached out and took my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

  “My childhood was nothing like yours,” I began. “I grew up with parents who fought all the time. Angry shouts were normal background noise in my home. They yelled at each other, yelled at me, yelled at the neighbors. Neither of them ever laid a finger on me or each other because the church frowned on that sort of thing. Our whole town attended the same church, and most of the families were just as miserable, judgmental, and poor as we were. I was luckier than most kids in our town because my parents were more neglectful than anything else. I’d spend hours alone, but it was better that way. We don’t talk now, and I’m pretty sure they’re as relieved with that as I am. My mom was embarrassed when I moved out because she took it to mean she’d failed to raise me right. Since she never tried to talk me into staying, I assume she was happier with me gone. My dad never showed any reaction to me leaving.”

  “I’m sorry you had to grow up in an environment like that. Is that why it’s been so important for you to give Luke a more stable home?”

  I nodded. “When I was first with Rob, he spent a lot more time around Luke, so I thought he was a good father.”

  “I remember that,” Ty added. “Luke wasn’t sure what to make of it.”

  “I can only assume he was trying to impress me,” I stated. “I’ve often wondered if Rob ever planned to stay with me. Things changed between us as soon as we were married, and he was almost never home. I guess I should be glad Rob handled things the way he did.”

  “Why’s that?” Ty asked.

  “Even though he’s an asshole for abandoning Luke, he didn’t just leave. Rob stuck around until Luke had accepted me and we were getting along,” I explained.

  “That didn’t take long because Luke loved you almost from the first day he met you,” Ty told me. “In the beginning, he was worried you were after his dad’s money, but then it shifted to him wishing his dad would just leave. For a while, I assumed he had a crush on you, but then I realized he saw you as more of a sister, and he didn’t want his dad hurting you.”

  “It was hard when Rob left, mostly because I felt like it was my fault Luke had lost his father,” I admitted. “Before you tell me it wasn’t my fault, I know that
now, and I think Luke was better off living with me. I was better off, too. He’s the younger brother I never had. What am I saying? He’s the family I never had.”

  Ty was quiet. “I had a huge crush on you when I was a kid.” His gaze locked with mine, and I found it impossible to look away. “Naturally, part of it had to do with how beautiful you are, but most of it had to do with how strong and kind you are.”

  “Is that crush why you asked me out? Is this just some adolescent fantasy?” I needed to know the answer, not sure it would make a difference even if that was the case. I was attracted to Ty, and in many ways, I was exploring a fantasy myself.

  “That’s part of it,” he admitted. “At least, it’s how things started. I’m not a teen anymore, and the reality of kissing you was much better than my fantasies. You’re turning into an addiction. An obsession.” Ty let out a quick bark of laughter. “Did that sound as weird as I think it did?”

  “That depends,” I began. “Are you going to ask me for hair from my brush?”

  “Of course not,” he insisted, looking offended. “I’ll steal the hair from your brush. I am going to need you to provide some blood.”

  “Making a voodoo doll?” I asked with a laugh.

  The waiter gave us a strange look as he set down our appetizer and drinks, and Ty grinned at him.

  “Don’t worry,” he assured the waiter. “I’m not going to make a voodoo doll. I just want to make a shrine to her in my basement.”

  The waiter shook his head and walked off, muttering to himself.

  I tried to look annoyed, but my lips were twitching. “Great! Now we can never eat at the naughty taqueria again.”

  “I’m sure we can find plenty of other naughty things to do.” Ty’s wicked promise had me biting back a moan, and based on his sexy grin, I’d guess he knew the effect he had on me.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Ty

  “That movie was truly awful,” Brook said as I pulled out of the movie theater parking lot.

  “You have no one to blame but yourself,” I told her.

  “True,” she agreed. “Next time, you pick the movie.”

  “See? I have better taste in movies than you do,” I gloated.

  “Nope,” Brook replied with a sweet smile. “I just want to be able to blame someone else when the movie is horrible. Is it just me, or are movies getting worse?”

  “You’re just seeing the wrong movies,” I argued. “How about if we stop for dessert?” I suggested, hoping to make our date last a little longer.

  “I think it would be best if we head back to my place,” Brook replied, much to my disappointment.

  I wasn’t ready to drop Brook off and have the evening come to an end, but I was looking forward to kissing her goodnight. “Sure. I’ll take you home.”

  Silence stretched between us on the drive back to Brook’s house, but I wasn’t worried. The date had gone well, and I assumed Brook was just tired. As I pulled up in front of her house, I decided to break the silence. “What are you thinking so hard about?”

  “Dating,” she admitted with an almost shy smile. “I was thinking about how crazy it is that a woman my age doesn’t have more experience. Hanging out with Chelsea and Delaney made me almost feel like being single and not looking for more is the norm, but it’s not. At thirty, I should know more about dating rules.”

  “I’m not sure there are that many dating rules,” I told her. “The idea is to have fun and get to know each other. I’m having fun.”

  “I am, too,” she assured me. “It’s also nice getting to know you. Okay, that sounded ridiculous, considering how long we’ve known each other and the fact that it feels so natural talking to you.”

  “I get what you’re saying,” I assured her. “You know me as Luke’s friend. I want you to know me as the man in your life.”

  “I want to know you as the man in my bed,” she admitted, meeting my eyes. “Would you like to come inside?”

