Page 35 of Hot Chicken

He resumes walking as we both fall into hysterics. Entering my stall, Ms. Fletcher is beaming, her hands steepled together, watching us, while Jo gives me a knowing grin. Matt drops me to my feet and gives my ass a swat. “Now get to work. Someone has a prize to win!”

An almost perfect day comes to an end, and I should be exhausted, yet I’m on cloud nine. I wish I could say it was because I took home Best on the Beach. But, alas, I came in second place to the Fruitcake Flingers. I’d been too busy to meander the different booths of the festival. But Charlene had warned me they could edge out a win.

The Fruitcake Flingers had a line a mile long all day, with customers paying five bucks for the chance to win an overstuffed snowman if they hit the target by catapulting a block of fruitcake from a slingshot. The snowman looked as if it was made of sand, but it was a cheap stuffed animal. Their overhead was minimal, and the fun of hurling fruitcake in the air was more attractive than the prize. It was genius.

But second prize was nothing to sneeze at. It was ten thousand dollars. That, combined with the earnings of the day, and I’d still have enough to at least consider a move. I’d have to do the math to be sure, but it was more money than this girl had ever amassed, and I was making the most of it.

While I might’ve been the runner-up at the festival, I’d won first prize in the dating world. I couldn’t have dreamed Matthew would come back for me. To visit his mother, sure. But this grand gesture was all about me.

As if he knew what I was thinking, he lifted our entwined hands to his mouth and placed a kiss to my knuckles as we drove down the main beach road.

“Wait? Where are we going? My house is that way.”

“I know. I dropped my mother’s night nurse at your place on the way to the festival.”

“How’d you manage that?”

He chuckles. “It wasn’t easy. She doesn’t usually work weekends, but for triple her regular rate, she was all in.”

“Matt-”

“Don’t say it. Harrison gave us the beach house for the weekend. It’s going to be worth every penny.” He winks. “I know you’ve got to be exhausted, but I plan to keep you up all night. We can sleep tomorrow.”

My thighs clench at his words. I try to act coy, but I probably look like a rabid animal right now.

“Here it is,” Matt says as he turns into a stamped concrete drive alongside a gorgeous three-story oceanfront home. He hits a button on his visor, and the garage door opens. Before I can say a word, he’s jumped out of the driver’s seat and is making his way to me.

“It’s breathtaking, Matt.”

“You’re breathtaking.” He reaches for me, lifting me and the roses I’m clutching into his arms as if I weigh nothing. I guess it’s the perk of dating a firefighter. He opens the door leading into the home, and I barely see a thing beyond the glass doors facing the water due to his pace.

“What’s your hurry?” I joke.

Matthew stops dead in his tracks. “I’ve waited ten years for this. It’s a house. I’ll give you the tour tomorrow. But I need you naked.”

“Can I at least have a shower?” It’s been a long, hot, and steamy day. And I don’t want to finally sleep with this man only to smell like Colonel Sanders.

“Only if I can join you.”

Matthew walks down the hallway to what appears to be a guest room and drops me onto my feet. Reaching for the roses, he places them in a vase of water sitting on the bedside table.Jeez. He thought of everything.“Can I undress you?” His voice sounds less confident all of a sudden. He’s honestly the sweetest man. He’s never been overly assertive.Well, except for when he was between my legs.

“Yes.” I smile up at him. Somebody pinch me.

He places his hands on my back, feeling for the zipper of my dress, and slowly pulls it down. Once the back is open, I curl my shoulders forward, allowing the garment to tumble to my feet. Matthew lets out a heady groan and takes a few steps back. “Sweet Jesus, Ellie.” His eyes roam from my head to my toes, lingering a few places in between. He squats to remove my shoes before sitting up to place a kiss above the hem of my plain, white cotton panties. Standing to his full height, he curls his arms around me and unsnaps my strapless white bra before sliding his thumbs into the sides of my panties, lowering them to the floor.

I’m nervous. I feel incredibly exposed like this, with him still fully dressed. But his actions make me feel desired. He could’ve just pulled my skirt up and went at it. Yet this is so much more.

Matt takes a step back, taking me in, and I try to calm my shaky limbs. “God damn, my girl is pretty.” He rubs his erection with the palm of one hand while reaching behind him to pull his shirt over his neck with the other. His toned, inked pecs and abs are on full display. My nerves start to calm, having something to focus on besides myself.

He looks deep into my eyes as he unsnaps his shorts, sliding the zipper down dramatically as if announcing the best night of my life has officially begun. Heck, what was I saying about my nerves? His heavy cock springs free as he lowers his pants, and I have to force myself to breathe. Walking over, he grabs my hand in his and leads me into the attached bathroom. I can’t help but gawk at his muscular ass as he leans into the shower to start the water.

“Ellie. This is going to have to be a quick shower, baby.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want the first time I’m inside you to be anywhere other than a bed. And I already have to picture your damn pig in here with us to keep from losing it.”

I giggle as I follow him into the warm spray. Lifting my hands to the end of one of my braids, Matt interrupts.

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