  “Are you sure?” I asked, fighting my instinct to toss her over my shoulder and carry her up to her bedroom. I wanted in Brook so bad, I ached. “I don’t want you to regret this, sweetheart. We can always wait if you aren’t completely sure this is what you want.”

  “Ty,” she began, placing a hand on my thigh, and it was all I could do not to moan. “I did a lot of thinking after you left last night, and I want this. I want you. Are you coming in?” she asked again. “Or do I have to beg?”

  “Yes,” I murmured. “I am coming in, and yes, you are going to beg.”

  Brook’s eyes widened, and her breathing became labored.

  Hurrying around to her side of the car, I opened the door for her. Walking to the house, my arousal was so intense, it felt like there was an electric current running through my body. As soon as we were in the house, I pressed Brook against the door and kissed her, pinning her wrists on either side of her head. Her lips moved against mine, and she whimpered into my mouth. When she struggled to free her hands, I broke the kiss and nipped her lower lip.

  Brook shuddered and moaned. “Please let me touch you, Ty.”

  “Begging already?” I asked, running my tongue along her collar bone. “I like that. Did you like letting me control your pleasure last night?”

  “Yes,” she said on sigh.

  “Then let me take care of you,” I crooned close to her lips. My lips returned to hers as I drank in her sexy moans, exploring her mouth much like I planned to explore every inch of her body. My dick was pulsing behind my zipper as I claimed her mouth. Every pore of my body was screaming that she was mine, insisting I claim the rest of her. That’s when some part of my brain began working long enough to remember I didn’t have a condom. I was an idiot for assuming she wouldn’t be ready, and I was about to be an idiot with a serious case of blue balls.

  “We can’t do this,” I said regretfully, releasing her hands and stepping back.

  “Why?” she asked, blinking twice.

  “I don’t have a condom,” I admitted. “I didn’t expect things to go this far tonight.”

  She gave me a sexy grin. “Not to worry. I picked some up on the way home today.”

  “I’m suddenly craving dessert,” I murmured.

  Brook’s innocence stood out at moments like this. She looked genuinely confused. “Dessert? You’re hungry?”

  I chuckled. “Yeah, I’m craving something sweet, and that something is you.”

  Brook’s mouth formed a silent ‘O’ before she turned and headed up the stairs to her bedroom. The sway of her ass had my dick straining against the zipper of my jeans, begging to be let out. It was just going to have to wait because I had every intention of making this first time last, and I was also dying to make Brook come on my mouth. I knew some guys only went down on a woman for her benefit, but I fucking loved burying my face between a woman’s legs and tasting her ecstasy. Something told me Brook would be my new favorite flavor.

  When we got to Brook’s room, she reached for the front of my pants, but I caught her wrist and shook my head, almost laughing at her sexy pout. “Not yet,” I told her. “You teased me with those sexy little moans last night. I want to hear them in person and see if I can make you scream even louder when my tongue is on you.”

  Brook’s only response was a needy whimper. I fisted her hair at the back of her head to hold her in place as my mouth took hers again. She moaned into my mouth and stroked my tongue with her own. When I released her hair and my hands reached under the hem of her shirt, Brook moaned. Breaking the kiss just long enough to slip her shirt over her head, I kissed her again. I desperately needed her breasts in my hands, and I felt like an oafish boy when I couldn’t find the clasp on her bra.

  “It’s in the front,” she said against my lips, and I could hear the laughter in her voice.

  “Would you believe me if I told you I’m only acting inept as part of my seduction?” I asked, trying to keep my tone light, which was a serious challenge when I wanted her so badly.

  Brook
gave me a sweet smile. “I’ll believe anything you want as long as you don’t stop touching me.”

  Abandoning my efforts with her bra, I kissed her again.

  Chapter Twenty

  Brook

  There was no denying Ty knew how to kiss. His tongue stroked mine, and I moaned into his mouth. His hands had released my face and moved to my bra, undoing the clasp and freeing my breasts. Tearing his mouth from mine, Ty looked down at my exposed breasts. His breathing was labored, and his blue eyes were dark with passion.

  “Beautiful,” he murmured. My eyes followed the movements of his hands as he cupped my breasts, testing their weight. When the pads of his thumbs brushed against my hard nipples, my eyes drifted shut. “I want to taste them. I want to taste all of you.”

  Ty’s words stripped me of my ability to speak. All I could manage was a needy whimper, which I hoped he understood to be a yes.

  When Ty’s lips closed around one of my nipples, I sighed in relief, needing his touch in a way I’d never thought possible. Ty seemed devoted to his goal of lavishing attention on both breasts. His mouth was magic. At first, he was gentle, but soon, he was sucking my nipple into his mouth like he needed it to survive. As for me, I was moaning and clutching his hair.

  I released Ty’s hair when one of his hands pressed against my jeans, putting pressure on my clit and making me moan with need.

  “Do you want me to touch you here?” he asked, standing to stare down at me.

  I licked my lips and nodded.

  “Do you want my mouth on you?” he asked.

  “Yes,” I managed to breathe out.

  Ty removed his hand from between my legs and led me to the bed, where he guided me down and dropped to his knees to remove my shoes. Standing, Ty stripped his shirt over his head before pushing me further onto the bed and settling between my legs. When he leaned down to kiss me, his chest hairs teased my nipples, making me clutch his shoulders to pull him even closer. Ty’s mouth found mine again, and he kissed me until I was so desperate to have him in me, my legs wrapped around his waist to pull him closer.